My nose twitched picking up the scent of sweet flowers blooming, then the scent of air after a recent shower mixed with the scent of living creatures. The sound of voices speaking, whispering.

I opened my eyes to see I was on a bed of flowers and leaves. The forest above dense, sunlight only just barely breaking through the canopy.

“Larana.” I sat up on guard as something small flew overhead. “You’re not Larana.”

“No, I am not.” In front of me hovered a fairy in a green dress made from leaves, her hair dark brown.

Larana appeared. “Welcome to the last home of my kind.”

I gawked upwards as hundreds of fairies flew high above, moving from where they had been, coming in to investigate.

“This was your home.” I brought my hand up to place my hand gently on her back. Her expression was a sad one, and her emotions raw almost like she was remembering her past.

“Larana.” They all cheered coming in closer, dancing around her. “Larana.”

“They still remember you,” I smiled.

“It has been many centuries I do not see how.” Larana glanced back at me.

“You are placed within our history, Larana.” The fairies all flew back to the trees as a fairy with six wings, a pink dress made from petals and green vines weaved into a shawl down her back.

“When the hunters came, you sacrificed yourself, the most powerful and gifted amongst our kind,” she smiled. “You allowed us time to escape and taught us how to summon this fog.” She came to stop in front of Larana. “It breaks our hearts to see what they have done to you.”

“Along with so many others,” commented Larana.

“Reira said you were expecting a Fang.” I moved the subject on as I could sense Larana’s emotions. “How would you have known, if I was only order to come here a few days ago.”

“You see as soon as Reira told me a Fang would be her escort to Cathopia. I wanted to see the saver of this world,” she responded. Oh, great I thought, not this crap again. “But you seem too weak to accomplish it.”

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“Excuse me,” I snarled. “You haven’t even been outside this fog; you have no idea what I’ve faced.”

“I don’t need to see to know,” the leader responded. I didn’t like this fairy.

Larana flew a circle around her. “We are here for the nectar of the Goddess Plume. I would be grateful if you would allow us to collect it, Gina.” I was surprised she knew her name.

“The Goddess Plumes I cannot.” She shook her head. “Such sacred flowers rarely bloom.”

“Please, it is to help someone to stop the infliction of darkness,” I pleaded.

“Reira has told me such flowers do not exist outside our home, how can we allow outsiders to have it, even someone from the Fang clan.” She seemed to have an answer for everything.

“You don’t want the destruction of the king of Cathopia on your hands do you.”

“King Alton,” said Gina.

“You wouldn’t want harm to come to the father of Reira’s future mate,” commented Raziel using the connection they had with Amaris. “After all you do coexist.” Concern crossed her face, she didn’t know what to say now, like prey just about to be hunted.

“I will not,” she huffed.

“Not even for me,” said Larana.

“I am sorry.” She shook her head. “They are all that is left of the walk of the goddess, it is sacred and cannot be given to someone so weak.”

Gina had still not given us the answer I wanted to hear, she claimed I was too weak, what had that got to do with anything, all I wanted was some flower nectar, surely, they’ll be more next year.

“How about this.” I sighed not wanting to create tension with them as I could see that happening if I tried to force her to give me the nectar and then this could influence the future relation Reira might have with Cathopia. “You can set me a trial, test, challenge, whatever you want to call it, if I win, I can take as much nectar as I want,” I suggested.

Larana giggled. “Just like you.” I glanced at her a little confused but thinking about it I did like a challenge.

Gina seemed to be thinking about it, but I had very little time to waste considering Reira had a specific day she was meeting with King Alton and about the same time was when he would run out of his current stock.

“I don’t mean to rush you, but I have a deadline to keep,” I mentioned. “As you know Reira has her appointed time to see the king.”

“Very well,” she nodded. “Show us the power you share with Larana, defeat us in a race.” Gina signalled for a bunch of fairies to come forward. “These are the fastest flyers, three laps around the forest.”

“That’s not…” I lifted my hand before Larana could finish as I knew what she would say. It wasn’t fair, I didn’t know these forests as well as they did. “Master.”

“Well Fang.” She looked down at me.

I would show her exactly the power I held with Larana and change her mind, I was not weak. “I accept.”