Welcome to the Fifth moon of Evergreen, also known as Silvea or the Realm of Life.

It's quite a peaceful realm- with plants, flowers and trees growing everywhere you look. All beings are at peace with themselves and each other, from the magical Water Stairway that falls up the mountain to the fields of grass where the Gentlebugs live. I believe my favourite spot is the passageway to the Sage, it’s so magical and-

Oh, I suppose I haven’t told you yet, but Silvea has been my home for about half a cycle now. You might be asking yourself why it has been my home only for that short amount of time, but that's such a long story that I can't tell you about it now. There are more important things to tell you about, like Nevadora, a moon not too far away from here.

Nevadora is a rather dark moon and it has been attacking us for as long as I can remember, although I’ve been told it was way worse before the Treaty was made. All in all, though, Silvea has been a great place to live on.

Now, let me take you to Flower Village, where I live. I’ll show you the house of the Frostthorn family. It belongs to my uncle Juniper and aunt Astra. My story starts just about there. You see, I was walking home with my cousin, Anthea, that day. That's when it all began…

✿

'I can't believe this is your last week here.' I told my cousin.

I was carrying a basket for her with some ingredients for tomorrow’s dinner. We had been gathering them all day and had just decided to go back home. It was getting late and the sky had already started shifting colours, causing the forest to shimmer in the light of the slowly disappearing sun.

'I can't believe it either, it’ll be hard to be so far away from Silvea again.’

‘Do you have to go?’ I asked, shaking my head soon after. ‘Don’t answer, I know you do.’

We stopped walking and Anthea put her basket on the ground. ‘It won’t be forever. The course is but two cycles long, it’ll be over before you know it.’ She ran a hand through my hair. ‘My little sunflower.’

I smiled carefully. Sunflower.

‘I just… wish I could come with you…’ A gloom fell upon me as a penetrating numbness filled my chest. She gently put her hands on both my shoulders.

'Oh Ehrynn... that your powers haven't sprouted yet doesn't mean they never will. Flowers that bloom late often are the most beautiful.'

Her words, small as they may seem, lifted my spirits ever so faintly. I tilted my head slightly to feel the warmth of her hand on my cheek.

'You're right, An. I shouldn't give up just ye-.'

Our conversation got interrupted when Hazel, Anthea's little sister and my cousin, grabbed my arm all of a sudden and pulled me along.

‘C’mon, c’mon, hurry up! The soup’s ready!’ She cheered whilst making me run across the field.

Anthea giggled at the sight of my startled face and, soon after catching up with us and recovering her breath, asked her little sister: 'Could you tell mom we'll be there in a few minutes?'

'All right, but hurry up. It's getting cold already!' Hazel whined in a forgedly plaintive voice.

The vegetable soup that my aunt Astra had recently created had become Hazel's favourite in no time. It was partly from a recipe that my own mother had created a long time ago, just with some turnips added and sometimes even some leaves from a very rare plant that grows only in the Sage. But my mother…

‘Will you tell your father dinner is ready, too?'

‘Of course!’ Hazel gave her big sister a bright smile, proud of the task she had just been entrusted with, and off she went.

Anthea smiled while watching her little sister take off like that. Her hand found mine and we linked as we gazed over the field. ‘You won’t be the only one missing…’ She swallowed. ‘...missing what’s dear to you…’ She took a deep breath. ‘Promise me something?’

‘Hm?’

‘Will you look after Hazel while I’m gone?’

I nodded. ‘Of course.’

Anthea sighed in relief. She gently kissed my forehead. ‘And look after yourself, too, please.’

✿

'Aren't you eating?' My uncle asked.

No wonder, I was fooling around with my spoon in my soup, repeating the same circle over and over and fishing up vegetables, just to drop them in again a few seconds after. I didn’t even realize I had been given a question.

'Is something on your mind, dear?' Added my aunt, upon which I startled, dropping my spoon in the soup and quickly shaking my head afterwards. This lead to my uncle asking:

'You're not getting sick, are you?'

'No, I'm just thinking about tomorrow. It's going to be quite the change without An ‘round here.' I admitted.

From all the times I had tried before, I knew I couldn't keep any secrets from my aunt and uncle. They would keep asking me questions until I’d go crazy. So now, whenever I got asked what was troubling me, I just went with the truth- or something close to.

'I know it's going to be different, but it'll still be you, me and my parents.' Hazel said, trying to cheer me up a little. She took another sip of her soup. She would always drink the last bit after eating all the vegetables first.

Despite her attempt to help me, I was still feeling rather empty. I couldn’t help but feel drained, like a part of me was already gone, or was soon to be gone. I took a look around the table and noticed that Anthea wasn't saying anything, or even eating, either.

I guess my uncle detected our lowering in spirit, too, because he stood up and gave both of us a big hug. 'You know what? I'll start up the energy reserve this evening so you can contact your friend tomorrow.’

'Really?’ I asked in amazement. I couldn’t be bothered to wait for a reply, added ‘Thank you!' with a brilliant smile, suddenly all lifted up at the thought of talking to Alex again, and rose from my seat. I didn’t get to do this much, we simply didn’t have enough energy to do so, living in the middle of nowhere like we were. Hence my excitement.

The energy reserves weren’t used all that often overall though, as we didn’t use that much electricity at home in general. And all the energy we did use, was solely collected by our own doing. Think of it as green energy, of some sorts.

It was only at some rare times that my uncle activated whatever energy my cousin and I had collected with our own small solar leaves ourselves.

This was such a day.

Juniper nodded. 'Now, off you two go, let me take care of those reserves.'

I took Anthea's hand and pulled her off her chair.

'Not so fast!' She uttered laughing. 'I know you’re excited about contacting Alex again tomorrow, Ehrynn, but I'd rather not trip over the stairs.'

A smile appeared on my uncle's face as he beheld our little coze.

'Can I go play as well?' Hazel wanted to know.

Her mother gave her a kiss on her forehead. 'Of course you can go, but don’t stay up for too long, Hazie.'

Hazel stood up and ran to the stairs. 'You promised you wouldn't call me Hazie anymore.' A grin appeared on her face right before she turned around and took the last few steps up.

Astra and Juniper frowned at each other before they ended up laughing.

'She's growing up so fast.' Stated Juniper.

'A little too fast, sometimes.'

✿

Anthea and I had been listening from up in our room until Hazel joined us.

'She'll never stop calling me Hazie.' She sighed and let herself fall on the bed.

Her sister gave her a comforting pat on the back and gently put her arm around her.

'Trust me, Hazel, there will be a time when you’ll miss the nickname mom gave you.'

‘I doubt that.’ Hazel mocked, crossing her arms whilst trying to look as upset as possible.

Her attempt was rather futile, the only thing Anthea needed to do to make her little sister smile again was a bit of tickling. After that, Anthea hugged her tightly and the three of us burst into laughter.

✿

“No! This will not be the end! I won’t let it be!”

The sun was shining in my face, the rays of golden light mostly stopped by my hat, but a great deal reflecting on the water of the small lake I was passing, making it almost impossible for me to see anything beyond this tiny wooden bridge that was but a few steps away from me.

I wasn't on Silvea, not even on Nevadora. That was about all I could make out, then and there.

I set foot on the bridge, decorated with hundreds of small pebbles, as though I was driven to reach the other side. I tried to cross it, hurrying although my legs objected. That’s why, once again, I made an effort to unlock my Magic. But it was no use. My energy had almost dropped down to zero.

I barely even made it halfway when tentacles of dark sizzling energy slithered around my legs. Bursts of pure purple magic wrapped around my body and sent a shock through every fibre of my being.

I fell down on the bridge, hands reaching for the other side. My arms were torn open and the pain rooted itself deep into it, stinging like the quills of a baby manticore. Some nasty burns had torn their way through my clothing and left marks all over my body, even my cheek was skimped.

Worse was how I didn't have time to stop and care about it, I had to reach this house, before it was too late.

It was just across the street, protected by a large and sparkly energy field and not too far away from my location. I could make it if I hurried!

I stood up again and grabbed my hat from the ground in passing, protecting my arm from any further damage as I strode as fast as I possibly could. I wasn't hurt all that bad, and in my heart I could feel a notion of relief… though that didn’t last long.

'Run as fast as you like, fairy, we'll get you anyway.' A deep male voice sounded from behind me.

I hurried to get myself to safety, not even bothering to turn and look at him. I stumbled a few times whilst making my way to a tiny little garden in front of this unknown house I could feel was my safeplace, and eventually managed to go through the shield protecting it.

'Hurry! Get in, child. Our force field will keep those Hunters out, for now.'

Two old ladies, both familiar in a comforting kind of way, were standing in the doorway, ready to relieve my burden in whatever way they could.

‘I’m ready.’ I heard myself say. Tears welled up in my eyes, tears that I couldn’t yet place nor could I have any idea why I cried.

'Here you go, the necklace.' One of the elders said, handing me a necklace resembling a lotus flower, the metal making up the flower also holding a small green orb of kinds- it lit up in a vague light the moment I touched it. I recognized it immediately, it was my necklace! How did she get it?

My hand reached for the place around my neck where I was sure it had been just an hour ago. I wanted to ask how she got it, why she took it, but I couldn’t do any of those things. Instead, my mouth formed a sentence I didn’t even understand: 'Are you sure this is the only option?'

'Yes… There’s no other way.'

I hesitated. I was about to do something without even knowing what it was, yet I felt so doubtful.

'No.' I declared. 'I can't give up now, not like this.'

'But you must, the fate of this world depends on-' one of the elderly women began, before getting interrupted.

'What do you have in mind?'

I smiled thankfully and let go of the necklace. 'I'm going to end this once and for all.' I said with a determined look on my face.

'You're not saying you're going after those Hunters, right?' The first elder asked.

I had to disappoint her, and, though I didn’t know why, that almost tore my heart to pieces.

'That's exactly what I'm saying. It's the only way to end this war without endangering you all.'

I was about to turn around and walk away at once, but a hand wrapped around mine. It was the other woman. She embraced me in a warm hug and handed me the necklace with tears in her eyes.

'I'm so... so proud of you...'

I returned her hug, and doubt of staying filled my mind. But as much as I wanted to stay and feel the warmth of her embrace even for just a second longer, I couldn't.

It took great effort, but I got loose and walked outside.

'You came to write the end to your fairy tale?' The male voice asked.

'Yes, Gabe, I'm ready to face my destiny and write myself a happy ending.'

He, whom I had now identified as a certain “Gabe”, began to laugh. 'You fairies are all the same. Soon as you threaten their loved ones, they'll come for you.'

Upon which was added by another voice: 'Not that it will make a difference. In this world, fairy tales don’t get happy endings.'

This “Gabe” had apparently brought some company: Some guy with an odd hat was with him, a second “Hunter”, I presumed, whatever that may be.

And not only he was there, another, hooded one came from out of the shadows behind me.

I swallowed and set foot out of the magical barrier protecting the house. I slowly recited their names: ‘Gabe, Raff, Yuri.’

I would’ve almost bowed to them had I not known any better.

Instead, I turned to the first one again. ‘Couldn’t you take me on by yourself?’ I inquired, not sure I wanted to know the answer to that question.

‘Watch your mouth, we could rip your wings off in less than a second, fairy.’

“Wings?”

'I wouldn't be too sure if I were you.' I told them before firing a spell at Yuri, something I didn't even know I was capable of doing. I ended up thoroughly wishing I could take back the words I had so confidently said, as my attempt at an incantation probably would’ve been more convincing had I not completely missed.

An evil laugh sounded, vibrating through my bones until I shuddered. ‘Even if you could hit us, and I’m not saying you can, fairy, Magic doesn't work on us.'

I shook my head slightly. 'No, Magic doesn't, but I’m sure this does.’

Instead of hitting Yuri, my spell had hit one of the lanterns in the street. It fell and brought down the Hunter in just one strike, leaving the other two gnashing their teeth and swearing with words I had never even heard before.

'That was a mistake, fairy!'

The Hunters started closing in on me like predators do with their prey. 

I couldn’t pay attention to all three of the Hunters at once, which gave one of them the time he needed to sneak up on me and grab both my arms. He brutally held my hands against my back and brought my knees to the ground.

He wrenched my arms until I exclaimed in pain.

'Good job, Raff.' Gabe praised his companion. He came closer and lifted my chin for me to look him in the eyes, his hairy face so close to mine that I could feel his breath.

‘Say goodbye to your fairy wings, little bug.’

Gabe moved his hand to my back and was about to rip away the Magic inside of me when a sudden rush of adrenaline went through my body, causing me to do something most would describe as thorougly stupid; I gave Raff a kick.

He was forced to let go of me and by doing so, allowed me to take it for a run. Yet, I didn’t make it far before a cape wrapped itself around my arm. And it wasn’t just any cape, it was Yuri’s.

'That little pixie!' Raff shouted, holding on to his hurting knee. His face was wrangled in a painful expression. It told me enough, he would’ve loved to use a hex on me, maybe conjure enough waves of dark energy for my ears to start bleeding, or worse, but Gabe stopped him.

'She has to be alive for our incantation to work, remember?'

The emphasis on the word alive caused a shiver to run down my spine. I swivelled my head as he came closer again, but he lifted it with ease.

It seemed my attempt to flee had failed.

'How does it feel to be helpless?' He spat in my face.

I looked him straight in the eyes, fighting to keep my tears back. I wasn’t going to show him how scared I truly was.

Though, before he could make another attempt at taking my Magic, he was forced to turn around and dodge a sword attack with his arm.

’What was that?!' He hissed angrily.

The sparks in my eyes lit up once again as I saw a familiar face for the first time in way too long. It belonged to a boy, an estimated two cycles younger than I was, who was leaning on his sword and smiling vaguely.

‘Just in time, ‘Rhynn.’ He announced with a tone of amusement in his voice. His smile briefly changed when he looked at me, that half-smile I remember so well amongst the blur of memories from those days. And I smiled back with more gratitude than I had ever felt in my life.

But although his entrance was great, his attack hadn’t actually caused any damage to the Hunter, who seemed to have absorbed the pain just to turn it into more strength. While the boy, my brother, managed to fight him off, I was startled when I saw Raff up on his feet again and sneaking up on him. ‘Len! Watch out!’

All of my hopes got lost when I saw him getting shot against the wall by that Hunter. 

'Just another little bug.' He spat out the words in sheer disgust.

He fully rose from the ground, brushed off his shoulder like he hadn’t just blown away a boy with nothing but his Magic, and took my brother’s sword from the ground. He walked up to him, kneeled down and grinned.

‘Time to get rid of the little bug, now, shall we?’.

'No!' I shouted.

Raff froze, though it didn’t seem like he really wanted to, and Gabe smirked.

'You can stop this, Ehrynn, just hand yourself over to the Legion and we'll let your brother and your family go.'

A shock came over me as I realized something; the people inside had been my family and I hadn’t even seen it. It was only now that I had fully registered how this major clue had been right in front of me all this time without me noticing. Repeating again and again, calling out for me to finally put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Tears came welling up in my eyes. I made a rather futile effort to hold them back. This was a nightmare, a true nightmare!

'I... I...'

'No, Ehrynn! Don't do it!' My brother shouted.

'Shut up, friend.' Raff pressed the sword to my brother’s throat.

'No! Stop!’ I couldn’t keep the tears from falling anymore. They came out and fell down my cheeks.

I wanted to wake up, tell myself this was just a dream. And it was. I knew that. It just came back to haunt me over and over and over again.

‘I'll go! But leave my family alone!' I shouted, breaking at last.

'As you wish.' Gabe rejoined.

Raff immediately dropped the sword, muttering how he would’ve loved to slice my brother’s throat, and the three Hunters came together to press their hands against each other’s.

My knees gave in and I let myself down to the ground. In a moment of pain and numbness I could make out nothing but the silent whispers of an incantation.

A portal was opened, black and purple whirling around in circles, going up higher and higher to form a whirlwind of dark energy. They were calling upon the Dark Forces of the Legion.

Lightning came from the ever fastening whirlwind alongside a horrifying sound. I tried not to think about what would happen once I’d enter, but it was hard not to.

Yuri lifted my arms and dragged me to the portal.

‘No tricks, fairy. Or he’ll die.’ He assured me unnecessarily.

‘No…! Eh-rynn...’ My brother brought out in a last attempt to pick himself up and come to my aid. He failed to do so and had to watch as I strode toward the whirlwind, when…

✿

I jarred upright, panting and covered in sweat.

“Who is she?” was the first thought to cross my mind.

I got out of bed in the middle of the night and started looking for my pencil and sketchbook in one of the drawers in my desk. While I still had a clear image of the girl, I wanted to sketch what she looked like.

I flicked on the light of my glowing plant on the leafy chair in my room and started sketching, not even caring about the gross feeling of my soaking nightgown or the sudden chill that went over me. I was too fixated on my task.

About half an hour later, I felt a hand on my shoulder. 'What are you doing?'

It was Anthea, she sat down next to me.

'An, you won't believe it.' I brought out enthusiastically.

'What won’t I believe?' She asked before letting out a yawn and rubbing her left eye, trying to stay awake.

'I had that same dream again, t-the one about my past. But this time, it was- it was different. I wasn't captured by the Hunters, or well, I-I was at first, but…’ I paused for a second. ‘I was saved! An, I was saved this time. By a girl! I believe she looked like this.'

Anthea took a good long look at my drawing, blinking her eyes a few times to adjust to the sudden brightness she had woken up to. She found herself looking at this girl, around my age, with something that looked like a tattoo of a rose surrounded by thorns on her arm.

'I- don't think I know her.'

I shook my head. 'Same here… but I think she’s important. An, this could be a clue to my past, it could have something to do with my source!'

'Maybe...’

‘I wonder who she is, where she came from?’

‘It could be someone you haven't met yet?' It sounded more like a question than a suggestion.

I closed my sketchbook and placed it gently on the chair next to my bed as An flicked off the light again. My mind wandered off as I gazed out of the window, looking at the stars in the somewhat pink night sky of Silvea- and I sighed. 'Someone I haven't met yet...? Maybe...'

~❀~