Castles in the Sky (first paragraphs)

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OK, this is the first few paragraphs of my novel, Castles in the Sky. If I get good reviews I will post the first chapter when it's done. If not, this is all you get. And remember, this is mine.

“Do you ever question your life
Do you ever wonder why
Do you ever see in your dreams
All the castles in the sky

Oh tell me why
Do we build castles in the sky
Oh tell me why
All the castles way up high
Please tell me why
Do we build castles in the sky
Oh tell me why
All the castles way up high.”
-Castles in the Sky, Ian Vandahl

Chapter One

The young elven woman stood motionless in the clearing, surrounded by the charred remains of her village. After ten years, there were very few signs that this had once been the home of over five hundred elves. A rag doll lay at her feet, face down and headless; a shard of pottery leaned against a pile of ashes; the tip of a femur protruded from the ground. The only sound was that of the wind howling desolately through the trees. Thick red hair streamed out behind her like a stage curtain. Her silver-green eyes scanned the ruins for any sign of life, but she could find none. She sighed - she had finally returned home, but there was no one here. Her life could never go back to the way it used to be. She traced the small circular tattoo on her left wrist, a constant reminder of her brutal past. If she closed her eyes she could still hear their screams, still taste tears running down her cheeks and into her mouth, still smell the blood, smoke, fear, and death, all rolled into one nauseating odor that made her sick to her stomach. She would never forget it as long as she lived.

Behind her the undergrowth rustled loudly and a scaly crimson head that was as long as the elf was tall pushed through the vegetation. “Moonglow?” the dragon rumbled in a deep but distinctly feminine voice. Her eye ridges came together in a worried frown. “Are you all right?”

Moonglow smiled at her friend. “Yes, Kalena, I’ll be fine.” Taking one last look at what had once been her home, she turned away and mounted Kalena just above the shoulder blades, where the wings were located. The red slowly backed away into the forest, unwilling to disturb the ground that was so sacred to Moonglow.

Hampered by the dense tree cover and her large body, she was forced to move along slower than usual, her wings pinned to her sides. She had to keep her heap low to prevent herself from smacking it on low branches, and the undergrowth was constantly slapping against her face, particularly in her eyes. She growled softly in irritation. The forest was not her element - she was much more at home in the skies and roaming the open plains.

Fortunately they broke through the trees and into a large field only a few minutes after they had left the clearing. Stretching her wings as far as they would go, Kalena leapt into the air gleefully. Her powerful muscles flexed underneath Moonglow as she soared over the land effortlessly, heading for the nearby city of Soranicus. Moonglow smiled and leaned back, letting the wind caress her face.

-- Spawn_of_Piccolo (disgruntledfemale01@yahoo.com), July 20, 2002

Answers

Very descripive, yes...most picturesque. I am interested...tell us more. We wait..eagerly...for you next installment.

-- Zero_6ix (Zero_6ix@hotmail.com), July 21, 2002.

Yes, most definatly. This sounds like the kind of book I would buy, please tell us more. I would love to hear it.

-- ArchPyro (ZemoruePyxil@aol.com), July 21, 2002.

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