Chapter 1
They say in the fantasy world that all things are possible. They say that if you listen to the fairies’ songs, all time will be forgotten. If you eat of their fruit, you will never crave human food again…and once they capture you and take you to their magical kingdom you shall stay there forever. In the lands of magic, the oceans are not only filled with exotic fish and monstrous sharks, but with mermaids and sirens and creatures so horrific that even our sharks would fear.
At least, that is what they say. Many of us wonder if it is true. Some of us believe it is nonsense and then there are the ones who just believe. But, I am getting away from my point now; this isn’t just another story about witches and warlocks. It’s not just about ogres and goblins, mermaids and sea monsters, fairies and sprites. It’s not just about the magical kingdom that lies on the far side of the earth; no…this story is different, because this story is true.
It all began only twenty years ago, when the queen of StoneWell gave birth to two sons, twins, Trenton and Tristan. Identical in features but extremely different beings on the inside. Trenton would grow to be a war lord and Tristan…he grew to be something else. While Trenton was away with the King fighting for their freedom and lands, Tristan took the traits of his mother. A wretched soul had she and while the King was away, she found other ways to meet her needs. She spent her days, and nights, with the dark wizard Colascius. Unfortunately, Tristan had no choice but to be a part of their scheme, and when it was all said and done, Tristan fell victim to the dark magic.
Now the Fairy Prince who lived on the far side of the kingdom, heard word of this. He became afraid for his people and all the people of StoneWell. To have a dark wizard on the throne of the kingdom would mean tragedy and death for everyone. After endless hours of sleep, he finally devised a plan. He created a child, a magical child, with the help of the creatures from the seas and earth, and added with a little fairy magic, she was born. They called her Lily.
Since her birth, the Fairy Prince started training her in how to use her magic and develop the powers within herself. He taught her how to control them, use them, and eventually how to grow them.
A lovelier girl…you might have seen, but never have you seen a more tormented one. She knew she was different, that she did not belong to their world. She knew, in the end, she would be alone. Her hair was redder than a flame, her eyes, greener than moss. Her smile was a sweet sorrow and her voice was as beautiful as the siren’s. Her heart was pure as snow and also as black as night.
While Lily was getting her training, a terrible thing happened. The King of StoneWell fell in battle. He died lying on the ground, while the war tore out all around him, and Trenton held his hand. After the war, Trenton returned home and delivered the news to his family. The queen and Colascius were overjoyed with the information, and while Trenton grieved alone, Tristan felt nothing. Instead of Trenton, who was the rightful heir, Colascius became King and the Fairy Prince’s worse fear was now more than just a thought.
It has been six years since the death of the King and the kingdom remains in darkness. Trenton is no longer welcomed at the castle and Tristan is the right hand to the evil that Colascius serves. The Fairy Prince, who so long prepared Lily for this, was afraid for her. He knew that she was more than ready, but there was still so much about life that he had not taught her. He treated her as his own daughter, loved her like a daughter, and now the time had finally come to send her out on her own.
As Lily set out on her journey across the lands, Colascius stared into the fire and seen the warning there. He did not tell the queen, instead he consulted Tristan, and after several hours of discussion, persuasion, and manipulation, Tristan set out on his own journey. You see, although Trenton was trained in war, Tristan was trained in feeling nothing; he knew how to call upon the dark powers and cared nothing for others. His mission was to find Lily and kill her. Hers was to kill the only father he had ever known, Colascius.
Chapter 2
Lily made her way through the forest outside of the fairy kingdom. Thick trees as tall as the sky blocked her way but still she knew where she was going. She could hear the soft, peaceful flowing of the river to her right and she could smell the dead to her left. A graveyard in remembrance to the fallen soldiers of the old king. Though her journey was already a long one, she postponed it just a bit longer, to pay her respects. It always amazed her every time she made her way through the trees and bushes to the clearing. The swords on the graves gleamed brightly in the morning sun and made a beautiful prism across the small area. Unlike the mortals, there were no stones with poetic words to mark their people, no words were needed. The power in the air, the silence that surrounded it, the pulsing of the heart beat that remained within the swords…no, no words were needed. She made her way to the center of the Fallen Ones to the king’s grave.
She remembered her father, at least all she knew of a father, the Fairy Prince, telling her stories of the king. He said the king was a good man, honest, trust worthy, but most importantly he stood up for what he believed in, took a stand for it, lived for it, fought for it and, in the end, died for it. She didn’t know that there were people like that. To believe in something so strongly that you would give your life for it, well that was just a poet’s dream. It was a pity that he had to die for what he believed in especially now that he died for a cause that was no longer true.
A sight from the corner of her eye broke her thoughts while she kneeled at the king’s grave, when she looked she saw a man slowly walking towards her. He didn’t see her yet; his head was bowed down, a mortal perhaps? She had heard of them sometimes wandering into their world but had never actually seen one. She slowly stood up; keeping her movements smooth she began to walk backwards away from him. He looked up then and seen her. He stopped in his tracks and just watched her and she him. They stood still with the king’s grave separating them from one another.
“Who are you?” he asked her.
“I might ask you the same thing.”
“Tell me your name first girl and I shall give you mine.”
“My name is Lily.”
“I don’t believe I have ever seen you before in this kingdom.”
“No, you haven’t.”
“Are you a mortal?”
“Are you?”
“My name is Trenton, Trenton StoneWell.”
“You’re the king’s son?”
“I am the old king’s son, yes. What are you doing here?”
“I came to see the king.”
“Really. Why?”
“I was raised to pay my respect and gratitude to the Fallen Ones.”
“Ah, I see, so you are no mortal then. Where do you come from?”
“The fairy kingdom.”
“You do not look like a fairy, my lady.”
“I never said I was a fairy and I’m not your lady.”
He smiled at her, not only was she beautiful but she was defiant.
“I am sorry if I frightened you, I was just coming to pay my respect as well. Please, carry on.”
“You didn’t frighten me and I am done now and must be on my way.”
“Where are you headed?”
“That is none of your concern.”
“No, I just thought perhaps if you were headed in the same direction as I, we could travel together.”
“And where are you headed?”
“To the castle.”
“Why? You are not welcomed there.”
“I plan to change that.”
“Do you now? Well, good luck to you on your ventures Trenton StoneWell. I travel alone.”
She walked back the way she came and quickly began to run through the trees. She didn’t choose a certain path but instead crossed through the forest away from the trails so he would not follow her. After several hours of running and no sign of Trenton, she slowed her pace and then sat down beside a large Weeping Willow. She unpacked her food and began to eat.
She didn’t stop at the river to get water like she had meant to and now regretted it. She had finished her meal and leaned back against the tree, looking up at the sky. The wind blew softly, a cool friend to the wanderer who traveled at midday. Lily closed her eyes and listened to the world around her. So peaceful, so still, drifting off to the rhythm of the world, she fell asleep.
When she awoke the sun was already making its way to the horizon and the creatures of the night would soon be on their way. She had to find shelter before dark otherwise she would have to sleep in the forest and she knew if that happened she would find no rest that night. She looked up at the sky, it was clear and swimming with splashes of orange and pink. A beautiful sight that she wished she could admire, but there was no time. She quickly packed her things and set out for the nearest village. If she could get there before the sun was gone perhaps they might let her stay.
She had to run once more, she knew from the sound of the river that she was getting close now. The fast beating of her heart began to ring in her ears and her feet were quick and light. She began to fear that she might not make it, not that she was afraid of the monsters of the night she just didn’t want to have to fight them this night. She had too much ahead of her already. Just as the sun’s tip was falling over the horizon she reached the small village. She seen the inn and began to walk. Inside the inn was warm and welcoming, smelling of food and fire wood. The innkeeper’s wife came up to her and asked her how long she would be staying.
“Just for the night.”
“Oh yes, I understand my dear. Let me bring in some warm water for your bath and my daughter will show you to your room.”
“Thank you. I was wondering if the night creatures come to this town often.”
“No, not that often. Only a few times a year and even then they only take one or two of us. Lydia! Where is that girl?”
The lady of the inn went in search of her daughter and Lily walked to the window and looked outside. It was quiet…too quiet. She didn’t hear or see any animals, nothing stirred. Either the woman was being modest or they were already here.
Lily made her way upstairs into a chamber and sat down on the bed. After a while of thinking about her journey and what she must do, she laid down and closed her eyes. She drifted silently in dream to a world all of her own. Peaceful and calming, a place where no wars existed. Where there was no evil and the world and the people in it did not die brutally.
A loud noise awoke her, as she looked around she noticed it was still dark. She silently made her way to the window, all was as it should be. She headed for the door when she heard it again, a banging of some sort. Perhaps there were other visitors, she didn’t see any when she came in though. She began to make her way downstairs and again the loud bang. She slowly peeked around the corner at the foot of the steps and seen the front door opening and closing in the wind.
After scanning the room she decided it was clear and went to the door. Everything was silent outside and not a single torch was burning. She closed the door and locked it then went searching for the lady of the inn. She looked downstairs and upstairs but could find her nowhere. In fact there wasn’t anyone there but her. She went back downstairs and out the back door to the stables. The horses were making an awful racket and she knew what that meant, someone or something was in there.
She opened the door to darkness but thankfully the moon was out and shed some light. She left the door open behind her and slowly walked down to the other end of the barn. Half way there she stopped in her tracks, something was moving. It was on the floor bent over something and as she got closer she realized it was the innkeeper’s wife lying on the floor, dead. She swallowed hard but walked faster, not caring if she made any noise.
It heard her, its head popped up and it let out a cry. The door behind her closed and she spun around to find two more of them. With her sight fading away in the darkness, they had the advantage. She could hear their slow movements, their hissing whispers, and the soft sobs of a young girl.
“I hope you don’t mind,” she said to them, “but the dark hurts my eyes.”
With that, she roared flames out of her mouth and now could see their horrid faces. Dead like creatures with skin so pale, like a corpse almost. They had been deprived of the blood they so love for quite some time. They lashed out at her, scratching and clawing, trying desperately to knock her off her feet. She pulled the flaming fire towards her with one hand and threw it out at them. Their cries were so loud once they caught flame, the horses began to go wild, kicking their way out of the stables and fled outside.
One dead now, two were left, she knew one was behind her but where did the other go? She caught the flame in her other hand just as the blood thirsty beast at her back came running towards her and spun around and sent him to his long awaited death. One more, just one, but where was he? She looked all around, he wasn’t on the ground, up in the rafters perhaps. She slowly walked through the barn but did not see him anywhere.
“Show yourself!” she demanded, but heard nothing. She was becoming angry and that was a problem for her, being able to control her powers when anger filled her. “Show yourself!” she shouted again but still nothing. Fine, she thought, if the coward refuses to fight, I won’t give him the chance. She released her anger, held onto it and let everything else go. The flames in her hands began to grow brighter, hotter, until she was engulfed in a sphere of fire. She concentrated on nothing else but the heat within her and around her, then she spread her arms out and she too caught flame. As her anger and the fire grew stronger and stronger, to the point where she couldn’t hold it in anymore, she let out a scream that you could hear for miles and the fire exploded out in every direction and blew up the barn.
As the flames settled and disappeared, and with the debris dropping down, she regained her control. The anger dissipated and once again all was calm. She looked around her noticing that she had attracted attention, attention that she did not need. The villagers lights were coming on in their homes and doors were opening. She seen a horse grazing in the trees, a beautiful white mare, and ran to it. She climbed on and began to ride hard until the village was long out of sight. She made her way to the river and once she was there she got off the horse and let it roam where it pleased. She didn’t really care whether or not it stayed, although she hoped it would so she could save her energy and quicken her journey. She started to wash her wounds, scratches on the arm, stupid vampires. It was still a bit dark but the sun was on its way, she undressed and walked into the water. After she was done bathing she lingered for a moment, floating on her back looking up at the sky. She closed her eyes and let the sound of the wind blowing the trees swim through her. She felt peaceful, calm.
The water began to rise above her, drop by drop, and the earth started to shake. The sun crept lazily over the end of the earth and morning shown. Lily felt the warmth of it wash over her and she smiled. She felt joy run through her and the water that she had been laying on now swirled above her. The rocks began to rise and she was left lying on air until she heard the sound of hoof steps. The rocks fell and the water came crashing down upon her, back to the earth. She swam her way back up to air and when she seen the horse, it was being ridden by a man, Trenton StoneWell.
“What in the world was that?”
“Trenton,” she said in an irritated huff.
“What was that?”
“What was what?”
“You know damn well what! How did you do that? I’ve never seen anything like it in all my life.”
“I’m not your average girl.”
“I guess not. What are you? Are you a witch?”
“No.”
“Then how could you…”
“I was blessed with a gift, so my father says, several of them actually.”
When he only stared at her, she stepped out of the water and got dressed. Trenton barely noticed her, he was too busy remembering what she looked like naked floating on air with water circling around her. Beautiful and a bit frightening.
“You never answered me,” he said.
“What?”
“What are you?”
“I’m…complicated,” she pulled her shirt over her head and sat down on a nearby rock.
“I don’t exactly know what I am Trenton. I was created. My father, at least who I call my father, is the Fairy Prince and he created me along with the help of the mermaids and sirens, the giants and the leprechauns, the fairies and their magic, the blood of a phoenix and other magical creatures. He always said I was unique because there is no one in the magical or mortal world like me. I can’t answer your question because I don’t have the answer. I don’t know what I am.”
He said nothing, instead he just sat down on the rock beside her trying to make sense of all that she just said. He wasn’t expecting that and it was hard to take in all at once. He decided that it would be best to let it be. He went and got his horse and mounted it.
“Where are you headed to Lily?”
“To the castle,” why did I say that? she thought to herself. Stupid, foolish girl. Why can’t I lie to him?
“Why are you going there?”
“I have something that I have to do.”
“What?”
“I need to speak to the king.”
“Why?”
“I can’t tell you why Trenton.”
“Do you work for him?”
“No. The Fairy Prince told me to go there and speak to him and so I must.”
“Do you deliver a message then?”
“You could say that.”
“Then get your horse and we’ll ride together.”
“I travel alone Trenton, I already told you that.”
“Not anymore you don’t. Now get your horse.”
“I can’t let you come with me. I have to do this alone.”
“Are you defying the rightful king to this kingdom?”
“No, but I’m not complying either. Thank you for your offer sir, but I must respectfully decline.”
“Lily, please, come with me.”
“No.”
“Fine, you leave me no choice then.”
He unsheathed his sword and held it at her throat.
“You are going to come with me, my lady, even if I have to tie you and drag you the entire way there. Get your horse!”
“Are you really that stupid? Do you not recall what you just seen me do? Do you really think that’s the limit to my powers? And I am not your lady.”
“No, I’m sure your powers are way beyond comprehension which is exactly why you are going to come with me. You’re going to help me.”
“Yes, I am but on my own. Now lower your sword, sir.”
He placed the sword back in it’s holster.
“Lily, please come with me. It’s been six years since I have been able to show my face. I can’t do what I have to do alone. I need someone.”
Say no, say no, she thought.
“Alright, but you have to listen to me and do as I say.”
“If I think it’s in my best interest then I will.”
“Do you always have to have the last word?”
“Do you?”
She mounted her horse and they set off down the path together.
