In a village by the sea of fire, A large walled city awoke, the clang and roar of the metal workers, the sound of wheat being harvested and the yells and screams of laughter of the townsfolk came from the city. but there was a quietness, even in the laughter, for outside the walls was a huge maze, blurry stones were all that one could see as if it was covered in sea mist

inside the city walls, there was a pair of teenagers walking from a small stone building, with sounds that shook the sky, and black smoke spun and danced through the air. One of the boys, the one that had dark, earth-brown eyes and a lighter shade of jaw-length brown hair, was juggling 3 plain iron swords and a large buckler shield with a large iron boss in the centre, the rim reinforced with iron. He glanced over at his companion, his twin who had a shock of midnight black hair and eyes so blue it matched the sky of a perfect day, was holding to chest plates of armour, one light and made from hard-boiled leather, the other shined silver.

 They, like the rest of the elder teenagers, were preparing for the Maze, a labyrinth that they had to get out of to become adults.It was a dangerous ritual, one that many didn't leave, either because they got lost or they died from the Substantial Spirits or other cubs, as were the people not of age, were known. the people spread out throughout ArcSilver, the sprawling lands of their territory, had similar rites, though less dangerous. The people in that city did the most dangerous version of the Maze, because they had a more common rate of children who were Shadow Wolves, humans who also had the ability to turn into wolves, enhancing their senses and intelligent, though it was forbidden to be  one in the city for more than half an hour, because the Wolves were also more savage and wild, if the cubs were unable to control their dark forms, which was why children spent their years until the Maze, training on how to control them. 

As the boys, twins, stopped walking for a second, A girl appeared out of nowhere and snatched the Armour and weapons, even though she needed only one of each. Her name was Sophie, and she was the daughter of the Steward, a man who was to run the city while its heirs were underage.Her midnight black hair fluttered in the wind, and her silver eyes twinkled. She wore a dark blue dress, embroidered with gold and a small gold ring on her left pinkie. though for all her beauty, she couldn't hide her horrid personality.

"give us our armour back, please Sophie," the brown-haired boy said politely, though his twin wanted to say some ruder things to the brat. 

"Why should I, Ryan? I'm the daughter of the most powerful man in the city, and you can't even talk back to me." she boasted  "Besides, with the teachers praising you for your fighting skills, I'm sure you don't need them" she said snidely

"give us our gear back or I'll show you my fighting skills" his brother, Ben, threatened, with a matter-of-fact attitude, that earned a glare from Sophie and a half smile from Ryan 

"My father is the most-" she started to say but was cut off by a groan from Ryan, drawing her attention 

"yes, we all know about your father, now please shut up!" he groaned, making the girl huff and storm away, shoving their gear in an older woman's, a servant, arms and headed towards the huge marble castle in the centre of the city, the silver roof literally capturing the sunlight and storing until the night came, releasing it to shine over the streets of the capital, ShadeOre, so the people could see at night.  

The twins glanced at each other and nodded. they left the city and headed towards the forest next door to it, full of trees so large it matched the size of the huge walls.

They weaved through the Dark forest, watching the forest change from the light green of the outer saplings, to the dark, tall, ancient oaks, their trunks blotting out the sun, allowing only small shining patches of bright sunlight. They followed a road, which, much like the rest of the forest, was old. Small plants sat in the cracks, ruining what must have been a great and sturdy road in its heyday, to a small clearing, and in that clearing, a house at the edge of the forest, the roof a beacon of light, with the sun glittering off its silver dome,  it's dark stone in contrast, making it even more beautiful, as if it dared someone to touch it.

As they stepped up to the door, they passed the deep purple runes, signalling what this place was; a tower, a home, but most importantly, the residence of the Kings of the ArcSilver, which was how their land was known, and their birthright to inherit, and saw a face they had not seen for many a year, an old face, covered in lines, and deep green eyes staring at them warmly, though they still showed the eyes that looked as if they had seen the end of time itself, her silver-grey hair tucked behind a circuit of gold. 

"Hello boys" stated the former Queen Mother and their grandmother

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word count: 918

Edited: 8:20, 27 of April 2018