Disclaimer: I own nothing.

This is a fanfic that occurs after the ninth book. I might be rather irregular in postings, but I'll try to get things up as soon as possible. The thing is, I've written this story a bit out of order, and I need to go back and write some parts before I post the things I have. This first chapter is the only one completely finished so far.

Let me know what you think!


Birth

It was only a few days after Nora had jumped into the swirling black hole when the Dark Liege sensed the new presence in the Elite Area. She had been feeling the magic gathering in that area for a while, but she wasn't sure what to make of it. It wasn't like the magic had stayed there. The only reason it was odd was because of the amount of magic that was going through that area everyday, when there was hardly anyone there anymore. Everybody was mourning for Nora; he might not be dead, but he was gone, and nobody knew where. The Elite Area had always been thought of as his area, and people were reluctant to go there. Even Rivan tended to fish in the human world more often these days.

Today was different. The magic had swirled tighter and tighter, making a ball of some sort. And then the Dark Liege felt the magic become one. There was something new in the Elite Area, someone new.

The Dark Liege knew exactly what had happened; she had felt this sort of thing before. What she couldn't figure out was how it was possible.

Nora was still alive, so how was it possible that another Cerberus had been born?

"Kain," she said hurriedly. "We need to go to the Elite Area. Now!"

"What is it your Majesty?" Kain asked, alarmed by the urgency of her tone. But the Dark Liege was ignoring him, already headed out the door. He hurried to follow her.

She entered the Elite Area and paused. Kain caught up to her and asked again. "Did something happen?"

"Yes," she replied simply. She walked forward slowly, looking around. Kain looked around too, searching for any change. Had somebody broken in?

The Dark Liege used her sense of the stream to find the source of the magic she was feeling. It led her forward, forward...

She finally stopped. There, sleeping under a tree, was a puppy.

Kain spotted it. "Is that...?" He trailed off.

The Dark Liege approached it slowly. It was all white except for it's paws, which were jet black. Even the snakes that made up it's tail were white.

"It's a Cerberus," the Dark Liege said. She reached down and picked it up. It yawned, showing sharp little teeth. It's eyes remained closed though, and it slumbered on.

"Does that mean Nora's dead?" Kain asked, alarmed.

The Dark Liege shook her head. She would know if Nora was dead and she was sure he wasn't. There were two Cerberus' now.

The puppy shifted in her arms, turning around and stretching it's legs into the air. "It's a girl," she noted with some surprise. Girl Cerberus' were rare.

The Cerberus finally opened her eyes. Her eyes were red and gold, like all the Cerberus'. Staring into their depths, she spoke without thinking. "Arina."

"Pardon?" Kain asked, not understanding.

"Her name," the Dark Liege said, suddenly sure that is what she had meant, though she wasn't sure how she knew. "Her name is Arina."

"What do we do with her?" Kain asked.

"We raise her, just like all Cerberus' have been raised." The Dark Liege hesitated, hugged the puppy to her chest, and then put it back down on the grass. She was scared: scared for what happened to Nora, scared of what this new Cerberus meant. She wasn't sure what to think of Arina, or how she should be raised. "This area is now restricted, even to the General Class. Only you or I may enter this area for now. Not even Rivan should be allowed to sneak in—not until we can get her settled, and figure out how, or if, we should tell others about her."

"Yes, Ma'am," Kain said. He cast one long look at the Cerberus before he turned to follow the Dark Liege. She looked so small and innocent now, but so had Nora, when he was little. What would Arina be like? Would she be like Nora, or Deigree, or would she be her own person? Would she be co-operative?

Would she care about both the worlds?


Questions? Comments? Review, and I promise to reply!

So this is the scene where our main character, Arina, was born. This fanfic will follow her life, from birth to the resolution of the conflict, which you find out about in later chapters. Also, I know this chapter is very short, and I'm sorry. Most of the other chapters are longer, but this one was more of a prologue than a chapter.

Anyway, I'm rambling. Hope you like my story!

Stay Fantastic!
~Moql'nkkn