NaNoWriMo Prep Title TBD

Annora, a world nearly 50,000 years old is divided. It is divided into Aurum and Argentum, meaning gold and silver. Almost 40,000 years ago, Annora was a world at peace and it was whole. Then, the Aurums decided it was time for the peace to end. The Aurums believed that it was their birthright to rule, as gold was more valuable then silver. They wanted to rule Annora and turn it into a kingdom for themselves, and make the ones who looked down upon them pay. A huge war broke out and lasted for two decades. The Argentums were better prepared then the Aurums believed. They had been ready for war as they readily distrusted the Aurums. The Aurums were more powerful physically however, and won the long battle. They took over Annora and claimed its lands and resources for themselves. They split the world into two distinct parts: Aurum and Argentum. The Aurum part is wealthy and treats the Argentums as lesser beings, destined to work until their deaths. The Argentum part is poor, but still find time to grab for any bright spot of optimism they can.

Annora is a large land mass, with dense forests and woods to the south and east. In vast contrast, the north hold nothing but huge mountain ranges. The mountain ranges are so long and large, they leave no hope of ever passing over them. Many have tried out of curiosity, but none have ever come back to tell of their travels. Most citizens, whether Aurums or Argentums, try as hard as they can to steer clear of the ranges. Several rivers run through the land, providing sources of fresh water to the many villages in Annora. In the west there is a giant canyon, too deep to be much use to anyone as it very treacherous to attempt to cross. For this reason, no one has tried to build a bridge to make the crossing easier. It is not without its uses though. Many fossils are buried deep within the canyon, which make it a gold mine for the scarce number of paleontologists who live in Annora.

The Aurums don't have to work unless the want to, or are being punished for any number of wrongdoings. The most common wrongdoing for an Aurum is fraternizing with a Argentum. The Argentums, on the other hand, are employed under the Aurums. They are either servants to Aurum families, miners, or any other jobs that pop up. Servants are employed to Aurum families and must do whatever the family the are employed to asks of them. Miners are the most dangerous jobs. They are employed to a head Miner who instructs them on where to mine that day. They mine in the underground tunnels for precious stones that the Aurums use. They are paid depending on the quality and quantity of the gems they discover each week. The rarest and consequently the one everyone wants to find are emeralds. The other jobs range from building structures to farmers to accountants. Whatever is needed of the Aurums at the time is what the range of jobs depend on. All Argentums are employed at the age of 13. On their 13th birthday, they draw from the Central Bowl, which contains all the possible job options for the time. What they draw is the job they will be employed with for the rest of their lives.

The Aurums all live in the center of Annora spread out over one million square miles. The rest of Annora that is not the mountains belongs to the Argentums. The Argentums live in four distinct villages. The villages are named after their founders: Evander, Elwyn, Akilah, and Amaia. Each separate village is known for a side hobby all the villagers do in their spare time.

The village of Evander best known for its music. Whether it is listening, playing, or writing music the villagers in Evander love their music. They can be found with a wide variety of instruments, everyone in Evander plays something. This is due to the event when someone doesn't want to play any known instrument. That person is tasked with creating and building a whole new instrument from scratch. Something similar happens when someone is not satisfied with the current selection of music. They create their own music that they love.

In Elwyn, they are best known for their talents with medicine. All of the people in Elwyn have a way with mixing homemade antidotes and remedies. They are taught from a young age all their parents know about plants and minerals for the medicines. When they are deemed ready, they receive a blank book that they are to fill with their own discoveries. Usually, by the time they are middle-aged, they have filled the whole book.

In contrast, Akilah is better known for their technological advancements. They have many closely guarded secrets that all have to do with their knowledge of technology. They have made several groundbreaking discoveries such as surveillance cameras as small as a speck of dust. The Aurums do not provide them with the necessary resources, so they make use of whatever they can find. They try not to throw out anything that can be used further in their technologies.

Finally, the people of Amaia are best known for their skills in gardening and agriculture. They spend their spare time planting and splicing different roots to make whole new plants. They live in the wood areas of Annora, for there are a plethora of plants and places to go to discover new plants there. They always have some dirt under their fingernails and smell faintly of greens because of their extensive time they spend outside digging and harvesting.

None of the Argentums are wasteful because they never get enough of what they need from the Aurums. Be it food or materials for their specific hobbies, the Aurums are like giant pack-rats. They don't let go of anything the Argentums could possibly use for the fear of rebellions. The Aurums all live in luxury with more than enough resources and money to last two lifetimes. Which, of course, was all acquired from the Argentums. Aurums are ranked according to their family lineage. Each family has a certain rank of social hierarchy, which is how powerful and influential each family is considered to be. The Aurums, however spoiled, are not without laws. They are, under no circumstances, to interact with the Argentums or show any sign of kindness or friendship towards them. Doing so could get them demoted to live with the Argentums in their harsh conditions. They would be considered a Argentum for the rest of their days.

Word Count: 1118/1000

Melody Alston is a thoughtful and idealistic person, who strives to have a positive impact on everyone she meets. She is the kind of person who always does the right thing, even when the right thing is far from easy. She is a born leader, and few things bring her greater happiness than inspiring other people to grow into their best selves. Melody is very vocal about her values. When something strikes her as unjust or wrong she speaks up and fixes it for the better. She also has an uncanny ability to realize people's deep motivations and grasp their mind and hearts quickly. This makes her very persuasive and both sympathetic and empathetic. She speaks with such sensitivity and sincereness that her voice is hard to ignore. She always has a clear insight on what people can do to be their best selves, but some people aren't ready to make those changes and end up feeling resentful or unfairly judged by Melody. She tries to help others, but the times in which she helps people the most is when she leads by example. She shows how difficult situations can be easily handled with compassion and love. Melody is extremely reliable and few things disappoint her more than letting someone down. Even when it's difficult, she can always be counted on to keep her promises.

As good as a person she tries to be, no one is without their faults. Melody can be unrealistic at times. She tries so hard to be perfect, but no one is perfect and this leads her to spreading herself too thin. Melody wants to solve all the world's problems, but deep down she knows she can't. Melody can also be very intense. She is always very energized and ready to go, but not everyone shares her bubbly qualities. She needs to realize that she shouldn't push change onto people that aren't ready for it yet.

Melody is fifteen years old and average height at about five feet, six inches. She wears short sleeved flowy shirts and leggings with her hair falling loosely around her face. She usually doesn't wear any makeup, except for special occasions. She does, however, wear several bracelets around her wrists. None are metal or other materials, they are all soft string or yarn and very colorful at that. Her hair reaches just past her shoulders and is light brown. Her eyes are a soft sky blue that has a easing quality about them.

Melody enjoys writing idealistic and abstract things as well as drawing abstract things. She is modest about her writings and drawings, which she deeply loves, but feels that aren't good enough. She doesn't let that stop her from doing what she loves though. She plays the piano quite well, after taking six years worth of secret piano lessons. Melody is very interested in medicine and peace for all. She doesn't care who you are, she will accept you just as you are. Melody can not stand being talked over, people that take delight in wrecking other people's moods, and distractions from the original topic. She really just doesn't get why or how someone could do any of those things! It's super annoying to her. She fears drowning and has a near panic attack any time she is submerged in water. It's why she has never and will never learn to swim. She also, like most people, fears losing her loved ones and her connections and interactions with other people. Melody isn't the shy type at all, she loves talking and just being social in general.

Melody is an Argentum and being fifteen, already employed. On her thirteenth birthday she drew a slip from the Central Bowl and slowly unraveled it, fearing what it said. Printed in neat writing, it held one word: Miner. Melody was sent down to the mines the very next day to begin working. Every day she looks for the rare emeralds, but usually only finds some common pearls or rubies. Miners all have a certain quota to fill before leaving for the day, but can take on more to get paid more. Melody has a strong work ethic even though her job isn't one she would've picked for herself. She tries her hardest to make a good impression of her head Miner, and can take on several responsibilities at once and still manage to get them all done to the best of her ability. Unfortunately, Melody's head Miner sometimes takes advantage of her helpful nature and overburdens her with extra work.

Melody lives in the village of Elwyn, which may explain her interest in medicine. She received her discovery book when she was twelve and since then has almost filled all of it up! Mining takes up an unfair amount of her time though, and therefore takes away from time she feels could be better spent mixing remedies and concoctions or playing the piano. True, Evanders were the ones who were supposed to love music, but Melody thought there was no sweeter sound than the lovely tinkling of piano keys. She took secret piano lessons for six years before stopping when she was thirteen and employed as a Miner. No one for four years knew of her music lessons, not even her parents. Melody was afraid that if a fellow Elwyn found out that she loved music just as much as she loved learning about and discovering new medicines, they would scorn her and turn their backs on her.

Melody lived with her parents as an only child. She was glad of this though, she did not think she would've been able to bear seeing a sibling living in the same conditions as her. Sometimes she did get quite lonely, being an only child. When she was younger, she used to daydream about what it would be like to have a little sister or brother. Her loneliness was forgotten, however, when she met her future best friend Carter. Melody met Carter when they were both eleven. Melody was wandering in the forest near a river next to her home, when she fell into the stream. The river was moving very fast and was a known danger to the villagers that lived nearby. Carter appeared by her side and got her out of the river. Exhausted from the ordeal, the two strangers sat down under a giant oak tree. They began to talk, and found out that they had a lot in common. They were both from the same village, Elwyn, and both had a love for music even though it was more of an Evander thing. Carter had the same passion for medicine as Melody, which was expected as he was a Elwyn. Later, Carter revealed that he had been watching Melody because he had a crush on her and that was how he had gotten to her so fast when she fell. Apparently, he had had a crush on her since they were young and went to the same school. Melody was flattered, but did not have the same feelings for Carter as he did for her. They resolved to be friends, and haven't left each other's side or had a serious argument since then.

Word Count: 1205/1000

Melody and Carter are best friends who both live in the village Elwyn. Growing up in the midst of the Argentums, they quickly had to learn how to survive. None of the Argentums got enough food to sustain them, unless they ate less than the bare minimum. Melody and Carter both were looking as if they'd be dead before the dawn every day, so the two friends devised a plan. Hunting and gathering wasn't illegal for the Argentums.... so long as they gave all of their goods to the Aurums at the end of the day. If any of the Argentums were caught smuggling their catches back to keep for themselves, the punishment would be harsh. Of course, other people found out various ways to keep their catches, otherwise how would any of them live? Melody and Carter figured if other people could find ways to safely keep their finds, why couldn't they? That's just what they did. They devised a whole system with only each other knowing. It involved lookouts, weapons, tree climbing abilities, and much, much more. They eventually got it perfected and no Aurum has found out to this day. Their system kept them alive for the next two years, and then, when they turned thirteen, it got a lot more trying.

When they were thirteen, being Argentums, they were required to draw from the Central Bowl and become employed to whatever job was listed on the slip. Melody drew Miner and Carter drew Miner as well. They were on the fence about their jobs. On one hand, they were working together instead of being split up for the whole day six days a week. On the other hand, the Miner was probably the worst job there was. Stuck down in claustrophobic tunnels with barely enough room to walk, hacking at the walls trying to find the more valuable gems. Trying to get to the daily quota as fast as possible so they could leave, but also trying to find the best gems to get paid well. Their love hate relationship with their jobs turned into a hate hate relationship when they were separated and made to work in two separate tunnels, far away from each other.

They still found time to hunt and spend time together, even with the new, huge amount of responsibility on their shoulders. On Sunday, their day off, they hunted and gathered a multitude of plants together. Each time, they were careful to never get caught. The two continued to survive and keep their families alive, day by day while still finding the time to collect plants for their medicinal mixtures and discover the various kinds of music that they loved so much.

The two friends are now fifteen years old. They have survived and found time to have fun, all while still trying to juggle the daily quota for their jobs that seems to be going up each and every day. One gloomy Sunday, the air heavy with fog, they set out with a coil of rope and two short hunting knives. They made they way cautiously to their usual hunting area. Even though the fog obscured a lot of sight for anyone who might find them out, they stayed quiet and stealthy as the duo always did. Setting the traps with the rope was easy enough. They put them up and made sure the ropes were taut, before unsheathing their hunting knives and going to see what unfortunate animals wandered their way. They spoke in hushed whispers as they went, not wanting to scare off or alert any animals that could go from deer to dinner.

Suddenly, from behind them, they hear a crack of a branch snapping clean in half. Whirling around, they see, not an animal, but one of the Aurum guards that patrol the Elwyn village so carefully. Melody and Carter couldn't believe it. They had been hunting for years, and now, today with the fog obscuring so much, they had been caught? That's when they realized that they hadn't actually been caught. The guard was simply making his rounds and had strayed off the path thanks to the dense fog. He was still fighting to see anything. Melody and Carter could see him because they were younger and had more practice looking for things that would otherwise go hidden. Melody caught Carter's eye and nodded behind them. Translation: Let's get out of here. Carter understood and turned around, following Melody back to Elwyn where they would be as safe as they could get.

Carter is shaky as he makes his way back with Melody. If the guard catches them, they'll be taken to Aurum to be killed. His shaking leads him to step on a homemade trap. They are not the only ones who hunt and gather illegally out there after all. The trap's serrated teeth come together on Carter's leg, causing him to yell in pain. The Aurum guard can be heard asking who was there in the distance. Both Melody and Carter know even with the fog, the guard will make his way there and find them soon if they can't get Carter out. Melody frantically tugs at the trap and tries to pry open its steel mouth. Carter knows as well as Melody, that this particular type of trap is designed to hold the prey for as long as a week. The two teenagers have absolutely no chance of getting it open within the next few minutes. Carter tells Melody to leave him and she refuses. Their voices lead the guard right to them.

They stare at the guard and he stares back, probably amazed he had the good fortune to find someone doing something illegal. Carter shoves Melody roughly, this is the first time since they met that they have fought. He yells at her to run and this time, she does. A strange ringing fills her ears as she runs, and tears blind her. She runs all the way back to her village. When she gets there, she knows something is not right. Thanks to Akilah's technological advancements, posters of her are all over, and they all say WANTED for illegal actions against the Aurums. Illegal actions against the Aurums is the worst crime anyone can commit. Melody knows she can not stay here. As good as her village is, someone will turn her in for the heaping pile of money that comes with the betrayal. Really, she wouldn't have stayed anyway, she had known since the minute she ran that she would go after Carter.

The next village over is Akilah, known for their extensive technology. The same technology that made her wanted posters. She would make her way there and hope the posters hadn't reached them yet. After a gruelling journey, she finally makes it to Akilah. When she arrives, a Akilahn recognizes her and turns her in. Melody is taken to Aurum to receive the same sentence as Carter. She is thrown in a cell beneath Aurum next to Carter, whose foot is completely mangled from the trap. Melody is determined to save both of their lives, but it will be harder than she had expected. This is because Carter seems to have given up his will to live. He isn't suicidal, he just has stopped trying to escape and get back home. Sorry if there was any confusion!



Word Count: 1241/1000

#1 Hidden Feelings
Carter has had a crush on Melody Alston since he was just eight years old. He thinks she is the perfect girl for him. There's just one problem: she doesn't know that he even exists. When she slips on a wet rock in the river, Carter sees his chance. To save her from the rapids of the river will certainly make her notice him. He dives in and rescues her without a second thought. She is extremely grateful, and the two begin to talk. Eventually, Carter reveals his true feelings to Melody. She is completely surprised and tells him, while still shocked, that she doesn't feel the same way towards him. Carter agrees to simply be friends with Melody, and they become lifelong best friends. That was outside. Inside, Carter is heartbroken. The girl he has loved since he was eight years old, doesn't love him back. It was like a tragic love story in a book he might read. The only difference was this was no book, this was real life. How must his book characters feel, and how strong they must be to conceal their feelings. He would have to show the same strength, and carry the broken pieces of his heart silently inside.

That's just what Carter does for the next four years. Melody never suspects a thing. She still believes that he lost interest in her at the river bed, and they are the best of friends ever to walk in Annora. Once Carter is captured and taken to Aurum to be killed, something changes. Carter still carries the broken pieces of his heart inside, but Melody realizes her true feelings toward him. Melody loves Carter with all of her heart. What she originally thought to be the love two friends share, she realizes is much more than that. Her love stretches just as much as his did for her. Once Carter is in toted up to Aurum to be killed, Melody fully grasps the depth of her love and knows in that moment, she will do anything to save him from his to be killers.

She sets off on a journey to rescue him from the ruling citizens of Aurum. When she arrives she plans to tell him her feelings. There is one little flaw in this plan, however well thought out Melody believes it to be. She told him four years ago that she didn't love him. They were just friends, and Melody didn't want to ruin their well developed relationship for anything or anyone. Melody doesn't want to ruin their relationship, but she doesn't know if she can handle the pain of keeping her feelings balled up inside. If he doesn't love her anymore, then what? Little does she know that he still desires her more than anything else in his life in Argentum.

#2 One False Step
William Itzal is an Aurum. Many words have been used to describe him or the people's emotions that come in contact with him: fear, worry, anxiety, power, beautiful. All words of great importance and power, but also all words Will doesn't wish to be called. His parents are some of the highest up Aurums there are. Second only to the king and queen, his parents are power hungry and have a huge desire to be the next king and queen of Annora. Will is the younger sibling, second to his brother Eliot. Eliot is the angel sibling is their parents eyes. Eliot is also power-hungry, and constantly pointing out Will's mistakes, and reminding Will that he doesn't fit in.

By this he means, Will's parents aren't really his parents. Will's parents died when he was a baby, leaving him with Eliot's parents, and a scar that runs from his wrist to his elbow and another that crosses directly over the first one, forming an X. Will's real parents were humble Aurums, a rarity indeed. They were kind people who had ideals that Aurums and Argentums were equal beings and they were to be treated as such. This type of thinking never went over well with the other Aurums, so Will's parents were careful to keep their beliefs to themselves.

Will is quiet and reserved, but at the same time, loves arguing and debating with other people. He could sit around all day debating a topic as simple as which Argentum village is the most developed, or which food is the best. His love of debating is what Eliot calls "another of your quirks that separate you." Eliot most definitely is not a good role model or older figure in Will's life. He is very derogatory to Will, and his parents care for Will, but don't scold Eliot any way whatsoever. Will also likes to play the guitar, something not usual but not unheard of for Aurums. After all, Aurums must have some art forms in their life, no matter how they live or how prestigious they are.

Will's parents were frowned upon for their humble nature. Aurums were meant to be higher beings, but the couple acted equal to the Argentum pigs. Will is constantly judged for his parent's lifestyle choices, even though he only knew his parents for a year before they died. Little does Will know just how much the other Aurums distrust him. The king and queen secretly have planted microphones and cameras in his room, on his things, everywhere. One false step and Will might just end up like his parents.

Even if Will knew to what extent the Aurums felt he didn't belong, he probably wouldn't change how he was living already. Will is not the type of boy who changes his opinions or ideas just because someone tells him to, or even threatens him to. When he was younger, he got all kinds of nasty notes and messages from his fellow students. His teachers and other adults were hard on him and pressured him more than the other kids his age. He always exceeded their expectations and continued to be a top kid. He was a good student in school, he was polite to the adults who were nasty, and kind to the kids who bullied him. Will doesn't care that he doesn't fit in, he will continue to live his own life, and not someone else's.

Word Count: 1052/1000

#1 Carter
Carter Breken is a kind, generous, and sometimes conservative person. He is the type of friend you would dream of having. He cares for everyone and everything, and even with his own opinions, he is fair to all people. Carter rarely sits idle while a worthy cause remains unfinished. His ability to connect with others on an intimate level is unrivaled among his peers, and the joy they experience in using those connections to maintain a supportive, happy life is a gift for everyone involved. He is never truly comfortable in the spotlight, and feels guilty when he takes credit for team efforts.

However, he is usually so concerned for other people's feelings and emotions, he keeps his own to himself. If something is truly bothering him, he might make it known, but otherwise keeps his feelings to himself. Sometimes he also takes things way too personally. Carter has trouble sorting impersonal and personal instances out from each other. He might take offense in an impersonal situation, or not enough offense in a personal one.

Carter enjoys music and medicine, though the music is an Evander thing compared to his village of Elwyn. Carter received his medicinal book from a young age and has been filling it up with his discoveries ever since. On his thirteenth birthday, he was employed as a Miner and has been ever since. Carter lives with his two parents and little sister, Addison, and his little brother, Tav. Carter supports his family by hunting illegally with his friend. He hunts often enough so that they always have a good portion of something to eat.

Carter is tall for his age, which is fifteen years old. He has blond hair and electric blue eyes, with fair skin. He usually wears a simple grey shirt and jeans. He is a very attractive boy, but only has eyes for one girl in all of Annora.

Carter has had a crush on Melody Alston since he was just eight years old. Melody is in his classes at school. There's just one problem: she doesn't know that he even exists. When she slips on a wet rock in the river, Carter sees his chance. To save her from the rapids of the river will certainly make her notice him. He dives in and rescues her without a second thought. She is extremely grateful, and the two begin to talk. Eventually, Carter reveals his true feelings to Melody. She is completely surprised and tells him, while still shocked, that she doesn't feel the same way towards him. Carter agrees to simply be friends with Melody, and they become lifelong best friends.

Word Count: 444/300

#2 Will
William Itzal is an Aurum, and has always been a natural-born leader. He embodies the gifts of charisma and confidence, and project authority in a way that draws crowds together behind a common goal. However, he never gets to use his gift much. If there’s anything Will loves, it’s a good challenge, big or small, and he firmly believes that given enough time and resources, he and the world around him can achieve any goal. Will is quiet and reserved, but at the same time, loves arguing and debating with other people. Will also likes to play the guitar, something not usual but not unheard of for Aurums. After all, Aurums must have some art forms in their life, no matter how they live or how prestigious they are.

Will is fifteen and small. In fact, his small stature gives him the talent of fading into the background when he is unwanted, which is most of the time. He has dark brown hair, so dark that it is almost black. His eyes are just a slightly lighter shade of brown. Will's eyes project the confidence that he holds deep within.

Will lives with his two foster parents and foster brother Eliot. Will's parents died when he was a baby, leaving him with Eliot's parents, and a scar that runs from his wrist to his elbow and another that crosses directly over the first one, forming an X. Will's real parents were humble Aurums, a rarity indeed. They were kind people who had ideals that Aurums and Argentums were equal beings and they were to be treated as such. This type of thinking never went over well with the other Aurums, so Will's parents were careful to keep their beliefs to themselves. Will is the living embodiment of those beliefs, a caring person, who tries to make sure everyone is treated equally.

Word Count: 313/300

#3 Emmy

Emmy Jara is kind and fiercely loyal to those she loves. Emmy will do anything to protect those said people, and the ones who are threatening her loved ones? Well, they'd better be on their toes. Emmy has very firm beliefs, and can not be swayed easily. When she sets her mind to a task, she will work day and night to complete it. With all these good qualities, you'd think she was an Argentum, but no, Emmy Jara is an Aurum. She acts better than the Argentums, and does not show any signs of favoritism like Will does however.

Emmy is fifteen and average height. She has wavy blond hair and in stark contrast, startling green eyes. Her average outfit is a T-shirt, sweater, and leggings. Emmy overall, has an intimidating look that few want to cross.

Emmy enjoys taking care of the small animals that wander into Aurum from Argentum. She thinks they are the most precious creatures that were put on the face of Annora. Most times she finds them, they are in dire condition from travelling so far. Emmy, being the kind soul she is, tends to their injuries and makes sure they are in tip top condition before sending them off on their way again. She also loves to read. She could spend hours curled up by the fire in her house reading.

Emmy lives with her parents and younger sister Belle, who she loves dearly. Emmy really has the perfect life in Aurum. She has no serious problems. She does have a rather odd quirk though. It is incredibly, excruciatingly hard to make her laugh. It's not that she doesn't find things funny, she just doesn't laugh. Her friends, her parents, not even her sister can make her laugh. Emmy tends not to focus on this though, and instead tries to enjoy the better aspects of life.

Word Count: 323/300