The Veil Of Faith And Destiny

Why am I here? Is the question I keep asking myself, all day, everyday. I don't want to be here, stuck in the far north of St. Lawrence Valley where time has frozen. A place where we still believe in painting our walls in a certain colour according to the direction in which it faces. Well, painting has become a luxury for us at this moment. The ascend of Queen Victoria might have been a victory and pleasure for some, but us, the people who even struggle to put foods in our bellies, it has been nothing but dreadful.

The increased taxes that only help the royal family fund it's extravagant parties is an entirely different matter altogether. When the king fell and a new heir rose none of us expected the situation to get any better, the least we expected was for the things to not get any worse and here we are. Struggling everyday, seeing our economy crash, our crops being either stripped away from us or our farmlands burned to ashes. And when times get harder, and mouths get hungrier people do things they are not proud of. That is what scares me, going to bed at night and waking up in a brothel or next to a man I have not seen in my entire life but somehow he is now my husband. But as the time passes these thoughts get more and more practical. Anything and anywhere is better than this place, a place filled with nothing but my own tears and blood . If the walls could talk they would sing about my pain and sufferings, my daily struggle of trying to keep myself alive and in one piece. Mother and father never touched my face though, they always talked about how hard it would be for them to get paid if my face was disfigured. For a long, long time I thought my life would get much easier if my face was hideous. Mother and father would not look at me as this last and only option to feed themselves but for the actual human I am. So one day I decided to burn my face. I knew very well how agonizing that would be but it would be for a time being; a small price to pay for a life of a little peace. Mother, on the other hand did not think the same, the moment she found out she stripped me naked, beat me until my skin was red and raw then threw me outside in the cold. That day all my breaths, at least the one I had left, were praying for nothing but the sweet relief of death but it never came.

"Is the food ready?" a rough voice asked. I jumped up from my chair once. A tall, huge figure emerged through the door with a roll of tobacco tucked between his teeth.

"Yes father" I replied, lowering my eyes.

"Good put the plate out, your mother will be joining us" he said, walking towards the table. I quickly rushed to the kitchen and pulled out two bowls and spoons. I arranged them on the table, facing each other. I then turned the stove off and carried a large pot of hot stew to the table. I placed it in the center of the table and took a step back. Soon a short, fair, plump woman joined us.

"So your useless self managed to have food on the table" she snarled as she sat down. Both of them filled up their bowls to the rim and started eating.

"What in heaven's name is this?!" the woman exclaimed, I raised my eyes.

"Did you taste this before serving it to us?" she yelled.

"Yes mother" I mumbled.

"Oh, did you now? Eat this!" she said, shoving the bowl in my face. I did not move, it felt as if I was paralyzed.

"Have you gone deaf Azura?" she asked, taking a step closer.

"No-no mother" I whispered. She brushed my hair back before grabbing them and yanking my head back. She forced open mouth and poured the simmering hot stew in. I could feel it flowing down my mouth and my intestines, burning everything. Tears started streaming down my face, and as she kept pouring the stew it got harder and harder. She suddenly let go of me and I collapsed on the floor, crying and vomiting.

"Clean that up!" she commanded, throwing a piece of cloth in my face. I sat there crying and wiping the floor, cursing every moment of my existence. When I was done with cleaning, mother and father were long gone. I took a breath of relief. We walked up to my room and locked the door behind me. I walked towards my bed and pulled out a picture from underneath.

"Oh grandmother" I sighed brushing, my fingers against the picture frame.

"Things would have been way better if you were here. I miss the times when you use to all those stories. Were they true grandmother?" I sobbed, hugging the picture. I walked over to the window and pushed it open. A cold breeze made a sudden rustle and I turned. I saw a book cover shining from under the bed, I pulled it out and dusted it.

"Grandmother?" I looked at the picture. I sat down on my bed and started flipping through the pages, suddenly a piece fell on the floor. I bent down and picked it up.

"My dearest Azura,

I hope you never have to read this my dear, but I most certainly know you will as I am not going to live forever. I know my love there will be times when things get hard and you will feel lonely but always know I am with you, now and always. My soul attached to yours the day you first cried and it will be; till the day you walk this plain and I would like to believe even after that. I don't have much to leave you with but my love and the stories I wrote and read to you every night when you were a little girl. But let me warn you child, these are not just stories, they are the truth. The truth that hides in the shadows and lives among us and I hope you will not do something you shouldn't have. Because once done, things cannot be undone. I am leaving a source of great power and boundless treasure; use it wisely.

Love Grandmother"

The letter read. I wiped the tears off my eyes. How do you do this always grandmother? How do always love me and lookout for me even when you are not around. I smiled and tugged to letter back between the pages. I remember grandmother reading me stories of elves and witches, she always told me both of them had the power to o anything but they never made a fair deal. They always left out a key piece of information but still helped people, if they felt like. And if all the stories were true, maybe someone can help me and even if not, I was ready to die trying than to live in a house where not waking up the next morning was my only wish. I started reading through the book, hoping to find something that might help me. My eyes stopped at a page named "The witch who lives in the dark forest". I started reading through it.

"When the night is black and the moon is full. When the Twiki flies over the stars looking for her next meal. It is the same night when The Dearg-Due rises from her grave. On such a night the souls are so desperate that their eternal doom is not something that worries them. As the clock strikes three you can walk to the north edge of the Dark Forest and let the stars and the moon guide you to the small cave in its heart that The Silver Lady calls home. Knock on her door seven times and no one less or more. The first knock is you offering her your skin that she will use to patch her own decaying flesh, the second is for your hair which she will natch between her teeth, third time for your bones which she will use to mix her portions, fourth time for your heart which she will rip out of your chest and feed on, fifth time for you teeth that she will add to her collection, sixth time for your eyes which she will pluck out one by one and seventh time for your soul that will serve beneath her feet for all eternity" I looked up from the book and out the window. A black to navy gradient was the backdrop for a full moon; the night sky was clear, I could almost see every spot. The moon was glowing yellowy white, loomed large, surrounded by an ethereal glow. Millions of stars were sprinkled behind it, a few large ones but mostly a multitude of little white pin pricks. Every now and then, a twinkle caught her eye. This was an unfamiliar sight from all the nights I have witnessed none of them were quite like this. Deep in my heart I knew if I had a chance it was tonight. As terrifying the story was, the thought of living with two monsters terrified me more. I knew I had to wait a few hours before the clock struck three but it was a wait that was worth it.

I spend the entire time locked up in my room, praying that mother and father would be too drunk and tired when they came back home. This meant that they would go to sleep without even thinking twice of my absence and I will be able to slip out. As the hours passed by and the sky grew darker my heart became anxious. A creaking sound made me jump of my bed. I cracked open the door and poked my head out, I saw mother and father standing by the door laughing and talking. Soon both of them tumbled into their room and their voices died. I took a deep breath and closed the door. I fell back on my bed and rest my head on the pillow, shutting my eyes I took a deep breath. The loud sound of the clock jolted me awake. I looked around, the house felt dead silent. Darkness filled the room and the only light was the one shining moon. I pulled out a small lamp and lit it. I pulled out a long cape and covered myself. I slowly walked out my room and to the main door. I opened it and crept out locking the door behind me. The street was empty, completely deserted. I could hear dogs barking and animals howling. I pulled my hood over my head and walked towards the forest. My heart was racing and the dark path made my breathing fast. As I reached the north end of the forest I had nothing but the small lamp and the moonlight to guide me. I looked up and saw a flash of light shining directly above something. I swallowed my fear and headed in. With every step and every sound of a dried leaf crunching beneath my feet made my heart race. Soon I saw clearing and walked towards, and there it was sitting in front of me at the bottom of a tress, a small door. I placed my lamp on the foot of the gate and stepped forward.

"Seven knocks. okay" I muttered under my breath. I started knocking. With every knock it felt as if the night was growing darker and the wind was growing meaner. With the last knock the door swung open and I found myself face to face with a tall slender woman, her skin was as pale as snow, her flesh decaying on her face, neck and arms displaying the bones underneath. Her eyes were large and completely black, they had a hint of blood flowing from the corners. Her nails were long, yellow and broken. And her fingertips and palms were purplish black. My eyes were wide at the sight of the horrors it just witnessed.

"Why are you here?" she asked, standing up.

"I...I..." I struggled to speak. She took a step towards me, her long gown sweeping the floor.

"Your eyes tell a story child but that doesn't answer my question. Tell me why you are here before you regret your silence" she said.

"The Silver Lady....I hope to seek your help" I mumbled.

"What do you need?" she asked.

"I need to change every aspect of my life," I replied.

"Do you speak out of need or greed?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Need my lady. If things don't change I will be either on my dead bed or some man's" I said.

"And what do you intend to offer me in return?" she asked, lacing her long fingers together.

"I have some gold coins" I extended my palm forward.

"Gold coins you say" she wickedly laughed and it made me shiver.

"I don't long for gold child, it is of no use to me" her face darkened.

"I will do anything for you my lady if you choose to help me" I pleaded.

"Anything you say?" she raised her eyebrow.

"You shall come at once every time I summon you. And you shall not question but do whatever I shall demand of you in you this and every other life" she said, her black eyes glowing.

"I shall and I will my lady" I nodded.

"Extend your arm" she commanded and I obeyed. She picked up a knife as soon as the blade touched my skin it felt as if it was on fire, she carved a letter in my arm before she let it drop. I ran my fingers on my arms. It felt as if she had pressed a hot metal against my flesh.

"Walk to the graveyard that stands on the very edge of the town. Find the tombstone that reads Mairea and remove all the stones from top of her grave. Carry the largest stone to the small hut that sits in the middle. Do not move or touch anything if you will not be cursed. There in front of the fireplace facing Master Balrus' portrait sits the Veil Of Faith and Destiny. Look into it and wish for what you seek. But wish only for what you need not desire. No go! Go at one!" she said, pointing at the door.

"Thank you my Lady, I am in your debt forever" I said.

"You are indeed my child" she grinned exposing her rotten teeth. I gulped. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me. I ran to the edge of the town and into the graveyard. I frantically looked around as I started going in deeper and deeper. Finally I stopped in front of a tombstone that read Mairea. It had a dozen stones stacked on top of each other. I took a step towards the grave and then stopped. People believed that placing stones on someone's grave was to insure that they never woke up again, if I removed all the stones the person lying beneath might rise again. I bent down and examined the stones, I pulled out a stone making sure not to move any other. I then carried it to the small hut that stood in the center. I pushed open the door and locked around, everything was covered in a thick layer of dust. As I took a step in, the floorboards cracked under my feet. I walked into what seemed like a living room and spotted a fireplace on top of which hung a huge portrait. I turned my head and saw a huge dresser sitting in front of it. I placed my lamp on it's foot and looked closer. The wind wiped across my face as I brushed my fingers against the surface of the mirror. I leaned in closer and looked at myself squarely in the mirror. I know you belong somewhere. I know there's more to you than this. A voice whispered and I jumped back, suddenly the lights from the lamp flickered. In the growing darkness something caught my attention out of the corner of my eyes; a glint in the mirror. I squinted my eyes, but nothing...nothing changed. My reflection wasn't me, I raised a hand to my face, but when my reflection didn't, I froze. And suddenly the mirror itself looked a little odd, almost shimmery. I reached a shaky hand towards the mirror and when my fingers touched the surface, they pressed into the glass. I tried to yank back as hard as I could but it was no use, my hand won't come free. My palm started to sink in, then my forearm and before I knew everything went black.

My eyes opened to an endless blue ocean, rushing water yanked me forward, forcing me to squeeze my eyes shut against the current. Just as I felt my lungs starting to strain, a splash of water came from my right. I felt a pair of strong, sturdy arms wrapping around my waist and pulling me to the surface. I could feel myself being dragged onto the dry land and sputter as I wiped the water from my eyes. I tried to get my bearings, taking a moment to fap at my surroundings.

"Wh-where..." I struggled. I could see a blue flame burning in front of me in a large basin. The sky was spotless blue and in front of me was a collection of cozy looking buildings with steepled roofs, a manicured lawn and an ostentatious statue out front. But as I gawked, the carved marble figure kept moving around, and overhead. I saw people flying by on a variety of objects including an ottoman, a broom and an ornamental rug.

"Where am I? What is happening?" I said as I stood up.

"Hey, hey! You're okay, I got you" said a tall dark in. I scanned me from top to bottom. His black curly hair dancing in the wind and his long grey robe spread on the floor.

"Where am I?" I asked.

"Welcome to Elemental Magicks" he smiled. I looked around, trying to understand what was happening. As I turned around I saw a haughty guy eyeing me disdainfully from nearby. I blinked at him blankly. His lips curled up as if he wanted to say something but all he did was give me a withering look, before he turned and stalked away.

"Why am I here?" I asked, turning back to my saver.

"That's something only you can answer" he replied. I looked down.

"What happened...?" he paused.

"Azura," I said.

"Tell me, what happened Azura?" he asked.

"I went to a witch for help and she sent me off to this hut and there was a mirror..." I pressed my lips against each other.

"Mirror?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah it was called the Veil Of Faith and Destiny" I replied.

"The Veil brought you here?" his eyes widened.

"Seems like it" I sighed.

"Azura, do you have any idea what the Veil Of Faith and Destiny is or even it's powers are?" he asked.

"No" I nodded. He took a deep breath as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Come on, we need to figure things out and until then I'll keep you safe" he said.

"What does that even mean?" I asked, wrapping my arms around myself.

"Azura the Veil is not supposed to send anyone here, especially humans. There's a reason why you are here" he said, his eyes shining golden.

"You have to trust me" he whispered.

"Trust you? I don't even know you!" I said, when suddenly I felt a stinging pain in my arm.

"Hey are you okay?" he asked, wrapping his arms around mine. I looked up at him. For some reason as soon as his skin touched mine, the pain disappeared. He let go of me and the pain was back, it was so intense that I collapsed to the ground. He placed his hand on mine and I felt better.

"Show me your hand" he softly whispered. I extended my arm towards him. He gently wrapped his fingers around my wrist and examined it.

"Someone marked" he said, his golden eyes turning crimson. I looked at his face, soaking all the details.

"Who did this to you?" he asked, his eyes now completely blood red.

"The Silver Lady" I whispered. The colour from his eyes drained and they became pale, almost white.

"What business did you have with The Silver Lady?" he asked.

"I wanted her help...I wanted her to change some aspect of my life but this is not what I meant...." I fumbled.

"I don't believe greed or The Silver Lady brought you here because none of them have the power to do so" he said, his eyes turning green. I gave him a blank expression.

"Come on you have a lot of questions to answer and it'll be better if I ask them" he added, wrapping his arms around me. He stood up picking me with ease and shrugged his shoulders back. A pair of huge dark brown wings emerged. He flapped them and within seconds we were in the clouds. I looked down and saw a beautiful city full of tall green trees, steepled houses and people who weren't quite human. He stopped in front of a huge canopy and muttered some. A door opened and we flew in, setting me down on my feet. He shrugged his shoulders again and the wingers disappeared.

"What are you? Some sort of a fairy?" I asked and he laughed.

"No I'm a Dark Fey" he replied.

"And what is that?" I asked, confused.

"That is not of concern right now your mark is" he said, pointing towards my arm.

"Wait here" he added before he disappeared into a room. I walked around, everything was made of wood but not quite wood. It looked like any other house I have seen but still felt very different. He emerged back with a bowl. He took my hand and poured a green liquid over the mark, it seemed as if it became lighter and less prominent.

"This will help you, for a while at least" he said, setting them down.

"Now let's try again shall we, who are you really?" he asked, his eyes turning dark brown.

"My name is Azura and a mirror did transport me here. That's all I know, believe me" I replied. For a minute he scanned my face and then his eyes turned golden again.

"I believe you" he said, taking a step back.

"You do?" I asked.

"Yes. I can tell when someone is lying and you most certainly are not. Which means you have no clue about anything and that means..." he paused.

"And that means...?" I emphasized.

"You being discovered here can be the reason for your death" he said. I looked at him in shock, eyes widening. When I wished for my to change I did not mean for this, I most certainly did not. My head fell down and tears started forming in the corner of my eyes.

"Hey don't worry" he said, wrapping me in a hug.

"This doesn't make sense. None of this does!" I squeaked.

"It's okay, it doesn't have to be. But I can tell you one thing with certainty my dear, you are meant for great things" he said, pulling away his eyes tuning light blue.

"How can you say that?" I asked.

"I feel it" he replied, cupping my face.

"I'm sorry I did not get your name" I said, pulling away.

"Griffin. My name is Griffin" he replied.

"Griffin the fairy?" I joke

"I'm not a fairy, I am a Dark Fey" he smiled.

"And that's different how?" I asked.

"Well to begin with fairies are small feies are not. Secondly are powers are not limited to making and flying objects, it goes beyond to creating and healing life" he replied.

"So you can create life?" I asked.

"Out of thin air? No" he replied.

"So this place, what kind of folks live here?" I asked.

"All who are not welcomed on the Earth. The witches who were ordered to burn alive, the fairies and feies who were able to run for their lives. And everyone who the cruel humans wanted to hurt'' his face darkened.

"I'm so sorry Griffin I truly am I never knew how miserable we made you lives" I said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"We learnt to live here, somewhere we did not have to work for our lives. Somewhere we can be our true selves" he replied.

"I'm happy all of you found a way out of your sufferings" I smiled and he nodded.

"Come on, we need to go see someone" he said before walking away.

"Who?" I asked.

"Someone who can help us find answers" he said as he walked out with some clothes.

"Here this was my sister's. You need to fit in" he added, handing me the pile. I took it and looked around for a room, and he led me to the back.

I quickly changed into what seemed like a long blood red cape with three holes, two for arms and one for my head which was attached to a long hood. As I walked out I saw him standing at the door, he nodded and I pulled my hood over my head. He shrugged his shoulders and his wings sprang out, he wrapped his arms around my waist pulling me close. He flapped his huge wings and within seconds we were in the clouds. Soon we stopped over a small stone hut with a large chimney. Griffin shrugged his shoulders back as he pushed the door open. It seemed as if it was a pub of some sort. We walked in and the man behind the bar greeted us. He was tall with skin as white as snow, ears extending beyond his head and ending in a point, his eyes glowing red and his smile curled up revealing razor sharp teeth underneath. I took a step behind Griffin and he slightly nodded his head.

"It's always good to see you here Griffin" he said politely.

"And it's always good to be in your presence, Malfas." Griffin smiled.

"Did you happen to know where Ivy is?" he asked.

"No one knows where she is Griffin you know that" Malfas said.

"But you do, don't you brother? Why don't you help a friend out?" he said, his smile almost threatening. Malfas gulped.

"Well Griffin if you must insist, I will say she might be in her library but I'm not sure" Malfas said, wiping a glass.

"I knew I was coming to the right man the moment I stepped in here. Have a good day Malfas" Griffin smiled, tossing a coin to Malfas. He then got up and marched out, I followed him.

"Who's Ivy?" I asked.

"Someone who might have the answers" Griffin said, shrugging his shoulders. Before I could utter another word he wrapped his arms around me and took to the sky. Moments later we stood in front of a huge domed shaped building with large gates that had spikes on it. The spikes emitted a reddish blue glow, I looked at Griffin and he nodded before he walked in and I followed.

"Ivy!" he yelled.

"This is a library, don't you have the courtesy to shut your mouth?!" a woman with dark purple hair and blue black skin walked out from behind a shelf. Her skin seemed as thin as paper, I could see the outline of all her veins. Her fangs bulged out from her mouth, and her eyes reeked of nothing but death.

"Griffin! What are you doing here?" she stopped dead in her tracks.

"I need your help" he said.

"I thought the Fey people were all knowing specially you" she snarled, crossing her arms and pressing them on her chest.

"Ivy, please it happened decades ago. Can't we just forget about it?" he asked.

"No Griffin whatever happened that day changed a lot of things, including our friendship" she said.

"Okay then not let's make it a personal affair but rather a professional one. I pay your price and you do my bidding" he replied.

"Can you pay me?" she narrowed her eyes.

"I will Ivy" he promised.

"Very well then first payment then work. You have an hour" she said before she turned on her heel and marched away. I looked up at Griffin, his fist was curled up and now his eyes were red. I placed my hand on his shoulder, gently squeezing it.

"Wait here Azura I'll be back" he said before he bolted, leaving me alone among piles and piles of books. I walked around, brushing my fingers against the dust leather case and what seemed like roots. A purple glow incapacitated me, I found myself walking through the chains and near the book.

"If I were you, I wouldn't do that" Ivy's voice broke the spell. I found myself with stretched arms, reaching for the book, I quickly retreated.

"What is this?" I asked, stepping out.

"Something you shouldn't poke your nose into" she hissed.

"I'm sorry...have I done something to offend you?" I asked.

"Your mere existence offends me, human" she snapped. I took a step back as her eyes bulged and he hissed between her teeth, she hunched her back, raising her arms and her sharp nails pointed towards me. I took a step back, and before I knew it I tumbled and fell down. I covered my face preparing for the worst, but nothing happened. I saw Griffin standing in front of me, his wings spread out. Ivy retreated back, her red eyes still glued to mine.

"This is not what we talked about Ivy!" he said.

"We never talked about you leaving a human in my library" she calmly responded.

"She's a friend and you will not hurt her" he said, giving me his hand, I took it and got up.

"Friend, since when are humans your friends Griffin or you just simply lost your mind?" she sarcastically asked.

"Not all humans are the same Ivy as not all Fey or Bloodwraiths are '' he replied.

"Don't compare me to a filthy human!" she barked, her eyes glowing red.

"I am not comparing you to anyone Ivy. I'm just stating the facts. Now if you will" he said, extending a small jar towards her. She took it and unscrewed it, a swirl of black dust sprinted out followed by agonizing screams. I crouched down and covered my eyes, Ivy sniffed it and chucked it down in one sip.

"Follow me" she said, wiping her lips. Griffin nodded and I got up.

"What do you want to know?" she asked.

"What brings Azura here?" Griffin replied.

"I'm guessing her doom" she laughed.

"Ivy! The Veil Of Faith And Destiny brought her here" Griffin said and her smile faded away.

"That's impossible! The Veil will never do that; it's not to transport people from realm to realm" she said.

"I know and that's why I'm here" he said. She started looking through books, pulling them out of the shelves, flipping through pages and then tossing them on the floor. Griffin and I looked at each other, Ivy's rising worry was not helping neither of us.

"I will be back" she said before hurrying away.

"Where did she go?" I whispered.

"I don't know. But seeing her, makes me think that even she doesn't have the answers to our questions" he replied. After a few minutes Ivy came back holding a pile of stones.

"These might help but none of them give a clear picture" she said, placing them on the table. I looked over her shoulder, they had some sort of engraving on them which kept changing every few minutes.

"What do they say?" he asked.

"They talk about the daughter of King Laimous" she said.

"No no no that's not right. King Laimous never had a daughter" he argued.

"And even if there was, she must be a thousand years old" she added.

"Then how do you say these help?" he asked.

"Because only the daughter of Lady Faith herself and King Laimous can use the Veil to walk through realms" she said.

"Wait wait wait wait! You're telling me that Lady Faith herself had a daughter with King Laimous? I don't buy it, because I'm sorry to say, but that woman is terrifying" he replied, raising his palms over his head.

"I know but it seems like it's true. No one believed this for centuries and neither did I but here she is" Ivy said gesturing towards me.

"None of this helps Ivy. Tell me how can I send her back home?" he asked.

"For the first time in centuries I am saying this but I don't know" she sighed.

"You promised to help Ivy I paid you! And now you're bound by your word!" he snapped.

"I might know someone who can answer some of your questions. But I'm not sure she would like seeing a Fey" she replied.

"I'm not sending her with you alone anywhere. If going to Syfyn is the only way I am coming with you" he said.

"So determined to protect a human soul that you don't mind risking your own?" she chuckled.

"It is to save her soul" he said.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"The Silver Lady marked her. Azura's soul is hers and so is every other part of her" he replied.

"The Silver Lady sent her here?!" she exclaimed.

"No! We both know no one has that kind of power" he said.

"I'm not liking this Griffin, not even a single bit! You know if she's marked, nothing can save her" she said.

"I'm hoping Syfyn can" he replied.

"Uhu the question is not can she, it is rather will she" Ivy crossed her arms.

"You know there's a very good chance that none of us walk out alive?" she added.

"It's a chance we will have to take" she said.

"Were well then, I will see you here tomorrow at the break of dawn" she said before she walked away. Me and Griffin looked at each other, quietly we walked out.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked.

"Because I gave you my word" he replied.

"Technically you never did" I said.

"Azura, if you want me to leave you here to die, I will not do that" he said, turning towards me.

"Why don't you hate all of humanity like Ivy?" I asked.

"Because as I said, not everyone is the same" he smiled.

"How do you know that? You don't even know me or where I come from" I said.

"I don't need until and unless you do things to harm me or my people, I will help you" he replied.

"Where's your sister Griffin?" I asked. He suddenly stopped, his eyes fixed to the ground.

"She's dead" he said.

"I got a feeling that was the case. What happened?" I placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We are helpless without our wings. They give us our powers and strengths. My sister, she was the strongest Fey. She has the abilities none of us possessed. One day a human saw her flying above the clouds. And they got greedy, they wanted her wings. So they chased her and shot her down. She didn't even put up a fight, she never intended to hurt a single soul. Her kindness was repaid by her death" he choked.

"I'm so sorry" I said, wrapping my arms around him.

"You shouldn't risk your life to save mine. I don't deserve that kindness" I added as I pulled back.

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

"Because it's true. I have done nothing to earn your kindness" I replied.

"And neither have you done anything to lose" he smiled. My head hung low, he cupped my face and lifted my head up.

"Don't worry yourself with unnecessary things' ' he whispered and I nodded. We walked down the street and I couldn't believe the beauty that my eyes saw. Fairies flying around leaving spec of gold everywhere they went, little elves walking around with their eyes shining, sphry walking around trying not to bump their horns into anyone or step on any little creature, centaurs standing in a corner bellowing with laughter. Even though it was night, the sky seemed to be full of colour. It was lit with incandescent stars that shimmered and flickered, I could hear the raucous laughers of different creatures around and behind us. They all felt so full of life and more human than we ever can be.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Griffin leaned in and whispered.

"I have never seen something like this in my entire life" I replied, my eyes still glued to the sky. I felt his strong arms wrapping around my waist, I rested my head on his shoulder. Soaking every moment of this beauty in. Soon he flew us both back to his canopy.

"You must be hungry" he said, setting me down.

"No, not really" I smiled.

"You haven't had anything since morning. I cannot offer you much but..." he paused as he placed a huge basket full of berries, melons, grapes and apples.

"I don't know what humans eat" he added and I smiled.

"We eat fruits" I said.

"Thank heavens" he sighed.

"You're not going to make me sit here alone and eat are you?" I asked, and he didn't respond.

"Sit down" I said, sliding the basket towards it. He took the chair next to mine.

"So tell me, how many realms are there?" I asked, as I bit into an apple.

"Well there is the human realm, Flaun realm, a realm where Lady Faith lives, there used to be a realm for Dark Fey, then there is a realm for centaurs and the Moose realm" he replied.

"What's the Flaun and Mosse realm?" I questioned.

"Well Malfas is Flaun and so was King Laimous. Their realm is the hardest to get to, they have their own ways to protect and shield it. And Mosse is the place where every other creature lives, fairies, elves' ' he said.

"Which one is this realm?" I asked.

"This place is not exactly a realm" he sighed.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"This is where all the outcasts live. The creatures who have been rejected, abandoned or left their lives behind" he replied.

"Then why are you here?" I placed a hand on his.

"When The King fell our realm was consumed by war and chaos, it felt as if it was the end but it wasn't, for the time being. The new King wanted to do things I did not stand by so I left" he said.

"I hope now you're in a much better place" I softly smiled.

I pulled a chair out and sat down, I buried my face in my palms. It felt so weird, the entire last day was all together weird, no part of what happened or what I saw made any sense in my head. When I went to The Silver Lady, no part of me agreed to this arrangement. Maybe it happened because I didn't do what exactly she asked out of me. I was just too scared to move all the stones from Maria's grave.

People said that the stones were placed to stop the dead from rising, but why were so many of them needed to be placed on top of only her grave? Was she someone who the locals were so terrified of that they made sure she could never rise again? "It is the same night when The Dearg-Due rises from her grave '' echoed in my ears. Dearg-Due? Is she the Dearg-Due? But how can she be? It's just a folklore that parents told their children to warn them not to lurk at night, but again twenty four hours before I did not believe anything called a Dark Fey existed but here I was sitting in one's house. So if the folklore holds any truth, will she rise? I didn't move all the stones as commanded but I still moved some of them.

"Don't you want to sleep?" Griffin's soft voice asked.

"I am not very tired," I replied, turning my head to face him.

"Something tells me I interrupted your stream of thoughts" he said, leaning on the doorframe.

"Yeah, I was thinking....more like wondering...." I hesitated.

"You can say whatever is bothering you Azura" he said, his soft voice soothing my nerves.

"Is the Dearg-Due real?" I asked.

"That's oddly specific" he raised an eyebrow.

"Just please tell me" I said.

"Well I have heard about her but never seen her. Why?" he asked as he took a step towards me.

"The night I visited The Silver Lady was the night I found a book left to me by grandmother. It had stories she used to read to me when I was a little girl and it had a note that she wrote for me before she died. In that note she said that the stories were more than just cautionary tales, they were the concealed truth, a treasure that she was leaving for me. It was in this book I learnt about The Silver Lady and how to find her. The book said that when the desperate soul visits her is the night Twiki flies over the sky looking for her next meal and that is the night when the Dearg-Due will rise from her grave. And when The Silver Lady gave me the answers to my questions, she told me to look for a grave with the name Mairea and remove all the stones. Her grave did not have just one stone like the others, it had a dozen at least. Whoever lies beneath that grave must have done something to terrify the locals'' I finished.

"Did you remove all the stones?" he asked.

"No, not at all" I replied.

"Then you have nothing to worry about, right. Besides, why did The Silver Lady ask you to do such a thing?" he asked, scratching his chin.

"She told me to carry the biggest stone and place it in front of The Veil," I replied.

"Yeah but it doesn't work like that," he said.

"Then how does it work?" I asked.

"The Veil just gives you a glimpse of what can happen in the near future, the different possibilities, your actions and what changes can they cause to the people close to you. It just gives you answers and leaves you with the most important question, what do you want to do now? That's it" he replied.

"Then why did she send me there?" I questioned, baffled.

"Maybe to give you answers but nothing else she told you to do makes sense, and neither The Veil bringing you here does. If it was about faith and destiny why not take you to the realm of Lady Faith herself or anywhere else, why bring you here" he said.

"Can we do that? I mean go to Lady Faith's realm directly" I asked.

"We cannot, but you somehow did switch realms through The Veil, and ended up in a place which technically lies outside the tree" he said.

"The what?' I exclaimed.

"Okay so imagine, the universe is like a tree with huge branches and the realms it's different parts and branches of the tree. Lady Faith sits on top of it guiding and protecting the other realms, then there is the Flaun realm underneath it which is the most powerful realm of all and they have their own shield to protect them beside Lady Faith, the human realm lies in the very center of the tree it has multiple gateways that can take you to any of the surrounding realms, then to the east is the Dark Fey realm, to the west the Centaurs' realm and at the trunk is the Mosse realm. All of them are connected by a flowing river called The River Of Time. This place however exists at the very tip, of the longest root, of the tree with almost no connection to the other realms as the river doesn't flow here or anywhere near this place. Going to any other realm from here is near to impossible as the river only flows in one direction and you can only travel through the river" he said.

"So if this place is so isolated, why bring me here?" I asked.

"My question exactly! This place has no shields to protect itself, so being isolated is all it has as a defence mechanism. But now we have to figure a way to get you from here to the very center" he said.

"Can we even do that? Because you, yourself said that it's impossible" I replied.

"And that's why we are going to Syfyn. She is capable of doing the impossible. We just have to convince her to do it,that's it. Which feels like a task in itself but that's our only shot" he said.

"Get some sleep we need to leave soon" he added before he turned and left. I sighed and walked into my room. I sat on the edge of the bed thinking what could happen, and what might happen if I was never able to go back home. Will the creatures living here kill me? Well Ivy did not very much like my presence, if she can hate me this much so can the others. I rested my head against the back support of the bed and closed my eyes. I saw the back of my grandmother facing me, her sweet voice humming her favorite song.

"Grandmother let me help you!" I giggled as I ran towards her.

"Oh my sweet dear Azura!" she said as she lifted me in her arms and spun me around, I laughed.

"What are we making grandmother?" I asked.

"We are baking your favourite bread my child" she replied, setting me down on the kitchen counter.

"Here, knead this" she said, sliding a large bowl in front of me. I dunked down my arms into it and started squashing and mixing.

"Yes my love you are doing great. I know you will be my second in command and then my successor one day" she said, kissing my cheek.

"Hey wake up" I felt someone's hand on my shoulder shaking me awake, I opened my eyes and through the cracking light of sun falling in the room I saw Griffin's face inches from mine, his light blue eyes shimmering and full of hope, his lips curled up in a soft smile and his hair neatly pulled back.

"Do we have to leave?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"Yeah, go get changed. Ivy must be waiting for us and she is not the one to wait" he said,standing up. He suddenly felt so tall, so muscular and well built.

"Are you okay?" he asked, caching my eyes on him.

"Yeah I am..I am okay" I said, looking away. Blood rushing into my cheeks.

"I'm waiting for you outside" he smiled before he left. I quickly jumped from the bed, I washed and changed. Griffin left a pair of clothes for me on the bed; another one of his sister's. I brushed my fingers against the soft fabric, a sudden wave of sadness washed over picturing how it happened. I quickly shook the thought away as I got dressed.I then rushed out to the living room. Griffin shrugged his shoulders and his majestic wings sprung out making me lose my balance. He smiled and offered me his hand, I took it and he pulled me closer. Wrapping his arms tightly around my waist he flapped his wings and we flew up high into the air. The day dawned crisp and clear. The sun poured through the curtain of white clouds,it felt as if it was trying to bring with it a new ray of hope. The tint of orange gave a mist pearly glow to the sky. I could hear the faint chirping of the birds coming from a distance, the trees dancing with every blow of the wind, this place was truly magical. Soon we reached Ivy's library, as we descended towards the ground I saw a faint outline of her figure standing by the gate.

"I thought none of you would show up," she said.

"How can we not?" Griffin asked as he put me down on my feet.

"Because a Dark Fey is the last thing Syfyn would want to see" she snarled.

"Where is Syfyn anyway Ivy because as far as I know, no one has seen her for centuries" he said.

"How do you Feies even claim to be smart is beyond me" she chuckled.

"Syfyn lives right where the Mosse realm ends and the roots start" she added.

"And how are you planning to take us?" he asked.

"By the river of course. Did you forget there is no other way to travel, Griffin?" she said, her tone mocking.

"The river doesn't flow here Ivy," Griffin snapped.

"Oh but it does," she smiled.

"As you see it is called the River Of Time for a reason. If it doesn't flow here then this place would have no concept of time or dusk and dawn. But as we both know it is not true, the time moves differently here, but yes it's not frozen. Which means we have to travel up to the river and sail to Syfyn to get our answers" she added.

"And how are we planning to do that?" Griffin asked.

"Oh I have that figured out already. So if you will, shall we stop this chit chat and start our journey? We have a long way to go" she said, gesturing towards the left. Me and Griffin nodded at each other and started walking. Soon Ivy took the lead, guiding our way. We walked south of the city passing dozens of creatures standing and happily talking, it all felt surreal. Soon we came to the edge of a forest, it seemed deadly quiet. A mist of black clouds floated above the forest engulfing it in darkness. I looked at Griffin and he gestured for me to follow him, I nodded.

Dark tree trunks were casting huge shadows. Their branches felt like overhanging limbs across the path. Clumps of bushes crunched beneath our feet as we walked. As we continued in, we could barely see the path ahead, folded in black trails like a snake slithering through the undergrowth. The shining shone through a lattice of leaves and as I looked up I could see the once clear blue sky changing into patchy canvas of black with glimpses of shimmering stars through the tree barks. A strong gust of wind passed through me slipping through leaves that lay on the ground. The sudden sound of coyote calling, followed by the howling of the wolves made me jump. I looked over my shoulder all I could see was endless darkness and nothingness, I gulped. Suddenly I heard padded footsteps, I looked around, my breath growing cold. In the distance I spotted a huge pair of emerald green eyes glowing and I screamed.

"Azura! Are you okay?" Griffin came running towards me, wrapping his arms around me.

"I...I saw something there" I replied, pointing my trembling fingers. But there was nothing, whatever I saw disappeared into thin air.

"Ivy how far is it?" Griffin asked.

"Well the forest is almost over" she replied, pointing towards a small ray of light. Griffin looked at me, his eyes full of concern.

"I'm okay" I whispered. He nodded, pulling back. I started walking. Ivy looked back and saw Griffin's wings extended in a protective shield around me, I smiled. We worked our way along the narrow trail, leaves sliding across my bare skin like wet tongues. We pushed past a few leaves and finally made it into the light, we found ourselves standing on the edge of a dry, barren land. As soon as the warm rays of sun kissed my cheeks a sudden sense of comfort enveloped me.

"So what is next?" Griffin asked, retracking his wings.

"Well now as far as I know there is supposed to be a swamp that will lead us to the dock" she said looking around.

"But I don't see any," she added, resting her hands on her hips.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Griffin asked.

"You are questioning me? Classic!" she rolled her eyes.

"No one is questioning you Ivy," I said.

"Oh the little human has a mouth now" she hissed between her teeth. Before I could respond she started walking away, we quietly followed her. Suddenly the ground beneath our feet started shaking violently and we all sunk in.

"What's happening?" I yelled.

"It's turning into a swamp," Ivy responded. Soon huge rocks emerged from one end, tall trees shot up into the air like arrows, an earthy smell filled my nostrils. I tried to move around but as much as I moved that much the ground swallowed me.

"Azura don't move!" Griffin yelled. A blood curdling scream filled my ear, I groaned in pain. I turned my head back and saw tall, dark figures charging towards.

"Oh no!" Ivy exclaimed.

"What are those?" I asked.

"The undead," Griffin muttered. As they got close I could see their faces clearly. I could see their skin was grey and their mouth twisted. Their unhinging jaws were frozen, they had empty sockets where there are supposed to be eyes and their arms pushed back. I could see some of their bones sticking out. One of them launched at me, I covered my face waiting for the worst. Suddenly I heard a screeching scream. I looked up and saw the creature thrown away. I looked over at Griffin, his wings were stretched with a splash of blood on them. Soon more charged at us, I found both Ivy and Griffin rushing towards me, soon they stood in front of me.

"Azura run!" Ivy commanded as she launched herself at one of the creatures, she ripped his heart out with her bare hands before she jumped on another. I turned and started walking away with as much strength as I had but it was no use. With every step I took the ground swallowed me making it harder to take another step forward. Suddenly I heard a scream. I turned back and saw one of the creatures running towards me. I frantically looked around and saw a rock lying a few meters away. I ran towards it. Grabbing it, I pulled as hard as I could but it wouldn't budge. The scream kept getting closer and closer, with one final pull it finally came loose. I swung it with all my might, the creature's head separated from his body, flying a few feet away and leaving his lifeless body at my feet. Panting, I threw the rock away. A sudden beam of light caught my attention, I followed it with my eyes. I saw something shining from under the bark from a tree at the other end. I blinked, feeling intoxicated by the light,I walked towards it, everything around me fading away. Walking didn't feel so hard as it did moments ago, I bent down and reached my hand out. My hand landed on a small wooden box, I pulled it out and opened it. It had a long horn with intricate carvings and small pieces of gold. I pulled it out, dropping the box on the ground. I felt a sudden flow of energy coursing through my veins, I looked up and saw another creature launching at me, I charged at him and buried the horn deep into his chest, within seconds he crumbled into ashes. Griffin and Ivy looked at me shocked. I saw a creature charging at Ivy, I threw the horn at him, it pierced through his head turning him into nothing but a mere pile of ash. Soon all three of us made it out of the swamp.

"Where did you find this?" Ivy asked, pointing to the horn in my hand.

"In the swamp it felt like it was calling to me" I said.

"Ugh...that's...weird" she arched an eyebrow.

"Why?" I asked.

"That's the Granz" she whispered.

"The what?" I asked.

"That was made of the teeth of the first Fenrir" she said.

"That's a tooth?!" I exclaimed.

"Lady Faith herself made it. But the question is, why is it here and more importantly, out of all of us why did it call out to you?" she flinched.

"How am I supposed to know?" I asked.

"Doesn't matter who it did or didn't call to, the important thing is we got out" Griffin said.

"So where is the dock?" he asked.

"Given that things here are not what it seems, my guess is it could be anywhere" she replied. A rustle in the bushes made all our heads turn. A huge figure emerged, I squinted my eyes and it felt like a pile of rocks was walking towards us.

"Krom! It's so good to finally see you" Ivy said, smiling as she waved.

"Did you think even for a while I won't come?" he asked.

"When I didn't see you as soon as I walked out of that filthy forest, I had my doubts," she smiled.

"I got a little caught up," he said.

"Who are these people?" he added.

"Ugh that's Griffin and that's...a human" she said, rolling her eyes.

"Azura, my name is Azura" I weakly smiled.

"I have never seen a human before! Are they all so tiny?" he asked, bending down.

"Not really, I'm just a little short" I smiled, pulling back my shoulders and Krom laughed.

"If you both are done talking can we go?" Ivy asked.

"Absolutely," Krom replied, turning and walking away. We all followed him.

"So Krom what are you supposed to be?" I asked, jogging up to him.

"I'm a stone troll. I am the lesser known variety" he replied.

"Well before I got here I only knew about centaurs and elves. So to me everyone is the lesser known variety" I said.

"Feels nice to finally not be excluded," he said.

"So Krom what is the deal with Ivy why she hates humans?" I whispered.

"She has her bone to pick with humans. Believe it or not she was once human" he said.

"So she is not a bloodwrath?" I asked.

"What?" he laughed, snorting.

"You cannot just become a bloodwrath. They are the creatures summoned by someone. And trust me if she was one, she would be howling like a banshee and we all would be running away. She was attacked but a bloodwrath, it's cloak brushed against her and usually that would kill a human but she somehow survived. I think she is somewhat between a human and undead" he added.

"Then why does she call herself a bloodwrath?" I questioned.

"I think it's a reminder for her. But don't worry about her once you get to know her you'll see that she is not that bad" he replied.

"I have my doubts about it," I said, glancing over my shoulder. Soon Krom led us to the edge of a dock where a boat awaited us.

"This will take you to Syfyn, climb aboard" he said, gesturing towards the boat.

"Thank you Krom," I smiled.

"Azura!" he called out.

"Be safe there. Ivy is not a bloodwrath but you might find one there" he whispered.

"I will be sure to be careful" I said before I climbed in. The boat took off and the air grew chilly, I could see my breath freezing and my bones shivering.

"Seems like you're not a big fan of the cold," Griffin said.

"Not really" I said, rubbing my arms. Griffin smiled, shrugging his shoulders he draped his wings around me, pulling me close.

"Better?" he asked.

"Much better, thank you" I smiled.

"So are you happy, you might get to go back home soon" he said.

"Honestly, I am not very eager to go back" I pressed my lips.

"Why?" he asked.

"My family...it's not the best," I said.

"They might seem tough but I am sure they love you" he replied.

"Believe me they don't" I snarled. A sudden gust of wind blew through me, knocking me back.

"Are you okay?" Griffin asked.

"I...it felt as if something walked past me" I replied, trying to catch my breath. Suddenly a white mist started gathering in front of me, and a figure of a woman materialized in front of me, floating in mid-air. I looked over at Griffin but his eyes were fixed on the outline of the woman. For some reason her eyes looked sad, as if she was moaning about a great loss. Her eyes travelled from Griffin's eyes to mine, I tilted my head. Suddenly the grief in her eyes was replaced by rage, she charged at me passing through me and disappeared into the darkness.

"What just happened?" I asked, struggling to steady myself.

"The ghosts," Griffin snarled.

"Why did she do that?" I asked.

"No one knows why ghosts do what they do," Ivy said.

"Why are they here?" I asked, getting back up on my feet.

"They have no place they can call home.So they roam between realms" Ivy answered.

"Try not to bother them," she added, walking away.

"Me bothering them?" I squeaked, my eyes widening.

"Can they hurt me?" I asked.

"Physically they can't. And don't worry you're safe with me" Griffin replied, smiling.

"We are here!" Ivy yelled as the boat came to a stop, the three of us climbed down.

"Charming!" Ivy commented. I looked around and all I could feel was cold and distant. It was covered with tall walls carved in back, tiny flakes fell from the sky. As we walked further the feeling of fear grew more prominent in me. I could feel the hair on my skin standing up and my heart beating fast. As I looked up a tiny flake fell on my cheek, I whipped it off but rather than melting it, left a blacktrail behind.

"Is this..?" I gasped.

"Ash, yes" Ivy replied as she continued forward. Suddenly I saw a big shadow being cast in front of me, I looked up and the creature screeched.

"Run!" Griffin yelled. The three of us ran and hid behind a wall. Griffin peaked his head out and quickly pulled back.

"Jormungandrs!" he said.

"Of course Syfyn is using the most dangerous creatures that are out there!" he added.

"So what should we do?" Ivy asked. Griffin and I both gave her a blank look.

"Come on Griffin there are the creatures of The Dark Fey Realm. You must know how to deal with them" she added.

"The only way is to not look at them and run as fast as your legs would carry you" Griffin answered and Ivy laughed.

"Oh you're serious? Come on! There must be another way" she said.

"No there is not," he said.

"Fine!" Ivy groaned as she sprinted out and started running, we followed behind closely. As we ran I could hear the screams of the creatures flying over us. One of them leaped forward and it's hoved wing brushed against my arms, slashing my flesh and leaving a long cut.

"Ugh!" I moaned in pain as I fell to my knees.

"Azura!" Griffin called as he ran towards me.

"Are you okay?" he asked, examining my wound. Another creature leaped forward, scheerching. Griffin rose up to his feet, his wings emerging behind him. He joined both his palms together as he twisted them a crackling ball of green light emerged, he opened his palms and the light charged at the creature throwing meters away.

"Woah" I said as I watched in awe. Suddenly all the creatures launched themselves towards Griffin. He spread both his arms wide and yellowish blue lights cracked in both his palms. I looked up and it seemed that it started raining yellowish blue light and as it touched the creatures they vanished, he clenched his fist and pulled and as suddenly it started it all got over.

"You could have done that before," Ivy said, dusting herself.

"I did not want to," he said, helping me up.

"It's not very nice to come into someone's home, uninvited and harm their pets" a voice said. We looked up and saw a lady floating in mid-air, her long hair flying behind her, her long black cape falling down. She descended down towards us.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" she asked.

"We just requested an audience with you Lady Syfyn" Ivy said, bowing down.

"If you wanted that you should have known that Fey is not welcomed here" she said, eying Griffin. She turned away, ready to leave.

"Lady Syfyn please! We really need your help, but seeing what we have done, we only request you to listen to us" I pleaded, taking a step towards her. She turned, her eyes scanning me.

"Why should I be your audience?" she asked.

"Because only you have the power to break this" I said, extending my arm. At the sight of the mark her eyes widened.

"The Silver Lady!" she mumbled.

"You have my attention," she said.

"My lady it..." Ivy stopped when Lady Syfyn raised her palm.

"I want to hear it from her," she said, looking in my direction. I slightly bowed.

"My lady, I come from the human realm. I had an encounter with The Silver Lady when I visited her, hoping to get her help. I knocked seven times and was granted entry. The Silver Lady pointed me to The Veil Of Faith And Destiny promising that it would grant my wish. She told me to remove all the stones from Mairea's grave and carry the biggest stone to The Veil and in exchange she marked me. The Veil sent me here and now all I want is to just go back home" I said.

"Oh child, she deceived you as she deceives every soul that visits her. The Veil never grants wishes, never did and never can. All it can do is warn you about the consequences of your actions and the possibilities the future holds for you. You don't need to place anything in front of The Veil to give you answers. She never intended to help you and neither did she ever anticipate for you to get here, it was nothing but sheer luck I presume. And the only reason she asked you to remove the stones was so she could once again reunite with Mairea. Tell me child, did you remove the stones?" she asked.

"Some, not all" I replied, her eyes were full of skepticism.

"If she has Mairea then she has declared a war, if not then sooner or later she will find Mairea and declare a war" she said. I looked at her, my eyes blank. She started to fly away but then suddenly stopped.

"Veera! Before she was known as The Silver Lady, her name was Veera. She was the most powerful witch of her age. And as she got older, her ambitions grew. I wanted to learn witchcraft so it would help me survive losing my wings. She, on the other hand, wanted to be the best so one day she could overthrow Lady Faith and become the ruler of the realms. Her quest cost her everything,she was banished from the Mosse, she lost her family,and she could have lost her life too if she did not decide to run and hide. For a very long time all of us thought she was dead, but who knew she would rise one day. The most wicked of all, trying and failing every time she thought of coming back. The last time I saw her she called the Lady Faith for a war. She walked off as the cursed and hideous creature she is now" she finished.

"You must go to Lady Faith to warn her. Tell her I sent you and that this time I will be standing with her against The Silver Lady" she added.

"My Lady, my apologies, but we just want to know a way to send Azura home" Griffin said, bowing down.

"Do as you please then. But I must warn you, going back might not be in Azura's best interest. The Silver Lady marked her and her soul too, belongs to her. If she goes back before defeating The Silver Lady, she will be compelled to do the Silver Lady's bidding and will most certainly lose her life and of others in that process" she replied.

"But if she stays with us she will still be risking her life," Griffin said.

"No creature can harm her, she has my blessing" she said before turning and flew away.

"Now what?" Ivy asked.

"We go see Lady Faith," Griffin said.

"What? Have you lost your mind?" Ivy spitted angrily. "No one just walks in to see Lady Faith! We don't even know where to find her!"

Griffin looked thoughtful, muttering something under his breath. "Azura can't surely stay here for long. We have to find a way to reach Lady Faith. There's nothing else to do!" Griffin replied.

"How do we do that?" I asked.

"There should be some direct way to go to Lady Faith right?" I continued blabbering uncontrollably trying to be of some help.

"Only Lady Syfyn could have told us but...'' suddenly Ivy paused as a huge figure walked towards us. As soon as he reached closer he kneeled.

"What is he doing?" Ivy whispered.

"A part of me says he's here to help" I smiled. The figure rose to his feet and started walking away. All three of us exchanged glances.

"I think we should follow him" I said as I started walking behind the figure.

"How are you so sure Azura?" Griffin aske.

"Honestly, I'm not, I just have faith" I smiled. The figure led us to the dock and helped us board the ship, once settled he turned and walked away.

"I told you we should have faith" I said and Griffin smiled. Soon we were surrounded by apparitions and huge clouds of mist. The figure that attacked me before appeared again, I took a step towards it.

"Azura what are you doing?!" Griffin asked.

"I think her grief is something that made her do what she did before" I said, extending my arm. The figure hovered in the air for a moment and then disappeared.

"So we will not be going directly to Lady Faith by this boat I'm assuming" I said.

"No we have to go through different realms,first we go to the Mosse realm, then we will have to go around because Lady Syfyn said very clearly you shouldn't return to human realm before The Silver Lady falls so we can go through either the Dark Fey realm or the Centaurs' realm. Then getting into the Flaun realm will be difficult as they don't like visitors and then it's the direct gateway to Lady Faith's realm. It is pretty simple, you see" Griffin said with a wry lopsided smile forming on his face.

"Surely sounds exhausting" I smiled.

"Now it is what it is" he said.

"Although if you could go to the human realm, you could try to go through The Veil again but it wouldn't work for Ivy and me" he added.

"Trust me I wouldn't want to go anywhere without Ivy and you" I said.

"You both won't be able to survive without me" Ivy said.

"I was eavesdropping and I won't apologize as it was intentional" she winked.

"You don't need to apologize for anything Ivy, you have been nothing but a great help" I said.

"I heard you were asking Krom about me" she whispered.

"And that's why you were eavesdropping" I joked. She giggled.

"No. I just wanted to know why you are so interested to know?" she asked.

"I just wanted to understand why you hate humans," I answered.

"As Krom told you I used to be human the same as you, and I died because of a bloodwrath and the night it happened I was with people I called friends. The moment they saw the bloodwrath they ran, leaving me there to die. When I rose the next day I wasn't myself." Ivy looked away clearly looking overwhelmed with the conversation.

I did not want to press on but curiosity got the better of me. "How did you come to encounter a bloodwrath?" I asked, squeezing Ivy's arm gently.

Ivy sighed and began narrating once again."I lived in a small village near Wiltshire. In our village there was this old dilapidated mansion which everyone thought to have been haunted. We were forbidden to go anywhere near it. But one day my friends and I happened to find ourselves in its vicinity. Being the hot headed teenagers that we were, we thought that lurking inside the building would be nothing short of an adventure for us. There were six of us who decided to go inside. The moment I stepped inside the mansion I got weird foreboding. I wanted to turn back and run away that very moment but curiosity got the better of me. The place was in complete ruins. Old furniture littered the place and the wind rustled with a slight chill. We found a broken flight of stairs and saw a faint gleam of light visible at the end of the archway. We lurked around the corner and the moment we peeked inside, I froze with horror. I thought I was in the middle of my worst nightmare. I saw three demonic looking creatures gaping at me from the ceiling. They were the bloodwraths. My legs seemed frozen for a second but my state of shock was broken by my friends' screams. I bolted out of the doorway that very second. But in my state of panic I forgot about the stairs and I tripped. I cried for help but none of my friends came back to help me. I lay there panicking and in pain until...." Ivy broke down into a sob.

I knew what would have happened then. The bloodwraths, I knew from the stories, were merciless creatures. They took pleasure in pain and satisfaction in misery. The mere thought of Ivy in that frenzied state gave me goosebumps.

I wrapped her in my arms and tried to comfort her. After sometime Ivy regained her composure and began, "I am sorry Azura. You are not like all those humans I have detested for so long. You are something else."

I looked at her with dazed expressions, waiting for her to explain herself further. But Ivy chose to hold her silence and went back to longingly looking at the river on her side.

"I am something else", I thought longingly thinking about my grandmother who would always say the very same thing to me before tucking me into bed every night.

Suddenly the boat jerked and came to a sudden stop.

"We are here! We have reached the Mosse realm!" Griffin announced, breaking me out of my reverie. I jumped off the boat,my mind still in a daze.

I was still pondering upon Ivy's words to make sense of anything going around me.

"How can I be something else when I am barely even comfortable being my own self?" I thought to myself.

I felt exhausted and excited and confused and nervous all at the same time. All I knew for sure now was that nothing could surprise me any longer. That was all I knew for now.

I had to blink twice to be sure of what I was seeing. Moose was the forest realm, I remembered Griffin telling me that the previous night. But nothing that Griffin had told me earlier even came close to what I was witnessing in that moment. The sun shone from three different directions in the sky in shades of golden, sepia and red, painting the entire landscape with an uncanny magical haze. There were trees so tall and lush that they seemed to be connected directly to the sun.

The rays of mellow sunlight filtered through the verdurous canopy, penetrating through the leaves and casting an unearthly green–gold luminescence over the ground. They were in varying shades of green: some were still budding, emerging a fresh, limey color into the summer, whilst the grown, flatly panned leaves brushed a lush emerald under the overhead sun. The soft crunch of them on the ground made me wistful. The view felt like a faded, shredded tapestry of autumn. As my eyes soaked in every little detail I thought back to the times when the crisp golden hues and the vibrant oranges that had blanketed the forest that grandmother used to take me for our long walks together. I still remember how we'd danced, pirouetted from the naked trees in a shower of colour, bringing a warmth to the biting chill that was beginning to settle in my life as I grew up. As a cold breeze made me turn my head I saw the branches flourish with blossoms of every colour imaginable. The earth below my feet was covered in golden dust. It felt like I was walking on solid gold! For a second, I thought I was transported to one of the pages of those magical tales that my grandmother used to tell me every night before bed. The stories that gave me the strength to live through the dark nights and wake up every morning with a glimmer of hope in my heart. I remember how I used to walk to my grandmother's room every morning to only find her already up and waiting for me, but one morning when I walked into her room she was nowhere to be found. I dashed out of the house looking all around, hoping to find her somewhere with a new story and a plate full of biscuits. But after that day I never found her, I never got to see her smiling face again. Mother told me that grandmother had to leave, whenever I asked why she never answered. And the day I visited her grave, I got all those answers in the most painful way possible, but I still got them.

I seemed to have a very creative imagination from a very young age. "Azura, the world is your oyster", I longingly remembered my grandmother telling me everytime she held me close.

"It is full of beautiful places and wonderful magical things just waiting to be discovered by you child!", she would say.

I would nod at her enthusiastically as she would go on to paint a picture of realms filled with unicorns and fey and centaurs less spoken of.

Did grandmother have any idea about the existence of these places? I thought. I always thought they were merely stories! A mere distraction which my grandmother would spin into words to transport me from the banality of my existence. But the past week has made me realise that they were not just stories. Only that they were all true!

"How do we find our way from here?" I heard Griffin ask Ivy, looking extremely worried about being pitched in an unfamiliar environment.

"And in all these years of my existence I was made to believe that fey were supposed to be omniscient!" Ivy retorted with a sly smile creeping on to her lips.

Griffin rolled his eyes at Ivy and looked at her impatiently waiting for her to answer his question.

"So much for breaking the ice, eh?", said Ivy. "We have to cross the Lazurus forest and pass through the El Tirado mountains." she continued. "We can fly from there to the river of Time and..." she paused, looking rather uncertain.

"And..?" Griffin pressed on. His impatience was rather visible on his face as his brows arched slightly looking imploringly at Ivy.

"And then hope for the Charons to let us pass through." Ivy replied

"Charons!" Griffin bellowed in a rather concerned voice. "Charons are guarding the river in Mosse! I thought Mosse did not have any shield of protection unlike the other realms!" Griffin continued.

"It doesn't!" Ivy said rather nonchalantly. "That is why we were able to get in here easily. But entering a realm is one thing and leaving it unscathed is something completely different."

Griffin looked increasingly concerned at this statement.

"What are Charons?" I asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Charons are the creatures that were once believed to be members of the kingsguard of King Laiman," said Ivy.

"They were sent across realms by the King to protect the realms and forge harmony. They are particularly tough to deal with because...how do I put it?" Ivy said hesitantly.

"They are shrewd creatures", said Griffin lookin sullen. "They never help you without having an ulterior motive. And even when they do decide to extend their help, they do so in the most ambiguous way possible."

"But if they are members of the Kingsguard of King Liaman wouldn't they be glad to extend their help to us in a fight against The Silver Lady? We are trying to prevent a war against the realms after all!" I said.

"It is not that simple, Azura", replied Griffin.

"Charons are fierce warriors and very intelligent creatures. But what they possess in strength, they lack in loyalty and honor." Griffin continued.

"We need only worry about the Charons when we get there", said Ivy. "And if we get there", she muttered under her breath however with no intention to remain unheard.

"We must reach the end of El Tirado before the third sun sets, otherwise we would never be able to cross it." said Griffin, anxiety clear in his voice .

"The mountains are rumored to be filled with reserves of undiscovered treasures and by the night the foulest creatures lurk in its depths in the hope to be able to find themselves a fortune", Ivy curtly replied sensing the question in my mind.

We walked towards the Lazurus forest. The expanse of trees ahead of us seemed never ending. Or probably I thought so. The canopies provided a slight glimpse into the overcast weather which turned the shades of greenery even darker. Unnecessary criss-crossed pathways with crickets chirped in broad daylight - it was truly a sight to behold. As we walked in further, I occasionally saw insects that weren't quite what I have seen in my entire life. Somewhere rather large with a dozen legs, huge antennas and big black bulging eyes. As we got deeper, the trees were getting denser. As we advanced, it was becoming impossible for even a single beam of sunlight to penetrate through them. Griffin shrugged his shoulders and his wings emerged once again making me unsteady on my feet for a second. He trailed off hovering in the sky, just a few feet above us navigating the pathway ahead.

Ivy walked behind me keeping a close watch on any unwelcome creatures lurking in the dark, ready to attack. I looked behind and tried to study her face in the dim light. Her paper thin skin was as pale as snow. Her arms were bruised and showed long scars on either side of her wrist.

"Ivy", I said, slowing down my pace to catch up with her.

"Yes?" replied Ivy distractedly.

"Why were you banished to live along with the outcasts?" I said.

"I wasn't." she said. "I chose to live here."

I looked at her with a surprised and confused look on my face.

"When the bloodwrath attacked me that night, the Queensguard of Lady Faith were somehow alerted." Ivy said.

"I later learnt that the bloodwraths were allowed to remain on the human realm only on the condition that they would never cause any harm to any resident of that realm. But when they attacked me and tried to kill me, they broke their promise to Lady Faith and as a consequence of their actions, they were sent to the Eternal Fall to be punished for all eternity." she continued.

"The Eternal what?" I asked, looking even more confused than when Ivy had started to tell me her story.

"The Eternal Fall. It is sort of a prison where wrong-doers are captured and punished for eternity, their guilt being the primal source of tourture. But as bloothwraths are soulless creatures with no such thing, their tourture is more physical and some are even destroyed in the process" Ivy said.

"No one knows what happens to the people with souls who end up there. They are just as good as dead. Only that they are not actually dead. They are tortured, instead" Ivy said, letting out a sharp sigh.

I reached for her hand and squeezed it gently.

"After I survived the attack, I was asked if I wanted to stay in the realm with the other bloodwraths or return to the human realm" Ivy continued.

"I did not think I belonged to either of the two places anymore. I was neither fully a human and I wasn't a real bloodwrath, either. I felt torn between two places knowing somehow that I could not belong in either of them. That is when I decided that I would be more at peace living in the realm of the outcasts. I was, after all, a misfit!"

I could see Ivy wipe off a tear from the corner of her eyes. In that moment, I felt miserable for her. I knew what it felt like to be stuck in a place and not belong! Hell, I had felt like that all my life!

I threw my hands around Ivy and embraced her into a hug. She looked amused at the gesture but gave into it anyway.

"You are not a misfit, Ivy" I replied, with a hoarse voice. I was struggling to fight back tears myself and I found a big lump forming in my throat.

I swallowed hard, convulsively and continued, "My grandmother used to tell me that we make our own selves and mold our own destinies. And you Ivy, have made yourself to be the best of both- human and bloodwrath."

Ivy's eyes brimmed with tears at this unexpected compliment. If eyes were really windows to a person's soul, I thought I could see it in Ivy's eyes that she had longed for years for someone to validate her existence. She ached for someone to tell her that she belonged somewhere, with someone and that she wasn't lost after all.

"Ivy, may I ask you one other thing?" I said, with a tinge of hesitation in my voice.

Ivy nodded faintly, encouraging me to go on.

"Er, why is Griffin living with the outcasts? He seems to be the most perfect of the fey that exist." I said.

"No one knows for sure." Ivy replied.

"He does not like to talk about it much. I assumed it had something to do with the death of his sister but he has never confirmed the same" she continued.

I simply nodded, failing to put my thoughts into any words.

Merely seconds later, Griffin appeared before us, his majestic wings spread out like an eagle, breaking us out of our reverie.

He looked rather flustered and he spoke with urgency in his voice.

"We have to turn back and leave, right this instant!" Griffin said.

"What?" Ivy and I both bellowed at the same time.

"We are halfway through the forest, Griffin! Have you lost your mind?" Ivy retorted, looking vexed.

And then before anybody could utter another word or even protest any further. We heard it.

The deafening scream of what sounded like a gazillion woods being chipped in the chipper at the same time. The wind around us suddenly turned icy cold. I froze in my spot daring not to move even my eyelids. Our breaths rose in mists before us. Before any of us could even react a tree around us fell with a loud thud!

"Chimera!" Griffin only managed to say that one word before all of us broke into a frantic run.

I had heard about Chimeras in the stories told to me by my grandmother. They were fearsome fire breathing monsters with a lion's body and head. It had a goat's head attached to it's back and a tail that ended in a snake's head. Each creature was at least six feet tall. Chimera's breath sparked fire but their presence was indicated by mist and cold winds. This juxtaposition about their existence had always fascinated me but at the present moment my thoughts were filled with terror and panic and I just couldn't bring myself to be amused with anything!

I ran as fast as my legs would carry me. I shot a look back at Griffin who was running towards me with his wings spread out protectively around us like a shield. I marvelled at his bravery, to be able to put himself in the harms' way without even giving it a second thought. He was willing to take down the fire breathing beast himself just to protect an old nemesis and a stranger whom he had known for a couple of days...or a week maybe! I had forgotten what kindness looked like until I had met Griffin. But now, I was reminded of it yet again and my heart was full with admiration and love and respect for Griffin.

I do not know why I did what I did but before anyone could even realize it, I jolted to a sudden halt. It was so sudden that Griffin collided into me to be able to break his run.

"What do you think you are doing?" bellowed Griffin.

At this commotion Ivy shot back a look and ran back towards us to understand what the whole delay was about.

"We cannot just run away! Running is not gonna help us or solve anything!" I said with resoluteness that I did not know that I possessed.

"We need to reach the El whatever mountain before the third sun sets, remember!" I continued when Griffin and Ivy both looked at me horror struck.

"We have to make our way through the Chimeras. There is no other way." I said.

"Azura! Do you even know what Chimeras are capable of doing?" Ivy said in a panic stricken tone.

"If we are planning to go through the whole herd of them then I dare say that I would be better off without having to find out about it now." I replied in a clipped tone.

"Azura, we will have to find another way," said Griffin.

"We cannot beat the Chimeras! We are clearly outnumbered!" he continued.

"I know," I replied.

"We cannot beat them. Hence, we'll reason with them" I added.

Both Ivy and Griffin were gaping at me with their mouths hung open, surely thinking that I had gone absolutely nutters to have come up with such a ridiculous idea.

I strode forward without waiting for either of them to reply. I did not know what made me feel so confident in my skin that I felt resolute enough to reason with a herd of fire-breathing creatures.

I made my way towards the terrifying sounds locating my way through the voices of the Chimeras which seemed to have filled the air. My ears hurt but I did not stop or even turn to look back, but I knew that Ivy and Griffin were both following me closely.

I landed them in this trouble! I thought to myself. I cannot let them sacrifice themselves for me. I simply wasn't worth all this chaos!

As soon as I reached my destination, the courage that I seemed to have gathered on my way here, left my body. My legs seemed to have turned into jelly and my body seemed exhausted just with the effort required to remain standing.

I stood face to face with the herd of Chimeras. There were around ten of them looking fiercely in my direction, waiting to pounce at me that very instant. I don't know why but against my better judgement I knelt and bowed before the herd. The act was to show submission perchance but the Chimera did not seem convinced. The leader of the herd walked straight towards me and looked straight into my eyes imploringly. Then suddenly his expressions changed. Rage seemed to have been swept away from his face and a sense of understanding swept across.

He backed away, very slowly like he was tiptoeing his way out. He let out a loud grunt looking towards his herd and they all seemed to consider him for a while and then...then they left!

By the time Ivy and Griffin reached the clearing the Chimeras were long gone and they just found me kneeling on the ground panting frantically.

"What happened?" Ivy asked.

"Are you hurt?" said Griffin, kneeling down to my side looking at me with concerned eyes.

"I am fine," I replied reassuringly.

"Where did the Chimeras go?" asked Griffin.

"I don't know," I said, sounding rather naive.

"I knelt before the herd and this one Chimera came forward and looked at me, straight into my eyes and then..then they all went away!" I continued, still struggling to catch my breath.

"Went away?" Ivy spat with an amused look.

"Just like that?" I looked at both of them and a look of utter disbelief had enveloped both their faces.

"I don't understand it either" I humbly replied, folding my arms over my lap. Griffin lent me his hand and helped me back on my feet.

"We should get going" he said.

"You were very brave, Azura!" he whispered, with a slight smile crossing across his lips. His eyes turned hazel brown, twinkling as he looked at me and I felt comforted and happy. I smiled back at him. We walked for another hour or so before my legs gave in. I collapsed on the ground, exhausted from the events of the day and my stomach gave a rumble. Griffin looked in my direction and smiled knowingly.

"Let's rest here for some time. Meanwhile I will go and fetch Azura some berries" said Griffin. I nodded approvingly. I leaned against a tree and sat down. My knees were bruised and my feet ached. I was used to working round the clock even while I was home because I was compelled to practically fend for myself and my parents. But this was different. Venturing into the unknown now did not seem like a giddy adventure like grandmother used to tell me about. It felt terrifying and exhausting! I swallowed convulsively and realized that my throat was parched.

"Ivy, can I please get some water to drink?" I asked.

"Lady Faith be merciful!" she cursed under her breath.

"I totally forgot that you would need to drink water! I have been stuck in this state for so long that now I barely remember the human urges of thirst and hunger" she added and I chuckled.

"I have never seen Griffin eat or drink anything" I said resting my head on the trunk of the tree.

"Do you people not eat anything?" I asked as a puzzled expression crossed my face.

"Err. Yes, I do. It is mostly the troubled or lost spirits" Ivy said.

"Griffin smells flowers to satiate his hunger. That is his way of eating, I assume. To be completely honest I don't know either how the Dark Fey lives" she continued. I looked bewildered. Smelling flowers would quench hunger? How odd! But I couldn't be surprised after all, what here was normal anyways?

Griffin returned moments later, with his arms full of berries, nuts and some fruits I did not recognize. Ivy had a short word with him and left to find me some water and herself some troubled spirits. Griffin knelt against me and picked out a berry from the ones he had lain down. He brought it close to his nose and smelt it. I was observing him very intently as he did that and then I snorted. I could not control myself any longer and broke down into a fit of laughter. Griffin just looked at me with a dazed expression in his eyes.

"Is something wrong?" he asked politely.

"No..no!" I replied feeling guilty almost immediately for having laughed at him.

"It is just very odd to see you smell the berries rather than eat it. We humans are not used to it, to say the least" I said, still laughing. A smile crept across his face and he went back to sniffing the berries.

It was only after I ate that I realised how hungry I was actually feeling. I gulped down all of the berries and fruits in under ten minutes. Then washed them down with a gallon of water that Ivy had returned with. I felt shreds of energy returning back to me after this sumptuous meal. I looked at Ivy and Griffin and they both looked exhausted.

"Maybe we should rest our eyes for half an hour, so" I said.

"No, we must not stop here for long," said Griffin.

"I can carry you if you want to rest your eyes" he added. I looked mutinously at him. He seemed resolute and therefore against my better judgement I did not argue with him any further.

We took off shortly and within the hour we reached the much fabled El Tirado mountains. The second sun was beginning to set in the north painting the sky with an orange hue. It felt as if the sunset blossomed upon the clouds as sweet wild clover bloomed, with a flourish of romantic hand it covered the sky in red and gold. As I turned back I could see that the sun had turned green leaves into its golden yellow making them look nothing less than pieces of gold and ivory. The mountains rose high and mighty before us looking like unparalleled guardians of the realm. The orange hue from the sun bounced off on the peaks of the mountains and made them look orange. I had to squint my eyes to see the top of the mountains but they seemed enormous before my tiny self. They seemed gigantic enough to engulf the entire landscape around them. The warm wind had picked up speed and it ruffled soothingly against my skin as we made our way forward.

We walked past many intrigued looking people who were all charmed by the magnificence and beauty of the mountains. They were mesmerised not only by its outward appearance but also by the mysteries that it held within.

"Is there really a treasure hidden somewhere in these mountains?" I asked curiously.

"Even If there is, no one has been successful in locating it for at least three centuries now" Ivy replied.

"It is fabled that King Laimon was bestowed this treasure by his father King Silvius. But King Laimon never bothered for riches. His aspirations were beyond wealth and gold. King Silvius was appalled at the rejection but he loved his son dearly nevertheless. He left the treasure here in Mosse for his son or heirs to take in times of need. It is said that one who approaches the treasure with need shall find his remedy but the one who approaches it with greed shall perish" I said.

"It is only a story! I don't understand why people take fables so seriously" said Griffin, looking rather angrily.

Just stories. I had thought that fey and centaurs and bloodwrath and trolls were just stories too. Before stepping here no part of me knew that things like undead and flaun even existed. I thought.

"We shall reach the river in another half an hour or so" said Ivy. I nodded and walked along.

The third sun had now set and our paths were now only illuminated with the faint gleam of moonlight. Everything around me seemed to be covered with a silver blanket. The moonlight flooded the path that lay ahead of us and the forest that we left behind, with a million stars. Moreover, the cool air, the soothing beams, kissing each and every object of us and each and every object present around us. On nights like these one usually feels an inexplicable sense of thrill, joy and a sense of calmness but at this moment none of us felt that. Grandmother used to say that when you walk out at nights like these one, you can have the freedom of mind, thoughts and ideas that could free one's soul but today all I felt was worry and anxiousness.

We could hear the rustling of the river even before we saw it. The water, or whatever the "river" was made up of, time as I was told, looked like strands of silver silk lapping against each other, under the moonlight. I peeked into the river with amazement and instead of seeing my own reflection back I saw a glimpse of people moving underneath. It was like watching a flickering television.

"Griffin, what kind of creatures live inside this lake?" I asked. Griffin smiled.

"Well Azura, we all live in this very river. It is a river of time after all. What you see down there are people from different realms moving along their own respective strands of time" he said. I didn't know what to make of what he said. The three of us stood before the river for a long, long time before anyone spoke.

"Now what?" I asked once the silence became almost unbearable.

"Now we call on the Charons" replied Ivy looking concerned and determined at the same time.

"Step back" she cautioned and immediately went into a meditative trance. She closed her eyes and kept muttering intelligible words under her breath. Griffin looked equally confused as I did. We both waited by her side, waiting for what was to come next.

And then suddenly gigantic waves started forming in the river. The waves rose and rose and rose till they looked as tall as a building. Ivy was still in a state of trance, ignorant to these new lethal developments. I tried to tug her backwards but she remained transfixed.

"Griffin, help me pull Ivy back!" I screamed frantically as the waves continued to surge higher. Griffin tried with all his might but Ivy did not move, not even one inch. It felt like someone had fixed her to her spot with some sort of glue or spell, I wasn't really sure. Horror filled my eyes as I saw the waves had started descending. The waves were now descending not back into the river but straight on to us.

This cannot be good. I thought to myself. This was the river of time! I knew that when the waves touched us, it would not be just a splash of water.

"Griffin what happens if the.." I asked imploringly with my voice almost breaking off.

"No one can know for sure" Griffin said, cutting me off. He then flung himself between Ivy and the river, shrugged off his shoulders and flapped his wings around us ready to shield the waves away from us. I gasped. I closed my eyes and waited for the worst to happen. Perhaps I will be left stranded in a hollow space where time stands still or perhaps I will be left juggling between realms!I took a deep breath and waited. I waited and waited but nothing seemed to have happened. Then I heard Ivy calling out my name. I peered through half open eyes fearing for the worst to have happened. I saw that the waves had frozen above us and Ivy was smiling at me reassuringly. Griffin looked uncertain but took his position by my side nevertheless. Then the waves parted and emerged a shadow. Just like the one we had seen at the meadow when we went to meet Lady Syfyn. The outlines of the shadow looked blurred but the face looked sufficiently material. It appeared to be as tall as the waves itself. His hood pulled over his face revealing nothing but his longer silver hair. He had his bonely fingers wrapped around a long cane that dug deep into the ground.

"What do you seek here, human?" the Charon spoke in a low voice but its voice seemed to echo throughout the space.

"I...I..." I looked imploringly at Griffin, unsure of how to answer that question.

"Speak now or forever hold your silence!" the Charon said with a stern voice.

"I wish to meet Lady Faith" I finally replied.

"You wish to meet Lady Faith?" Charon asked. A mocking smile covered the outline of his lips.

"It is quintessential for me to see Lady Faith!" I replied a little bit more sternly then I intended to.

"No" replied the Charon disinterestedly and turned to retreat.

"Please! It is about the Silver Lady!" I shouted back.This seemed to have caught the creature's attention and he turned back to face me.

"What about her?" he enquired in a clipped voice.

"Look at her hand!" Ivy urgently said coming forward to lift my hand.

The Charon merely glanced at it before saying, "If you think that your foolhardiness will be absolved by Lady Faith, you are mistaken human. Losing your soul to Silver Lady was your own doing. Now live with your folly or die trying!"

"I am not trying to save myself" I blurted out immediately.

"It is about Mairea, the Dearg-Due. She has risen from her grave!" I quickly added.

The Charon surprisingly dismissed this piece of information which I thought was key to our quest. He rather looked at me with imploring eyes. And then with a stern voice he asked, "How did you travel from the human realm?"

I was taken aback by the futility of the question. How was it relevant to how I had found myself here? I was here now and that is all what mattered. And I was telling him about the malafide motives of the Silver Lady, wasn't I? Did that not assume greater importance over my accidental modes of travel? I thought.

I drew a sharp breath.

"I touched the Veil of Faith and Destiny. It got me here" I finally said.

"That is not possible!" The Charon spit out with a clear look of bewilderment on his face.

My temper started coursing through my veins. Weren't Charons supposed to be intelligent creatures? I thought. I had in fact been transported here through the Veil of Faith and Destiny which meant that it was indeed possible! We just did not know how. The Charon continued studying me as if merely looking at my face would give him all the answers.

"The Veil can be only used by Lady Faith to travel across her realms." The Charon said, his voice course and deep.

"It is not possible for any human to do so. Unless...!" the Charon froze with a look of shock on his face. He stared right into my eyes and then took a few steps backwards.

"Very well" the Charon said.

I looked at Griffin and Ivy who too, seemed to be looking at each other with dazed eyes.

"I will let you cross the river and guide you to the Dark Fey realm, if you give me the correct answer to my question" the Charon said in an even tone. He looked at the three of us and a sly grin swept across his face. I frowned. I remembered Griffin's words. A Charon never extends their help without having an ulterior motive. Why was he letting us go? I thought to myself.

"What if we are unable to answer your question?" Griffin said and the Charon chuckled.

"We?" he said with a mocking tone.

"There is no "we" in answering my question, fey. I will only ask my question to this human and if she answers correctly, all of you shall be granted the passage. If she fails...", the Charon beamed, unable to contain his glee at our imminent failure.

"If she fails, you all shall be doomed to remain stuck here, between realms forever" he said. I gasped. My entire body seemed to have been paralyzed by shock. I looked at Griffin and Ivy with uncertainty gleaming in my eyes. Ivy slightly squeezed my arm and Griffin nodded at me looking reassuringly. My lips twitched. Words seemed to have abandoned my throat so I simply nodded.

"Very good then!" beamed the Charon.

"I would only repeat myself twice so listen closely and be careful. You can only answer once and it shall decide your fate" the Charon added. I nodded in agreement.

"He is the one who lurks at dawn. His sound is so quiet, he can even fool the strongest minds. He carries his collection wherever he goes so to add in it his rewards that he reapes. His call so chilling it could freeze your bones. Whenever and wherever he walks he brings with him the news of loss and great misfortune. Tell me human, who do you say the creature, the bearer of nothing but sadness shall I be speaking of?" the Charon said, his lips twisted up in a slight grin. I blinked at him, lost of words, my eyes as blank as his face. I turned and looked at Griffin and Ivy, both of their eyes said nothing. I turned back to the Charon.

"Your time is limited human, use it wisely if you don't wish to be stuck between realms" he said.

"Umm okay he..he brings misfortune what could it be?" I asked myself as I turned away.

"Think Azura. Think!" I said, squinting my eyes.

"It could be anything! A lot of creatures bring misfortune!" Ivy exclaimed as she stroked her chin.

"Does this creature lurk in the human realm?" Griffin asked, his face confused.

"He didn't say that and I am not very sure we can ask him" I replied looking over my shoulder, I could see the look of satisfaction on the Charon's face. I sat down on the ground, burying my face in my hand. I skimmed through my memories trying to find a creature that grandmother told me about when I was young, but there were so many that she used to tell me stories about. And then it suddenly dawned on me.

"He carries his collection of bones on his tender back. He walks the plain at dusk and dawn whistling his chilling tune. Luring you in your sleep. And if he goes undetected till the time the first ray of sun shines he will bring you great misfortune and the death of your loved ones." I looked up,uncertain but determined. I quickly jumped up to my feet.

"I know who you talk of!" I said as I walked towards the Charon.

"If you do tell me human, who is the one I talked of?" he asked, his hollow eyes glowing and his lips pricked up in a grin. I swallowed.

"El Silbon!" I shouted. Within seconds the grin from his face disappeared, he fell to his knees. I glanced back at Griffin and Ivy, they looked as confused as me.

"Human you have answered what no creature could answer for centuries!" he said, his head hanging low.

"And because you gave me what I needed, I shall fulfil my word" he added as he stood back up. He raised his cane high up into the sky, a swirl of blue and green light charged out from it. He then turned towards the river pointing his cane, suddenly a long rope bridge emerged from under the water and halted with a loud thud making us all lose our balance.

"I show you the path that would take you into the Dark Fey realm" he said as he stretched both his arms out.