Amoris Fortunata/Phillida Nerilla

DID NOT HAND IN

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Callina Sienna

"Here we are," Seraphina said, staring up at the escalating buildings of Srok Khmer. "The city."

I nodded, glancing around at the bustling street fearfully. The crime in the city was nonexistent, but the threat of being found out and captured was nagging at the back of my mind. The other angels, however, didn't seem to have these qualms.

Elora, the pretty one from the group, pointed at a street sign. "Well, it looks like the universities are in three different directions. We might have to spend more than one day here, if the city is as big as it's always claimed."

"It feels like it," I murmured, taking in the tall buildings on either side of the narrow street we were in. Even at the harbor, the city was crowded; here, sailors loaded ships and barges, or sat around the bars having a drink and a few women. The guards patrolled every corner, occasionally breaking up a small bar fight or checking the cargo being taken into port. Even I could see that the city was under their strict protection - or was it really protecting them?

"Those guards are making me uneasy," Amoris said, voicing my concern - or maybe she was Phillida at the moment. Her two minds thing was rather unnerving, to tell the truth. Unnatural.

"Me too," I agreed, rubbing my Mirai'i mark with my thumb. "Maybe we should find a place to discuss a plan that's not in the open street."

"I vote we sleep here. On the ground," Seraphina offered, smirking.

I gave her an askance look. She had been being sarcastic the whole way over here, and it was not appreciated.

"I bet I know where no one will be in the middle of the day," Elora spoke up. She pointed at a sign above my head. Bath House ⇒ . "Bathing is sort of a morning and evening activity."

"You're a genius," I praised, grinning at her. "We all probably need to get clean anyways, and this might be our last chance."

"Bath house, then," Amoris/Phillida decided, leading the way through the crowd. Somehow on the boat over, she had assumed the in-charge position, Elora became the strategist, Seraphina was our brains that didn't always cooperate, and I was, well, something. I suppose if we ever needed a healer I would step up, but my contributions were useless at the moment.

After twists and turns through the narrow, crowded streets of Srok Khmer, we arrived at another tall building with opulent blue tiles, and an open door that seemed deserted.

"Come on, then," Elora said, grinning.

The bath house was indeed empty, and our four voices echoed in the spacious room, filled with steam from the pools of water. Amoris started towards the main one, which looked the simplest, and we all followed.

"Here," she said, holding out a small white cube to me. Soap. "You can get yourself clean with-" She stopped short and did a small spasm of sorts, the soap falling from her hand and clattering to the ground.

I knelt and stood with it in my hand, grimy from the floor. "You want me to clean myself with something you just dropped on the ground?"

"Sorry," she murmured, passing a hand over her face. "Amoris just. . ."

Elora rubbed her back soothingly and said, "Maybe the water will calm you down? Here, this one." She led Phillida over to a smaller bath that smelled like lavender and honey. I certainly felt calmed just smelling it.

We lowered ourselves into the water, making use of the thin swimming costumes that were by the door when we first came in, and waited for Phillida to calm down. She spent a few minutes breathing deeply before finally opening her eyes and starting to talk.

"All right, well, there are three universities in the city. Layqa, which focuses on magic, Hamut'ay, which focuses on science, and Runakay, which is history and philosophy. Each of them have maps, made by the famous Cartographer Guild of Srok Khmer. We're sure to find information in one of those places."

"We should split up," Seraphina said, leaning back to let her blue tips dip into the water. "There are three universities and the Guild. That makes four places, and there are four of us."

"Yes, but-"

Elora interrupted her. "I think that sounds like a good idea. We'll attract less attention if we split up. Four girls, especially as tall as angels are, are too noticed."

"You didn't let me finish. The duke of the city has had problems with demons recently. Which means, as dull as humans are, that he has a warning out to his soldiers. They're going to be watching all the magical races closely. So if we split up, we might slip up and get arrested. Or worse."

"Amor-Philli- I'm pretty sure that I, at least, can keep it to myself," I informed her. "Besides, it's not as if I'll be talking much. None of us should, really," I add, glancing at the others. "Our voices sound too different to human ears."

"Only talk if you need to, and don't get arrested. Got it," Seraphina said, standing up quickly. Water poured out of the bath, displaced by her sudden movement. "Let's go!"

"Who's going where?" Amoris/Phillida asked, standing as well. "We need to decide that so we don't all go to the same place. That would defeat the purpose."

"I'll take Runakay," Seraphina offered. "I can probably get something out of those dusty professors.

"I can go to Hamut'ay," Elora decided.

Amoris/Phillida glanced at me. "Callina, are you all right with taking Layqa? My Cherubim will be more helpful at the Cartographer's Guild."

I nodded, before a thought occurred to me. "Where will we meet? When we finish?"

Elora called over from where she was examining a map on the wall. "The main square. In the city center."

We gathered around and she pointed at the large square. "See? It's a straight line from each of the universities, and the Guild. Easy enough if we wanted to meet there at, say, four?"

We all agreed, got dressed again, and left the bath house. Amoris led us to the center square and said, "Well, good luck."

"To you as well."

"Raime alli'lle, Amoris," I said, using the traditional farewell in Mir. "Seraphina, Elora, raime alli'lle."

They murmured it back and started off.

What Elora had said was true - Layqa was about ten blocks straight east from the square. I could see it in the distance, an imposing brown building with people streaming in and out its doors. I was about halfway there when a tug on my sleeve stopped me.

I smiled widely at the little blonde girl who had stopped me. "Yes, my dear?" I said, forgetting to stay quiet. She was just too adorable.

"I'm lost," she said bluntly. Her voice sounded too old for her age, rough and too wise. "Help me find my mommy."

I shook my head, studying her. Her stance wasn't innocent - it was a fighting stance. I realized that there was something off about this little girl.

"I'm sorry, but I'm a stranger here myself." I tried to step around her, but she blocked my path.

"Of course you are, angel." Her voice was definitely rough now.

"Excuse me?"

"Angel." She stared at me, daring me to do something.

I shoved past her and dashed down the street, hoping to lose myself in the university. She followed, or I assumed she did judging by the cries of people behind me. I slipped past a group of men, probably students, and into the cool dark of the university. Taking the first flight of stairs I saw, I slipped into a doorway on the first floor.

I couldn't hear anything, but I figured it was safer to wait it out than step out and expose myself - however, the plan was ruined when a door opened behind me.

"Oh!" came a young male voice. "So sorry, ma'am. I didn't see you there."

I turned and smiled at him. "It's all right. I'm sort of lost, actually."

"Well," he said, stepping back into the room and motioning for me to come in, "I can show you around. If that would help?"

I nodded and gave him another smile. "Thank you."

He gathered up a few piles of paper from the bed behind us - apparently, I had been hiding in the doorway to his dorm - and ushered me outside. Leading me down the hall to another flight of stairs, he asked, "So, are you a new student?"

"No, just visiting. Me and my friends are competing to find something, and I thought I might find some answers here."

"Ah. What are you trying to find?"

"Our, uh, teacher has sent us to find something he's hidden. I'm looking for the famous maps."

"You should check the library, then?"

"Probably," I agreed, smiling again.

"It's just down here." He led me to a large door and opened it into a huge room, filled with floor to ceiling bookshelves and students studying in small groups with muted whispers. "Can I help you find it, uh, what's your name?"

"Gabriella," I lied. If I was right about that little girl, and there were other, dangerous people in the city, I didn't want to be found.

"I'm Hroth."

"Thank you for showing me," I told him, "but I think I've got it from here. If I need your help getting out, I'll find you."

"All right, then." He let the door close with a glance at me and I stared at the books and people. Where to begin?

After an hour of poring over maps and surrounding myself with books, I had made no progress. There were still hundreds of maps and thousands of books. There was no possible way to find what I was looking for.

"Still think you've got it?" a familiar voice said from behind me. I started and knocked a book off the top of a pile.

Hroth handed it to me, with a grin. "I'm on lunch hour, and you look like you need help."

"I do," I admitted, giving him a rueful grin. "There's too many things to look through all of them."

"Trust me, I know. How about I show you the highlights of the Layqa library?" he offered. I accepted his hand gratefully.

"Right here," he said, pointing at about eighty volumes covered in red leather, "is the entire history of Aimsir."

"Wow," I breathed, gazing at the history of our world in eighty books. "That's amazing."

"I know. And that wall is the magical species. Color-coded. White is angels, red, demons, black is vampires, brown is werekind, green the fae, and gray is archon."

I stared at it. "Magical creatures? Huh."

"Pretty cool, huh?"

It's even cooler to be one, I thought, but just smiled prettily.

"Oh, and this is the map of Ichor Amerpol. The most famous mapmaker ever, and he only made one map his whole life."

"Amazing," I said, examining the perfectly detailed map. I ran my fingers over the island of Mir, which had a small drawing of an angel on it. "Why is it special?"

"It's more detailed than any other map, even at Rukanay or Hamut'ay. We're lucky to have it here. And it has things that no other mapmaker has even heard of. Like, see this island, here?"

He pointed at a small island in the middle of the ocean, with only a small tree inscribed upon it. "He thought it was some magical island, but no ship has ever been able to find it. It's like it hides from them, or something. . ."

Magical island. A tree. Could it be. . .? I asked, interrupting him rudely, "Are there any copies of this map? That I could take with me to show my friends?"

"Of course. Ask the librarian for a copy of the Amerpol map. But why-?"

I was already racing to the librarians' desk.

"Wait, Gabriella!" Hroth called out. "Why are you in such a rush? Can't you stay?"

"No," I answered over my shoulder. "But thank you!"

"I have ten more minutes! My next class is at four, we can stay till then!"

I simply smiled. Perfect timing.

Dodging through the crowds was harder with my map, trying not to crush it, but I had to get to the square. The others would be so happy that I found something.

"Miss!" someone yelled at me. "Help me find my sister!"

The girl from before was behind me, but different. This time, she was taller, older - however, she still had the same white blonde hair and bright, unnerving blue eyes.

I kept running, realizing too late that I was leading whoever she was right to the others. They needed to see the map, though.

"Amoris!" I called, spotting her and the others talking in a corner of the bustling square. The group came towards me, meeting me in the center of the square.

"I found it!" I burst out, grinning. "The-"

"Shh!" Amoris ordered. "Look over there."

She pointed at an orange haired girl lounging in a cafe chair. She looked normal, as far as I could tell.

"Yes?"

"Her eyes. We saw them when she was doing a circle of the square. They're Wyldfae eyes."

I stifled a gasp. "They're here too? That's bad news. The Wyldfae. . ."

"They're unpredictable, powerful, and probably also looking for the tree," Seraphina finished for me. "We need to move."

"Not until she does something," Amoris/Phillida warned. "Or - look!"

I risked a glance over my shoulder and saw the blonde girl who had been following me approach the Wyldfae. "That's her. I know her."

"You do?"

"Not know know, but she was following me. It's just. . ." I paused. "When she was first behind me, she was a little girl. Now, she's. . ."

"An adult. With those eyes, she's Unseelie," Elora finished.

I nodded. "And she knows who I am. What I am."

"This is bad."

"No, really?" Seraphina snapped. "I didn't think so."

"Calm down," Amoris/Phillida warned. "We can get out of here safely."

"Not with them," Elora said, a catch in her voice as she pointed to the other end of the square, where a pair of two people in black had just entered. They all wore hats and long sleeves, despite the heat. Two others followed, arguing.

"Vampires." Seraphina said what we were all thinking. "This just got really bad."

The two Fae glanced at the vampires as well, and stood as one to approach them. I couldn't stop watching as the two groups approached each other warily.

"We should go," I said, still glancing over my shoulder.

"No. If we leave no, it'll just draw attention to us," Elora said, at the same time that Amoris/Phillida said, "We have to stay. Scout out the enemy. Obviously they're all looking for the tree as well."

"Maybe they're just sightseeing?" I offered weakly.

That suggestion was shattered when the smallest vampire yelled, "You won't find the tree! We have a way to it, that you don't!"

One of them, with red hair much like mine, pulled her back and started talking to the fae. I couldn't read their lips very well, but the tension was obvious in their stances.

The blonde fae was the first to react - she pulled out a knife and aimed for the vampire who had yelled. She stepped back and hissed at her, aiming a slap at the fae's face.

The guards around the edges of the square noticed the fight starting, but by the time they arrived, it was too late to do anything. The group was a mess of blood and weapons, and as they cleared, you could see the loud vampire on the ground.

I gasped and shut my eyes. Someone was already dead because of the Tree. I only hoped there would be no more deaths.

"The Wyldfae!" Elora exclaimed, making me open my eyes. The girl, who had seemed fine moments before, had slumped over limply in the arms of the soldiers who were holding her. They started to slap her face, trying to wake her up. Finally one of them had the sense to take her pulse.

He shook his head.

Two dead.

The blonde fae snarled at the three vampires left and broke free from her restrainers to claw at their faces. The male one rolled his eyes and moved so quickly it was hard to see - however, when the fae fell back, the dagger in her stomach was apparent.

Three dead.

Elora was pale and Seraphina let out a slow breath. "Now, can we go?" I asked.

Amoris nodded.

We took an alleyway to the outskirts of the city, near an orchard. "Callina, didn't you have something to tell us?"

In the violence and deaths, I had forgotten. I nodded and unrolled the map. "See here? It's the only map with this island on it. And the drawing. . ."

"A tree. It must be it!" Elora grinned. "Amazing, Callie."

I blushed and smiled. "So, let's go! We need to get to the coast."

Amoris smiled. "Perfect. We're on our way."

As we started walking, though, all I could think about was the three bodies in the square. Maybe this trip would be more dangerous than I thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elora Reed

I'll be right back." I promise the other three Angels, Amoris Fortuna (who sometimes goes by Phillida Nerilla), Callina or "Callie" Sienna, and Seraphina Ayres. "I'm just going to go ask if someone knows the way to Srok Khmer." I walk out of the alley way that we are all hiding in and into the bright Sun. The Sun is so bright today, it could burn off a vampire's skin but right now I shouldn't be thinking about vampires. I should be focusing on finding a way to Srok Khmer. I pull my map out and study. In fact  I'm to focused on my map that I don't see where I'm going and I bump into someone.

"Oh. I'm sorry." I say to  the girl I bump  into, "I didn't mean to I was just..." I stop mid-sentence and I debate on whether I should tell her what I am doing.

"Just what?" The girl asks. She's quite rude. Usually when two people bump into each other, the both say their sorries and walk away. The girl in front of me looks very attractive with wavy brown hair that reminds me of coffee. It reaching down to her mid-section, right before her belly button and  she has perfectly distinct cheekbones and  a bit of freckles over her nose.

"I was just looking for the city gardens. I am in Srok Khmer, aren't I? I ask. I try to skip around the girl, but she steps right in front of me, blocking my view of the alley way were my friends are.

 "No. You're not. To get to Srok Khmer you take a left at the... how do you know about Srok Khmer?"

"Uh...I uh... heard about it in the news... paper?" She pauses for a little while. I give her a concerned look  and she starts to run again  but I stop her by running up in front of her.

"You remind me of someone or maybe a certain type of person. Do I know you?" she asks me, still rude.

"No. I'm just a lonely girl trying to find her way to the World Tr... I mean the-" I try my best to stop speaking before I mentioned the World Tree but I am to late.

"You're trying to find the World Tree? Funny, I sensed something was up." I don't know what to do. Should I run or should I stay and try to convince her that I know nothing about the World Tree. I look into her eyes and they look ravenous, like she wants to hurt me or even kill  me. Right now, I decide the best option in this situation is to run. I duck into a crowd of people, hoping she won't see me, but my plan failed. She pushes down every person that I charged through and leaves them lying on the street. I try my best to get to the alley way quickly to warn my friends. When I get there, I'm out of breath and I have very little time to tell my friends what has happened.

"We need to leave. I fear we are in danger." I tell the other angels while I'm gasping for breath.

"What do you mean Elora?" asks Callie, very concerned

"I mean I meet someone and they follw-" I stop mid-sentence. In the corner of my eye I she the girl I met on the street.

"And who just might you be?"  

"We are the other Angels on this task as well as Elora." screams Seraphina

"Oh. Isn't that cute. All you Angels have to travel in a pack, like wolves. Okay, suit yourself. It will just make it easier for me to kill you."She runs towards us a pulls out two knives, one for each hand. I back up into the fence and I remember something I learned in combat school; leverage. Always take the higher route. I do some quick thinking and I put my foot in the air, grab onto the fence and kick it up just as the vampire strikes my. She has her cape in front of her face like a mask and I hit it. I'm shot back hard into the fence and my boot is stuck in one of the holes. I try to pull it out but to no avail. The girl pulls out a knife right in front of my face and she's ready to stab my, but something stops her. I she whips around and I see her cape is no longer on her back. On the other side of her, Seraphina is holding the black cloth.

"Give that back to me!" she demands.

"No. I won't. Not until you tell me what's so special about this cape."

"Never. Now if you could give it back to me, I'll make your death much quicker."

"You're never going to get this back. At least not while I'm alive." Seraphina is brave, but I would never go as far as to giving someone an invitation to kill me.

" Fine have it your way." She races over to Seraphina and shoves a knife in her throat. When Seraphina falls down, she takes the knife out and takes her cape back. "Are there any other takers? Who wants to be my next victim?"

"Seraphina's death shall not be in vain" screams the Amoris. "CHARGE!" I can't tell if she's telling me and Callina to run with her or is telling the vampire to charge at her. The vampire pulls her cape over her body and Amoris, who is now Phillida, is shot too the ground.

"We should go. I fear after she might kill Phillida, she'll kill us too." I hear Callina whisper.

"Okay but how can we leave?" I ask her

"Our wings." she replies as she pulls out her majestic wings

"Oh right." I pull my wings out and fly high above the alley, but not high enough to where the vampire can't see us. I look down just in time to see the girl pull the knife out of Phillida's heart.

The vampire looks up at us and gives us a nasty look. Something in the corner of my eye moves, but I know it's not one of my two friends. Another girl comes into the alley way and she looks just like the first girl; In vampire terms I mean. They talk a little bit and the first vampire advances slowly towards the other girl. As soon as she is close enough, the first vampire pulls out a knife to hit the other girl with but the second girl is too quick. She holds on to the first vampires wrist and she talks some more. Then the first vampire (Who I'm going to guess is named Willow at this point. She looked familiar in the courtyard.) pulls out another knife and stabs it into the the other vampire's side. When the second vampire takes her hand off of Willow's wrist to check her side, Willow plunges the other knife into her chest. I hear a slight scream from the second girl but Willow quickly shuts her up but putting her cape over her mouth. The girl finally falls down and I look over to Callina.

'We should get going. If we start now, we can get to Srok Khmer by morning."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seraphina Ayers

I'm finally on my mission to save the World Tree, and hopefully no one will bother me. I mean, if you want something done right, you got to do it yourself, right? I left Moenia early this morning, and I've been walking ever since. After a few hours, I see a huge sign reading "Welcome to Srok Khmer". How am I supposed to pronounce that?? I've reached the first stop on my journey, but already I know something is wrong. I quickly scan the area, and finally notice a little blonde girl, a Fae at that, standing right on the town line, and on the ground beside her, a Demon lays.

    "Hey!" I call out. "What are you doing?" I'm such an idiot. You don't bring the Fae to you, jeez.

    "It's okay," she replies. "He's already dead." And then, I kid you not, she smiles.

    "Why should I believe you?" I ask. This is suddenly gotten weird. I just wanted to get through the town, for god's sake.

    "Because I killed him," she says.

    I decide to take a risk and come closer. She hasn't hurt me.....yet.

    "What's your name?"

    "Eira. Yours?'

    "Seraphina. I think we could work well together. You obviously don't care about killing anyone in your way, and I could use someone to keep them out of my way. What do you say?" I'm hoping for the best because even though I'm a strong fighter, she seems to be wise beyond her years.

    "Okay." She smiles and starts to turn away.

    "Wait, that's it? No handshake or anything?" I'm still suspicious.

    "Just follow me, I probably know the way better than you." Wow, rude.

    We step over the Demon, whose face I recognize as Ralda Hustress as I pass by.

    "So how'd you kill her? Demons are usually pretty strong. You're just a little kid!" I say.

    Eira laughs. "Please, she was weak. She loved kids, so it was easy enough to trick her. Now, how I killed her is for me to know only." She gives me that wicked smile again.

    We walk across the town line, and we pass big buildings that I have never seen before. My small town of Moenia had nothing to compare them to.

    "Those are the universities." Eira points them out, one by one. "Layqa, Hamut'ay, and Runakay. In those buildings are maps so intricate, we could find the World Tree in no time. The only problem is everyone is trying to get to them first. We need those maps before they get to them."

    Okay, this little girl is way too advanced. What are they teaching in elementary school these days?

    "There's only two of us, though. How will we take on everyone else?" I ask.

    "Don't worry. Before you showed up, I found others to help me. You'll just have to see if you can get along with them, too." There's a strange tone to Eira's voice, as if she knows something I don't.

    We get to a building, something like a cabin. Everything is made of wood, and sitting around the table in the center are two Demons and a Werekind. Immediately I pull out a knife.

    "You're kidding me, right, Eira? Not one, but two Demons? You just killed one, and you think I'm going to befriend two more? No way!" I turn to face the Werekind. "And you! You're on my side! We're good, they're bad. Is it really that hard to understand?"

    One Demon with a scar down his scaly face laughs as he walks up to me.

    "Good work, Eira. Normally I'd hate her, but she's feisty. We could use her. That power could come in handy." He looks at me approvingly. "I'm Cestil, by the way."

    I think my jaw is broken from how low my mouth dropped open. I seriously can't believe this. Demon 2 decides this is a great time to talk to me, too.

    "I'm Marlow. We might be Demons, but we all have a common goal. Why waste our energies on hating each other?" He says this as though he's thought it through a lot.

    Finally, the Werekind speaks up. "I'm Margaret Cleo. Look, I get that this is weird, but we need it. Yes, we're good, but we need them. We all have our strengths, and together we can get to the maps faster. Just think about it."

    I look around the room at this ragtag team. It kills me to admit it, but maybe they're right. Maybe I could even get along with Cestil. Our sarcasm might click.

    "Okay," I say.

    Apparently, that's all it takes. We gather our things, and walk out the door. We head down the street, and I see two more bodies along the way. One an Angel, Elora Reed, who I'd known for many years. She has various cuts along her body, the biggest one being across her abdomen. She never liked me, though. Just as well. The other being a Vampire, Willow Coast. I'd never seen a Vampire up close. Sure, I'd learned how to battle them, but a hypothetical battle is nothing compared to a real one. Silver most likely ended her life.    

    Margaret sees me staring, and says, "Don't worry. We've got each other's backs. They didn't have anyone. Things will be different for us."

    "You say that now, Margaret, but I don't have high hopes. I've lasted this long with basically no one, so why couldn't they?" She doesn't have anything else to say. "Forget it, we got to get to those maps."

    So we keep walking, hoping to get there before everyone else. After all, I'm Seraphina Ayres. I got this......right?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lysander Ailuroeidis

Sure, I could easily be the one who saves the tree. I could be the one who saves the world from its eternal destruction. Yet, I can also be the one who dies trying to save it, or find it, or I could be the one who fails my entire clan. No pressure. I frown at my own anxious thoughts, and walk around a huge city, not really knowing where to go. The city I walk alone in, is none other than the city of Srok Khmer. This city just so happens to be the second largest city in the Tau Empire on the southern continent of Aimsir. Mainly, it's renowned for it's three competing universities of Layqa, Hamyt'ay, and Runakay which are basically some of the best universities around. Though, not only are they some of the best universities around for magic, science, history, and philosophy, but it's a collection of universities that are famous for being in the Cartographer Guild. A guild that's composed of some of the best mapmakers from each university. They're legendary for how detailed, and accurate their maps are, which is why I've been led here by my leader. He told me that to find the tree, I might need a map, and what better place to get a map than in Srok Khmer? Across the street from me, I spot a girl with dark features. Her long, wavy, brown hair falls past her shoulders, and her olive green eyes are the biggest feature on her face. She fairly tall, and probably taller than me. She's probably a local. Maybe she can help me.

    "Excuse me." I approach her.

    The girl spins around, and for a moment we hold eye contact. Her brilliant green eyes stare into mine, and we hold each other's gaze. I quickly forget what I was about to ask her, but then remember as I see she's holding a map of the city.

    "Do you know where the Cartographer Guild is?" I ask her.

    She smiles, and I can just feel her gentle aura. An angel no doubt, based on her appearance.

    "What a coincidence, I'm looking for that too." she exposes a friendly smile.

    "Lysander." I put my hand out to hers.

    "Elora." she says as she shakes my hand.

    Elora...That's a pretty name.

    "Would you want to look for the Guild together?" she questions.

    I shake my head yes, and she shows me the map that's a little bit crinkled up. On the map is the city, with street names, avenues, and buildings everywhere, with the map showing it all with extensive detail. At the bottom of the map is a spot circled, and I shoot her a puzzled look before she has a chance of explaining why she circled it.

"That's where we are." she explains.

Oh. Right.

"I think it's this way, based on what the map says." she points up ahead.

I nod my head, and we walk where the map leads us. A good ten minutes later, we're still lost, and this huge city has us chasing our tails. To be honest, a lot of these buildings look the same, and for all we know, we could just be going in a giant circle.

"Why don't we ask for some help from a local?" she says sweetly.

With that being said, I give her a quick nod and we approach a girl with fiery red hair, brilliant green eyes that could steal a show, and pale skin that's unnatural.

"Excuse me! Could you help us?" Elora attempts at getting us help.

When the girl turns around, my stomach drops to the floor, and I suddenly don't feel good about asking her for help.

"We're lost. Could you help us find the Cartographer Guild?" Elora politely asks.

The girl hesitates, and stares at us with a puzzled expression on her face, meanwhile Elora stands next to her with a pencil in hand, urging the girl to show us where it is on the map. Maybe she doesn't know.

"Why do you ask?" she baffles.

That's none of your business.

    "Well, I don't know about him, but I'm trying to find the tree-"

    Elora suddenly lets out a blood curling scream, and falls to the ground in agony. When I look over, my eyes widen in horror as I see a pencil stuck in a vein of her neck. The girl with fiery red hair finally twists her neck backwards, and steps on her neck, crushing it. Somebody lets out a scream in horror, and I freeze in position not knowing whether to flee or fight. Chaos breaks loose, and everyone is running and screaming, all because of one girl who stabbed Elora in the neck with a pencil.

    "Now why are you searching for the Cartographer Guild?" she says briskly.

    "Um-mm" I stutter, "Definitely not the same reason as Elora." I swallow my own fear.

    She hisses at me, and I back up slowly. When she opens her mouth, I see big fangs sticking out the side of her teeth, and immediately my fears are confirmed. Vampire, alright. If I run, she'll catch up to me, and if I don't she'll kill me anyways.

    "You don't even know why I killed her. Do you?" her voice is harsh.

    No not really. I shake my head 'no,' and she begins to close in on me, slowly. No, she can't just kill me now, she has to explain the reason as to why I have to die. Why take the time to get to know your victims, when you can just kill them? Spare me your ten minute explanation. Please.

    "She wants to save the tree. I can't have that. Are you here to save the tree?" she mutters.

    NOPE. Not here to rescue no tree. Nope. Nope.

    "Noooo, I'm here to kill that tree." I lie.

    "Liar!" she hisses.

    I expect her to pounce on me and rip my throat out, thus I close my eyes. Yet, nothing happens. When I open my eyes, I see a big, lumbering bear in front of me, standing on top of the dead vampire. Holy crap. Yogi Bear has come to save me.

    "Get out of here!" the bear growls.

    I slowly back away even further, and soon bolt in the other direction. Yet, as I look back, I feel something. Empathy? No-wait, sympathy? The bear gets pursued by the police, and for a second in time, I want to help. It saved my life....With 100% of my stupidity, I run back towards the bear. Only..the bear is no longer a bear. In the bear's place, is a human being. A girl. She has bright red hair, and caramalized skin, and has a sort of charm that makes her attractive. Forget Yogi Bear, she's much prettier.

    "Hey, fellas." I approach one of the police officers.

    They stare at me with straight faces, and if I were a dog, I would definitely have my tail between my legs right now. The police around here are strict and brutal, and that's a fact.

    "She killed the vampire, but not the angel. She killed the vampire in order to save my life..." I trail off.

    I look around at the officers, but the mood doesn't really change. They still want to take someone into custody for causing all this havoc.

    "Look, officers, I understand you want someone to charge for this havoc in such a peaceful city. But charging a were-kind, don't you think that would only anger the people?" I reason with them.

    _____________

"Breaking News, reports coming in of two homicides in the famous city of Srok Khmer. One victim took a pencil to the neck, whereas the other one brutally had her throat ripped out. Those charged, reportedly fled the scene once police arrived. Police then shot at the two assailants, but instead hit a random civilian, thus killing her on the spot. That brings a grand total of three murders today. What is this world coming to? Is Srok Khmer even safe anymore?..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rowan Sylvan

(USED THIRTEEN)

As I flee the city, the feeling of the guards' eyes on the back of my head never quite seems to leave me.

When Misa detailed to me the task ahead, she never mentioned that it would involve putting my life in the kind of danger I almost didn't escape today.

Thinking back on it now, all I can think about is the sound of the demon's horns piercing the angel's abdomen; the way the spray of shimmering blood looked when it splattered against the Fae's face, staring directly at me with unseeing eyes.

It wasn't even the only brawl I encountered, but I hope the worst of them are behind me.

Somehow, when I check that the map they fought so viciously for is still tucked away in my pocket, I doubt it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Margaret Cleo

I swiped some grimy sweat off of my forehead, my breath coming in shallow gasps as the trees were thinning out.

The sun was hot, scorching and I could feel the lack of steam coming off the ground.

This was like an alien world.

It felt as though I had been on the road for months and months, but I had only been away from home for 6 weeks.

The first change away from home...

I cannot remember, but I woke up with blood on my face, under my nails, drying with a crackle into my clothing. There was a girl there with strange features. She had scars on her neck and haunting green eyes and beautiful blond hair, matted with her blood now. Angel blood. I had killed an angel.

I threw up and ran from the area.

That was two weeks ago.

My mother had always urged control, understanding, compassion. She was a human lover, but my father had wanted power, aggression. He wanted to prove our superiority, like any good racist.

I hefted my pack off my sore shoulders.

I wonder if you know if you are going crazy, but I feel as though old man Crawford that walked the town at night had never bought it when people told him he was crazy, and he was the craziest person I knew, besides my father.

Maybe loneliness makes you more crazy, I know that I am starting to ramble for sure. Maybe that was just the way of a killer. I was a killer.

~~~~~

I could see the city up ahead.

Therese always said, if you were lost, or needed answers, there was one place on this earth where any traveler could find answers, without worry about species discrimination.

The city of maps, Srok Khmer.

It was also in the hottest land I'd ever been in.

Going further south meant more wind and dust

And dry , dry, awful heat.

Yes, being cold was awful. but I could barely remember the sensation after being this hot for this long.

I woke up sweaty, and I went to bed covered in a faint sheen.

It was insane.

Anyone living here might be too.

Just like Brynen James, the boy from our pack that was studying science at the university in the Hamut'ay section.

I had to find him.

~~~~

The city was looming ahead when I saw the flash of blue. I swiped the sweat off of my forehead, but my I could feel it dripping from my hairline. I swayed dizzily, I needed some water. Badly.

"HELP!" I heard a woman's voice screaming.

The scream turned ungodly and shrieking, making my head flame in response.

"Quiet, Ralda. No one cares about you or your screams. I don't need any competition. Remember that?"

I swiveled to the side, towards the noise.

Stupid, stupid feet, why? I didn't need to waste time on this!

There was a knoll to climb over, and I hunkered at the top of it.

There were two demons fighting below. A scarred , blue, lithe demon male was pinning a bright red girl with horns beneath him. He froze as some of the rock crumbled beneath me.

"Eira! Check that noise." He barked while the girl struggled, letting out another awful shriek.

"NO, I WON'T LET YOU GET TO IT! THE TREE'S MINE." The demon smirked, flipping out a little piece of stick and shoving it mercilessly into the girls eye. She shrieked louder and then stilled.

I froze in shock, in horror.

Never had anyone been so coldhearted before.

How could he have done that?

I remembered then that there was someone named Eira that was coming to find me.

I turned, my head ringing with the rotten scent of bad demon blood.

"Hello sweety, why exactly were you watching us?" I began to hyperventilate in terror at the gorgeous blonde woman in front of me.

I couldn't help but think of the irony.

If she had been ugly I would have been less inclined to like her, or think of her at all.

Like how moths are pests but butterflies are a collector's item.

That's what I was thinking, instead of how to get away or how to keep myself safe.

It's all for Collin.

Then the blue scarred demon walked up behind me, slinging his arm casually around my neck.

"At least she's not human, right Eira? Then you'd get to have your way with her." The demon smiled cruelly.

"Smells like a Golawere."

"Ah, the demon scenting system is as good as the legends."

"If you want this combination of efforts you had better play nice Unseelie Lady." The demon and the fae spoke with closed smiles, almost appearing to forget I am there.

"Why did you kill that girl?" Why the hell am I so stupid?

"She was on a similar quest to us, and let's just say we would rather the competition get out sooner than later."

"A quest to where? I am looking for some medicine for my brother. Perhaps we can help one another?" I figured the innocent, noble card is never a bad one to play.

Although both demons and fae have been known to act quite the opposite of the 'innocent and noble' side.

The Eira woman laughed, a trickling, tinkling, beautiful noise.

"And why, pray tell would we ever want your help, or should I say hindrance?" She bared her teeth in an unnecessary display of command.

"Because I think I can get us a good map, and maybe they'll know what we both need. I know someone in one of the schools, they're bound to have connections." I started speaking faster and faster, hoping one of them will stop and say yes.

"I guess we won't kill you yet then. I'm Cestil." The man reached to shake my hand with his bloody one. I looked him in the eyes and deliberately shook it. He smiled. Eira sniffed and tossed her hair over her shoulder.

"Onto the city, shall we?" I nodded at her, and she led the way as Cestil lit the demon girl's body on fire.

I can do this for Collin.

~~~~~~~

We set up traps before walking the rest of the way in, so that we would have a meal once we left for the night.

Going into the city involved waiting in the "magic" section and allowing demoralizing poking and prodding to occur.

They looked at us as if we were awful, disgusting, and I felt it.

I was.

Eira and Cestil played the part well, flirting, and growling at any humans.

If you do what's expected, why would you be suspected?

Cities are a maze within a maze of height and strange smells and noises.

It overwhelmed me almost immediately.

Cestil pulled me off the walkway into a side street smelling of pee.

"Breathe." I covered my face with my sweaty shirt and did as he asked.

My heart rate under control, we prowled through the streets, appearing not to have any direction, as Eira and Cestil messed with the vendors, and kept the worst leering, drunken dolts at bay.

Joking and bantering, I wanted to join in, but every time I remembered the horrible things I had done, what I still needed to do, and the way I was lying to them.

~~~~

"Do you know Brynen James?" I felt as though this was the millionth time I had asked, and everyone else had turned us away, refusing to speak to magicfolk. Or whatever they called us in their language.

I sat on a stoop, feeling dizzy and frustrated. Unbelievably frustrated.

"Are you sure this guy still exists?" Cestil asks, not quite joking anymore.

"Yes. He was supposed to be my mate, but then an heir was born so we just haven't kept in touch, you know arranged marriages...." Eira looked amazed.

"An heir? Oh so you're some sort of princess or something?" I glared at her. Cestil shook with laughter.

"I know him, I work with him. He's in the library right now." A mousy man walked up to us. "I heard you asking for him." He explained. I nodded, barely paying attention anymore.

The library was built of cool stone, with aged wood muffling the echo of our footsteps.

"Brynen!" The boy called, and someone looked up from one of the tables, as a librarian hushed us. I nodded my respect to her, and to the boy who had led us, and turned to Cestil and Eira.

"Do you mind if I speak to him first? Then you can tell him what you need, I just... have some things unsaid." Maybe if they thought I was lovesick or something they would be more forgiving of me sneaking in the map request.

"Brynen!" I threw my arms around him, and he didn't hug me back.

"Greta?" His stiff arms curled around my matted hair. Patting me awkwardly.

"I need your help."

"Anything."

~~~~~

We walked out with two maps. I wondered how long my luck would last, if I was going in the same direction as Cestil and Eira.

The desert sand felt especially bleak as the constant buzz of the city faded into the background. We came across one of my traps, and it was curiously broken.

Then there was a roar.

A bear.... an Ursa were was in my trap!

We circled it, and Cestil nodded to Eira leaving us to go make a fire.

I wondered if this was when she planned on disposing of me.

I could feel her distaste every time she looked my way. Perhaps because I dressed like a human, with my shoes and....

"Kill it. Put it out of it's misery." Her cold voice reached my foggy brain. The moon's watery light pulled the animalistic thoughts to the front of my brain.

Wanting to chase, hunt, kill.

I scraped at my skin with my nails, holding on.

"Why? Why me?"

"Prove that we should keep you around." And she walked away.

I paced, unable to look at the bear whose body was lacerated, mutilated.

I hopped down, but the bear was too far gone to allow me close safely. Too far gone to shift back.

What of his parents, his siblings? Maybe he was the only source of income.

But I could see the lifeblood in the sand, from my trap. I killed again.

I pulled out my knife.

Shoving it in deep enough with accuracy was almost too easy for the taking of a life.

I cradled his head as his pear colored eyes closed, forever. Tears created tracks down my dusty face.

"I am sorry for not knowing you, for what pain and death I have caused."

But there was a thought nudging in the back of my head.

For Collin, gain their trust, get to the tree, heal the tree, go home, heal Collin.

Heal Collin, and then what of me?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gwenfor Sybil Meilyr

Gwenfor wakes up to the smell of her fire dying, the smell was clogging her nose making it difficult for her to breath and sleep. She unzipped her sleeping bag, crawled out and stood up. Red and black spots appeared around her eyes, she waited till they were all gone and stomped on the fire. Ambers began turning to coal as Gwenfor kicked the burning wood onto the cold wet ground.  

When the smoke was out Gwenfor packed all her things back in her backpack and began heading to Srok Khmer, Gwenfor hated to admit but she was lost. The thought of being lost weighted like a ton of bricks on Gwenfor, she made a promise to her leader to find the tree and before she can even go looking for it she had to get a map. A damn stupid map one that will lead you directly to the World Tree.

Why couldn't they have signs up saying, "World Tree is just around the corner!" or "If you keep walking you'll see the Word Tree!" Now that would help Gwenfor on this quest. As what felt like hours Gwenfor's legs were aching and her throat was dry like sandpaper.

Gwenfor took out her water bottle and had one gulp, one gulp of satisfying cool water that seemed to awaken Gwenfor. If it weren't for her being in the forest Gwenfor would be hot and sweaty like a wet rag, drinking up the last bit of her water. But the forest took much of that heat away, with trees blocking some of the sunlight, of course that didn't stop Gwenfor from sweating.

When the trees started to clear out, Gwenfor felt excitement creep up her shoulder. Her pace increased, more sweat coming off of her. A gust of wind hit her face making her red hair look like tangled red ribbons. The trees now left her side and Gwenfor was in the clearing, she felt the heat of the sun's rays hit her skin. She stopped taking in the view, Srok Khmer was down the hill in the middle of a large green meadow as if saying to Gwenfor "Why don't you come down here?" from the looks of it, it seemed like it would take two days to walk through. Smoke rose into the Persian blue sky, from far back there was a giant building, maybe it was the Duke's house?

Gwenfor made her way down the hill; Srok Khmer was now even closer. The smell of pastries and ink filled the air. If World Tree was dying Gwenfor had to get their quick, she quickened her pace already at the entrance of Srok Khmer.

"What are you doing at Srok Khmer?" Gwenfor jumped at the voice of the two guards standing right I front of her. "I smell were-kind." He looked at Gwenfor suspiciously.

"I'm just looking for a map."

"A map?" The other sneered at her.

"Yes and none of that is your business." The guards eyed her more, only making Gwenfor frustrated.

"I'm guessing you do this with everyone?"

"Yep, Duke's order."

"I'm not a criminal, I'm a traveler." Gwenfor lied.

"Well then, if you say so." The guards made opened up the entrance for her.

"We're watching you..." the other guard said as Gwenfor went into Srok Khmer.

The smell of pastries was now fading and paper, old yellow paper, replaced it. The smell of ink was now stronger than before.

There were many map shops and Gwenfor didn't want to spend the entire day searching in all the shops. So she came up to a man who was feeding his donkey and asked, "Sir, where would I find the best map shop?" The man just laughed.

"Well there is many good map shops around here." He said, "But the best around in this city would have to be..." He looked as if thinking. "Hell, I don't know... all the maps here are superior." God damn it, Gwenfor thought. "But if anything I would go to the College of Divine Maps or The Art of Map, that's a shop. You can find them both down the road." He went back to feeding his donkey.

"Thank you, sir." The man looked up at Gwenfor.

"There's other colleges her in Srok Khmer, but considering I went to Divine Maps I personally like it more than all." Gwenfor nodded understanding.

"Thank you." She said again and made her way down the city.

Gwenfor went into many map shops until she found the College of Divine Maps. It was a small college, made of dark oak, the doors had the world tree engraved on it. Gwenfor pushed the doors opened, the air was nice and cool and smelled like old books, unlike the air outside. Inside it sounded like there was an argument going on.

"What do you mean you don't have a map to the World Tree?" Gwenfor's eyes widened.

"I might have it." The voice was an man, who sounded scared.

Gwenfor looked around the corner to the scene seeing an old short man on a latter looking for a map. He wore coal colored robs that fell way past his feet. He grabbed a scroll, no a map, from the highest shelf, a shelf that no one could see and handed it to a rather charming man. His face seemed to calm down a bit and looked at the man with a smile. Gwenfor settled her backpack on the ground. She pulled her pocket knife out of her pocket flicking it up for the blade. When the man would make his way around the corner Gwenfor would take him and ask him questions.

"Now was that hard?" The old man, Gwenfor guessed the owner of the maps, shook his head. The sound of money thrown down on the counter rang in Gwenfor's ears. The charming man began to walk away and when passing the corner Gwenfor put him in a headlock and held her hunting knife to his neck.

 "Why are you searching for the tree? What's your name?" Gwenfor held the knife up to the boy's neck. "Tell me now, you filthy maggot!" A small line was already appearing on his neck.

"Excuse me but you'll have to-"

"Shut the hell up, I have business here, now fuck off!" Gwenfor still had the man in her headlock.

"I'm Lysander I-I was sent to save it..." The boy spoke with a stutter.

"By who?" Ask Gwenfor.

"By my leader, I'm from Clan Felis." Gwenfor released her grip which was a big mistake, because the man, no Lysander, punched right between the eyes. There was a yelp and when the darkness left Gwenfor's eyes she saw that she cut Lysander in the arm. It was a deep cut, with blood, a lot of blood, going down his arm.

Gwenfor looked at the bystanders "Someone help!" the old man walked off and came back with a box of medical supplies. Gwenfor pulled out a string and needle and started stitching up his cut. She didn't know why she was helping him, maybe he could accompany her on the journey, and he is going to save the tree. Why don't they do it together?

Lysander sat up and groaned "I better get going." He said, he and Gwenfor got up at the same time.

"I'll go with you then." Lysander looked at Gwenfor in a queasy way.

"I'm sorry, but I don't need your help." He started to head toward the door.

"Are you sure about that? Because I, a woman, just brought you down with a headlock and a swipe of my knife." Gwenfor folded her hunting knife and put it in her pocket, Lysander looked obviously frustrated.

"Fine, I needed an ally any way." Lysander opened the door and a dead body appeared to be waiting for him. "Ah!" He screamed, his face looking scared.

"Get them!" It was the soldiers that Gwenfor met earlier, they began shooting, a bullet hit Gwenfor's chest. Lysander closed the door looing terrified, blood was oozing out Gwenfor's shoulder.

"I guess were even." He sounded like he was trying to make a joke, but his face was filled with terror. Gwenfor got back up to her feet.

"Follow me, there's possibly another way out." Gwenfor put her backpack on the straps pulling on her wound. More blood was coming out.

Gwenfor led him behind the shelves of maps and found a underground exit. "This will have to work, come on." Gwenfor went first, it was a tunnel no doubt, but it went two ways. When Lysander finally came down Gwenfor pointed north. "When we see another door we'll get out." Gwenfor didn't know if Lysander nodded, it was too dark to see.

They ran north for only a few seconds before seeing a door above them. "Well that was quick." Said Gwenfor, she climbed up the ladder and pushed the door opened, there was lots of "Ah!" and "Oh!" coming out of the house above them. Gwenfor climbed up to see they were in a hallway and the "Ah!" and "Oh!" were coming from all rooms. That's when she realized that they arrived at a Whore House, who knew they even existed in Srok Khmer?

It didn't take long for Lysander to realize what it was, when he heard the noise he couldn't help but let out a little laugh. "Shush." Gwenfor said and quietly they made their way out the whore house. When out she could hear guards yelling and their guns rapidly going off. Two people, possibly a team like Gwenfor and Lysander from far off were shot.

"Come let's go!" Lysander didn't need to be told twice, he ran past Gwenfor and toward the exit of Srok Khmer. He looked back at her and yelled, "Hurry!" Gwenfor quickened her pace she was going to survive; she was going to save the world tree. And finally she passed the gates of Srok Khmer and with Lysander now, went searching for the World Tree.