I found myself in my bedroom, I scanned the room briefly, form left to right. I saw one of my dresses on the mannequin in the corner, books on my shelf, and on my desk where my clock displayed the current time, on the other side of that near my bedroom window was my alter and just to the right of that, a bed side heater with steam slowly spitting out of a pressure valve making a faint calming hiss, slightly fogging up the lower edge of the bedroom window frame. I left my bedroom window shutters open that night. The light form the twin moons, illuminated my room, cutting the darkness, but Maridan a distant star, which could also be faintly seen even in daylight hours was blocked by the partly cloudy sky.

"It was just a dream." I said to myself with confusion. "Or was it?" It was still dark out, but sunrise was only in a few hours, so I decided to sleep until my alarm went off.

Snow falls here almost all the time, Ka'darth one of the smaller cities if you can call it that. Its where I was born, I’ve lived here my whole life—so far eighteen years, as of turning of age last week on the eightieth of Dé Luain, that was a small birthday, I mostly stayed home and celebrated with mum, Tenzen and Skime who are two family friends. I had white cake with butter cream frosting, edged with purple scrolling and dusted with edible gold leaf, and topped with eighteen candles each in purple, with sparkly gold flakes in the wax. As drow tradition when we turn eighteen, we celebrate with Slavadia, a kind of fortified dark wine… I hate that stuff, but as tradition I tried some anyway. It was bitter, but also a bit sweet too, it smelled terrible.

I didn’t ever meet any others quite like me. I’m Asexual, people I would tell, would always get so confused as to what that was. I’d chuckle, and just say; I’m not sexually attracted to anyone—however, that doesn’t mean I don’t like hugs and kisses… because I do, very much so… I just don’t find the appeal in sex—never have, I just don’t feel that way—about anyone. I’d still be met with a plethora of utter confusion, so I’d recommend reading; A Fist Full of Aces by Durkin A. Gentras. That’s some good readin’ right there. I guess this town is too small so I’m a bit of a league of my own. I never once left this continent, although I yearned almost every day I could go out and explore the world.

I grew up here, went to school here at the Hall of Beginners, made many friends who all eventually moved away. I even had a boyfriend once, we had a good relationship, he didn’t mind that I’m Ace… The day I came out to him, he smiled and kissed me on the lips, telling me… “You are who you are, I love you now and for always.” He always told me, kisses and cuddles wrapped in a warm blanket by a fire was all he ever needed… That’s what love was to him and what I wanted too, it was wonderful while it lasted, however he too—when the time came—left. I didn’t want him to, and I begged him to stay and I cried when I stood at the edge of Frostwood, watching him slowly fade out of sight, but alas… I guess work far away was calling for him. We kept in touch, but I stopped hearing form him, I don’t know what happened—I always wondered…

Waking in the early morning, as my alarm clock went off, I remembered that a long time family friend of my fathers, came to visit form the Imperial Capitol. Tenzen is his name, along with his daughter Skime. I got out of bed, dressed, put my favorite black, grey, white and purple ribbon in my hair as I looked out my bedroom window, in the direction of an old supply shed, my father built before he disappeared. Last night I saw steam raising up form the rooftop of the shed, but this morning, nothing.

I thought to myself that Tenzen must have returned to the capitol. For he had been staying in the shed days before, maybe my mother knew where Tenzen was, so I got dressed, gave thanks at my alter to the three living goddesses; Xenobia, Mora Til and Riven, and for them to watch over me on this day and then I procedded downstairs. I saw my mother in the kitchen, she had just finished cooking breakfast. There on the kitchen table sat before me was my favorite, a traditional Drow breakfast; Endarn sausages, strips of Porhog fat, fried black pudding, baked beans and slightly charred red tomatoes accompanied with mushrooms and pan seared toast. No eggs, I dislike eggs.  "Thank you mum." I said with a smile as a sat at the table. Mum poured me a cup of black bean hot coco, with whipped milk. Sprinkled with sweet coco powder. I usually always had every morning, especially when it was a much colder day than others; like today. Mum sat across from me and smiled. With her elbows on the table and hands placed one other the other, chin resting on top—and a slight smile.

"Did you sleep well, my dear?­" She asked resting her chin on the top of her hands. 

"I did..." I paused for a moment. "Well not exactly, I woke form a dream a couple hours before my alarm clock went off." Mum exchanged a interested look on her face, and leaned slightly in towards me.

     "May I ask, what this dream was about?"

I didn't see the harm in telling my mum about my dream, She always encouraged me to keep a dream journal next to my bed, but I seldom used it. I focused more on my Book of Shadows than I did on keeping a log of my dreams.

"I'm my dream, I was standing in a darkened room, the walls were covered in vines that seemed pulsating, the ground was the same, except there was a pentacle drawn onto the floor, maybe form salt or powdered chalk, it was hard to tell. There were four other women with me, most were around my age, we all seemed to be involved in some kind of séance or summing ritual. There was this one older woman, she looked about your age mum. She held her wand above her head and said something I couldn't make out, like she was speaking in another language, I've never heard before. After that, there was a burst of white light and that is when I woke up." My mum seemed confused and slightly surprised, I could tell, something didn't seem quite right form the look she gave me and tried to hide her expression.

"That was quite interesting indeed, Kiyarsa." My mum said, as she sat up form the table. "Tenzen left a little while ago with Skime, they went to the Fire Temple. I think you should go there and tell Tenzen about your dream, he might know more."

I knew my mum was right, Tenzen was a very intelligent man. If anyone knew what the dream meant, he would know.  I finished my breakfast and took my cleared plate over to the sink to be washed, before I headed back up to my bedroom. It wasn't too far of a journey to the Fire Temple but I still needed to pack a few things. No trains ran through Kadarth, nor did any steam carriages, so travel was limited. I would have to make the trek on foot, I didn't worry about it, since its not a far walk, only a few hundred furlongs and wildlife in the area, is fairly tame. Except for in the mountains then yes, animals up there can be quite ferocious.

I took my fathers travel pak form the hallway closet across from my room, I packed it full, a change of clothing, some sealed food packs, my fathers old gas travel stove and an electric torch. I also took my second pair of glasses, along with my spell book, travel alter, athame and my pendulum I kept in a small wooden box, along with some stones for protection. The last thing I took was a pretty woven bracelet of black, grey, white and purple. I think I may have been over packing, but as my father always told me, "Never under prepare for anything!" Wise words, indeed.

"Mum, I'm heading out now, I may be gone all day." I said as I headed back down stairs. "Thank you, Kiyarsa. I'll see you soon, take care, if your not back by dinner I will leave something in the cooler for you." I hugged my mum, and headed out the door. My town is small, covered in snow at the base of high cliffs adorned with scaffolding from the iron mines. The town tucked away by a forest most wouldn’t even know it was even here. The only thing us Drow export, iron and forged weapons; swords, knives, arrow heads, bullets and some magical items, such as spell books and scrolls. Many years ago, an arms dealer set up shop in Kadarth. Selling 'Magical ammunition '. I still remember the name, Flutterby Arms. Going under the catch-phrase; 'Because no one suspects the Fluttrby.' They aren't here anymore, but reminisce of their wares still are, leftovers if you can call them that. Some people prize Flutterby Arms, weapons and ammunition, as being the only firearms and bullets infused with magic, one weapons shop collects that sort of thing, he had been a friend of my fathers, when my father was still around that is. I walked out of town by passing through the main plaza in the center of town. You didn't see may people out this early in the morning. The main path that lead out of town passed around through a thicket of trees and then into a clearing. I could see smoke rising up form the fire temple off just over the horizon, a few hours walk, not bad at all. I would be there in no time.

Since the path to the fire temple was used a lot, it was made of cobblestones and kept clear of snow on a regular basis. Sometimes you would see mages at work, casting fire spells to melt the snow and ice off the path, so people traveling back and forth would not slip and fall. On my journey to the fire temple, the clouds had mostly cleared and the snow had stopped falling. The sun was shning down on me and in the northern sky I could finely see Maridan, the lesser star faint but still visable. I on occasion while I was walking to the Fire Temple, I saw a mob of Frongstrokker a rat like rodent—but a bit bigger and sometimes a bit more aggressive if provoked. Sometimes the Frongstrokker could attack without warning; they are strange creatures and unpredictable. I kept my wand near my side just incase. Within a couple hours I arrived at the fire temple.

The fire temple was built into a cliff face at the base of a volcanic mountain range, lava oozed down from the active volcanoes above, the smell of sulfur and brimstone permeated in the air. I had to cross a bridge that lead over a river of lava to get onto the fire temple grounds. No one was outside, from what I could see so I headed inside.

Many scholars form the Halle of Beginners passed by me as I stepped into the foyer. They all looked very busy, one carrying an open book and a few others huddled around him, poking fingers and reading aloud as they walked past in a hurry paying no attention to me, it was like I was invisible. The fire temple was an older building, it was showing its age as well, cracked red tile floors as well as some cracks in the alabaster walls. There were a few red and gold tapestries hanging on the walls, many of which were torn and moth eaten, not taken very well care of. 

"Tenzen must be in one of these research rooms." I said to myself as I headed in the opposite direction form the scholars who passed by me only moments before. Down the long hallway and around a corner and to my left, I heard a familiar voice, I placed my hand on a wooden door and slowly pushed it open, and peered inside.

There I saw a man with light brown hair and small braid in the back and wearing glasses dressed in a formal suit jacket, that was Tenzen, a human from the capitol he was talking to his daughter, she has short blonde hair under a small hat and brown eyes dressed in a light blue coat-dress with black trim and a white collar. Skime; a Halfling-human, who was small for her age. It appeared he was having a lecture with his daughter. I saw on a chalkboard hanging form a wall at the back of the room, something that looked like a mathematical equation with some writing I did not understand. What writing I could read, mentioned properties of magical elements, the elements that govern magic in our world. I pushed the door open and walked into the room.