“WHAT DO YOU WANT”

Master called out to the men in front of the yard.

Ishmael and I slowly peeked out the window and saw at least four men in front of his father.

“It’s time to pay your dues, oh great hero”

“I THOUGHT I told the king I was done”

“You were born in this country and you’ll die for it. And the one who rules it is the king”

“NO, leave this place or I’ll force you to leave”

“We need your help, Aram. The conflict near the border is about to escalate in to a war. The king thought it was best if one

such as yourself showed them how bad of an idea that was”

“No, I refuse. I’m not that man anymore”

“Hmm, well then let’s test that theory. Shall we? See if the tiger still has his fangs”

“Oh no, dad doesn’t have his sword”

Ishmael rushed to get his father’s sword.

“Ishmael, WAIT!”

I tried to stop him but it was too late.

Ishmael rushed outside with his father’s sword in hand.

“DAD!”

“ISHMAEL, NOOO!”

“Ahh”

A man rushed in from the side of the yard and grabbed Ishmael.

BAM

“AAGH”

Another man sent Master crashing in to the ground with a punch.

“Ohh what’s this? Is this your precious son?”

I almost pictured the dark smile this man must have on his face.

“LET HIM GO!”

I saw the two next to the leader grab Master by the arms.

Master would never let these goons get him.

But Ishmael ruined all that, Master could easily deal with them even without a sword.

“Now, let’s have that conversation, again shall we?”

Things look bad, it might be time for me to intervene.

“LET THEM GO!”

I stepped outside and all eyes fell on me.

“What’s this? You didn’t tell us you had a daughter as well”

“I’m warning you”

“Hmm, no her hair color ah and even her eyes are strange, aren’t they?”

“GAAAHH”

Another man tried to grab me from the side but I sent him crumbling down.

“NOW!”

The man showed no emotion and waved his hand.

His men let Ishmael and master go then they collected their unconscious comrade.

“I can see when we’re at a disadvantage. Aram, I hope you won’t regret this when the war comes to your doorstep”

They all turned around and left, soon the stamping of hooves and neighing of horses could be heard.

“Dad are you ok?”

Ishmael rushed to Master’s side and helped him up.

“. . Gia”

“Hm?”

I turned and looked at Master when he touched my hand.

“You’re shaking”

“Oh”

It’s true, my hands were shaking the whole time.

. . And my heart, it was pounding.

THUMP THUMP THUMP

THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP

THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP

Loud, it was too loud.

The sound of my heartbeat started to reverberate throughout my entire body.

Suddenly, it was all I could feel, like it wasn’t even a sound anymore.

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I was running through the trees, leaping off from one to another.

I could see the men riding up ahead on their horses.

They were far away but soon that would not be the case.

Closer and closer I became.

I could almost taste their blood now.

Until finally, I leaped at the leader.

But just when I almost had him.

NO!

I stopped where I was and watched them ride away.

This. . this wasn’t what happened.

I never chased after them.

But you wanted to. . .

. . Yea I did

You wanted to kill them for what they did . .

. . No!. . I

For what they would do later on

NOOO!

Who are you?

“I think that’s enough of that, don’t you?”

Suddenly the tree lined path faded away and I was now in a very wooded area.

Two figures appeared from nowhere and one started to speak.

“Sorry, the meaning of sanctity of life didn’t ring true in her time”

The one who was speaking was taller than me by a head and had a very surprising appearance.

“FAE!”

“Hm? Oh, yes that’s what those humans call us isn’t that right?”

She was taller than your average person with luminous skin that seemed to radiate light.

Also, she had long silver hair that she parted behind her pointed ears.

Her soft red eyes gazed in to mine from behind her beautiful face that had on a false smile.

All of this was complemented by the intricate blue dress she had on, it also gave off a “airy” feeling.

Suffice it to say, she was extremely striking and not to mention imposing as well.

Her companion was similar to me in height but she looked like a human.

She had dark black hair that rested on her shoulders, her face wasn’t quite as beautiful as her friend’s but it had a certain

charm.

Her most prominent feature was her eyes, they had an unsettling yellow glow.

Her skin was extremely tanned, as if all she ever had was sun.

While her friend had an eye-catching dress, she had on what amounted to a sack.

It looked like a tunic but it looked so rugged and beat up.

“Who are you two and what do you want?”

“Nothing really, you just happened to wander in to our domain”

The fae said with a nonchalant tone.

“I thought all the fae were gone?”

“Like how all the elder dragons are gone?”

“Wait, can you tell me where they went?”

It made sense, there was a possibility this mythical being knew.

Since her kind were spoken of in stories that bordered the beginning of recorded time.

“Ummmm, no. They were still wandering the earth last I checked. They went to that island way after my time”

I turned to the other girl but she shook her head.

“Sorry, she tells me that I’m after their seclusion. But I come from a time where everyone is enslaved by

monsters”

“Oh, well can I at least get your names?”

“. . . you can call me “Tanya” and she’s nameless isn’t, that right?”

The yellowed eye girl turned away for a bit, as if a touchy subject was just spoken of.

“. . .yea. I have no name”

“I’m—“

“Gaia, we know”

“Are you two spirits or something?”

“Something like that, it was fun watching you act much more naïve than are now”

“No, why did you do that to me?”

“You wanted to, didn’t you?”

Surprisingly, nameless answered this question.

“There was no reason for that, what happened later wasn’t their fault”

“Has anything changed? You haven’t discovered where your family is, even after all these years”

“. . .”

“Are you even trying? I guess one good thing about being human is that we learn to grow up. You long lived beings are

nothing more than children running around with fire”

“Better than whining about the harshness about the world”

Tanya spat back at her companion.

The two glared at each other for a bit but then turned to me.

“She’s right you know, you’re powerful. Why not form a nation, one that does your bidding? Surely then you’ll have the

resources to search the world. And I’m sure all the world would line up just to take you on. A prime opportunity to subjugate

and interrogate them for any info on your people?”

“I’m not some foolish demon. Mother and father told me about when our kind ruled the earth, it was a veritable wasteland.

Why would a fae unbound by anything care to rule? And you! Weren’t you enslaved your entire life?”

“. . .”unbound” hm? It was only a suggestion”

Tanya chuckeled a little.

“I didn’t know dragons were all the same, your ego is staggering. Much more than . . . even hers”

“Enough, I’ll ask again what do you two want? And what did those visions have to do with me?”

“Those “visions” you saw were some of our memories. Let’s just say that we are children of the earth, you, me, and

nameless. We died in differing circumstances but the result was the same, we became one with the earth. We are here to

warn you; a being was created to destroy you since you have that power. It’s all borrowed from the earth, the more

powerful you become the less mana there will be in the world”

“What? Why would I have such an effect?”

“You have a high affinity with the earth, just like we did. But instead of being in a fae or a human, this time it’s in a nearly

indestructible elder dragon. Your mana won’t return to the earth easily this time. So, we’ve decided to hitch a ride with you

until the time we are needed”

“What? Why would you help me?"

“Oh thats not important right now, and you won’t hear from us for a while, this lake may have strengthened our connection.

But you’re still not strong enough to be noticed by him or to channel us”

RUUUUUUMMMMBBLLLLEEEEE

“Looks like it’s time to say goodbye”

“Wait, I have more questions”

“No time, the water child wants to speak with you. Just know we are on your side and we will be watching over you”

With that they both disappeared and I fell towards a light.

GASP