I walked down the path and noticed that the beach had emptied. I looked around and saw a red flag, a storm was on the way. How long was I up there? It couldn’t have been that long. I thought to myself.

I walked up to the parking lot hoping I'd find Ethan there but to my disappointment, I saw no one. There were a few cars around but no one at the beach. I sighed, Ethan must have gone home.

I stood there feeling like a lost puppy, I looked over at the horizon and saw dark clouds heading my way, looks like it was going to be a big storm, I couldn’t help but smile a little. I felt the wind starting to pick up. I should head home before it gets too strong, one thing I did not enjoy was sand in my eyes.

Unexpectedly I saw Jade. She was walking towards an alley between two stores. Curious as I am I decided to follow, it felt like a good opportunity to learn more about her.

The town wasn't a big one, it had little shops next to the beach and a small grocery store. Everything else was further away. This town was like a hidden gem so to say.

When I stepped into the shade it got significantly colder, I shivered as I snuck around the brick walls walking deeper into the alley. I started hearing faint voices and slowed down. When I got in range it sounded like two people arguing. Finally, when I made it where they were, I peeked my head carefully behind the corner and saw Jade and a much bigger older man. They both seemed to be arguing over something. I listened carefully to what they were saying.

"I found you didn’t I? And soon I'll find your sister too, so why don't you do yourself a favor and tell me where she is." The man spoke in a low but angry tone.

"Not a chance in hell," Jade said and spit in the man’s face.

I watched as the man grabbed Jade's arm now livid. My body jolted a little like I was about to jump out. I flexed my muscles to stay put and not act.

"I don't care about orders I'll snuff your smart ass right here!" He said aggravated.

“Do that and you’ll never be able to get the key,” Jade responded in a smug tone.

“You think you’re so high and mighty don’t ya? Just because you’re a Croce doesn’t mean you can’t be replaced.” The man lifted his other arm and I saw Jade's eyes look a little worried now.

I walked in front of them and cleared my throat.

“I think you should back up now. Before you get yourself hurt.” I said trying to put out a confident essence like that weird guy at the cliff.

They both looked at me startled but soon the man's face turned into deep disgust.

"So typical." The man scoffed and let go of Jade's arm.

"Of course, you'd have a Keeper protecting you." He spits on the ground after saying that word.

"A what?" I thought to myself.

He shot me a dirty look as he placed his hand on the brick wall and a big black hole appeared on it with dark blue smoke slowly oozing out of it.

I stared at it in shock.

"This isn't over. She can't protect you forever. You know she always gets what she wants." The man grunted as he stepped into the darkness. The hole closed behind him and the wall was back to normal.

"What the fuck." I whispered out loud.

"What are you doing here?" Jade asked aggravated.

“I saw you heading this way and figured since there are storm warnings I’d let you know so you don’t get stuck outside,” I explained but was confused by her anger.

“So you were following me?” She scoffed.

“Just leave.”

“From what I saw it was good I did,” I said with sarcasm.

“I was handling it.”

“The man threatened to kill you and you’re saying you were handling it? He was like twice your size?”

She went quiet for a second.

"I was doing just fine, Rose." She said quietly and turned away from me.

I was stunned. How could she react to that kind of situation so nonchalant?

"Why was he harassing you? And what was that thing he went into? Also, what was he talking about?" I couldn't keep all these questions inside me and everything came pouring out.

She turned to me, visibly mad.

"Dear Zeus, would you just shut up!!" Jade screamed and I felt a wave of pressure wash over me and I immediately went quiet.

"Wait.. did she say, Zeus?" I thought.

There was a pause between us, the wind blew slightly humming as we stared at each other in this cold damp brick-walled cube.

"Forget what you saw here. It's best for the both of us." She said calmly.

“Forget? No, we need to call the police or something!” I yelled.

“No. This doesn’t include you in the slightest, so just leave it alone.” Jade had both her hands curled into a fist now, trying to stay calm it seemed.

“I understand you dislike me but if you’re in some sort of trouble... I’m going to help you.”

“The police can’t do anything and neither can you, so just leave.” She said staring at me intensely.

“If you think that then you know what was going on here so why can’t you answer my questions, I think I have a right to know what I just saw.”

“It’s nothing that concerns your world. How many times do I have to tell you to stop asking questions you can’t know the answers to? Now for the last time. Forget what you saw!” She yelled frustrated as she touched the wall just like the man did but this time it turned white. She held her hand up towards me and whispered something, but I couldn’t hear.

A sharp pain flew through me like a bullet and she turned around to walk into the mist.

Before even thinking I felt my legs move on their own as I sprinted after her.

"No, wait!" I yelled.

I tripped on a garbage bag and barely touched her shoulder as I fell face forward into the white mist.

I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was an unnaturally clear blue sky. I sat up and scoped my surroundings, I was in a forest? But.. how did I get here? I placed my palms on the grass and felt vibrations. Startled I picked up my hands. I turned them over but there was nothing, I wasn’t sure I even expected to see anything. I slowly lowered my palm against the grass again. A pulse went through my arm. What an odd sensation...

I noticed the air smelled different and there was a slight mist in the air. Now that I think about it, there was almost an unnatural ambiance, lighter and the grass was so green and vivid like everything else. It felt like I was in a dream.

I didn’t see anything familiar, I was deep in this forest. All I saw were trees for miles accompanied by gorgeous flowers. I felt a stinging pain in the back of my head, I touched it gently and noticed blood on my fingers.

"Fantastic." I thought.

I stood up and almost fell back down. I took a minute just staring at the ground waiting for everything to stop spinning, how long was I out for? I tried finding some familiarity but found nothing.

I saw beautiful flowers amid the grass as I walked past them. I figured I'd just pick a direction and walk until I saw someone.

Suddenly, I stopped. I heard faint singing coming from the opposite direction I was walking towards.

I walked closer to the sound and saw someone...something? Sitting on a bench in this big clearing. I snuck a little closer until making myself known but I was too slow.

"Who's there?" A girl's voice said gently as she looked my way.

I stepped out carefully. I'm positive I’m seeing things now because it looks like she has wings.

I walked closer to her and I could now make out her features. She had porcelain smooth skin and was almost as pale too. Her eyes were faded lilac color and they were also accompanied by bold winged eyeliner. She had half white and half black hair down to her shoulders. Even her bangs were perfectly separated colors. Her features were very gentle and I noticed her ears were pointy. She had a white dress on with puffy sleeves.

"She looks like a fairy." I thought

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to sneak up like this I just didn’t want to startle you,” I said nervously.

“Don’t worry you didn’t startle me.” She said as she shook her arm in that motion, which made her bracelet jingle.

“I was just reading and listening to the waterfall.”

“What waterfall?”

She smiled and gestured for me to come closer to where she was sitting. She had a warm smile, kind. I sat down next to her and saw it.

Behind a few trees, there was a big waterfall and for some reason when I sat down I could hear it but couldn’t before even though it wasn’t that far away. It was strange.

“The forest of the lost has a lot of hidden spots, you just need to know where to look.” The girl said in a gentle voice.

“The what?” I asked as I stared at her and her strange costume.

She looked at me with furrowed brows like she was deep in her thoughts and then she asked.

"Are you hurt?"

It threw me off at first but then I remembered my bleeding head.

"I think so. I'm not sure how I got this but I woke up with blood coming from the back of my head.”

"hmm." She said as she looked at my head.

She seemed genuinely worried.

"You haven’t used a portal before have you."

"A what?"

"Ah, you have some spell residue in here as well, hmm this may sting a little... I’m sorry." She said and I felt pressure followed by a slight sting.

“Ouch!” I flinched.

"There we go! All healed."

“How did you do that?” I rubbed the back of my head confused.

“That’s what we healers do.” She laughed a little and shrugged her shoulders. The bracelet jingled again, it was a very distinct sound, I liked it.

“Healers?”

“How hard did you hit your head?” She asked confused by my lack of knowledge.

“I- I don't know. I was just somewhere else and… it all just happened so fast and the next thing I knew I woke up here. Maybe I’m just dreaming.” I chuckled.

“You’re not dreaming silly! I know a Keeper when I see one. You have quite distinctive markings as I do. See?” She leaned forward, flapping her wings.

I looked at her my eyes wide open and then I passed out.

I heard familiar sounds.. waves crashing onto the shore louder than usual. I laid still, keeping my eyes closed. I had no idea if I was still dreaming and was dreading opening my eyes. I couldn’t handle any more weirdness whether it was a dream or reality. When I opened my eyes it was dark. All I heard were the waves. I put my hands on the ground slowly and felt the sand. I sighed in relief, please let this be real. I sat up and looked behind me. The parking lot, and to my right, my house. I quickly got up and started walking towards it. The wind was now very strong and I had to cover my eyes from all the sand flying around.

When I got to the porch I tried looking where I was but couldn't quite see that far in the darkness. I stumbled up the stairs and heard droplets falling on the roof, and it didn’t take long until the sound grew louder and faster. I got out my keys and went inside.

“Rose?” I heard Henriettas' voice from down the hall.

“Yeah, it's me.” I replied as I took my shoes off.

She quickly emerged from the hall practically running. She looked mad.

“Where the hell have you been?!” She yelled as she hugged me. I was getting a mix of anger and worry from her tone.

“I- what do you mean?” I was just outside. Wait weren't you supposed to come back on Sunday?”

“Rose, it is Sunday. It's one in the morning.” Henrietta looked confused with a hint of anger.

“Wait... what?” No, it's Saturday.” I thought she was messing with me and waited for Ethan or someone to jump out from hiding or something.

Her face was serious.

“Rose. You disappeared on Saturday afternoon, Ethan called me panicked when the storm started and he couldn't find you. I just got back an hour ago searching the entire town trying to find you.”

I was missing? No, but I’ve been here... I thought to myself as I scratched the back of my head trying to understand and then it hit me. The alley, my head, that girl.

“Rose honey? Where have you been?” She asked again seeing my visible confusion.

"I’ve been seeing the weirdest things, Henrietta. I don't know what happened. What I witnessed. First, I fend off this freak then I see people vanishing into nothing and then I wake up in the middle of a goddamn forest and hallucinate a fricking fairy? I swear I'm losing my mind.” I had to catch my breath after letting all that out.

”You…” Henrietta looked shocked.

I stared at her confused as she stared at me.

Henrietta sighed. ”Of course, you wouldn't know.”

”Know what? I'm serious I’m so fed up with all this weird secretive behavior of yours, just tell me.”

She took a long pause.

"Henrietta?" I asked carefully and she snapped back.

"Rose, I think it's time you knew." She finally said.

"Knew what?"

"Who you really are." She said it so quietly it was almost like a whisper.

The storm raged on as I stared at Henrietta.

"What are you talking about?" I asked perturbed.

"Come, I want to show you something."

She got up and I followed. We walked up the stairs and down to where that locked door resided. Henrietta took a key from her pocket and opened it.

The door creaked open and I was met with stale cold air. Henrietta flipped the light switch on, but now it was so dim everything had a silhouette. The scent of dried wood with possible mildew tickled my senses as we made our way inside.

The attic? What was so interesting about an attic? All there was a bunch of dust-covered furniture and antiques.

She walked to the far end of the room where under a big window was an old chest, I followed her with an uneasy feeling creeping all over me. Henrietta kneeled in front of it. She took a second tracing her fingers on the top of the chest leaving marks of her fingers on the dusty cover. There was a long silence between us. The only sound was tree branches hitting the window and the heavy rain.

"Rose what I’m about to tell you will change everything you knew about this world. I was planning on doing this at a better moment but I fear it's too late. Ever since you mentioned Jade I have had a pit in my stomach, waiting for this day." She spoke softly and kept her back turned to me.

I stood behind her silent. My mind felt blank like it was slowly breaking. Henrietta opened the chest carefully and took out two items.

She turned to me with a bow in one hand and a ring in the other. The ring looked identical to mine.

"Rose." Henrietta placed the bow on the ground and slowly slid the ring into her middle finger.

"You alongside me and your mother are a part of a long line of elvish people known as the Keepers. We are the protectors of the Gods of Ixeniralm. Our family has protected them since the beginning of time.

"I'm a what?" I finally got it out of my mouth. I was so thoroughly confused by everything and was still questioning if I was even awake.

"Have you ever wondered why you were so naturally good at martial arts? Why you seem to move around faster and have such great reflexes? These are a few abilities, among many, in which we possess."

"Is this some kind of joke? I mean elvish people? You have to be joking, I don't even have pointed ears." I scoffed.

Henrietta sighed.

"I suppose I should just show you."

Henrietta stood up and took a deep breath. She lifted her left hand where the ring was and gently turned the middle part. A golden glow swirled around her as her outfit and appearance changed.

My frustration quickly vanished as I stared at what was unraveling before my eyes. Her clothes disappeared and were replaced by what appeared to be armor, that long white hair that was always in a bun was now down, partly braided in the front. Her tired eyes had a dusty grey color instead of a warm hazelnut and her ears were shaped upwards to a point.

"Now will you take me seriously?" She asked and looked down at me while I sat on the floor stunned, and barely remembering how to breathe.

"I- ... I" I stuttered.

She kneeled in front of me and placed her hand on my shoulder.

"I know it's a lot to take in at once, trust me this is not how I wanted to tell you," Henrietta reassured me.

"Whatever you want to know, every question you may have I will answer with complete brutal honesty."

"So. I'm... an elf?" I finally managed to ask.

"Yes. Though in Oddecion we are referred to as Keepers since we are separate from normal elves."

I raised my arms to my head staring at the floor, trying to find one train of thought to follow but there were just too many.

"Could I see the ring you wear on your neck, please?" Henrietta broke the silence which felt like it had gone on for hours.

Startled I did as she asked.

She took it out of the chain and took my hand. She placed the ring on the center of my palm and proceeded to place her hand over it. I was slightly scared of what might happen next. I started feeling something odd... I couldn't figure out what it was, but after Henrietta lifted her hand the ring was glowing light blue. As I stared at it I realized it reminded me of water.

The glow spread inside my palm through my veins making them glow blue through my skin. This feeling, was power. I felt the energy run through my body like rushing water, it felt like I was finally waking up, the fog was clearing and I could see ahead. It kept spreading throughout my body so strong I had to gasp for air as I felt more alive than I ever had. As the glow dimmed my body loosened and my head fell to my chest. I didn’t move a muscle, just sat on my knees.

“Rose?” Henrietta asked quietly.

I lifted my head and looked her in the eye and in that moment my eyes flashed clear blue for just a second which made her smile slightly.

“How do you feel?”

“Awake.”

“What happened was you breaking the curse that locked away a part of yourself. It was made special for you as a request by your mother, now that it’s broken you gained back all that was missing, like your ears.”

“Why? Why would mom do that to me?” I felt a sharp pain in my heart.

“Your father. He found out about your mother's heritage after they were married and was appalled, he wanted nothing to do with it. When Alison was pregnant with you we weren’t sure you would inherit this blessing, but when you did Alison fearing the worst did what she felt necessary. This is why she pushed you towards martial arts, to strengthen you and prepare you for your destiny.”

I stayed quiet. Listening to every word. Pressing them deep into my mind.

“Why would she stay with him?” I asked.

“That is a question I have wondered myself for years now. I really don’t know...”

“Isn’t she strong? Shouldn’t she be able to take him?”

“Unfortunately, your mother has lost almost all her abilities. When you were born there were complications during the birth that almost killed her. Her sheer willpower was the only thing she was hanging onto and her love for you. She was able to survive but it cost her a part of herself, see we elves maintain balance in nature. So in order for you to be born and Alison to survive, she had to sacrifice something to keep the order intact.”

“So that’s why I felt the ground vibrate...” I mumbled to myself.

“What is Jade?” I asked.

“Jade Croce is a witch. Witches usually have a noticeable feature like us but in her case, it was her eyes. She is perhaps the most important person in Oddecion other than the Gods themselves, her family holds the key to what we call The Unknown where the Gods reside. No one knows what lies behind that door so we simply named it The Unknown.”

“Why do I feel such strong pain whenever I’m around her?”

“It’s because of your ring. Its job was to protect you from interacting or finding out about Ixeniralm and its residents, but since there are far more living in this town than in your old one the ring couldn’t block her energy. We have a sense of supernatural beings, you will notice it as you learn but it won’t be a sharp pain any longer.”

Henrietta turned the ring and it had a small crack on the top.

“See this crack right here?”

“When you entered the portal the spell in it couldn’t take it and resulted in damaging the object it’s attached to.”

“So all of it was real?” I looked her in the eyes.

“Yes.”

Henrietta paused.

“But now that you know, I need you to exercise extreme caution. Something is out there murdering innocent people, and I fear it’s not a mortal, when you came home after hurting your wrist I saw the aura of the wolf you encountered and that wasn’t a regular wolf but a werewolf, in fact possibly the same one tearing people to pieces.”

“Okay, I will.” My voice trembled slightly at the thought of me possibly having run into a killer.

“When you feel ready I want to take you to Oddecion to the academy. Where you will train to become a Keeper.”

“Train to become a Keeper? I thought I already was one?”

“You are meant to become one. But you aren’t nearly as strong to be one, not yet.” Henrietta got up and picked up her bow.

“Sure I am. As you said mom had me train my whole life.” I argued back.

“In martial arts. Not actual combat as a Keeper. When it’s life or death.”

“I can handle it!” I scoffed and crossed my arms.

“Yeah? You’re that confident? Let’s go outside then, you’re going to fight me.”

I looked at her slightly shocked but smiled determinedly.

“Let’s go.”

The storm had continued raging as we walked outside onto the sand. Henrietta had her armor on but removed her bow and arrows.

“You think you are ready to face your enemies that won’t hesitate to kill you?” She yelled through the wind.

“Yes!” I yelled back.

She had created a space between us and stood there observing me.

“Then let’s see it!” She yelled running towards me faster than I expected.

I blocked her right arm followed by the left. I jumped back. She was quickly closing the space between us, not letting me escape. We circled for a few steps and I cocked my right fist. She took my wrist pulling me forward, and with her elbow she struck the center of my back. I fell on my stomach to the ground. She rolled me over and placed her foot firm onto my sternum and looked down at me. I was breathing heavily, and spitting sand out of my mouth. While she was barely out of breath.

“And you’re dead.” Her expression was dead serious, her voice low.

I stared at her. Once again I was beaten. I couldn’t believe it.

“You’re not strong enough, and when you are we will fight again. Next time you will win.”

I knew she was right. But hearing it felt like a knot in my stomach. "Not strong enough…" her words rang through my mind. She moved her foot and as I got up slowly in front of her, the wind blowing, we were both soaked from the rain I looked her deep in her eyes with one thought now clear in my head.

“I won’t lose to you again, I will become a great Keeper, like I’m destined to. Henrietta, I’m ready. Take me to the academy.”

Henrietta smiled slightly and nodded satisfied.