Fable blanched at Ashling’s words. But to be meeting with the clan Elders? She hadn't heard of the Elders wishing to meet anyone since before the Betrayal. She had yet to meet them, seeing as the clan's territory was off-limits out of respect for the Fox Drakes. And while they weren't as rare as the unicorns, they weren't seen often. However, Fable was sure she saw one coming and going from Darnassea that wasn't Ashling.

"Are you sure, Ashling?" Fable asked. "I mean, I clam up around my elders and council. How can I explain the vision clearly?"

Ashling blinked at Fable and smiled. 'Knowing Daydream, he should be able to see the vision fairly clearly. He and his mate are good at interpreting omens and signs. I believe together, they can help decide what is best. Certainly with more efficiency than your council.'

Fable bit her lip to keep from grinning at the thought. It was no secret Ashling wasn't pleased with the Council of the Elves. However, that was likely because they didn't accept Fable as a rightful council member. Truthfully, Fable would be the Soul Member, or the Member of Magic, who would travel with the Soul Member to and from the High Council as an apprentice and offer their voice for the Element of magic.

She was pulled out of her thoughts as she felt Ashling nose her hand, prompting the girl to gently pet the downy grey mane. 'There's no need to worry about my Elders.' she told Fable. 'They do not squabble like squirrels over a walnut when there's work to be done. And they won't be looking down their snouts at you for being my Keeper either.'

This time, Fable chuckled. "But knowing most of you have long snouts, I'd think that’s the only way they could look at me."

Ashling trilled as Fable's mind filled with warm laughter. 'Though with your stature, I'm sure you're the one that will be looking down at us.' She lifted her head and gave Ashling's hand a playful bat of her paws before standing and stretching. 'For now, you should get dressed and eat. It's a bit of a journey there, and you'll be thankful for food.'

Fable nodded, grabbed her robe, and blew out the candles. Nature would clean out the herbs and flowers in the spring, so Fable gathered the tools she brought and walked back to the cottage, her mind full of what she'd learned and her stomach flipping with anxiety.

* * *

The Lastmoore Forest was one of the most extensive forests in the Elven Territories. They stretched from the sea to the desert, and Fable and Creek had greatly enjoyed exploring the woods when they were small. Fable had always felt at home in the forests, but today, as she road into the thicker parts of Lastmoore on Bluebell, all she could remember was her mother's advice not to enter the Fox Drake Territories.

"It's not that it's forbidden." her mother would say. "It's more out of respect for them. You wouldn't want a dwarf stomping across your gardens unannounced, would you?"

Fable had always listened to this advice because she didn't want to be someone who trampled across someone's gardens. However, as she went deeper into the forests, she noticed more wildlife to be seen; a deer was passing across her path, and she stared at Fable curiously before rushing away. There was a flock of feral hearth drakes. This was evidenced by the minor scorch marks of leaves where some Hearths squabbled.

Ashling lounged comfortably between Bluebell's ears, watching the wildlife ahead of her with a peaceful air. Her wings were folded gracefully back and her head up, but her emerald eyes were half-masted like a meditating cat.

"How far to the Clan?" Fable asked.

'Just up this trail.' Ashling answered. She looked back at her Keeper, whose dragon-like face grinned toothily. 'You don't have to be nervous. You are a Keeper and a clan member, as you and I are bound.'

"Yeah, but still. It feels like I'm going to meet someone significant, like the King,” Fable answered.

Ashling huffed, her tail swishing. 'Oh, hardly. Think of Daydream as a family head.'

"Yeah, that doesn't make it better,” Fable answered.

Ashling chuckled and scratched an annoying insect from her shoulder. 'Then all I ask is that you trust me.' She suggested.

"That I can do." Fable gulped, looking ahead again.

They rode over a ridge before Fable saw a deep grove surrounded by limestone and oaks. She paused at the sight, noting that the forest opened up to the ocean, but this opening was protected by stones, flat enough to walk on but too close for a ship to pass through. A tiny island was not far offshore, with a few oaks growing from its soil.

'Bluebell won't be able to handle the path down.' Ashling explained as she stood and stretched between the mule's long ears. 'Best to let her graze here. She'll be safe.'

"Won't she wander?" Fable asked as she dismounted and patted the mule's neck.

'The clan will make sure she won't.' Ashling answered. She lifted her eyes to the trees, and Fable followed her gaze. Above and around them were a few Fox Drakes, mostly colored tans and dark browns. Fable watched them curiously, and they reflected her curiosity back at her. How long had they been there? Were they watching the whole time?

'Of course we were!’

Fable gasped at the new voice, and a Fox Drake landed on Bluebell's saddle. He had a soft grey-furred mane and an oak brown body, though his paws and head were green, his eyes were the color of aventurine gemstones with odd markings around one of them. He turned to gaze at Fable and grinned at her gasp. 

'A bit jumpy for an elf, aren't ya?' He asked, and Fable could feel a playful air about him.

'That's because she's not used to other's voices.' Ashling answered, her tone a bit stern at the younger drake. 'Fable, this is Puck, Guardian of Mischief.'

'Oh, I've seen you around.' Puck answered as he stood and stretched his body. 'You are quite jumpy. I would have had fun with you, but Ashling says, ‘She doesn't need your nonsense on top of the council’s nonsense.' Ha! I say you need to smile more.'

Fable giggled at the young Drake’s antics as Ashling huffed irritably. ‘Are Daydream and his mate available?' Ashling asked.

'Yeah,' Puck answered as he licked a paw. 'Fortuna already knows you're coming for another visit.'

'Of course she does.' Ashling replied with a roll of her eyes. She climbed up onto Fable's shoulder and sat with a dignified air. 'We should keep going.'

"Right,” Fable answered before giving a polite nod to Puck. "It's a pleasure meeting you at last."

'The pleasure is mine, fair Fable.' Puck answered, giving a bow and spreading his wings.

Fable waved farewell as she smiled at Ashling. "He's charming."

'Flirtatious would be a better word for Puck.' Ashling answered. 'He's young and pondering the idea of claiming a Keeper, yet his pranks keep most suitors at bay.'

"Maybe that's how he'll find his Keeper,” Fable replied. "The one person that can prank him back."

Ashling gave another huff as she and Fable went down the path. Fable couldn't help but notice other drakes along the way; some were mothers with a couple of hatchlings, no bigger than kittens. All of them were uniquely colored, with different traits that echoed their guardianships. As they walked by a small river, a Water Guardian could be seen playing at the bank, collecting small stones as more hatchlings helped in the search, one even chirping excitedly at the discovery of a snail.

They walked further in, more and more Fox Drakes looking up as Fable passed them, and a few started to follow curiously. Fable could hear their voices echoing in the back of her mind, but because there were so many, it sounded like wind and waves mixing.

Soon, they came to the center of the grove. It was dark and cool, like it would be around dusk or dawn, but it wasn't foreboding. Crystals were growing here and there among the trees, and even some plants glowed with what Fable could only guess was magic. In and under the trees were little holes, caves, where the Fox Drakes called home. It almost seemed like the trees were hollow yet still alive and thriving even as the small dragons made their homes. In the Center of the grove was a pool with a stone jutting over it like a sundial, and on the opposite end of the pool were three pillars of stone with an outcropping of rock beyond them. If Fable leaned to the side, she could see that past this outcropping was the sea and a path of flat stones that led to a tiny island.

'So you've come.' Came a strong male's voice.

Fable refocused on what was before her as she saw a few Fox Drakes climbing onto the pillars. The center-most pillar held two drakes, a male and a female, both a rich hue of purple, though the male was a vibrant, royal purple while the female was a soft lavender. And while the female's horns curled like a ram, the male's came upwards and was decorated with a delicately woven dream catcher between them. His wings were large, and when he spread them, Fable saw he had two pairs: the larger, like dragons, and the more petite, like mighty butterfly wings, complete with long tails. He was quite the sight. The female beside him was plainer, but one look at her told Fable she was extremely wise. One of her eyes lacked a pupil, but there was still a power there she couldn't quite describe.

Ashling jumped off  Fable's shoulder and led her onto the rock that leaned over the water, having the girl sit there. 'My dear Fable,' she said. "Allow me to introduce our lead pair, Daydreamer and Fortuna.'

Fable looked back up at the pair and gave her head a nod. "A pleasure and honor to meet you."

'It is a pleasure to meet you at last, young Keeper.' spoke a soft female's voice, most likely Fortuna. 'We were hoping to meet you one of these days. Though it seems we aren't meeting on a joyous occasion.'

Fable nodded as she started to speak, but Daydreamer had opened his wings with a snap and flew over to Fable. He was larger than Ashling, and his sapphire eyes watched the elven girl closely. 'It may be easiest to see what brings you here.' He said as he gently approached and nosed Fable's hand. Fable felt a rush of power flood through her and down her arm as Daydreamer's dream catcher began to glow. When he pulled away, Fable watched as he climbed down to the pool's edge and dipped his nose into the water as if to drink, only for the ripples to show Fable's dream from beginning to end.

The Fox Drakes gathered around the pool and watched the scenes unfold, some giving anxious calls at the sight of the fires destroying the forests and more hissing in anger at the picture of the blue-eyed man and his Mara. However, Fortuna stood as the words from the dream whispered around them like scattered echoes.

"The Enemy of Old seeks to return.

To pillage, and to maim, and to burn.

Only when the children of the two sisters unite,

Can you hope to win the fight.

Child of sun,

Child of moon.

Where one wants to run,

And one worries of doom.

Find the Guardian of Secrets,

For she only knows.

She must overcome her regrets,

Or he will lay the Sisters low..."

The vision in the pool vanished away, leaving behind the questions Fable had been anxiously toiling over. Fortuna gazed into the pool for a long time as the Fox Drakes around them keened and murmured to each other. She took a breath and turned to Ashling. 'How long ago was this vision seen?'

'Only a night.' Ashling answered. 'It was the Darnassea elves Full Moon Festival. We came right after Fable's cleansing ritual to share this.

Fortuna nodded. 'Then allow me to offer some clarity.' She said as she sat and wrapped her tail around her paws. 'Kozen is returning. Or trying to find a way to Myth.'

The clan of Fox Drakes hissed anxiously, and some had flown to the trees to feel safe from the very name of the betrayer of their kin. Fable could sense their concern, and Ashling climbed to her shoulder to try and ease her Keeper, though she was also anxious.

Fortuna turned her head to Daydream as her mate climbed to her side again. Then her eyes looked to Fable. 'Do you know the story?'

"I do, but not well,” Fable answered.

Fortuna nodded, standing and opening her wings; the top of her wings split into three fingers, reminding Fable of dragonfly wings on each side. She floated down to one of the pedestals, and Fable could see it had glyphs. It showed a group of people, each with a Fox Drake on their shoulder.

'In the golden age, before Myth was even thought of, we chose Keepers to create balance in the world and share our knowledge with any with skill in magic.' Fortuna explained, and Fable watched as the glyphs slowly began to glow with a gentle blue light as she told the story. 'It was commonplace to see a Fox Drake with a Keeper in those days. One pair in particular was very closely bonded together.'

The glyphs lit up two figures: a wizard and a Fox Drake. Fortuna sighed. 'Kozen. He was a bright young human sorcerer. He and his guardian, Locket, were as one with each other, knowing when one needed something from the other. Locket was the Guardian of Secrets. These secrets included how the element of Magic could be used.'

She moved across the pool to the other pillar, this one also holding glyphs, but it had a darker tone in how the figures were depicted. 'Soon, Kozen wished to know more about the magic, and he knew Locket held these secrets. Locket initially refused, but she trusted her Keeper deeply, and his prodding soon led to her surrendering what she knew. With this knowledge, Kozen attempted to control magic for himself to command. However, as no one can tame any element for themselves, he couldn't tame magic. The element went wild, causing cataclysms and driving creatures of magic mad. The humans grew fearful and began hunting those with magic. Whether as self-defense or an attempt to control their magic, I do not know, but this resulted in the world tearing itself apart in the madness.'

Fortuna lowered her head as if remembering those days and longing for them like a home she could never see again. She shook herself and looked up. 'There was only one option to save the world of Gaia: to lock magic away from humans, for good. The Fox Drake Elders of that time gave all their magic to create a new land for the creatures of magic, sacrificing themselves in the process. This land is Terra, or Myth, as it is now called. Gaia's sister world.'

Fable watched as the pillar brightened in the blue glow, showing the images of what happened and putting a hand to her mouth as she imagined the chaos and turmoil of that time. No wonder humans were not spoken of. After learning their place in history, Fable wouldn't want anything to do with them either. Though at the same time, she couldn’t blame the humans for being wary. Elves and people like them were naturally adept at magic, like a duck to air and water and a dragon to fire. The magic went wild from how the humans saw it, and the elves ran away, leaving them to put out the fires. The conflicting thoughts made her stomach tie itself into knots.

'The new Elders evacuated every creature of magic they could gather to Terra, though some creatures that magic had corrupted could not join, such as the Vampires, werewolves, banshees, and kelpies. Locket, too, chose to remain behind. She was heartbroken and betrayed by her Keeper and felt it was her fault that magic had been abused in such a way. So she remained on Gaia to guard the door and ensure it remained a secret. Her Last Secret.'

The Pillars grew dark again, and Fortuna turned to look at Fable. 'As far as we know, you are the only Keeper now. If Kozen is searching for a way here, he will first seek out Locket. With what your vision shows, you will need the help of the human that stood with you between Kozen and the elves of your village.'

The fox drakes began to murmur around her as Fable bit her lip. She didn't mean what she thought she meant, did she??

Ashling stepped down from her Keeper's shoulder and gazed at Fortuna. 'What are you saying then?' she asked, sensing her Keeper had the same question.

Fortuna met Ashling's gaze, her tail swishing. 'You two must go to Gaia and find this boy as well as Locket before Kozen does.'