The morning was clear and chill, with the newly risen sun making pale mist of the dew, and turning the swaying grass into liquid gold.

"Hey, Rowden!" The call came form behind and the called boy turned from admiring the grasslands of Chen, back to the dingy stone interior of the barracks.

"Rowden, hurry up. Sarge'll be here any minuet!" The speaker was Rowden's bunk mate, Delligo, already in full dress. The other boy, short with sandy hair looked at him anxiously. With a small sigh Rowden turned fully back into the room and began to get dressed, pulling on his grey fatigues. Delligo was right, in less that twenty minuets their Sargent would turn up to perform his morning inspection of their sleeping quarters. If Rowden wasn't dressed, his kit stowed and bed made both he and Delligo would be made to run extra laps.

Delligo was looking at him now, the anxiousness clear on his face. Rowden's tardiness had cost the other child much, made him loose the respect of both his peers and the officers. For an instant, as he pulled on his boots, Rowden felt sorry for him, being stuck with a bunk buddy who hated his place in life and made damn sure everyone knew. Rowden sat back thinking then of the stories he'd heard – that there were other places beyond the grasslands and the change storms, places where people of his age where allowed to sleep in till the chimes of the 8th hour, where they spent their days playing and having fun.

"Attend- Hut!" There was the sound of many booted feet simultaneously jumping to attention. Rowden scrabbled to stand and take his place next to Delligo, and the other boy shot him a look of anger before facing front again. The Sargent walked down the line of soldiers nodding and making mostly approving noises, until he cam to a stop in front of Delligo and Rowden. The Sargent was a big man, with flame red hair, and a bristling moustache.

"Step aside gentlemen," he said, pushing past the boys. Behind them they could hear him rustling and tutting to himself. Eventually he cam to stand in front of them again. He looked disappointed, but soon assumed a poker face.

"Mr Barnett, do you like running laps?" he asked

"No sir," Rowden replied, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the Sargent's right lapel.

"Mr Sasem, do you like doing push ups?"

"No sir," came Delligo's reply.

"well the state of your bunks tells a different tale. So you'll be doing both after parade this morning. And unless you wish to add squat thrusts to that tomorrow, I suggest you are up on time and your bunks are of a reasonable standard! Do I make myself clear?" Beside him Rowden heard Delligo take a breath to argue, and quickly kicked him in the ankle.

"Yes, sir! Crystal sir!" he yelled. The Sargent nodded And moved on.

After he had left all the boys relaxed and began to make preparations for Parade and their first exercise of the day. All except for Rowden and Delligo.

"I'm sorry," Rowden said. Delligo turned away. "I'll try to be better tomorrow." Delligo turned back.

"No, you wont. I know, because that's what you said on Morndas, and they day before, and the week before that too."

"But I do try-"

"no you don't, and I don't think you ever will. You want to fail, and you want to bring me down with you. I hate you." Delligo said, and turned back to his own preparations.

"Dell…" but the other by wouldn't respond. Rowden did likewise, his body moving to prepare, but his mind focused on the misty rolling plains.

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This is the story Dark and I wrote for NaNoWriMo 2008. All the chapters we've written thus far are up, if you want to start helping go for it. Planning wise, the rough idea here is that after 'showdown' the party follow their away along the Lancaswich mountains, passing over the Malachite Empire. Somewhere along the way Mordekai spot them and sends the Elite Math Wariors after them. Sooner or later they get to the place called sendari and from then [after chatting with the locals] head up into the lava fields. They get to the top of the world, mordekai is waiting, all hell breaks loose and something happens with Kiara and the shard. We both suck at endings... For more background into the world, we made this site:http://stoneoftides.wikidot.com/ Try to ignore the ramblings and stick to what makes sense ;)

updated May 3 '09 by Druidx