Pure Dawn Rises to Immortal Light

Azurathea stood, staring awestruck at the land that was her birthplace. The screeching of tires and the screams of her foster parents did not assault her ears nor did the smog of the city and defiled nature burn her eyes and nose. No, instead there was exotic greens that sparkled in the morning light, the panting of a distant brooke, and the singing of birds. She closed her eyes and inhaled the natural scents of the forest, the musty smell of grass, the sweet smell of distant scotchwood pine, and the clean smell of the breeze that sneaks through the arms of the maple trees. She felt the natural energies of all things in the forest, from the moss growing on the trees, to the herd of white-deer grazing the emerald grass that cloaked the floor of the small glenn not far off. She felt Vash, his horse of flaming red, and her black friend, Element X, behind her. She saw the images in her mind, her recollections of memories of a life long forgotten.

She turned to the man behind her, and jumped; his appearance had changed. His ebony hair was in a ponytail with small braids making an intricate design on his scalp, the length, too, had changed, now reaching his waist. His ears were pointed, and his skin a snow white. His clothes were no longer that of a teenage boy, they were of a fae warrior. He wore a leather tunic and beige pants, with leather boots that reach his knees. His cloak was a deep green, and on his back was a quiver of silver arrows and a bow. Behind him stood his flame red horse, who now was a real flame horse. Instead of red hair, his mane and tail were flowing red flames. He wore a bridle and saddle the color of silver, sparks flew as he pawed the ground . She turned to look at her friend and he too had changed. His flowing mane now reached his knees and shadows misted around the ends, the same with his tail. Shadows swirled around his feet, when he snorted, the shadows churned around his nostrils. From the center of his forehead a black horn rested, at the base, a bright emerald sat surrounded by intricate silver vines that wrapped themselves around his horn, as well as around his black eyes and down his sleek neck. Just below his withers, a pair of black feathered wings sat. When opened, the black shadows seethed.

"Wh…..What is going on here? Why does Element X look like that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Do you not remember Azurathea? That is Chanchhaya's true form. He is 'the silhouette of the moon, the moon's shadow' and you, yourself named him such." Azurathea gripped her head and fell to her knees as the memories fought to come back. Vash kneeled down beside her and gently gripped her shoulders, "Sit upon him and your memories will return...only then will your true form emerge."

Azurathea nodded and hobbled towards the shadow horse. He nickered and nudged her cheek with his velvet nose, before folding his legs and lowering himself to the ground. Azurathea rubbed his large back before she set herself down behind his massive wings. The shadows wrapped themselves around her fragile form and pulled her down onto the horse's neck. A peaceful darkness cloaked her spirit before images bombard her mind. She yelped at the pain. Through the darkness, Vash's cool voice reached her pained psyche, 'Don't fight it, allow yourself to be taken, allow the memories in, remember your parents, remember Chanchhaya, remember me...'


Vash looked on as the 'pure dawn' fought through her memories, Chanchhaya cloaked her in his shadows to keep her warm as well as to comfort her through the ordeal. Vash winced as another moan escaped her lips. He felt something shove him from behind. He turned and gazed upon Abornazine, 'keeper of the flame.' The fire stallion has been his constant companion, his closest friend just as Chanchhaya is to the 'pure dawn'.

"It's strange isn't it Abornazine? How the pure dawn has a shadow horse yet she, herself, is pure and I as a shadow guardian have you, a mighty flame horse, who was created and raised by the pure dawn and gifted to me. I do not get the logic of it, do you my friend?" The stallion snorted and shook his head, sending sparks flying, before shoving his large head into Vash's chest. Vash chuckled, and ran his hand through the flames of the stallion's mane. "The flames of the 'keeper of the flame' are able to reduce any man to ashes, but when touched by the chosen master or the creature's creator, the flames are harmless. I guess the legends are true after all, aren't they Abornazine? I am glad that you picked me my friend…."

"Talking to yourself again are you? You are quite silly Shadow Guardian Virendra…" Vash turned around to face the intruder, his bow in hand and an arrow knocked, "Whoa, whoa, hold on there, don't shoot me. Ha, like you even could."

"What do you want Ubel?" Vash spat, his voice cold enough to freeze fire.

The young warrior laughed, the sound, unfeeling and lifeless, rang through the trees. "You know what I want Captain Virendra, or should I say 'former' captain Virendra, at least you will be once I take her and represent her to the council. I'll be a hero and you'll be dead." Ubel tossed his shoulder-length brown hair out of his black eyes.

"Stand down Guardian Ubel!" A firm voice rang through the trees, and both men froze.

"Commander?! What are you doing here sir?" Ubel questioned, his voice shook as the blood slowly drained from his face, making his already pale skin look white as snow. The look of horror on the cocky guardian's face made Vash want to burst out laughing. However, he held his tongue as the commander of the shadow guardians came through the bushes, aboard his faithful water horse.

"What's going on here?" He said, narrowing his icy glare on the two men.


Azurathea watched the memories of her past and experienced her life all over again. She learned a great many things; where she was born, the names of her parents, who she was, how she got her beloved shadow horse, and how she met the Captain of the Shadow Guardians, Virendra . However, her memories did not reveal as to why she was sent to the human world or how she lost her memories.

She opened her eyes and glanced at her surroundings. She still lay on Chanchaya's back with his shadows wrapped around her like a warm cloak. She could hear Virendra's voice, the sound made her think of a soft summer breeze. She heard him explain the situation and looked up to see who he was talking to. Two other men stood in front of him, the first, a younger man with shoulder-length dark brown hair and black eyes, he had a lean build and stood about a head short of Virandra. She fought through her memories, trying to put a name to his cold face. His voice was cold, unfeeling, dark, it sent a cold chill down her spine that she felt at the tips of her toes. She shook her head, Ubel, he was the guardian, Ubel.

Azurathea moved her gaze to the other man. He was considerably older, around fifty was her best guess. His ash-brown hair held streaks of gray, grey eyes spoke of wisdom and years of experience. His tanned skin showed much wear and tear, with slight wrinkling around the eyes and corners of his mouth. He had a stocky build and oval face, and was about the same height as Virendra, if only a couple inches shorter. The small scar on his left cheek is what brought his name to mind, he was Sir Adal, Commander of the Shadow Guardians and the king's adviser.

Behind the commander stood his water horse, Aaryan. His build was that of a normal horse but instead of hair, his coat was of dark blue scales. He had no mane, only a large fin that started between his ears and continued down his back to the bottom of his tail, which was whip-like. On each of his legs right on the cannon were fins of the same deep blue. His tack consisted of a saddle and bridle of a deep purple color, and the leather scabbard of the commander's water sword. Aaryan sensed her movement and raised his head to look in her direction. He sent a nicker her way, which brought a smile to her face. The noble stallion approached her and lowered his head.

"Noble Aaryan, you remember me." she whispered, reaching out a hand to place it on his forehead, "I am glad…"

"Mistress….please tell me you have remembered…" Chanchhaya whispered into her mind.

"Yes, dear friend, I have." she said and rubbed the shadow stallion's neck. Virendra heard her speak and turned away from the commander and other guardian. Ice met emerald as they stared into each other's eyes, searching for something.

'She remembers' he thought. He walked over to her and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Thank the sun, moon, and stars. You remember," he whispered into her silver blonde hair. She smiled as a single tear slid down her cheek. "It's time for you to awake," he said as he pulled away and swiped at the single tear. She simply nodded and sent her gaze to the canopy of trees.

Adal and Ubel watched the exchange with wide eyes. Adal shook himself out his daze and cleared his throat. The two turned to him, "I think it is time that we go to the sacred glenn. Everything has been prepared for your return," he said. He walked over to Azurathea and lowered his head, "Follow me please."


Azurathea gazed upon the sacred glenn, where all of her past ancestors had gone to pass into their awakening, and now it was her turn. Silver trees with emerald leaves and white willows surrounded the glenn. In the center stood the sacred waterfall and pond. The water was a deep turquoise and in the center stood the Golden Stag. He looked upon her with golden eyes as she stepped into the cool water and made her way over to Him. He pawed at the white stone and shook His mighty head, which made His golden coat shimmer in the pure light that illuminated the small glenn. She raised her head and was captivated by His mystical eyes. She saw thousands of her ancestors' awakenings that He had begun and ended with His Blessing.

The sun's light dipped behind the moon, and the glenn descended into darkness. He took a breath and gently blew it on her face. Immediately, Azurathea was encased in a golden light. She closed her eyes and spoke the sacred words given to her by the Golden Stag, "With my every take of breath, I live for the life of others. To be pure as the light of the sun, to be mysterious as the dark moon, I will shine with the stars, and die when the stars no longer reveal themselves in the dark of night. Gift upon me the power of my True Name, to have within myself immortal light and the birth of the Pure Dawn."

Azurathea's golden light encased the glenn as it became brighter with the sacred words spoken. Golden tendrils of light circled around her golden form, as she began to change into her true form. Her silver hair grew to mid-calf, with golden light embedding themselves within to create golden streaks. Her jeans and T-shirt evaporated and were replaced with a thin dress of emerald that shone with gold and silver vines and flowed past her feet that were covered by golden sandals that wrapped up her leg to just below her knee. Golden light wrapped itself around her arms and torso, creating a see-through cape of gold and silver sparkles that attached to a silver and gold necklace as well as golden cuffs on her wrists. On her forehead sat an emerald that was encased in golden vines that wrapped around to the back of her head. Her eyes were lined with black, lashes folded up, emerald color adorned her eyelids that faded into gold that went up to her eyebrows, and a single gold star rested just below the edge of her right eye.

The light intensified once again as the Golden Stag spoke within her mind, 'Daughter of the Pure Dawn, you have awakened. I bestow upon you mastery of Light Magic and the name of Amarangana, immortal light. Welcome, my Princess.'

With that, the light vanished, and the Golden Stag stood his head bowed low to the princess of the Fae. Azurathea nodded her head with a smile and turned to face her subjects. The three shadow guardians lowered themselves to their knees, placed their right hand over their hearts, and bowed their heads. She looked to the three mystic horses and Ubel's plain bay horse, they too had their heads bowed, with one knee on the ground.

"Rise, loyal shadow guardians and equine friends," she said, "I think its about time that I see my parents, I have many questions for them." Virendra was the first to rise, followed by Adal and Ubel. They all nodded and waited for her to come out of the small pond, before they moved over to their horses. Chanchhaya lowered his head and got to his knees when his princess approached. She gave him a bright smile and gently stroked his massive black head.

'Wait my princess,' the Golden Stag said. Azurathea turned and glanced at the ancient creature. 'I have a gift for you, Chanchhaya step forth.' the shadow horse raised his head and entered the turquoise pond to stand before Him. 'The Daughter of the Pure Dawn's faithful mount must also pass through his own awakening as well as his master.' He said, blowing a breath of golden light on the stallion. The light cascaded down the stallion's coat, turning ebony black into pure gold. His flowing mane and tail turned silver with the same gold streaks as his master. His horn turned a creamy silver along with the feathers on his massive wings. The emerald below his horn glowed encasing the glenn in green light. Chanchhaya reared and the surrounding light disappeared only to have the sun remove itself from behind the moon. 'You are now a horse of the Pure Light, the only one in existence, and forever bound to the Daughter of the Pure Dawn.' Chanchhaya nodded his head and turned to his princess, she smiled and rested her forehead against his.

"You are beautiful my friend, a true horse of the Pure Light. Thank you, ancestor." She said with a smile, but the Golden Stag was gone in its place was a staff carved from the white willows. Gold vines wound up to the top where a gold horse rested, and within its chest an emerald perched. Azurathea picked up the staff and ran her hand over its smooth surface. "I am forever grateful." she whispered, and hoisted herself upon Chanchhaya's golden back. She looked at the three shadow guardians who were already seated upon their mounts. "Let's go home."


The great castle of the Fae kingdom loomed overhead as the small group made their way through the gates. Azurathea looked up at the great crystal castle that was her home. Goosebumps erupted on her arms as they got closer to the steps that led to the beautiful yet intimidating structure. They reached the large crystal doors and halted. Azurathea took a breath and held her staff up to the door. The emerald shimmered, and a with a creak, the huge door opened. She urged Chanchhaya forward through the door and into the grand foyer of the palace. Large pillars, made of giant sequoia trees, held up huge arches, from which huge silk flags, with the Fae kingdom insignia, hung in brilliant colors. Room was filled with bright sunlight and the smell of fresh flowers that grew at the bases of the sequoia trees.

At the end of the room was the Ancient Tree of Life, that had a circumference more than thirty people wide at the base and that reached thirty-four stories high. At the base where two gilded thrones, which seated two people. On the left sat Queen Adiana, Azurathea's mother, and laying next to her was her white stag, Wakan Tanka. Queen Adiana had dark brown hair that reached mid-thigh, dark brown eyes, and pale skin. Her heart-shaped face and kind smile, accentuated her youthful appearance. She wore a dark brown gown with sleeves that reached to the elbow and had light green open cuffs that reached her wrist. The gown had intricate stitching of leaves and trees, while her hair held her simple gold woven crown that had small braids wrapped around it.

On the right sat King Quarrie, Azurathea's noble father, and at his feet was his black lion, Arawn. His waist-length hair was a bright blonde and was pulled tightly back in a fish-tail braid. He sat in his illustrious blue silk robes, with his silver sapphire crown resting upon his head, and his sapphire broach hanging from its silver vines around his neck. His sharp sapphire eyes gleamed as he laid them upon his daughter.

Azurathea stopped at the foot of the stairs that led up to her parents' thrones, and slid off of Chanchhaya's back. She dipped into a curtsey and lowered her eyes.

"I'm home Fa…" Azurathea was cut off by being pulled into her father's tight embrace. He stroked her hair before he pulled away. He stroked her cheek, as if to make sure she wasn't a mirage. She saw him blink, his eyes shone with unshed tears. Her mother cut in and held her close, her shoulders quaked with small sobbs. Azurathea shed her own tears silently as she clung desperately to her mother. The king pulled his queen back and both gazed at their daughter.

"Welcome back, dear daughter." They said in unison before, once again, pulling Azurathea into a hug. Wakan Tanka and Arawn came up behind the trio. Azurathea pulled back to greet her parents' companions. Arawn stood five feet tall at the top of his head, and Wakan Tanka stood six feet tall, not counting his antlers that added another foot and a half to his height. Azurathea ran her hand through Arawn's silk-like ebony mane and rubbed Wakan Tanka's white forehead. She turned back to look at her parents and saw that both of them had bright smiles on their faces. She turned back around only to look into a pair of sky blue eyes and have a sandpaper tongue lick her cheek. Azurathea laughed and hugged the large head of her golden tiger, Zoroaster. Zoroaster chuffed and rubbed his large head against Azurathea's shoulder. The majestic animal stood four-foot-ten, just two inches shorter than Arawn, and was as gentle as a house cat.

"He's been waiting for you for a long time, Zura," her mother said, using the name she was called as a child. "He is happy that you have returned, as are we." She said, as Quarrie wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulder.

"Yes Mother, Father, I have finally returned. However, I would like to know why I left in the first place and how my memories were removed and replaced with those of a human life. Will you tell me Father? Please." The king sighed, and looked to the floor.

After a long silence, he spoke. "Ten years ago, someone tried to assassinate you."


Please don't hurt me! Hello readers I'm obviously a new fanfic author and this is a new story that I am writing, obviously there are some very complicated names and each have specific meanings, have a character chart here with the meanings of the character names. Please read and review. I look forward to it. The third chapter is in progress because I am sure you are very angry with me right now. Remember to review.

Human Characters

Azurathea (main protagonist/princess of the Fae) ~ "pure dawn"

Amarangana ~ "immortal light"

Virendra (captain of the shadow guardians) ~ "king of warriors"

Ubel (main antagonist/shadow guardian) ~ "evil"

Adal (commander of the shadow guardians) ~ "noble"

Adiana (queen of the Fae/Azurathea's mother) ~ "the night's falling reveals the angel's beauty"

Quarrie (king of the Fae/Azurathea's father) ~ "proud"

Nonhuman Characters

Chanchhaya (Azurathea's horse of Pure Light/ former shadow horse) ~ "silhouette of the moon, shadow of the moon"

Abornazine (flame horse/Virendra's mount) ~ "keeper of the flame"

Aaryan (water horse/Adal's mount) ~ "illustrious, noble, spiritual"

Wakan Tanka (Adiana's white stag mount) ~ "the great spirit, or great mystery"

Arawn (Quarrie's black lion mount) ~ "king of the otherworld"

Zoroaster (Azruathea's golden tiger) ~ "a golden star"