Disclaimers: I do not own The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Shannara Series and "The Shannara Chronicles", The Unicorn Chronicles, "Once Upon a Time", and the 1995 film, "Casper". They belong to J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Terry Brooks, MTV, Spike, Bruce Coville, ABC, Disney, and Universal. All other canon material belongs to their respected owners. All original material belongs to me, the authoress of this fanfiction story.

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Welcome to the final part of my fanfiction mini-trilogy, The Lone Unicorn, part of my Origin Series, and my Long Series. :)

Here is where my Green Ring mini fanfic trilogy and my Lone Unicorn mini fanfic trilogy connect. In a way, this is a prequel and sequel to my Green Ring trilogy, as well as the sequel to my other fanfic after my Green Ring trilogy, The Show of Specters, which is also part of my Origin Series and my Long Series. This is also the origin story behind how people from our world enter the Land of Unicorns in the first place, something that was sort of shown in my Green Ring trilogy. So, here's hoping more canon characters show up. :)

Enjoy! :)

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Syrena sat next to the bank of a freshwater pond. The pond was now still as glass, unyielding, at least until she played around the water with her fingertips. She couldn't help admiring this pond. It was a tranquil spot in the High Unicorns' Grove, in the Southern Forest of the Land of Unicorns.

She looked up, wondering what could make this experience better.

.

In her Hill Unicorn form, Syrena had a white standard coat, a white mane, a white tail, and a pearly spiral horn nestled on her forehead. When she was in her human form, that horn became a white star in the centermost part of her forehead, where the horn usually sat in her Hill Unicorn form.

In her human form, Syrena was a young woman with pale skin, brown eyes, straight brown hair, and fair features. Even now, she wore the same sparkly white dress she wore when she transformed in front of Mayor Whitmore, a human who ran one of the villages in the Land of Talking Animals, a village where Syrena found her love interest, Lockslear, a man Aslan sent for her to find not too long ago.

Their mission was to unlock the barrier separating the Land of Unicorns from the rest of the realms in the second Seven Realms. So far, that mission was about to be completed.

.

Lockslear, in his cat form, was a golden house cat who resembled Alindor, the former king of the Land of Talking Animals. In his human form, Lockslear had rough, fair features, pointy ears, short brown hair that was combed back, blue eyes, and pale skin. The moment Syrena looked at him, she saw he was donned in a brown jacket, a red shirt, brown pants, and black boots. He had changed clothes recently, and washed up, since they arrived in the Land of Unicorns.

Yes, Syrena and Lockslear were lovers. Syrena wouldn't forget Aslan's words about Lockslear having a gentle soul, which proved true after her harrowing first meeting with Lockslear, which did not bode well for them both at first. Lockslear proved her wrong, showing her that he really was a kind, gentle soul who only wanted to look out for her.

As it happened, Syrena and Lockslear were mates, destined to be together in a romantic way. Syrena didn't get romantic vibes from Whipstaff, who was only friends with her and nothing more. They held no romantic ties or interest for each other in that manner. And that was all right. They could stay friends, for all they knew. They saw no harm in it now. So, why stop there?

In his Tree Unicorn form, Whipstaff had a painted coat and a tan spiral horn.

In his human form, Whipstaff's horn was replaced with a tan star, which stayed on the centermost part of his forehead, where his unicorn horn had been when he was a Unicorn. In his human form, Whipstaff had short, ruffled brown hair, blue eyes, pale skin that was tanned, due to be outdoors a lot, and rough features. Today, he wore a red jacket, a brown tunic, black trousers, and grey boots.

The moment Syrena saw Whipstaff and Lockslear talk amongst themselves, she sighed, wondering how she ever connected with these two men. They were her men and she cared for them both, just in different ways. She looked at her parents, her Dark Unicorn father named Hornblower and her Sea Unicorn mother Pearl, wondering how they ever met. She knew they went through a battle together, before they fell in love, but they didn't need to hide who they were, in Hill Unicorn forms, to appease her or to disguise themselves, in order to protect her from what was about to come.

She would have been fine, if they stayed the way they were. Besides, what did it matter? The barrier was about to be lifted and the Land of Unicorns would be revealed to the rest of the realms, worlds, and Universes. There was no stopping it now, was there?

.

Syrena returned her gaze to the pond, her mind present and in the moment, but adrift. She wanted to believe that unlocking the barrier would solve all their problems, with the unicorn gangs and the pirate unicorns abound, but she feared it wouldn't. What would happen to them all once the barrier was lifted? Would it be for good or for bad? And how were they going to accomplish this?

She wanted to believe this was worth it. She was the rogue unicorn everyone predicted and set the Unicorns free. But it was Aslan who foresaw it all, as well as the unicorn Arabella Skydancer who helped build the prophecy concerning Syrena. Was it meant to be?

In some ways, Syrena didn't want the barrier to be open, but what could she do now? This was her decision. This was her choice. She didn't know if it was right or wrong. It was hopeless. She started something that probably should have stopped years ago.

"Syrena," the golden-brown Great Lion of Narnia, Aslan, approached her, getting her attention. Syrena looked at him with kind eyes, wondering if her decision was right. Aslan pressed her with questions, "are you all right?"

"Aslan," Syrena said, facing him now, "am I—are we doing the right thing? I started this after all."

"No, you didn't start this. I was the one who knew this would happen, and so did my Father, the Emperor-beyond-the-Sea. He knew this would come to pass, as so when the unicorn Fae doubted me and my words, she was the one who hid the unicorns," Aslan explained.

"Yes, I know the story. All the unicorns of this realm knew it," Syrena said, facing Aslan again. "I'm sorry. I still can't believe this is happening. Oh, why can't things go back to normal?"

"Your normal has changed, Syrena. You are not the same. You knew this to be true," Aslan said, kindly.

"Thanks, but it doesn't help me much," Syrena said, as Aslan chuckled, merrily.

"Nothing ever does, but it's the best we can do," Aslan said, happily.

"Right. Like that's supposed to make me feel better," Syrena said, facing the pond again.

"I know it's only been a few days, since you left the Hills. Your home is still there, and now you have a new one with Lockslear," Aslan said, bluntly. Syrena watched Lockslear, finding he was smiling at her. She sighed, longing to see him, longing to be with him again. Maybe Aslan was right.

"You wanted us together, didn't you, Aslan?" Syrena asked, facing the Great Lion.

"Yes," Aslan said, "he is important. He is the one who will help reveal the unicorns. It was meant to be." He added, "Afterwards, it'll be a new dawn for the unicorns. You can come and go about the realms as you wish, once the barrier is lifted, of course."

"And not a moment too soon, I guess," Syrena said with a sigh. She looked at Lockslear, asking Aslan, "What's going to happen to us? Lockslear's still the Prince of the Land of Talking Animals. What's going to happen to his bloodline?"

"In time, it will become clear," Aslan said, cryptically. He walked away, leaving Syrena feeling more confused.

"That doesn't help!" Syrena called out to the Great Lion.

Aslan faced her with candor. "I know. In time, you will understand."

Syrena wanted to say something else, but gave up. In time, she would understand, but not now. Oh, what did Aslan know that she didn't?

She looked up the second Whipstaff spoke to her. Oh, what did he want now? "Syrena, you coming? The meeting's about to start!" Whipstaff cried, getting her attention.

"I'm coming," Syrena said, moving away from the pond, as she returned to Lockslear and Whipstaff, who were just as determined as she was to get this meeting over. "I'm here. Now, where is the meeting taking place?"

"It's here!" a silver-coated High Unicorn, the leader of the High Unicorns and the rest of the Unicorn breeds in the Land of Unicorns, Silvestra, said in a kind voice. She smiled, gesture for the trio to follow her into a large circle of grey stones, where other Unicorn leaders were gathered. "Come on. We don't have that much time."

Syrena looked up at the sky. The sun set. Dusk had come, even as she made her way to the circle of stones with Whipstaff, Lockslear, Silvestra, and Aslan, who were happy she had come along for this momentous occasion. It was time for the meeting to start. She didn't want to miss it for the world.

*.*.*

References:

Arabella Skydancer comes from Bruce Coville's book series, The Unicorn Chronicles.

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Thanks for reading. :)