I was working on a project, using a candle for light, late into the night, quill scratching against paper, when someone rapped on my door. I look up from my work annoyed by the interruption and put down my pen.
"Who dares to disturb me?" I call,
"Just a messenger." came the reply.
"Come in then and tell me what news have you."
The heavy wooden door was moved out of the way and in stepped a boy of 12 years old or less, he wore dark jeans and a shirt with two holes in it for his small jet black wings.
"Spit it out, I don't have all night."
"Well, your father has a mission for you, and wishes to see you immediately."
"Ah, I see, well good job with the massage for someone of your age."
I toss him a small ruby for his work after standing (now don't freak out will you our clan is by far the richest clan in our history. A history that I should say dates back thousands of years.) I walk down long corridors of black stone lit only by a torch hear and there, and runes line the walls, the runes that tell of our clans history. I reach the silver door and push it open. Inside the room stood a small group of spell casters they see me and bow I respond with a nod of my head, they stand back up and walk out of the room. At the head of the room stood a large throne made of vines and shells, in the throne sat my father…yes my father is the leader of our clan. You would not know it by looking at him but he is over one hundred years old but he looks only twenty, black hair cropped short and eyes as blue as the sea. I kneel down bowing my head.
"You sent for me father?" I said looking up.
"Yes, and I trust the message got to you?" he asked in response.
"Yes father. But what do you wish of me."
"I need you to kill this boy…Yusie Fudo."
He hands me a picture of a boy with black hair and gold streaks, his face is marked with gold, and eyes that were a clear blue. But I have never questioned my father…maybe I should have.
"It will be done." I said, than stood turning to leave.
"Shetaras." My father called.
"Yes father." I said turning back to him.
"Be sure no one is around to see you."
"Yes father."
"Now go."
I took of running down the halls, I was finally going to the surface.
The surface was everyone in the clans dream, but barely anyone is allowed up any more. I run into my room grabbed my daggers and bag, turned and headed for the surface. Outside the doors of our tunnels was the satellite, and this is where I will find Yusie Fudo. Spreading feathery black wings and with a dull thud I climb into the air. I see my target instantly and swooping down as fast as my form would have, grabbed him and flue high back into the air unseen except for one black feather that floated softly to the ground.
"What do you want with me?" Yusie shouted over the wind.
"Well you see, my father wants you dead I don't know why so don't ask."
"You were sent to kill me!" I level out.
"If you don't stop shouting I will drop you, but what fun would that be."
Yusie says no more till I land on a remote part of the satellite. I drop Yusie three feet from the ground and stumble to a halt flapping my wings if only out of instinct. Yusie was not so lucky, for he was not prepared for the landing and so it was probably the least graceful landing I have ever seen in my entire life. But I had not expected him to recover so fast, in fact I had expected him to sit there and cower…but I was wrong, dead wrong. One second I'm standing…the next my arms and wings are pined to the side of a building.
"Wha…what…h…how?" I stammered.
"Who sent you to kill me?" Yusie asked harshly.
"I told you my father," I hissed between gritting teeth.
"Who is your father?"
"Tontoniss Tiraniss."
"Who?"
"You don't know do you?"
"No, never heard of that name before." Than why did my father want him dead? Was it something his parents did, or something he knows?
"You don't have to kill me."
"But I must."
"And why is that?"
"I…I…I don't know." I admitted.
"Than come with me, stay with my friends and I, forge a new life." He offered earnestly.
"You would offer me a second chance even though I tried to kill you?" I couldn't believe my ears or what I saw in his eyes.
"Certainly, we all need a second chance in life, don't we?"
"I guess so but look at me I have wings, I fly, use magic."
"So, were all different. What do you say."
"I say…yes."
Yusie lets me go and suddenly I have a raging head ache, and my legs buckle under me. The last thing I remember is blurred images and than nothing at all.
"Shetaras! How dare you team up with that human!" Rang my fathers voice.
"Father! He is innocent of anything that was in the past, for the past is the past!"
"Shetaras! You dare talk back to me!"
"Yes I do dare!" my voice rang with a new power.
"You will regret this day…mark my words."
"Oh what are you going to do send one of your pet spell casters after me, remember father I'm the best of the best." I jeered.
A growl rumbles and my head ache is gone. I open my eyes to see that I was in Yusie's arms. I feel something soft under my head, and hear shouting and jubilation at Yusie's return. I close my eyes once more and just listened to the voices around me.
"Yusie who's that?" came an unknown voice, the person must be fairly young.
"I don't know her name yet but I intend to find out." that was Yusie.
"Tell us what happen will ya," came a new voice, this one was seemingly more mature than the last.
"I don't think you will believe me Crow."
"Oh, come on loosen up will you." said Crow.
"Alright I'll tell… remember earlier when in my stead was only a black feather?"
"Well ya we all remember that."
"Well look at her carefully follow from her shoulder blade than go out."
"Wings…she has wings?" breathed Crow
"You could bet on it."
"And the feather was it…?"
"Hers, yes." Yusie completed.
"Well what next?"
"She said her father wanted me dead, but for what reason," I knew Yusie would be shaking his head, "She either didn't know or will not tell."
"Did she say what his name was?"
"Yes…someone by the name of Tontoniss Tiraniss or something like that."
I could not take it I needed to see. I yawn and stretch out my limbs (including wings), and open my eyes. I shake my head because it still holds dull pain.
"Hay Yusie look she woke up."
"You alright?" I nod in response to Yusie's question.
"Yes I'm fine."
"Hay, by the way what's your name?"
"Shetaras."
"Well Shetaras, I'd like you to meet my friends Crow, Rally, Tank, Nervin, and Bllitz."
"It's nice to meet all of you."
"Nice to see someone woke up, and about time to." said Crow.
"Why did you try to kill our friend, Shetaras?" asked Rally.
"I'm not sure I can satisfy your curiosity Rally, for the answer is clouded even to me."
"Well, maybe it was a case of mistaken identity." said Tank.
"No, I made no mistake I can tell you that. My father was very specific, he even gave me a picture to go by."
"You keep saying your father, who exactly is he?" asked Crow.
"My father…" I said, "Is the leader of a very powerful clan, in fact not in 1000 years will you find its equal."
"So he's influential?" asked Nervin.
"It's more than that…he's kind of like a king more or less."
"So he has all of the power?" asked Rally.
"As far as the men's trust in him will go he can go. Heck he placed a raid on a bank as a kid. His power and rule are absolute."
"How can we make sure of that?" asked Nervin.
"Wait for a raid, for I tell you now my father…he is very mad at me, I might even go to saying murderous."
"We should all get some rest, it might be a long day tomorrow." said Yusie.
"Agreed." the rest of us said in unison. We all start laughing even me and I never loosen up, but around this crowd you can't help but join in.
That night I could feel someone watching me, and I hated it, I could not stand it. I sit up and look around no one, not a soul except for Yusie and his friends. They were fast asleep, not one eye was open. I stand up and look at the buildings around us, there I saw a shadow. I run silently into the building. I here a sound that reminds me of hissing snakes, but I know better, it was a cloak running over the ground. I step to my left and tern to pin down the unknown figure.
"Who are you?" I ask.
"You always knew how to get in trouble ay…sister."
"Brother, so it was you watching me."
"Right on target as always."
"What do you want brother?"
"No not me, but father."
"Than spit it out I don't have all night."
"Father says to tell you that you are exiled from the clan."
"Like I care, I never liked it there any how."
"Then I shall tell father." And that's how it is he left and I went back to sleep.
The next morning seemed, well chaotic. Each person had a job to do and was rushing to get it done. My job was to simply to stay out of the way as they had no idea what my capabilities were. I know boring right. Well Yusie was fixing his duel runner because apparently during a turbo duel with this dark signer it was broken pretty bad. Rally, Tank, Nervin, and Bllitz were running around looking for parts to fix it. Crow was making sure that 10 or 12 kids stayed out of the way. I stand up from my place by the sea and walk over to Yusie tired of sitting around.
"Yusie, I could do that with magic and your friends wouldn't have to run around all day." I said.
"Thanks but no thanks, if I was to let you do that it wouldn't fell right."
"And may I ask why that might be?"
"It's my fault it's in the condition it's in."
"But…oh forget it." I moan in aggravation. "So stubborn." I murmur.
I spread my wings an take off flying of and over the Satellite. Looking down I can see the gateway to my old clan, and the doors were opening to reveal three spell casters and three swordsmen all looking ready to fight. I wing back to Yusie and his friends who had closed up shop for awhile. Landing far to quickly for my feet to support my weight plus the added speed, and I fall to one knee and stand back up.
"None of you are going to like the news I have." I shouted.
"What is it?" asked Tank.
"I saw some of my fathers men coming out of the gate, they plan to attack tonight if the walking distance, I judge will take four if not five times as long as flight."
"How long dose that give us?" asked Crow
"Till five or five thirty."
"That's only an hour or more." stated Yusie.
"Yes." I said. "But my father has underestimated me once more."
"How so?" asked Crow
"He only sent three spell casters and three swordsmen. I've defeated more within half a hour."
"So you think you can beet them on your one?" asked Nervin.
"Not think I know I can." I stated.
"But with what?" asked Rally.
I sling my bag of my shoulder sliding it over my wing. Opening it I pull out my sword, it shines gold in the falling light.
"With this."
I was sitting by the shore cross-legged, sword on my lap watching the setting sun. The sound of soft wing beets fill the air, I wait for them to make the first move. The whisper of swords being drawn, the scuff of boots on stone. The whisper of a blade about to deliver the final blow…standing up and parrying the blow with the flat of my sword. The man charges at me but is to slow to stop himself from falling into the sea once I had sidestepped. One down two to go. The next was just as dim as the last if not more so. His footing was off so he was off balance all I did was feint to his right and kick him in the calf casing him to fall. The third tried to give me a run for my money but in the end failed. The spell casters had fled once the first had fallen into the sea, lame spell casters.
"Alright their either unconscious or they ran for the hills." I called out, "Told you I could do it."
"Never a doubt in my mind you could." said Yusie.
"Where did you learn to do that?" called Crow
"My father." I answered.
"Oh…" sighed Crow.
"Might I ask why did you want to know?" I stated my desire for that bit of knowledge.
"Because I thought it might be cool to learn."
"It's harder than it looks."
"I know, but still."
"Well if you think you're up for it, I suppose I could teach you."
"You could? Oh that would be great!" I was stunned by Crow's enthusiasm.
"But know this training is hard on both mind and body." Because I had to do hours upon hours of nonstop training.
"Oh come on, it can't be that hard. Can it?"
"It can it took me three years just to practice with true swords, and even than I had not learned all there was to be learned."
"Ok I think I change my mind now."
"That's what I thought, Crow."
The rest of the night was so peaceful it was hard to believe, but all's well that ends well right…wrong. That morning I woke up to crossbow loaded and ready.
"Big mistake." I whisper.
With that said I grab the crossbow pull it down and by the time he pulls the trigger to late, the bolt sails out and burros into the ground. Yanking on the crossbow out of his grasp than pulling the bolt out of the ground loading it and I pull the trigger. The bolt flies forward and into the mans eye socket with a sickly squelching sound. Nasty, I mean I've been in battle but yuck! The man falls back, dead. The others soon wake up to see the man dead on the ground.
"That's something no one wants to wake up to." said Crow.
"I think I just lost my appetite." said Tank.
"What happen hear when we were asleep?" asked Yusie.
"He thought it would be funny to sneak up on us when were still sleeping, but in the end I got the best of him." I told the truth, for some reason I just can't lie to Yusie.
"We should move somewhere else, as long as they know where we are none of us are safe."
"Your right if we don't move were pretty much sitting ducks." said Yusie.
"But the younger kids won't make it very far." stated Crow.
"I know, but who said we had to take them all in one swing, Crow their not after you only Yusie and I no one else." I said, "Now we should get what we need and go…soon."
We all gathered our stuff and went out. Yusie rode his duel runner as did Crow. I stayed back at the camp looking after the kids who I still had to get transport for.
"Poseidon lord of the sea hear my plea, I come to you in a time of need, please o lord o mighty one help me protect the children here with me!" I call out to a seemingly empty sea.
Soon the water churns and bubbles. Twelve pegasi explode from the water. Ok now were good to go. There was one pegasus for every child here. Helping the children on to the back of each pegasus and making sure they held on tight.
"Ok come on boys, time to go!" I call though mind speech.
Spreading my wings wide, I climb into the air with strong beats of my wings and soon the pegasi follow my lead. We fly on till I see Yusie and his friends had stopped about thirteen blocks away a really good distance considering most were on foot. Landing with the pegasi right behind me and once they had landed I began to help the children down and off. Yusie came over to help me and for the first time I can't help but stare at him for a few seconds.
"Gods Yusie looks way better than every man in my old clan that tried to get me as a girlfriend. Oh gods… I think I have a crush on Yusie! Ah crap!"
"Shetaras are you ok?" Yusie's voice snaps me out of my thought process.
"Y…ya, I'm fine, just thinking." I stammer.
"You sure, because you don't sound ok." Yusie takes a step closer.
"I…I'm fine Yusie, really, I am."
"I don't believe you."
"I…I'm sorry but I can't tell you, not here."
"Than follow me I know a place where no one can hear."
"Ok."
Yusie leads me away from camp and into an old shack with wooden siding that looked about ready to collapse in on itself. The roof looked just as bad, but I followed Yusie anyway, once walking inside Yusie turned to face me.
"Well no one can hear us."
"Yusie I…" I look down at the bare ground.
"Yes." prompted Yusie.
"Well I…I think…I think I'm…" my hand goes to the back of my head, and my face flushes red, "In love with you." I finally manage to spit it out.
"Oh…" said Yusie taken aback.
"If you don't fell the same I…"
I was cut short because Yusie had bent over and was now kissing me full on the mouth much to my astonishment. Yusie pulls back to tell me something.
"Shetaras, I do feel the same, I just couldn't put it into words. I love you."
"And I you."
I stand on my tiptoes and kiss Yusie full on the mouth, I sigh because he's kissing me back. My eyes close and I'm oblivious to everything but Yusie. He runs his hands down my wing, and I moan at the contact.
"Yusie…stop we can't stay here long." I breathed.
"Why?" He asked.
"My father, Ouch! Yusie, what was that for?" He had plucked something from my right wing and they were very sensitive to the touch.
"This," he said holding a transmitter in front of me, "must be how they were tracing us, meaning you. Did you happen to know about it?" He asked accusingly.
"Yusie, I swear I had no idea that, it was on the back of my wing, I could not see it."
"I believe you but..." Yusie was cut off by an arrow that slammed into the side of the shack.
"No." I whispered.
I knew that Yusie was defenseless without me there, so the only thing I could hope for is to keep him behind me. There were voices outside the shack, and they weren't voices that I knew so I listened.
"I wonder why this thing was left here like this…but I bet that scared that Satellite scum."
