Mae’s eyes fluttered open, she was in an unfamiliar room, in an unfamiliar bed, and sitting in a chair next to the bed dozing was a vaguely familiar girl. She had the size of an average eleven year old, but the build of an average twenty year old martial artist. She had mid-length strawberry-blonde curly hair, had a bronze hue to her skin, and was thin as a rail, most would say the tiny girl was beautiful, but the thing that would cause people to stray from her direction would be her most dominant attribute, from her back protruded two gold butterfly-like wings.

The girl stirred and began to talk in her sleep, “No….Amaenatia…..”

Mae froze. The fairy knew her full name. How? That name is the only memory Mae has. And not even ShaeKai, or Iotatsu know about that name.

“Amaenata….your father…..”

Okay, The fairy knew about her FATHER? It was too weird. Mae’s father left her and her mother when she was very young. Mae wouldn’t remember him even without her amnesia.

“…He doesn’t like ‘Ji cause…….he’s a…..vampire….”

Mae hadn’t realized she had sat up and had gotten so close to the girl’s face that she could smell her breath. She pulled her head back milliseconds before the girl snapped her head up in alertness.

“I fell asleep? Mae! How long have you been awake?”

“Uh, just a couple minutes. How do you know my name?”

“Hajji told everyone all about you.”

“Who’s Hajji?”

“Your father.”

Mae swallowed hard. “Who’s ” ‘Ji”? ”

“Where’d you hear that name?”

“You talk in your sleep. Who’s ‘Ji. Is it that Vampire from earlier? How do you know my full name? How do you know my father? Where am I? WHO ARE YOU?”

The fairy sighed. “In order; ‘Ji is short for Akooji, he is a childhood friend of yours who knew you before the accident in which you lost your memory. Yes he is that vampire that saved your life. Your father told us all about you, including your full name, Amaenata. He belongs to and is the leader of our resistance army against the Queen Ivy Armoin. You are at our base, which at the moment is a fake Inn that charges way to much so no one wants to stay here. Finally, I am Blissatheara DiGona. I was your best friend before the accident and I am the last Living fairy. You may call me ‘Bliss’, ‘Ara’, ‘Lissa’ or anything else you like, just don’t call me by my last name.”

Mae was just about to ask why not to call Bliss by her last name when there was a knock at the door.

<People are getting testy knowing Reine is here.> the voice was a mixed accent of Both Vampiric and Elven origins creating a beautifully dangerous voice.

“Come in, Random!” Bliss called out.

Just as Mae had thought the owner of the voice was of both Vampiric and Elven origins. His skin had the paleness of a vampire, but still held the blue hue of an elf.

“Mae, this is Random. The most culture mixed person in the army, he speaks all twenty nine languages of the kingdom of DiTerra.”

“Welcome, Koningin.” He bowed at Mae. It made her feel weird seeing is to how she was in Pajamas. Wait, PAJAMAS? How did she get into PAJAMAS?

Mae ignored the fact that Bliss most likely changed her while she was unconscious angrily, and focused on her Dutch. “Uh, dank u, elanden.”

The man looked at her funny, and Bliss laughed at loud. ” I think you mean ‘ Dank u, vriend.’ You said ‘Thank you, Moose.”

Mae blushed. Her Latin was better than most people’s but her Dutch was terrible.

“It is muy bueno. I guess I can be a moose, but only because La Reina said so.”

“Why do you keep referring to me as a queen?”

“Uh, that is algo que hablar about with Amari. Anyway, get dressed and get down stairs. People are Hayvanlar sev when they want to see you.”

Bliss got up and went to the closet. “We’re the same size when it comes to shirts, but you’ll have to talk to Shae about borrowing some pants or a skirt or something, your to tall for mine.

“My sisters are here?”

“Just Shae annd please don’t call her your sister anymore, it might offend your real sister, Zo.”

“I have a real sister?”

“And a brother who is married and lives on his own with two children; Mamako the boy and Maigo the girl.”

“Wow, what’s his name?” Mae just realized that Bliss had already put a dress on her. Well, it would have been a dress on Bliss, but it was just a shirt on Mae.

“Yu–ki” Bliss struggled pulling off the tiny dress and replacing it with a larger one, but it still was just a long shirt on her. “I will be right back. We need to borrow something from Shae.”

Not two minutes after Bliss had left, someone walked in the room, she was glad Bliss hadn’t yet removed her pajama pants. It was that Vampire, Akooji.

“Hey,”

“Hi,”

“So, being held captive by your own subjects?”

“Why does everyone keep calling me a Queen?”

“Well, Hajji retired. Your mom’s..uh, sorry..Yuki enjoys his quiet life, Zo refuses to get married, and honestly you are the best for for the job. And after we defeat Ivy, Onihime, my brother, and the rest of the imperial army, you have to get married and become our leader.”

“You sure it’ll take that long? I’m only thirteen.”

“Thirteen? Your well older than that! Your one-thousand nineteen years old!”

“….WHAT!?”

“Mae! I’m not supposed to be here! Be quiet!” Akooji ran to the door, but Bliss was standing on the other side, waiting, tapping her foot. “Uh, sorry. I know I’m not supposed to talk to the queen without properly asking for an audience from her father.”

Mae Sori sat on a rock next to the edge of the cliff that she lived by and stared at her sisters.

Well, they weren’t really her sisters. She was an only child, when she was three her father walked out, and when she was eleven her mother was murdered, in the same instant that her mother was killed the murderers beat Mae so badly that it wiped her mind clean.

These girls, though not related themselves took her in and took care of her for two years, and today was Mae’s thirteenth birthday. She sat on that rock and watched her adoptive sisters bicker.

“GOD! YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING RIGHT!”

“I SCREWED UP. SO WHAT? I GUESS NO ONE CAN BE AS PERFECT AS SHAEKAI THE SNOT-NOSED ELF!”

“NO, A HUMAN COULD TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POISON BERRIES AND BOYSENBERRIES! NO ONE CAN BE A STUPID AS IOTATSU THE HALF GOD DRAGON SLAYER!”

Then they did something that they had never done in their squabbles before, they began began to use magic, Io wind, and Shae water. Mae thrust out her arms and stood up, “Stop!” She did something she had never done before, She accidentally cast a fire ball in between her sisters. The girls stared at Mae. She backed up while staring at her steaming hands, then tripped over the rock she had been sitting on and fell off the cliff.

********************************************************

“Haha! Your face!” Blissatheara DiGona, the last living fairy laughed.

“Stop it! It wasn’t funny!” Her friend Akooji Aktheris, one of the Vampiric princes said.

“Hey ‘Ji isn’t that–?”

“MAE!!” he screamed and ran forward, catching the falling girl just in time.

Akooji smiled at his childhood friend, accidentally showing his fangs. “Aeeeeeeeeeeek!” She squealed and fainted.

Bliss looked unimpressed.

“You’ve been coming in here very ten minutes to see how she’s doing. It’s one thing if she actually touched the ground when she fell.

“Bliss, you wouldn’t leave her side for two days after the first time she tripped and scraped her knee. You have no room to judge me for worrying about her after she fell off a cliff.”

“Admettre se vous son en amor avec su.” This language was one that only Bliss and ‘Ji knew. It was a mixture of French and Spanish. You alternate between the two with the words. What she said was; ‘Admit it, you’re in love with her.’

“No.”

“Fine, you created your own suffering. I offered you an out.”

“I’ll take it happily. The suffering, I mean. I’m not gonna do what you say.”

“JUST GET OUT OF HERE!” Bliss slammed the door and marched over and handed Mae some shorts.”They’ll have to do. All we have of your’s is a bunch of clothes for toddlers.”

“You don’t like him much, do you?”

“Do you?”

“Maybe.”

Bliss smiled. Her goal was in sight.

The man  laughed one last time and shook Random playfully. “Okay, okay. Break it up, you two. I think we should properly introduce ourselves before we start flirting.”

Mae giggled. Zo hugged her. Bliss, Shae, and ‘Ji pulled their chairs over to the table where everyone else sat.

“Amaenata, My name is Hajji. I’m your father. This is Blissatheara DiGona, she is the last living fairy and was a close friend of yours in the past. We call her Bliss most of the time. This is your twin sister Zo, She creates music with movements of her body. ” Zo clapped her hands and it sounded like a crash of simbals. Hajji continued. “The elf who has taken part in re-raising you is ShaeKai Talin. She is also a good friend of yours from the past. The boy that kept sneaking in to talk with you is Akooji Akitharis. He is another of your friends. The boy that can’t keep his hands off you and can’t speak less than two languages per sentence is Random Naro. He is a good friend of our entire family and is welcome here anytime. This woman is Eiryyka Armoin-Sori. She is my second wife, your step-mother, and elder sister of the Queen Ivy. We brought you here to celebrate your 1019th birthday!

“Wait. I thought I was thirteen.” Mae questioned.

“Shae you never told her?”

“Iotatsu was difficult. She refused.”Shae responded meakly.

“Mae the reason you lived this long is that you are half angel and you have been inhabited by the spirit of the Phoenix.”

“Which explains that fireball from this morning.” Shae finished.

The table got really quiet. Zo slammed her hand down on the table and it sounded like a bass drum. “If I have to be surrounded by music, then I don’t want it to be some classical junk! It’s a party! Let’s give a bit of Yankee to it.”

“Yankee?” asked her father.

“A rebel touch.” Bliss commented.

“Impressionante!” Random repiled.

“I’ll be right back.” Eiryyka said and darted behind the counter of the bar.

“Would you like to dance?” Akooji asked Mae.

“Of, course. But we need some music.” Mae smiled at her sister.

“She needs to dance for music to play, Mlle le, would you like to dance?”

“Si?”

“Correcta.”

The children began to dance. A fast head-banger song played. Eiryyka fumbled in the kitchen. Hajji watched his group play.

**********

Eiryyka brought out a cake. Hajji placed candles on it and motioned over Mae. Everyone gathered around around the birthday cake with unlit candles. Mae ttok a deep breath and so did Zo, although she wouldn’t have an effect other than making a short flute tweet. Mae blew onto the candles and lit them.

Mae laughed. Hajji smiled at ‘Ji, “Would you mind?”

‘Ji smiled at Mae and leaned in close and preformed the same actions as she, but he caused the candles’ fire to freeze in place. Mae’s mouth gaped. He beamed at her.

“Happy birthday, girls.” Everyone shouted. Random wrapped his arms around Mae again. ‘Ji glared at him for several moments, but soon the room was full of dancing people and conversations.

“How’d you do that?”

“You know how a Phoenix is a fire bird.”

“Yeah?”

“And your inhabited by the phoenix?”

“Uh-huh”

“I’m inhabited by an ice-bird.”

“Wait, so is Zo a songbird?”

The two cracked up. Random glared. He still was holding her, but had been pushed from the conversation.

Suddenly someone broke the door open. The three hid behind the bar.

“Where is she?” Said a voice.

“Who?” Hajji spoke.

“The girl who’s birthday it is.” It was the voice again.

“That would be me.” Zo chimed.

“I meant the Queen, not the Duchess. The smell of her flame reeks in here.”

Eiryyka tried to break in, “I think ya have the wrong inn, boy. Just a group of friends getting together on a birthday.”

“Where’s my brother?”

“The kitchen.” Said Bliss, “I’ll go get him.”

Bliss came around the bar into the kitchen and grabbed a knife.

“Go to the milita. Meet us in Arik. Here take this.” Bliss handed Mae the knife. “We can handle Akito, but not trying to protect you guys. Run! Random, stay here, we’ll need your help.”

Akooji took Mae’s hand and ran out the back door. He ran with her out of the town.

“We need to get into Evania, we can loose them in the cities.” He was talking to himself.

” ‘Ji,”

“Yeah,”

“Who’s the militia?”

“There are two, but one is just Shae and her brother. We’re going to the Wolf Meniva Militia. Come on, they could could be behind us.”

“Who?”

“The people who killed your mother.”

Mae looked at herself in the mirror in Bliss’ room. She was wearing the oddest clothing. This was the weirdest birthday ever. It all started with her falling off a cliff and ending with a party full of rebels she didn’t know. Bliss came out of her closet with another dress and a pair of shoes that were merely soles with ribbons to tie them on. Mae scowled. Girly. Yuck. So much attention. AND it was all from people she didn’t know. Of course she did know them, she just didn’t remember them.

“Wear the dress as a skirt. We don’t have any of your clothes. That last time you were here you were eight. And I happen to be the smallest person here.”

“Okay. ”

“You have 69 seconds. Hurry up and get down there. Oh and if ‘Ji comes in here again I might do something you wouldn’t like.” Mae shivered and put on her clothes. Bliss was scary.

**********************

Mae scaled the stairs and was in the main room of the inn, it was practically empty. Music was playing although there were no instruments, nor musicians. Just the composer moving her hand in nothingness creating the music without a single word. Mae recognized some of the people. Akooji was sitting with  Bliss and Shae at one table, and A man, woman, Random, and the composer were at the other. The composer opened one eye and smiled. Mae noticed something. The girl had short cut black hair and reddish orange eyes. She had a oval face and a long thin build, it was like looking in a mirror, she must be Zo.

She smiled wider and motioned Mae over. Mae followed suit. She sat down next to her. The composer took Mae’s hands and guided them in the same motions as she was doing. The music became shaky and and unpracticed and there was even a squeak. The girls laughed the same wind chime laugh. ‘Ji cracked a smile and the man and woman looked at the girls happily. Shae and Bliss cracked up but their laughs weren’t as pure or light hearted as the identical girls. Random put his arm around Mae and hugged her. ‘Ji’s smile disappeared. Mae didn’t fight the embracement. There was something about these people that was inviting.

“Happy birthday, mon amour.”

“Thank you, mon ami.”

Authors note: Sorry i haven’t been on in a while…grandmother just passed away So are you ready for Ilurin the auto-magical return! I have re-written the entire story that everyone has already seen and will begin posting like normal again. P.s. Thanks for all the awesome comments from all you awesome people!

1.The dream

A little girl with firey red hair stared in horror as her home burned. Burned. A woman with platinum blonde hair gasped her final breaths as she burned to death. Burned. A teenage girl and a boy slightly older than the younger girl stared at her. Their eyes filled with anger, sorrow, and betrayal. A crazed woman cackled as everything around her……Burned.

*********************************************************************************

Mae Sori woke in a cold sweat. Her long red hair falling in her mahogany eyes. Still shaken she got up and began her chores. As she decended from the attic bedroom of her tiny home she heard an insult being thrown outide.

Io’s home…

Mae smiled as she went outside to watch the two girls who raised her bicker. They were fighting over something dumb, like the kind of meat Io had brought home from hunting. Shae hissed incoherantly at Io, her eleven voice sounded like waves crashing on beach shores. Io spit a threat back. Her half god half human voice sounded as though someone had added salt to honey.

Mae sighed.

What a way to kick off my birthday.

Shae hissed another taunt and Io snapped. She grabbed her katar and lunged at Shae. The elven girl diloged an axe from a nearby tree stump. Mae’s eyes became huge as her “sisters” fought. She stood up from the rock she had been sitting on a accidentally cast a fire ball in between the two.

Shae and Io stared at Mae with worry. Mae’s eyes got even bigger as she watched them steam. She subconsiously backed up and fell over the same exact rock she was sitting on moments ago. Her hair whipped at her face the world came rushing up as she fell. Remarkably, she remained awake the entire way.

MEANWHILE

“Hahahahahahahaha! Dude! Your face!” Blissatheara DiGona the last faerie chortled.
“Was it that funny?”Akooji Akitharos younger one of the Vampiric Ovaltin Princes asked meakly.
“Hey ‘Ji….Is that….?”
“MAE!!!!”The boy ran forward catching the falling girl just in time. He grinned at his childhood friend, accidentally showing his fangs.

Aaaa-Yeeeek!!!

The Red-headed girl squealed and fainted.

2. …..WHAT!?

Mae’s eyes fluttered open, she was in an unfamiliar room, in an unfamiliar bed, and sitting in a chair next to the bed dozing was a vaguely familiar girl. She had the size of an average eleven year old, but the build of an average twenty year old martial artist. She had mid-length strawberry-blonde curly hair, had a bronze hue to her skin, and was thin as a rail, most would say the tiny girl was beautiful, but the thing that would cause people to stray from her direction would be her most dominant attribute, from her back protruded two gold butterfly-like wings.

The girl stirred and began to talk in her sleep, “No….Amaenatia…..”

Mae froze. The fairy knew her full name. How? That name is the only memory Mae has. And not even ShaeKai, or Iotatsu know about that name.

“Amaenata….your father…..”

Okay, The fairy knew about her FATHER? It was too weird. Mae’s father left her and her mother when she was very young. Mae wouldn’t remember him even without her amnesia.

“…He doesn’t like ‘Ji cause…….he’s a…..vampire….”

Mae hadn’t realized she had sat up and had gotten so close to the girl’s face that she could smell her breath. She pulled her head back milliseconds before the girl snapped her head up in alertness.

“I fell asleep? Mae! How long have you been awake?”

“Uh, just a couple minutes. How do you know my name?”

“Hajji told everyone all about you.”

“Who’s Hajji?”

“Your father.”

Mae swallowed hard. “Who’s ” ‘Ji”? ”

“Where’d you hear that name?”

“You talk in your sleep. Who’s ‘Ji. Is it that Vampire from earlier? How do you know my full name? How do you know my father? Where am I? WHO ARE YOU?”

The fairy sighed. “In order; ‘Ji is short for Akooji, he is a childhood friend of yours who knew you before the accident in which you lost your memory. Yes he is that vampire that saved your life. Your father told us all about you, including your full name, Amaenata. He belongs to and is the leader of our resistance army against the Queen Ivy Armoin. You are at our base, which at the moment is a fake Inn that charges way to much so no one wants to stay here. Finally, I am Blissatheara DiGona. I was your best friend before the accident and I am the last Living fairy. You may call me ‘Bliss’, ‘Ara’, ‘Lissa’ or anything else you like, just don’t call me by my last name.”

Mae was just about to ask why not to call Bliss by her last name when there was a knock at the door.

<People are getting testy knowing Reine is here.> the voice was a mixed accent of Both Vampiric and Elven origins creating a beautifully dangerous voice.

“Come in, Random!” Bliss called out.

Just as Mae had thought the owner of the voice was of both Vampiric and Elven origins. His skin had the paleness of a vampire, but still held the blue hue of an elf.

“Mae, this is Random. The most culture mixed person in the army, he speaks all twenty nine languages of the kingdom of DiTerra.”

“Welcome, Koningin.” He bowed at Mae. It made her feel weird seeing is to how she was in Pajamas. Wait, PAJAMAS? How did she get into PAJAMAS?

Mae ignored the fact that Bliss most likely changed her while she was unconscious angrily, and focused on her Dutch. “Uh, dank u, elanden.”

The man looked at her funny, and Bliss laughed at loud. ” I think you mean ‘ Dank u, vriend.’ You said ‘Thank you, Moose.”

Mae blushed. Her Latin was better than most people’s but her Dutch was terrible.

“It is muy bueno. I guess I can be a moose, but only because La Reina said so.”

“Why do you keep referring to me as a queen?”

“Uh, that is algo que hablar about with Amari. Anyway, get dressed and get down stairs. People are Hayvanlar sev when they want to see you.”

Bliss got up and went to the closet. “We’re the same size when it comes to shirts, but you’ll have to talk to Shae about borrowing some pants or a skirt or something, your to tall for mine.

“My sisters are here?”

“Just Shae annd please don’t call her your sister anymore, it might offend your real sister, Zo.”

“I have a real sister?”

“And a brother who is married and lives on his own with two children; Mamako the boy and Maigo the girl.”

“Wow, what’s his name?” Mae just realized that Bliss had already put a dress on her. Well, it would have been a dress on Bliss, but it was just a shirt on Mae.

“Yu–ki” Bliss struggled pulling off the tiny dress and replacing it with a larger one, but it still was just a long shirt on her. “I will be right back. We need to borrow something from Shae.”

Not two minutes after Bliss had left, someone walked in the room, she was glad Bliss hadn’t yet removed her pajama pants. It was that Vampire, Akooji.

“Hey,”

“Hi,”

“So, being held captive by your own subjects?”

“Why does everyone keep calling me a Queen?”

“Well, Hajji retired. Your mom’s..uh, sorry..Yuki enjoys his quiet life, Zo refuses to get married, and honestly you are the best for for the job. And after we defeat Ivy, Onihime, my brother, and the rest of the imperial army, you have to get married and become our leader.”

“You sure it’ll take that long? I’m only thirteen.”

“Thirteen? Your well older than that! Your one-thousand nineteen years old!”

“….WHAT!?”

“Mae! I’m not supposed to be here! Be quiet!” Akooji ran to the door, but Bliss was standing on the other side, waiting, tapping her foot. “Uh, sorry. I know I’m not supposed to talk to the queen without properly asking for an audience from her father.”

Bliss looked unimpressed.

“You’ve been coming in here very ten minutes to see how she’s doing. It’s one thing if she actually touched the ground when she fell.

“Bliss, you wouldn’t leave her side for two days after the first time she tripped and scraped her knee. You have no room to judge me for worrying about her after she fell off a cliff.”

“Admettre se vous son en amor avec su.” This language was one that only Bliss and ‘Ji knew. It was a mixture of French and Spanish. You alternate between the two with the words. What she said was; ‘Admit it, you’re in love with her.’

“No.”

“Fine, you created your own suffering. I offered you an out.”

“I’ll take it happily. The suffering, I mean. I’m not gonna do what you say.”

“JUST GET OUT OF HERE!” Bliss slammed the door and marched over and handed Mae some shorts.”They’ll have to do. All we have of your’s is a bunch of clothes for toddlers.”

“You don’t like him much, do you?”

“Do you?”

“Maybe.”

Bliss smiled. Her goal was in sight.

Mae looked at herself in the mirror in Bliss’ room. She was wearing the oddest clothing. This was the weirdest birthday ever. It all started with her falling off a cliff and ending with a party full of rebels she didn’t know. Bliss came out of her closet with another dress and a pair of shoes that were merely soles with ribbons to tie them on. Mae scowled. Girly. Yuck. So much attention. AND it was all from people she didn’t know. Of course she did know them, she just didn’t remember them.

“Wear the dress as a skirt. We don’t have any of your clothes. That last time you were here you were eight. And I happen to be the smallest person here.”

“Okay. ”

“You have 69 seconds. Hurry up and get down there. Oh and if ‘Ji comes in here again I might do something you wouldn’t like.” Mae shivered and put on her clothes. Bliss was scary.

**********************

Mae scaled the stairs and was in the main room of the inn, it was practically empty. Music was playing although there were no instruments, nor musicians. Just the composer moving her hand in nothingness creating the music without a single word. Mae recognized some of the people. Akooji was sitting with  Bliss and Shae at one table, and A man, woman, Random, and the composer were at the other. The composer opened one eye and smiled. Mae noticed something. The girl had short cut black hair and reddish orange eyes. She had a oval face and a long thin build, it was like looking in a mirror, she must be Zo.

She smiled wider and motioned Mae over. Mae followed suit. She sat down next to her. The composer took Mae’s hands and guided them in the same motions as she was doing. The music became shaky and and unpracticed and there was even a squeak. The girls laughed the same wind chime laugh. ‘Ji cracked a smile and the man and woman looked at the girls happily. Shae and Bliss cracked up but their laughs weren’t as pure or light hearted as the identical girls. Random put his arm around Mae and hugged her. ‘Ji’s smile disappeared. Mae didn’t fight the embracement. There was something about these people that was inviting.

“Happy birthday, mon amour.”

“Thank you, mon ami.”

The man  laughed one last time and shook Random playfully. “Okay, okay. Break it up, you two. I think we should properly introduce ourselves before we start flirting.”

Mae giggled. Zo hugged her. Bliss, Shae, and ‘Ji pulled their chairs over to the table where everyone else sat.

“Amaenata, My name is Hajji. I’m your father. This is Blissatheara DiGona, she is the last living fairy and was a close friend of yours in the past. We call her Bliss most of the time. This is your twin sister Zo, She creates music with movements of her body. ” Zo clapped her hands and it sounded like a crash of simbals. Hajji continued. “The elf who has taken part in re-raising you is ShaeKai Talin. She is also a good friend of yours from the past. The boy that kept sneaking in to talk with you is Akooji Akitharis. He is another of your friends. The boy that can’t keep his hands off you and can’t speak less than two languages per sentence is Random Naro. He is a good friend of our entire family and is welcome here anytime. This woman is Eiryyka Armoin-Sori. She is my second wife, your step-mother, and elder sister of the Queen Ivy. We brought you here to celebrate your 1019th birthday!

“Wait. I thought I was thirteen.” Mae questioned.

“Shae you never told her?”

“Iotatsu was difficult. She refused.”Shae responded meakly.

“Mae the reason you lived this long is that you are half angel and you have been inhabited by the spirit of the Phoenix.”

“Which explains that fireball from this morning.” Shae finished.

The table got really quiet. Zo slammed her hand down on the table and it sounded like a bass drum. “If I have to be surrounded by music, then I don’t want it to be some classical junk! It’s a party! Let’s give a bit of Yankee to it.”

“Yankee?” asked her father.

“A rebel touch.” Bliss commented.

“Impressionante!” Random repiled.

“I’ll be right back.” Eiryyka said and darted behind the counter of the bar.

“Would you like to dance?” Akooji asked Mae.

“Of, course. But we need some music.” Mae smiled at her sister.

“She needs to dance for music to play, Mlle le, would you like to dance?”

“Si?”

“Correcta.”

The children began to dance. A fast tango like  song played. Eiryyka fumbled in the kitchen. Hajji watched his group play.

**********

Eiryyka brought out a cake. Hajji placed candles on it and motioned over Mae. Everyone gathered around around the birthday cake with unlit candles. Mae ttok a deep breath and so did Zo, although she wouldn’t have an effect other than making a short flute tweet. Mae blew onto the candles and lit them.

Mae laughed. Hajji smiled at ‘Ji, “Would you mind?”

‘Ji smiled at Mae and leaned in close and preformed the same actions as she, but he caused the candles’ fire to freeze in place. Mae’s mouth gaped. He beamed at her.

“Happy birthday, girls.” Everyone shouted. Random wrapped his arms around Mae again. ‘Ji glared at him for several moments, but soon the room was full of dancing people and conversations.

“How’d you do that?”

“You know how a Phoenix is a fire bird.”

“Yeah?”

“And your inhabited by the phoenix?”

“Uh-huh”

“I’m inhabited by an ice-bird.”

“Wait, so is Zo a songbird?”

The two cracked up. Random glared. He still was holding her, but had been pushed from the conversation.

Suddenly someone broke the door open. The three hid behind the bar.

“Where is she?” Said a voice.

“Who?” Hajji spoke.

“The girl who’s birthday it is.” It was the voice again.

“That would be me.” Zo chimed.

“I meant the Queen, not the Duchess. The smell of her flame reeks in here.”

Eiryyka tried to break in, “I think ya have the wrong inn, boy. Just a group of friends getting together on a birthday.”

“Where’s my brother?”

“The kitchen.” Said Bliss, “I’ll go get him.”

Bliss came around the bar into the kitchen and grabbed a knife.

“Go to the milita. Meet us in Arik. Here take this.” Bliss handed Mae the knife. “We can handle Akito, but not trying to protect you guys. Run! Random, stay here, we’ll need your help.”

Akooji took Mae’s hand and ran out the back door. He ran with her out of the town.

“We need to get into Evania, we can loose them in the cities.” He was talking to himself.

” ‘Ji,”

“Yeah,”

“Who’s the militia?”

“There are two, but one is just Shae and her brother. We’re going to the Wolf Meniva Militia. Come on, they could could be behind us.”

“Who?”

“The people who killed your mother.”

Mae wasn’t sure whether or not she liked ‘Ji. Sure, he was cute, smart, funny, and, apparently, powerful. But he was also jealous, shy, and outlandish…Not her type. ‘Ji however, was undoubtedly, and completely in love with her…almost to the point of obsession. She was his. Or at least he thought. He had many rivals.

‘Ji and Mae ran. Ran as fast as their adolescent legs could carry them. Mae had ‘Ji beat. She was much more fit and strong. He was weak and obviously an indoor person. They ran. All the way to the edge of a forest. An eerie forest. Mae shook in fear. Akooji squeezed her hand, trying to comfort her. She slipped her hand out of his, and she jogged into the forest with ease. ‘Ji walked forward to the edge of the trees and slammed face first into nothingness.

“Nice! Good one, Kai! Now let me in!” He walked backward, then sprinted forward, once again crashing into the invisible wall.

“Come on, man! Mae’s in danger! I’ve got to get her to safety!” ‘Ji waited for a response. “DUDE!” Still no answer. “MAN!” No answer. ‘Ji fumed.”Mae just go. Travel Northeast. I’ll go around the forest!”

Mae shook in fear and began to sob. “I–’Ji, I’m scared.”

“Don’t be. I’ll be just on the other side of the barrier. Don’t worry I won’t let you get hurt.”

Mae continued to shake.

“Go. I’ll meet you on the other side.”

“Okay.”

“I love–”

“Yes?”

“I’ll see you later.”

Mae turned and ran deeper into the forest.

************************************

‘Ji continued walking along the edge of the wood. Random and Bliss came bolting forward when they saw ‘Ji alone.

“Where’s Mae?” Bliss asked right away.

“In the forest. Kai raised a barrier.” ‘Ji responded calmly.

“Que Horror!” Random said in sudden realization.

“What?” ‘Ji asked.

“She’s alone.”Random spoke.

No response from ‘Ji.

“Alone….With Shadow and his disciples….” Still trying to get ‘Ji to see. ‘Ji’s face went even paler than his own vampiric shade.

“Oh God. What did I do?”

“I love–”

“Yes?”

“I’ll see you later.”

Mae wondered what that meant. “I love–” He loves what? Cheese? She thought for long moments contemplating everything under the sun except herself.

Mae walked in absolute silence. Her eyes still red and swollen. Her face blotchy and tear-streaked.

She was alone. Alone. All Alone. She began hearing footsteps. At first she thought she was just being paranoid.

Then she thought she heard bushes rustling, but when she turned, nothing was moving. Then she thought to herself.

No, nothing is there. Nothing. I’m all alo–

A black wolf pinned her to the ground snarling and looking as though he would eat her. A pack of other wolves approached as well. A gray one stood defensively over a sandy one. A chocolate one laid on it’s belly as though it would soon pounce. An onyx and tangerine wolf sat staring distantly. A cub with mahogany fur stood at the edge of the group patiently. A snowy wolf with pale blue eyes stood alone. Next to the tangerine and onyx one was an average wolf looking stressed out. The wild canine on top of Mae opened it’s mouth wide and came down, supposedly to take a large bite. Mae closed her eyes and waited for certain doom when

SLLLUUURRRRRP!!!!!!!!!!!

Mae opened her wet eyes to see not a wolf, but a boy pinning her down. He sniffed her hair like an animal and then he shouted in a deep commanding voice at her.

“Name!”

Mae stared in confusion. What happened to the wolves? Instead, humanoids took their places.

“I said; What is your name?”

Mae blurted out the first name that came to her mind.

“C- Cerra Wayy!” she cried. In reality Cerra Wayy was her grandmother.

“Eat the intruder.”

“WAIT!”

“Yeah?”

“That’s not my real name!”

“THEN WHAT IS!? I knew Cerra Wayy!”

“A-Amaenatia Sori!”

“Mae?”

“Y-yeah?”

“Mae–you reek!”

“Um……Can I get up now?” Mae asked with a bit of strain.

“Oh, sorry.” He said as he snapped back to reality after just staring at her for long moments. He helped Mae get up. “Almost forgot to introduce myself, my name is Kagshadono. But you can call me Shadow. This is the Wolf Meniva Militia; Ms. Kana, my right hand man, Kai, Little Alice, Mr. Hiro and Mrs. Amari, Grey, and Timber.”

“Shadow…..She doesn’t smell right…..are you positive it’s Mae?”The woman who Shadow had said was named Kana questioned.

“She stinks!” said Timber.

“She smells like smoke and snow.” Said Kai, brushing his white arctic like hair out of his blue eyes.

“Akooji Akithearis is yelling at you again, Kaitoano. Shall you raise the barrier?” Amari spoke her voice sounding indifferent and emotionless as she stared out in the distance.

“What’s he thinking?’ Kai questioned.

Amari coughed and motioned Kana over, she rested her hands upon Kana’s shoulder’s and Kana opened her mouth but instead of her voice coming out it was ‘Ji’s

I’ve got to get in there before…Before Shadow does anything to harm her…..

“Me? Do anything to Mae? How dare he…..Kai triple the barrier, Amari watch his thoughts, Hiro, Alice, stay hidden but stay close to him. Grey, Timber. You guys search the forest, see if The Bug somehow got in. I’ll take Mae back to the cave. Report back at Midnight.”

“Mr. Shadow……What did he mean by ‘does anything’ to me?”Mae croaked.

“First off Mae, Don’t add the mister, we’re friends. Second, don’t worry about him. He’s an idiot.”

“Shadow…”Mae looked down.

A cloud of smoke appeared and instead of the boy being there was a black wolf.

Mae, once again, stared in astonishment.

Mae heard Amari’s voice, but her lips were not moving. Do not fear Amaenatia. Kagshadono shall not harm you. Get on his back. Mae did so. Do not worry about Akooji Akithearis. We will not allow him to harass you again. His thoughts are vile and, quiet frankly embarrassing. Now, tell Kagshadono that you are ready. Hold on tight to his neck.

Mae did she was told and Shadow took off. He was far faster than any horse Mae had ever rode. She clutched to his fur and began to smile, she was having the time of her life! Her long Scarlett hair whipped behind her.  The canine ran at a lightning speed Mae barely kept her grip.  They zoomed past dozens of trees and the two finally came to a stop in front of a mossy hill. Shadow laid down and Mae got off of him, Another cloud of black smoke appeared. The more human figure of Shadow appeared. He clenched his fist and shut his eyes in concentration, his fist seemed to turn to stone, black marble, or maybe hematite.

He stuck the hill with his rock-fist and the ivy growing on the rock fell revealing a hidden cave.

Mae hesitantly entered the cave. Why did ‘Ji fear Shadow? What– I’ve got to  keep my guard up. She sat on a Makeshift couch and suddenly jumped up when she realized she had sat on something. It was a book titled ‘Ilurin’

“Ai-la-rin?”Mae asked trying to pronounce the title.

“It’s actually ‘Ee-loo-reen’ But it’s a lost language…No one speaks it anymore.” Shadow said correcting her. “Want something to eat? Berries? Maybe some carrots? Sorry we’re all vegetarians. We only say we eat meat to scare people.”

Shadow opened a box containing foods, turning his back to Mae. Mae opened the book at a random point and began to read.

And so I, Queen Natia, gave birth to a child, a baby girl. My lover and I named her Re—–

“Mae!!”Shadow tackled Mae ripping the book from her and and pinning her down a second time that day.

“GOD! Shadow!What’s your problem!?”

“Na–Mae! Please! I swore! Don’t read it!”

“Swore what!?”

“Mae…Sorry.” Shadow drew his head back and crashed his against her’s. Knocking her out instantly.

As the unconscious Mae slept Shadow carried her to a Makeshift bed, rested her there and laid down next to her.

“Sweet dreams….Natia….”