Nookit found herself staring at her ceiling, too excited to even consider going to sleep. Her furry tail wagged like mad beneath her covers. She placed a hushing hand atop it; the wriggly-thing fighting back like it had a mind of its own. She didn’t want to disturb her slumber-sister, Donnielle, who’s made it clear on several occasions the last thing she wants to hear in her dreams, is Nookit’s tail thumping against her blanket.

 

But she just couldn’t help it. A field day, an actual field day! What kind of games would the knights bring for everyone?! How long would they be able to stay up?! Could they win prizes, would there be food?! The anticipation was too much to bear; alone with the silence of her racing mind. 

 

Giving up on her pointless endeavor to catch some healthy Zs, Nookit decided to do some stargazing. With the rate her sleep schedule was deteriorating, she would never grow taller than the 4½ feet she had been stuck at since her twelfth birthday, and that was soooo last year.

 

But stargazing was such a damning temptress. It had become her favorite nighttime activity. The stars in the sky and the stories they told; not to mention their twinkling hues and varying luminosities, it was all impossible to ignore.

 

From her window, she could see Remona Concordia- The First Queen of Edyn who’s constellation was a gift from God himself; a declaration of her divine right to rule over the Holy Kingdom till the end of all eternities.

 

To Remona’s northeast was the Blazing Tree of Arthur- Every star twinkling within its massive radius, a spell he once wielded fighting beside the exalted queen in the First World War.

 

Speaking of the First War, The Scales of Ordinance: Vilcreed, the Ravenous Dragon. Lyrecreed, the Azure Leviathan. Yogcreed, the Earthly Basilisk; the Holy constellation, representing their timeless trinity, hung to the far west of Remona and Arthur’s Tree; a symbol of balance, growth, and man’s first connection to the divine.

 

A nebulous tapestry, painting the story of the world; comfort could always be gleaned from its sparkling backdrop. 

 

It was in those quiet moments of cosmic contemplation Nookit felt she could see Him. His smile in the moon; His eyes in the stars, it felt like He was all around, playing in the solitude of night. Which is why, it was her favorite time to pray. Or, more like talk- Oh how she loved to talk, and God was her best listener.

 

“God.” she whispered, “God, are you there? It’s Nookit!”

 

The breeze blew through Nookit’s window; the crisp chill of Autumn. She took it as her response. The young girl cupped her hands beneath her chin, kicking her feet as if she were conversing with one of her sisters.

 

“I’m pretty really excited about this field day tomorrow. I know I probably shouldn't have been eavesdropping…but I just can’t help it! It’s in a fox’s nature to be sneaky!”

 

In the distance, a rowdy jackdaw’s caw berated Nookit for her improper behavior.

 

“I know…I’m sorry…I promise not to do it anymore! For a while, at least…”

 

Someone’s lonely doggy, somewhere past Lostbourn Trail, howled to the grinning moon; a sad, and empty song.

 

“Yeah…everyone has been really moody lately…I’ve been getting yelled at a lot more often than usual…Yesterday, Flenzie chewed me out for being too close to her while she was sketching in her book, even though I just wanted to see what she was making…Abber yelled back at her for me, but that only made me feel worse…Don’t tell anybody, but I cried in the bathroom for like, seventeen minutes, tops.”

 

The breeze blew again, this time ferocious in its company; disheveling Nookit’s hair from the bow down.

 

“Ok-ok, it was eighteen minutes, I’m sorry!”

 

The wind stopped. The curtains swayed with a hypnotic rhythm. 

 

“What do I hope for tomorrow? Mmmm…I guess I hope there’s lots of yummy foods!”

 

The jackdaw called out to the night once more. This time, it found a friend to join in its song.

 

“Yeah, something different! Something I’ve never had before! Like a candy apple! Have you ever had a candy apple before?”

 

The jackdaws crescendoed in their duet. Nookit could feel God’s excitement about the topic of candy apples screaming through their cries.

 

“I really really hope there will be some! Apples are already super good. Candy could only do good things for them, right?”

 

The jackdaws ceased their symphony. There was only the ambience of wind caressing crisping leaves.

 

“More than anything though, I’m just looking forward to having fun with Abber and Craven…Speaking of whom, Craven is being a real sour lemon these days! I don’t think I’ve seen her smile once this year! She’s trying to be all ‘dark and brooding’ and stuff! Do you think you could have a chat with her too? I think she needs someone to talk to, but she never opens up to me or Abber…Could you do that for me? If you get her smiling again, I promise I won’t eavesdrop again until my fourteenth birthday! I swear on it!”

 

The night grew still for a moment. Nookit was practically leaning out of her window, eagerly awaiting God’s response.

 

Someone’s dog barked again. It sounded enough like a “yes” to ease her worried mind.

 

“Thanks, God…I can always count on you! I think I’m feeling a bit sleepier now. I’ll talk to you again in the morning, ok?”

 

Finishing up her goodnights to God; goodnights to the stars and the moon, the jackdaws and the breeze, Nookit reset her window to a slitted position, letting in a cool stream of fresh air so she could fall asleep faster.

 

Tomorrow would be a fun day, and it would only come quicker if she got her rest.

 

…….

The contractors moved about the seemingly endless backyard of the Ambernast Estate. From Opal House to Topaz House, countless men and women hired under the military’s request scurried with supplies in hand. Stands were erected in minutes; obstacle courses rose from the ground without effort, all thanks to the Terra Arcana users in the Winderwood Builder’s Guild- Their ability to bend the earth to their will proving most invaluable.

 

Animals came in by the wagon load; sheeps, goats, pigs and piglets, an entire petting zoo’s worth. 

 

The concessionaires took their time picking their locations on the grounds; the fresh smell of their ingredients coming to life filled the air, as the mid-morning Sun rose to usher in Field Day.

 

Lancelot admired the hasty setup. It paid to have the military’s financial support; sure beat having to scrounge for the extra coin herself. Such support would have been nice to have on many of her smaller missions with her fellow Celestials, but Master Aellius insisted on teaching the girls the value of a dollar- All funds had to be earned; every penny pinched for when the occasion called for it.

 

“Oh, the children will just love this!” Mother Almanac admired alongside her golden child. “I wish we could do something like this every year!”

 

If that so-called “Saint” wasn’t such a stingy bastard, every year wouldn’t be such a farfetched notion. Nevertheless, it wasn’t like the day was meant to be all fun and games. This was a test; Lancelot’s method for narrowing down her selection. The day would have it’s fill of festivities and games, sure, but there would also be trials; examinations; a way to weed out the weak, and scout out the worthy. 

 

“Sir Vitrus isn’t with you today?” Mother placed her hands atop Lancelot’s shoulders, an act that was more comforting when the young woman was shorter than the old lady; the difference in height made the gesture quite awkward now.

 

“Discord at the Capital.” Lancelot responded, “Said it was ‘too urgent’ to ignore. But his work was largely done anyway. His attendance would have been for his own enjoyment.”

 

“Oh, and how enjoyable it will be!” Mother clapped her hands like a giddy little school girl.

 

The elderly nun made it seem as though she, too, would be participating in the games. But Lancelot knew her excitement came from a place of motherly empathy. 

 

“I hear it's been quite glum around here recently.” Lancelot began, opening the door for her Mother to release the worries in her heart.

 

Mother’s gaze drifted off into the rising Sun; seeing within it, the sproutly silhouettes of all the little girls she’s raised over the years. Some found their ways into loving families, others made their own way in the world. And some of them, she failed; she failed to keep that light in their eyes. She failed to keep them optimistic in a grim world, and thus, they succumbed to the Shadows.

 

“The children are smart, that much I am proud to admit…” the woman began, her laments plucking the strings of her vocal chords; creating a sorrowful dissonance that could bring even the strongest of women to tears. “But their minds are a burden to themselves…It breaks my heart everyday, to see that beautiful thing; that fragile and purest thing called ‘innocence’, slowly dissolve away into a terrible rot…All from the little minds who can’t help but see and understand the dark path their world is taking…Do you know how many new children we get a year now, my dear?”

 

Lancelot could throw out a million guesses, none of which would hit the mark. But the point wasn’t to answer the question, it was to understand the fact of such a question existing in the first place. How, no matter what number you gave, the answer would always be “Too many”.

 

“The older girls have grown bitter,” Mother continued,  “afflicted by the sad sight of watching less of their sister’s leave, and more of them pour in. I’ve witnessed their eyes grow heavy with burden, taking on the responsibility that should belong to a parent. Then, there was the loss of our dear Queen Anthea upon the fresh years tidings; that certainly put a damper on everyone’s moods. Of course, the loss to the Devil and the fall of our dearest Celestials- May the Father hold them close, that definitely rocked a few hearts. And now the Global Alliance is falling apart and the world is plunging into further disarray…I’ve tried to stifle their curiosity as much as I could; trying to preserve that sweet, blissful ignorance of theirs…but I fear the days when children were left out of the fray are long gone…They’re more involved now then ever, and our little piece of Heaven here has become another dark reflection of the world they sought refuge from. If they can’t find peace here…then I believe I have failed them, yet again…” 

 

Wasn’t that just the truth these days. No, surely it was always the truth. It’s just that now, it could no longer be ignored. The truth was: Humanity had been plunging their own world- That beautiful gift from God, into the deepest pits of the Dark Layers since man first rose from the earth. And now, the evils of said corruption have finally become too great to ignore: A world on the brink of a second war, Divine Beasts falling to the hands of men, children hated solely for the context of their skin and bloodline- It was a world of light being suffocated in the murky tars of Hell. 

 

Salvation cried in the wind; humanity yearned for a Savior- Someone to put an end to the evil and bring the light back to the world. Lancelot had trained her whole life to prove this resolve to the only one who mattered. 

 

Looking up into His golden ball of a million warm hugs, she thought to call out to Him. Maybe He would respond now; now that her determination had reawakened stronger than ever before. Maybe if she called out to Him now, He would actually respond. Maybe He’d even come back, come back and fix the world that He made; the world He turned His back on. 

 

Lancelot shook her head. Such blasphemous thoughts were still bouncing around up there- Intrusions which only grew louder the longer she remained a Celestial. 

 

What if He never comes back? What if He doesn't want to come back? He certainly had good reason to retreat; to avert His eyes from the ugliness of His children, sleeping blissfully in that world above all worlds. But is that any reason for a God to forsake His people; to leave them to suffer? 

 

The path to a holy world had a lot of work to be done. Somewhere, from these grounds of festivity and fun, a Savior needed to emerge. Lancelot knew, with her questioning faith and broken body, she knew:

 

That a Saviour, she could be not.  

 

…….

Must her eyes deceive her so? Games, animals, food stands!!! Nookit felt her tiny heart bound to burst just looking at it all. It was real- Field Day was actually real! Oh, she could barely contain herself! Her fluffy tail, that wriggly little lady, not even the strongest men in all the land could hold it from flailing and flapping about.

 

“Ewww! Put that thing away, Nookit!”

 

Nookit’s elation was disturbed by the usual hurtful comment from her sister, Stefana. 

 

Hair crimson-deep like rubies; eyes as blue as the ocean, Stefana shined like the beauty of the world itself. And much like the world itself, her outer beauty only served to mask her ugly innards.

 

A cocky flip of her hair, a suave tilt of her hip, Stefana was ready to once again tell her little sister just how disgusting she was. “You’re whipping your fleas everywhere, puppy-dog! Tuck that thing away before you gross everyone out!”

 

Nookit held her tail; her cheeks burning with shameful blood, her eyes stinging with tears of hurt. “Sorry…” she whispered, not daring to look her sister in the eyes.

 

“Did Mother at least give you a bath before you were allowed to come out here? Listen, just stay away from the other animals, ok? I don’t want you getting everybody sick.”

 

Quiet streams rolled down Nookit’s cheek. She couldn’t even stand around and look at stuff without someone picking on her.

 

The world outside of herself reduced to static and white noise, as she tried her best to block it all out and retreat to her happy place: A meadow filled with pink and white Hibiscus flowers, brimming with chirping birds and bouncing baby bunnies, all protected by a massive tree stretching up into the clouds. It was her only way to flee, when the world came at her- Defenseless, and without a place to hide.

 

Stefana’s insults still found a way to breach through her paradise. Muffled slurs and the same “doggy” comments on repeat; they scared away the birds and forced the bunnies to hide. The mighty tree quivered, vibrating as if it wanted to rip from its roots and move far, far away. But none of them could go anywhere. Even in her happy place, Nookit was trapped.

 

But what’s this? There were two voices shouting now. Nookit opened her eyes to return to reality.

 

Abber had her finger pressed defiantly against Stefana’s perfect little forehead. Her cloud-white face was red with fury; spit flew from her tongue with every syllable stretched, every swear released. She was a demon, and her words summoned spite like a witch’s curse.

 

Stefana gave Abber the finger; then she flipped her hair; then she strutted away. It was all over, just that easily.

 

“What a bitch!” Craven spat from beside Nookit; when she even got there, only God knew the answer. “Hey, you ok?”

 

Nookit stared into her sister's magnified eyes. Emotion overwhelmed her, and it was all she could do to bury her button-nose into Craven’s dress of stitch and patches.

 

“Hey! Hey! Stop wiping your nose on me!”

 

“Come here, Nookie!” Abber demanded, spreading her arms out wide to receive the heartbroken girl. 

 

Abber’s hugs were even better than the Sun’s. They were like a vial of Revitalizing Waters, instantly healing even the deepest of wounds. 

 

“Remember what I told you?” Abber rubbed Nookit’s head, gently petting her like she knew the girl liked- Never too hard, never too soft, always in side-to-side strokes downward, then back-to-forth to round it all out.

 

“People are going to say nasty things to you because they’re dummies! You can yell at them, you can hit them, but you can never, ever, let them draw tears from your gorgeous little eyes.” Abber took her finger, that same finger that threatened to smite Stefana with a mere point, and used it to rub away her sister’s tears. “Stefana isn’t even worth a salt lick, let alone the precious minerals flowing from these gems of yours…Do you understand?”

 

Nookit nodded. She understood, and she wanted to practice what her big sister preached…but Nookit was hardly strong enough. She was small, she was feeble. She wasn’t “normal”. She had a tail, her ears twitched from a pindrop 60 yards away. She scratched herself with her foot when no one was watching, and tug-of-war spoke to the most primal corners of her brain. She was a blasphemy against God; an Altered born from the sin of her ancestors, and their wicked union with the Kitsune. She should be ashamed of herself…So it was hard not to cry whenever she was reminded of such a crime. That she…was such…a crime.

 

The sound of crashing thunder shook the air at the center of the yard. Children screamed and panicked before a booming voice ordered for everyone to remain calm.

 

The culprit for the ruckus was a tall woman, like one and a half Nookit’s tall. Her hair stood on end, charged with the aftermath of a lightning spell. Her grin was all teeth and no chill. She wore a blue and white striped jumper; the circus clown vibes were practically screaming.

 

“Sorry for the spook!” she roared, “I just wanted to get all your attentions! Ahem…Welcome, beautiful young ladies of St. Ambernast’s, to your very own Field Day!!! My name is Velm-Luza, the space is very important! I’m with the Winderwood Local Performing Troupe- Fish Out Of Water! We have all manner of exciting games and activities for you all to get into today, as well as several live shows starting at noon, and happening every three hours around the field grounds! But, before we get into any of that, I’d like you all to listen up to our very, very special guest! This is the woman who made this event possible, and she would like to explain a few of today’s activities! My Lady, the stage is all yours!”

 

The electrified woman passed her speaking-trumpet to the same golden-haired knight Nookit had been spying for the last few days. Watching her take the stage, her crutches functioning not as a liability, but as an extension of herself, Nookit cursed her tail for wagging on its own again. 

 

Velm-Luza offered her shoulder to the golden knight, which she accepted after a quick protest. “H-hello, girls. It’s a pleasure to finally get to speak to you all.”

 

The golden woman seemed a little nervous to be the center of attention. Imagining she had stage fright only made her more endearing to Nookit- Who quickly found herself becoming the biggest fan of the woman who’s name she didn’t even know.

 

“You know, I grew up here at St. Ambernast’s, just like all of you. I frolicked in these same fields, and goofed off in the same woods. I wasn’t the most well-behaved child, but…this place accepted me nonetheless. That makes it special to me…and that makes all of you special to me. You’re all my sisters, even if this is our first meeting. That is why, I wanted to throw this party, as a celebration to all of you.”

 

The golden woman’s voice took on a more serious tone. She really leaned into her trumpet, bringing it as close to her mouth as she could so no words would miss it’s funnel.

 

“Listen, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. I’m not going to talk down to you all like you’re too young or naive to know anything. Right now: The world sucks. It’s utter Hell. Chaos is winning, and desire is consuming the hearts of men. There is turmoil, and there is great pain. It’s hard, in times like this, to enjoy a little fun, when a little fun is desperately needed. Regardless, I want you all to really cut loose today. Forget your worries, forget those woes. Forget the world outside of this place. Focus on each other. Focus on the full day of fun that’s ahead of you. Cherish this time with your sisters; let it really nourish your heart. Let it strengthen you, let it make you unbreakable! We’ve got a long road ahead of us to a better world, so we all must be strong so we can make it to that point! In the name of strength, I have prepared a series of events which will take place over the course of the day! These events will test your might, they will test your skill, and they will test your resolve! I urge you, beg you, implore you, to give these games everything you’ve got! Prove to yourself that you are strong! Prove to your sisters that you will not let this, or any world, crush you and bring harm to them! Today, we rebel against this evil world, and we’ll do it…with fun and festivities!!!”

 

Seeing her opportunity to energize the crowd, Velm-Luza lifted her hand to the sky and cast a beautiful spell, filling the airspace above the children with a dancing lightshow of bolts and beams.

 

“Go off and enjoy yourselves!!!” the golden-haired woman continued, “And when these games present themselves, please, participate in them with hearts full of spite- Spite against a world that wants to see you struggle!!! In God’s light we move forward, now go have FUN!!!”

 

And with that divine voice ringing through the air, the field grounds erupted to life. Children scattered to the first things which caught their eyes. Games spurred to action, and food stands began pumping out concessions like there was no tomorrow.

 

“Eeeeeeee!!! Come on, Nookie!! Let’s go find some cookies!!” Abber squealed, tugging her sister’s arm.

 

Nookit wasn’t at the field day. She wasn’t even in her happy place. She was trapped, captivated. Watching the golden woman’s hair blow through the wind, she felt she could see God praising the golden visage, cradling her like the most precious gem in all the Four Worlds.

 

In that moment, she whispered to God. She whispered, and prayed she would get an answer as soon as the wind blew.

 

She asked Him, eyes shining with wonder: “What…is her name?”