A/N: So as to avoid any confusion this chapter and a few other will take place in the past. When I shift back to the present I will let you guys know. Please enjoy.

Act 2

'Huff, huff,' light pink translucent wings fluttered frantically as they carried their owner after the dark haired female ahead of her. 'Slow down, Celeste! I can't keep up with you.'

Celeste slowed down a little so that her small fairy friend could catch up to her, 'Shh, not so loud,' she hissed as she caught up and flew along side her. 'If we don't hurry, we won't hear the beginning of the meeting.'

Bright blue eyes stared at her, 'You're not suppose to even be at this meeting. Let alone hiding were you can eavesdrop on it. If the Queen or Sol finds out, you're in big trouble.'

'Tell me something that I don't already know,' the young woman came to a halt in front of a huge dark oak door. 'Come on,' she opened the door and poked her head in to see if there was anyone before entering. 'You know that this meeting is important. Queen Mania isn't backing down and she has sent an ultimatum to Mother. However, Mother took one look at the letter and called a meeting. When I asked what it was she told me that it was nothing important and that I should go back to my training.'

The small fairy followed along side Celeste as she entered her Mother's study and walked over to the full length mirror on the right side of the wall. Across from the book shelf and to the right of the large desk that appeared before them when they entered the room along the opposite wall. 'For good reason Queen Mania means to destroy us and you need to be ready for any attack that she might send forth.'

'I know, but being kept out of the loop is infuriating. The other Scouts and my Cousin are allowed to be at the meet. Why can't I?' Celeste touched the mirror at its dead center, sending a small pulse of magic which caused it to ripple, becoming a clear fluid that showed the entrance to a tunnel behind it. 'If you're afraid of being caught, Irina, I won't judge you if you turn back and pretend that you don't know anything.'

Irina frizzled at the idea of turning back and allowing her friend to go on alone. She landed on Celeste shoulder and looked forward into the dark tunnel. 'And allow you all the fun, no way.' Well, if they got caught spying it wouldn't be fun.

'Great, now be weary of any giant spiders. This tunnel doesn't get cleaned out too often,' She warned her as she headed inside and in the only direction that the tunnel lead.

Spiders, she wanted to turn back at the mention of them cause she didn't know wether or not Celeste was teasing her. Moments later she realized that the warning was real, there were cobwebs hanging low from the ceiling. 'Maybe, we should head back,' she whispered as she drew closer to Celeste's face and hid behind her long curtain of dark hair.

'It'll be fine,' she claimed as she tried to calm her scared friend.

'For you,' Irina could just imagine beady little spider eyes staring at her with hunger and delight. Ready to catch her in their web at any moment and suck her blood dry.

'Shh,' Celeste hushed her at they arrived to the end of the tunnel and were greeted by a two way mirror. Small and insignificant, but offered them a view of the grand table were the scouts, her cousin, the royal advisers and her Mother sat. Sol sat to the right of her mother, the magnificent royal guardian sat before a pedestal. Her golden feathers with red tips were always a sight to see, especially when she was such a large Phoenix bird. But sometimes she had to admire Helios, her counterpart, and his beautiful sliver and white feathers.

'My Queen, we are all here,' Eros, one of her mother's royal advisors announce as the last of the servants had left the room and closed the door. 'What is the urgency of this meeting?'

'Mania,' she drew out the letter sealed within a dark envelope. 'She has decide to give us an ultimatum. We are either to give her my daughter before her twenty-first birthday or she will unleash an attack upon out city and it's people.'

Gazes shifted from person to person, trying to gauge their reaction of the news. 'It is outrageous, if she thinks that you will hand my cousin over,' Skye was the first to speak.

'But you have to consider the outcome of not doing as she asks, people would die,' Delilah counter. 'Since the death of King Leos, she has become relentless. This is no longer just a war for control over the King's favor. Therefore, if we hand over the Princess we will be saving hundreds of lives and our home.'

'Celeste is our beloved princess, we can't just hand her over,' Payton the last and oldest of her mother's advisers spoke.

'I am not saying that we should,' Delilah told him, 'I am just stating the fact that with one single life hundreds can be spared.'

'Lady Delilah has a point,' Aiden agreed with the woman, much to everyones surprise. 'However, there has to be some other way for us to come out of this with out having to sacrifice the Princess.' She turned to look at Skye, 'Can't you talk to her? She's your mother.'

'Please,' Skye took insult to the mention of their relationship. 'That woman only seared me to gain access to our realm. She used my Father and as soon as I was born she abandoned me. There is no way that I can talk to that woman and make her reconsider.'

'What if we attack her head on, before she is able to mobilize her troops.'

'Mania, has high control of the lesser daemons and can call them forth at will. With her access her, her powers and desire for revenge it is just a matter of time before she makes her way to the castle,' Helios informed them.

'But seriously, this is ridiculous,' Aiden snapped in frustration. The only revenge that Mania wanted against them was for some man. She and Queen Saule had both met a human man and been smitten by him. Queen Mania had used all her seductive tactics to gain his favor, but he had fallen for Queen Saule's loving and charming nature. Something that Queen Mania could never forgive and forget.

Queen Saule and King Leos, once married, came to the sun with fellow friends and worshipers of Queen Saule. The sun was outside of the Celestial Realm, but seeing as it was just within its borders it was protected by its laws. Mainly, no Underworld Demiurge was allowed within Celestial grounds unless invited. So for the longest time Queen Saule and King Leos ruled happily and unharmed. Ten years after their marriage, Queen Mania appeared in their lives again but this time as the partner of Skye's Father, Aeolus. She was also pregnant with her cousin, so she was more tamed and less hostile. Aeolus hadn't heard of the issues between his sister and wife, so when he brought them together he didn't think anything off it. After all, ten years was a long time to fester hate for someone and their happiness.

So for three years Mania played nice, until the announcement of King Leos and Queen Saule's daughter Princess Celeste. That was were things took a turn for the worst. Queen Mania told her husband that she just used him to get close to King Leos, that she had never loved him or felt an ounce of attraction for him. He was just a pawn. Aeolus had fought with her and unleashed his fury, more so when she took his son with her. For two years they fought, until Aeolus could fight no longer. His spirit broken by the woman that he had actually fallen in love with and bared his child. Skye was wrong about her getting rid of him right away, Mania had kept him until he was seven. Once she found out that his heart was unwavering and his will strong, she abandoned him and allowed his father to finally take care of him.

Since Saule and Aeolus were siblings it was naturally for them to cross paths and befriend each other. It was also common knowledge that Skye opposed his mother, so anything that he could do to aggravate her; he would and what better way than to unite forces with the woman that she hated the most. With a soft sigh, Celeste turned back and decided not to stay and watch the meeting unfold. After all what she needed to know she already did and Mania wasn't making things easy for them. It was either her people or herself. She knew what route her mother and friends would choose. She exited the tunnel and touched the symbol above the mirror to deactivate it. It was pretty nifty to have, no one would ever think that the activation was on the mirror itself. They would look at the frame or outside it. She sighed again, 'What do you think,' Irina broke the heavy silence, it wasn't her life on the line but it was her best friends.

Celeste didn't even want to think, thinking would only make her do the right thing. 'That I better go and change my gown. My Mother spots me in this and I am dead,' she bitterly laughed at her last statement, seeing that her life was already sentenced wether she liked it or not.

'I think that you have bigger problems than that,' Irina told her as she watched her try to dust off her dress.

'That I do,' she admitted as she left the office and headed down the corridor, to the stairs and then to her bedchambers. How was she supposed to handle this, if she stayed they would fight for her and many people would die. If she left then she was more than likely saving hundreds of people, yet at the same time lose her owe in return. Mania was on par with Hades or possibly stronger than him. That's why once she found a loop hole she was able to use it to her advantage and become unstoppable. If it wasn't for the fact that her end game had always been her father it would have never come to this. They would still be fighting for control, not trying to stop annihilation.

'So what are you going to do,' Irina already knew the answer to the question, but she had to ask.

'What I always do best,' she bitterly smiled.

'It's insane, you know that.'

'I know,' she said as reached up and took off her crown, it wasn't as grand and majestic as her mother's but still held an important significance. 'I've always been proud of being my parents' daughter, I have never once hated it until today,' she told Irina as the heaviness of the crown weighed down on her. A representation that she would always do what was best for her people. 'Mother is still young, she'll find another suitable man and have another child,' she whispered as she took a seat before her vanity and stared at the crown before setting it down. She then began to take off her earrings, necklace and the flowers that decorated her hair.

'You don't have to do this, this isn't what your Mother wants,' Irina told her.

'But it is the answer to put an end to this meaningless war. Plus, I've had a good run,' she watched as Irina hovered before her. 'So what do you say, one more adventure for old times sake?'

'One that will lead to you doom, no thanks,' Irina shook her head as she landed on top of one of her bottles of creams.

'Well, it doesn't have to be my doom, maybe I can petition to Mania and have her spare my life,' she pointed out. 'Or…'

'Or,' Irina asked as her friend fell silent as an idea hit her.

'I return the gesture,' she finished.

'Are you kidding,' Irina was outraged by the idea. 'You're not strong enough to go against Mania by yourself. Only a god or goddess that is stronger than her can go against her.'

'But what if I don't have to go against her, I just have to convince the fates to help me,' she jumped up as the idea made even more sense to her by the minute. 'The fates control lives, so—-'

'Wrong,' Irina halted her before she went on a huge rampage. 'They control mortal fate, not the fates of immortals. The Fate's shears won't cut through immortal life strings.'

'That is why we will have her drink water from the fountain of life, it has the opposite effect on immortals. Instead of prolonging life, it makes them human.' Celeste beamed happily, she didn't have to die.

'Okay, say you get the fates to help you, how are you going to get Mania to drink the water in the first place,' Irina asked her as she found an issue with her plan, well there were several issues with the plan. However, Celeste wasn't going to process more than the obvious.

'Good question,' she muttered as her happiness deflated. She could find the fountain, they had a map in the library, and get the water but what use would it be to her if Mania didn't drink it.

'Another thing, you and I can't get into the underworld without access from Hades or Mania.'

'Oh, right,' this was going to be a lot harder than she had anticipated. 'How about we get the elixir of life first and later we figure out how to get into the Underworld, find the Fates, get them to help us and get Mania to drink the elixir.'

'Don't you think that we are leaving too many things unplanned,' Irina watched as Celeste began to undress.

'Yes, but isn't that all part of the adventure?'

'Humph, it's more of a half baked plan to get us both killed,' Irina grumbled. 'How about you tell your mother and the scouts, that way they can help you.'

Irina spread her wing and began to fly after her towel clad friend as she went into the baths that connected to her chamber. 'If I told them my plan they would say it was ludicrous and lock be up in my room. It's best if it's just you and me. We'll figure everything out as we go,' she dropped the towel on a small bench not far from the door. The bath chamber wasn't spectacular, but the white marble floor and walls were pristine, along one side was a shower in which one could wash away the grime and sweat of the day. Afterwards, they could get into the walk in bath that was always ready and regulated, so that a person could soak and relax within its warm and healing water.

Irina joined her after she washed her body and began to soak. Celeste's plan made no sense, well it did but it didn't. It was flawed, as so many of her pervious plans. Nevertheless, she would tag along for the adventure, since things seemed to somehow work out for her. If the elixir of life didn't work then Celeste could talk to Mania and get her to change her mind. Convince her to allow her and her people to go on as one last gift to the man that she was obsessed with or in love, which ever worked better. 'Don't worry, Irina if anything goes wrong I'll protect you.' Celeste randomly said as if reading her mind and touched the top of her head with her index finger patting her.

'Humph, the one that will need protecting is you.'

'Right, right,' she agreed with Irina allowing her protection ward to cover the annoyed fairy. If anything did happen, she would be teleported back home, were she would be safe.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Two days after making up her mind and figuring out part one and two of her plan. Celeste set out with Irina, 'Why are we heading to the cashew grove,' Irina asked as she followed along side Celeste.

'So that we can pick a few cashew apples,' they came upon the entrance of the small grove. Usually people picked the fruit for the small cashew that grew at the end and turned the fruit into a jam or processed juice, which diluted the fruits actual properties. If eaten in its natural state it would cause youth, on a mortal a few years but on a demiurge it would revert them back to the peak of their beauty. She wondered if that was why her mother always looked youthful and elegant. 'Help me get some real nice plum and juice ones,' she told her.

Irina took off for the trees and began to fly around looking for ripe and ready to eat apples. When she found one she struggled a bit to pull the fruit off. Down below Celeste caught the falling fruit before it crash landed on the ground. After gathering three of the oddly shaped fruits, they looked like they had a kidney attached to the top while the body was shaped like a boxing glove, Celeste cast a spell on them. 'I thought you were going to eat them.'

'I am already at the zenith of my beauty, I don't need the fruit for me and I don't need them to spoil before I can use them for their intended purpose.' She placed them in a box and put it in her traveling bag.

'Which is?'

'The Fates, I figured if they've been around since the creation of time and death, wouldn't they be old and haggard by now. So what better way to get them to help us than by offering them youth. I mean, it's not eternal like them but it'll offer them new life.'

Irina nodded, if she were old and spent from the wear of time and someone offered her youth once more in exchange for her help, she'd take it. 'We should go before they notice that we are gone,' Celeste told her as she saw twilight on the horizon and soon they would be aware of her disappearance.

Since the meeting, they had decided to take turns guarding her or better yet keeping an eye on her. Mania had given them until her twenty-first birthday to decide to give her up, so they still had five months in between for her or someone else to attack. The scouts, her cousin or her mother wouldn't attack or give her up. But the council was a different story, especially since they were mortal and thought of the best course of action for their safety. Even if they didn't attack her and tried to force her into going to Mania. They could make her aware. Then she would be doing the same thing that she was doing now, except for the fact that they would know why she had disappeared. They reached the portal to the mortal world, because no one usually used it to go back and others weren't aware of its appearance it was left unguarded. The perks of running away unhindered, she thought as she turned back one last time to look at her home. It was very unlikely that she would be returning anytime soon or at all. She sighed in longing to returned back to her bed and the safety of her home, but knew that she at least had to go out and fight for the safety of her people and life.

'Are you sure you want to do this,' Irina asked her one last time as she turned back to the cave entrance at the summit of Mont Ume.

'Of course, I didn't travel this far without resolve,' she raised her hands up to the edge of her hood so that she could lift it up and over her head.

'Yeah,' Irina landed on her shoulder and sadly rode through the teleportation portal. It was funny how they entered at the top of the summit back home and when they exited the were at the bottom. As they turned back to see the portal behind them it disappeared, sealing the entrance back home. One of the other reasons the portal stood unguarded.

'So,' Celeste looked up at the mountain before her and the brightly lite sky. The day was just starting, just like her adventure in the human world where anything was possible. She turned away from the clear blue sky and looked behind her to the large forest that lay there. The human world was was so different from her own, she noted as she heard the buzzing of insects and the singing of birds in the distance. In addition, everything was so green or blue with her home shining in the sky.

'It's so,' Irina couldn't explain it. They had grass, tress, bushes and the lot but their home was trapped within a dome, so their nights and days were artificial, their agriculture was planned and for their needs, not left to run wild. Their forest small, without trees that grew tall and mighty or without fruit.

'Amazing,' Celeste offered.

'You could say,' Irina took off and began to fly around, enjoying the fresh and crisp air and the grandness of Earth.

While Irina flew about, Celeste took out the map that she had snagged from the library and began to study it. Trying to figure out what their next course would be. According to her map, they would have to cross through the forest before they arrived at their first human village. After that they would have to travel along the road until they reached a waterfall, where they would have to climb the cliff and head along side the river until they reached a second village that would lead them further up. In the direction of mountains, which would involve more climbing and traveling until they reached the middle of the mountain where they would have to look for an entrance or at least the symbol of youth. It was simplistic, three lines along the bottom and six lines that intertwined in sets of three before spreading away from each other and falling away. After that she was supposed to open the entrance and claim her price, so she thought since the rest of it was uncharted. All she knew was the properties which had been studied and documented. 'Irina,' she called her friend over.

She flew towards her, 'Are you ready?'

'Yeah,' she showed her the course that they would follow.

'Wouldn't it be easier to just teleport there, like you could have done here,' she pointed out.

'It wouldn't be half as fun, though,' she told her. 'If this is going to be it for me, then I would rather enjoy it than waste it away with finding the easy way out. Which leads me to next thing that we need to solve before actually heading out.' She studied the small fairy, wondering how vexed she was going to be in the next minute or so.

'What's that,' she cocked her head to the side in question.

'Well, you know that we are here in the human world and we have to be inconspicuous, so…'

'So,' she egged her on.

'So we are going to have to…'

'To what,' Irina was getting annoyed.

'Change you,' she got the courage to finish and sent fourth her magic.

'Celeste!' she cried out in shock as she was propelled off the map and away from her.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

'What do you mean that the Princess is gone,' Queen Saule barked in outrage. 'You were to maintain watch over her.'

'Your Highness, she drugged her ladies in waiting with sleeping weed. When I went in to check on her she was gone,' Aiden answered.

'Gone, gone where?'

'We don't know, she just left this along with her crown,' Aiden held out the small parchment paper with neat hand writing.

Saule snatched the paper out of her hand and read the note: Dear Mother,

I am sure that once you read this, I will be long gone. Don't try to look for me, but I am sure that you will. Irina and I have taken off on a quest, hoping to come up with a solution to our current threat. Don't worry, I won't do anything too hasty without planning it out first. If all goes well, we should be back soon to tell you all about our adventure.

Love,

Celeste

She crumpled the letter and threw it on the ground, what was her idiot of a daughter thinking. This wasn't the time for her to be running off and doing who knows what. 'Aiden, gather the scouts and Skye.'

'Your Highness,' she bowed before leaving to do as told. Once she got a hold of Celeste she was going to beat her black and blue before handing her over to the Queen. Which will probably lock her up and throw away the key.

Saule watched as the young dark haired female left, her head held high and elegant with each stride she took. She was a fierce woman with authority and power radiating off of her, making her intimidating but respected for she was also know for her benevolence. As all the other scouts and her daughter were known for, but Aiden had the quality of leader written all over her. That was why the people looked up at her with admiration and respect. Unlike her foolish daughter, which was reckless and careless. Caused trouble at every turn, well when she was younger. Now that she was becoming a woman, Saule was sure that she had out growing her reckless scheming and planning. But alas here they were once again, left behind at a most perilous of time for some ridiculous scheme. Didn't she understand that she was under protection for her own good?

She took a seat on her throne and while she waited closed her eyes and tried to locate a trace of her daughter with her magic. Within the castle she could sense traces of her most recent activities, a protection spell. She let her magic trace further out and arrived at her most recent place. The cashew grove, where she used a preservation spell. Saule cocked her head to the side wondering why she would need the cashew fruit and the preservation spell for. She tried to sense for her or more of her magic, but either she was hiding or she wasn't within her realm. But for her to be gone, she would have had to teleport or use the teleportation portal to the human realm. Her daughter wouldn't be so, no she shook her head. Knowing her daughter is was a strong possibility. She was on a quest to find answers to defeat Mania, yet there weren't any. She was just bait for any attack that Mania would use, once she was aware of her disappearance.

'I should have locked her up and had guards on her twenty-four seven. I should have never trusted the fact that I could keep her safe from herself.' Moments later the doors to her throne room opened the scouts and Skye gathered before her.

'You called for us,' Skye asked.

'I have,' she nodded at the young man, 'as of this morning, Princess Celeste and Irina have left the castle. Their last whereabouts being the cashew grove, from there I can not trace or locate their presence. My daughter could be masking them or they could no longer be here in our realm.'

All of them began to speak amongst themselves either outraged at the sudden announcement or worried about what it could mean. 'Silence,' she ushered them. 'I called you here because I will need each and everyones' cooperation.'

It took a moment for them to settle down and hear her out. 'First, I can't have the council or people aware of my daughter's disappearance, so I will need Aiden to use a glamour spell and pretend to be her.' Saule lifted her hand to stop Aiden from speaking, 'Before you protest, you are closer in appearance and height, so a glamour spell should hold better on you. Second, I will need one of you to stay with her and act as her guard.'

Lydia raised her hand, 'I can do that, plus I can stay connected with Olivia and Callista while they search.'

'Excellent,' Saule agreed and turned to Skye, who stood silently waiting for his orders. Which probably were to accompany the other two scouts and ensure their safety. 'Skye, I know that this is going to be asking for a lot, but I am going to need you to keep watch of your mother. I would ask someone else to do it, but unlike you they don't have access to the Underworld.'

'Excuse me,' he was sure he hadn't heard correctly. He was suppose to go to the underworld and keep an eye on his Old Hag of a mother. A vile creature that turned her back on his father and him, all for the sake of a man that didn't love her and would never love her.

'I know that it is asking a lot of you, but I want to keep track of your Mother's movements. If she becomes aware of Celeste disappearance I need to act and stop her.'

Skye stood silent as he thought of what he was going to do or how he was going to answer if he decided to refuse. He had access to the Underworld because he possessed the blood of a dark deity, yet he had no where to stay. Going to his mother's was out of the question, he had gone up against her minions and her plenty of times before so she knew his alliances. Not going also meant that they couldn't prepare any counter measure against Celeste's rescue. 'For the safety of my cousin, I'll go,' he told her.

'Thank you,' Queen Saule exhaled a sigh of relief. 'You don't know how much this means to me.'

'I can imagine,' was all he answered as he lost himself in thought. He didn't know the lay of the land in the Underworld, so he was going to have to find some assistance. Urgh, he felt that his mission was an impossible one. He had no friends or alliances there for support, unless…but it was such a long time ago. There was no way that he would help, they had been young and they hadn't kept contact, but he had been a friend. So maybe.

'Callista and Olivia, I don't mean to rush you but I will need you to leave within the hour. The longer we wait the further those two will get away. Plus, knowing my daughter, she is bound to do something reckless.' Queen Saule looked at the two scouts, who nodded and excused themselves. Lydia said that she would go help them pack, as well as set up a communication device for them to always be kept in contact. Skye also excused himself, he said that he needed to pack as well as gather information on the Underworld before his departure. Aiden stayed back and watched everyone leave before she dared voice her concern.

'Queen Saule, I think that it would be better if I were on the tracker team with Olivia and Callista. Lydia can stay back and glamorize herself to take on the appearance of Celeste.'

Queen Saule studied the young woman and nodded, 'I understand that you care deeply for Celeste and wish to bring her back yourself. However, you are the best candidate to pass off as my daughter. A glamour spell would be minimal and it could remain active for long periods of time. You also have the most understanding of Celeste's day to day life.'

Aiden wanted to continue to protest, but she soon agreed to accept her fate. Having to lose her identity to become Celeste felt like a step back in her maturity and intelligence. Therefore, when she got her hands on Celeste she was going to beat her black and blue. 'If you'll excuse me, I shall go and get ready. For I am sure that if I remain in my attire they will begin to get suspicious.'

After she was all alone, Queen Saule stood up from her throne, walked around it to the back of the room and looked out of the large window into the horizon. The sun was brightly shining across the doom as night ended and the day began. Her daughter missing and off who knows where, doing who knows what. Knowing her, she was probably up to no good and dragging poor Irina into trouble, 'But still, I wish that you remain safe until you come home,' she softly whispered before turning away from the window and walking towards the exit. She had a front to maintain and meeting to get to if she wanted to keep the facade that everything was okay.

—-Afterword—

A: Another chapter down, yes. (The Author cheers happily.)

Ai: If only your progress on the other chapters was just as fast.

I: What is it with you and making me your guinea pig for cliff endings? What did I ever do to you? And why am I am fairy? I am more suited to be the Goddess of Love or of Spring, seeing as they are as beautiful as me (she flips her hair over her left shoulder.)

O: Oh, to avoid any confusion I am Celeste.

Ai: The idiot that keeps running off into trouble.

I: And doesn't value our friendship and constantly leaves me hanging by a thread at the end of each chapter. (She grabs Orianna by the shoulders and beings to shake her) Can't you see that I just escaped with my life not to long ago. Now, I am off on a wild goose chase, that could lead to your death, and you just zapped me with your magic. What did you do? What did you do? (She shook her forcefully.)

O: I don't know! (She cried) I just do as I am told. What happens next is up to the Author. (She points at the Author, who was trying to sneak away before Aiden and Irina decide to attack her.)

A: Umm, I got to run, but I'll hope to see everyone soon. Bye, (she quickly waves before running off on her chubby legs).

O: Well, with the author gone now I have control. (Orianna laughs happily as she is about to spill the secrets behind the last spell, not realizing that the cameras turned off and everyone else had left.)