Chapter 01 - Just a Dream?

Late one night…

'Uncle? Uncle Ballos? Where are they taking you? Don't Go! Who's gonna take care of me! Uncle!' The young girl woke up panting from the nightmare, sweat dripping from her forehead. She frantically ran to her uncle's room, afraid that what she had dreamt was real. As she stepped inside she breathed a heavy sigh of relief, seeing her uncle gazing out the window at the beautiful town. She was about to sneak back to her room and pretend that nothing happened but her short blue hair got caught in the doorway,causing her to let out a quiet yelp.

'Misery? Now what are you doing here so late at night?'

'Nothing...I just woke up is all...' replied the 9 year old sheepishly.

Ballos chuckles slightly, noticing that his niece had gotten her hair stuck in the door handle.'Would you like some help child?'

'Yes please.'

After being freed from the door, Misery scurried back to her room and lay in the bed, thinking about her dream. Why would she think up such a thing? The kingdom was always peaceful and everyone loved Uncle Ballos, he knows how to use very powerful magic and uses it to help people and guide them. No one could not like uncle, he was the greatest…And in all her thoughts she slowly drifted off to sleep.

The next morning…

'Uncle! Why do you have to go off into town everyday! Stay home and play with me for once!' whined Misery, as she did everyday, disregarding the nightmare as a simple dream.

'Great power comes with great responsibility. When your powers grow stronger, you will understand.'

'But just one day can't hurt!'

'Fine, I'll make you a deal, ok?'

Misery nods her head and listens carefully.

'I will make something with my lightning. If you can replicate it by the end of the day I will stay home with you tomorrow. How does that sound?'

'Deal, but don't make it too hard.'

With a small manoeuvre of his hand, Ballos created a figure of a puppy. 'This is Hajime. If you can replicate this by the end of the day I will spend a whole day with you.'

'That's way too easy!' says the young witch, as she closes her eyes and holds her palms together in deep concentration. Moments later there stood a figure identical to the one made by Ballos. Ballos stared wide eyed at his niece, astounded by the amount of potential in her small body.

'Yay! Uncle is gonna spend a day with me!'

'Ok, you win. But today I have to go so be good, and practise some magic, ok?' said Ballos as he walked out of the small house the two of them lived in. Misery just nodded as she locked the door and sat on the bed. Hajime. Hajime. Misery knew that she had heard that name before, but where…She has a puppy, but her name is Teru…It must be one of Jenka's puppies! She tried to remember their names; Mick, Kakeru, Shinobu, Nene...and Hajime! Jenka was her true mother. Witches have a far longer life span from humans, and with a few measures they could I've forever but their brain worked in the same way as humans, as they are not that different for them. And just as a human, the young girl could hardly remember a thing about the years she had spent with her mother. But she hadn't forgotten her, and Ballos would tell stories about her, about how she helped people just as he did, and had powers even greater than Ballos himself, but hardly found any use for power that strong. She had five puppies, each granted a life even longer than that of her. Teru also once belonged to her, but denied Jenka when she was about to grant her immortality. Teru was different. She wanted to live life to the fullest and if she died she died. Jenka had admired this trait in her, but thought it was to dangerous for her to live with her so she gave little Teru to her younger brother Ballos. It wasn't exactly safe with Ballos either so his wife and children stayed in a safer part of town. Misery had thought that she was a exception because she was strong. That her mother had left her with her uncle to protect her, and him alike but there was a darker reason. But Misery didn't know this, but what she didn't know couldn't hurt her, or could it…? But again, Misery didn't know so she just went on trying to remember anything about her mother and slowly the day passed and she was asleep by an hour only to awaken to a pounding on the door.

'I'm coming ok!' shouted Misery hastily making her way to the door and opening it, not seeing her benevolent uncle but two soldiers in uniform. They were from the Royal Army.