•Dusk Castle•
     Spirals of navy blue, pale blue, and black burst out and radiated around the now formed Nebula. Her dark brown hair, streaked with darker blue, flew from her face as she blew it out of her eyes.

     Immediately, she began to pack anything she might need.

     She walked quickly to the large hall closet around the bend from the foyer. Opening its doors, she pulled out a decent sized black leather nap sack. Up a beautiful staircase she went. It was beautiful indeed. A dark oak wood spiraling gently up to the next level, so polished it gleamed in the dull morning light. Large candles stood around the stairs, and as she climbed them, they each lit on their own as she passed.

     Nebula took a sharp left at the top of the magnificent staircase. While walking toward another beautiful polished dark oak door, she pulled the nap sack and opened it wide, preparing it for the massive amount of stuff it will soon hold.

     Pulling at the knob, she remembered it was locked and needed the key. She snapped her perfectly manicured fingers and an antique looking black skeleton key appeared between her thumb and index finger. A quickly frustrated Nebula shoved the old key in the lock and turned it fast. Hearing the click she opened the door and practically ran inside.

     Through the doors there lay an extensive weapon hold. All across the wall opposite the door were various kinds of bows. Long bows, short bows, cross bows, wooden bows, steel bows, crystal bows, enchanted bows, even bows she made herself. Along shelves below the bows were quivers hanging with even more types of arrows. Long arrows, short arrows, wooden arrows, obsidian arrows, diamond tipped arrows, poison tipped arrows, explosive arrows, fire arrows, and her favorite, tracer arrows, they lock onto a specific target and will always hit it. Always. Many more arrows lay in quivers, but there are simply too many to count.

     As well as bow and arrows, Nebula takes pride in explosives. She has no where near as many explosives as she does arrows, but she has enough. Smoke bombs, blind bombs (they blind whoever is in range) small blast, and large blast are all included in her arsenal.

     Her thick soled boots tapped the floor as she moved to put her long bow back on the wall and grab her favorite medium crystal bow. It was perfect for this. Great for long range, great for short range, and most importantly, very, very powerful. With the right arrow, it could go through bone. It could pierce the thickest armor. It could kill in an instant.

     She swung the bow around her left shoulder and stuffed a cross bow in her sack. Nebula put a quiver of obsidian arrows around her other shoulder and grabbed fire arrows, explosive, and tracer arrows, which all went in her nap sack.

     Next she went for explosives. She grabbed two small bombs and stuck them in her black leather body-cross belt. Nebula grabbed two large and two blind bombs and also stuck them in her belt. She grabbed three more of each bomb and put them in her sack. Moving to the next wall, Nebula grabbed her short dagger and exchanged it for a thick, obsidian and jade tipped nine inch dagger.

     Nebula grabbed a vial of what looked like blue mud, she opened it and using two fingers she smeared some Crattysian pulp around and on her face, making it look like war paint.

     Crattysian flowers are known for their bright blue coloring and their ability to mask any scent. They are commonly used in perfumes and powder puffs but hunters use them to mask their smell so the animals cannot detect them.

     Grabbing a slightly smaller vial with a lighter grey-blue in it, Nebula smeared that on too. In this one was a mixture of all sorts of different flowers and plants and other things to make a formula that heightens the senses.

     Brushing a shaking hand through her tangled and knotted hair, she thought and thought again about what she might need.

     Poison. She thought. Nebula walked to the wall on the left and grabbed an even smaller vial. It held five drops of a crystal clear liquid. It had no taste. It had no smell. It had no color. It was the smartest and most powerful poison known to Galäeth.

     Nebula now found she was out of space. She rushed out of the room, locked the door, and checked her clothing. Steel-woven boots could step on anything, were quiet, lightweight, waterproof, and perfect for this mission. Long black and blue piping leggings infused with beetle armor covered her legs, the beetle armor made them bullet proof (although guns were not known to Galäeth), water resistant, and shiny. A blue top with navy piping had a very important job, to protect the heart. Therefor it needs to be flexible so she could move, but firm so the wearer could withstand sword slashes, burns, explosions, ect. It is very durable and is one of Nebula's favorites. The outfit was given to her by Lunar, who made it, except for the shoes. Those were her father's. He used them when going out to get samples for his experiments.

     Along with all of her warrior clothing, Nebula almost always wears her navy blue gladiator style cape, it's lightweight, breathable, but needs to be thrown off in battle. It had a dark silver neck cuff that clasps with a magnet in order for her to throw it off when needed.

     Nebula raced down the stairs, the candles burning out automatically as she passed. Bow swinging over her shoulder, she went out the door and walked around to the back. A large stable was attached to the castle and surrounded by a high wooden fence.

     With a single whistle, Charcan, Nebula's horse, galloped toward the fence. Nebula swung the gate closed behind her, grabbed Charcan's saddle and reins, and geared him up as fast as humanly possible.

     Charcan is a very serious looking horse. He has a stern face, and his dark black coat makes him look strong and powerful. His mane is a dark midnight blue, so dark and opaque you wouldn't know it was blue until you got close. Along with his wonderfully mature look and mind, Charcan is seven feet tall.

     Experienced with his size, Nebula expertly swung up and over and sat on the saddle perfectly. She slapped the reins to get him going and galloped into the woods beyond her courtyard.

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     After around 30 minutes of wandering, Nebula thought it was far enough. She dismounted Charcan and tied him to a tree. Looking into his big glass-like navy eyes, she said, "Don't follow, Charcan, I'll be back before dusk. If I am not, stay put and I will come get you or send Miren."

     The horse snorted in response. Miren was his main caretaker as well as caretaker for Dusk Castle.

     Nebula walked off into the woods lit with the morning's light.

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     Hours and hours past, yet Nebula found nothing. She had scoured every inch (or so she though) of the forest. Later, around 2:00 pm she realized she hadn't eaten breakfast or brought anything with her to eat. After staying up all night searching these woods and now all day she had been famished. Her ambition made her forget the growling pit of her stomach and keep searching. Searching for anything. Any clue the Beast was nearby or had been here at all.

     Nebula pushed through her hunger and tiredness. She pushed and pushed and pushed.

     I will never quit. She thought. Never.

    Now, at nearly 11:00 at night, Nebula could push no more. She slowly dragged her discouraged self back to Charcan, who looked at her glaringly, because she had not been back or sent Miren when she promised.

     "I know, I know boy." Nebula said as she patted his muscled flank.

     She mounted him and gave a disheveled flick of the reins. Charcan trudged into the night with a half awake Nebula leaning into his deep blue mane. 

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     They had just reached the edge of the Starlight Woods when suddenly, Nebula felt a chill go up her curved spine. She dismounted quickly and drew an arrow in her bow.

     "Where are you..."she said in a low, almost inaudible growl. Birds swarmed past with echoey and eery calls.

     And then, a scream. Torn from the throat of a young woman, twenty two maybe.

     "The Beast."