"But I don't understand, Grandpa; why do we help the humans?" The little faun asked. She quickly hopped into her bed and snuggled up to her teddy.

The elderly faun sighed and said, "I have already shared this tale with you." He gave her a cunning grin and added, "But perhaps you would like to hear it once more?"

She nodded.

"Long ago, one of our villagers caused great harm to a human. His name was Rak. Rak went beyond mere mischievousness and relentlessly. He followed and taunted the young human." He lit a candle near the bed; "Rak had a history of troublemaking, but he had gone too far this time. Little did he know the person he was harassing was not a human but a God."

The eyes of the small faun widened.

"Rak begged for forgiveness from God, but it was too late." His eyes fell to the floor. "The angered God put a curse on our village. We are to help and guide humans on the quest and task of good. Our assistance is reserved for those who seek goodwill and love, not for those who embody evil." He gently tousled the hair on the little faun's head with his hand. "Now, go to sleep." He blew out the candle.

"I love you, grandpa."

"I love you too, Kyda."

_____

As she strolled through her village, Kyda felt excitement for her upcoming training day. After all, how can you help if you cannot do it?

WHAM!

She stumbled forward, dazed and confused, trying to process what had just happened. Only when she looked down and saw a rock lying at her feet did she realize she had been hit by it.

Looking up, she saw two male fauns standing a short distance away, snickering and amused by what they had done. Kyda couldn't believe someone would be so cruel as to throw a rock at her for no reason. She felt violated and, angry, vulnerable, unsure of what to do next.

"Could you imagine, Fid?" He elbowed his friend. "Not only are they letting a female faun join the training, but a female faun with no horns!" The boys were laughing so hard that they were holding their sides.

Kyda felt ashamed as she looked down at the ground. Unlike other fauns who were born with horns, she was born without them.

"Aren't female fauns supposed to be focused on nature?" One said.

"Yeah, don't you have some flowers to plant?" They high-fived.

"You'll see! I will be the greatest ever! So good that I will help remove this curse!" Kyda barked at them.

The boys were taken aback by her sudden outburst and stood still for a moment before bursting into laughter again. Kyda, however, didn't let their doubts get to her, and she walked away with more determination to prove them wrong.

____

Kyda's training lasted a month, and she quickly rose to the top of her class. The accomplished ceremony was approaching, and she felt thrilled to prove her doubters wrong by standing confidently before them.

Fid and Rek did not pass the course; consequently, they were assigned to work in the fields. Their task is to help collect food for the village and people who require assistance.

"Are you nervous? "Kyda's Grandpa asked from across the old wooden table, with tea and cookies before them.

"No."

"Not even a little?" He lifted his gaze from his cup to meet hers.

"Maybe a little." She shrugged, but the reality was that her mind was racing with the idea of meeting a human for the very first time.

"I'm real proud of you, and I know your parents would be proud too." He glanced at his cup and nervously played with the handle.

"Thank you, grandpa." She thought for a moment. "Grandpa, can I ask you something?"

"Hmmm..." He nodded.

"Has anyone ever tried to break the curse?" With hope in her big brown eyes, she stared at him, waiting for a response this time.

"Hmmm... Yes."

"What? Who?" She was shocked; this was not the first time she had asked, but it was the first time she got a response.

"His name was Vrien."

"What happened?" She didn't want to push, but she wanted answers desperately.

Grandpa leaned back into his old wooden chair and crossed his black furry legs over each other.

"Vrien came across a Demi-God who required assistance. He hoped that by providing the best help he could, the Demi-God would spread the word." He appeared to be lost in thought for a brief moment.

"But that didn't happen." She sighed.

"No, the God who cursed us appeared in our village. I was but a young faun then. He told us we would have to do more than help a mere Demi-God with girl troubles." He leaned forward and picked up his cup.

Kyda pinched her mouth to the side, a gesture she often made when lost in thought. Seeing this, Grandpa immediately stopped sipping his drink and pointed his finger towards her.

"Do not put yourself in a situation you cannot handle, Kyda. Do not stress the curse so much that it costs you more. "He had a serious and strict expression.

"Yes, Grandpa."

____

Kyda was overjoyed as the ceremony she had been looking forward to was a huge success. Her village had done so much to make her feel welcome and appreciated, and their efforts had not gone unnoticed. The night was filled with a sense of triumph as they celebrated their victories with a magnificent feast. The food was delicious, and the music was lively and uplifting, making the occasion even more memorable. It was a night that Kyda would cherish for a long time.

Kyda's grandfather walked to the center of the dance floor and raised his hands. All eyes were on him as he took on the role of the leader.

"Welcome, friends! Tonight, we celebrate a new group of victories for our village!" The crowd cheered. "Every year, we open our training doors to a group of fans who want to leave the nest and help maintain our curse. Keeping it from affecting us all." They all nodded, a few hugging their sons. "Remember young accomplished, find good, help the good, do not aid the evil. Our village depends on that."

A small faun boy interrupted the speech, "What happens if someone helps evil?"

Grandpa looked down at him, "I do not know, but I dare not find out. "As he smiled at the young faun, there was a hint of something ominous lurking behind his seemingly friendly smile.

He continued, "So, tonight, we celebrate! For tomorrow, they embark on their new lives." He raised his tankard high, and the others followed suit. "Be well!"

"Be well!" They chanted behind him. The music and dancing continued long through the night.

____

"Do you have all you need? You know it is not too late to change your mind?" He looked at Kyda, "You are next in line for leadership, so you do not have to do this."

With a warm smile, she expressed her gratitude towards him for taking care of her for so long. She felt it was her turn to repay the favor by preventing the curse from affecting the village.

"I will be fine. Thank you, Grandpa." She hugged him tightly.

"I love you, my little faun." A tear rolled down his cheek.

"I love you too." She stepped back from him, threw her bag over her shoulder, and walked down the village path, searching for adventure, excitement, and an end to their curse.

____

Several months went by, and Kyda had assisted a handful of humans. She helped a farmer here and a milkmaid there, but no one that could potentially break the curse. Her spirit was starting to dwindle as she wondered when she would encounter a truly remarkable hero.

She sat underneath an old tree, eating an apple and staring down the long dirt road beside her.

Suddenly, she felt her ears twitch; she widened her eyes and noticed what was rapidly approaching her. Reacting quickly, she sprang up and leaped into the nearby road, staring towards the distant village. Alarming clouds of thick smoke were ominously rising into the sky, and her sensitive senses picked up on the sound of terrified screams echoing through the air. The pounding of hooves could be heard thundering towards her location, heightening her feeling of urgency.

A beautiful woman was racing a sizeable dark horse down the road; Kyda soon realized they were approaching faster than expected, and she leaped out of the way. The dark horse slid to a stop, and Kyda lay face down in the dirt, her arms covering her head.

As she sat there, she noticed the sound of footsteps getting closer. Looking up, she saw a handheld out to her with elegance. Without hesitation, she took it.

"I am so sorry, small one, I didn't see you till it was almost too late. Are you alright?" She smiled down at Kyda, helping her up from the ground.

"I am fine; thank you for the concern." She admires the woman's long, flowing hair and beautiful outfit. "What is happening in the village?"

The woman frowned, her smile fading away. "Something evil." She says, then returns her gaze to Kyda. "I am trying to stop that."

Kyda thought for a moment, "Are you a hero?"

The woman grinned sheepishly and shrugged her shoulders. "I am. I am quite a hero indeed."

Kyda quickly bowed, "I would love to assist you in your quest to..." Kyda looked up at her. "What is your quest?"

"To write the wrong." She grinned, showing her shining white teeth. "To repair what was broken. To undo what has been done."

To undo what has been done, that excited Kyda. She thought about how badly she wanted to undo the quest.

Kyda couldn't contain her excitement, "May I join you?"

"Of course! What is your name, little faun?" She asked.

"Kyda, and you?"

"Lavinia"