<strong><span class="bbc_u">Elic's Dream</span><br/><br/>The vibrantly green grass rolled on for miles in all directions as Hermes sat back against the cloud and strummed his lyre. He had one knee drawn, displaying the silver metal of the winged boots he wore. He wore very finely made white leggings and white short sleeved silk top. Silver arm bands wrapped about his muscular biceps.<br/><br/>Noticing Elic, Hermes tossed his lyre aside and sat up, allowing his massive white wings to unfold behind him. He quietly hopped from the cloud and stalked toward Elic. Hermes unwound the white cotton cowl that hid most of his face, to reveal ear length red wavy hair and bright green eyes with flecks of gold. He had a strong firm jaw line and his skin had a grey, almost crispy tint. He leaned forward, strands of brilliant red hair falling in his face, and withdrew a parchment from a canister on his side. He unrolled it.<br/><br/>“Elic, you have officially been selected by the Gods to perform a great service. You are asked to meet the others in the clearing of Redwood Forest,” Hermes paused and rolled the parchment back up, replacing it in his canister. He then stooped and touched the ground. The ground parted and up rose a mechanical device that looked oddly like a three dimensional map. Hermes looked quite pleased with himself and pointed to a place on the map in California. “That is where you’ve been summoned, Elic. You might need these,” Hermes placed a pair of winged boots before Elic. “Of course they can’t make you fly like me, but you will be able to run like the wind. Call them a gift, which we thieves don’t do lightly.” He backed away from Elic, flapping his massive wings.<br/><br/>“You should hurry now, Elic!” Hermes shouted over the loud noise of his wings. He looked upward, crouched, and then with amazing speed he took off into the air. The landscape immediately faded, leaving Elic in a world of darkness.</strong><br/><br/><div align="center">(http://planetpenny.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/winged-shoes.jpg)</div>