Dear Reader,

This is my second time doing NANOWRIMO. I wasn't sure I was going to do it. Doubt is almost a constant companion for me. It was leading me to believe that I had failed even before I had started. Babe Ruth said "Never allow the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game". Doubt is a fierce adversary it was making me feel that I couldn't do what I've always LOVED, writing stories. Kind of like a weed, doubt at first is small and goes unnoticed. It quietly winds itself around your mind and even your heart. You don't realize the harm it is doing till, time passes, and then you suddenly find yourself struggling with a large problem. It threatens to strangle out of you any confidence, love or hope of accomplishing the task in front of you. I'm fighting back! I LOVE to write and so I'm going to do NANOWRIMO this year. I'm sure its going to be tough. I'll have my moments of doubt I'm sure, but I got to stop doubting what I know. I KNOW that I love to write and always will. I need to doubt the doubt. I'm going to jump back into the game swinging, and I'm gonna win.

These two quotes has always been ones I go to when I'm writing...

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” - Bene Gesserit from Dune by Frank Herbert

"I write for the same reason I breathe - because if I didn't, I would die" - Isaac Asimov

Armed with these two quotes and the love and support of a great husband, loving mom and family, I'm starting my writing journey. I hope to be able to publish some of my story each week. Its an idea that I've been tending quietly in my head and on paper the last few months. I can't promise perfect, grammar and spelling and such. But I need to get this story out! Hold on its going to be a bumpy ride, but it should be an exciting one.

Rachel 

There once was a time when the world of magic and the world of men were one and the same thing. Man knew the ways of magic and magic knew man. It was a time of great power both good and evil, grand adventures, talking animals, wise elves and greedy dwarves.  But a group of Mankind wanted more and traveled down new paths. Paths the world of magic could not keep up with or follow. Man's hearts and minds began to fill with new adventures.  With each new adventure man grew farther and farther away from the magical world they knew and magic began to withdraw from their minds. Until all that was left, was what man could glimpse when using their imagination or caught in their dreams. Magic became unbelievable only remembered in childrens' minds, in movies or TV shows, or as a stories trapped in a dusty books. Man may have forgotten this world of magic, but Magic hasn't forgotten man.

Inside the world of magic. A great library called the Archive is home to all knowledge and history of magic and our two worlds. Now a powerful evil threatens to destroy the Archive. In a last attempt to save the Archive a spell is cast that sends it into the world of man. Now members of both worlds must work together again to unite two worlds or see them torn apart forever by the dragon Volath.

 The sound of battle filled the air inside and out of the Archive Keep. Leandro rushed along the corridor, dispatching of half clothed wild men with talon, beak or wing. All around him they were attacking the workers of the Archive but they were also attacking the books, scrolls and maps themselves. Nothing was safe from the attacking army. Ahead of him he could hear the yells, screams, and roars of battle. He entered the front hall with its many bookshelves stretched along every square inch of wall space. The large front doors hung haphazardly on their hinges. Guards of the Archive were greatly out numbered. More wild men, soldiers in black and red garb, and several distorted, foul spelling Wyvrens. The smaller dragon cousins made him shudder and he hissed angrily. From the fight a lone figure the size of small child charged at Leandro. Dwarves! It must have been a might reward, promised to them to get the  greedy dwarves out of their cold mountain homes. The dwarf raised his large ax, but before he could swing it. Leandro's powerful wing sent the little man flying back into the attackers.

"Leandro!" yelled the Captain in the thick of battle "We'll hold them here, go to the tower that is where the traitor Valoth was headed"

Leandro had to cross the hall to get to the stairs that led to the Master's tower. He hated to leave the small gathering of Archive guards to a deadly fate. With a piercing cry he leapt into the fighting. His talons, tail and wings snapping out at any foe that came near them. He carved a wide path through to the Captain. The remaining Archive guards gathered about their Captain taking the opportunity Leandro gave them to reform their ranks.

"Go" The Captain urged "Protect this all"

Nodding Leandro continued through the hall carving out another wide path in the fighting. At the stairs he turned back, taking in the whole scene. Their situation looked hopeless they would need a miracle. At the other end of the great hall a small door burst open and Leandro watched as armed villagers,  more Archive guards and the griffin female Cassia hurried in. Gryphon's heart soared at the sight of the female joining the fight. A sudden urge filled Gryphon with the desire to join her.  But a roar from up the stairs sent Leandro bounding up the spiral stairs towards the top. There he found the Master's door all but gone. Still smoking charred remains were all that was left it. In the large room it looked like a tornado had gone through it. All the book shelves were empty, their contents all over the floor. Large scorch marks dotted the room. The small bed the Master kept for sleeping was smashed. Master Archivist Arent and Valoth stood in the middle of the room facing each other. Leandro had seen several dragons in his life. He almost envied the way they could change their size, from the size of a small dog up to several stories high. The dragon Valoth before him was eye level with the Master who stood 5'3. Valoth's long neck swayed from side to side, and then without warning his mouth opened and a burst of flame shot out towards the Master Archivist. Leandro sprang forward placing himself between the fire and the Master . The fire didn't reach Leandro as it slammed into an invisible wall, the making of the Master's. Valoth started back at the sudden appearance of the griffin and Leandro didn't hesitate for a moment and hurtled himself at the dragon's chest. He crashed into the dragon and the two of them went flying back into a bookcase. Leandro leapt free as the Valoth snapped angrily at him.

"You'll regret that" Valoth hissed angrily getting to his feet, his spiked tail whipping about angrily.

Leandro didn't reply, he stood waiting every part of his body ready for the fight to come. There was no knowing who made the first move as they both lurched forward at the same time. Leandro noted Valoth had started to grow larger as they slammed into each other. When Leandro had entered the room the two had been evenly matched, both standing at 15.5 hands. The two creatures danced about the room exchanging, bites and strikes from claws or talons. Leandro kept himself between the Master and Valoth and away from Valoth's spiked tail. Valoth took notice and from then on the attacks became fiercer. Leandro cried out in pain as the dragon's whip like tail lashed out striking him across his left eye. Leandro stumbled and this time it was the griffin who went flying against the wall when Valoth hit him. Leandro struggled to his feet but then felt the crushing weight of Valoth's foot pinning him back to the ground. One long wicked claw pressing against his neck.

"I see it didn't take you long to replace me" Valoth remarked glancing over to the Archivist

"No one can replace you my apprentice" The Master responded. His bright white hair and facial hair was singed and a cut ran above his eyebrow. He suddenly looked very old and tired. But in his bright blue eyes there shown a look a defiance that was clear to them both.

"This can all end now, give me what I want!" Valoth snapped

"The knowledge found both in the vault and within these walls can not be given nor taken by force. You know this Valoth. Only at my death can the mantle be passed on to another. My heir has already been decided"

Valoth snarled and his tail lashed out so quick Leandro wondered if he had even seen it move. There was a soft gurgling noise and Leandro looked to the Master who's hands clutched to his body, a spot of red growing large across his chest. Master Arent fell to his knees and Leandro in rage clamped his beak down on the nearest toe of Valoth's foot. Valoth roared in pain and clawed at the griffin who only tightened his hold on the toe. The dragon reared up on his hind legs and Leandro regained his own footing. Valoth roared, thrashed and he ripped at Leandro's wings and hind quarters with his good foot. The more dragon moved the tighter griffin clapped down on the toe, the dragon's blood burned in his mouth and where ever it touched flesh. Valoth raised his tail to strike, wicked spikes extended ready for a deadly blow. Leandro felt himself lowered to the ground and the moment he grounded himself he bit down harder one last time and shook his head violently. There was a sickening crunching sound as the bones inside the toe shattered and the roar was deafening as Leandro separated the dragon's toe from the rest of his enemy's body. Pain seared across every part of Leandro as he rushed to the old man's side, Valoth roared and thrashed about with a bloody stump.

"Master" Leandro whispered 

The old man looked up at him and Leandro felt a stabbing pain in his heart. This might have been prevented if he had not gone down into the catacombs in search of a book! There was no place for distraction in a warrior's training and life. Yet a distraction had brought them to this. The brightness of the Master's eyes was beginning to fade and he started to slump backwards. Leandro gently grasped the old man in one clawed foot and laid him back gently onto a pile of torn scrolls and the remains of a chair cushion.

"I have not much time" The Master said so softly even Leandro's keen ears had to prick up to hear

"We'll find the Healer, Master. All will be well"

The Master gave him a gentle smile "No my friend...I"

There was a hissing sound from behind them and Leandro spun about placing himself over the dying Archivist. Valoth had gathered himself together, the bloody stump of his foot was no longer bleeding. The hotness of his burning blood had cauterized it itself.

"You shall pay for this" He growled in a voice so cold it made Leandro shiver. Valoth continued spitting out vile threats and vows of revenge.

 "Forgive me" The Master whispered from beneath him

"Forgive what?" Leandro asked keeping his eye on the now pacing enemy before them "It is I that should ask for your forgiveness! I should have been here at your side, not down in the catacombs searching for a book!"

"You forget it was I who sent you on that search, don't blame yourself. "

Leandro glanced down at the old man who laid his hand on Leandro. The tingling sensation Leandro always felt whenever magic was being used surrounded him.Time seemed to slow drastically, and Leandro felt a small spark of warmth and light deep down inside him. The sensation grew quickly and Leandro felt it begin to fill up his whole body. Leandro looked at Valoth and found the dragon almost frozen in his place. Leandro turned quickly to face the Master.

"What have you done?" Leandro asked urgently a sense of panic he had never felt before rising up

"You must find her" Arent whispered

"Find who?" Leandro asked

"The next Archivist, she was made known to me several years ago. I found her a babe still to young to hold up her own head. For her protection I sent her away...."

"Tell me where she is and I'll retrieve her"

"There is no time. We can not loose what is inside these walls" The Archivist feelby waved his hand towards the walls and then put a hand to his heart "Forgive me Leandro, there is no time to prepare you for what is happening. The role of Master Archivist may appear simple. But it is so much more than keeping an eye over this keep and all it holds. Everything inside the Archive from the largest volumes to the smallest map, all the knowledge within these walls becomes apart of the Master Archivist. For a time you must become the Master, find my heir. She is old enough now and once you find her the archive will be passed on to her."

The old man raised his hand from his heart to Leandro's large beak and touched it softly. The room around them begun to rumble and shake violently and a rushing noise perked at Leandro's ear tufts.  In the frozen room about him he saw Valoth now slowly leaping towards them. The Archivist slid to the floor from his talons as Leandro felt an invisible force jerk at his whole body. It happened again and he was lifted up and away as there was a large blast of magic from the center of the room where the Master lay. Leandro struggled against the unknown force. The room below him was now empty, no sign of Valoth or the Master.

*MAKE SURE TO ADD A DESCRIPTION OF THE GRYPHON AND SOMETHING FOR THE MASTER*