by Katie Davidson (Virtue)
"Virtue?" exclaimed Mr. Danen after Harry told him what Luno (not the foal) had said.
"Wonder what he means?" Bob pondered.
"He could be talking about a Pegasus." Demine said, then giggled, "I've always loved Pegasi."
Stacia rolled her eyes, "But Virtue's a Unicorn, Demine, I've never seen a Unicorn fly before."
"Well," Bob stood up, "Let's see what this Luno meant."
The whole group then made their way outside, where Virtue with Luno (the foal) by her side waited for Harry. Virtue knelt down to let Harry climb on her back.
"Harry," Mr. Danen said, "Bring my daughter back safely."
"I will. I wouldn't do it any other way." Harry replied. He looked over to the master bedroom window where Mrs. Danen stood, watching, and wondering; she was still upset with Mr. Danen. She waved to Harry, and Harry waved back.
Virtue, with Harry on her back, trotted away to a solid mud path that led up the hills of the valley, Luno ran at her side. Harry thought to himself, "I still don't see how Virtue can fly." When the got to the top, Harry could easily see they were heading towards a cliff. "Virtue... hey... hey... STOP!" he shouted, but Virtue didn't stop. Instead she, with Luno at her side, jumped off the cliff. Harry closed his eyes.
They were falling... falling... falling... FLYING! Harry could feel the beat of wings against his legs, and the wind brushing past his face. He opened his eyes and indeed they were flying. He looked at Virtue; still the same Unicorn, but she had white WINGS, which shimmered, and their span was almost twice her body size. Luno, who flew in loops around them, had the same wings her mother had.
Harry smiled, "Wow."
Virtue's horn started to glow, as her tingling voice rang through Harry's head, "You understand now, do you?"
"Yes, Virtue. But what are you?" Harry asked.
"We are Unicorns, Harry," came the giggling voice of a child, it was Luno!
Harry blinked at Luno; "You can talk as well?"
Luno neighed softly and nodded, her horn (about 5 inches high) glew like Virtue's when she talked to Harry, "Of course."
Harry smiled, "Well, I know you're Unicorns, but you're much different than the rest, aren't you?"
"We're Winged Unicorns, Harry," Virtue said, "When we entered the forest behind the house, Luno came to us. He gave us the power to talk telepathically, and fly!"
"That's what he meant when-" Harry started to say, but stopped when Virtue stopped flying straight, and instead flapped her wings and hovered in mid-air, "Why'd you stop?"
"We're here," she said.
Harry looked down towards a large stone gray castle, with large walls and towers on each corner. Virtue flew down to the ground, in a small forest. "Why don't we go into the castle?" Harry asked.
"We must not be seen, Harry, you must go in alone," Virtue said, "Also, there is a magic discharge spell around the castle. You will not be able to use magic, if we enter, we will not be able to fly."
"I see," Harry said, and hopped off Virtue's back, "So then, what do I do? How do I get in?"
Cecil appeared behind him and said, "I can get us in, Harry."
Harry turned around saying, "Us? You want to come along as well? But with the magic discharge your powers-"
"Will cease to exist until we're out. I know, Harry, but for Elora, I'd give my life." Cecil said, "Com'n. Let's go rescue a damsel in distress, it's the knightly thing to do." He walked out of the forest heading towards the large stone castle. Harry growled lightly and followed behind him.
So far in the gym, Elora was on a roll. She loved what she could do with the Dark Arts Ahren had been teaching her. So far she had mastered the Dark Art Daggers, and they were hers, and now she was into the power part of it all... the only thing is, she was starting to forget things like, who's this name that ran through her head? Harry... Harry... Harry? She didn't care now.
"Good, good," Ahren said, "You're doing great Elora! Now, try the orb with the dagger, it's a combination you should master in seconds."
For the past 20 minutes, after the mastering of the Dark Art Daggers, Elora had been learning how to create an orb from a parallel place Ahren called 'The Realm'. Elora took out one of the daggers from the table in front of her, and holding it firmly in her hand, looked at it closely. She seemed to vaguely remember something about a man and woman she loved dearly, a valley, and another person... she couldn't put her finger on it. She shrugged if off, and soon enough the blade of the dagger she held started to flicker with a what looked like a black fire.
"You've done it!" Ahren said, leaning over the table with a giant grin on his face, "I knew you could!"
"What have I done?" Elora asked.
"You've created the Shadow Flame, even I couldn't do that. He'll be very proud."
"Who's he?" Elora asked, but then she suddenly felt woozy, the flame around the blade grew larger, and she fainted. Ahren caught her, and she saw his face before she blacked out.
--*--*--*--
Elora woke up, laying on a stone box in the middle of the courtyard in Castle Gray, she sat up and Ahren walked over to her saying, "Lay down, Elora, this will only be a moment."
Elora lay back down and asked, "What will?"
Ahren replied, "Your turning, my dear." He lifted his arms to the sky, which was clouded over, and a thundering echoed through the courtyard. Elora looked up to the gray clouded sky, and gasped when she saw a gray spiraling twister appear above her.
It headed down towards her, and she started to lift off the stone she lay upon. The twister formed around her.
Then, one of the walls of the castle broke, and two figures stepped through the dust. They were yelling her name, and Ahren fought them, so she knew they were her enemy. When the twister let her down on the ground, she joined in with Ahren, pulling out the daggers she had on her cloak.
The two men who had broken into the castle stopped, and looked at Elora. One of them, a tall man with long dark hair tied in a braid down his back, mumbled, "What happened to you?"
Elora then took the time to look at herself. She was older, about 20; her hair was longer, but still kept the white bangs. She looked at Ahren, who smiled at her and pointed to the two intruders saying, "Exile them."
Elora nodded, turned to the two intruders, holding one of the Dark Art Daggers in her hand, and grinned. The dagger floated above her palm, spun, and she sent it flying towards the intruders. It blew up in front of them; the blast sent them flying above the wall and far away from the castle.
She clapped her hands together saying, "That'll teach them."
Ahren gave her a hug, and almost crying he said, "My daughter."
Elora hugged him back whispering, "Father"
Virtue had caught Cecil and Harry who had somehow been blasted over the wall of the castle. They lay over her back, and she flew back to the Valley, with Luno at her side.
When they reached the Valley, Mr. Danen and the others rushed out the door and to them. "What happened?" Mr. Danen shouted, and started to shake Harry.
Harry woke up, and slid off Virtue's back. He stummbled on his feet and on his words, "We have a problem."