I sit on the floor of my cottage. I always found comfort in this place...I don't anymore. The human realm is without a leader. Zara hasn't been seen in days and everything is falling down around us.

I get up and add more wood to the fire. Faye, Kala, and Lily are in the cottage with me. A knock at the door surprises me. I rarely get visitors. I open it. Dahlia and Alwin's daughter is outside.

"Delphine, I didn't expect you here," I say.

She walks inside. Her long black dress is covered in snow which she tracks inside. I just cleaned the place!

"As princess, I am to ascend to the throne, but...it just doesn't feel right, you know?" She says.

"Well, we need a ruler and-" I begin to say before she stops me.

"You would be a great ruler," she says. Me? Being queen? I can't do that! I'll mess everything up so badly.

"No, I can't...I failed you, failed your parents, I failed the realm," I say.

"How were you supposed to know that Zara would do that?" She asks. "You didn't fail anyone,"

"The answer is still no. I just won't be able to do it," I say.

"Azura, please. I can't make the necessary decisions like you can. Solius needs a queen and that should be you," she says. War is coming. These people need a leader...maybe I should be that leader.

"Okay, but only temporarily. Just until the war ends," I reply.

"Who knows? Maybe you'll love it and want to stay as queen!" She responds. "Anyways, come to Solius with me and we'll make it official,"

"I can't go right now, I'll meet you there," I say.

She leaves. I turn to the others.

"Did I make the right choice?" I ask them.

"Of course you did. You stepped up and took responsibility," Faye says.

"I guess I better get going," I say.

I walk outside. Can I do this? Maybe I should've waited...it's not like I can change my mind now. I approach Gaia. I pet her. The others join me outside.

"Are you coming with me?" I ask.

"Of course we are," Faye says.

I climb onto my dragon. We take flight. As we get closer to Solius I notice something in the distance. Dragon riders are coming towards us. Zara is leading them. Dragons riders approach us from behind. They swoop down and try to attack us. Gaia swerves out of the way. I almost lose my grip and fall. I steady myself.

"Let's split up! I'll see you in Solius," I yell to the others.

I fly lower hoping to escape into the forest. The dragon behind me bites Gaia's tail. I pull a dagger out of my bag. I throw it at the dragon. It hits the dragon in the eye. The dragon let's go. Gaia crashes into the forest. I'm launched off her. Dirt stains my cloak. Bleeding scrapes cover my body. I pull myself up. Gaia is lying down. Thankfully she isn't injured too badly.

"Go back home, I'll be okay," I say to her.

I walk through the forest. I hope the others are okay. I hear snapping twigs and crunching leaves behind me. I take cover behind a tree and wait for the person's approach. I draw my sword as I hear them come closer. They walk past me. They have a long white cloak covering them. I come up behind them and grab them. I hold my sword against their throat.

"Put it down!" She yells.

"I'll put it down when you tell me who you are," I say.

She breaks free and hits me in the head with a staff. I collapse. She points the end of the staff at me. The yellow crystal at the end shines brightly.

She's a star elf. Her long white hair is in a ponytail. Her eyes are light blue. One of Zara's people sneaks up behind her. I grab the elf's staff and push her out of the way.

"Look, I know you don't trust me, but right now I need you to," I say to her.

"Fine," she says.

I draw my staff. I fixed it not too long ago.
A fairy charges at me. I kick him in the knee making him fall. I then strike him in the head.

"Mind telling me your name?" The elf asks me.

"Azura, and you?" I say.

"I'm Selene," she says.

More of Zara's people emerge. I tap my staff into the ground. It sends out a wave of power that knocks them back and messes up a few trees.

"You're not as powerful as you think you are," Selene says.

She shifts into a white panther and leaps at the human in front of her.

"It isn't a competition," I say.

I draw my sword. The elf in front of me has a shield. I drive my sword right through it. Selene finishes off the last two.

"I trusted you. Now you need to start explaining some things. Who are these people after you?" She says.

"Do you live under a rock? Ever heard of Zarnest?" I ask.

"No, I've never heard of that name. My family is a bit...disconnected. We only step foot inside cities when we need supplies. Otherwise, we just hide out here," she says.

"Anyways Zarnest is a powerful wielder of magic. He was dabbling in dark magic and his magic threatened everything in existence. We took him down and his daughter Zara took his place," I explain.

"Where are you going?" She asks.

"I need to make it to Solius. I'm going to become queen," I say.

"Queen? Isn't Dahlia queen?" She asks.

"You really do live under a rock. You haven't heard that the king and queen were slain?" I say.
"What?!" She yells.

I walk it of the forest. Solius isn't too far.

"Come on. I'll explain on the way," I say.

As we walk to the city I tell her everything. Faye, Kala, and Lily are waiting outside for me.

"Damn, are you okay?" Faye asks.

"I'm fine," I say.

"Who is she?" Kala asks.

"Someone I just met," I say.

Someone I don't trust either. She just shows up out of nowhere and acts like she doesn't know what's going on. Something isn't right about her.
Kala brings four horses over. The ride through the city is beautiful. Flowers sprout up all around us. We make it to the palace. Delphine is waiting for us outside.

"This way," she says.

She points to a guest bedroom.

"Azura, why don't you get cleaned up before the ceremony?" Delphine suggests.

I step inside the room. I wipe the scrapes and cuts. On the bed is the dress I wore the day of the party. To think we were celebrating victory right before being thrown back into distress is crazy. I change into the dress. I exit the room. Everyone is standing on the balcony. I join them.

"Are you ready?" Delphine asks.

"Yes," I reply.

She walks to the other end of the balcony and retrieves the crown. It's white gold with sapphires and amethyst crystals. She puts it on my head.

"Uh, guys? We have a bit of a problem," Kala says.

I turn to where she's looking. Zara is coming on the back of a dragon. More follow behind. This is it. We have to defeat her this time. We can't afford to lose this battle.