Far away in the land of the mountains where the hardiest conifers could only grow, the king of the land felt a strange shudder pass through his body. It was unlike the chills he felt when he watched the crimson art spill from his victims' wounds, and it was different than the pleasure he felt when he heard the screams of his enemies drown out the squelching noise of his blade grinding against tender flesh and bone.

"Well, well, well," he smiled from ear to ear. "It looks like the little bird has finally left her cage."

Pleased, he began to stroke his loyal pet on its cheek, its large eyes never ceasing to search for its prey.

"Go," the king said and released his hunter into the air. "Find the Vox Maiden for me, and do not come back until you have her in your talons."

"Allistor. All-is-tor. Allis-tor. A-lli-stor. Allistor."

The girl had been repeating his name over and over again like a broken record testing out the different angles of his name like a curious block of sugar on her tongue. Now, he was beginning to regret ever telling her his name from the very beginning.

"Allistor," she said again—Allistor had lost count of how many times she had said his name.

"Allistor, Allistor, Allistor."

"Do you need something?" he asked making sure she didn't stray too far from him.

"Why would I need anything?" she smiled. "I have you."

The traveler clicked his tongue. "That's not what I meant. When you say my name like that, it means you either want their attention or you want something from me."

"I want you," the girl replied. "Is that possible?"

Allistor mentally cursed to himself and bit his bottom lip.

Get it together, Allistor. She's like a child: she's never been outside before—let alone ever spent this much time with anyone like me…

"You can say that," he said. "If you want me to be there for you, just call out my name. Sing it if you have to."

"I don't have to sing if you're here."

"You might. There might be times when I will not be able to be there for you. I might have to leave you, and maybe along the way, we'll get separated. There won't be anything to fear, though. I won't be far as long as you sing for me." He paused. "Speaking of singing, why don't you sing something right now? It's going to be a long way until we get to where we're going. Might even get quiet otherwise."

The girl blinked her large, curious eyes. "What should I sing about?"

Allistor shrugged. "Something you desire, perhaps? What sort of place do you imagine we're going to see first?"

"I haven't thought too much of it…" the girl confessed. "It only comes in my songs."

"Then sing of those places. Let them come from your heart. Those songs will be the only thing that can occupy our imaginations until we get there; it will be a long way."

The girl hesitated. Allistor waited for her to catch up.

"I'm afraid if I sing, I'll lose track of you."

Touched, Allistor had to smile. He wouldn't have imagined anyone becoming attached to him, let alone someone as important as this girl. Not even his own brothers had been considerably close to him.

"If you'd like, I can hold your hand. You won't lose me this way."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Her trust completely falling into his protection, the girl finally consented to allowing him to hold her hand. As they walked, she slowly started out with a hum. In time, the hum had grown into a crescendo, and it had burst into song.

Images of the never-ending ocean with its unrelenting waters and salty spray filled Allistor's thoughts. He could almost feel the cold sand beneath his worn leather boots and hear the lapping roar of the waves splashing in from the main body of water onto the shore. It was to the point where if he listened close enough, he could have sworn he could hear the distant gulls cawing overhead mixed with the orchestral static of water.

Next came a waterfall. The song had taken him upstream to a cliff where the freshwater from the mountains snaked its way to the saltine sea. The quiet trickle of the brooks and rivers had evolved into a torrent of water shouting with its mighty force as it cascaded onto the smoothed rocks below. He could picture a waterfall unlike those he had ever seen before towering over the land as it took the water from one level to another. In the right light, with the right amount of spray kissing his heated skin, he could see a rainbow of lights melting from red to violet and back in a circle—not an arch.

Then, a large valley. Beyond the waterfall and past the rapids before it, the waters were calm. Two hillsides of lush green grass surrounded a bowl-shaped valley that made even the strongest man feel humbled by its incredible feats of nature. The music was different here. Tiny dribbles and ripples that would have been insignificant in rushing water caused large disturbances in such even levels.

When the song was done, Allistor found himself back in reality, his feet back on solid ground scattering stray moss and angering the tiny insects that went about their daily business. As the girl's song died down to a hum again, he was able to make out the hushed trickling of water. In response, he quickened his pace. He knew he had never been here, but this felt familiar like a nostalgic memory he thought he had lost from beyond the crack in his old drawer. As he pushed though the ferns, he was careful to make sure the girl was unscathed as his breath shortened. It couldn't have been too far now. He already knew what was here.

At long last, like an exhilarating breath of air, he had blown past the edge of the forest and had found himself in an open valley much like the one in the girl's songs. As expected, the air smelled faintly of green algae and the sharp, fresh scent of shed pine leaves. This, he came to realize, was the first landmark in their journey.

"We're going to the ocean," he said with a smile unlike that he had ever known. It felt natural as though he did not have to think about what he was doing. It simply was.

The girl's mouth hung open, not because of the ocean but because of what lay in front of her. It shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone that she had never actually seen something like the river or the valley before. She must have sung about it countless times, and yet, for the very first time, she was finally able to see it with her own eyes. She was finally able to feel the channeled breeze blowing through her hair and smell the minty aroma of the pine trees mixed with the salty sweet tinge of moss and algae.

"It's beautiful," she breathed.

Again, Allistor smiled. The day was almost over. It might have been a good idea to set up camp for the night seeing as how she wouldn't be seeing this place for a long time.

"We'll stop here for the night, alright?"

The girl silently nodded in response, her breath completely taken away by the unfamiliar sight that lay before her curious eyes.

"Then let's see if we can find a good place to settle," Allistor suggested. "We don't want anyone finding us when it's dark."

That being said, the two of them began to follow the river downstream in search for flat land or a suitable shelter. Before, the traveler only had to look after himself. Luxury or comfort was not an issue so as long as he was alive and well. Now, there was a girl in tow—and an important one at that. He had to make sure she was unharmed for his brother had warned him that her heart was fragile. He would take care to not break it.

Unfortunately, there was one major setback while camping far away from civilization. The girl may not have needed to eat, but Allistor did. He had been warned that if human food should pass her lips, she would develop a sense of hunger. It would be a great inconvenience to the journey.

Alas, she also could not sleep. Like any normal human being, Allistor's body needed to recharge. If he did not rest, he knew he would not have the strength to carry on throughout the day. However, he would also not be able to assure her safety unless she was as close to him as possible. It could have been awkward, to say the least.

Nevertheless, Allistor decided to tackle one problem at a time.

"Stay here," he said as they settled down underneath an arched rock. It wasn't much, but it would be safe enough from the watchful eyes of those that would be looking from the skies.

"Why?" the girl asked.

"It's more dangerous if you go with me than if you stay here. Just stay put. Hum to yourself if you're nervous."

Despite his orders, the girl started after him.

"Allistor…!"

The traveler pushed her back. He couldn't afford to be close to her. It would bring her to her ruins.

"I already told you it's safer if you don't follow me. I'll be back before you know it." He sighed. "How about this? Sing a song—a song about anything. When it's done, I'll be by your side again. I'm not leaving you, I'm just going to find food."

The girl tilted her head to the side like a bird. "Food?"

"Aye, food," Allistor repeated. "Now stay there. Everything will be fine."

"Promise?"

The traveler sighed and looked into her eyes. "Aye, I promise."

As Allistor went off to go hunting, he thought of the rules his brother had given him when coming in contact with the girl.

The first rule was that he wasn't even supposed to speak to her. That rule had been broken.

The second was that she may never eat. If she did, her body's functions would reduce to that of a human's. If she desired food, she might have sung about it. The things that needed to be kept alive would not be if that happened.

The third was that she must not be exposed to human sins and misgivings. His brother had warned her that these things would frighten her and fill her songs with unspeakable calamities—that or she may have stopped singing altogether.

The forth and foremost rule was that—

Shhhhfff!

Allistor stopped dead in his tracks. His ears had been trained to know well enough that whatever had made that noise was on the move, but it was also food. If he was lucky, it would even be a rabbit. This would be quicker than he thought. He wouldn't have to keep her waiting long now. All he had to do was listen.

Then, as sure as he had thought that, another noise disturbed the silence of the woods. Allistor had pinpointed the location of the animal now. His bow ready and his arrow poised, he fired a single shot straight into the brush. A short, small squeak had sounded out in the darkness. The feathered tip of the arrow quivered, its bright red colors giving away the sign of a life struggling to hold onto its last moments. By the time Allistor came over to the arrow, however, the moving had stopped, and to his delight, a small rabbit had lay motionless and dead at his feet.

"Allistor," the girl whispered. "Allistor, Allistor, Allistor."

She rocked herself back and forth as she whispered his name. She thought of singing a song about him, but the words wouldn't come to her quite yet.

Irked, she thought of singing of something else to occupy her until he returned. He had said he wouldn't be gone for long. He may have already been back if she had finished her song. What bothered her was that she couldn't think of anything to sing about. The songs were not coming to her at this particular time. All she could think about was whether or not Allistor would be returning now or later.

"Food…" she murmured. "What is food? Allistor, what is food?"

As if in response, she suddenly heard something rustle in the brush. She was not startled, just curious. When she recognized the head of bright red hair, her heart began to flutter, and she ran to greet her companion with open arms.

"Ah! Hey!" he cried out holding up a moist red mass of unspeakable contents. "Don't touch me right now; you'll get dirty."

"Allistor, what is food?" she asked.

The traveler lifted one side of his lips in a smirk. "It's this," he said holding out the red mass to her. "It's not something that you can have, though. You don't need it."

"Why do you need it?"

"To keep me going," he merely replied. "I'm going to get this ready so just stay put."

"A-Ah…Allistor…" she stuttered.

"Something the matter?"

"I…I missed you."

This made Allistor laugh. "But I've been only gone for a few minutes. How is that enough time for you to miss me?"

The girl didn't understand what he meant. She had truly missed him. She had wanted him to return to her side. Was that not reason enough to miss someone? Suddenly, she could feel her breath growing hot and her body began to tingle. This must have been what it was like to interact with another person. It was a strange feeling, indeed.

As she pondered her troubled emotions, Allistor had begun to build a little stake with a stick sharpened at one end. Before he had left, he had already gathered a bundle of dried brush and wood together and had assembled it at the base of their camp.

"Allistor what are you doing?" she asked.

"Building a fire," he answered. "It's something that can be both used as a tool and a weapon. When you see it, do not touch it. It will hurt you."

"Hurt?"

She noticed Allistor flinched. "That's right," he said. "You've been inside that cage for so long that you have not been exposed to pain and suffering. I hope those things never come to you."

"So…" the girl thought about it. "It's a bad thing?"

"Aye, it is."

"Then why are you making a fire?"

Allistor chuckled. "Like I said: it's both a weapon and a tool. I can turn it into something useful. Watch."

He then took out what appeared to be a small box from his sack and opened it. Inside was a pair of small rocks accompanied by a handful of thin, dried twigs. The girl watched with her undivided attention as he took out the two rocks and began to rub them together against the dried brush and wood. In a matter of seconds, a few tiny sparks flew off from the rocks and struck the wood. A thin trail of smoke appeared and soon, a small flicker of orange light grew into a dancing ray of yellows and reds mixed with blues.

"It's so pretty," she breathed and found her hand unconsciously moving towards the light.

"Ah! Bad idea!" Allistor snapped and pulled her hand back. "I already told you it will hurt you if you touch it."

The girl looked up at him. "How can something so beautiful be so harmful?"

"Some things just are," the traveler replied. Then, he lowered the pointed stick that he had thrust the red mass onto and put it above the fire. It took some time, but the longer the stick remained over the fire, the more a strange smell began to waft into the girls nose. It made her mouth water. At first she thought she was sick, but this was different. It was almost as though it was a fulfilling desire. Suddenly, she wanted something, though she didn't know what.

At long last, Allistor removed the stick from the flame and placed it by his side. There was steam coming from the mass, only it wasn't red anymore. Rather, it was brown.

"Allistor, what is that?" she asked. "Ah! Is it food?"

"Aye, but it's not for you. I already told you that."

"I want some."

"No."

The girl was taken aback. "Why not?"

"Because it will…" The traveler stopped as if to think of putting his explanation in the right words. "It's because in your case, you'll become ill."

"Ill?" she echoed.

"Aye, ill."

Defeated, the girl let out a sigh and brought her legs to her chest while Allistor began to take strips of the food and put them in his mouth. She wanted to try it, too, but the thought of becoming "ill" as he had said worried her. She did not want to feel ill. It didn't sound like a good thing.

When Allistor had finished eating, he had taken the girl to survey the area in case there were any dangerous threats nearby. She had refused to leave his side this time as it had grown dark, and he had come to realize that without the light, he would be at a disadvantage to protect her.

"Allistor, what are those things in the sky?" she asked as they made their return to the campsite.

"What things?" he asked. "The fluffy dark shapes or the lights?"

"Both?"

He chuckled. How very like her to be curious of everything. He stopped and directed her hands towards the heavens.

"The dark shapes are clouds," he said. "They look dark right now, but in the daytime, they look white. They are lighter than air, but on certain occasions, they'll become heavy with water and dump it down. That's what's called rain."

"Clouds. Rain." The girl repeated these two words, testing them in her mouth as she had done with his name.

"Now the lights are stars."

"Stars."

Allistor nodded. "They are too far away for us to grab, but each one of them is a ball of light hotter than the hottest fire. In the daytime, they are too dim to see, but when the sun disappears, that's when they come out. You can even make shapes with them. Some of them will even help us get to where we're going because they never move."

Now the girl looked confused. "They can move?"

"Eh…" He ran his hand through his red hair. She wouldn't be able to understand what he was talking about if he told her that they were the ones moving. At least he was finally able to put his studying back at home into some use.

"You don't have to think about that stuff," he said. "It's not important. We should focus on getting some rest."

"Rest?"

Allistor stopped to look at the girl. Like the time he first met her, her eyes were brimming with energy and curiosity. He might have even said that she looked even morealert than their first encounter.

"I take it you're not tired?" he asked.

The girl looked down at her feet and examined her arms as if wondering if something was wrong with her. Apparently being "tired" was out of her context.

"You're not," he sighed. "But I am."

"Are you ill?"

This made Allistor laugh. "No, I'm not ill. It's just something that happens to people like me. All I need to do is close my eyes for a while and I'll be fine."

"What about me?"

"You're special. You don't need to do those things."

"Is there anyone else like me?"

"No."

"So I'm not like you?"

Allistor pursed his lips. It was hard trying to explain everything to her right away. Her mind was still young, and it was better if it remained that way.

"You're not, but that doesn't mean it's bad."

"In what way?"

It was hard trying to answer all of her questions. Allistor was reminded of when his first little brother had begun talking. He had asked so many questions that he had become mentally exhausted. His other brothers had not been too far off. But, like what he had asked his brothers in response, he came back with the same question.

"Don't you think you're asking too many questions?"

The girl clamped her mouth shut. Allistor was unsure of whether or not he had hurt her feelings, but she remained in an uneasy silence until they got to the camp.

When they settled down, he stamped out the fire and brought out a large but thin piece of cloth. He had explained to the girl that it could get cold at night, and it would get worse when the seasons turned into late fall.

"What am I supposed to do while you sleep?" she asked.

"What you always do: sing."

"What should I sing of?"

Allistor pondered this.

"How about the stars?" he suggested. "It'll be something to occupy yourself with since it's going to be a while."

The girl absentmindedly stroked his red hair. Since she was unable to sleep, he had to make sure she wouldn't wander off. As a precaution, he had to hold onto her as he slept. It was…awkward to say the least, but he assumed she was innocent enough to not understand anything beyond keeping her safe.

"Allistor, when will you open your eyes again?"

"When the sun comes up," he answered in a sleepy voice. It had been a long day, and he needed his rest. Even though she hadn't begun to sing, his eyes were already closed.

"What does the sun look like?"

That's right, he remembered. She hasn't seen the sun because of the trees and mountains.

"It's a brilliant ball of light," he said. "You can say it's like the star that is closest to us."

The girl exhaled and pulled herself closer to his chest.

"I want to see it now," she whispered.

"Then sing of it," he murmured, his conscious barely holding up. "When your song finishes, you'll see it come up into the sky."

"Will it?"

"Aye. I'm going to sleep now. Good night."

"Good night?"

"It's something you say when you retire for the night."

"…Good night, Allistor."

Of course, he hadn't actually gone to sleep. He had to make sure she would start up a song to ensure they hadn't been lost. It took a while; however, when his breathing had finally eased up and the crickets began to chirp, the girl began to hum. To match the volume of the quiet night, she began to softly sing to herself, and images of the star-filled skies poured into Allistor's mind.

As he slowly drifted off to sleep, he began to remind himself of the rules his brother had told him.

The first rule was that he wasn't even supposed to speak to her. That rule had already been obviously broken.

The second was that she may never eat. If she did, her body's functions would reduce to that of a human's.

The third was that she must not be exposed to human sins and misgivings. He had been warned that these things would frighten her and fill her songs with unspeakable calamities—that or she may have stopped singing altogether.

The fourth and foremost rule was that under no circumstances, no matter how small or large that feeling came to be, was that as with her to him, he must never allow himself to fall in love her.