A bird sings a soft song somewhere in the distance as I breath in the fresh air. The cold autumn breeze caresses me like a blanket. I lay on the ground, watching as orange and yellow leafs fall and land near me. The trees become bare, branches extending out like arms that want to grab me.

I wish it could happen like that. I wish the trees would just engulf me in their branches, making me one with nature. It's a much more beautiful way to leave this world than the inevitable end I am destined to have.

And it is not just me. Everybody has known that one day they will perish. Every person must leave to make room for the generation following them, and people have accepted that. But nobody should have to lose their life in such an ugly way.

So here I sit with a troubled mind. I look to nature, to the earth, and to whatever god there may be out there for help, but nothing answers my call. My mother always told me I was special as a child but I never expected this in a life. I was chosen by some greater force, but for what I am not sure.

The only thing I know is that the end is near. The end is very near.

My mother died when I was only five years old. I remember her well actually. She is still with me though, just not physically. She is in the locket I wear every day. The one she gave to me, and the one with her picture in it. She is my heart, and in my dreams. She is inside my dad, and she is in the breakfast I make every morning. But most of all, she is in the nature that surrounds me, even the sunlight.

Ever since my mom died I have been in charge. My dad took it really hard, not being able to feel mom anymore. I have taken care of him ever since the day she was gone, even at five years of age. I was the strong one for him.

My mother always told me I was special. I figured it was just a mom thing. Every mom tells their daughter they are special. I didn't realize what she really meant until the day I turned sixteen.

******

I wake up at 5:45 A.M. Just like every other morning. I don't bother with an alarm anymore, it's natural for me to wake up now. I tiptoe to the kitchen and start a pot of coffee. For a moment i stand, watching and listening to the rain that pattered down on our small kitchen window. I opened the window leading to the old fire escape and smell the fresh rain before I head to the bathroom to take a warm shower.

I wrap myself in my short, white bathrobe and walked to my room, drying my hair on the way there. Once at my closet I grab out a long sleeved, blue striped shirt and an old pair of jeans. After I get dressed I walk over to my vanity and open the small jewelry box that lay on the surface. I pull out the heart shaped locket, connected to a gold chain. For a moment I just hold it in my hand, just touching it, but eventually pull it around my neck.

Turning to the mirror I work on taming my hair. The dark black loops friz everywhere, making it virtually impossible to style it in any way. After some effort I just dry it and leave it be. I started to decorate my face with makeup, starting with foundation and some powder. Then I added mascara and a little bit of eyeliner, making my bright blue eyes pop. After looking in the mirror I decide on adding a little bit of blush, just so I didn't look so pale.

"Well, that's as good as it's gonna get," I whisper to myself. I walk into the hall of our small apartment to find my dad, sneaking into the kitchen.

“Dad?” I asked. He turned surprised.

“Violet?!? I thought I told you to sleep in! You make it so hard for me to surprise you!” He whined. I laughed at him.

“Sorry dad. My bad, I didn’t mean to ruin your plans.” I joked. He smiled faintly as I walked towards him.

“Happy Birthday sweetheart.”

“Thanks dad.” I stopped and gave his a hug. He bent over and softly kissed the top of my head. I pulled away and headed towards the full coffee pot. I grabbed down two cups and poured a glass for the both of us.

“What do you want for breakfast?” I asked setting a cup down in front of my dad.

“What are you talking about? It’s your 16th birthday! We are going out!”

“You and I both know we don’t have the money for that.”

“I’ve been saving.” He replied, looking a bit ashamed.

“Dad, really, I don't need-”

“Violet, it is your 16th birthday. I know its been hard lately, and I know I haven’t been the best father-”

“Dad don’t.” I tried to stop him.

“No, let me finish. I just...wish i could do more. Please just, let me do this.” I was about to argue more couldn’t after seeing the broken look in his eyes. I sighed in defeat.

“Ok fine, let me get my jacket.” I walked to my room and to my closet. I searched and found my old jean jacket with wool lining. I turned to leave when I noticed a small box on my bed. The figure of my father appeared in the door.

“What is this?” I had walked over to my bed and picked up the box. It was old and made of a heavy wood. Somebody had carved delicate designs into the surface but they had long since been splintered and flawed. I turned it over in my hands and found a key hole.

“Your mom gave it to me bofe she died. She told me to give it to you on your 16th birthday. I’ve tried finding the key but nothing I have fits. Sorry.” I looked up and saw tears forming in my dads eyes, making tears form in my eyes. I dropped the box back on the bed and walked over to him.

“Thankyou. Its perfect.” I thanked him, wrapping my arms around him. He let out a soft sob just as a silent tear fell down my cheek. He squeezed me tightly.

“Lets go get some breakfast.” He spoke after a moment of silence but he never let go of me.

“Yeah,” I said into his chest. “Lets go.”

*****

I was climbing into the front seat of my old pick-up truck. We had just finished breakfast and headed to the DMV. My dad was in the passenger seat, giddy.

“Show it to me!” I handed him my wallet so he could see my newly earned drivers license. “I’m so proud of you Violet.”

“It’s just a license dad, it’s nothing special.”

“Well sure it is! You can now, officially, drive yourself places without me here to bother you.”

“You dont bother me.” I smiled as I started backing out.

“So,” Dad  asked as we pulled onto the main road. “What are your plans for the rest of your birthday?”

“I was just gonna chill at home with you. Maybe finish my book.”

“On your 16th birthday?! Why not hang out with Christa and Trevor? Go see a movie or something?”

“I hung out with them last week and they already celebrated with me at school.”

“Violet, it is not only a Saturday but it is your birthday! Don't feel like you have to stay at home with your boring dad. Go out, do something fun!” I glanced over at his smiling face just as I started through the intersection. Just in time to see the car speeding towards us with no stop.

“Dad!” I scream, trying to swerve out of the way, but it was too late.Time seemed to slow down. The loud crash of shattering glass and bending medal. Our car being pushed by the other, newer truck. The air bag slammed into my body, but it was too late for me.

I slowly slipped into darkness.

******

I heard the mute, monotone beeps and flowing air around me. My eyes opened a sliver to a bright light. Too bright. I blink a few times, adjusting to the light and look around.

Where am I? I thought. Is that, a heart monitor?  I saw the IV in my arm and the band on my wrist. I felt the tube wrapped around my face, breathing for me. Oh god, am I in a hospital? What happen-

The memories came rushing back to me as I thought it. My birthday, the car, dad. I shot up into a sitting position. My head was spinning but I couldn’t get the thought out of my head.

“Dad,” I whispered, first to myself. “Dad? DAD!” I was screaming in hysterics. “DADDY! DAD, WHERE ARE YOU? DAD!” Tears flow down my face. A nurse burst into my room, yelling for the doctor. She wrapped her arm around me, trying to sooth me and tell me to lay down but I wasn’t listening. All I could do was cry out for my dad. My vision was blurring as I saw the doctor rush in. “Dad,” I sobbed. “Dad im sorry.” I felt a slight sting at the back of my neck then my body started weakening. Blackness started to engulf my vision.

“Dad,” I started to mumble. “Daddy please, im...sorry-”

******

I was sitting in the car again, but this time I wasn’t driving. My dad sat in the passenger seat smiling at me.

“Dad!” I exclaimed. I tried to hold him, but it was no use. My hand passed through his body, sweeping him away in a whisp.

“Violet.” His voice soothed, even as he began to disappear into a foggy cloud of vapor. Tears started to pour from my eyes. I lay my head in the seat where my father had just been sitting.

“We love you Violet.” My mothers voice had joined his. I looked towards the sounds of their voices to see two doves, barely noticeable in the glow of a brilliant, white light. “Don’t you forget that.”

The light became brighter and brighter until the other car came crashing through again. Time slowed as I tumbled through the car. I watched as the gold locket around my neck slowly fall off and float in front of me. It opened to the picture of my mom, her straight, black hair caressing her face, making her dark eyes shine. And now a picture of my dad accompanied it on the other side. His curly brown hair falling in his bright blue eyes.

The locket closed again when something happened to it. Something came out of the bottom. I looked closer. I only got a glimpse before my vision was covered in red.

A key?

The image of an old, wooden box flashed into my head.

A key

******

I once again awoke to the sound of a heart monitor and machines designed to keep me alive. I opened my eyes in stages just as I had before. I was propped up in a hospital bed. A nurse stood at the end of it looking at a clip board.

“Um,” I started. The nurse looked up at me, a pleased smile playing at her lips.

“Oh good, you’re awake. I will go get the doctor.” I coughed, my throat feeling dry. As if reading my mind the nurse turned back to me. “Here is some water while you’re waiting.” She set a plastic water bottle down on a small tray.

I reached for it as the nurse was leaving but just let my hand fall. I stare up at the ceiling, not knowing what to think. I hoped, beyond all hopes, that my dad had somehow survived, but deep down I knew. I lifted my head to the sound at the door.

A tall, thin man walked in wearing scrubs a white coat. His spiked up hair seemed black at first but when he walked in the light I saw it was a deep blue. When I looked at his eyes they were a bright green and gold, his pupils only slivers like a cats.

“Doctor?” I asked confused and even scared. A darkness seemed to be emanating from him. He walked quickly to my bedside and wrapped his hand around my neck.

“Where is it?” He hissed, in a literal way. His tongue was split like a snakes and darted out between razor teeth. I gasped, my eyes widening in fear.

“What-” His hand tightened around my neck and I could feel sharp claw like nails seep into my skin. A fire seemed to light in his eyes. Even his skin seemed more translucent the closer he got.

“Answer me!” He growled. “Where is the box?”

Just then another man walked into the room, the real doctor. “What the-” The man spun around, releasing me from his grip for a moment. The real doctor was turning away, rushing for help but the man was to fast.

In seconds my attacker was behind the real doctor. I watched as he stab his whole hand right through the doctors chest and rip his heart out, dropping it on the floor. I heard distant screams from the hall as I ripped the IV from my arm. The man turned back to me slowly, a thin smile forming on his face.

I tried to run but he was already grabbing my neck again. I guess it was just my luck that I wasn’t quick enough. Either that or it was fate because the IV needle still dangled from my fingers.

“WHERE IS IT?” He yelled. “TELL ME!” I tightened my grip on the needle and jabbed it as far as I could into his neck.

He screamed in rage and dropped me. I choked for air then looked up at him. He was pulling the needle from his neck. Without thinking I rolled under the bed to the other side and ran for the door.

The halls were empty aside from two security guards coming from each hall. I half ran, half fell to one of them. I could feel my body weakening and really started to feel the toll from the crash but I had to survive, that was all I could do now.

“Please! Help me,” I fell into the arms of one of the security guards. I looked down at the arm that held me then pushed it away, letting myself fall to the floor. His black skin was really scales, his nails jagged, white claws. I look to his face to see his eyes were pure white, the only color were a few red blood vessels coiling out from the corners of his eyes. He didn’t have a nose, just two black holes and his mouth seemed to be sewn shut.

I tried turning to the other security guard only to find another horror. Her eyes a mix of black and red, no pupils. Her skin seemed to shine in the light, and like the others she had long jagged claws for nails. Her long curly hair was white besides for a blue tint. She smiled at me, revealing not one but two rows of razor sharp teeth that seemed to stretch from ear to ear.

I tried backing away but only ran into my first problem. Thick, black blood oozed from his neck where I had stabbed him. I drop landed on me and sizzled, burning my skin. He had taken off the white coat and I now saw the sharp spikes protruding from his knuckles and arms. He once again wrapped his hand around my neck. He lifted me from the floor and slammed my body onto the wall. I could feel the plaster cracking beneath me.

Blackness threatened to engulf me but I knew if there was any hope for me to survive I couldn’t let it take me.

But why would you even want to survive? Half of me asked. You have nobody now. Why not just let them kill you? Join mom and dad, yeah. That would be nice. I closed my eyes, slowly letting the blackness take me as I heard the distant threats of the man. Yeah, that would be nice.

Just...let….go…

My eyes split open onto the man's harsh face. No. They wouldn’t want you to go like this. Think Violet, there has to be something you can do. I gripped the wall with my hand, searching for something, anything, but even as I did it i could feel the energy draining from me.

This is it. I thought. This is the end.  I couldn't fight anymore. I had taken my final breath.

I stare off at a mirror down the hall, about to finally fall to the darkness when I saw a slight movement. White smoke began to fill the hall. The man's grip loosened and I fell to the ground, gasping for air only to choke on the smoke.

I saw a brilliant flash of bright sparks and black ash come from beside me, then another a few feet away. Right where I had last seen the security guards. The man standing over me cowered defensively.

“Where are you?” He purred, looking prepared to dash incase something came after him. I saw the silver flash before her did but he was still able to dodge a fatal blow. His arm did end up falling to the floor next to me, black ooze seeping from it starting to form a puddle. It flailed like a fish out of water, steaming hot black ooze splattering everywhere and burning holes in my skin.

I tried to move away from the creature and the smoke and everything but it was no use. I was choking on what little oxygen was left in the smoke with no avail. I was fading fast. I wish so desperately that the darkness just take me already but once again I was just barely saved.

A pair of arms wrapped around me, gently picking me up as if I was a child again. A type of breathing mask was wrapped around my face. I tried opening my eyes but they seemed almost glued shut.

“Get her out of here.” A stern voice ordered as I was set on some sort of plank.

“Yes sir,” a female voice replied. “Dont worry.” It said as we started moving. “You’re safe now.”

As if those words reassured me, I let myself slowly drift off.

“How is she doc?” The voice sounded distant. It was female. She sounded worried for some reason. “It’s been a week, I don’t know how much longer they will allow her to stay here.”

A flustered voice answered, sounding closer this time.

“She has almost completely healed she just hasn't woken up. This isn’t something I can rush, we just have to be patient.”

“We don’t have the time to be patient!” The voice sounded frustrated. It was a guy this time.

Slowly I became more conscious of what was happening. I started to feel the soft mattress beneath me and the scratchy blanket pulled to my waist. I was suddenly aware of bandages wrapped around my left shoulder, chest, and ribs.

“Why don’t I just wake her up now.” The same angry voice threatened.

“Drake, dont do anything stupid.” The first voice warned. I slowly cracked my eyes open. “Look, she’s waking up.”

I saw a blur of orange, yellow, and a little bit of brown. I blinked a few times, clearing my vision to find myself surrounded by a canopy of tree branches, yellow and orange leaves floating down from above me. Sun was shining through the branches to light the room.

A face moved into view, blocking my vision. I was guessing this was Drake. He had sleek black hair that was spiked up into a short type of mohawk. He had smooth, cream colored skin. His eyes were a bright lime green with gold flecks in them, making them seem to glow.

“Good,” he remarked looking down at me. “You are finally awake, now lets go.”

Drake grabbed my wrist and started to pull me up. I winced in pain as he pulled my shoulder. Pain seared through me. A girl who had near by jumped up and grabbed Drakes arm.

“What the hell is wrong with you?!?” I recognized her as the first voice. She had long pure white hair with teal blue streaks running through it. It was pulled up into two curly pigtails. Her skin was so pale it was almost white, making her eyes shine. Her eyes were a mix of teal blue and silver. She wore a short dress with a black corset. The top was white flower petals reaching out to thin sleeves hanging over her shoulders. The same petals, mixed with green leaves hung down to make the short skirts. She was beautiful, but thats not what i was mesmerized by. A pair of translucent wings rested on her back.

“Doc,” Drake said, looking past the girl. “I thought you said she was healed!” I felt a rough hand on my shoulder.

I looked over the see the creature they called doc. “I said she was almost healed.” She said, a scowl on her face as she corrected Drake. Her skin was tree bark and her hair a long braid of orange and yellow leaves. Her eyes were a mix of glowing orange, yellow, and black. She wore a white lab coat though it didn’t seem like she had anything on under it.

“She has been up for 5 seconds and you are already trying to drag her to the council?!” The first girl cut in.

“They said-” he tried to respond only to be interrupted.

“I don’t care what they said! They have been waiting a week, they can wait 5 more minutes.”

“Look-”

“No, you can wait outside.” She crossed her arms over her chest and moved to separate the bed from him. He tried to move around her but she stood her ground. “Now go.” She ordered. After a moment he turned angrily to leave. I watched as he walked through a curtain of hanging leaves.

“Sorry about that,” Doc gently told me after he was gone. “Drake can be-”

“A total asshole?” The other girl chimed in. “Hi, my name is Alice.”

“I was going to say overbearing but that works too.” Doc replied to her interruption.

“Where am I?” I asked looking around the room. It was long room with rows of empty beds. The walls were a series of trees grown closely next to each other making seamless walls. An arch of hanging leaves made the door drake left out of and the ceiling were the arching branches I awoke to.

“Well right now you are in an infirmary.” Doc told me, turning her back to me. “Here, drink this, it should ease the pain in your arm.” She held out a small, wooden cup that I took from her hands. I took a sip of the thick, warm liquid. It was very herbal and sweet. slowly the pain eased from the shoulder. “How do you feel?” She asked once I took a sip.

“Better, thanks. But thats not really what I meant. Where am I? What is going on? How did I get here.?” I looked to Alice who in turn exchanged a nervous glance with Doc.

“Look,” Alice started, “I know you have a lot of questions but I can't explain right now. I know you just woke up but our council needs to see you. They will explain everything you need to know.” She smiled kindly at me. “Now lets get you dressed. You can’t go see the counsel like that!” I must have still looked worried. “It’s ok Violet. You are safe now.”

After a moment of thought I agreed to meet their ‘council’. While Doc settled herself at a desk in the corner Alice helped me stand and find a shade I could dress behind. While in bed I had only been wearing the bandages wrapped around my chest and my underwear. Now waiting for me was a skirt of white flower petals like the one on Alice’s dress. They didn’t have an actual top for me to put over the bandages, just a sheer white robe that draped to the floor. There was small designs weaved throughout the robe. I tried to admire the craftsmanship but could only notice the bruises lining my arms and peaking out of the bandages. I walked around the cloth stand back to Alice. She was standing there with a brush in her hands.

“Do you mind if I do your hair?” She asked.

“You can try.” I smiled. She ushered me to a seat. It sat in front of a wall of falling water that acted as a mirror. My hair was a big mess of tangles and curls. They almost masked the bruise that formed on the side of my face. Also there was small pink circles where burns had almost healed.

I noticed Alice looking at me with pity as she started brushing my hair. I forced a smile on my face but she still only smiled back in pity. She somehow managed to brush the tangles out of my hair and put it into a loose side ponytail. It framed my face just enough to hide the bruise and most of the small scars.

I looked at the ‘mirror’ in astonishment. “How did you do that? I can barely run a brush through my hair without loosing it.” Alice laughed softly, leaning down next to me.

“Im glad you like it. Now lets go. We shouldn’t keep the council waiting any longer.”

“What is the council?” I asked, turning away from the mirror and facing her. “Look Alice, you seem really nice and all but I have no clue whats going on right now. This is all just so confusing.”

“I know,” Alice replied, looking at me with a sort of pity in her smile. “Trust me, I know how confused you must be. I mean, you have lived in the human world with no clue your entire life and now you wake up in a magical land where people are made of wood and have wings.” She stretched her wings a bit over her shoulders so I could see them. “But you just have to trust me when I say the council will explain everything.”

I was hesitant but finally followed Alice through the curtain of leaves that Drake had gone through. He was waiting on the other side resting his back on the wall of trees that continued to make a long, wide hallway.

I studied Drake for a moment. He wore floor length black cargo pants that tucked into combat boots. He wore a long vest of what looked like separate scraps of brown fabric that were stitched together. He didn’t have a shirt on under the vest, showing off his ripped upper body. I searched for some sign of inhumanity but he seemed completely normal.

“Finally.” He complained at the sight of us. “I was about to go in there and drag you out. Now lets go.” He started down the hallway. Alice rolled her eyes then gestured for me to follow. Alice fell in step with Drake while I walked a few paces behind them.

We walked in silence. I took the time to study my surroundings. The place seemed like a castle but everything was made of the environment or nature. Grand pictures hung on the wall but they were all colored of leaves and berries, the frames made of twigs. Every door was an arch in the tree’s covered by a curtain of leaves. Sun seeped in from the branched ceiling in patches of light, illuminating the corridor.

We cut off into a smaller hall that soon led into a big open space.  It was empty aside from a giant door made of tree branches and curving twigs that interlocked into an intricate design. Two 10 foot tall guards that were made completely of wood and branches stood guard at the door. I would have thought they were statues until they moved to open the tall doors. Alice and Drake had stopped and turned to me.

“Go ahead.” Alice instructed me. “I will be waiting here when you are done.” I took a deep breath then walked through the doors.

The room was round with 14 connecting walls, one wall was the door alone. The walls where the same tight-knit unit of trees but connecting each wall were 12 thick, ancient looking tree. Their bar branches looked like veins running through the colored leaves that formed the roof. Each of the older trees branches spiralled together in the middle of the roof creating a dome. A small ray of light came from the ceiling right in the center of the room, making the surrounding areas seem a bit dimmer.

“Hello?” I asked as the heavy doors creaked closed behind me.

“Violet,” A deep yet gentle voice boomed in my head. The voice itself seemed to surround me instead of coming from a single place or person. A small breeze began to flow through the room but i did not know where it came from.

“Council?” I questioned.

“Yes. We are the council.” I looked around, looking for something that might resemble a real council when I realized the council was the ancient trees that held the walls together.

“The trees?” I whispered to myself.

“Yes. Twelve ancient trees that hold these walls together.” The breeze that had formed was now a slow wind, rattling the leaves on the ceiling and breaking them off their branches. The wind swirled them together into the form a person, neither male or female but simply a figure I could somewhat recognize.

“Welcome Violet.” The voice still surrounded me but at the same time I knew it came from the being that stood tall in front of me. “Step forward child, into the light.” The council urged. I moved into the bright ray of light in the center of the room. It moved towards me and brushed its hand across my cheek. All I felt was a soft breeze on my cheek.

“You look just like your mother.”

“My mother? You knew my mother?” I questioned excitedly.

“Your mother, believe it or not, was very important in this world.”

“This world?” I looked at The Council hesitantly.

“Yes.” The being moved aside to show the small trees that formed the wall splitting apart into a round window. “This is Malpendium.”

I walked forward and looked down onto the new world. A crystal blue river ran through a community built out of the forest. Houses and shacks were built into hills or around entire trees. Small dirt paths connected the community. There were people roaming paths with baskets of food. Children chased each other. People, or creatures were flying and swimming in the water. Families with blue skin or people made of wood lounged together in valley’s. Kids were swimming in the water with tails. People dangled from trees and floated above houses.

“How did my mother-?” I began to ask, still watching the world beyond.

“Your mother was a princess in this world, and your grandparents the King and Queen.”

“Thats impossible, my mother would have-”

“Your mother ran away to the human world when she was 16. Soldiers of Malpendium were sent to find her and bring her safely home but it was too late. When she was finally discovered she had made a new life with your father.”

“My father?”

“Yes. Your mother was allowed to the human world once before she ran away. She fell in love with your father instantly. They ran away together and had you. When we found her we made an agreement. In exchange for her and her families freedom, you would be brought home at your coming of age.”

“Home?” I asked in shock, turning to look at the council. “This is the first time I have ever been here. I have no idea what you are or what's going on. This is not home.”

“I know Violet. We never expected you to drop everything and come back. On your mother's death bed she put all of her memories in a box and told your father to give it to you on your 16th birthday. It was part of the deal. She told us when the time came you would know how to open it.”

“How is that even possible? My mother was human.”

“She was a royal. When she went to the human world she changed her original form and took on the form you remember. Violet I can’t tell you everything of our world, you must learn on your own. Your mothers memories were saved to become yours and when they do you will be expected to decide.”

“Decide what?”

“When your mother left, her majesty the king and queen heartbroken. they tried to rule on but most of the responsibilities were left to me. It is harder now. The people of our land struggle. We need a leader.”

“Why cant you just choose somebody else?”

“It doesn’t work like that in this world. The royals aren’t just people or senators, royals are a  special being, a new person entirely. Your mother and her family were one of the most powerful among the light.”

“The light?”

“Yes. Not all of us are a peaceful being. Do you remember anything from the hospital?”

“If you are talking about the monsters who tried to kill me then yes, I remember.”

“Well to every good thing in the universe there must be a opposition. In our world we are the Belfestia, creature of all things light and good. Those monsters from the hospital where Grellium, creatures of all things dark and bad. Ever since your mother left and the king and queen withdrew into themselves we have been in a constant struggle against the Grellium. We need a leader, we need a royal.”

“Look, i’m sorry but i just don't see how I can possibly help. I’m just a human girl, there is nothing special about me.”

“There is more to you than you know. We will not force you to rule over us, but if you could just see your moms memories, maybe you could understand.”

I took a moment to think about it, considering the consequences. “Ok. I will look at her memories but I can't promise you anything. I dont even have the box.”

“Dont worry.” The Council seemed to almost sigh the words in relief. “We recovered the box from your house. We were planning to introduce you to Malpendium slower but nobody was expecting the accident to occur like it did. All you have to do is open it.”

I heard a loud crash and turned to see the big doors opening behind me. Alice walked in holding the small wooden box my dad had given me earlier. I walked forward, meeting her halfway and taking the box from her hands.

“You can open it?” I heard the council ask from behind me. Looking at the box I saw the small key-hole.

“Yes,” I replied. I felt around my neck for my mothers locket but it was gone. “But i need my locket. That is the key, thats how I can open it.”

“The locket? We never found a locket, it must still be in the human world.” The council paced, turning away from me. It seemed worried.

“Well thats fine. I can just go back to...my world, and find it.”

“No, don’t you remember? The Grellium wanted the box to destroy it. They will do anything to keep you from getting those memories. For years the Grellium have been trying to gain power. They want to take Malpendium for their own, and then maybe even the human world. With your mother gone they have been getting stronger. What you saw of the Belfestia is all that is left. The Grellium will do anything to keep you from that box now that you know the truth of this world.”

“So what are we supposed to do? Try and force it open?”

“No. Who knows what will happen if the box is damaged. I will send my best soldiers to retrieve the locket.”

“It’s not that simple. I lived with this locket my whole life and there has never been anything suspicious about it, I have to do something to it, I have to...”

“You have to what?”

“I have to finish making the key. My mother, when she made the box, she knew...she knew this would happen, she knew my father would die the way he did. Thats how she knew I could find the way to open the box.” As I pieced it together The Council was moving closer.

“If I send you back to the human world can you get the key?” The council’s voice was gravely serious. I looked up into the small black pits that were its eyes.

“Yes. I know I can.” The council seemed hesitant before it replied.

“Then Drake and Alice will guard you back to your world and help you find the key.” I turned to look at Alice who was standing in the doorway. “Victoria.” I turned back to the Council, the being of leaves was slowly blowing away in the breeze and the council was again a group of 12 trees. “I am trusting you with the lives of my people. Please. Be safe.” The last of the leaves had blown away.

“I will, council.” I looked down at the box, now determined to find out my mothers secrets. “I promise.”