When I finally realised, I wasn't dreaming, I gathered myself together, and followed his lead.

" I am Dagan, ' The Grain Of The Earth '. We have awaited for you, for many years'. You must come- now, and be greeted by our people ".

He said, as I walked slowly behind him. I turned my head around, and saw many people of his kind, following behind us.

The ground began to rumble and the earth began to shake, ferociously. I lost my footing and nearly fell to the floor. The trees' separated to reveal an, Ancient -Empiric -City. As I entered, I felt at ease and more relaxed at what I was about to face. I entered in, on an easy pace, grabbing at the air; as I inhaled. The air had taken on a very humid feel, as the heat hit my face, with powerful-strength.

The city was unique and timeless in appearance, with quality stonework. The stonework seemed to shine with indications that this settlement was much more then an ordinary city. The lights' shone from every direction, leading the path ahead of us.

The people came out of their homes', airing themselves with feather fans' and with children lagging behind them. Some of the children came to greet me, as I entered, it was a surety that these people had lived in hardship for many years', awaiting and longing for a miracle to find them.

Dagan led me to a central building, on the edge of the city. Still leading the way, as he started to climb the sand- stone-steps', ushering me on; to continue my path. I stepped up, taking my first embrace, towards the building's entrance.

9.

As the footprints' came closer to me, I started backing away. I tried my best not to make any noise at all. The woodland began to open from all around the clearing; and many footprints' appeared in the leaf covered ground, that surrounded me.

" She has arrived, she has arrived, she is here !! ".

A voice was announcing, with screech muffled tones'.

" Who is here, who has arrived ? ". Another voice shouted.

There was a hurried excitement, filling the seemingly, empty-clearing.

" The Sightseer, the girl of the legends' " . Another voice pronounced.

" She is here. Call the town out, welcome our, special-gift " .

As I stood there, in a daze of confusion, I felt a tap on my shoulder, with a spontaneous reaction, I turned around. Before my very eyes', starting from the top and working it's way down to the bottom. My vision opened, as a very small, odd looking character, stood before me.

" Sightseer, we have long awaited you. You must come with us !! ".

He said, in a panic.

" We are going to help you, on your quest ".

I wasn't really sure of myself, or if any of this was really happening, and before I made my first steps' to follow this rather odd looking character. I tapped my face to make sure I hadn't eaten any poisoned berries', that lined the forest floor....

8.

As I walked through the misty forest. I came upon a clearing, an empty space in the middle of the woods'. I looked around, thinking it was a good place to bed down for the night. It was far to late for me to make my way home, anyhow. I would think about that in the morning. If I was to make it through the, hard- cold; damping- night.

I had lost my sack with the food inside, and was feeling very hungry. I started to look at what was available from around me. Not much to eat really, just wild-berries'. I picked as many as I could with the little amount of light that was left, as I started to munch my way through them. Setting myself down, on as many dry leafs' as I could gather together, to make myself as comfy as possible; ready for the night ahead.

Feeling kind of scared, I began to bed down. I placed my hands' underneath my head, as to make a pillow of some sort, and closed my eyes', ready to sleep. The noises' that night; amongst the horrid looking, night-trees'; were off-putting, and very disturbing. With the night owls', and wild dogs'. And whatever else might have been lurking about.

I tried my best not to think about being alone in the cold night air. When suddenly I heard a rustling noise coming from behind me. I jump up in surprise and suspense; in fear once again. Unable to speak, I stood as still as I could. The sound of opening branches', came close to my ear. I saw the branches', slowly parting, the leafs' began to whirl-up, in the rushing wind, that hit the wooded- area, all of a sudden, swirling around. I could then, only see, footprint-impressions', moving closer towards' me.

7.

As I came around, from passing out. I raised my head slowly, still, half-asleep. Only to discover that I was still encased amongst the, brittle-trees', of the forest.

The boy was watching me, from afar.

" I am Corcoran, ' The Shadow Of The Forest '. I am seeking the answer to my question? " .

Barley able to even see him, and in fear of my own death, I bravely answered the strange figure of this boy, named; Corcoran.

" I am on my way, to the village ", I said.

He studied me slowly, over the time I spent trapped in the root like branches' of the old- bare leafed- tree.

" I see ", he said, with undertones' of thought.

" Have you entered upon this way before ? ".

I looked up at him, with my innocent, huge blue eyes', and replied,

" Not this way. I followed you here, behind your path, through the trees' ".

" You shouldn't be here", he replied.

" You don't know what lays' ahead of you. You are innocent of your own worth. I tell you here and now, go home. I will release you from these branches', then you must make your way straight back to where you came from, do you understand me ? !!! ".

I was baffled at the sharp orders', and agreed with him, so he would release me from the dreaded clutches' of the entangled trees'. He came from around the enfolding wood, as to avoid me seeing his face. He started to cut away, at the tough array of roots' that was strangling my whole body. I fell to the floor, bashing my head, on the hard ground, with a thud. When I looked up, he was gone, leaving me stranded in the depths of the forest without the route home.

As the day started to darken around me, it was getting very late. I had no idea of the events ahead, but still wished to continue the route towards the village. I should I have turned back, but I was too curious about what this boy had said to me. I picked myself up; yet again, and started to walk further into the mist of the trees', ahead.

6.

I felt the branches', of the old -brittle -trees', come to life. I felt the tough outer edges' of the branches', engulfing me from head to toe, without compassion. I thought I was going to die.

All was quite, no sound could be heard.

After all the screeching and scratching of my panic driven voice, I fell silent, as silence fell, into the, muffled - excitement of the woodland. As everything settled down around me, I saw the shadow of the strange boy again , as he was peering out from behind the trees', at me. I saw him looking, shyly across the leaf-scattered, dusty -woodland- floor.

" What do you, call for ? ", he said, as he shouted, roughly at me. I was bewildered by his remark. What was this boy asking me ?. He spoke in a way that wasn't familiar, even though I understood his tone. He spoke with strength, almost king like, as his voice echoed across the wind-stricken-air.

Again he asked me the same question,

" What do you call for ?. "

I was still dazed, and traumatised by the whole event, and I felt like, I didnt have enough strength to utter any more words', from my quivering lips'. I simply replied, in the quietest of voices',

" I am, Georgie ".

At that moment, out of a shock like state, I must have passed out.

5.

After sitting there for sometime; I noticed someone hiding behind, a not so tall, but quite wide, tree. I called out to the boyish figure,

" Who is it ?".

No answer came my way, so I called out again,

" Who are you ? ".

Still, no answer came my way. I announced, myself,

" I am Georgina, but everyone call's me Georgie ".

I got up from my seat, and walked over to where I had just seen, the darkish- figure ,of a proposed boy. As I moved closer towards him, he seemed to flicker from behind one tree, to the next. I didn't feel fear of him, actually I was pleased to have company, amongst the trees' of the darkened forest.

I followed his flickered movements' across the stream of heavy branches', I became increasingly aware that this darkish figure of a boy, was pushing for me to follow him further and deeper into the depths' of the woodland.

Before I was aware, I was in a place, unrecognisable from the route taken by myself and May. I was surrounded by thorns' and prickles' of all kinds'. My clothes' tangling amongst them. In a panic, I tried to release myself from the thorns' and prickles' of the heavy branches'. I looked up, and realised that I could no longer see, the boy that had been following me.

Where had he disappeared too ?. Who was he ?, and why had he led me to such a horrid place ?. I felt panic, slowly creeping up on me, as I began to twirl and twist, in a daze, amongst the thorns'' and bushes' of the gathering forest.

4.

I crept out slowly, through the rigidness of the hollow tree. Scratching the sides' of my arms' on the sharpness of the bark, as I did so. I cut myself a little, here and there, but not enough to kill me though. I stood up and dusted myself down, choking on the bits' of crumpled dried leafs' that had became stuck to me, the like of, dust and static. I looked around, back towards' the entrance of the forest, though I had been down this route, many-times', before, with my aunt May, it seemed very different this time. Sort of scary and bewildering; I hesitated,

" Um ", I thought. Should I continue on, towards, what could be an adventure of a lifetime, or should I turn back ".

I decided, with slight hesitation, that I would continue onwards' , into the creeping -forestry. Not knowing, what I would encounter on my way through the forest, or even if I would encounter anything at all.

The day wasn't the best of days', though there was some signs' of spring . When I left the house the air felt good and it gave me the full- inspiration to go. As I stood there, in the surroundings' of the wild brash, at that very moment, withou another second, I felt the wind shift and the clouds' turn, they took on a cold appearance, and things' started to seem more wintry then spring.

I picked up my sack of food, looked at the tree-cramped -path, ahead; gathered my thoughts' and inhaled a deep breath. A quick look around, once more, as I started heading deeper into the earring-woods'. I heard every single footstep, and the sound echoed again, twice in my ears'. It was truly the first time that I had experienced, any kind of fear. All I could think to myself was, that fear had to be better then boredom. So fear it was, and the forest it was too.

As I walked along the path of thorn trees' and rough bushes', I started to feel like I wasn't alone. Things' started to appear as if they were alive, I mean not the creatures', of the forest, but more like the shadows' of the trees' and the wind the way it whirled around in the air.

I walked faster and faster, stepping up the pace, heading straight down the middle of the forest. It was hard for me to recognise the wooded area, and then I realised that I wasn't standing in a place that I could remember from past tracks'. I sat down and opened my sack, pulling out the fruit that I had gathered from the house. I felt like I needed to take a good rest, before continuing. I was a bit tired after travelling into the forest. I looked back, straight down, into the path. It appeared to merge with the scenery, at that point, I thought maybe I was lost. Only one way left to go and that was forward. I sat there for a while, rubbing my arms', to keep warm.

3.

After breakfast, I grabbed my sack, opened the kitchen door, and flew down the path. Heading straight for the gate. As I ran passed the apple tree, I heard my aunt May, calling from behind me.

" Georgie; Georgie !!."

By that point, my energy was flying, and I decided, just to go for it. I ran as fast as I could, towards the gate. I tripped -up, and fell to the ground. I could hear my aunt May coming after me; she ran down the path, heading towards our tree. I picked myself up; I had no time to dust myself down, as I continued towards the gate, I wasn't even looking for the way ahead.

Out of the gate and down the path, I headed for the forest, panting hard, as I ran. I knew May was on my heels'. As I reached the huge, oak- tree, standing before me, at the foot of the forest. I looked over my shoulder, turning slightly around, to see if I could still see my aunt, at the back of me. I could hear her cries', faintly, " Georgie, Georgie ", her voice trailing off into the scattering- soft-wind, that started to blow- hard. I scrambled as fast as I could, into the old oak tree.

The hole was really small and not really fitting for me. But I still managed to get into it. My sack got caught on to the hollow-hole of the tree, and I remembered shaking it off with my arms' trying to riddle out of it. I had to work hard and fast to get it off my shoulders', because the hole in the tree, was very tight, pushing through, I evetually found myself sitting with my knees' folded upwards', pushing hard against my chest.

My aunt May was never the one to give on up a fight, with me, and I knew I had a challenge on my hands'. I could hear her footsteps' crunching on the crummpled leafs', as her two feet, stomped over tones' of broken twigs'.

She was breathing hard, searching for me. " Wait until I find you !!". She shouted the best she could; under her exhausted breath. I was scared of my aunt May, she always' meant business, not the kind of lady to be messed around with. I didn't know what would be waiting for me when I returned; or even if I would make it back, before the night ended.

My Aunt May couldn't see me, and eventually gave-up, and retreated back to the house, behind the old swinging gate. I wasn't sure if she had really- gone, so I stayed inside the tree for sometime, until I was certain that I could hear nothing apart from the noise of the woodland creatures' and the rustling of the trees' in the wind. I started out, head first out; peering around, making sure the coast was clear from an aggressive-looking; middle-aged, aunt May.

2.

THE MAPS' OF RYON

Chapter 1: THE CITY OF ABDON

In the field, at the end of our home, was a gate, leading down to our local-village. There was only one problem, my aunt May; she would never let me venture anywhere beyond our old wooden gate.

I swang on the gate many days', pondering about the village that lay down the valley path. If I was to go, I would have to pass through the scary- forest, across the muddy-marsh- land, and onto the very busy road.

I wasn't sure about it. I thought I was too young, and without enough experience to take on such a challenge, it appeared to be, so daring. As the days' passed, I became increasingly bored with the little field at the end of our home. I started to think more about venturing across the gate. I knew it was beyond the boundaries' that had been set; but my curiosity got the better of me.

I planned my adventure for more than a week, stacking up on any spare food that I could get my hands' on. Storing the food in my sack. I had a small selection of fruits', a piece of apple-crumble; fresh-baked-pie, wrapped in an old cloth. I thought to myself, " That should be enough for the day. ", I had other bits' of food too, that I had gathered, together.

I put my rack sack under my bed; waiting for the new day to begin, I felt very excited about my plans'. I tried my best to keep still, not to show any excitement in the home, though I thought she suspected something.

I was more fidgety that morning than other mornings'. At breakfast time, I was more eager to get out of the house and into the field. I told my aunt that I wanted to pick apples', for her Sunday, apple- crumble-bake. Oh, my aunt May was delighted with my offer , and thought the very world of me. Little did she know, I was about to escape the narrow field....

1.