I open my eyes and see a sturdy looking ceiling. Where am I? What happened? I sit up, placing my hand on my forehead, then scan the room I am in.

The walls and floor are made of decorative stone. I am laying on a beautifully embroidered pillow that rests on a magnificent canopy bed. The pure white drapes of the bed contrast against the dark stone of the room. Well wherever I am, it sure is pretty fancy, at least fancier than Myrna’s house.

Sitting on a chair next to me is a young-looking woman reading a book. Her ears! The woman has pointed feline-like ears on her head with immaculate shoulder length black hair.  Her sleek face and tiny nose give her a cute appearance. Her large bosom is pronounced by her perfect sitting posture. Her outfit consists of a well designed, thick light tan jacket. A belt, with a buckle depicting a fairy on the front, wraps around her waist. Her pants are the same material as her jacket, and a dark brown cloak hangs from her back. The outfit is adorned with a golden-yellow trim along the seams.

“Good morning miss fairy. My name is Aiko, a knight that works under Captain Farley. If you will excuse me, I will go and inform him that you’re awake. If you need anything, just ring the bell,” Aiko says as she stands up and walks over to the ornate wooden door.

She just left after I woke up…what now? I stand up and notice the clothes I am now wearing. Wrapping around my body is a long, light white dress, the material is soft and pleasant to touch. Another dress? Do fairies only wear dresses… Wait, I didn’t put this on… My face starts to feel warm.

I scan the room once more, and see a mirror. This is my first time seeing one since arriving in this world. Finally, I can get a good look at myself. I fly over to it to look at my reflection.

Wow…I’m beautiful… I feel pure joy seeing myself as I spin around in front of the mirror. This is- wait…Did I just act like a girl? No no no, that can’t be right…I mean…no that can’t be right.

I look back at myself in the mirror. My face is red and feels hot. Dammit…What’s wrong with me suddenly? I sigh aloud to myself. I would like to show Myrna how I look though…Myrna…

“Myrna,” I mumble. “Myrna!” I scream as I turn around to fly toward the bell, ringing it so that someone comes to check on me. What happened? I remember them pulling Myrna out of the house, but…

The door opens suddenly and a man rushes inside, scanning the room energetically. “What’s the problem?” the man asks, a second man following him inside.

Both men are wearing similar outfits to Aiko, light tan jacket and pants, a belt with a fairy on the buckle, and a brown cloak on their back, all adorned in golden-yellow trim.

The first man that rushes in has messy blonde hair that points upward in the front. He has large sky blue eyes that are full of energy. He is well built, while maintaining a slender figure. His handsome face is completely free of any impurities. He stands just inside the door, ready for anything.

The second man has a muscular build and stands a bit taller than the first. He has short red hair that curls over to his right. His sharp, grey eyes and thin face are intimidating. A tiny scar goes through the end of his left eyebrow. He stands more professionally compared to the first.

“Myrna, is she okay!?” I ask as I fly over to the blonde man.

His once eager blue eyes fill with disappointment after hearing my question.

“The elf girl is fine, just sleeping,” the man sighs.

“She’s alright?” I ask again.

“Yeah, for the most part. Her legs are broken, but otherwise, she’s fine,” the red-haired man answers.

Broken legs…but, she’s okay. I fly over to the bed and sit down. She’s okay. Tears start to well up in my eyes. Thank god, she’s okay.

“Jeez, you rang the bell for that?” the blonde man whines.

The red-haired man lightly punches the blonde man in the arm. “You idiot, what’re you getting so excited for. She just woke up and you run in here like you’re going to be Mr. Hero. She’s worried about the elf, wouldn’t you be worried if I got hurt like that?”

“Nope,” the blonde man responds, a playful smile on his face.

“Psssh, you know you’d be worried. Sorry about him miss fairy. I’m Noah, and this idiot is Lloyd,” the red-haired man says as he gestures toward the blonde man.

“Who’s the id-” Lloyd starts to say.

“Lloyd, Noah, did something happen?” A commanding voice asks.

The two immediately stand to attention.

I know this voice. I start to wipe my eyes.

“No sir, miss fairy just wanted to know about the elf,” Lloyd responds respectfully, while saluting. This is the guy from the forest that saved me. Captain Farley I think. Following alongside Captain Farley is Aiko, the black-haired woman from before.

“Very well. Lloyd, Noah, I will take over here. Head over to the barracks and make sure everyone there is ready to leave, I will be there in a bit,” Farley orders, “Aiko, go finish preparations for our departure. I will pick up Kari, Camille, and Garrick before I leave.”

“Yes sir!” Lloyd, Noah, and Aiko respond simultaneously. They all leave as Farley walks into the room. 

Like Lloyd, Noah, and Aiko, he is wearing the same light tan jacket, pants, belt, and cloak, but has a shield-shaped badge with a fairy depicted on it over the left side of his chest. The man’s slicked back, dark hair is starting to grey. His wrinkled face shows signs of old age, while his blue eyes are brimming with passion. So this is Captain Farley? I didn’t get a good look at him before, but jeez, he’s pretty old. 

I slowly back away onto the bed as Farley walks forward. He now stands in front of the bed. He gets down onto one knee and, while looking down at the floor, says, “Hello miss fairy. My name is Glendale Farley. I am a knight of the kingdom of Odelle. May I know your name?”

Glendale, isn’t that the name that other guy used. And didn’t the other guy say something similar?

I stand up and fly to the top of the canopy bed, out of reach of “Glendale”. Okay, this should be safe enough.

“Thanks for saving me, but I’m sorry, I can’t trust you,” I explain, “Not when you’re using the same name as those people that tried to abduct me.” He might be the real one, but still, I’d rather be safe than sorry.

“I understand. We will work to earn your trust then,” Glendale replies, “Before I begin my explanation, could I have your name?” 

“My name’s Evetta. Glendale, if that is your name,” I muse, then continue in a more serious tone, “Could you please explain what happened to me and Myrna? Who were those people? Where are we and who are you?”

Glendale chuckles lightly and says, “Very well. You are currently residing in Governor Oshton’s estate within the city of Luford. As I already stated, I am a knight of the kingdom of Odelle.”

Glendale pauses for a moment before continuing, “The men that tried to kidnap you are fairy hunters, a group of soldiers that work for the Parazic Empire.” 

Fairy hunters huh. Definitely bad news… And the Parazic Empire… must be where the Parazic language originates.

“Me and my team were tracking a group of fairy hunters. We managed to intercept them before they were able to escape with more fairies, but we failed to capture them,” Glendale states, frustratingly, “We chased them into the Golcarres Forest, and before we could stop them, they found you and your elf friend.”

So, in other words, it’s pure chance we were found. “I see, so where is Myrna? I ask.

“You’re not mad?” Glendale asks looking up, astonished by my question.

“Your job was to stop the fairy hunters, right? Well, some of them might have escaped, but you saved me, and you helped Myrna too. So, I’m not mad, just worried,” I explain, “So…Glendale, would it be alright if I see Myrna?” 

“Thank you Miss Evetta, and yes, I will escort you to her,” Glendale confirms, relief apparent on his face.

Glendale stands up and heads for the door, he opens it and waits for me to pass through. I’m not sure if he’s trying to act like a gentleman, or if he’s showing respect for me since I’m a fairy. This is going to be tiring.

I fly down from the top of the canopy bed and head through the door, watching Glendale the entire time to make sure he doesn’t do anything suspicious.

Glendale chuckles lightly. “I promise I won’t do anything to you,” he reassures, “I wouldn’t dare, especially since you’re a white fairy.” Glendale closes the door and starts to guide me through the estate.

The hallways are made of the same ornate, dark stone. The walls brim with various pictures and decorative banners. There are statues between every window, all looking to be depictions of the same man.

“Uh-” I start to speak. Glendale interrupts, “Excuse me, Miss Evetta. Were you dealing with the outbreak in the Golcarres Forest?”

Huh, what outbreak? “Um...I’m sorry Glendale, but I don’t know what you are referring to,” I respond.

“I see, then were you living with the elf, Myrna correct?” Glendale asks with concern in his voice.

“I was, is that a problem?” I reply trying to maintain an authoritative tone. If they see me as some kind of divine fairy, I can’t help but try to act like one. I don’t want them to think poorly of me… But this is driving me crazy. It wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t being so respectful. I can’t act normally like this.

“No, it’s not necessarily a problem, however…” Glendale goes silent for a moment, then continues, “How much do you know about fairies?”

“Little to nothing,” I state. What’s he getting at?

Glendale stops walking and asks, “Miss Evetta, are you perhaps a newborn fairy?”

Shit. What do I do now? Is it bad if I’m a newborn fairy? Glendale stands still, watching me.

I turn away to avoid looking at Glendale and nod my head.

Glendale sighs aloud. Is he mad? I look back at him. Glendale is holding his hand over his face.

“Glendale? Is something wrong?” I ask. Please don’t be mad.

“No, it’s nothing like that. Come on, I’ll explain along the way,” Glendale says as he starts walking again.

“Fairies normally don’t live within this realm, and from my knowledge, they don’t openly interact with people from realms other than their own. There are thirteen types of fairies, each given a name based on a color or an element they correspond to,” Glendale explains, “Red for fire, blue for water, green for nature, and so on. But amongst the fairies, the white fairies are unique as they can manipulate all of the elements.”

Well, I guess I know why white fairies are amazing now.

Glendale takes a breath then resumes speaking, “The white fairies are incredibly rare, so you, Miss Evetta, being a white fairy, hold extraordinary influence throughout the world. Since you were willing to interact with the people of our realm, I was hoping you would be willing to help us.” He takes on an apologetic tone, “I am sorry, I let my expectations overwhelm me.”

Wait, so he wanted me to help them.

“From now on, I will focus on escorting you to the Church of the Fairy Queens, there you will be able to learn more,” Glendale states, “They will provide you with anything they can, far more than I will be able to.”

“We’re here,” he announces, stopping and opening a door. 

I scan the interior of the room, light shines through the large windows, brightening the dark stone room. The room is oriented similar to the room I was in, but it is not as fancy. On the plain wooden bed lies Myrna. On the backside of the bed, is a slender elf woman that is attending to her.

She has her long wavy orange hair that is up in a side ponytail on her left. She has several small braids along the right of head that keep her hair up. Her rosy white skin turns flush around her cheeks. She has large green eyes, a small nose, and a slim smile.

“Myrna!” I cry out as I fly over to her side.

“She’s been asleep since we left the forest. Her legs and feet are pretty bad, but otherwise she’s okay, aside from some cuts and bruises,” The orange-haired elf describes, “If I had to guess, I would say the juragon crushed her legs, thankfully it didn’t completely crush her.” 

Juragon? The giant dinosaur maybe?

“This is Kari, our field medic,” Glendale introduces.

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you. You don’t have to worry about her, if she doesn’t overexert herself, maybe in six to eight months, she should be able to walk again,” Kari consoles, “It might be a bit uncomfortable, but she should manage.”

I look up at Kari and mutter, “Thank you.”

*Knock Knock*

“Excuse me sir,” a female voice says from the doorway. I turn to look at her. The young woman is by far the youngest looking person dressed in the tan uniform, and is short compared to the other knights. She has a soft face with plump cheeks and wide brown eyes. Her light brown hair is up in a ponytail with a single small braid on the left side of her head.

“Camille, what is it?” Glendale asks.

“I’ve been trying to find you, sir. Governor Oshton wants to speak with the fairy,” Camille informs.

“Hmm...I see. Miss Evetta, I will give you a moment with Myrna,” Glendale sighs, “Camille and Kari will stay here with you, if you need anything, ask them and they will help you. I will be back, I need to talk with the governor.” He walks out of the room, leaving me with Camille, Kari and Myrna.

I look over at Myrna, her face has some scratches on it. I’m sorry Myrna. I guess we shouldn’t have helped that guy. If I hadn’t suggested we help him, then… Tears start to fall from my eyes.

If only I was cautious around him. I assumed he wouldn’t do anything to harm us. Why… Why did I make such an idiotic assumption. I don’t know the people of this world. I’ve only met a handful of people, and because of one stupid decision, Myrna got hurt. Tears gush from my eyes as I weep at Myrna’s side.

If only we didn’t go out that day, and never found that man, none of this would have happened. Even if I escaped earlier, I wouldn’t have been able to get Myrna out of her house. God, I hate this body, I can’t do anything… Something, there has to be something I can do…

Spyra… I need to learn how to use spyra, but from who, these knights? No, Glendale already told me, the church. I need more information though… I sit up and wipe my eyes.

I calm myself enough to ask, “Your names are Camille and Kari, right?”

“Ye-yes, m-miss fairy,” Camille responds promptly.

“Yes,” Kari replies softly.

I look over to Camille. She seems nervous.

“My name is Evetta. Can one of you tell me about the Church of the Fairy Queens?” I ask.

“Ah, th-the Church of the Fairy Queens,” Cammile stutters in response, “I-it’s the greatest church within Odelle that worships the fairies.”

“They’re said to hold the most information about fairies within our realm,” Kari explains, “Matters regarding the types of fairies, the spirit realm, how the fairies live, their duties, and more.” 

I see. In that case, it might be a good idea to head there like Glendale said. I’ll hopefully be able to learn about fairies and maybe how to use spyra in the process.

*Knock Knock*

The door opens as Glendale walks in, “Excuse me, Miss Evetta, Camille, Kari, come with me.” He walks over to Myrna, picks her up, placing her over his shoulder, and starts to head out of the room.

Camille, Kari, and I all leave the room behind Glendale. As we head through the estate I ask, “Glendale, what’s going on? Where are we going?”

“We need to leave before Governor Oshton finds out. I managed to buy us a bit of time by telling him you wished to be alone with Myrna, but he will only wait so long,” Glendale hurriedly explains, “If you speak with the Governor, he will start demanding you to fix the issues in and around Luford, and will likely try to keep you here by force if needed.”

“He can’t do that!” Kari bellows.

“With the state of Luford, he might try,” Glendale replies, “We will regroup with everyone at the barracks and head directly to Dels,” Dels?

“Sir, are we going to be carrying the elf the entire way?” Camille asks.

“No, we will be using some of Governor Oshton’s horses and a wagon for Miss Evetta and Myrna to ride on,” answers Glendale. 

As we continue to make our way through the estate, Glendale suggests, “Miss Evetta, you should hide yourself on either Camille, Kari, or myself. It might be bad if people see you.” Bad?

“Okay?” I agree as I fly over to Camille and hide in her shirt pocket. Camille goes stiff in the process, apparently uncomfortable with me so close.

With me hidden, Glendale says, “Miss Evetta, once we’re outside, you will see the reality we face. Please prepare yourself.”

We leave the building, cross the elaborately well-maintained courtyard, walk toward the dark stone walls that surround the estate, and head out of the large, dark-metal gates. The area has a faint pink fog present that, like the green fog, has a pleasant smell and seems to be drawn toward my wings when I get too close to it.

Standing just outside the estate is a large, grey-skinned man wearing the same uniform as the knights. He is bald and has a rough beaten face. He has a large underbite, and his lower canines project upward. His small eyes hidden under his pronounced forehead. His body is well built, larger than any of the previous knights.

I scan the man and then hide back in Camille’s pocket. Woah, this guy’s completely different from anyone else I’ve seen up until now. He’s pretty scary looking. I peek out.

“Hello zir. I am here az Aiko inzdrucded,” The grey-skinned man says in a thick accent.

“Garrick you're here, good. Please take the elf to the barracks and get her situated on a wagon,” orders Glendale as he hands Myrna off to Garrick, “And make sure to cover your mouth. Cover hers as well.” He points to Myrna, lying across Garrick’s shoulder. 

“Yez zir,” confirms Garrick. He covers his mouth with his cloak and reaches up to cover Myrna’s with her baggy shirt. He turns and starts heading toward the barracks.

“Kari, head back with him, and make sure we get those horses,” Glendale continues, “Also, make sure you cover your mouth and breath the air as little as possible within the city.”

“Yes sir,” Kari replies, turning to follow Garrick as they both head in the same direction.

“Sir, aren’t we also going to the barracks?” Camille asks.

“Yes, but there is somewhere I want to take Miss Evetta first,” Glendale mutters. He starts to walk into the city, away from Governor Oshton’s estate.

“Camille, cover your mouth too. Try to breathe the air as little as possible,” Glendale says as he covers his mouth. Camille follows suit.

“Should I do so as well?” I whisper.

“No, you should be alright. The elmites in the air shouldn’t have any effect on you,” Glendale answers.

The city is filled with the pink fog varying in thickness. In some locations it’s dense, while in others it is hardly visible. Most of the buildings we pass within the city are made from large slabs of stone, with openings for windows and doors. A handful consist of wood, but all of the houses have the same basic design.

The city bustles with people carrying items, riding in carriages and wagons, and doing business with one another. The atmosphere is dark and heavy though, as most people are quiet and have worried looks on their faces. Some are even on the ground, performing some kind of prayer.

The dreary people stagger through the city. The further away from the governor’s estate we travel, the worse they appear, and the thicker the fog becomes. I notice some people have blisters on their faces, while others have skin that is turning shades of green and black.

There is a woman covered in blisters walking with her son. She falls to the ground and starts to cough up chunks of purple blood. Her son stops to help her, “Mommy…mommy are you okay. Mommy, get up, please get up. Mommy!” The boy begins to cry aloud as the woman shows no signs of moving.

What, why aren’t they doing anything? “Hey, aren’t you going to help that lady?” I ask.

Glendale and Camille continue to walk, remaining completely silent.

As we proceed through the city, more incidents like the previous one occur, several people in the alleys and on the streets stumble around as their conditions get worse.

What’s going on here? “What’s wrong with these people?” I ask.

“I’ll explain in a moment,” Glendale responds bitterly, “we’re almost there.” 

We make our way through main roads, back allies, and pass by market places.

“We’re here,” he finally says as he walks up to a nice-looking building, compared to the rest of the area. The pink fog is thicker here than anywhere else.

As we open the doors and walk inside, I see people lying on the floors, on benches, and on other people. Their skin is varying shades of black and green. Blood leaks from purple-red blisters that cover their entire bodies. There are also people with yellow blisters that are swelling to large sizes, exploding into a mess of yellow puss. Many people cough uncontrollably, chunks of purple blood splattering from their mouths. 

There are nurses frantically running around, doing their best to attend to each of them. The smell of rotting flesh, fresh blood, and feces assaults the nose, while the moans of the sick and dying fill the air.

I almost vomit instantly, but a wonderful candy-like aroma calms my stomach as the pink fog that fills the room moves toward me. What the hell is this? Are they all dead? Why are we here, is this where Glendale wanted to take me? And what’s with this pink fog?

“This Miss Evetta, is a small fraction of the problems we face. All these people, the lady on the street, most of the people in this city, and many more,” Glendale explains harshly, “Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do for them.”

As I focus again on Glendale, the pink fog starts to disappear into my wings.

“But-” I start to say. 

Camille speaks up, without stuttering this time, “The elmites have already festered in this city to the point that a plague has developed. Us knights, can’t remove the elmites that are affecting our realm. The best we can do is try to minimize the damage by evacuating people to less impacted areas.” Elmites? The fog maybe?

Glendale starts to leave, Camille follows behind him.

“But that’s-” again I try to speak, but Glendale interrupts this time, “Miss Evetta, my knight squad, our job is not to assist the people. Our duty is to protect the fairies so that they can save us. Only the fairies are capable of stopping the elements and remove the elmites.”

“You can’t do anything for them?” I ask grimly.

“The best thing we can do for them is to help the fairies finish up as quickly as possible. That’s why I’m going to bring you to the Church of the Fairy Queens,” Glendale declares, “I know this is sudden, but I need you, Miss Evetta, to save us.”

I curl up into a ball inside Camille’s pocket, and place my hands on my head.

They can’t be serious, right? I know Vestele told me about the disasters back then, but they didn’t feel real. If I had left after I talked with Vestele, would I have made it to the spirit realm by now? Tears begin flowing from my eyes. 

Five months should be plenty of time to get back right? These people are all dying, and this is only a fraction of it… All this time, I’ve been debating whether I should leave the forest or not. Stupid, idiot, dumbass! I hit myself in the head repeatedly, then stop as I come to another realization.

I might not have been able to save these people, but five months, I could’ve saved five months worth of people had I left earlier…Dammit, so... it’s my fault. Vestele asked me to leave, and I didn’t. Damn, damn, damn! Why... Why didn’t I leave sooner?

I…I should’ve…I should’ve left. I need to… leave... now…

---

I cough a couple of times, waking up in the process. Where am I now? I sit up to look around.

I am laying on Myrna, who is laying on the bed of a moving wagon as it bounces on the ground. Over the wagon’s railings, are several people surrounding the wagon while riding on horses. The light in the sky fades as thick, blue-violet clouds cover the sun. The cool evening wind blows over the open grasslands.

“Good evening,” Myrna says.

“Myrna!” I exclaim as I fly closer to her.

“Sleep well?” she asks.

“I should be asking you that. Are you okay?” I ask anxiously.

Myrna sighs, then replies, “Of course, you think something like that was enough to do me in? I’ve been in worse condition and gotten by on my own.”

Right…

“But if I ever see that bastard, I’ll make sure I pay him back tenfold,” Myrna boasts.

I look at Myrna as if she was speaking crazily. Myrna…you do realize your legs are broken right?

“What’s that look for?” Myrna snaps.

“Nothing.” I respond as I look away from Myrna and scan the other people around the wagon. Glendale, Aiko, Lloyd, Noah, Kari, Camille, Garrick, and several others all here.

Ah, I remember now…

“Evetta,” Myrna mutters as I look back at her, “We are currently headed to Dels, the capital, and the location of the Church of the Fairy Queens.” She continues, timidity in her voice, “They… they explained everything to me.”

“Yeah. I- I need to go. There’s somewhere that I need to go,” I say quietly as I look down to avoid making eye contact with Myrna.

“Oh, are you upset about having to leave all of a sudden? Huh, are you?” Myrna teases.

“No!” I snap back, my face beginning to feel hot. Stupid Myrna.

“I’m sorry Evetta. Since the day I found you in the forest, I knew you would have to leave. At first, I didn’t want to get close to you, so I gave you the bare minimum, but you kept talking with me,” Myrna reflects, “The more time we spent together, the more I wanted you to stay.” Her eyes start to tear up.

“It’s not your fault…I could’ve left at any time, but I chose to stay,” I reply softly to Myrna, as I try to hold back my own tears.

“Evetta, those people that attacked us. Do you know where they are from?” Myrna suddenly asks.

“The Parazic Empire right?” I respond.

“Yeah, they failed to kidnap you. For that, I am thankful to these people, but they were the ones that captured me. The place where I was a slave…” Myrna says as she struggles to get the rest of her words to come out.

“The place where I watched my friends…where I was forced to…it was there,” Myrna utters between deep breaths.

The empire. So, they capture people and turn them into slaves, but what do they do with fairies? I can’t imagine they’d make us slaves, what would we do?

The wagon stops. Woah, why are we stopping? I look around to see everyone else stopped as well.

“We’ll make camp here,” Glendale orders, “It might rain tonight, make sure we set up properly in case it floods.”

Ah, right. Everyone still needs to sleep too.

Everyone gets off their horses. Glendale walks over to the wagon and asks, “Miss Evetta, if it isn’t too much trouble, may I introduce my knights to you?”

“Yes, go ahead,” I respond. This guy has a really grand view of fairies.

“Everyone, gather around the wagon,” Glendale shouts.

The knights all stop what they are doing and walk over to the wagon. Several people of different races, heights, and genders surround the wagon on all sides.

“This is Miss Evetta, a white fairy. As you all already know, our objective is to bring her to The Church of the Fairy Queens in Dels,” Glendale states, “For the duration of our time with Miss Evetta, do everything you can to assist and protect her.”

In response to Glendale’s words, I subconsciously curtsy in front of everyone and say, “I will be in your care.” Did I just curtsy? God…this is so embarrassing. I stand back up and look over to Glendale to wait for him to introduce everyone.

“Alright, we will start with Aiko and go around clockwise until everyone is finished,” Glendale says as he looks over to Aiko.

“We are already acquainted, but my name is Aiko. I am a cat beastkin of the Isolt family. I look forward to traveling together.” Aiko says orderly as she bows her head. Aiko raises her head and looks over to the person to her left.

Camille locks eyes with Aiko. “Agh, right s-sorry. My n-name is Camille Madan. We met earlier, but it’s n-nice to meet you,” Camille nervously stutters as she introduces herself, her face turning red as she looks down.

I scan over to the person next to Camille. Standing there is the tallest person among all the knights, with the top of Camille’s head only coming up to his shoulders. He is a large burly beastkin man. His crossed arms and sturdy figure make him seem impossible to move. His round black eyes partially hidden behind his thick eyebrows. Light brown hair covers his head while round fuzzy ears rest atop his head.

This guy’s gigantic.

The man kneels down, bows his head, and says, “It is an honor to meet you, Miss Evetta. My name is Oberon Beroldus, a bear beastkin,” he proclaims in a deep, booming voice, “If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask.”

Again with the miss… What’s with these guys?

Oberon stands back up, and gestures to Garrick who has a small, green-skinned, strange-looking person sitting on his shoulder.

“Hello mizz Evedda. Mah name iz Garrick Gluzbree,” Garrick says with his thick accent. He takes the small person from his shoulder and places him on the wagon.

The thin little green-skinned man barely comes up to Garrick’s chin while on the wagon. He has a large pointed nose with bumps on it and bright yellow eyes. Fangs protrude from his mouth, and his fingers have sharp nails extending from them. His hair is stringy, black, and comes down past his shoulders.

Um…what is he? I step back slightly upon seeing the little green man.

“Hehehe, me Skeezo Grumplebutt. Fairy pretty, nice meet,” he screeches in a raspy voice.

“Don’d worry mizz Evedda. Zkeezo iz a good perzon,” Garrick affirms, “He had a ruv childhood, even for a gob’n, bud he’z alrighd.”

If you say so… With no one next to Garrick, I turn my head to the opposite side of the wagon to await the next person.

At the end is a tall slender beastkin man with white hair and pointed ears. His droopy green eyes contrast against the darkening sky. Three short scars run horizontally under his right eye, his twisted face revealing his fangs. A bushy white tail with red tips sways behind him. 

Some kind of dog beastkin?

“Turok Sarpire,” Turok snarls at me as I make eye contact with him. What’s his problem?

“Yo, Miss Evetta. Lloyd Hamilton, best knight there is,” Lloyd declares proudly.

“Don’t let him lie to you like that Miss Evetta, this guy’s only good at eating and sleeping,” Noah interjects, causing me to look at him.

“Sorry, my name’s Noah Mustang. Aside from Turok, I’m the actual best knight here,” Noah chuckles roughly as he rests his right arm over Lloyd’s shoulder. Lloyd struggles to shake Noah off of him.

“Guess it’s our turn,” the man next to Noah says.

“Seems so,” another man responds.

I look over at the two men, and glance back and forth between the two several times. They appear to be human twins that are slightly shorter than Noah and Lloyd. They have flat noses and large brown eyes. Long black hair pours from their heads and they both have short thick beards. One lets his hair hang down, while the other has his hair in a single braid tied behind his head.

Hurray, twins… I know I’m going to get them mixed up.

They both place their right hand over their heart and bow their heads. The straight-haired man is the first to introduce himself saying, “It is a great honor to meet a white fairy. My name is Seth Jittergist.”

“And I’m Simon Jittergist,” the other continues immediately following Seth’s introduction.

“We are the Jittergist twins,” they say in unison.

“I am looking forward to learning about a white fairy,” Seth states.

“We have been studying fairies since we were kids, so I hope we do not come off as overbearing at times Miss Evetta,” Simon continues.

The two both raise their heads and then turn to Kari.

“Hi again Miss Evetta. I’m Kari Jaketta. If anyone is harassing you or Myrna, let me know and I’ll take care of them,” Kari asserts in Annic as a sly smile appears on her face.

That’s a scary smile…

Kari turns to the last person that is standing between her and Glendale. Aside from Skeezo, this girl is the shortest knight here. She has long brown rabbit-like ears and long curly brown hair. She has large blue eyes and snow-white skin. The girl bounces up and down slightly as a giant smile grows across her face. I turn and face her.

“Finally!” She shouts, “I’m Samina Tailene! Miss Evetta, I have a ton of things I want to ask! What is-”

Glendale interrupts Samina before she can ask her questions, “Okay, with that, everyone has now introduced themselves. Time to set up camp everyone. Miss Evetta, if you need anything, please just holler and someone will assist you.” Everyone starts to walk away to set up camp.

“Wait, I still want to talk with Miss Evetta,” Samina cries out as Glendale drags her away from the wagon.

Glendale scans the area and looks up into the sky.

“Turok, Oberon, Aiko, secure the perimeter of the camp. Camille, create a metal covering over our campsite in case it rains,” Glendale orders, “Seth, Simon, put up a flood barrier around the camp so we don’t get flooded out in the worst case scenario.”

Glendale’s directions continue, “Lloyd, you’re in charge of tying down the horses. Kari, Samina, unpack our gear and perform general maintenance. Noah and Skeezo will prepare tonight’s meal. Garrick, you and I will make the stone tents for everyone.” 

They get to work, each attending to their assigned jobs, constructing our shelter for tonight.  It’s a far cry from what it’s like setting up camp on Earth. Multiple small stone tents are raised from the ground, creating a room for each of us . A thick barrier wall is erected, surrounding the perimeter of the campsite. A metal roof is placed overhead on four pillars to cover the entirety of the campsite as well.

Wow, they really are making sure that we don’t get flooded out.

“Why’s it taking so long to tie down the horses?” Glendale asks aloud. Lloyd fights with the horses as he tries to tie them down.

“Sir, these horses aren’t very cooperative,” Lloyd responds, trying to calm down the horses.

“You’re just bad with animals,” Noah says as he walks over to attempt to calm down the horses, failing in the process.

“See, it’s these damn horses, they won’t listen. Fuck! Aiko, did Governor Oshton not have any better horses?” Lloyd complains.

“These were the only ones available at the time,” Aiko answers.

I don’t know if I feel worse for Lloyd or the horses.

As camp gets set up, I go back to talking to Myrna.

“Hey Myrna. What are you going to do when we get to Dels?” I ask in Annic.

“Ah, I might have an answer for that,” Kari says in Annic from behind me. As I turn to look for her, the orange-haired elf girl walks over.

“Hey, no fair Kari! I want to talk with Evetta too!” Another voice, obviously Samina’s, yells. She runs over after Kari.

“Now now Samina. I’m only giving advice to Myrna,” Kari states in Parazic, trying to calm down Samina.

“Still. Ever since we saw her in the forest, I’ve been wanting to talk with her,” Samina claims.

Kari sighs, “Fine, but if the captain gets mad, I’m not covering for you.”

“Deal!” Samina says happily.

Myrna looks at me. She really needs to learn Parazic. I don’t want to translate for her anymore. “Don’t worry, the rabbit girl just wants to talk to me. Will you be fine if I leave you with Kari?” I ask.

“I won’t be here long, basically, you don’t know what to do once we get to Dels, right?” Kari asks in Annic immediately after I finish speaking.

Myrna nods in response.

“Alright, then why not work for the church? It’s not often people befriend a fairy, much less a white fairy,” Kari explains quickly, “The church will gladly take you in, regardless of your past. Well, it’s just an idea, I’m off though. I don’t want Captain Farley yelling at me,” She leaves.

Myrna working for the church…now that would be funny. I start to laugh.

“What are you laughing at?” Myrna asks.

“Nothing,” I reply, stifling my laughter.

“Okay okay okay, my turn, my turn,” Samina blurts, getting impatient.

Well this one’s going to be a handful…

“Sorry Myrna,” I apologize, since she won’t understand what we’re talking about.

“Alright, what did you want to talk about?” I ask.

“Is your favorite color white? What’s it like being able to fly? How is it being so small, I bet you can fit into all kinds of places. Oh oh, are you going to save us all?” Samina questions rapidly without stopping.

Woah.

“Well I-” I start to respond.

Samina continues her barrage of questions, “Can you really use all the elements? What’s your favorite one? Mines ice, it’s so pretty. Oh oh, why were you in the Golcarres Forest? Why were you with the elf girl?”

“If you would-” I say as she starts again.

“What’s the spirit realm like? Were you scared when those people had you? Oh oh, can you teach me Annic? People would be amazed when I tell them that I learned Annic from a white fairy.” 

Thinking this is my chance, I begin to reply, “Well, I’ve never-”

“SAMINA!” Glendale shouts, “Dammit, get back to work. Everyone else is setting up and you are taking a break, what the hell do you think you’re doing. Just for that, you are taking an extra shift for the night watch tonight.”

“Awwww, but captain. Look at her, she’s so cute,” Samina pleads unhappily, “I couldn’t talk with her yesterday, and I had to wait all day today too. That’s not fair, you got to talk with her already.”

“That was business. Now get back to work!” Glendale roars.

“Fine,” Samina laments, defeated. She pouts as she walks away.

She called me cute…

Once camp is set up, Noah begins cooking and when he finishes, everyone eats. While eating, everyone gathers around to talk with me. We talk about the knights’ adventures, their families, and when we get to the subject of spyra, Samina shouts her question from before out again, “Evetta, you never answered me. Can you really use all the elements?”

Everyone turns their attention to me, waiting to hear my response. Glendale is the only who doesn’t look, instead he waits to hear what I say.

Damn… “I can’t,” I answer gloomily.

The fun atmosphere suddenly shifts to quiet and somber.

“Why not? Do you suck as a white fairy?” Samina chimes in, again.

“Uh, it’s because…it’s because I’m a newborn fairy,” I admit quietly.

“So…you just don’t have them yet?” Samina asks.

“Well, I’ve tried to use them, but I don’t know how,” I respond.

Suddenly everyone erupts into laughter. What’s so funny!? My face gets hot.

“Evetta. Sorry, I apologize for laughing at you,” Glendale says, fighting back his laughter, “People don’t know how to use soul spyra at first, or more specifically, they can’t. It might be different for fairies, but for us, we can’t use a soul spyra until someone with that spyra implants it into our souls.”

“It's alright Miss Evetta,” Aiko interrupts, holding back a chuckle, “If you would like, we can implant the elements into you.”

Wait, what? “I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” I say.

Glendale interjects, “Don’t worry about it. It’s getting pretty late, for now let’s all get some sleep tonight. If you still want, we will explain it thoroughly to you tomorrow.”

“Alright,” I say.

A light drizzle starts to sound from above the metal shelter. The rain falls down outside the campsite as a sweet-smelling, faint blue fog begins to fill the area. Tomorrow, I take my first steps as a white fairy.

Everyone goes to their rooms to prepare for sleep, me and Myrna sleep together under a stone tent made over the wagon. Well, I don’t know if I can completely trust them yet, but I think I’m safer with them than most people.

“Hey Evetta, that dress suits you,” Myrna chuckles.

“Goodnight Myrna,” I grumble. I can’t believe I wanted to show her how I looked earlier today. Stupid elf.