Izak of Eulastin

Chapter 1
The antiques shop at the end of Izak’s street was very mysterious. Whenever
he passed it, Izak felt a strange tingling all over his body, as if something were stirring
in his chest and sending a tingling through his nervous system.
One day, Izak was going for a walk and, not knowing what compelled him to,
went up to the antiques shop. He found on the dilapidated front step, a parcel
addressed:
“ To Izak of No. 22, Terry St, Kyle Bay”
With a tingling in his fingers, Izak heaved the parcel from its resting place and turned
for home.
When he got home, Izak shut himself in his room, and opened the package.
Inside was a beautifully decorated box, with pictures of strange creatures all dancing
around the edges of the box. But the one thing that caught Izak’s eye was the crystal,
painted in the exact middle of each side of the box, suggesting that the animals were
dancing around this crystal.
Not knowing why, Izak opened the lid of the box, and instantly, some
unknown force jerked him forward. Then there came the sound of sweet, sweet music
that seemed to be coming from all around him. Suddenly, out of nowhere, came a
crash that Izak felt hit his head, and he knew no more.

Izak didn’t remember everything that had happened when he first awoke.
Then it all came flooding back… The box… The surge… The music…
A gruff voice growled “ Took you long enough.” Instantly, Izak was brought
back to the present. For the first time, Izak took in his surroundings. He was lying on
a small bed, covered in coarse blankets. The room had wooden walls, with a scrubbed
wooden table in the middle and three chairs around it, each occupied by a person.
Then Izak looked at the person who had spoken. He was a short man with a long
beard and stocky legs. His face was rough but kindly. One surprising thing was that
this man had an axe at his waist, which at first intimidated Izak a little bit.
Finally, Izak inspected this man’s companions. The first companion, Izak
realised, was not a man. When he took a closer look, Izak was horrified to find he had
a dog’s head, and an ape’s body. The second companion looked like a normal man,
dressed as a peasant from Medieval Times. Over all, they were a strange group, who
seemed not unkindly.
“ W-Who are you?” queried a very startled Izak.
The dog-headed ape replied, “We are the last outpost of freedom fighters in
the land of Eulaestin. I am Aelae, and my companions are Yathephos and Roneku.”
Izak gaped at the dog-ape. It seemed incredible that it could talk, what with it
being a cross between two animals.
“ Now, enough about us, what is your name?”
Startled, Izak replied, “ I-I’m Izak”
“ And what are you doing here? For we have not seen one of your race for a
very long time, save for Roneku”
“ I don’t know,” replied Izak, “ What happened to me? Where am I?”
Aelae replied, “ You are in Eulastin. We were separated off from the human world
many millennia ago. Now, the only connection we have, is the Celestial Casket, lost
to us when Riyasurriadru took over.”
 “ Could this be it?” Izak pulled out the mysterious box and handed it to Aelae.
He took it and carefully felt it, as if it was some long lost treasure he had been
searching for over many years.
“ Aye, it is.”
Chapter 2
A great hush fell over the room, everyone looking at Aelae and the box.
“ B-But that must that you are the chosen one!” exclaimed Yathephos.
“ Chosen one?” Izak was confused. He didn’t even know what outside this
room was and already he was supposed to be this chosen one?
“ U-Uh” thought Izak, “ They’ve got me mixed up with someone else. Maybe
they think that I’m that old shopkeeper, and he couldn’t handle it and so he just
shifted it off to me. Yeah, that’s gotta be it.”
“ You have to be mistaken. I don’t eve know if I’m dreaming or not, and
already, I’m supposed to be some kind of chosen one? You must have the wrong
guy.”
“ Did you receive this from an old and possibly eccentric shopkeeper who kept
an antiques shop at the end of Terry St in an area called Kyle Bay? If so then you
were chosen by him to be the next Keeper of the Celestial Casket, which once
contained the Celestial Crystal.”
“ Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on a minute. I’m supposed to be some kind of
“Chosen One” when I don’t even know exactly where I am. How am I supposed to
help you when I don’t know half the things you’re saying?”
“I should have known that this would be difficult. Okay. You were chosen by
the previous keeper to look after the casket. It doesn’t matter by which means the
casket gets to you, all that matters is that you receive it from him. Then, whenever
you open the lid, you get transported here, no matter where you are in the world. But,
if someone or something is touching you, that will come through too. Also, the
Keeper, gains special abilities, such as to shape shift at will, and while in that shape,
gain it’s abilities. Another useful thing is that the Keeper will have the power to move
certain objects at will.”
“Are you sure you aren’t mistaken?” Izak just wanted to be sure that he
wouldn’t be usurping anyone if he took the job.
“I am very certain that you are the chosen one, yes”
“Then I’ll take it, but I will need someone to help me.” Concluded Izak.
“That’s great! But first, we should set about developing your skills. We don’t
want to disappoint the others.”
“What others?”
“The other free creatures of Eulastin.”

Chapter 3
The next few weeks went by in a blur for Izak. He was taught how to shape
shift by Roneku, a master himself, the art of “Inanimate Transportation” as Aelae
called it, and the history, customs, origins and rules of Eulastin by Yathephos.
Roneku was patient, but had a strict regime on the training of Izak in the secret
of shape shifting. The masters guarded this secret jealously, as it was only known by a
handful of citizens in Eulastin.
Aelae was very gentle with teaching Izak about IT, and carried things out with
many examples. He often let Izak practice by himself, giving him pointers here and
there.
Yathephos, however, was very different from his companions. He was very
old, and wise, giving Izak many books to read and study.
What intrigued Izak the most, however, was the fact that Yathephos would
often disappear around noon. Though that remained a mystery to Izak, until he finally
plucked up the courage to ask the friendly dog-ape.
“Aelae, where does Yathephos disappear to around noon? He is often nowhere
to be seen in the early afternoon, and then he reappears in the middle of the
afternoon.”
“Curious are we? Well I suppose I had better tell you. Yathephos goes out into
the forbidden woods to meditate and puzzle out problems. This is why he is very
wise. Most people wouldn’t have the patience to deal with all that meditation, but
Yathephos is a very remarkable man.”
“But what does he meditate about? I mean, there can’t be that many things to
meditate about,” inquired Izak.
“There are many things to meditate about, such as commonly asked questions
and answers that man nor beast has found. Anyway, it is time that you saw the other
free creatures.”

Chapter 4

Aelae led Izak to a clearing where many strange animals were gathered. The
eerie silence contrasted greatly with the beautiful grace of the forest. It struck Izak
just how evil this Riyasurriadru must be to hate such beauty.
Aelae’s voice broke into Izak’s thoughts. “This is the last gathering place of
the free creatures of Eulaestin. The members of the court are Surwal the Black Bear,
Prowz the Mandothall, Illiphyos the Senpai and Tiriyen the last of the noble
Samiyads.”
Izak looked around in wonder at the assortment of strange and familiar
animals. There were bears and tigers and leopards, and there were also strange
animals that looked like crosses between different animals, or humans and animals.
But there was a small group that looked like they were magical.
Aelae walked up to the middle speaking-place. “ We have gathered here today
to organise a party to help Izak, the new chosen one to regain the great crystal and
defeat Riyasurriadru.”
At this, all the creatures cheered with joy and excitement, at the prospect of
coming out of exile and reclaiming their homes, for Riyasurriadru had weeded out all
the freedom fighters and taken over their homes.
“I will accompany Izak, as will my companions,” volunteered Aelae. Then,
one by one, all the creatures volunteered their skills to help Izak in his tremendous
task.
A wave of gratitude tumbled over him, though at the same time, the sheer
weight of what he was about to do engulfed him. Izak began to think that it might not
turn out all right in the end, and that they might as well give up.
Just then, just as if he had read Izak’s mind, Aelae whispered to him, “It is
good that everyone trusts you, as it will make you more popular when you begin your
reign over Eulastin.” This encouraged Izak, and washed away all his fears and doubts.
He felt as if defeating Riyasurriadru would be easy, if he put his mind to it.
“Now, let us all embark on our journey to defeat Riyasurriadru!”

Chapter 5
 As they journeyed across the land, Izak wondered at the beauty and simplicity
of the country-side. Another thing he noticed was that there were people joining the
group, leaving behind all their tools and coming to join the charge of Riyasurriadru’s
castle.
When they finally got to the castle, Izak made the biggest decision that he had
made in his life. “I will go on alone,” he told Aelae.
“What? But you will need our help to get through and defeat Riyasurriadru.”
“Don’t you think that it would be easier for one shapeshifter to get through
than for a whole troop of people and creatures? I will change into a rat and sneak into
the castle, and then find Riyasurriadru’s room and duel him.
And so Izak sneaked into the castle as a rat and searched for Riyasurriadru’s
room. When he found it, Izak transformed into his normal self, turned the doorknob,
and entered the room, and find himself walking into a completely different room than
he had imagined…

Chapter 6

The inside was bigger than the outside certainly. It was a large, flat field, as if
the evil sorcerer had been expecting him.
Suddenly, a voice came from all around, crying, “Welcome, Izak, keeper of
the celestial crystal. If you have come to fight and win, I am afraid you will be sadly
disappointed. If you will not leave, then let the duel begin!”
Then there appeared before Izak, a tall, thin man, wearing long robes that
covered his feet. His ghostly features were scary, as if he had just walked out of a
horror movie.
Before Izak knew what was happening, Riyasurriadru had struck, flinging an
arrow, aimed straight for Izak’s heart. But Izak’s training had already hammered in
the ability to evade even the swiftest strokes.
Regaining his balance, Izak summoned a sword, and struck ay the sorcerer.
But Riyasurriadru was too quick, blocking the stroke with another summoned sword.
Izak went on the offensive and started wielding his sword, as if it were an extension
of his own limbs.
Eventually, Izak grew tired, though the enemy showed no sign of any such
weakness. Searching desperately for some source of energy, Izak thought of the
magic of his time training bonding with his teachers and growing in confidence.
Using this newfound strength, Izak cried out, and the room was suddenly
filled with a light, shining brighter than the sun and all the stars put together.
Screaming in pain, the sorcerer dropped to his knees, clutching his heart. After what
seemed like ages, Riyasurriadru finally gave up and reduced to a puddle of a black,
oily substance staining the floor.
Then, with a great heaving and groaning, the castle collapsed, though leaving
Izak safely on the floor, of his own bedroom…

Epilogue

When Izak woke up, he found a parcel addressed to him lying on the floor next to
him. He opened it up and found a little charm inside, with a note attached. The note
read:
Dear Izak,
We have returned you to your home, having taken the casket to be watched over
carefully, that you would not be harmed in your country. We have left you, however,
with a pendant that, when spun three times in your palm, will transport you here.
From your loving friends,
Aelae, Roneku and Yathephos.

THE END