Chapter 1: The Faerie's Last Request

We meet zoe, as she awakes from a seizure, and she discovers a dying faerie

Chapter 1: The Faerie’s Last Request

Darkness greets me as I regain consciousness. I recognize the metallic taste of iron on my tongue as I groan. I open my heavy eyelids with difficulty and slowly sit up; my head feels groggy and I sigh. “Another seizure huh? Wonderful." I look around slowly as I try to remember where I am. Benches surround a swing set in the distance; I notice a forest nearby and realize that I am at Lavender Park. I look at my reflection in the small pond; my bright green eyes seem to glow in the pale light. "Ugh..... My head." I moan as I stand, my long black hair whipping me in the face. "I don't care what that damn neurologist says, these pills are only making my seizures worse, damn him!"  I relax after my little rant to myself and I take a deep breath scratching at my celtic tattoo on my forearm. Something seems to pull my gaze back towards the trees. After a few moments resistance I decide to just follow my instincts; I slowly walk towards the trees, looking for what could be drawing me here. Suddenly I hear a long, drawn-out moan not far from me to my left.

"Oohhhhhh......."

The hairs on my neck raise and I stop dead in my tracks. I slowly turn and I freeze. In front of me is what seems to be …a-a faerie! She has long, fiery red hair and is wearing a knee-length green dress that is shredded. She is bleeding horribly and crying. Her wings are astoundingly beautiful, even as damaged as they are. They shimmer in the pale light and seem to glow red, green, and dark blue. Her eyes open and lock with mine. “H-help… me…” she pleads and I walk towards her.

“Wh-what do I do?” I ask as I begin to panic. The blood flows freely through her wounds, no matter how I try to stop it.

“Look at me, and listen closely to what I say.” I nod and stare into her eyes.

“My name is Hope. I am a fairy, and I was defeated by the demon Endii. I was trying to find someone…. someone he doesn’t want to be found. That vile demon is trying to destroy my old school; a school for magical beings. THAT CANNOT HAPPEN. This is very important. There is someone who can stop it, and you must find her. Otherwise the world will end.” Hope says seriously.

“B-but how can I do anything? I’m just an epileptic human orphan.” I say pathetically.

“There is no choice. I will give you my power, my life force. You will become a fairy. After you complete the transformation, go to my school. It is in the woods in southern Maine in the town of Spriiir; the school’s name is Rose Academy. “ she says. I start to shake, scared of what's happening. I nod at her to start. Hope locks her eyes tighter with mine and grabs my wrists painfully tight. I yell as I feel my skin burning where she is holding my wrists. Golden light flows from her to me and I see her wings lose color more and more as Hope’s power flows into me. Just before the light completely fades, she gasps as if in amazement. “...It’s you!” she whispers and dies as the last of her power enters me.

I don’t have the time or energy to process what the dying fairie means by that. I feel myself burning as what feels like electricity flows through my blood. Painfully, beautiful wings emerge from my back. They are red like fire near the edges with the inner sections green with the occasional bluish-purple spiral. They glow brightly underneath the crimson blood covering them. Slowly, the burning feeling fades; I look at Hope’s lifeless body and cry for my first friend.  I dig a deep hole and carefully lay her inside. After I cover her body with the soil, I make a grave marker with  branches and a beautiful white rock.

“Hope… Thank you. You were the first friend I ever made, the first to ever entrust anything to me.  I will find your school and try to save it with whomever you want me to find. However, I have just have one question… What did you mean just before you died? Who am I?” I say and sigh. “I’ll come back to see you one day, I promise.” I say as I turn to leave the forest.

In town, I get a leather jacket to hide my wings after I wash them of blood, and take the 45 hour train to Spriiir, Maine. I wake from my ride on the train and see that Spriiir is a tiny town completely surrounded by forests. I take a deep breath and enter the forest; I walk for what seems like hours. “Ugh… This would be so much easier if I actually knew how to use these wings of mine.” I grumble to myself. I walk for another hour before I stop abruptly. That wasn’t what I think it was,.... Was it? I think to myself. Unfortunately, I hear the sound again. “Oh no…” I whisper as I hear the howl of a wolf again. “That sounded closer that time.” I whisper fearfully to myself. Suddenly… I see a silver-furred wolf right in front of me. Oh s**t!

I panic and run in the opposite direction then try to run around the wolf. The wolf begins chasing me and I run faster. Well… if ever I needed my wings to work, now would be the time!!! I think to myself and I rip off my jacket. I jump over a log and then try my wings.  However, I can only make myself hover a few feet. The wolf catches up to me and tears fall down my face, fear clutching my heart in an icy vice. The wolf stares at me intently, watching my attempt to fly away. He sits and waits; eventually I fall on my a*s onto some moss and branches. I shake and slowly look at the wolf sitting right in front of me. “Hope…. what do I do?!” I say to myself. The wolf gets up and I freeze as he sniffs my wings.

He snorts after several minutes of constant sniffing and stares at me. Slowly… I stand. The wolf nudges me in the side. “Walk? This way?” I ask, feeling totally freaked out. Amazingly the wolf… nods! I take a deep breath and start walking. We walk for two more hours before I see where he has brought me. I see a giant mansion, the size of a castle. I look at a sign and smile. “Rose Academy! Yes, I’m here!!! Ok Hope…. I will fulfill my promise to you.” ‘After all, anything is better than that damned orphanage I escaped’ I think to myself. The wolf pushes open the gate with his nose, and looks back at me. I slowly walk with him up the steps of the school and push open the large oak doors.

I walk in slowly and stop at a look from the wolf. As soon as I stop in place, he howls loudly for a full three minutes. I plug my ears and close my eyes. I glare at the wolf; “ Did you have to do that so loud?!” I ask in irritation.

The wolf raises his eyebrows at me and snorts. I don’t get a chance to do anything else because three more wolves come charging at me; growling and snarling. I shiver in fear and my wings glow brightly. My hands start to become aflame and I freak out. “Ahh!!! What the heck!?!?!? Someone help me!!” I scream as I panick. I try draining my energy by hovering but it only increases it. Hope… what do I do? Help!!! I scream in my head. Suddenly, I feel my energy retreat into me and my feet touch the floor again. “Ugh… finally.” I say as I collapse onto the floor, surrounded by growling wolves. Suddenly I see a beautiful older woman looking down at me. She is in a breathtaking golden dress. “W-who are you?” I ask in fear.

“I could ask you the same. However, I shall tell you. I am Professor Rosalind Alpin, Headmistress of Rose Academy.”

“Oh thank goodness. Just the woman I needed to see.”

“Oh? And why is that?” the Headmistress asked curiously.

“Well… It's a long story. It has to do with a fairy… named Hope.”

The headmistresses’ eyes widen. “Follow me…” She said and begins walking up the stairs. We walk up to the very top floor and reach her office. I look around curiously and see a desk, a fireplace, pictures, and other things. She walks me to her desk and sits in her chair. “Sit.”

“Now… tell me what has happened to Hope.”

I sigh, and feel tears in my eyes. “Hope… Gave her life force to me. “

“What?!”

I shrink back and wait for her to blast me or something.

“I-I’m sorry. Start from the beginning…. Please.

I nod. “ I found Hope in the forest behind Lavender Park, when I woke from a particularly bad seizure of mine, and something seemed to pull me to the woods. When I found her, I tried to stop the bleeding, but I...I failed. Hope told me to take her place as a fairy… to fight the demon Endii. She wanted me to find someone important, someone Endii didn’t want her to find. So… She grabbed my wrists, and branded me as her power went to me. I buried her in the woods and promised her I would do whatever I was asked to when I came here to Rose Academy.” I explained.

I look at Professor Alpin and see tears in her eyes.

“I see… I must thank you for giving my daughter as good of a burial as you could. “

“Wait.. Daughter?!?!”

Professor Alpin nods.

“I-I’m so sorry. However.. I have a question. “

“So… What happens now? I don’t even know how to use the powers Hope gave me. I can’t even fly.” I say sadly.

“Now, you will study. At this school you learn to control your powers. You will have a roommate, and you should also contact any family or friends you may have, to tell them where you are.” Headmistress Alpin said.

I nod silently, knowing there is no one I need to contact.

The Headmistress observes me in silence for a moment before speaking again. “Well, let us get you settled in for the night. We can talk more later; remember my  door is always open.” I nod in understanding with a small smile.

“Zack, enter!” Alpin calls, staring at the door. The door opens and I see the same wolf that chased me in the forest and eventually led me here. I stiffen slightly at the sight of the wolf, and the Headmistress laughs slightly. “Dear, don’t worry. Zack is only dangerous to threats against the students of my school. No need to fear him.”

I look at the large silver wolf, gentle ice blue eyes locking with my verdant orbs. I relax slightly and smile slightly at ‘Zack’. “Headmistress, why did you name him Zack?” I ask curiously.

Immediately, Zack and the Headmistress begin laughing. After a few minutes, they calm down enough so that my question can be answered. “Ah, I apologize for not explaining earlier. All of the wolves that guard the students of the Academy are in fact, werewolves.” She explains with a smile.

My eyes widen in shock and dart to the wolf sitting next to the desk. The werewolf gives a lupine grin, showing off impressive teeth. At the smile, I feel protected and happy. Even calm, for once in a very long time. Something I have not felt in years, if ever. “I see, I apologize if I offended you in anyway, Zach.” I apologize.

Zach simply shakes his head and looks back up at the Headmistress who has been observing the two of us.

    “Well, now that that is settled, I believe i will retire for the night. Zach, could you show….I’m sorry I just realized I never asked for your name.” Headmistress Alpin blushes, embarrassed.

    “It's fine, you were more concerned with me being a threat to the students than knowing my name. I take no offence.” I say with an understanding grin. The headmistress smiles gently at me. “Well, since I am to be a student, I guess I should tell you my name finally. I am Zoe, Zoe Brookel.”

    “A pleasure to meet you. now, Zach could you please show Zoe to her new room? Place her with Lily.” Headmistress Alpin says before waving us out of her office.

I follow Zach out the door and into the hall, where he leads me down the stairs and pauses outside a boys bathroom. He heads inside after indicating for me to wait for him. A minute later, a tall teenager my age comes out with chocolate brown hair and and silver wolf ears; dressed in jeans and a tight fitted black t-shirt with a white crescent moon on it, revealing impressive muscles.

I blush slightly at the sight. “Zach?”

Zach smiles at me. “Yes,  nice to finally be able to talk to you in person. Zach Greenwood at your service.”

    “Umm… nice to meet you too. So, where do we go now?” I ask curiously.

    “Just across the campus is the girls dorm; come on, I’ll lead you there.” Zach says, grabbing my hand and tugging me across the campus. Luckily, my blush is hidden in the darkness. ‘I cannot believe how… safe I feel with Zach. I feel like I’ve known him forever.’ I think to myself absently. After about ten minutes, we are in front of my new room. Zach releases my hand, and I want to whimper at the loss. “Well, Goodnight Zach, thanks for escorting me here.”

    “No problem, if you ever need anything, just give me a shout. I have a feeling you will be something great one day.” Zach says with an encouraging smile.

I blush at the compliment and knock on the door. We hear moaning and the stomping of feet as a person unlocks the door and yells as it swings open. “Do you have any idea what time it is?!?!” A girl screams at us. “Who is it?” She says grumpily.

Zach flips a switch by her door and her lights come on. “Ugh. Stupid lights.” She opens her eyes and gasps. “Oh! Zach.  I didn’t know it was you.” she says with a grin.

“It's fine. Now, Lily, this is Zoe. Zoe, Lily.” He says as he pulls me into the light. “Zoe is your new roommate. Have a safe night girls”

    “Zach, wait.” I call out.

Zach stops and looks down at me. “Yeah?”

    I blush slightly before kissing his cheek. “Thanks for leading me safely here.I’m not sure I would have made it otherwise.” I say before rushing past Lily into my new room, leaving Zach standing there, looking utterly shocked.

Lily giggles at his face before pulling me into the room and shutting the door. “Ohmigosh. I can’t believe you’re finally here. Come on, I gotta ask you some stuff.” She says excitedly and drags me onto her bed.

“Ok. So,where are you from?”

“Well… I’m from Vermont; I grew up in an orphanage.” At this my hands grow into fists and my smile becomes strained before I force myself to relax. “ I had a boring life until I met Hope, she was my first friend, short as it was.”

“Ah. What happened to Hope?”

Slowly, I explain everything that has happened to me.

After I finish she gives me a huge hug, her dark brown hair smothering me.

“Well, we should probably get some sleep. you’re going to be in for a lot of surprises tomorrow.” Lily says.

“Ok. Nite lily.”

“Nite Zoe. Oh, and welcome to Rose Academy.” I hear Lily say as I drift off to sleep.