Demadara could hardly believe her luck. Not only had Kaya attacked her pursuers instead of them, but after turning the ship to a wreck had not decided to pursue. Whatever the reason, it was cause for them celebrate. They had all the means, the food that had to feed over twenty now was there for only three.

And they did not intend to keep much of it. At the dawn of the next day, their Sky Ship passed the great river, the furthest border of the empire. What fortifications had once stood here laid in ruin and disrepair, there was nobody to stop them pass over.

What spread out before them now was land unending, land untamed. No single stretch of road, remnants of fields or homes, they beheld a land untouched by the industry of man. And like the sea it was named after, the ground was completely even and bereft of features. Only a few larger hills in the distance broke up the endless green.

Their ship would not take them much further. The frantic pace they set had only worsened it´s condition, they steered it to the nearest of these hills, and descended with all they could carry.

These woods were unlike anything Demadara had traveled through. The thicket was dense and hostile, every flower and weed covered in thorns. Her arms and hands were already bloody, cursing under her breath she laid a hand on the Heart. Perhaps simply torching this place would be easier.

"Shh." Parsae had them halt, staring leftward at a bush close by. Quietly she walked towards it, a blood crystal clenched in her left hand. Then she reached out her right, grabbing hair.

A loud whine followed as Parsae pulled a young girl from the bush. Her great butterfly wings, almost as large as herself, beat through the air as she struggled against Parsae´s grasp, the small fullers on her head glowing a bright blue.

"Let me down you jerk!" She beat her hands against Parsae´s chest, who just looked down at her in amusement before looking to her companions.

That look vanished once she saw the cold fury in Timae´s eyes. "Let her down. Right. Now." The fox woman stepped closer, her claws shining in the little sunlight that reached through the trees.

Parsae was too surprised to argue, she just let the girl go. She scurried away from Parsae, stopping in front of Timae and Demadara, hands clutched to her chest.

"There there." Timae leaned down to her, mustering her best smile. "Everything is alright, nobody is going to hurt-"

"Keitan!" The girl´s eyes shot open wide in horror as she pointed to Timae´s ears, and ran further into the forest.

"So, furball." Parsae grinned at her. "Mind telling me why you lost your mind over a little half-insect?"

"Do you not know anything?" Timae hissed back at Parsae, her standing upright. "That girls is a fairy, are you blind? You almost got us killed!"

Demadara ignored her companion´s bickering and followed the girl further through the thicket, ignoring the cuts she suffered on the way. She found the girl on a little clearing, sat on a stone with her arms wrapped around her legs. The girl let out a shrill 'eep' as she saw Demadara come closer, but this time she did not run away. Her legs were bloody, and her wings had suffered in this environment as well, much of the pristine blue had faded.

"You don't look too good." Demadara approached the girl with raised, empty hands and sat down on the ground next to her. "Will you let me help?"

The girl looked visibly distraught looking at Demadara´s face, but finally she nodded. Demadara laid one hand on the Heart, the other on the girl´s legs. She traced her wounds, which closed under her fingers. After her hands and face she tended to her wings, which began to once more shine and glisten in the warm sunlight, returning a smile to the girl´s face.

"Thank you." She fluttered her wings and rose into the air, her feelers leaning downward. "I'm Sola, what's your name, friend?"

"Demadara. You don't look to be from here." She leaned her head to the side. "And neither are we. You know the nearest city? We could travel together."

Sola ran a hand through her hair. "Well, I was bad." She cast her gaze to the ground. "I went too far away when playing with my sisters and got lost. They're going to be so worried."

Demadara let out a sigh. A burden rather than a help.

Sola´s eyes now rested on the Heart. "What's that thing?" Before Demadara could react, she had reached out and touched it´s surface.

"Ah!" She pulled her hand back immediately, her breathing quick and ragged. "E-evil." She muttered out, staring down at the Heart in fear.

"My lord, my lord!" Timae broke through the thicket, Parsae in tow. With another loud 'eep' Sola hid behind Demadara, peeking out at them. "Why are you traveling with a meanie and a Keitan?"

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"They're not all bad." Demadara shrugged, glaring at her companions. "When they don't try stabbing each other over breakfest that is."

"Well." Parsae cleared her throat. "While trying to find where you went I discovered something rather interesting. Follow me."

Once more they braved the thicket, with Demadara cutting a path for Sola to pass through, sparing the fairy the thorns.

At the very top of the hill the forest began to lighten. Here laid ruins of a bygone age, covered almost completely in moss and vines. The air was thick as they walked across the small overgrown road, none daring to make a noise.

Standing in the centre of the ruins was a single arch, the only structure still pristine. No plant, no grass had come even near it, not a spec of dust covered the intricate signs decorating the stone.

"Yes!" Sola´s voice made the other three jump, they watched as the fairy flew around the arch, stopping in front. "A door! There is actually a door here!"

She folded her hands, closed her eyes and began to sing. Demadara and Parsae turned to Timae, who shook her head, even she did not know what the fairy was doing.

A faint glow began to appear, covering the inside of the arch in pure green light. Sola turned around mid air and smiled at them. "Thank you so much Dema, you're very nice, even if you carry evil! Come, I want to have you meet my sisters!"

Sola disappeared in the light, which remained even after she had left.

"There is not a chance in the world that I am going to enter through some ancient waygate in the middle of nowhere." Parase crossed her arms, looking toward Demadara for confirmation.

She had already stepped forward and through the light. Timae followed, leaving the mage alone. With a curse on her lips she followed.

The light had been overwhelming Demadara´s senses, when it faded, she found herself at a completely different place. Instead of ruins they stood in a little town square, bustling with activity that stopped the moment she appeared.

Everyone here was fairy, all had their eyes on her and her companions as they caught up to her. Within moments they were swarmed.

"Where are you from?"

"Her tails are so fluffy!"

"What's your name?"

"That jewel's so shiny can I touch it?"

The beating of countless wings filled the air as the fairies were all around them, they all spoke over each other, leaving Demadara completely disoriented until a single clear voice silenced all the others.

"Now now girls, leave them be."

The fairies parted and fluttered away, only Sola staying by their side. They all looked at the woman that had called for order.

She was tall, lightly dressed for the warm weather, with a white leather hat, the brim hiding her eyes. Save for a wooden training sword on her belt, she was unarmed, but Timae was quick to step forward and bow deeply to her.

"It's good to see you back Sola, we were really worried about you." The woman gave the fairy a smile, she quickly flew over and leapt into the woman´s arms. "So, I take it you found her then?"

"Our paths did cross, yes." Timae spoke before Demadara could open her mouth. "We are happy to have been of help, Anastasia."

"A keitan with manners? You're far from home, didn't you lot get chased westward with the other gluttons?" Anastasia gave Sola a pat on the back and let her go, the fairy waved to Demadara one more time before flying off.

"My people are no more." Timae refused to raise her head. "I now follow and serve my lord Demadara."

Anastasia came closer, her long blue hair fluttering in the wind. "That so. A keitan serving an imperial, accompanied by a spirit." She waved off Parsae. "Don't bother with that."

Parsae´s hand relaxed around her crystal, her face even more pale than usual. "And just how do you know what I am?"

"Not that hard if you got eyes in your head." She tipped up her hat, revealing her bright brown eyes, irises shaped like five-pointed stars. "Experience is helpful too, of course. And you."

Anastasia locked eyes with Demadara, and her hand rested down on the hilt of her wooden sword. "Sola is a little challenged with directions, but she can judge people rather well." For a moment she trailed her eyes down to the Heart. Her grip tightened. "So thank you, I've been looking for her all over the place. Not from the Landsea, are you? You can be our guest for today."

She let go of her blade and reached it out to Demadara. They shook hands, and Demadara made sure not to show how painful the woman´s grip felt. "Appreciated." She forced through her teeth. "I rather not make enemies the first moment I arrive somewhere."

"Oh, don't get that ahead of yourself." Anastasia leaned forward, and a shudder ran down Demadara´s back. "I've seen your kind of eyes before, girl."

"I stopped being a girl at age ten. My name is Demadara." She replied through gritted teeth.

"My condolences, Demadara. I'm letting you stay because Sola is vouching for you and I don't like seeing the girls upset. Don't twist that into anything else. People with your eyes are always bad news."

Anastasia released Demadara´s hand from her grip and shrugged. "But there's no point in preaching to the lost. You're our guest for today, by noon tomorrow I want you gone. There's plenty of space to rampage through and die in, so do what you want from there. But don't come back."

She tapped on the hilt of her sword. "Or you'll be dead before you can beg your grace for help."