Screaming sounded from behind Cassandra. She spun in the air and looked around her surroundings. Where was that coming from? The scream sounded out once more. Before not much could be heard, however it sounded like that of a woman. Flapping her wings, she flew towards a small town that had dirt roads and small cabins serving as home. Why did this place look familiar to her?

Black lines began covering her body the closer she got. She shuddered. She didn't understand what was going on, all she knew was that she had to find the woman. She could be in danger. She arrived at a house on the end of the cul de sac. She glanced around, the houses were cute. The outside of the home was yellow birch paneling with picture perfect flower boxes. The house at the end, however, had no flowers.

Cassandra flew towards the door and knocked on it. The door squealed as it swung open. "Hello?" She called, "Is anyone here?" She progressed inside the house. It was dark, she saw furniture scattered about but they were fuzzy, she could make out any certain patterns just odd colors of Greens and Blues among others. Their color patterns were different from the red's her father used.

Turning a corner, she progressed down a long narrow corridor that grew longer the more she traveled. A door opened at the end of the hall. The woman screamed once more. Gritting her teeth, she pulled out her staff, and slammed down not the floor. "Fast Sprint." Pink sparkles shoot out of the orb and wrap around her. She disappeared and reappeared in front of the door where the scream emanated from.

Take deep breath, she stretched out her hand. "Hello, I'm Cassandra Luna," She began as she pushed the door open, "I'm a mage from Dragon Claw. I heard screaming, Is there something I..." She trailed off. The door she had opened was a small baby room. The walls were painted in a bright pink, with a white crib over against the far wall with a window behind it. Her eyes widened. A Fae with black hair had collapsed against the crib. Black lines had consumed her body.

"I'm sorry," the woman collapsed onto the rose rug below her. She screamed in pain as the lines darkened. Cassandra wanted to rush to her side, she wanted help her, yet, her feet stayed glued to the flooring and no matter what she tried she couldn't open her wings. Tears slide down her face as she watched the Fae double in pain. She rolled on her side facing the doorway. Her face was blank. She had no features to make out her looks.

"Stop murder!" A male voice cried. Cassandra spun around as dark figures clothed as guardsmen rushed past her. She turned her head and watched as a man with blonde hair bolted out the window with a small bundle in his arms. She bit her bottom lip. Does she help the man or does she help the guards? For all she knew, the woman died protecting her baby from being kidnapped. On the other hand, it could be a scared father on the run.

Anger boiled within her. Deep down she knew the father was running to protect his child. He had to help him. How would she accomplish this? Tightening the grip on her staff, the pink orb turned black. She growled and trusted her staff towards the guards. Black Beams shot out and wrapped around them. They will not separate the man from the child, not on her watch.

A Rekin flew down from the sky with a bow knocked and aimed at the scared father. Cassandra slammed her fist onto the ground below. "Attack the Rekin!" The ground shook with vengeance and began splitting open. A boney hand reached out from under the road. A male emerged. His once white skin had turned ashy grey. Letting out a cry, he stretched his boney structure of wings before soaring into the sky.

Cassandra watched as the Rekin shot at the monster. The creature dove out the archer's sight before coming up behind him and kicking him in the side. The archer spun towards her attacker, but the monster had dropped below him and was coming back around. A black ball formed on its hand. The orb collided with the archer's bow, turning it to dust on impact.

A smile pulled at her lips. That was one guard now four left. She turned her direction towards the guards she held in her grasp. A shiver went up her spine as a moment came from behind her. A pain exploded within her shoulder. She tried to turn. She wanted to see her attacker, but she couldn't move. It was like she had been poisoned.

A strong hand reached out and pushed her against the road below them. She screamed as the attacker forced her hands behind her back and handcuffed her. No, this was not the end. It couldn't have been! Tears fell from her eyes to the ground. She glanced upwards as the father hung upside down caught by a genei-hybrid. Black lines began forming on her body. The father had to make it. He had to save his daughter.

"Marionette," a voice called in the distance. Cassandra looked around. Another threat perhaps? Roku came into view holding a small baby. "No offense child, but your parents had a terrible pick of names." The Fae felt the cuffs disappear. The world around her faded into black. Only her father remained holding the little bundle. "I like Cassandra better. Don't you, little Kit?" Roku laughed as he turned and walked away from the girl.

Why did her father call her Marionette? Was she not who she thought she was? She reached out for him. She wanted answers, but he had walked too far away to reach him. "Dad," she screamed, yet no answer game. The fox walked out of view without stopping.

"Cassandra," a voice called somewhere in the distance. "Cassandra, are you okay?" She shook her head, unable to answer. She didn't know what was happening or what to think anymore. She just knew that somewhere a voice was calling. Cassandra shot upward from her bed in a cold sweat. She panted hard yet her eyes were damp, had she been crying in her sleep.

Pulling her knees to her chest. She sat on lavender sheets and let the sun hit her. Why had she dreamed she was a killer? Why had she dreamed of a man escaping danger with his daughter and the woman dying? Why did her father call her Marionette? All these questions and more swirled within her mind. 

"Cassandra," the voice called once again. Turning her head she looked at everything within the purple walls of her bedroom. That voice sounded very familiar. Cassandra rested her eyes on the door as the knob turned and flew open. Draco stood in her doorway looking very concerned. "Cassy, are you okay?" Cassandra smiled and dropped her against her knees. Darco was so protective of her. Sure he likes to pick on her every now and then, but that was just to keep her on her toys.

"I'm fine, Drac. Just had a nightmare."

"Want to talk about it?"

Cassandra shook her head. He was the last person, besides her father, she would want to tell the dream to. "I'll wait in the kitchen, if you won't talk, I will." She watched as turned and left her door frame. Laughing she quickly threw on a house robe and followed him into the kitchen. She sat down on a bar stool at her black marbled counter and starred into his back. His wings were closed tight against his muscles. She let out a slight giggle before looking at her own. It was assumed that many people thought she was Rekin. However, being raised by a fox, she never had to let anyone know differently.

Draco finally turned towards her with two mugs in his hands. He handed her the left one. "So, here's the deal," he began, "remember how I didn't go to the strait despite your Dad doing his best to get rid of me by the Kracken?"

"Draco, stop that, he's not trying to kill you. He just wants to make sure I'm taken care of."

The Rekin shook his head and sipped his mug, "He never liked me since the first day I asked you out."Cassandra opened her mouth to protest, but Draco continued, "Any who, I finally got the job we were wanting."

"You mean it?" She fluttered her wings with excitement.

Draco reached into his belt and withdrew a wanted picture of a horned woman. "Captain Eliza is back in town. I have been given direct orders to make sure she doesn't come anywhere near our borders."

Cassandra stared at the woman in the picture. Her cold dead eyes ready for a kill complete with horns and a tail that could kill. This woman was someone the galaxy would be more than happy to watch her dang at the end of rope. "Am I aloud to go with you?" Draco laughed. Being a wizard, she was allowed, however, these orders came from his father who was now Commander of the Vasanta Guards after Nimrod's disappearance.

Not waiting for an answer, Cassandra shot off her bar stool and raced back into her bedroom. Perhaps the day was going to end on a good note after all. Why should she be so concerned over a dumb name in a dream or even the death of someone who might not be real? Throwing on her signature red top and skirt with black boots, she gathered up clothing for her trip. Adventure here I come!