"Dammit."

I barely lifted my head to glance at Stark and Seoras playing some racing game. I was sprawled out on the bed with Zoey beside me and kits napping around us. She had a book propped open, researching on ancient Immortals in hopes of finding a lead on Damascus. Sgiach was sitting in a chair nearby flipping through a book too.

My hopes of keeping Damascus a secret between me and Zoey failed. Shocking I know. She told Stark who told Seoras and Darius and Sgiach just seemed to know. So when I got back from my evening on the beach Stark and Darius grilled me, again, on how reckless I was and how shouldn't go out without telling someone anymore and kept asking why I didn't mention Damascus before and blah blah-blah blah. I swear they must be channeling my dad's spirit, which I will beat out of them as soon as I figure out how.

And it wasn't even far! They weren't much older than me so they didn't have the authority or right to act like they were in charge of my well-being. Just because they're full gown vampyres doesn't mean they get to boss me around.

But to appease them, I did decide to stick around the castle for the next few days. Hopefully they'll just get over it and I can get back to my frolicking and beast things. I didn't like being grounded.

"Hey Ray,"

I blinked at Stark. He looked a bit better than normal, but he still looked weak. I could probably kill him by laying on his face and he wouldn't have the strength to push me off.

I had been considering killing him when he was grilling me, him and Darius. Darius might be a bit tougher. I might have to sneak attack him, maybe burying my fangs into the back of his neck.

"What?" I asked.

"You wanna play?" He waved the controller.

I narrowed my eyes. "Just because Seoras is kicking your ass does mean the panther wants to be murdered to boost your ego." I stretched my paw and showed him my lack of thumbs.

He rolled his eyes. "You can still play." He gave me a cocky grin. "Come on Ray, you never back down from a challenge. Don't tell me you're chickening out because of a little video game."

I flicked my tail.

"You're going down."

I hopped down and sat in front of a controller. I was screwed. I carefully pushed the X button with the small pad of my toe.

The start was bad and the steering horrible. I tried using the tip of claw to move the stick because my toe pad was too big, but it wasn't good and I spun out several times.

I huffed a sigh and I wanted to rip Stark's smug grin off his face. Yeah, I know there was no chance I could beat him, but I really wanted to prove him wrong, somehow.

I wished I could use my powers over darkness to move the controller.

Soft, feather shadows curled around the controller and lifted to nose level. I focused and two small tendrils pushed down the X and moved the stick.

My car zipped past his and crossed the finish line.

"Woo-hoo!" My lapse in concentration caused the controller to drop to the floor. Whoops.

"That's cheating." He mumbled.

"You never said I couldn't use my telekinesis." I said smugly. "Now you got your ass kicked by panther." I stuck out my tongue.

"Have you been able to use your powers before while you were in this form?" Sgiach asked.

I shook my head. "At least not that I've noticed." I scratched my ear with my back paw.

"You think it might mean something?" Zoey asked.

I shrugged. "Who knows. I could have always been able to use my powers over the two elements, but I never tried."

I glanced over at a calendar on the wall. I tilted my head.

"What's today?"

"The third." Stark said.

My stomach clenched. My birthday was tomorrow.

I definitely did not expect to celebrate my eighteenth like this.

"Why?" Zoey asked.

I scratched my ear again. "Just, it really hasn't been that long since this all went beyond weird."

Zoey gave me a suspicious look.

I twitched my ears. "Hey Stark, you want to do best two out three?" I gave him a sly grin.

"No thanks." He mumbled.

I hopped back onto the bed and curled around a couple of napping kits. They snuggled up against me and I rested my head on my paws.

I love kits. Just thinking about how cute they are makes me smile. I just want to freeze their bodies and keep them like this forever.

"Hey, um, Ray?"

I rolled over on my back and peered at her.

"I've been debating, and I think I'm going to stay here for a bit longer." Zoey said.

"Kay." I said. I couldn't say I was surprised. She still looked tired. Not exactly someone you want to save the world from pure destruction.

"What about you? Are you going to go back with Darius and Aphrodite the day after next?" She asked.

"Do I have to?" I asked.

One of the kits stirred and blinked up at me with round blue eyes.

"You're not leaving, are you?"

I swear my heart almost broke into a million pieces.

"Not yet. But I'll have to go soon."

"I don't want you to go!" And she snuggled up against me.

Oh Lord! How am I going to leave after that?

I looked back at Zoey. "I'm perfectly content with staying here for a bit longer." I peeked at the book. "Found anything?"

Zoey shook her head. I kinda wanted to tell her that I told her so, but instead I closed my eyes and started to doze off.

"All I've found is stuff on the seven Archangels and the seven princes of hell." Zoey said. "And some of the ancient gods."

"Maybe he's a prince of hell." I mumbled. My jaws cracked in half with a yawn. I tapped my tail and watched Seoras zip circles around Stark. Surprising since I didn't expect Seoras to be much of a gamer, but I guess he had to entertain himself somehow after the Warriors stopped coming. I wonder if he's ever thrown the console across the room if he's gotten pissed. He seemed like the type.

"You said the harpy was scared of him?" Zoey said.

"She wasn't scared, but she was trying to convince me it was better for my body to be possessed and my spirit left to roam than to get caught by him." I said.

Zoey let out a long breath.

I could guess what she was feeling. We escaped one evil only to find that there was another, possibly more powerful evil after me.

How did I get so lucky?

After about a half an hour of watching them doing stuff and me yawning I decided I just go hit the frickin' hay.

Trying my best not to disturb the kits or Zoey's book, I hopped down from the bed and padded out and toward my room. But when I stood in front of the doorway I stopped.

There was something…oppressive emitting from the room. I folded my ear back. My hackles rose and my skin broke out in goosebumps. There was something sinister in my room, a ghost or a spirit of demon.

Part of me wanted to stand and fight. The smart half reminded me that I couldn't see crap so how could I fight it? Besides, I'm not sure Sgiach would be very pleased if I blew up her castle because I thought I sensed a ghost in my room.

Instead I turned tail and headed away from my room. I loped through the castle, my heart pounding and my body kept pushing for me to flee. My heart wanted to explode. I felt like the stone walls were collapsing around me.

I burst out from the castle and took a huge gulping breath. My heart was thumping so hard I swear it was going to bruise my ribs. I turned around, telling myself I was a freaking coward. The castle couldn't be haunted! Sgaich would have already kicked ghostly ass if it was.

Still, I couldn't bring myself to turn around and walk back in.

I leapt down the stairs and charged into the trees. I felt an immediate sense of relief. I climbed up into a thick tree and stretched out onto a thick branch that was on a low branch. If Stark or Darius or whoever came out looking for me, I wouldn't be that hard to find.

I yawned and rested my head on my paws.

I was tired before, but now I was wide awake. Stupid ghost.

After what seemed like hours of thumping my tail and switching my paws, I huffed a sigh and hopped down from the branch.

I didn't want to go back to the castle so I began wondering the island. I passed the glowing moss, which had a weird, sharp smell, and padded through tall soft grass.

It took me a while to realize that I was subconsciously following a strange melody.

I paused and tilted my head. It was a soft melody. It was cheery, but sort of mournful. I realized my paws where starting to carrying me toward the source of the noise before I even decided.

I found myself in the hanging tree grove. My paws touched the smooth stones and I felt safe.

The sound was stronger in the grove. I walked around the trunk of the hanging tree.

A girl sat there, playing a flute. She glanced at me with glowing green eyes. I stared at her. I swear I could see leafy vines curling in her irises. Dark brown hair curled around her gold-brown skin.

There was something…not mortal about her.

She put the flute down. "Do you wish to dance with us?"

I blinked. What a weird thing to say. I turned and saw other girls and even some lean young men walking into the grove. The guys had drums, harps, and more flutes.

"I, I um." I glanced down at my paws.

I almost had a heart attack. I can see my toes! I touched my chest and saw that I was in Upwalker form again.

But, well, I guess because this was the real world and not a spirit world I wasn't clothed. I wrapped my wings around my body. The moonstone and Triple Goddess choker didn't do much to cover my vitals.

When I go back home, I'm double making sure I had clothes when I go back home.

The girl stood up and grabbed my hands. The other females came over, giggling, with strips of black and shimmery white fabric, which I swear they pulled from the shadows and the glimpses of moonlight. They wrapped the pieces around me and put flowers and sparkling stones into my hair. By the power of magic, it had to be the only way, the fabrics morphed into a beautiful flowing dress that came down to my knees.

I twirled and the fabrics reflected a rainbow of colors. The stones clinked together and made a strange chiming sound.

"Come, dance with us." The girl said spreading shimmering green dragon fly wings.

Another girl, who was a fair as the other was dark, clasped my hand. Her eyes were different too. They were a bright blue and swirling silver lines curled into her irises instead of vines. She also didn't have wings.

The guys started banging on the drums marking a rapid and fierce beat. The stings started strumming and the flutes trilled. I wanted to dance, even though I had no idea how to dance with fairies.

Imagine my surprise when my feet began striking the earth just like them and I spun in time with them and flung out my arms at the right time. The dance felt very ancient and I felt one with Nature. I felt my spirit spread out beyond the limits of my body. My spirit melded with the fairies until we were one. I saw their memories. Their fear of the modern world and the death of all things ancient in this realm filled me with the same emotion.

I also felt their sadness. Humans and vampyres no longer believed in the children of nature, that trees and water had spirits or even beasts as well. They were ignored now no matter how much they yelled or sang no one would stop to listen or to dance with them.

The two fairies clasped my hands. There was a soft burn growing from my hands to wrist. I glanced down.

On my left I saw small leafy green vines grew from my fingers. That's what it really looked like. The vines curled around my fingers and wrist up to my elbow with leaves blooming across my skin. In the crook of my elbow a flower like shape bloomed.

I glanced at my other arm and saw silver-blue swirls that reminded of waves. They swirled and bucked across my skin.

"You have been blessed by us, the children of nature." Multiple voices said, blending together until I couldn't tell if the source was male or female.

I turned and saw the fairies standing in a line near the edge of the grove, glowing with a strange light.

The girl with the green eyes stepped forward. "I have seen your brave heart and offer our allegiance and protection." The plant tattoo burned and glowed.

The fair fairy stepped forward. "I have seen the purity of your spirit and offer our wisdom as well as our protection and allegiance." And the waved tattoo started to burn and glow as well.

What's with me and magical tattoos?

I blinked. Why protection-oh wait, duh. "I'm in big trouble aren't I?" This guy must be really scary. I mean, why else would spirits of nature offer me their protection?

Wait, why are they offering me their allegiance? Were they expecting me to lead them to war like in my dream? Why? Why do I need to lead an army into war? WHY?

The green fairy nodded. "There is a great imbalance in this world and it has a caused a grave imbalance in the Realm of the Immortals."

"As a half-breed you have a foot in both worlds and so it is your duty to help restore the balance between the two." The blue fairy said.

Why? Why me? I AM A SILLY LITTLE GIRL! Why can't my brothers help out? They're older! Dammit! Surely there is someone better qualified for this?

And can't they tell me how? How about telling me what that stupid dream meant!

I took a deep breath. These were spirits of nature and I felt like it wasn't a good idea to piss them off.

"You were given incredible power to serve Nature and restore the balance she has laid out." The fairies said.

I wanted to cry and throw a tantrum. Why in the hell would Nature choose me over anybody else? I am a half-breed and a frickin' child!

The green fairy sighed. "Why do you doubt yourself?"

"I'm a child."

"Why has this world chosen to deny the power of a child's mind and spirit to the point anyone referred to as a child feels insignificant?" The blue fairy asked.

Why has this world denied the power in so many things? Did they fear it that much that they had to make it worthless or evil?

Stupid adults, screwing everything up.

"You'll see" One of the guys said. "Nature wouldn't pick you if you weren't up to the task."

I'm seriously questioning Nature's decision making skills.

"The balance has never been destroyed because Nature always chooses Her Champion wisely."

Until now.

Yeah, I know I should have a little more faith in myself, but how do you live up to Nature's Champion? They do realize that I'm not eighteen yet and that all this pressure can't be good for me, right?

The green fairy grabbed my hands. Somehow, all the fairies were once again arranged in a circle waiting to dance. I was starting to wonder if what just happened was an astral projected vision or maybe I passed out and envisioned it.

Or this could all be a dream and that was just some weird imaginative trip I took.

"Come, let's celebrate some more." She said pulling me back into the circle.

The guys began striking their instruments again. I sighed and began dancing again. It helped me forget about the whole world saving thing. The energy was amazing and it made it hard to be depressed and scared about my "destiny" while I was dancing with them.

I twirled around and saw a shadow lingering on the edge of the grove. I didn't feel concerned about it, so I didn't stop dancing and attacked it like a crazy person, but after a couple more times of twirling it hadn't left or moved. It was large and I realized it had wings. I assumed it might be a darkness fairy, or something like that, that didn't want to be included in the dancing, but secretly wanted to so that's why it was watching us.

It was shrouded with darkness so I couldn't see any details like skin or hair color. The thing I remember seeing though was a pair of glowing purple eyes staring at me from the darkness.

XOXOXOXXO

Okay, serious story developing comments coming up: PAY ATTENTION!

I've actually been debating on whether or not to sometime in the near future to end this first story and pick it back up in a sequel. I mean, would it be easier for you guys if I did that or would you rather me just continue under this story.

If I was to end this to make a sequel, I do plan on ending it about the same time as Awakened. So pretty much the rough plot outline is Ray returns to Tulsa, gets Upwalker form (Disclaimer! I did not take credit for the term Upwalker, you can thank Warriors by Erin Hunter for some of my beast terms.), goes through Jack's funeral, chews out Father, and then having it end with them returning to the tunnels (if you guys decide a sequel might be better). Then add a little prologue that explains something relative to the plot in a new story under a similar sounding name and then pick up where I left off.

I mean, this is almost entirely up to you guys since you're the ones reading the fanfic and I'm just here to give you said fanfic and also make it easier for you guys to read and enjoy.

So, post your comments in reviews and I'll consider them when I finally get the possible ending point I mentioned.