"Greetings. My name is Salvia, a human staff member at Zoo Phoenix Academy. Don't mind my thick red hair, it often covers my face. I love romance films and novels and I play violin. I also have extensive knowledge of psychic powers and prophecy. Me having existed since ancient times could explain it."
"Let me tell you an incredible, albeit bizarre story about the world I'm from. It is what mortals call 'Zoophobia.' First, a provenance about said world…"
"Safe Haven…it is a sanctuary, an oasis for animals, anthropomorphic beings and other creatures. The Zoo Phoenix Academy is part of it. We sustain ourselves here…and serve as a utopia and protected escape for all kinds of creatures that are ostracized by the human-dominated world beyond the Oceania Forest. That is why there are so few humans here."
"Safe Haven is split into seven districts and each district has an important purpose and contributes to the society as a whole. The Animal District, Capital City, the wealthy E! District, Marine District, Avian District, the Farming District and the District of Magic. (Do not go to Xirxine Labs, they do horrible experiments on beings deemed 'troublesome.') Pacts were made and spells were cast to prohibit malevolent forces from entering the boundaries of Safe Haven. But to maintain the peace and tranquility of this thriving culture, very specific rules were put into effect by the original peacekeepers who founded Safe Haven."
"Evil forces include evil spirits, rogue vampires, true demons, and blood hunters. (And don't forget many of the entitled angels in Heaven, they can be deceiving.) The laws here are strict and they keep the dangers out, while keeping the citizens inside and safe. But this is why no living being is permitted to leave for good. It goes against the pacts that protect us. And breaking those pacts could lead to the corruption of the magic that shields us. Without magic, we would be at the mercy of not only dark monsters, but also outside humans who have wanted to hunt us all down. We would be overcome with the dark forces that have been wanting to enter Safe Haven for centuries."
"Safe Haven has not had a violent crime or a dangerous predator in years, and we do everything we can to keep it that way. But one circumstance changed all that we knew."
"This story first begins in the human world…and follows an ordinary female by the name of Cameron Walden…"
0 0 0
"Are you ready to go, sweetheart?"
"Coming, mommy!"
A jubilant fair-haired girl jumped for joy before dragging her small suitcase behind her down the hall. She was around six years old and her hair was slightly messy. Her golden-brown-haired mother looked at her with loving eyes.
"What will we do on our camping trip today?" little Cameron asked eagerly.
"Hmm," she said. "Last year we went canoeing at the lake and made crafts out of sticks. Remember when we roasted marshmallows under the stars?"
"Oh yes!" Cameron said. "Those snores were delicious!"
"I think you mean s'mores," her mother chuckled. "Your face and hands were so sticky afterwards. You looked like a goopy little monster." She playfully pinched her cheeks and made a funny face as Cameron giggled.
"But I'm thinking this year, we'll do some of your favorite activities. I know how much you enjoy fishing."
"Oh yay!" Cameron cheered. "I remember daddy catching at least two. And I got to feel their smooth scaly skin. Glad he let them go at the end."
"He might teach you this time. But you'll have to be patient."
"Don't worry, I will…maybe."
Her mother chuckled again. "Let's go, your dad is waiting for us."
Cameron's father also had white skin and golden brown hair, except he had a scruffy beard that he often let Cameron feel. His eyes were kind and thoughtful and a Christian cross necklace hung around his neck. All of them wore casual jeans, brown hiking shoes and shirts of gray.
Soon, Cameron and her family piled into their car and Cameron's father drove them through the city streets. The city was dull and gray, reminiscent of New York City but without the splendor. But even the smoggy city didn't deter Cameron's excitement. During the long drive to the woods, Cameron and her family sang some songs, played I Spy and that game where you call out a word and then have to call another word that starts with the end letter.
"Salad," said Cameron's father.
"Diver," said her mother.
"River," Cameron said.
"Ratable," said her father.
"Uh, lion!" said her mother.
"Ha! You lose!" said her father.
"No fair! Ratable has a silent 'e.' You cheated!"
Her father just shrugged playfully and winked at Cameron before focusing back on the road.
"Why'd I space out like that?" her mother mumbled.
They entered through the woods, trees surrounding either side as they rushed by. The dullness of the city faded behind them as greenery whizzed to life as they drove.
"Have you ever thought about what you want to be when you grow up?" her mother asked.
"I don't know," Cameron answered. "But I do want to help people and make the world a better place!"
"Great spirit you have there," her father remarked. "Anything in particular?"
"Maybe…a counselor! Or a zookeeper! Or maybe a marine biologist! Surely it can't be that hard comforting animals and humans the same!"
"Well," her mother began. "I know how much you love animals, especially fish. But humans are more…complex creatures. You need to have good listening skills in order to start. And…" she said in a singsong voice, "That means making friends!"
Cameron groaned. She was quite shy, even in her youth.
"I know it can be hard," said her mother. "But you can't expect to be alone forever. There are so many different individuals out there. And it's true some of them may be...strange at first glance."
"What if they…don't like me or hurt me?"
"No one would hurt you," she said. "If they did, I'd make them run for the hills. Plus no one could possibly dislike such a sweet angel like yourself. Just take it one step at a time. You'll find someone special to love. And I know you will be confident and successful one day, whatever you decide to do."
Cameron smiled at the thought as they continued down a dirt path. Her mother had always wanted her to be happy above all else. The car swayed and bounced as they went deeper in. At last, they found their favorite camping spot and parked. It was a pleasant area with a few pine trees, a wooden bench and a small ledge overlooking a nearby lake. As Cameron's father pitched the tent and gathered wood, Cameron and her mother gazed at the nearby lake. Sunlight shimmered and sparkled on the water, mesmerizing Cameron. A few ducks quacked off to the side and horsetail reeds swayed in the cool breeze. A dragonfly zoomed in and out among the reeds, occasionally touching the liquid surface. It was a relief to get away from the city and into the much cleaner fresh air.
After a fun day of hiking (Cameron identified several types of leaves and tracks), hide and seek (Cameron climbed a small tree but was found anyway) and fishing (Cameron caught one small fish), they had an early evening dinner over the fire. Cameron inhaled the scent of sizzling bratwurst and hamburgers as the meat cooked. A few stars had already appeared as the sun painted the sky orange and gold. The meat was delicious and slightly overcooked. Then they had s'mores for dessert.
"Aw man," groaned her father as he stared at his blackened marshmallow on a stick, "I overdid mine." Then he grinned playfully and proceeded to eat it.
"Gross!" Cameron remarked with a face. "How can you eat that?"
"A marshmallow is a marshmallow," he said with a shrug.
Cameron's marshmallow was a perfect golden brown in between the chocolate pieces and graham crackers. Cameron's mother had her marshmallow plain white.
After the satisfying meal, Cameron was eager to explore some more. "Can we go on a quick hike, Dad?" she asked. "It's not as hot now." A refreshing breeze caressed her skin.
Her dad nodded. "There's still some light out. We can look around and gaze at the stars too."
"Just don't go too far," added her mother. "And take a flashlight with you."
"See you shortly," called her father as he took Cameron's hand and began their nightly hike. Cameron's mother waved with a smile while sitting on a log and finishing her dinner. The fire crackled brightly.
By now, the sky has turned a dark indigo. The moonlight lit the path in front of them but they were still careful not to trip over any stray sticks, holes or rocks. Along the way, they spotted a rabbit, several squirrels, and even a stag hidden among the trees. The natural world was a wondrous place for Cameron. She and her father eventually relaxed on a cool boulder, naming the various constellations above them.
"This is the best camping trip ever, Dad!" Cameron smiled.
"It sure has been lots of fun, kiddo," her father smiled. For a while, they let themselves be mesmerized by the twinkling stars and the comforting sound of the still night air. Then all too soon, he sat up and said, "We should head on back. After all, an overnight sleepover never gets old."
"Yeah, let's go!" said Cameron. She let out a yawn and was looking forward to being warm in her cozy sleeping bag. They got off the rock and walked back hand in hand.
As they wondered the trails back toward camp, the forest was quiet. Eerily quiet. There were no bird songs or bugs or even the swaying of the wind. Even with the flashlight and moonlight, it grew much darker than before. Cameron grew silent and scooted closer to her father as they walked. A prickling feeling crept up to her neck…she felt like something was watching her. With every snap of a twig or rustle of leaves, she flinched slightly.
"Are there m-monsters out here?" she asked, almost in a whisper.
"Don't be concerned. Other than the devil and wild animals, monsters don't exist. Everything is fine," her father assured her.
Cameron grew less and less convinced as they continued their trek. Shadows flickered and warped this way and that, a trick of the eyes. Cameron whimpered softly. Something tall loomed up ahead. A large tree was in front of them, larger than the other trees around. It looked like an ancient oak tree with hanging branches and a worn down trunk. Cyan fog surrounded the tree and the area, giving it an enigmatic and ominous feel.
A low hooting sound came from nearby. Cameron glanced at a black hole in the tree, at her eye-level. A smaller branch stuck off to the side of it. She peered inside and didn't see anything.
But then…a pair of glowing yellow eyes blinked from inside. And a white owl emerged onto the branch! She shined her flashlight at it and it didn't flinch. Just stared intently.
Cameron had never seen such a majestic creature before. It had white feathers, tiny black spots on its coat and a sharp hooked beak. But there was something peculiar about this owl. Looking closely, Cameron could make out zig-zag yellow stripes down the front of its body. And its eyes…they were big and yellow like an owl's but seemed…older. Instead of being a single color, the large orbs glowed yellow with dark stripes like a bumblebee. It almost appeared as if the lines in the eyes were moving. Strange small jagged eyelashes jutted out from the sides of the orbs. The owl eyed Cameron like she was an innocent mouse; she did not like the look at all.
Cameron blinked and for a millisecond, she saw a bizarre being; what looked like a bird but with the head of a woman with white blonde hair and pale skin. Before she could comprehend what it was (a harpy), it had turned back into an owl in the blink of an eye. After letting out an ominous hoot, it vanished into the hole as Cameron's father called her name. She hurried off to catch up to him.
Cameron shook her head, convinced it was just her fearful imagination. No owl would come out and look through her like that.
A strange sense of foreboding flowed through Cameron. She and her father quickened their pace.
Back at camp, a low growling sound grew steadily louder.
Growl. Crunch. Crunch. Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sounds of steps and shuffling grew closer. Cameron's mother looked around, holding a bratwurst in one hand.
Grooooowwwlll….snort, snort.
Hot breath on neck. Snapping of twigs.
Cameron's mother slowly turned around, meeting large dark eyes…
A scream echoed out into the night, almost paralyzing Cameron in her tracks.
"Dad?"
It was shrill and pleading…and then it rang out again.
Longer lasting screams and roars seemed to be coming from everywhere. The world seemed to be spinning.
"What was that?!" Cameron cried.
"I don't know, but I have a feeling we need to get back," said her father with concern. For the first time, he appeared sacred as well.
Without hesitation, her father grabbed hold of her hand and raced as fast as his legs could carry him. Cameron briefly tripped over a log but her father picked her up. A sudden gust of biting wind pushed against them, but they still ran. They flinched from the sudden cold and the dust that flew in their faces. It drowned out the screams until they faded away. The wind came to a howling peak and then halted as they reached the clearing.
Her father suddenly gasped and froze to a stop, Cameron almost bumping into him. His flashlight fell to the ground. There was the tangy smell of…Cameron figured it wasn't the cooked dinner they had.
"Stay back, Cameron!" her father ordered sharply, pushing her behind him. "And don't watch!"
But of course she did…then wished she hadn't.
Standing over a figure in the dirt was a monstrous brown bear. The bear bared his sharp teeth, paw on its food, mouth caked with blood. Tearing and squelching was heard. Crimson splotches looked jarring in the limited light. And underneath the bear was…
"M-mom?!"
In one swift motion, her father retrieved a gun he had safely secured behind him and took aim.
Bang! Bang!
Several shots rang out, deafening like bombs. Cameron covered her ears and yelped. A primal bellow of protest followed. The bear roared one last time before bounding and stomping away. Bush leaves rustled as a few more shots rang out. Her father yelled curses and raced toward where the bear had left.
Creeping closer, Cameron sank to her knees and stared in disbelief. It was her mother…or what was left of her. Her face was ashen, dirty and pale, scratches all along her body. Her back and belly had disastrous bites, thick dark red blood oozing onto the grassy ground. Muscle and viscera were visible from the gashes.
Cameron turned her mother's face around and was met with guttural heaving breaths. The unnatural agonizing kind right before death.
"Oh god, oh god, oh god…" Cameron muttered, voice cracking, eyes wide. "Somebody help! Help!" The smell made her gag, but she still stayed.
Her mother's eyes fluttered. She slowly reached a pale shaking hand toward Cameron. Cameron moved closer as both their hands met. The cold clammy hand squeezed her little fingers.
"S-safe Haven…" she wheezed, staring long and hard into Cameron's eyes. "You'll do…g-great things. Unite them all. Stay safe, safe…"
"Mom, w-what do you mean? Safe Haven, what?"
"My a-angel…"
Her mother wheezed and croaked again before her hand went limp, letting go of Cameron's fingers. Her mother gave her one last kind look before her eyes glazed over. She had stopped moving. Nothing but cold flesh, blood and a lifeless form.
"Mom? Mom! Mooooom!"
Cameron's father pulled her back a bit. Without a word, Cameron's father cradled his wife's body as Cameron buried her face in her bloodstained clothes.
Her father pulled her back a bit after gently lowing her mother to the ground. He closed her eyes with his fingers. She looked like she was asleep, even though she wasn't. (Or if she was, it was eternal and dreamless. Or maybe she was already in Heaven; Cameron didn't know). Cameron and her father stood silently still, embracing each other. Tears rolled down their faces, Cameron's primal sobs echoing through the night. Her hands were stained with leftover blood. After about ten minutes of utter grief, her father looked at her.
"Cameron, get in the car."
"W-why?"
"Just do it."
A sternness and aloofness look appeared on his face, a look Cameron had never seen him make in front of her. The bright color and spark in his eyes had been snuffed out. Without waiting for another answer, her father picked her up, carried her over to the car and placed her in the back seat. The door closed. From outside, the fire was put out, leaving only dying embers and sad orange sparks. The light gray smoke curled into spirals, doing somber dances in the breeze before vanishing.
Cameron waited in the back seat, curled up into a ball. She couldn't believe what had just happened. Her mother had been mauled by a bear before her eyes…and she could've been next! The ruthless face of the bear would haunt her memories for many years. Not long after, she saw flashes of red and blue light through the dirt-spotted windows. Her mother's body was covered by a white sheet and taken on a stretcher by medics who had driven by. Fortunately, they still had decent cell phone service. Without another word, her father packed up the tent and all their belongings, tossing them in the back. He got in the driver's seat and took them home on a long solemn drive.
0 0 0
The funeral went as well as one would expect. Prayers and condolences were spoken and family members talked in hushed tones, all wearing black. Cameron glanced around passively at the stained glass church windows, sad and bored at the proceedings. Her mother's coffin was gently lowered into the ground afterwards. Vivid flowers were placed everywhere; red, pink, white, yellow and purple. Being so young, Cameron later didn't remember the funeral at all. All she knew was that an important part of her life had vanished.
She and her father were never the same afterwards. As Cameron grew up and went to the dismal public school, he became preoccupied with his work. She hardly saw him much anymore. They grew distant, not in a bad way but similar to how different friends grow apart when their interests take them down new paths.
Cameron went to therapy for a while, with Mrs. Winkler, a kind old lady. But the sessions didn't seem to help. For one thing, Cameron's fear of animals grew worse each passing year. The fact that she had taken a trip to the zoo with her father only deepened it.
Her father had hoped that a new trip would cheer her up. But the animals would scare her as they roared and pawed at her through the glass when she watched. No one noticed a glowing golden apple which appeared in the exhibits…it let out light and made strange humming noises. The animals all threw themselves menacingly at Cameron with roars, hisses, and growls: Lions, tigers, bears, cheetahs…But it wasn't just the predatory animals that somehow grew agitated at her. The flamingos squawked nosily, the gators snapped their jaws, and the monkeys would laugh and throw food at her which bounced off the cage wall. The sharks and birds, and oh goodness, the snakes too. The only animals that didn't appear to pay her any attention were the fish. They just swam around and around as if nothing happened.
Strangely enough, her father didn't notice.
"What has gotten into you, Cam?" he asked in disbelief after she screamed and sobbed. "Those animals aren't attacking you."
"Y-yes they are!" she cried. "Didn't you see?"
But no one else seemed to notice either. They were just smiling and observing the animals like regular visitors. And the animals were doing their normal routines. A few people gave Cameron looks and raised their eyebrows.
Her father pulled her close. "You're almost a teenager. Stop acting like a sacred child."
"I-I know what I saw!" she sobbed. "I know it!"
Her father sighed and merely said, "Let's go home."
Cameron lowered her head. She used to enjoy the zoo more than anything…now she had an unbreakable fear of animals. (It had gotten bad to the point where she didn't even want any pets.)
Cameron didn't see a grinning yellow face with matching eyes blending within the trees when she left the zoo. Nor did she hear its high pitched cackle. A slender hand held up a golden apple and the illusions replayed.
Another thing that didn't help was school. Cameron was smart enough in class (especially in literature) but was often bullied for her meekness. Many of the bullies would make animal sounds and jump at her from behind corners.
"Look how sacred she is!" they would mock. "Who's afraid of the big bad wolf? And everything else in existence? Lamb Cam!"
"Don't call me that!" she spat. "It's Cameron!"
"Scram, Cam! Scaredy cat! Scaredy cat! Mrrow!"
And the creepers too as she became a teen.
"Ride me like an animal, Cam! Damn!"
"Are you a turtle, dearie? Cause I'd love to fly through your tender shell…"
"You must be a kitty cat, 'cause you've got some fine pus…"
"Don't you finish that sentence!"
After finally graduating high school hell, Cameron went to college. After hard work, she got her degree in Guidance Counseling. She figured she'd stray away from animals and gear more toward helping members of her own species. Helping others was her purpose…and getting her degree was a great accomplishment. Friends and boyfriends came and went. She soon lived on her own.
Getting a job, however…much easier said than done. No matter where Cameron looked or how many interviews she went to, they all seemed to dismiss her.
"I'm sorry, you don't have the right qualifications we're looking for."
"We are currently reaching out to other applicants at this time. Thank you for your interest."
"No social skills…no experience…hmm…not quite fit for this position."
They always changed their minds at the last minute. Cameron never understood why.
Cameron buried her face in her hands in her room. The fear and sorrow would never go away. The gray skies and the pattering of rain over the glum city matched her mood. She was now twenty-five years old, unemployed, and utterly alone.
Her last hope was a new job position offered to her by a lady with white blonde hair. She had given Cameron her business card and office address: "KayCee: guidance counselor position interview, 12:00 sharp tomorrow."
Another failed interview, but she figured she'd give it a try.
And then her nightmares. The nightmares that always seemed to come back. They were always the same. Cameron racing through the forest, being chased by every animal and mythical creature in existence. The gnashing of teeth, swipes of paws, being chewed on and swallowed into darkness. Then, thinking it was all over, she'd wake up…
…only to see her mother's dead body on the floor in front of her.
"Monster! Monster!" a shadowy crowd chanted, surrounding her. But they were pointing their fingers at her, their glowing white eyes accusing.
"No! No, I'm not a monster!" Cameron cried, looking down. Her mother's head snapped up and her eyes were yellow and black stripes, eyelashes curling out on all sides. "Monster!" She let out a crazed laugh, white teeth sharp, tongue out, eyes rolling back.
Cameron felt herself falling, falling, being watched by dozens of eyes. Eyes, eyes everywhere. Staring into her reflection, she gasped and screamed in horror. She saw her frightened blonde face, but her body consisted of white feathers, talon feet, a thin neck and bat-like wings. She was a harpy. An abomination…becoming what she feared itself.
More screams as she fell down, down, her black pupils growing wider…
0 0 0
Cameron's pupils shrank back as she lay on her back on a couch. She wore a business casual light gray shirt and a dark skirt. A back headband sat on her golden brown hair, while a few strands hung from either side of her freckled face. The walls were stark gray on all sides. A lone palm frond plant sat in a pot to the side. A grandfather clock ticked quietly in the room, the pendulum swinging from side to side in rhythm.
"I had that dream again…it was so vivid this time," Cameron told Mrs. Winkler.
"Perhaps your upcoming job assignment played a part in that?" The elder Mrs. Winkler suggested. The therapist wore a gray dress and took notes on a clipboard.
"Maybe," said Cameron. "But why that dream? I haven't had it in so long. It was just…so unexpected."
Cameron sat up. "It was like reliving the whole thing. And bringing back all those memories." She shuddered slightly, glancing off to the side. "I mean, I've been stressed out lately but…I've never had that dream so suddenly…"
"Well, dear…" the therapist began, looking at her clipboard. "It sounds to me like…"
Cameron glanced up at the clock, which chimed 12:00.
"Oh! Oh my god, I'm late!" she cried. She leaned in, hands clasped. "Thank you so, so much for listening, Mrs. Winkler! Wish me luck!"
Cameron grabbed her handbag, turned the doorknob and hurried out of the room. "Taxi!" she yelled as she bounded out of the building and down the steps. The rain poured down as she got in. She soon arrived at the other building.
Inside the office, a voice came over through the PA with a bzzt.
"Ms. KayCee. The 12 0' clock is here…late."
"Send her in," replied the woman. She had a tan face, long white hair and narrowed eyes that appeared to glow. She wore a gray business suit and a green pendant around her neck. She sat at her desk with an apple and a pencil holder off to the side. She glanced down at some paperwork in front of her, pen in hand. Rain pattered from outside the window.
Cameron appeared in the doorway. "I'm so sorry I'm late!"
"Come in," said the woman.
Cameron caught her breath and hustled over to the desk. "I uh…lost track of time."
"It's quite…alright…"
The woman glanced up in surprise, noticing Cameron's wet hair.
"It's, heh…r-raining outside…" Cameron stuttered nervously, making a gesture.
"Take a seat please," said KayCee. "So we can begin to discuss your placement with this program."
Cameron lowered herself into a chair.
"Again, so sorry for being late," Cameron said.
"It's alright," KayCee replied.
Cameron nervously glanced off to the side. KayCee stared intently at Cameron, a faint yellow glow around her eyes. She rested her chin on her hands.
Cameron raised an eyebrow, a faint chill racing through her body. "Do…I know you from some…"
"Yes," KayCee cut her off.
Cameron knew that KayCee didn't want to get into the déjà vu moments. After a brief moment of staring, KayCee cleared her throat and looked at the forms in front of her.
"Well looking at your report and resume, I wasn't able to find a suitable position for you. We don't seem to have a vacant job here with need of your skills…"
'Oh no. Not again,' Cameron thought with dread.
"I'm afraid there is not much I could do…"
Cameron leaned forward and put her arms and elbows on the desk in a begging position. "Please! I really need this job! I have been waiting for an assignment for so long, there has to be something!"
Lightning flashed and thunder cracked from outside as KayCee looked over the form again.
KayCee observed the form. It read "Classified" in bold letters at the top. "Needed positions" "Possible applicants" were shown. "Guidance Counselor" was heavily circled underneath it. Off to the side read: "Agreement to transfer required." "Must be informed of where." Below was a "job applicants" list.
"Well…" KayCee began. "You do have a degree in counseling, do you not?"
"Yes! I do!" Cameron said. She didn't even question how this lady knew that fact. "I'll take it! Please!"
"It's a transfer position, it would require relocation," KayCee mentioned.
Cameron stood up and leaned into her face. "I'll take it! Wherever it is, I'll take it!"
"Very well then," said KayCee. "A private jet will take you from this building on Thursday, 9:00. I suggest you pack all your things."
Cameron raced over and hugged her. "Yes! Oh yes! Thank you!" KayCee's eyes briefly turned white with glowing yellow stripes. She narrowed her normal eyes and deadpanned, "Don't be late."
"Oh I won't!" Cameron declared, stepping back. She put her hands together. "Thank you so much!"
"You are quite welcome, Ms. Walden," KayCee said, reaching for the red apple.
"Oh! Call me Cameron!" Cameron took her bag and opened the door. "Thanks again!" she called before shutting the door with a click.
"Hm, hm, hm, hm, hm," KayCee chuckled lowly. Her fingers grew crooked and her black nails grew sharp. The apple in her hand vibrated and a golden spiral emerged from the center. Soon the apple was golden and glowing in her hand. KayCee lounged on her desk, knocking over the pencils in the holder off the desk with a foot.
"No Ms. Cameron…" She then spoke in a high pitched echoing shrill, "Thank you!"
In a flash of magic, KayCee had turned into her true form. A being with wild white poufy hair that sizzled with white electricity strands. She wore a white dress with holes in them. She grinned a sinister grin of sharp golden teeth. Her black and yellow striped eyes and long jagged eyelashes made her appearance all the more untamed. She let out an evil maniacal laugh.
0 0 0
"Salvia here again. As you probably have figured out, KayCee is no ordinary human. She is Eris, the Greek Goddess of Strife and Chaos. For she was the one who tossed the Golden Apple of Discord to provoke arguments between Aphrodite, Athena and Hera over who was the fairest goddess. Paris of Troy chose Aphrodite, igniting the Trojan War. Eris, along with Jestine and some other deities, exist to cause discord, nightmares and all sorts of trouble. KayCee/Eris indeed, sent Cameron to Safe Haven, knowing full well that she had no knowledge about the denizens of the destination. Her plan is thus: with Cameron fearing the animal residents and Safe Haven having been discovered by an outsider, the magic protecting it weakens over time. Eris hopes the barriers will eventually break, resulting in war and mass murders from the dark forces…and the humans. For the more chaos there is, the more her power grows. And she won't stop until every world becomes her chaotic playground."
"None of us knows what Eris truly wants, but one thing is for sure. Cameron and all of us have to keep our guard up. Eris thrives on manipulation, deceit and black sorcery. To her, the apocalypse is an entertaining musical."
"For now, we continue our story of Cameron, who soon departs her hometown and embarks on her journey toward Safe Haven…"
