41

Falling Fast

Crimson blood blossomed from the hole in his chest, staining the white tuxedo and the man fell to the ground. The crowd screamed, police searching for a shooter. The shot was silent and untraceable. Carefully, I packed things up before hiding the gun underneath a floorboard, invisible in the wood shavings. I brushed myself off, dust coming off in clouds.

I climbed down the stairs, security cameras blind and my footsteps soft. I crept across the street and sneaked through a back way. I walked calmly to the ballroom. As expected, a security guard stopped me. I felt no fear. This is my life and, as much as I hated it, my talents came in handy for those who wished to recruit me. However, all I wanted was to be alone; but that would never happen.

'Miss,' He addressed me. I sighed inwardly before facing him fully

'Yes, sir,' I smiled. 'Is there something you needed?'

'Where were you?' I blinked, confused.

'The powder room, sir,' I stated. 'Why do you ask?'

'Ambassador McFinn was just shot.' I gasped, fully in character. 'Do you know anything?'

'No, sir.' I said, hand to my mouth. 'If there is anything I can do to help.'

Before the security guard could say anything, a familiar voice spoke from behind.

'My dear!' I whirled to see my employer running down the hall, quite an odd sight. He was disguised as a prince with a navy blue suit with the traditional golden tassels draped over his shoulders. On the inside, I laughed a little as he ran to me, his golden chain across his chest bouncing erratically.

'Darling!' I ran to his arms as they wrapped around me while I sobbed. He was cold, as if he gave off no body heat. The guard spoke, clearing his throat.

'You know this woman?' He asked. My employer scoffed.

'Know her; she is my fiancée.' He grumbled, disturbed by the ignorance of humans. 'Now if you'll excuse us, she is quite upset.'

'Yes, your Highness.' The guard murmured. Outside, a black Lexus purred. He opened the door for me.

'Quite discreet, 'Darling'.' I muttered as I passed him, sliding into the seat.

'Me?' He said, grinning. 'Never.' He shut the door and, seemingly, glided to the other side.

Once we were both in the car, he told the chauffeur an address.

'We had a deal.' I said, turning to him. He drew out a list and crossed something out.

'Hmm.' He said, snapping his fingers and the elegant white dress I had been wearing disappeared and was replaced by common, everyday clothes. No one would've guessed that we had even been to the ball. 'It seems we did. So, what do you want; clothes, riches, love?'

'You know what I want.' He gave an exasperated sigh. The streets of London flew by with the occasional homeless man. I knew that we were traveling way above the speed limit but I also knew that we would never be caught. The bullet with which I had shot the man would have vanished by now, no one knowing who had killed twenty of the world's best ambassadors.

'And you know I can't give it to you.'

'I want to be free to do as I want!' My voice became a shout of desperation. 'Make me immortal so I will not face the wrath of God!'

He was quiet a few moments. 'Perhaps, I could give you freedom but I cannot promise you immortality.'

'We have arrived, sir.' The driver said, turning around. Our eyes met. His eyes were black and hollow as if there was nothing there, no doorway to his soul. Or no soul at all.

'Thank you.' We clambered out and the car drove off to park a while away. When it was no longer visible, I turned to him.

'Do it!' I growled. I didn't recognize where I was. There were no buildings around but only cobblestone paths surrounded by forestry and a rundown shack that looked like it hadn't been lived in for years. He shook his head.

'You know what happens when you make deals with the Devil. I am a creature cunning and trickery. I, myself, tempted Eve. Even the strongest of women succumb to my servants. The Seven Sins are mine to command. I am the enemy of God himself.' He warned me, but I didn't listen to his voice of passion. 'Very well. Brace yourself.'

Before my eyes, he became mere mist that vanished almost instantly.

As soon as he was gone, I felt an odd sensation. It felt like all the energy was draining from my body. Then the pain came.

Searing pain that throbbed white-hot coursed up and down my spine. I could see the horizon grow blurry and distant as I felt my knees give out. The shack, so far away, seemed to grow bigger. I realized that I was growing smaller. I collapsed, no longer having the strength to stand.

Suddenly, it stopped and I was able to take a breath. I panted heavily thinking, 'Is this it?' In an answer, I felt my shoulder blades pushing against each other apart. I heard an unearthly scream of pain, which I recognized as my own distorted cry.

My eyes flew shut of their own accord, trying to block everything out. His voice came to me, taunting me in my pain.

''As you wish it.'' He murmured, quoting J. M. Barrie. I could feel his shadow over my feverish body. In a rage, I struck out in all directions. 'You know,' He continued. 'I was beginning to become quite fond. Now, you are mine forever.'

My cry of painful anger was the last thing I knew before I fell into darkness's soft embrace.

Coarse sand scratched my cheeks. My lips were cracked and my hair full of grit. The overwhelmed pain was gone, leaving a dull throb as a reminder. I sat up carefully, my head pounding. A hot, blazing sun drifted in the sky, pouring heat onto my weak body. I felt weak and would give my left arm for a glass of water. I glanced around, wondering where I was.

There was nothing but sand in every direction, no sign of civilization. At my feet, there was a small piece of paper.

'Dear,' it read. 'Good luck with your 'freedom'. Lots of Love, Your Maker, The Devil' I raised my arm to throw it as far away from me as possible but stopped at the peculiar pulling in my back. The paper floated to the ground when I used that hand to reach behind me.

I shrieked when my fingers came into contact with something leathery. I spun, leaping to my feet. There was nothing there. I sat down again, my head protesting with a hammer.

'No way.' I thought. I reached behind me again and grabbed the leathery thing. I pulled it forward until I could see it. It was large and threaded with veins and the colour of the night sky at midnight. I forced myself to search further, using my fingertips.

At the top, there was something there as hard as bone and just as leathery as the rest. I followed the bone-like part outward where it met at a point. I followed it the other way until I met an area of my own skin. My breathing accelerated and my heart rate increased.

'What the hell did he do me?' I muttered. My head swung to look at the other side to find the same thing. Both things were attached to me. I tried to move them as I stretched out my arms. The things mimicked my movements, mass-less appendages becoming wings. 'Oh my –.' I said, my tongue stiffened at the word 'God'.

'What does this have to do with freedom?' I said to myself, a sure sign of insanity. Slowly, I stood using the wings as balance. With no direction in mind, I began to walk.

I was exhausted and used the wings as a form of shade. My lip had cracked again and black blood dripped onto the sand.

What was left of my torn shirt I had abandoned long ago. I ripped the legs of my jeans off until they were booty shorts. I found that, with the wings, other changes had taken place. I had elongated canines and I was much stronger than before. Ripping my pants apart was no difficult task. I had ditched my shoes and socks a while back and my webbed toes kept me above the sand.

The sun was setting in the west and I had made no progress.

A caravan, however, had seen me hours ago, lying on the hot sand, wishing for swift death. Seeing I was still breathing, a man stopped by. He left water, a map and where I was compared to the nearest village marked on it. Another gypsy woman tried to exorcise me. When nothing worked on me, she screamed strange words in a strange language and urged her children to flee.

I looked up to see vultures hovering overhead, paving lazy circles, eager for me to die.

I had tried flying before but it always ended in with my face planted in the nearby dune and a mouthful of gritty sand. All day I had walked instead. I felt the cool darkness was beginning to set in with the absence of the sun.

So, here I was. Alone, dying in a desert and a pair of wings attached to my back that was completely worthless. 'That's what I get for dealing with the Devil.' I grumbled, more upset at myself than anything. I decided to turn in for the night, wrapping the wings around my face and half of my small torso so that sand didn't get into my lungs. I curled up around myself, tying to keep warm.

Slowly, I drifted off into a fitful sleep.

I awoke to the bright sun in my eyes and two voices arguing.

'Pix,' A man's voice said quietly. 'This is the one he saw!' He sounded strangely excited. Was it the crazy gypsy woman again?

'Shh!' A young girl's whispered. 'We don't even know what this is! It could be an enemy.'

'But he said to bring it back.'

'I think he's going senile. Much too old to be leading the Clan.'

'He's only a couple of thousand years old, though.'

'Whatever.' I felt something like a shoe poke me in the back.

I snarled and jumped up, flinging sand every which way. I crouched, hands ready to grab them before throwing them to the ground. 'Don't touch me.' I growled. The man came forward, slowly with arms outstretched.

'We don't wish to harm you.' He said, his voice calm. 'You need help and we want to help you.'

'Yeah.' The girl pipped in. 'Come with us.' My guard was lowered but only slightly. The man was about 1.9 metres and muscles bulged past his white shirt and jean jacket. The girl was about 1.25 metres and had a bright pink shirt and a jean skirt on.

'How?' I asked, seeing to modes of transportation. They exchanged glances before feathered masses appeared behind them, expanding to form massive wingspans. The man's wings were a pale brown and the girl's were a dark caramel.

Slowly, I stretched my own out, the sun turning them a dark purple.

'I cannot fly.' I mumbled, embarrassed.

'No problem.' The girl said. 'Tiny can carry you.' The man, Tiny, stepped forward. 'My name is Pix.' The girl said. I nodded.

'Where are we going?' I asked, while Tiny scooped me up effortlessly. Sand moved around us as their wings beat, lifting them into the air. The sound of their wings was almost deafening. Yet, the feeling of being suspended was odd indeed. Never before had I been completely air born and not going to crash into a window or ground.

'To the Head of the Clan, of course.'

During the flight, I fell asleep again to the rhythmic beats of Tiny's wings. The smell of the sea was there but briefly. Cries of sea birds echoed in my ears and the sun no longer felt hot on my burnt skin. Flying wassomething like seeing a long-lost friend who you thought never to see again. This feeling I had not felt in a long time.

Happiness and peace.

'Time to wake up.' A cool voice said by my ear, gruff with use. A fiery hand touched my right arm, almost too hot. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes to meet another's bright blue, the kind of blue at the center of the fire.

'Oh!' I gasped, not used to people being so close. The other person backed away to reveal a boy about seventeen with elegant cheekbones and a slight mouth curved into a smirk. His skin was tan and is hair a bright red.

'Sorry to wake you, miss,' He grinned. 'But your presence is requested after you are cleaned up a bit.' He pointed down the hall. 'There's a shower room down there with everything you might need. A fresh gown has been set out for you, too.' Without another word, but a glance back, he left.

The room I was in was plain, a milky white, with only a sink and a mirror in the corner. The bed I was in was comfortable and the blankets warm. I hurriedly untangled myself from the sheets and walked down the hall until I saw a room marked 'Shower Room'. I pushed the wooden door open to a room with a walk-in shower with a pearl curtain pulled across it. I quickly undressed and eagerly ran the shower, itching to wash the grime from myself.

A low purr escaped my throat from the relief of the feeling of dirt being washed away. I scrubbed until I felt blood on my nails. I scraped away at my skin, tearing at where the Devil himself had touched me. Red lines traced where my nails had gone, leaving the skin puffed and raw.

Once I was satisfied with my clean state, I shut off the water and wrapped myself in a fluffy brown towel. I eyed the red dress hanging on the door. It felt of a smooth cotton and there were a couple of slight slits in the dress, formatted to my body shape.

Carefully, I got dressed and slipped into the silky dress. My wings stood out against the fabric. A beautiful mix of black and purple pronounced by a blood red dress that stuck to my skin, making my hips stand out as well. It fell to mid-thigh, showing a bruise above my left knee that yellowed at the edges, healing slowly with a purpled center.

I may have looked nice but I felt oddly disturbed by the fact that I had no idea where I was or anyone who kept me here. Earlier, Tiny and Pix spoke of a 'he'. Was it he who kept me here, trapped in a foreign place? I wanted answers and nothing was going to get in my way that I wouldn't get around. I looked into the mirror hanging on the wall and saw my own deep-sea blue eyes staring back at me, full of determination. 'I'm still in here somewhere in this strange body.' I thought morbidly.

I fluffed my light brown hair, styled in a short pixie-cut, before opening the door.

Standing there was a bird. Not just any bird, but a massive hunting bird. It was tall, its head almost reaching my hip. Its feathers a vibrant gray, slightly faded; yet its eyes are most fascinating. They are a bright jade green but not luminescent. A small bit of parchment was clenched in its sharp, deadly looking beak. I carefully removed it.

'This is Ava,' it read. 'She will lead you to the kitchen where you will have something to eat. There, I will be waiting for you. Can't wait to meet you! -F'

The handwriting was blockish, yet elegant. I looked to the bird. She was already gliding away down the hall. I had to run to keep up.

The building is massive with so many turns and corridors. At one point, we passed windows that showed a courtyard where ivy grew abundantly. Cobblestone steps shone through the green.

Finally, Ava disappeared around the corner of an entryway. The clatter of metal cookware erupted in loud bursts mixed with cries of a bird (Ava, I assumed) along with a few choice words of a male voice. It wasn't as deep as Tiny's voice but it wasn't a voice of a young boy. It sounded like late teens to early twenties.

'Ava,' He said. 'I told you to bring our guest.' An odd chattering of the bird answered him. 'Oh, you did?'

I rounded the corner just as the speaker turned towards the doorway.

It was a young man, around my own age of eighteen. He had dark brown hair that curled slightly and covered his ears. His bangs hung to his eyebrows and constantly got in the way while his skin was a light suntan. He smiled at me, revealing dimpled cheeks, his green eyes glittering. I noticed that this man and Ava's eyes were the same.

When he saw me, the pan he was holding fell from his hand. Before it and its contents hit the ground, it was clutched in Ava's talons, who set it carefully on the stove. Her feathers were long and elegant, her movements graceful. Once the pan was in place she perched back on a stand across the kitchen. The stove was surrounded by black marble counter tops with white cupboards above and below and sat up against the far wall. A large white refrigerator was on my left and an island with black marble sat on my right, surrounded with chairs. Pans hung against the right wall, dusty from not being used.

The man brought my attention back to him when he spoke.

'Hallo.' He said, a slight German accent surfacing. He cleared his throat. 'You must be Dawn.'

'How do you know my name?' I asked, refusing to address him as 'sir'. I was through with man's authority. My guard was back up.

'I know a bit about you.' He nodded. 'I have seen you quite often recently.' Seeing my confusion, he continued. 'I'll explain later.' He held out a single hand, which I gingerly took. 'I'm Felix.' He continuously smiled and I couldn't help but smile shyly.

'Thank you for your hospitality.' I said, a smirk now present. He laughed and turned back to the stove.

'Are you kidding?' He laughed. 'It gives me an excuse to actually use this kitchen!' In the pan, something yellow flipped about, flying up into the air and was caught always by the black frying pan. I took a seat at the island while under the watchful gaze of Ava. I glanced around, unsure of what to look at. Lucky for me, Felix distracted me with a task. 'Dawn, would you grab two sets of dishware?' He asked, both his hands full. 'Everything is either at the far top cup boards over there,' He pointed to the left with his foot. 'And the drawer in the centre over there.' He then pointed to the right with his other foot.

I jumped up off the stool and searched for plates, cups and silverware, as instructed. Before long, the table was set and a large omelet was placed on each one. I waited for Felix to start before I touched the fork on the side, unsure of what to do. Everything looked normal but things might be different here than London.

'Felix,' I started, surprisingly curious. 'Who are you? Not to be rude but Tiny and Pix spoke of a powerful leader. Are you this leader? And why do you have such a large house but, as far as I can tell, you live alone?' I stopped my self from asking anything else from the look on his face. A boyish look of surprise and innocence, complete with wide eyes. He blinked a few times and shook his head.

'Well,' Felix sighed, boyishness vanishing. 'You do have quite a few questions, which is to be expected. Now, where to start?' He mumbled to himself quietly before looking me directly and unabashed. 'I am Felix and I am currently the Eye of the Council. You see, every one hundred thousand years a child is born with the Eye, a way to glimpse into the past, present and future. That is how I have been seeing you.

The Council is a group of the oldest of our kind who leads the Clan. The Clan is, well, a small group of Quesardian cousins. Quesardians are our natural enemies. They think much too highly of themselves and to be higher than us. The clan is much more realistic. Are you good so far?' My head spun from all the information but I understood the main bit.

'Alright, then. If you're not Quesardians, what are you?'

'Excellent question. We are like Quesardians but different. You see, we are a species called Athelio. We are descendants of humans and birds, genetically modified by an evil man who believes in creating something more powerful than the human race, hoping to create his own world where he is king. Then, I guess we multiplied. So, here we are.' He grinned sheepishly as one wing poked out from behind his back, slowly extending.

It was beautiful. A hint of blue-gray underneath a red-tinted gray with brown spots on the feather. Feathers that were previously down against his forearms stood straight out, like sharpened daggers. These feathers matched the ones on his wings.

'Oh my.' I whispered in awe. Hesitantly, I reached out. 'May I?' I asked.

'Technically, it is not allowed for a commoner to touch feathers of a Council member that is still intact but you are not a commoner here.' He shrugged and held out his arm, the meal forgotten. My fingers brushed the soft fibres of the long feathers. It tickled my fingertips, causing me to sigh. I was oddly elated. In a trance, I got up and rounded the table to his outstretched wings. I ran my hands down his wing, gently raking my fingers through his fluffy down feathers, drifting along the skin buried deep.

Suddenly, the dream stopped when Felix grabbed my wrists in his firm, but loose, grip.

'What did I do?' I wondered out loud. Felix blushed slightly and released my wrists. I took a few steps back, and he did the same.

'I'm sorry.' He said, looking me in the eye. 'I'm not used to pleasant physical contact. But it was nothing you did.' He paused. His eyes lit up briefly before he turned and plucked a single feather and faced me, holding it out. 'Here.' He grinned. 'This way, you can feel my feathers anytime.' I took it hesitantly and twirled it a few times in between my fingers.

'Thank you.' I smiled, embarrassed with my previous behavior. Bells echoed through the kitchen, tolling a total of three times. Felix turned to Ava, still perched on her stand.

'Come, please.' The wings pushed down only once to make him airborne before beating constantly. He soared from the kitchen with Ava close behind him. I smirked at the feather in my hand, admiring the colours.

A throat cleared, causing me to glance up and see the young man I first met.

'And who might you be?' I didn't mean for it to come out mean, it just did. I eyed him cautiously, not sure if I could trust him yet.

'I am here to assist you in what ever you may need.' He grinned, obviously knowing something I didn't. 'And I am in charge of your protection. Your safety means everything to the Council.' He bowed mockingly. 'My name is Pyrrhus.' My skin prickled with irritation.

'I wish to go to the courtyard.' I thrust my chin up, showing this Pyrrhus up. 'You may come if you wish but I'd prefer if you did not speak.' As gracefully as I could muster, I walked towards the hallway, remembering my way. I stormed past his amused grin and didn't offer him a second glance. Unfortunately, the soft leather of his shoes slapped against the tile flooring. I could feel my wings curl slightly in the breeze of an open window. Strangely, I longed to defy gravity.

My bare feet were soundless in the empty hallways, a feeling that I had experienced before but not with this little effort. Secretly, I enjoyed it. To my great disappointment, Pyrrhus (who was supposed to be quiet) spoke, breaking off my brief happiness with my new-found discovery.

'If I was not looking right at you, I would have not known that you were there.' On the inside, I was grinning. On the outside, however, I glared.

'I was expecting you to stay silent...' I let the words linger in the air. He shrugged, my words not meaning anything to him.

'My only question is, what kind of a name is Dawn?' His tone became looser, not quite informal but not stiff as when he had introduced himself. I let loose a loud laugh before clamping my hands over my mouth, eyes wide. 'Ha,' He grinned. 'You do have emotion!'

'Why do people call you Pyrrhus?' I shot back, teasing. A slight glint in his eye showed before he brought his hand out, the tan skin lightened in the sunlight. I watched closely, trying to get what he was showing me. A tiny spark jumped from his hand, lighting a small fire in the palm of his hand. It danced in the air, drifting without a care. His eyes mimicked the movements, waltzing with the flame. The mesmerizing flickers suddenly disappeared in a wisp of smoke.

'I'm not like Felix.' He smirked cunningly, not at all like a child. 'I don't know what I am, nor does anyone else. They call me Pyrrhus because that is the Greek word for fire. The doctor believes that, instead of a heart, I have a burning flame, as the Greeks once thought. That's how I can summon and control fire.' I knew that this world was bizarre but Pyrrhus' story would probably top everything. What I was hearing was unbelievable.

'So,' I started. 'Why are you here? Not to be rude.' I quickly added the last bit, not wanting to get him upset.

'It's a long story.' He muttered, eyes downcast. 'But no one is to know of what I am. The Council believes me to be human.' His blue eyes blazed now. 'They must not find out.'

'Why, if I may ask?' I was curious as to what could send this manly character into a fit of passion such as this.

'If they find out that I am a weapon, I will either be killed for treason or sent to the war that is coming. As they don't know about the war, they will kill me.'

'What war? How do you know about it?'

'Felix.' Pyrrhus murmured. 'He knows.' He took a few steps forward and walked past me and down the corridor, the muscles in his back flexing against the loose, mossy green tunic he wore. I quickly followed, struggling to keep up. I wanted to ask Pyrrhus more questions but he didn't give off a very welcoming vibe. I'd have to ask Felix when he returned.

Trudging through the silence, we reached the courtyard windows. What I didn't notice is how high up the windows were compared to the ground below. I looked at Pyrrhus incredulously. What did he expect me to do? He gestured towards the open window, bowing slightly. The setting sun set an explosion of colours through the clouds and once blue sky. My wings spread involuntarily. I now knew what he wanted from me.

'I can't.' I shook my head. 'I can't fly, if that's what you want.'

'Prove it.' Hands pressed on my back, pushing me over the edge of the stone walkway and out into open air. I didn't even have time to scream before my wings struggled against gravity. Nothing worked. I found myself seeing spinning colours of oranges, greens and browns. I quickly shut my eyes, dizzy and afraid.

But the impact never came.

Hesitantly, I cracked open my eyes to see Felix's chin with the sky behind it. His strong arms were underneath me, my arms around his neck and holding tight. Ava hovered by his side. I let out a slight squeak when we rose up and above the roof of his house.

'Look.' He whispered. I turned my head to see a large island with a rich blue sea in the distance. Lush green fields dotted the countryside and a single voice whooped from beneath us.

'Sorry we did that to you.' Felix smiled sheepishly. 'We had to figure if you could fly on impulse. I guess not.' In a way, it made sense.

'Did he really need to push me?' I raised an eyebrow. 'Couldn't you have me fall in a secure environment?' He was silent for a bit.

'I didn't think of that...' He chuckled silently. 'But it was so much fun to see you cower; you, a killer!'

'And don't you forget it. I've killed more people than you know!'

'I'm sure of it.'

'I could kill you in your sleep!'

'No you couldn't; I would see you.'

He had me there. Curiosity, the peculiar thing, arose once more.

'What kind of things can you see?' He stayed quiet for a few moments before answering.

'I've had this gift for over 2000 years and I still don't know. It may be just things that affect the Athelio or me. Maybe some things that has to do with fate. I have no idea.'

'Over 2000 years?!' My eyes widened in surprise. He was over 2000 years old?!

'Yes. I am actually 2604 years old.' A mischievous smile crept onto his face. 'How old did you think I was?' I was baffled. I could only blubber helplessly. I shook my head to clear it.

'W-where are we going anyways?'

'To see the doctor.'

We flew along in silence, enjoying flight until we went lower in the sky. A small building was ahead of us and that was where Felix was headed. His wings beat heavily as he carefully descended, the shock wave jolting through me as well. Shakily, I stood on my feet, forgetting how to walk.

'It's a peculiar feeling the first time you land.' I quickly found his arm, struggling to stay upright. I heard Ava snickering from the side. I felt exhausted even though I hadn't done anything all day. I didn't even fly here, yet I was so tired. We walked towards the wooden door, a brass handle barely hanging on.

'Ava,' Felix whispered, addressing the bird. 'Keep watch.'

Felix knocked on the door, not too loud but loud enough. Locks rattled from the other side before the door creaked open, revealing a middle-aged man with white hair. He had a white robe on and a strange round, glowing stone in the center of his forehead that shone an amethyst purple. White feathers peeked out from his shoulder.

'Sir,' The man said, rubbing his eyes. 'Why are you here at this unholy hour?' Felix chuckled.

'I'll explain inside.' The man stood aside and I followed Felix inside. The house was dimly lit with indecipherable items hanging from the ceiling and walls. Stairs led down beneath the ground, guarded by a worn-out rail.

'This had better be good.' The man grumbled under his breath. Felix led me forward in to the light. The man gasped, hand over his mouth in surprise. 'This isn't-'

'It is. This is the girl I was telling you about.' Felix smiled in the darkness. 'But I don't know what she is. She doesn't look Athelio.' The man walked forward, extending his hand, which I took.

'Hello.' He murmured.

'Hello.' I shook his hand. 'Dawn.'

'Doctor Fallion. But you can call me Doctor; everyone does.'

'Pleasure.' The doctor turned to Felix.

'May I?' He asked. After Felix nodded, he led me down the rickety stairs. It was dark but my eyes quickly adjusted to find the stairs underneath my feet. I was in between the doctor and Felix with the former leading the way. There was no escape route. Besides, I wouldn't get fat because they could fly; I couldn't. My breathing quickened when I knew that I had no plan.

'Calm down, Dawn.' Felix's voice sounded behind me. 'I trust Doctor Fallion with my life.' The doctor spoke, putting in his reassuring two bits.

'I just want to run some tests.' He said very calmly. 'I promise that if I hurt you, you can punish me as you see fit. If death, so be it.' I smiled, embarrassed that all these people knew my profession.

'Okay.' I squeaked, feeling like a young girl again.

We finally reached the bottom of the stairs. It took a while because, even by the light of the stone, Doctor had to take each stair one at a time. A thick door waits at the bottom, a combination lock over the handle. Doctor grabbed the handle after twisting the lock here and there.

'This,' He faced me. 'Is my lab.' The seal broke as he turned the handle and pulled it open. Machines whirred and flashed with buttons. One moved as though stoking a fire. Another spun and beeped occasionally. A screen sat in the center, windows full of data flashed on screen before disappearing. 'Every Quesardian has an element of some sort. Mine happens to be technology.'

'It's amazing.' I gaped in awe. Never had I seen so much machinery.

'I'm glad you think so.' He sighed. 'All the Council, except Felix, thinks I'm crazy and I'm actually here to spy and advance the Quesardian's race.' He shook his head and placed a hand on a nearby mechanism. 'But this is all I have left of me.'

'I'm sorry.' I felt bad for this man, a feeling I rarely had. 'But you're not a spy, right?' Doctor turned on me instantly.

'Of course not!' Doctor fumed. 'Those 'higher-ups' banished me because my element in not 'natural' so, therefore, I am not Quesardian.' He smiled at Felix. 'The people here accepted me, though and they don't mind my being here.'

'I'm sorry to be trouble,' Felix bowed politely. 'But the Council will want to see me about Dawn. It's getting that time of day.'

'But isn't it late?' I asked, confused. He shook his head.

'Early morning.' I yawned at the words.

'So, why am I so tired?' My eyebrows furrowed. The doctor placed a hand on my shoulder.

'I'll find out.' He said. 'I promise you.'

Felix turned to leave but I grabbed his arm. I quickly dropped it when he turned in surprise. Was there a rule against anyone touching him? The doctor ambled off, playing with buttons on different machines.

'Um,' I didn't know how to say it. 'Will you come back for me?' I messed with my hands, embarrassed. He stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on my left arm.

'As soon as I can.' He promised. 'And Doc will take good care of you.' The odd look in his green eyes was so trustworthy. I felt calmer, knowing that he would come back. Many people before had never come back for me; never would I let myself fall prey to him. 'I swear it on my life.'

Before I could say or do anything, he vanished up the stairs.

'He's a good man.' The doctor commented. I turned to face him, reluctant to any tests. 'May I start?'

'Yes.'

He led me to a metal table at the back of the room that was just high enough from the ground that he was comfortable to work. I sat on the edge, ready for anything. Doctor instantly started to work. A tray with a variety of different items was rolled up to my side. It was full of syringes and scalpels. I eyed it warily.

'Don't worry,' He laughed. 'None of them will hurt after I numb your nerves.' He switched on a bright light overhead that turned my skin a pale yellow colour. I shrank away from the painful light, bringing my wings up to shield myself from the ray of light. 'Hmm.' The doctor muttered, scribbling something down on a small notepad. 'Can you tell me if you don't like the light or if you are afraid of it?'

'Hurt.' I managed, wincing until he shut the light off.

'Interesting.' Doctor watched me carefully as I moved away from the glowing bulb. 'I wonder if it is light itself or a certain kind of light...' A few more notes on the pad. He picked up a syringe full of a clear liquid. 'This should only pinch a bit.' A wet cloth swept over a patch of skin on my upper arm before I felt a sharp pinch where he put the long needle into my muscle. A few moments later, I felt the cloth going over the same spot, barely.

'Now,' He continued. 'I am going to draw a bit of blood.' The doctor paused a moment before showing me the vial full of black blood. 'Has it always been this colour?'

'No.' I said, shaking my head. 'I thought that I saw my blood as black while I was in the desert but I guess I wasn't imagining it.'

'Is there anything else that is different about you? Besides the wings, of course.' He asked, pen at the ready. I lifted up a single foot, showing him my toes that were linked together by membrane similar to that of my wings. He quickly scribbled a drawing and a few notes.

'That's about it.' I yawned again. 'Can I sleep now?' He sighed.

'I will run your DNA through and it'll take a while.' He pointed to the door. 'In the meantime, you can rest on the couch upstairs. Feel free to make yourself at home.' The doctor moved about typing into a few different machines. A vial filled with black blood sat eerily in his right hand, clenched tightly.

I turned for the stairs, eager for sleep. The large metal door swung solidly behind me, clicking loudly. I climbed the stairs, barely able to keep my eyes open, let alone carry myself up the steep flight of creaky stairs. A dull light shone past the draperies that shook with the gentle breeze that swept by. The light that occasionally peeked through danced across the wooden floor. A sad couch sat facing the windows, a few pillows scattered on the cushions. They were a pale green that matched the colour of worn out grass.

I dragged myself to the couch, putting a pillow beneath my head. I sank into it, relaxing. It smelt of herbs like rosemary and basil, soothing scents. I curled into a ball, placing my hands beneath my head. I sighed, wrapping my wings around me in a makeshift blanket. The wind sang a quiet lullaby for me, the haziness of sleep drifting across my thoughts. I shut my eyes tight against the sun's playful games. Willingly, I slipped into a dream-filled sleep.

Bright green merged into the blue sky in the horizon. Flowers of different shades and colours swarmed the grassy rug. A garden smell drifted across as a brisk wind ruffled through the plants and tore at my dress. The almost nonexistent fabric whipped around my ankles and bare feet. Cool dirt threaded itself between my toes. Though I was at peace, something felt wrong, like I needed to be somewhere else but I was trapped here. Frustrated, I cried out but no sound came.

Escape, The voice came, whispering to me. Escape from this place. Here, you are helpless. I fought against something I could not see. I lashed out with claws, trying to hit anything. A sinister laugh resounded in the air. Fool, you cannot fight me. I am the part that lives inside of you. I tore at my skin, the beautiful background fading into a darker place. I felt a terrible fear and panic. Red swirled with the midnight black. There was no flooring beneath me but I did not fall. I hold you within my grasp and I own you. Your little friends here are in danger if they become too close. I'm dangerous. Shivers ran up and down my spine as the voice became closer to me with every word. Shadows of hands reached up to grab me but they passed through my skin, sending jolts of freezing cold air into my nervous system.

The nightmare worsened when a mirror appeared in front of me, showing me something that sent all the blood rushing to my legs. Blood. It was everywhere, covering my hands and the sharp knife dripping in my hand as I stood above a pile of bodies. All but one was winged. Pyrrhus was among them, his dead eyes staring at me with an accusative stare. The wing of another was bent at an unnatural angle, connected to the bare back of a young man who was covered in scars and had a familiar dark brown hair. My cry went unheard as nameless children were still and underneath them, the boys' dead bodies still trying to protect the innocent from danger. From me. I wanted to drop the knife and run to their sides. Tears that had long been banished went freely.

Look, The voice hissed. Look at what you have done.

Suddenly, a bony hand of a skeleton grabbed on to me, dragging me down through space. I kicked and fought against its tight grip. Its ghoulish grin smiled up at me while its teeth clacked together hauntingly. I felt my foot make contact and the hand let go. But I didn't stop falling. I hit something solid as my back landed painfully on wood.

My eyes flew open to see Felix sitting on the couch, which was much higher up than I was. I stared up in confusion. He was gripping his midsection with a pained expression on his face. Dizzily, I jumped up.

'Are you okay?!' I cried out, secretly enjoying being able to speak. He smiled (or attempted to) up at me.

'Yeah.' He grimaced. 'You have muscle...' I sat down next to him on the couch, sending up a small poof of dust. I reached out with my hand.

'Let me see.' I went to touch his side but he jumped up off the couch. I leaned back slightly, shocked.

'It's fine. I can handle pain.' The doctor then entered the room with an undecipherable look. Felix turned from me and to the doctor. 'What is it?'

The doctor smiled oddly. 'You won't believe this.' Felix moved to his side. They whispered but I heard every word. 'I have never seen this before except for one time before, hundreds of years ago.' Felix looked at something in his hand, a confused look on his face. 'See what's happening. The material in her blood is destroying her DNA. It destroys a bit and replaces the empty space with itself, changing her completely. That is why her blood is black. It is the dead particles of her DNA strands.' I heard Felix speak.

'What does this mean?'

'It means that she is slowly changing into something else. And I can only slow it but not stop it completely.' The doctor sighed heavily. 'I wish I could do more.' I felt my heart start to beat faster as I realized what he was saying. I wasn't human anymore.

'What can be done?' Felix sounded slightly anxious. I balled my hands into tight fists. I felt warm liquid dripping down my fingers after a while. I winced and ignored the pain pulsing from my arms. The doctor shook his head, meeting my gaze.

'Nothing for now except for DNA implants constantly. The material was injected with a bond that is stronger than what I have ever seen.' The doctor raised his voice so that he knew I could hear him. 'Unfortunately, I don't have any DNA unique to her. Everyone has their own DNA design and if I give her anyone different from her, it will destroy what's left of her. I can try to save some of the DNA that is left, but I don't know what will happen.' Felix nodded, wheels whirling in his mind.

'Thank you, Doc.' Felix shook his hand. He went to me and, without looking at me, he spoke to me. 'Let's go. The Council wants to see you.' I stood and followed him out the door. We were almost completely out the door, the doctor called out.

'Felix,' He said, Felix turning to face him. I saw his green eyes were cold and silent, saying nothing. 'If anything happens to her, you come straight to me, understand?' Felix nodded and turned to Ava, who was waiting patiently. 'Time to go.'

She chirped with a curious, yet possessive, tone. Felix shook his head, muttering something under his breath. ''S nothing.' He lied. He was such a terrible liar; everyone knew that he was lying without even looking at him and seeing that he wasn't making contact. Ava cried out suddenly, the full of her cry ringing out. Ava raced forward, hovering by his face. Carefully, her sharp claws hooked on to his tunic, piercing three identical holes.

Felix jumped back, the shirt staying in tact. 'Fine.' He growled and lifted up his shirt, showing the spot where I had kicked him. Under the skin, I could see the large bruise already forming. The large shoe print was obvious in the center. The surrounding area was turning purple before my eyes. Even past the bruise, the skin was red and swollen. From the looks of it, I had hit him over the bottom of his ribcage, no doubt breaking and bruising a few. I gasped, in shock at what I had done.

'I am so sorry, Felix.' I rushed. 'I didn't know what I was doing and I never meant to hurt you.' Ava's eyes narrowed at me. She sank into a hunting stance. I could hear her voice and, though I could not understand her, I knew that she was cursing my name. Felix hurriedly lowered his shirt, covering the large injury. Ava backed off but kept an eye on me, watching me always.

'Ava,' Felix said, warningly but calm. 'Go fetch Kyle for me and bring him here.' Ava squawked and flew off with out questioning his orders. As soon as she was gone, Felix collapsed on the ground, head between his knees. I knelt at his side, fretting over him as only a mother should.

'Felix?' I asked, anxiety seeping into my tone. He didn't look up. I slowly placed a hand on his shoulder. It was shaking. I could now see clearly the tears streaming down his face. 'Does it hurt?' He shook his head no. 'Was it something I did or said?' Again, no. 'I'm not playing 20 Questions. Just tell me.' He took a shaky breath and lifted his head up. His beautiful eyes were full of unshed tears and his cheeks were red and splotchy.

'I saw it. I saw the future and it was full of blood and death.' I drew small, lazy circles on his back, attempting to be comforting. 'I saw you, too.' I hesitated in surprise but continued drawing the circles. 'You were stuck, running but not going anywhere. You were trapped.' He paused. 'Someone else was there, too. But I could not see them...' He drifted off, the child-like look coming back into his eyes. 'But I should not worry you with this kind of thing.'

'I'm glad you told me.' I whispered, trying to stay calm. There was something unusual about the person he mentioned. Could it be the person from my dream? The one who supposedly was a part of me? 'Who is Kyle?' Felix looked me directly in the eye, surprised.

'Oh, yes.' He exclaimed. 'Kyle is a personal assistant for me. You see, his mother is very sick and I pay for her health care and he runs little errands for me, along with earning a bit on the side. I cannot go with you to see the Council but I can meet you there.' I nodded, thinking to myself.

I wonder why Felix is so nice now. What changed? I examined him closely, his eyes watching the sky for Ava to return. I thought about how nice he had been to me, something I rarely experience but always remember. I thought of the scars in my dream. His back was covered with them. They were of all different lengths. Some longer and some thinner. But one seemed to stand out above the rest. A long thin scar that stretched all the way across his back, occasionally changing in direction so it weaved throughout his tan skin.

A sudden whooping sounded out above the trees, calling my attention to the skies. A small shape hovered elegantly in the air beside a larger shape that fluttered, dropping suddenly. I got the feeling that he was not a very good flyer. Felix stood, covering his eyes from the bright sunlight that peeked over the horizon. Instead of shying away from it like with the doctor, I relished the warm light on my cool wings. Felix waved his arms, casting a long shadow on the grassy walkway.

Ava landed first, gracefully perching on the fence surrounding the doctor's house. The other one, however, crashed not-so-gracefully onto the ground. The young boy turned on his side to catch most of the impact on his side and not his face. He stood up and brushed himself off, a small scrape on his cheek and a large grass stain covered his loose brown tunic.

The boy was almost as tall as me and had short blond hair. A pair of wings were still fully extended, brightly coloured like a hummingbird's. He smiled as he saw Felix before bowing respectfully, his wings lowered to the ground.

'Kyle,' Felix started, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. The boy named Kyle looked up. 'It is good to see you well. Your flying has improved greatly.' Kyle beamed at the compliment and rose to face Felix, his hand falling back to his side.

'Thank you, sir.' Kyle bowed again and stood up. 'I came as soon as Ava stood outside the door.' The way Felix interacted with this boy was close, almost brotherly.

'Excellent. But you do not have to call me 'sir'.' Felix pointed out. Kyle blushed heavily and muttered 'Of course.' 'I would like you to meet a friend of mine.' Felix gestured to me. 'This is Dawn and she is new here. Would you take her to the Council and tell them I will be there shortly? I have a few errands to run. And whatever you do, do not let Dawn slip out of your sight.' Kyle turned to me.

'Follow me, please.' His wings spread carefully and I could see that he was going to take off. I stepped forward slightly at the same time as Felix, my hand accidentally hitting his side, where I knew it was bruised. A slight cry of pain was hardly noticeable.

'I am so sorry, Felix!' I hurriedly burst out. He shook his head and waving his hand as if to tell me to not worry about it. He, instead, grabbed a hold of Kyle's shoulder, holding him back. Kyle looked back, surprised.

'Dawn cannot fly; you will have to walk.' Kyle's smile faltered slightly, the change hardly noticeable. 'Kyle, would you explain the basics as you have learned in class?' The response came in a quick nod that should have given him a headache.

'No problem!' Kyle grinned constantly. 'I would love to help you!' He clapped his hands together joyfully, addressing me. Kyle turned and faced Felix. His forehead furrowed in a questioning look. 'Are you alright? Something feels wrong.' His tone took on a sudden maturity.

'Everything is fine.' Felix reassured the young boy, his forehead relaxing into a more childlike state. 'Now, be on your way; it is a walk.' Kyle bowed once more before taking my hand, leading me down the street. I glanced back and saw that Felix was already taking off, headed the opposite way.

'So,' Kyle started, drawing my attention to him. 'Are you and Felix friends?' He sounded hopeful but slightly jealous. I laughed lightly and Kyle dropped my hand.

'I hope so.' I smiled when he looked at me, surprised.

'Really?' He seemed to be disbelieving of my answer. 'No one is friends with him. Just his servant who lives with him.'

'You know about Pyrrhus?' The noise heightened, indicating that we were getting closer to civilization. Kyle nodded.

'He used to play with all the younger kids before the Council forbid it. And Felix cannot do anything about it, even though he is the Eye.'

'You are close to Felix?' He shook his head.

'I do what he wants me to but that is the only time I can really see him. Most of the time, he watches from his mansion on the hill or regulating things with the Council at the Trading Post. He is away a lot.'

'How old are you, Kyle?' I asked, interested. He seemed quite mature.

'I have just turned 109 this year.' Kyle walked with a spring in his step, proud of his age. 'How old are you?'

'I am 18.' Kyle stopped and stared at me in shock.

'You cannot be!' He exclaimed, pointing a little finger at me. 'You look at least 1500!' I didn't know if that was a compliment or what.

'I don't live as long as you. I might not even make it to 100.' Kyle walked on, shaking his head.

'You are weird.' I playfully tousled his hair. People were starting to appear, getting started in the day. They flew off into the sky, a variety of different colours. Others started work in their small gardens out front. I knew that this community was perfect, unlike most societies I had read about. Every time, perfect societies collapse on themselves. But this one seemed to have just the right amount of perfection and just the right amount of brotherly love to keep the Council afloat.

We walked in silence, Kyle slightly ahead of me. I was content to merely walk at his side. He reminded me of someone I knew a long time ago. I thought of all the times I had tousled his hair as well. I knew that he was gone, lost in the war of family.

'We are almost there.' Kyle's peppy voice came suddenly, breaking my thoughts out of the clouds. I looked at him stupidly, unable to understand what he said, too caught up in the past.

'What?' The only intelligent thing I could think of. Kyle chuckled to himself.

'I said that we are almost to the Council's building.' He pointed ahead to the building ahead of us, almost impossible to miss. It was massive and an off-white tower with birds circling it lazily. The whole building looked as if it was made out of only windows what with the odd reflections across the entire outside. Clouds drifted across the top while it towered over everything below it. People around us gave me weird looks while I stared at the massive tower up ahead. I could feel my wings droop slightly in shock.

'We have to go all the way up there?' I gasped. Kyle looked at me strangely, almost questioning.

'What do you mean?' He cocked his head to one side. 'It's not that bad. There is a lift in there that we could ride.' He pulled a small plastic card out from a side pocket that I didn't notice before. He waved it side to side in my face. 'I am a special guest because I work for Felix.' Kyle glanced around suspiciously before quickly sticking it back into his trouser pocket.

I could feel sweat pouring down my face from the heat. Kyle seemed to be absolutely fine with his wings slightly spread behind him. There was no sweat visibly on the young boy's face. As I looked around, I noticed that a lot of people were either spreading their wings out or using wings to cover their head from the burning sun. Hesitantly, I brought my wings up, already feeling the heat vaporize from my body. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw many people stop and stare at the bizarre creature before them. Ignoring them, I continued to stretch them out to full length. They were huge. At least 4,6 metres long! That's three times my height. They weren't this big when I was in the desert.

Ahead of me, Kyle stopped, feeling the stares of other people on his back. He saw the shadow that stretched out along the pavement of the sidewalk. Somewhere nearby, a baby started to cry followed by a mother comforting her child. Utter silence filled the entire air. 'Whoa,' Kyle muttered, open mouth. 'I did not know that you had wings. But they are not feathered.' Kyle's head moved to the side, curious.

'Keep walking.' I whispered hastily, urging him along. He shrugged and walked on, leading the way towards the giant tower. I glared angrily at every one who stared, causing them to pretend that they were looking at something else. My wings stayed outstretched, trailing behind me like a cloud. Almost instantly, the sweat on my brow dried, leaving a crust of salt dusting my face. With every movement, the thin layer cracked even more.

The bathroom at the top floor was exquisite, nothing like the bathroom I had used earlier. Elegant black marble sinks lined the wall opposite the stalls, the stalls a matching shade of black. I washed my hands quickly but efficiently. The hot water and soap burned my fingertips where I could still feel the acid burning.

I was ready. Or as ready as one could be before meeting a group of people who would decide your future and one had no idea how to act in front of them. A few deep breaths later, I was talking to myself, not a good sign.

'You've done worse than this.' I said, trying to soothe my nerves.

'But my boss was always there to cover me if I screwed up.' I felt my chest compacting, making it difficult to breathe. 'And even though I've really screwed up, he is not here.'

'I can do this.' I murmured to myself over and over again until I reached the heavy door. I pulled it open to see a guard waiting to escort me to the meeting room. He was slightly taller than me with ice blue eyes and bright red hair. He offered his arm and I gingerly took it, my entire body shaking.

'Nervous?' He asked, a heavy Irish accent covering his words. 'They're not so bad.' He patted my arm to calm me. I nodded as we walked down the corridors, people I had not seen before gave us a nod as we passed by. 'My name is Sean. I'm a personal assistant to the ambassador of the Quesardians.'

'A pleasure, Sean.' I grinned up at him as he was a bit taller than me and very muscular. 'My name is Dawn and I am with Felix.' He looked at me, shocked at first, then understanding.

'You're that new girl everyone is talking about, yeah?' I shrugged indifferently. I didn't know what everyone talked about but I was a new girl. 'Excellent.' Sean smiled. He was fairly friendly and he was pleasant to be around.

'So,' I started, feeling quite comfortable in this strange place. 'What is your story?' Sean chuckled to himself.

'My father is a traitor, see.' Sean shrugged. 'He married and had a child with a Quesardian, our sworn enemies. That child was me. The Council has forgiven me for my father's mistake and they gave me a chance. All throughout school, I had to keep perfectly in line. Otherwise, I would be put down to the lowest of the social chain. I kept myself completely spotless and went to college. I studied harder than anyone else to get my position.' We were silent for a bit before he spoke again. 'I have heard rumours but I do not know your story.'

I laughed lightly. 'I made a deal with the Devil. In order to get anything I ever wanted, I had to assassinate twenty people, all high class. They were ambassadors, royalty and people my employer deemed unworthy of their power. I killed each and every one of them. I couldn't be traced; my boss had made sure of that. I burned off my fingertips with hydrochloric acid. I became an excellent actress. I lured officials into a false sense of security.' Sean whistled low.

'My,' He smirked. 'That is nothing compared to the rumours floating around. There is one that says that you are a sister of Felix that was kept secret until you were able to take over his position.' I giggled like a school girl at that one. Me and Felix related? Impossible!

Sean led me to a solid door that was paneled with solid plates of steel. It looked massive but Sean knocked on the heavy door easily. Before the door swung open, he whispered, 'Good luck, doll.' In front of me was a long mahogany table with plush black chairs around it. Old men at around the table glanced up, looking exhausted. Each of them held a drink. Felix sat there, a proper suit on and hair combed back handsomely. Two guards stood at the door, holding it open. Sean and I bowed low to the old men.

'I have brought the girl, Council.' Sean stated, his accent almost gone but noticeable. We rose to stand, Sean leading me around the right side of the table to the seat next to Felix. I suddenly felt self-conscience about every bit of dust on my elegant red dress.

'I think they like you.' Felix murmured, just low enough for me to hear. The doors shut solidly in the background. The oldest man at the head of the table looked at me.

'My dear,' He addressed me. 'It is a pleasure to have you here in our beautiful city.' He stopped gesturing towards the windows opposite me.

'Oh, yes,' I replied. 'It is quite lovely. I feel very welcome here. Thank you, sir.' I added the last bit after Felix gently nudged me as a reminder. Sean sat next to me.

The door burst open, causing the entire room to turn. Beside me, Sean tensed up, his bright blue eyes glancing at the Council members' faces. Through the door, a procession of black-clad bodyguards and, in the center, a man stood with an air about him that sent me reeling backwards. Each of them had white, dove-like wings, white hair and a soulgem, uniquely coloured to each person. I knew what they were from what Felix had told me. The Quesardians.

The man in the center wore a bright white robe with his wings elegantly poking over his shoulders. He strode forward to the table where we all sat, his bodyguards lining the room and blocking the light that was coming in through the windows. He smirked defiantly.

'Why in the world are you here?' He snapped, being the brat I thought him to be. One of the Elders replied.

'We are here to establish what to do with our strange guest.' He gestured towards me. Sean had left and stood behind me, arms clasped behind his back. Felix nodded toward a seat around the giant table.

'Aidryn,' He warned. 'Have a seat.'

'Oh,' The man feigned surprise. 'Good morning, Eyeball.' His words dripped with sarcasm. An Elder cleared his throat. Aidryn quickly sat, throwing his black boots onto the table. The mahogany table was silent.

'So,' Aidryn snarled. 'Where's this guest you were talking about?' I stood of my own accord. He stared at me angrily.

'Here.' I said calmly. Behind me, Sean whispered into my ear.

'Address him as 'sir'; he is the leader over all Quesardians.' He murmured, trying to be helpful.

'I will not call him 'sir'.' I whispered back. 'He doesn't rule over me, for I am not Quesardian.' I then sat, Aidryn's eyes never leaving mine. The oldest Elder then stood, speaking once more.

'Very well, then.' He said, his voice shaky. 'Let us proceed with this meeting. Felix, if you would.' Next, Felix stood.

'Thank you, sir.' Felix addressed the Council formally, all child-like qualities gone. 'I saw this girl, Dawn, in the desert, dying a slow and painful death. I knew that she had something to do with our future. I had seen her before, murdering under someone's orders. I believe that she needs to be here with the Athelio.'

The Elders nodded and whispered among themselves. But, just like with Doc and Felix, I heard every word.

'She must be important for Felix to see her.'

'But she is a killer.'

'It only proves that she is obedient.'

'But did you see the way she treated Aidryn?'

'She is confused.'

'There is no excuse for the way she treated him.'

'Let us see how the Quesardians react before we pass judgment.' They raised their heads and looked at Aidryn. 'Sir,' One of them said. 'What do you think of this girl?'

'I don't know.' He sneered. 'What can you do? How would you benefit our race?' I stood angrily.

'More than you can!' I growled. Aidryn's eyebrows shot up for a second before returning to the same arrogant face. Gasps flew around the room. 'I'm sorry.' I muttered before sitting down, mortified.

'Fiery.' Aidryn commented. 'You'd be great as a personal servant.' Now, Felix stood, putting a fist on the table.

'Never in your lifetime.' He snarled. Aidryn's bodyguards tensed, starting to move forward. I felt tensions strain against the boundaries carefully placed in the past. Each of the Elders stood, preparing for the fight that was inevitable. 'I have seen this and I know you will leave with tails between your legs. Save yourselves the embarrassment and leave now.' He sounded confident and no one knew if he was bluffing or not.

'And miss an opportunity like this?' Aidryn smirked. 'Never in your lifetime.' The chaos that then ensued was massive.

The bodyguards attacked Felix and the Elders instantly while Aidryn stood in the background. I ducked for cover by the table. Sean protected me from stray hits and also blocking my view of Felix so I had no idea how he was fairing against the three bodyguards. I scooted back until I was at the center of the table, perched on the beam that connected all four legs together. Sean engaged with another bodyguard at least twice his side. An awful sound of steel against tile resounded through the room and I saw a small silver dagger clatter to the floor. I quickly picked it up, holding it close to my chest, careful not to prick myself. From under the table, I saw Aidryn's black boots slowly moving towards the edge of the table. In my head, I urged him to move a bit closer.

I silently moved to where I was right below him. All he had to do was look down and my plan wouldn't work. I gripped the cold handle with my sweaty palm, trying to work up the nerves to go into hand-to hand combat. I was never really good at it.

Finally, I gripped the solid edge of the table, hoisting myself up and behind the king of Quesardians. I held the razor knife against his throat, never wavering. I whispered into his ear, my breath brushing his white hair.

'Call it off before you give up your throne prematurely.' My voice was gruff and low while the fighting continued. 'You know I will do it, don't you?' Aidryn's body began to shake from an emotion unknown to me.

'Stop!' Amazingly, his cracking voice rose above the clamoring of the fight. Everyone looked at us in shock, eyes wide in surprise. A small gash bled on Felix's cheek and Sean looked unharmed. The bodyguards on the other hand, looked like they had been hit by cars. Bruises decorated their faces and limbs. A few gripped sides, possibly from broken ribs. Aidryn continued. 'My people will leave you now.'

I removed the knife from his neck and he moved away from me instantly. His bodyguards swarmed around him, keeping him safe. Aidryn shot me a glare that pierced me to the core.

'Don't think I won't get you. Mine or dead.' A chill ran up my spine from his words. I felt like I was dirtied up again and I needed to be clean.

'Leave, Aidryn,' Felix glared back. 'Before you do something else to cause your people a bad reputation.' Aidryn stormed out of the room, letting the doors slam shut of their own accord. Sean started picking up an overturned chair, sighing heavily. I could feel the downcast mood over the entire room. I dropped the knife that was still clasped in my hand, the dagger clattering noisily. I soon followed, sitting down on the ground.

Hands then found themselves on my back, resting comfortably on my upper back while I sobbed into my arms. I could feel the cold steel of the knife against my leg. I looked out from the side of my arm and saw Felix sitting there awkwardly with a hand on my back and Sean on the other side, worry evident in his eyes. I laughed to myself at the difference between the two.

As quickly as the episode came, it vanished and no more tears came. I wiped my face with a tissue someone handed me. Black smears came off with the salty teardrops.

'I'm sorry.' I sniffled. 'I don't know what came over me.'

'It was the adrenaline rush. Now that the rush is gone, your system crashed.' Sean explained softly.

'I shouldn't feel like this!' I said, frustrated. I twisted the tissue in my hands over and over again. 'I am trained to not have adrenaline!' I stood in my anger, causing the knife the skitter across the tiles, scraping horridly. 'I want to go home!' I backed up to the table, hands against the table defiantly. Felix stood slowly, hands outstretched.

'Dawn,' He pleaded with me, eyes soft. 'Please calm down. I know things here are different. I know because I used to live in your world. I used to be human. When I came here, everything was strange and alien. Please. We will go back to the mansion and we will talk about everything, alright?' He reached out with his hand. I was about to take it when I felt a pain in my shoulder similar to when I was changed by the Devil.

I tried to fight the darkness that began to set in, coming at me from all sides. The scene began to fade away from my vision. Felix with eyes wide; Sean with his arms ready to catch me as I fell; an Elder behind me, a needle in his hand.

A memory danced behind my eyelids. I recognised the Devil in front of me, before I started working for him. He was younger and obviously tired. I was hungry and cold. I hid in a small box in the alleyway, shielding myself from the pouring rain. He held an umbrella and wore a long tan trench coat. At first, I thought he was a government worker when he stopped and looked at me. He beckoned for me to come to him. The part inside of me, the older part, begged me not to go. But the old me crawled out bit by bit and rushed to him when he pulled a small piece of bread from his pocket, steam still coming off of it. His voice was cool and calm, just as I remembered it.

'What are you doing out here?' His eyes were dark but enrapturing. I shook my head quickly, backing away with the bread in my hand. 'I won't hurt you.' He promised me. 'You can trust me; I used to be on the streets, too.' My voice was thin and raspy from not being used for such a long time.

'Probably not for the same reasons as me.'

'What would that be?' I instantly knew what he was doing. He was trying to lure me into a security that didn't exist. I stayed silent. 'What's your name?'

'Dawn.' I whispered. I was surprised when he heard me.

'I can help you, Dawn. You can work for me. I know what you can do and I know that I can use your skills and help you get rich. You will never be hungry and cold ever again.' At the time, it sounded great. I didn't know what my skills were but I must be good for something. I nodded quickly and he walked with me on the empty ghetto streets of London, protecting me from the cold rain.

My eyes were crusted over when I woke up. I felt so drowsy but I knew that I needed to get up. My head throbbed with pain. I was on a couch with soft down pillows under my head. An icy wet bag with ice was resting on my head with a hand towel separating it from my skin. I moved it off my head and on to the ground, the small amount of energy seeming like so much more than it really was. I was in a living room of sorts. Curtains were draped across the windows but no light shone through the pale purple fabric. I tried to sit up but my head pounded and my wings got in the way of the cushions. My throat was dry and I needed a drink of water.

Almost instantly I felt a cool hand brushing my hair out of my face. I turned to face Felix who knelt on the floor next to me. His face was blurred and I couldn't see him properly. He chuckled lightly.

'How are you feeling?' I groaned and threw an arm over my face. His hand was blocked by mine so he couldn't reach my face. 'The Elders feared for your and their safety so they put you out using a natural drug that gives you a killer headache when you wake up.' I saw him grin, from the corner of my eye, at his play on words.

'I feel it and it is a killer.'

'Come on,' He sighed, tugging at my arm. 'It is time to wake up.'

'What time is it?' I rolled over to bury my head in the pillows.

'It is after sundown.' Felix patted me awkwardly on the back. 'Doc said that because of the DNA in your system, it would be easier for you if you got up at a later hour than regular Athelio. He said that you were nocturnal now.' I knew what that meant.

'Why do I need to get up?'

'Because we are going shopping.' I looked at him as if he was crazy. 'Oh, not with me, of course.' He quickly said at my facial expression. I sighed unhappily and rolled off so I was on the ground and looking up at him. He smiled at me and helped me sit up. Shakily, I walked behind him. We went through a door so that we were in a hallway lined with gray stones. It looked like it was from the Medieval times. I followed him down the corridor until the place we were at looked familiar. I glanced inside a room off the corridor and saw the kitchen where we had eaten breakfast. It seemed like ages ago. We went past the hall that went to my room and went to one opposite the corridor from mine. He started to go down it and I hesitantly followed suit.

Unlike most halls in the mansion, this one was lit with flames. But the flames weren't supported by anything. They just floated there. They didn't touch the walls and didn't give off smoke. I heard Felix scoff and whisper, 'Show off.' underneath his breath.

A solid door was on our right, shut tight. Felix knocked on it lightly and it swung open. Inside, it was a disaster. A bed was pushed up against the wall with a few pillows and a pile of blankets barely covered a young, shirtless boy. His mouth was open slightly, his red hair mussed up and his limbs sprawled about, hanging over edges. Pyrrhus.

'Pyrrhus!' Felix shouted, startling me. 'Get up, please. I need you to run an errand for me.' Pyrrhus didn't react at first but he moved after a bit, pulling a pillow over his head. He buried himself in the fabric. 'Please will you do something for Dawn?'

Bright red flames appeared in the air. The fire formed large words, illuminating the entire room. 'Hell no.' I laughed to myself. I should be hurt but Pyrrhus amused me too much for me to ever be mad at him. Felix, however, gave an exasperated sigh and slammed the door shut.

'Never mind him.' Felix rolled his eyes. 'I will just get Sean to go. Besides Pyrrhus, he is the only one I can trust with you.' Felix grabbed a phone from his pocket and pressed a few buttons. He brought it to his ear and waited while it rang. 'It is Felix. I need you to escort Dawn around the city. She needs some clothing and supplies…Thank you, Sean…See you then.' A click and the conversation ended.

'So,' I looked at him, confused. 'Does that mean I get to stay?' Felix nodded, a light smile.

'Sean will be over here in a few minutes to take you around the city. First on the list is to show you the mall. You need a new wardrobe. You cannot wear a dress and a simple pair of jeans with a t-shirt all the time. I will not allow it.' His tone was joking before serious. 'And you really do need to go shopping.'

I saw my vision blur before everything went dark. I tried groping around for something to hold on to. I quickly found Felix's arm.

'Dawn,' He started, sounding worried. 'Are you alright?' I nodded, my breathing quickening. As suddenly as it came, my vision returned but everything was still blurry. Really blurry. I tried blinking a few times but nothing helped.

'I think I'm okay now.' I whispered. I got my balance back but I was at a loss with my vision. I held on the Felix's shirt as we walked further down the hallway, back the way we came, until my sight began to return a bit more.

'Felix?' He glanced back at me, with a green eye watching me warily. He grunted to let me know that I had his attention. 'What's happening to me?' He shook his head.

'I have no idea. But while you are out with Sean, I will go and speak with Doc.' He stopped suddenly and I gently bumped into him. 'Until then, I want you to have fun. Promise me that.'

'Okay,' I nodded. 'But only if you answer a question of mine. You said before that you used to live in my world. What did you mean by that?' Felix chuckled lightly, taking on a more serious tone.

'Exactly what I said. I used to live a human life. I was not human, no, but I looked it.' I cocked my head, curious now. 'I am half elvish. And half Quesardian. My mother was an Elf and locked away a piece of my soul in a pendant that I received many years ago. That pendant helped bond the two bits of my soul together and I no longer was the human I thought I was. I grew wings. I could see the future of Pyrrhus and me. I wasn't the same anymore.' He sighed heavily before laughing joyously. 'No more sob stories, now. Tell me about yourself.'

I blushed feverishly at my past. The blood on my hands, the crimes I committed and the people I had hurt. 'I am sure you don't want to hear about that.' He heard him sigh heavily and I felt a hand placed on my shoulder. I looked up into his burning green eyes.

'I know that your past will be beneficial to your future. Revenge is evident in your eyes but you do not yet have the knowledge you need to become the hero of your own story.' Felix knew what he was talking about, even if his words made a riddle. It gave me comfort to see the compassion there. I could feel tears well up in my eyes. My nose burned and my throat clenched up. I hastily wiped away the salt water on my cheeks.

'Thank you, Felix.' I whispered to him under my breath. I felt at ease with him around, as if nothing could go wrong even though I knew that there was a lot that was at risk of failing.