Chapter 1
"I'm not going," she said putting the dishes away.
"What?" Maemie asked. "Why not? It's going to be positively glorious Lily. The whole city is throwing a party in our honor and you want to spend the evening mopping about the house."
Lily scoffed and continued placing the plates in the cabinet. "I could care less about such parties. I prefer a quiet evening with chillie cocoa and a good book."
Maemie placed her hands on her shapely hips and said; "Lilliana! How many people can say that they sailed the Great Oceans, battled the sea monsters and conned a sea god?"
"What's there to celebrate Maemie?" Lily asked. "Think about it; yes we did that, but look at what it costed us. Our dearest friends and our brothers. I refuse to celebrate their demise."
Maemie followed Lily into the living room and stood in her path to her favorite recliner. "I miss Ikeno, Malik and Abu ask well Lily, but you know that they were party animals and they wouldn't want us to sit forever and mourn them. They would want us to attend the celebration and drink ale and wine in their behalf."
"Would they really Mae?" Lily asked when someone knocked at the door. "Wait a moment please. Who is it?"
"Auntie Lilliana?" a familiar voice said from the other side of the door. "Auntie Maemina? It's me..."
"Aiyana!" Lily said opening the door. Lily pulled her only neice into a bear hug. "What on earth are you doing here?"
"I wanted to give you your gift for your party early," Aiyana said as she followed Lily into the house. "There is talk about the town saying you weren't to attend, so I thought to give you this early." Lily took the small gold box with a silver bow and open it. Inside was a quartz crystal on a silver chain.
"Oh Aya," Lily said taking it out. "It's beautiful." Lily looked at Ayiana with happiness as well as confusion. "Why would you bring me such a gift Aya?"
"I thought you might like it," Aya said. "After all Father said his favorite crystal was the quartz and that for your birthday one day he would get one made into a necklace just for you." Lily clutched her chest and struggled to keep to her feet. It was true, quartz was her favorite.
"Thank you Aya," she said hugging her. "You are such a peach."
"I can only imagine what you got me Aya," Maemie said sitting on the ottoman. "Lovely gift you got for Lily. Prehaps she can wear it to the party this evening and honor Malik the right way."
"Oh for heaven sakes Maemina," Lily said rolling her eyes. "Come with me dear to the garden."
"Yes Auntie," Aya said following Lily.
"So," Lily said when they entered the large lavish garden. "How have you been love?"
Aya sat down and picked up a lavender rose and stroked its soft petals. "I have been holding up. I've been very...alone since Papa was lost to us and Mother...well you know. She didn't take too kindly to it and fled to the far countries. I haven't heard anything since."
"You poor lamb," Lily said. "Only 17 and you've lost so much, but you stand so strong."
"Thank you Auntie," she replied. "I hope to be as courageous and strong as you one day."
"Be your own person dear girl," Lily says. "Start your own adventures, tell your own story. There is pleanty in this world to do and new things to discovery. Enyda is just a speck compare to the vast wonders."
Aya nodded and stood up. "I have to go Auntie. I have to get ready for the celebration tonight. I'm glad I got see you."
"You too dearest," Lily said as she watched Aya leave through the gate.
"I must say you are correct Lilliana," the all to familiar voice said from behind her. "That girl is a strong one."
"I know you aren't much of a party man Fiki," Lily said turning around smiling. She saw the older man standing in the mist of peonies, with his pipe between his lips and his cane in his saged hand. "So either you are because there is something of great importance that needs to be remedied or I was wrong and you like to party as much as my dear brothers."
Fiki simply shrugged and cracked a smile. "A combonation of both my Water Lily. However, the task that needs to be completed you need not to worry about. Where is Mae Flower?"
"In the house," Lily said opening the door. "She's excited for the celebration."
"As she should be," Fiki said removing his cloak. "The boys would have basked in such adoration like kings."
"Is that Rafiki I hear?!" Maemie called excited.
"Mae Flower!" he said holding his arms open wide. "My you certainly a young girl anymore."
"I wasn't to stay young forever," she said hugging him. "Though it is a lovely thought."
"Oh please," Lily said waving her hand. "After 15 years we still look as if we haven't even aged."
"The Cave of Kawryn will do that to you," Riki said sitting on the recliner. "Get ready my dears, you are in for a long shelf life. Which is perfect for where you are going."
"Is it another adventure Fiki?" Maemie asked jumping up and down.
"It is whatever you make of it Mae Flower," he said as Lily handed him a cup of spicy cocoa. "And it is why I am here."
Aya stood in front of the full length mirror staring at the dress her mother had sewn for her two years prior. It still fit like a glove and hugged ever curve on her body. She felt like Lily, not really wanting to go out and celebrate, but the townspeople of Enyda was unvieling a plaque in honor of her father Malik, her uncles and all their friends who fought in the Great Battle in the Southlands. Lily told her the tales of the voyages across the Great Oceans and the lands they had discovered and monsters they fought, the treasures they found and much more. If only father had made it home, Mother would have never left her for the far countries and they would still be a family. Wrapping her braids in a stylish bun, Aya slipped into her sandles and began the walk for Leone Valley. The skies were lovely shades of red, orange, pinks and hints of purple and yellow as the sun began to set. The shopkeeps began to close their doors and blow out the lanterns. Some stood outside their establishments and sweep small debris into the streets. Aya soon began to hear lively music and the clanking of cups filled with possible ale and other party drinks. She stood on the small grassy hill that looked down into the valley where tents were pitched and tables scattered in and around them. torches were petruding through the grass and decorations filled the tables and poles of the tents. Taking a deep breath, Aya tracked toward the party with a small smile on her face and rehersed hellos and hugs and hand shakes whirling around in her mind.
"Aye!" someone said as she approached one of the tents. "It's Malik's daughter!" Aya felt herself blush as she held her head down while walking through the tent.
"She's his only child," someone else whispered.
"Poor child." "Must have mustred every ounce of courage to come." "How could her mother abandon her?" Aya tried to drown out the whispers and fought to hold her tongue.
"Ayiana Maebelle Kito," an older man in a black cloak said approaching her. "I'm glad to see you came to the celebration."
"Of course I did," she said. "It's to honor my family and their friends for their courage to defend lands from enemies of the seas and other lands. It is only right to see them unviel this plaque."
The man placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled; "Your father would be so proud to see what a beautiful young woman you have become."
"I believe that," she says when her Aunt Lily appeared from behind the man. "Auntie Lily!? I thought you weren't to join us this evening?"
"I had no intention of doing so, but I thought otherwise after certain revelations," Lily said taking Aya by her arm. "Rafiki please excuse us."
"By all means," he said placing the pipe between his teeth.
"Auntie what is the matter?" Aya asked when they were far enough away from the party.
Lily placed both her hands on Aya's shoulder and looked at her with a firm smiling face. "Ayiana Maebelle Kito, we are the last surviving Kitos in Enyda. If we perish, Kitos will become history, then legend and eventually we will fade to myth. Me and your Auntie Maemie are going away."
"What?!" Aya exclaimed.
"Shhh," Lily said softly. "Listen to me love. When we go away to the Lakewood Realms, promise me this; no matter how much he pleads, do not accept Rafiki's quest. Do you understand?"
Aya shook her head in confusion; "Auntie what are you speaking of? Who are you speaking of? Rafiki? Quests?"
"Ayiana prosmise your Auntie you won't do it," Lily said firmly.
"Okay," Aya said still baffled by her aunt's vagueness.
"Now, we leave bright and early in the morning so we are leaving our home to you and everything in it."
"Auntie Lily you and Maemie are my only living family why are you leaving me?" Aya asked with tears flooding her eyes.
"In my study, there is a book. It will tell you everything you need to know," Lily said.
"I don't want you to go," Aya said hugging her aunt.
"Dearest I wish not to leave either," Lily said hugging her back. "But for your safety and the safety of the people here in Enyda, we must leave." Lily held her neice tightly as she thought back to what Rafiki had told her and Maemie earlier.
"You Lie!" Lily screeched.
"I lie not Water Lily," Fiki said. "As we sit here and speak, Jurzin is building an army. An army like none ever seen before. He forged blood deals with Lord Beast of the OtherRealms. Legions of demons at his command, Ryders and djinn all preparing to take control of the Vandom."
"Vandom?" Maemie asked. "But that is were the Eteher resides. He can not take hold of the Vandom, it will doom everyone, everywhere here on Earth. Fiki what must we do?"
'Mae Flower," he said. "Your journey is over. You did what you were meant to do and now for the safety of Enyda and yourselves, you must sail the Great Oceans once more. To the lands in the east, the nymphs are awaiting your arrival. A ship has been prepared for you and it set sail at dawn for the Lakewood Realms."
"If we leave," Lily asked rubbing her arms nervously. "Who will stand against Jurzin?"
"According the Glaring Waters, that will be task of Ayiana," he said.
Maemie gasped and Lily's eyes blazed dangerous.
"Absolutley not!" she roared. "My only living kin outside of Maemina? She will not go on such a journey!"
"The choice is not yours Lilliana," Fiki said sipping the cocoa. "The acceptance of the quest is the choice of Aya and Aya's alone."
"You send her to her death!" Lily says pacing back and forth. "Ayiana is not that kind of girl!""And neither were you Water Lily," says Fiki. "You had to learn along the way as must Aya. I will need her decesion in three days times, for Santh, the lord of the Deep Mine, will be here."
Lily heaved, Maemie was silent and Fiki simply puffed on his pipe.