“Hello young man,” said a smiling clerk behind a desk. “Welcome to Avalon Academy. How may I help you?”

     “Um…” the small spirit boy Dariel began, “I need to speak to the headmaster.”

     “Of course, may I ask your name?”

     “It’s Dariel,” the boy said awkwardly.

     The woman smiled and tapped a small crystal box. “Headmaster, there is a boy here to see you, his name is Dariel.”

     The headmaster appeared in front of the desk with a small pop and a flash of light. “Dariel a pleasure to see you, please come this way.”

     The headmaster's attitude took him aback. Stunned Dariel followed the aging wizard. They approached a small office, the headmaster opened the door. 

     “I was expecting a bigger office,” the spirit said.

     “This isn't the official headmaster's office,” he said taking his seat behind the desk. “But they are up in a tower, awkward to reach, and above every other room. I don’t like the impressions they give off. It makes the headmaster unapproachable, the same reason why I rarely schedule appointments. I wish to be available to as many people as possible,” he added with a smile before asking. “Now what brings you here?”

     “Anais has gone after Mother.”

     The headmaster looked at the small boy for a moment before letting out a sigh and rubbing his forehead. “How long?”

     “Yesterday, I flew straight here.”

     “We don’t have much time then. Do you know where she is going?”

     “She had some kind of potion and went to where Mom would sleep. She drew circles and dropped the potion which glowed and she teleported,” he said his voice quivering as he continued. “I can't feel her anymore.”

     “We must move quickly,” he said after a moment. “Let’s be off there's a lot to do and not much time to do it in.” He stood up and took the small boy's hand. Tapping ta similar-looking small box the receptionist had he said. “Some urgent business came up. Inform anyone who might come and apologize to them for me. I may be out of the office for some time, I’ve already arranged a temporary replacement should this happen.”

     “Yes sir, be safe on your trip.” Came her voice through the intercom.

     The headmaster smiled don at the spirit boy before chanting something. Dariel felt the world twist as the office disappeared and they found themselves standing in front of a shop. He knocked on the front door and entered a moment after.

     “I’ve done it,” Ardin said, his voice tinged with excitement. “What happened?” he asked after seeing the headmaster's face.

     “Done what?”

     “Located the queen, don’t dodge the question, what happened?” he insisted.

     “No time,” the headmaster said and disappeared in a flash of rainbow-colored light reappearing a minute later. 

     “Ardin what is going on? This old codger won't say anything.”

     “I'm sorry but we have to hurry. Anais gave away the queen's location. We need to make haste. We don’t have much time before those bastards capture her.”

*****

     “Humanity has lost its way. Strife, war, famine, natural disasters. Balekapısö sees these plights and weeps, for she loves the world and its inhabitants. But they do not know her, and thus she weeps. For she could save Man, but Man does not reach out. Clinging as they are to false gods. Thus she weeps, but fear not. For I do know her, and she gifted me so that I may bring others to the light,” Tepestia said, her oiled words slithering through the loudspeakers. 

     “Balekapısö doesn’t require blind faith, however. Soon she will make the whole world aware of her presence. She simply requires one thing,” she said her eyes falling on Tia again. Making the girl's whole body go cold. No one seemed to notice her look, however. “Once she has that thing she will bestow a miracle upon the world. I invite all those present to attend the ceremony in two weeks to celebrate Balekapısö’s descent.”

     With that said she handed the microphone back to the assistant principal and left the stage. Nodding to a woman who was seated at a table. The principal gave a small speech that Tia paid no attention to, leaving the moment they were dismissed. She didn’t notice the odd gaze of the woman who handed her a flyer as she returned to her class. She slipped the piece of paper into her backpack and tried to forget the whole thing.

     She had a bit of trouble focusing in her classes after that. This woman was clearly dangerous. Though Tia couldn’t really understand why. She wanted to go home and talk to someone, but Boreas was hundreds or possibly thousands of miles away by now. And no one at school knew about her. Not for the first time she missed her girlfriend and best friend.

     “Titi?” Lana asked poking her face.

     “Huh?”

     “Are you ok?”

     “Huh? Oh yea, I'm fine just thinking about things,” she replied taking a bit of her food. She wasn't particularly hungry but it helped distract her. 

     “Ahh well, I hope whatever it is you can sort out,” she said giving her friend a hug. Tia smiled at her and hugged back. “Did you still want to come over?”

     “Maybe another time, I have to get back home and talk to my sister today.”

     “Awww ok. Well, some other time.”

     Tia smiled at the girl, she really did want to go to her house but she was too worried about that woman. The bell rang and she picked up her half-eaten food, throwing it away and giving her friend another hug and her thanks.

     The rest of the day passed uneventfully, she was able to push that woman from her mind. As the final bell rang she decided to visit Treyni. She picked up her backpack and made her way to the front of the school. Lana waved to Tia and then climbed on the bus. Tia waved back a smile spreading across her face. Turning towards the parking lot she began to walk pretending to look around for a ride, in case someone was watching her. Not seeing anyone around she began to walk down the street.

     There was a nearby park she liked to spend time in. It let her connect with nature, even if it was a bit limited. And it provided a convenient place to transform in. The weather was threatening to turn, it had been cloudy this morning and throughout the day it had apparently gotten worse. Threatening to rain now, thankfully for her when she's in spirit form she is immune from the elements.

     She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't notice the van approaching. As she turned to walk into the park someone jumped out from the bushes. She turned and reflexively raised her hand blasting the person with a gust of wind that threw them backwards. The van doors slammed open and a fireball was hurled her way, she jumped to the side, using wind to help her dodge, and instinctively shot back a ball of water. It splashed harmlessly against the van.

     Several masked and hooded figures surrounded her. She needed to get away and she knew it. Spirit queen she may be she had limited experience with magic and combat. Plus she was still in her human form. Just as she was about to shift she was struck behind with a large chunk of rock. It threw her forward as she coughed up blood. Someone else exited the van and looked down at her.

     “Hello. Daughter,” the man said, his tone possessive and condescending. Looking up Tia found herself staring at the face of the man who raised her.

     “Dad?” she said weakly as the man stomped on her face, knocking her out.

*****

     “I'm beginning to worry about her,” Sarah said to Lizzy over the phone. “She should have been home by now.” Her face was twisted in fear and worry. “I know that but we don't know who or what else may be out there. We learned that spirits and magic are real.” she paused and waited for her girlfriend's reply. “Hopefully, anyways I’ll let you go. I’ll have dinner ready. Love you too.” She hung up and sighed. Her sister was normally back by now, or at least she would have sent a message.

     Going into the kitchen she started to pull the ingredients for dinner from the fridge. A half hour later dinner was bubbling away on the stove. Titania still hadn’t returned and she was starting to get worried. She had tried to distract herself by watching her favorite show but it wasn't working. Lizzy walked though the door and saw her, nearly on the verge of tears, in the living room.

     “Still not back?”

     “No something happened to her I know it.”

     “Did you text her?”

     “I did, and called but it went right to voicemail.”

     “Did you call the police?”

     "Not yet.”

     “Ok do that now, I’ll tend to dinner.”

     Sarah took out her phone but before she could unlock it there was a loud knocking at the door. She went to it and looked through the peephole. Standing on the porch were two police officers. The sight of them made her blood run cold as she collapsed to the ground.

     “What’s wrong?”

     “Police,” she said in a soft voice.

     Lizzy walked over and opened the door.

     “Hello miss, is this the residence of Titania Neyri?”

     “Yes, did she do something?”

     “No ma’am. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this but she's been kidnapped.”

     “Who took her?” Sarah asked standing up behind Lizzy.

     “Who are you?”

     “I’m her sister, and we’re both her legal guardians.”

     “We aren't sure, though I promise you we’ll find her. We have footage of the incident and were able to identify the vehicle used in the kidnapping. Do you mind if we come in?”

     “No of course not please,” Lizzy said then turned to Sarah. “Darling please go tend to dinner I hear it boiling over.” 

     Sarah walked away tears already falling from her eyes. She heard the officers enter and Lizzy plopping herself down on the couch. After turning off the food she stood there for a moment and took several deep breaths. After a moment she was collected enough to return to them.

     The cops were playing footage from a nearby security camera. It caught a van pulling up to her as she walked down the street. When she turned into the park the camera lost sight of her. There was a flash of light and a moment later several men carried her body into the car.

     “We didn't find any evidence of gunshots so we believe that light was some form of taser,” said one of the men.

     “We promise we will do everything in our power to find her,” the other officer said.

     After they got some additional information and gave them a copy of their business cards and the report they left. The moment the door closed Sarah burst into tears, Lizzy pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back.

     “We’ll get her back don’t worry.”

     “How? Those men that abducted her can use magic.”

     “What do you mean?”

     “Didn’t you see it?”

     “No… you did?”

     “When the door opened, a ball of fire shot out from it. And just after that, a ball of something splashed against the van.”

     Lizzy opened her mouth to speak when she was interrupted by Boreas flying through the wall.

     “Where’s Mother?”

     “She’s gone…”

     “Gone…?” the small boy asked his voice trailing off. He fell to the floor and looked at the two girls. “I can’t sense her…”

     The two of them stared back and flashed each other a worried look.

*****

     Anais found herself standing in an ancient forest. She recognized faint spiritual power lingering. This forest had once been the home of powerful spirits, but now it was all but gone.

     “Hello young spirit,” a dryad called out to her. “I am Treyni and you are not from this world.”

     “Where am I?”

     “You are on earth. Though that is not its true name. But simply what it now goes by.”

     “What is its true name.”

     “Lorianna, though that name has all but faded from memory.” 

     “Where is the queen? The spell brought me here but I don't sense her.”

     “I’m not sure, several hours ago I lost her presence.”

     The girl looked up to the stars, a single tear falling from her eyes. Which solidified into a small gemstone. “Mother, where are you?”