There are a few things you need to remember when you realise that the world is full of magical creatures.

The first is not to want to be one of them. Don't envy their talents or abilities, as chances are they envy your innocence. Many disguise themselves as humans so they never have to see their real form, like me. The thought of having hollow silver eyes; Teeth like a sharks, razor sharp; nails like talons which retract and Not to mention the blue skin, how can I not be afraid?

Next remember that others are disguised. Don't trust anyone, they may be a pixie or an elf, a were or a valkyrie, who knows whether or not there are faeries and wizards and vampires?

And lastly don't enter the forest alone, don't go anywhere alone.
A paradox in itself? Yes, you cannot trust anyone yet you cannot travel alone. The truth is, you're never safe.

I walked up the stairs of my house, Betty's house.

My heart beat rapidly, like I had run a cross city marathon in Charleston. My former human self thrived off running, now running was effortless. So I lost my sense of love for it.
I turned to see Astley waiting for me at the edge of the forest. He beckoned me to move closer with a swift movement of his hands before retreating out of sight. I knew he was still there, I could smell him: mushrooms and foresty with a hint of something new I couldn't quite figure out.

Looking back at the house, my fingers slowly moved towards the brass door handle and rested there.
Betty was my grandmother, and this was my home, WAS.

I was everything she hated. How would she just let me into her house like I wasn't a pixie. Maybe coming here would just cause her pain.

I rubbed my feet on the small welcome mat. Gold pixie dust twinkled all over the mat now. With a sigh I knocked on the door.

Betty was tired. Her eyes, thick with rings and small brown shadows narrowed as she saw my face.
"Zara." She spat my name with disgust, but her eyes showed sympathy and sorrow.
I pleaded with her, making sure all my expressions seemed as humane as possible before she agreed to let me in. Moments after I entered she disappeared off into the kitchen, where she made herself a coffee.

"I can explain," tears began to flow from my eyes as I saw what Betty had become in the months since I had gone pixie. Her eyes were questioning, edging me to continue.
"They have Nick. But that's not why I did it, I did it to protect everyone. You saw what happened when my father escaped with the bus, his pixies went wild, They needed a leader and Astley.."

"Astley? The King who you believed over your friends and family?"

I ignored her interruption and continued.
"Astley thought he could control them, but he is not meant to rule here. I am. Don't you get it Grams? My dad wasn't just a pixie, being king meant that if I turned pixie then I would have the powers of a King. This is my destiny."

I wiped my hand across the counter leaving behind gold speckles of dust and after a moment I blew them away.
Betty Frowned then let out a sigh.

"But that means your father, the king..."

"I have to kill him."

**

Dying warriors moaned throughout the room. Like a hospital beds were lined parallel to each other, with small machines attached to each fighter beeping with the narrowing sound of their heart beat. A small creature with pastel pink skin and tall ears pushed her blond hair away from her eyes as she walked towards one of the beds.

He was suffering.

Over the months he had been here he had no improvement, which was unusual. The Valkyries didn't seem to mind, what was one warrior to them if he was too unfit to fight in the battle.

This room was not for the men who were fighting, it was for the men who were being left to die.

Nurse after nurse, doctor after doctor, it didn't matter what they were, no magic would help them.
The Goblin girl looked at the warrior, touching his slender weak face with her long fingers.
She knew better than they did, he was heartbroken. It was something she just knew.

When he was awake his eyes would drift, teary and scared, but silent. When he slept he would whisper, his breath heavy and deep.

She told him stories when he was asleep, hoping that something in him would find the strength to get better, all these men here, pixies and elves mostly, were only dying because they fought against life, they didn't want to be in the battle, they brought it upon himself.

Rumours travelled through the dorms here of a man whose love fought for him to stay, enchanting him with a magic only she could rewind, and if she didn't hurry, this poor were would not survive.