When people are born, they are assigned a soulmate. They have an original song or dream in their hearts that only they and their soulmates know about.

So one shouldn't be surprised on how much one can screw up in twenty-four hours. All it takes is a little motivation and a pin to change the life of one young woman. It all started with the same reoccurring dream.

Darkness. She could feel herself floating down a black river with no sound around her. She was naked and covered in ash. A white serpent lay upon her breast; its body coiled around her neck and body-from its mouth flew a light blue butterfly. With a swiftness, she caught it in her hands and her palms caught fire. Then darkness once again came upon her.She soon found herself in a place she'd seen hundreds of times in her dreams. A dark silhouette of the same man who slowly turns to her and yet she could never see his face. She then hears him say her name and it moved through the air...

"Mailee Galanodel~..."

"MAILEE! WAKE UP CHILD!" The young woman's piercing malachite eyes bolted open and jumped up into a sitting position at alert on the couch in the once peaceful quiet library in her father's castle. However, her aching back had protest in the fast action and when she finally looked up; she was met with cold crimson eyes of one woman that she didn't want to see or hear. Mailee watched the woman with annoyance.

"Step-Mother..." Mailee greeted the woman uncareling.

"Disgrace," the woman greeted back with her right hand on her hip while her hip is pushed forward slightly, while leaning back slightly with the same annoyance on her pale-white face.

"Ooh, name-calling. So fearsome of you," Mailee rolled her eyes towards as she leans back on the couch's pillows. "What do you want anyways, Veronica?" Mailee asked indifferent after a few minutes of a stare off between the two.

"Your father orders you to see him," she stated with some petulance in her voice before walking away, "Hurry up! He is waiting for you in the throne room with my son!" Mailee watched her walk out the two double doors into the waiting long hallways. Mailee gave a deep exhale as she stood up to follow after her step-mother through the gothic black stone hallways.

She can't say Veronica wasn't beautiful for a vampire her age. with her golden, flowing hair that is pulled back to reveal a thin, small claw mark across her left eye leaving a bittersweet memory of a mistake. Glistening crimson eyes, set high with in their sockets, showing those she had no mercy for those who gets in her way. A true noblewoman among vampires, who stands high among others, despite her fragile frame. But nonetheless, people tend to keep their distance, only those who dare to deal with her sometimes end up facing her wrath.

The garnet dress Veronica was wearing today was covering her shoulders halfway and flows down into a fancy v-neck. It's a snug fit which is meant to draw attention to her breasts, but in a graceful and elegant manner too. Her arms had been covered completely. The sleeves start out loose and tighten towards the bottom where they wrap graceful around her wrists. The dress' waist was thin, but was a tight fit. A bow had been wrapped around her and rests gently on her belly. Below the waist the dress fits snug around her and has a pencil style. The dress reaches to just above her ankles and is the same length all around. Veronica also wore her 4-inch heels, which matches the dress perfectly. To top it all off she's wearing a small, elegant crown and large, stylish red ruby earrings.

It for sure out shines Mailee's peacock colored dress. The dress leaves the top of her shoulders uncovered, but does cover the sides and flows down into a fancy keyhole neckline. It's a loose fit which makes the dress both enjoyable to wear and to move in. Her arms have been left uncovered. A good choice too, as her skin and the color of the dress form a perfect combination.

The dress' waist is thin, but it's a slim fit. A bow has been wrapped around her waist and positioned slightly to one side. Below the waist the dress fits snug around her and has a pleated style. The dress reaches all the way down to the ground and is slightly longer in the back. Mailed is also wearing ballerina flats, gorgeous on their own, an ideal match in combination with the dress. To top it all off she's wearing a small, elegant feathers clip and several stone bracelets.

The two women turned a corner, stepping through two towering black doors, coming into the throne room.

The huge baskets hanged from each of the sixteen marble columns lights up most of the throne hall and shroud it in a dark orange radiance. The illustrations of legendary victory in the domed ceiling danced in the flickering light while statues look down upon the tile floor of this grand hall.

A ruby rug runs down from the throne and marking the closest spot people can stand when they address the royal family while forked banners with emblazoned tips dangled gently from the walls. Between each banner sits a small alter full of candles, all but a few have been lit and in turn illustrates the depictions of God's and goddesses below them.

Narrow, washed glass windows are enclosed by veil colored the same ruby as the banners. The curtains have been adorned with intricate embroidery and golden leaves.

A lavish throne of porcelain sits amidst two large statues and is adjourned by two plain, but comfortable seats for the queen and the first born. The throne is covered in textured and layered crests and fixed on each of the ornate legs is a ruby demon wing. The thin pillows are a dark ruby and these too have adorned with burnished plumes. Those of higher standing can take seats in the gilded balconies over looking the throne.

This is were Mailee and Veronica stood before the king himself in front of the throne. However, Mailee did not see her half brother, Soren, in the room with the three of them. Today her father wore his plain white shirt and buttoned it up fully to support the elegant tie he's wearing. On top of the shirt he's wearing a black vest with 7 buttons, it has a narrow v-line, which allows for the top to remain visible even when the suit's jacket is buttoned up.

The blood-red jacket was clearly made for him, it's a perfect fit like always. It has a simple, but elegant blanket plaid pattern, giving the suit a dignified and elegant look. The 3 buttons of his double breasted jacket are all buttoned up with the exception of one, a playful touch to a classy look. The jacket is the same length all around, it had vents at either side, there's a pocket on either side and there's a breast pocket which contains a stylish pocket square.

His pants which copy the style of the jacket, both in color and pattern and they create a perfect balance with his shoes. He wore a sharp pair of longwing bluchers. To top it all off he's wearing an elegant crown and ruby cuff links.

"Ah there you two are. I already talked with Soren on the matter. We got a lot to prepare for only having three hours." Mailee tunes in on what her father was saying as he stroke his chin. "You and Soren need to be ready when the handlers get here." As the man kept rambling on, Mailee lowered her eyebrows and squinted her eyes in attempt to understand what is being said or what's going on.

"Hold on, what's going on that I have to get ready for and have to go with Soren of all people in three hours?" Mailee punched the bridge of her nose as she closed her eyes briefly with annoyance as she interrupts her father's rambling.

"You and Soren have been chosen to take part in the Festival of Light this year. It happens every 100 years. You two will celebrate it for eight days, but the opening ceremony is often the part with the most participation." Veronica answered with irritation that Mailee was picked and not her own daughter, Kira.

Silence.

Veronica tightened her lips and wore a sour expression as she crossed her takeover her chest. "You and Soren are being given a chance to be reincarnated."

Silence.

"It's rude to not say something and just stare at us as if we said something stupid, child."

"I'd like to opt out," Mailee finally responded back to Veronica and turned to her father as she ran her right hand through her long blue-stripped black hair. "I don't want it. Send Kira in my place with Soren."

"That's not allowed, my dear," The king crossed his arms over his chest, the movement making the muscles in his stomach flicker. "It's an honour to be chosen, even for you."

"Then I'd like to file a complaint." Mailee stated back stuck into a heavy staring contest with her father.

"You know I will win in the end," He retorted as if he had done this many times with her.

"And you know I will fight every time." Mailee sighed as she lowered her eyes in submission this time against her father with her nails biting into her palms out of resentment.

"You also know the punishment for doing so too. Do I need to remind you once again what happens when one doesn't obey?" He had narrowed his scarlet eyes at her in a threatening challenge.

"No..." Came her quiet reply as she knelt down to him in the ruby rug. Her back protesting from her bent forward body. She felt his hand run through her hair on the too of her head gently.

"Shhh. Are you going to listen now?" He felt his oldest child's body tense for a few seconds when he had touched her head and spoke. "Mailee?" He hissed in her ear when she didn't respond.

"Yes," Mailee barely let out a whisper pass her red painted lips. Before things could get too out of hand Veronica spoke gently to the man as she gently placed one of her pale hands on his arms.

"Lucifer, my love, it's time for her to get ready. She doesn't have that much time before the handlers appear."

"You are right, my queen. Mailee go get everything you will need for the next eight days. Take what you need and might need to help Soren to survive and win the trials there. Do not disappoint me." Lucifer firm voice made the phrase as a command that she couldn't refuse. Mailee stood back up and walked away out of the throne room from the two silently to her chambers.