Chapter 1 - First Meetings

Two people were walking through the forest. One of them, the shorter of the two, had shoulder-length pale blue hair tipped with dark blue, and two small braids ran along the sides of his head and ended in a small ponytail in the back. He had long, pointed ears like an elf. His clothes were elfin; a dark green collared shirt with stitches partially down his chest to hold the front closed, a long-sleeved light green shirt under the dark green one, brown pants, and tan unpolished leather shoes. He also carried a bow and arrows, and his dark blue eyes have flecks over pale blue in them. The other had long silvery-white hair pulled back in a ponytail that reached down his back, and he had a grey wolf's tail poking out of the back of his pants. He wore a white kimono-like shirt with long billowing sleeves and baggy beige pants, and he carried a sword. He wore no shoes, but instead went barefoot. His golden eyes seemed catlike, and his fingernails resembled claws. The shorter one, Koramaar Niklaren Rashke, was singing.

“When wilt thou save the people? O god of mercy, when?” He sang, not noticing that his traveling companion, Kosamaru, was getting ready to hit him. “Not kings and lords, but nations. Not thrones and crowns, but-Ow!” He was interrupted as Kosamaru hit him on the head.

“Just shut up, Maar!” Kosamaru snapped. Maar looked at him.

“Kosa, are we there yet?” He asked. Kosamaru gave him an angry look.

“Does it look like we're there yet?” He replied angrily. Maar looked around, and then he looked back at Kosamaru.

“No…” He said.

“Then we're not there yet!” Kosamaru cried. At that moment, a scream was heard, coming from up ahead. Both Maar and Kosamaru looked in the direction of the scream.

“Someone's in trouble!” Maar exclaimed. Kosamaru nodded.

“Let's go!” He declared. So they headed off at a run in the direction of the scream. As they ran, Maar shapeshifted and turned into a wolf. After a couple minutes, they reached the edge of the forest. A young girl came into view after a moment, and Maar spotted her.

“There!” He cried, pointing to the girl. Kosamaru looked and saw her, and he saw that she was being chased by a giant centipede.

“Stay here, Maar!” He proclaimed. “I'll handle this!” With that, he ran towards the girl and the giant centipede drawing his sword as he ran. As he was running, the girl fell, and the centipede prepared to attack. Kosamaru leapt forward and began battling with the centipede. The girl watched the fight from the ground. After a few minutes, Kosamaru managed to defeat the centipede, and he went over to the girl.

“That centipede is gone now!” He said proudly. “There's no need to thank me!” The girl looked behind him and saw the centipede regenerating itself.

“You didn't beat it yet, you idiot!” She cried. “Look!” She pointed at the now fully regenerated centipede. Kosamaru turned and looked.

“Oh, that's just great!” He exclaimed. He turned to the girl and grabbed her wrist, and he pulled her to her feet.

“I'll handle this!” He told her. “You go over there to Maar!” He pointed to the young half-elf half-shapeshifter. Maar waved cheerfully. The girl didn't move.

“Go to Maar!” Kosamaru repeated. The girl let out a short, wordless cry and vanished into thin air. Kosamaru stood there, blinking stupidly in confusion.

“Huh? Where'd she go?” He wondered aloud. At that moment, behind him, the centipede prepared to attack.

“Kosa! Look out!” Maar cried. He ran forward, drawing an arrow from his quiver as he ran and fitting it into his arrow. He skidded to a halt next to Kosamaru and fired the arrow. Kosamaru looked at Maar.

“Maar, what kind of arrow was that?” He asked slowly.

“Explosion Arrow!” Maar answered proudly. The arrow hit the centipede right in the middle of its head. Everything was completely still for a second, and then the centipede exploded. Kosamaru and Maar ended up getting covered in centipede guts. Kosamaru glared at Maar.

“Maar!” He cried angrily. “You just had to use one of your Explosion Arrows, didn't you?” Maar looked at him.

“Did you expect me to just use a simple Stun Arrow?” He asked. Kosamaru hit him.

“Ow!” Maar exclaimed. Meanwhile, at a bed and breakfast place in the town Maar and Kosamaru had been heading to earlier, the girl was sitting at a table, thinking about what had happened.

“First, that giant centipede attacks me, and then those guys come out of nowhere and save me.” She muttered. “Who were those guys anyway?” At that moment, a wolf covered in centipede guts wandered in and came over to the girl. He looked at her, and she looked at him. Then, the wolf shook himself off like a dog, getting centipede guts all over the girl. The girl made a disgusted face.

“Ew…please tell me this isn't the guts of the centipede that was chasing me…” She groaned. The wolf transformed into Maar, who was grinning brightly.

“That's exactly what it is!” He stated brightly. The girl looked at him.

“Who are you?” She asked. “What do you want?” Maar looked at her confusedly.

“I don't want anything.” He replied. “My name is Koramaar, but Kosa calls me Maar.” The girl gave him a confused look as she wiped the centipede guts off her.

“Kosa?” She questioned.

“The guy who saved you from that centipede demon.” He explained. “That's Kosa, and by the way, I'm hungry!” The girl looked at him like he was crazy.

“You had centipede guts all over you, and you're hungry?” She exclaimed.

“Yep! I'm hungry!” Maar replied.

“You're crazy…” The girl remarked.

“What?” Maar asked.

“Nothing.” The girl told him. At that moment, Kosamaru flung the door open with a crash and stormed over to Maar.

“Maar!” He shouted. “You idiot! Don't run off like that unless you tell me where you're going first!” He hit Maar on the head.

“Ow!” Maar exclaimed. “Kosa, if you didn't know where I was going, then how did you know to look for me here?”

“I asked people if they'd seen a stupid half-elf half-shapeshifter wandering around.” Kosamaru quipped irritably.

“Oh, by the way, I found the girl that centipede demon had been after.” Maar pointed out, jerking his thumb at the girl. Kosamaru looked at the girl.

“So here's where you went.” He commented, putting his hands on his hips. “My name's Kosamaru, and stupid here is Maar. I'm the one who saved you from that centipede demon, and you didn't even so much as say `thank you' when you just teleported here.”

“You said there was no need to thank you.” The girl reminded him. Kosamaru looked like he was at a loss for words for a split second.

“Yeah, well…” He sputtered indignantly. “You still could have said thank you!”

“I'm hungry!” Maar stated. Kosamaru hit him.

“Ow!” Maar exclaimed, clutching his head where Kosamaru had hit him.

“Shut up!” Kosamaru snapped.

“Why do you always hit him?” The girl asked.

“Because he's an idiot, and nothing intelligent ever comes out of his mouth.” Kosamaru replied.

“Is he really that stupid?” The girl inquired. Kosamaru looked at Maar, who was trying to do a handstand. Kosamaru raised an eyebrow.

“I think this is enough proof.” He remarked, looking at the girl and jerking his thumb at Maar. Maar fell at that moment.

“Ow!” He exclaimed as he landed with a thud on the floor. The girl looked at him as if he were crazy.

“He really is pretty stupid, isn't he?” The girl commented. Kosamaru nodded.

“And I've been traveling with him for about nine years now.” He acknowledged.

“Why are you two traveling together?” The girl asked.

“Do you ever stop asking questions?” Kosamaru quipped. He sighed, putting a hand to his forehead. Then, he looked at the girl again.

“I guess it's because he and I are both kind of outcasts.” He stated. “I'm half demon, and Maar is half elf and half shapeshifter. Neither of us can really fit in anywhere, so we joined up.” He looked at Maar.

“And couldn't get rid of him even if I wanted to.” He added.

“I was shunned for a long time, `cause my father was a shapeshifter, and my mother was an elf, and neither side of the family is okay with that. They think my very existence is a sin against them.” Maar remarked.

“There's been a sort of war between elves and shapeshifters for as long as anyone can remember.” Kosamaru acknowledged. “And Maar is kind of stuck in the middle of it. He can't exactly take either side because he's got the blood of both running through his veins.” Maar nodded.

“As for Kosa, full demons don't like him `cause he's half demon.” He said. “They think he's a pathetic weakling who doesn't deserve to live.”

“Would you shut up about that?” Kosamaru snapped, hitting Maar again.

“Ow!” Maar exclaimed.

“Both of you can shut up right now!” The girl cried. Maar and Kosamaru fell silent, looking at her. In fact, the whole inn had fallen silent and were all staring at the girl.

“You two, just sit down instead of standing there like idiots.” The girl quipped, indicating the two empty chairs at the table she was sitting at for Kosamaru and Maar to sit down. Kosamaru and Maar sat down. The young girl relaxed, but only slightly. Kosamaru and Maar were still slightly apprehensive, but Kosamaru quickly got over it.

“Just so you know, Maar can't stand like anything, except an idiot.” Kosamaru pointed out. “Because that's exactly what he is, an idiot.” He looked around at everyone still watching them.

“Yeah?” He snapped. “What are you looking at? Show's over! Nothing more to see here!” Everyone quickly went back to what they were doing. Kosamaru huffed irritably.

“Nosy people…” He muttered.

“So…” The girl started, changing the subject. “Where are you and Maar headed?”

“The Valley of Light.” Kosamaru answered. “I heard that it was a great place to go if you want to settle down.”

“What a coincidence!” The girl exclaimed. “That's exactly where I'm headed!”

“Well, then, why don't we go together?” Kosamaru remarked.

“Why not?” The girl replied. Kosamaru looked at Maar.

“Well, Maar, looks to me like we've picked up a new traveling partner!” He stated. Maar's face lit up excitedly.

“Yay!” He cheered. Kosamaru looked at the girl.

“So, what's your name anyway?” He asked. “I forgot to ask.”

“My name is Kasumi!” The girl answered. Kosamaru smiled.

“Well, Kasumi, it's nice to meet you, and it's nice to have you with us!” He stated, holding out his hand for Kasumi to shake. Kasumi looked at his nails nervously, and Kosamaru noticed.

“Oh, don't mind my claws.” He assured her. “I won't scratch you.” Kasumi took his hand in hers and shook it.

“Well, it's nice to meet you, too, Kosamaru.” She remarked. She looked at Maar.

“And you, too, Maar.” She added.

“What?” Maar asked. Kasumi shook her head.

“Never mind.” She told him. Maar shrugged. Kasumi looked at Kosamaru.

“We'll set out in the morning.” She stated. “But first-” Maar interrupted her.

“But first, we eat!” He exclaimed. So they ordered their meal and had a good night's sleep. The next morning, they set out. They traveled for a while, and then they reached a small town. As soon as they entered the town, Maar wandered off. Kosamaru didn't seem bothered by it, but Kasumi was a bit worried.

“Shouldn't we go after him?” She asked. Kosamaru shook his head.

“No, as long as he stays in the town, we don't have to worry.” He replied. “Besides, if I know Maar, and I do, he's probably heading for the nearest inn or restaurant.” They continued walking, and after a moment, Maar came running back.

“Kosa! He's mad at me for something!” He exclaimed. “Whatever it is, I didn't do it!” He hid behind Kosamaru.

“Who's mad at you?” Kasumi inquired.

“Him!” Maar answered, peeking out from behind Kosamaru and pointing to a man coming towards them. The man looked furious.

“Who is that?” Kasumi questioned.

“I don't know who he is!” Maar exclaimed. “He's just mad at me, but I didn't do anything!” The man strode over to them.

“You little thief!” He snapped. “Give me back that crystal! You don't know how to use it!” Maar looked confused.

“This?” He asked, holding up a pale blue crystal.

“Yes! Give it to me!” The man cried, trying to snatch the crystal from Maar, but Maar just ducked back behind Kosamaru. Kosamaru looked at the man.

“Just to let you know, sir, once Maar gets a hold of something like that, it's pretty much impossible to get it away from him.” He stated. “He likes shiny things.” The man glared at Kosamaru.

“I will get back what is mine.” He snarled. “You'll see…” With that, he walked off. Kosamaru looked at Maar.

“Maar, can I see that crystal?” He asked. Maar held the crystal close, shielding it from Kosamaru.

“No! It's my shiny blue rock!” He exclaimed.

“Well, it looks like we have absolutely no chance of getting that away from him.” Kasumi remarked. “We might as well just get going.” Kosamaru nodded, and so the three of them set off again.

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