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She fell from heaven, though not because God willed it thus. She was the most beautiful of all the seraphin, with wings and hair of the blackest ebony, fair skin and dazzling sapphire eyes that sparkeled with joy. Some say she was so beautiful, God himself favored her. She was a free spirit until she learned the horrible truth. The light from her eyes faded and she was in constant pain. Her father was a demon, a fallen angel of the legions of hell. God could no longer bear to see her in so much pain so he let her go. She fell from heaven, her beautiful wings torn from her flesh, her dark blood and tears staining her garment. In his love, God granted her one last favor. He set her gently on the earth and left her alone. She picked up dead flower, all shriveled and brown and held it in her hand. She still wanders the world to this day, seeking to regain the happiness she has lost.

The car was cramped with boxes that wouldn't fit in the moving van. Katarina was squeezed in between two enormous boxes. Clutched tightly in her hand was a small piece of paper. The car jostled and jerked over every bump in the road. The car passed several miles of forest and mountain area before reaching its destination. It pulled into a tiny town and drove straight through.
"Dad? Are you sure you're going the right way?" asked Katarina.
Katarina's father twisted around in his seat and grinned at her. "Sure honey. This is a shortcut."
"You know what happens everytime you take a shortcut," scolded her mother. "You always get us lost."
"Do not. Look, there's the house. See? What I tell you?"
Katarina's father steered the car into the long driveway. A large moving truck was parked in front of the house.
"Hey look at that, the movers are already here."
Everyone got out of the car, Katarina with some dificulty. She gazed up at the house; it was a huge three story building. The stairs of the porch creaked as she made her way into the house. The movers had been hard at work; several boxes were placed in the den and by the spiral staircase.
"Well sweetheart, what do you think?" asked her mother.
"It's big, that's for sure. And it smells kinda funny, know what I mean?"
"Well, there's nothing I can do about that. This house has been vacant for several years. The townsfolk say it belonged to a wealthy buisness man who disappeared all of the sudden soon after the house was built. Some even say that the house is haunted by his ghost."
"A ghost? Come on, Mom, you surely don't believe that do you?"
Katarina's mother shrugged. "Who knows? It might be true. Will you please take your things up to your room? It's the one to the left on the second story."
Katarina sighed, stuffed the paper into her pocket, bent down and grabbed a box labeled 'Katarina'. With her free hand, she latched onto the staircase railing and began to ascend the stairs.

A bright room, with white walls. That was were I found myself. There were five white plastic chairs lined up against one wall. I was sitting in the very last chair. I was wearing a ragged robe of coarse cloth. My feet were bare and I was freezing. The door opened and four more people dressed like me came in, flanked by two men in white suits. The four people were boys, and, by the looks of them, all in their early teens. The moment they sat down one of the men began to speak. " You will be taking a journey, that will, test your inner strength." He smiled at his companion. " If you would just follow us..." He opened the door. The five of us got up and followed them out. They led us down a bright hallway to another door. It was made of a dark stained wood and the iron hinges creaked when the two men opened it. It was a thick door and by the way the men were struggling to push it open, it was very heavy. Once it was open wide enough for a skinny person to get through, we were pushed roughly inside and the door swung shut. We were thrown into total darkness, until several torches lit. We were on a narrow dirt path with no visible walls. The torches seemed to simply hang in midair. But what scared me the most was the eyes. The eyes and dark shadows of the damned. I could not see them, but I could hear them. They were moving fast, whispering fervently, as if excited about something. The line began to move. We walked slowly, dragging our feet as we went. The path sloped steadily downward. As we descended, it got colder, and colder, until I was sure I had frostbite. A little bit along the way, one of the boys fell. I watched in horror was two enormous shadows swooped down on the boy and began to rip his own shadow to pieces. While the shadow was being destroyed, the boy was screaming in both terror and agony. I rushed to the boy's side and hoisted him up. His hands covered his face. There was no blood, only his anguished moans of pain. " Are you alright?" I asked him. He pulled his hands away from his face. I gasped. Half of the left side of his face was stripped down to the bare bone. One of his hands now, was no longer fleshed. It too had been stripped to the bone. The boy's eyes were full of tears. Then he spoke to me. " Thank you." The two simple words had an immense affect on me. For the rest of the journey we never left each other's side. The path finally became level, but no more warmer. A deadening weight pressed down on our small party. It was hard to move and breathe, but the boy and I moved on ever still. After long last, the weight lifted and our party stopped to rest. I asked the boy his name. " I am called Evan," he said. His voice was weak. " Do you have any idea where we are?" I shrugged. " I have a hunch, but it doesn't make any sense." " What?" " Well, I figure the things that attacked you-" He shuddered and touched his face. "-were either souls of the damned or demons who feed on a living being's shadow. And this place, there is no other word for it. One word that makes the will to go on even stronger. Hell." Evan shivered. " I thought, um, You-Know-What, was all fire and brimstone." " This must only be a taste of he- sorry- You-Know-What." " What's your name?" " Oh! I'm, er, uh, Kat! Yes, that's my name, Kat." We walked further. Many of the other boys stumbled, and the shadows quivered, but they didn't fall. The shadows shrunk back. Then, unexpectedly, I tripped on a large dirt clod. I fell to the ground. What I felt next was beyond anything I had ever felt before. I screamed as I watched the flesh on my arms melt off, leaving the bone exposed. Someone pulled me up and I saw a single shadow slink back into the darkness. I looked up. It was Evan. The path remained straight and level for the rest. I could see light up a head. I shouted to Evan and grabbed his unskinned hand. We moved as fast as the darkness would allow. The end of this journey is here, I thought. What I saw next stifled my little ray of hope. I was in a high ceilinged room with what looked like mini televison screens. Each one was tuned to a different person or family. I stared around, Evan close by my side. My eyes fell on one screen. My own father was there, moving inside. My heart filled with sadness. I missed my family so much. I had made up my mind. I was going to get out of this living hell. We moved on, the torches seemed to dim as we went along. Suddenly I heard birds singing. A bright light shone around a corner. We turned and saw a door made of dark stained wood and iron hinges. My ray of hope broke the darkness and shone through the keyhole. It opened to our advance. The two men were there. They were smiling. The other boys pushed through the opening and clasped onto the floor. As Evan and I made to go through, the men held up a hand. They were frowning now. " You may not pass back into the realm of the living." " Why not?" I asked angrily. " Because the darkness has consumed a part of your soul." " It wasn't our fault!" yelled Evan. " I'm sorry but we cannot allow you to pass, for the evil must be contained in one place." " So you're going to let us spend the rest of eternity in a living nightmare?" I said. " No. You two are the only ones who earned the right to be saved." " Saved?" " Yes. Saved from a darkness that can engulf your soul. Even though the shadows destroyed your flesh, they cannot destroy your will to live. For that you will be returned to your families, whole in body, yet not in spirit. You must earn your stolen soul pieces back. Now come with me..." I woke up in my own bed, in my own room, in my own house. I ran my fingers through my hair. Had it all been a dream? It had all seemed so real. A voice above me made me jump. " No Kat, it was not a dream. Your soul left your body because it felt a calling. Heed it, and do not tell anyone. Do not forget it. The boy called Evan goes to your school, he will recognize you. Farewell, Katherine, child of a broken spirit."

[color=green]In a time and place not like our own, in a place where genetic experiments are frequent, there is a world of misery. In the heart of that misery begins a epic tale of risk, courage, and bonding. It begins with the creation. Nebire University, the place where millions start the fortune. In the genetics class is the best honor student the school had ever seen. He was two grades ahead of his age group and he came from a prominent family. Jose` San Guam, of the planet Tumo, graduating in the next month. Despite his top grades, Jose` was not very much liked. His only friend was a nerdy boy, who had thick glasses and buck teeth. Jose`, on the other hand, was tall and skinny. His face was squarish and it was surrounded by a mass of shiny midnight black hair. He and Martin both were planning to start a laboratory that specialized in genetic experimentation. "Where are we supposed to find a premises in our price range? The most we can afford is 10,000 galxicredits. Plus we have to pay for construction, and-" "Jose`, Jose`, what about your family? They're rich aren't they?" asked Martin, shaking his head in disgust. Jose` screwed up his face in anger. " I've told you already, I'm not taking anything from that snobsville of a planet. How many times must I tell you?" Martin smiled. " Alright, alright, just trying to convince you otherwise. Well, now that you mention it, the cheapest land is on Sallowest, but the acres are very small. Our best bet would probably be with Rueve. They have large acres of land for as little as 500 galxicredits. Construction wouldn't be a problem either. What do you say?" Jose` didn't say anything. His thoughts dwelt other places. Their graduation was tomorrow and he was worried. What if he slipped, or fell? "Jose`!" " Wha...?" " Did you even hear me?" " Oh yeah...which one do you think we should go to?" " Rueve." " Fine by me." The night seemed to go on for hours while Jose` lay awake. Finally he drifted into a uneasy sleep. Rueve, sixth planet of the Golgi system, where prices are low and farms are aplenty. Only thing they'd be needing is a little urbanization. Jose` stood on the platform of the space portal airport. All he could see before him was farmland. Farms, farms, and, you guessed it, more farms. Jose` shook his head. Perhaps this wasn't the best place to start a lab. But one had to admit, this planet did need some civilization. " What?! Whoa!" Martin came tumbling down the ship's stairs with an armful of luggage. He land with a crash on top of Jose`. " Is it possible for you not to be clumsy?" said Jose`, pulling himself and Martin up. " Hey, you don't need to rub it in. Just because you're all tall and thin doesn't mean you can-," " Look, we don't need to start another fight. Let's find that plot of land. Load the luggage onto a anti-gravity scooter and lets grab a transport." Construction of the Kamtioni Labs was completed the fifth month of the next year. Jose` and Martin began right away. They were attempting something that no one had ever successfully achieved. The two friends began a genetic clone. The first attempt failed horribly. Second try was better, but the specimen died within a week. But on the third attempt, something miraculous happened. While toying with different possible combinations for a successful clone, Martin discovered that the use of spirit plasm had self-healing properties. Jose` was ecstatic. Finally, they had found what they needed. They began straight away. By using an embryo from the hawk-like people of Vesuis, Martin injected a small amount of spirit plasm. The embryo was then placed in a machine that sped up the gestation period. At one year old, the specimen was moved to a development tank. Submersed and suspended in liquid, the experiment grew until it reached adulthood. Jose` was slightly worried. " Give me a status report." " Pulse is normal, but there's something strange appearing on my screen. It seems to be the life monitor. I think it's going to wake up!" " What!" said a shocked Jose`. " That's impossible! It's not supposed to be awake for another month!" Martin stared at the tank. He definitely saw signs of life in the specimen. But would it survive? He stared longer. The specimen's nose twitched. Slowly it opened its eyes. It looked at Jose`, then at Martin. Humans, it thought without even knowing. This is not my place. It eyes glowed, and the tank shattered. The liquid drained from the broken tank. It sat and looked at it surroundings. The short man was shouting something. The other quieted him. "Welcome." he said. The specimen did not respond. It merely blinked in puzzlement then slowly it said, " Who...am...I?" The tall man was smiling. " You are an experiment, crucial to the science of the universe." I am an experiment?! This is not what I was meant to be! These humans shall pay for what they think I am! The specimen shrunk into a ball of light. It glowed white hot and burst through the roof of the labs. It sped off into outer space. Martin was devastated. All their work, gone to waste. A small beeping made him turn around. Jose` was tinkering with a handheld computer. " What are you doing?" he asked. " I'm tracking." " Tracking what?" " The specimen, of course. We have to capture it, don't we? Is it not our responsibility?" " Where's it headed?" " A planet in the Milky Way galaxy. Its over 100,000 light years away." The ball of blinding light sped across the Andromeda to the Milky Way. It zoomed into one of the rotating spiral arms. Past planet systems and stars, it reached a nine planet one star system. It stopped, gazing at each planet in turn. Only one seemed to support life. It set off again, its course; the third planet from the supportive star. Satellites picked up something strange entering Earth's atmosphere. They sent a signal back to NASA. NASA didn't know what it was. The government was called in. It became a government situation. Several officers were convinced of alien invasion. Others were positive it was simply asteroid pieces. " The object picked up by US satellites has landed. We don't know what it is, but we do know this. It has landed somewhere in Arizona, close to the city of Phoenix. There's a suburb there. It may be dangerous." The specimen was standing in the middle of a desert. Hot winds blew sand and other debris all around it. It saw no signs of life except for a few scraggly plants. The sun was setting and a dark horizon now overlooked the land. It shrunk once more into the tiny ball of light and flew away to some other bright lights. It had come to a large suburb, filled with house after house. Several of the house had lights on, others were completely dark. The specimen floated to the nearest house. Three humans were inside, watching a strange box that had moving pictures. There was a woman, a man, and another female who resembled the man. The specimen could only guess that the female was a daughter. She looked about seventeen, tall and slim, with shoulder length light brown hair. As the specimen watched, the girl got up and announced something to her parents. Then she walked out of the room and up a flight of stairs. The specimen followed outside, floating upward to the above windows. The girl was in another room. She was lying on a metal frame that had springy cushions covered with sheets. She appeared to be asleep. The specimen gently cracked the window open and squeezed inside. It floated over to the bed and took a human-like form. Even though it had already learnt that humans were despicable creatures, it had grown the like this human. Perhaps they aren't all bad, it thought. Slowly and carefully, it began an ancient ritual of the spirits to bind itself to a living body. Once all was done, the specimen entered the human. The girl sat bolt upright. Suddenly she didn't feel well. She leapt out of bed and rushed into the bathroom and heaved violently. Her mother came running up the stairs. "Hayley? Are you all right?" she asked, coming into the bathroom. " I don't feel well, Mom," she said in a whisper. Her mother put a hand on Hayley's forehead. She looked torn between puzzlement and anxiety. She shook her head. " Well, you don't have a fever, that's good news, but you're cold as ice. Why is this window open?" she asked as they reentered the bedroom. " I don't know. I shut it this morning." " Hmm...Go back to bed, I'm sure you'll feel better in the morning." Hayley was uneasy as she slipped back into bed. Why was she suddenly so sick? It made no sense. She had been fine before and after dinner. Maybe something she ate didn't agree. Hayley fell asleep while pondering her unanswerable questions. Back in space, the scientists had arrived in the correct solar system. Jose` scanned for life. " Says here that the third planet is the only life supporter." " You're kidding, right?" " Nope. Sheesh, talk about primitive science. They haven't even discovered anti- gravity yet. Let's fly down and get that specimen!" " Hold up. First, tell me exactly what we're dealing with. Then we'll land." " Fine. Well, this creature is pretty powerful. Since it partially contains spirit plasm, it can't survive outside a living body for long. But once it does, there's no way of extracting it from the host. Though it seems weak as a spirit, inside a body it is capable of power beyond what this planet had ever faced." " So, in other words, we just gotta hope that it hasn't selected a host yet?" " Pretty much sums it up." Martin heaved a sigh. As he steered the ship toward the planet, he was still wondering how a planet this old was still so primitive. Jose` gave directions to Martin as to where to land. Martin swiftly guided the ship to the outskirts of a city. Jose` got out and scanned to the area. The tracked specimen was located somewhere in a suburb. Jose` set off. " Hey! Wait for me!" The next day Hayley woke up to find herself feel better. She dressed in a black T-shirt, short jean skirt, and tall boots. She put on her favorite earrings, hawk feathers, and went down into the kitchen. Her mom was frying bacon and her dad was reading the newspaper. The front cover said "ALIENS OR ASTEROIDS?" " Feeling well enough to go to school?" asked her father. " You bet I am!" " Good, because the bus will be here any moment." " What?! Dang, I'd better hurry!" Hayley rushed about, collecting her school things. She finished just in time. As she hopped onto the bus, she spied her best friend, Amy Salle`. She was immersed in a book like always. Hayley plopped down next to Amy. She slowly pulled the book away. " Anything interesting?" she asked, grinning. Amy pushed her glasses up her nose. " For you information, I was just reading up on our history test today." " What history test?" " The one I've been talking non-stop about for the past week, dummy." Hayley swore. How could she have forgotten that test? Lucky for her it was at the end of the day. Hayley changed the subject. " So, uh, did you see the front page of the news today?" " Yes, and I think its totally bogus." " Uh, yeah, me too." They were silent the rest of the way. When the bus finally stopped at River Creek High School, it was jam-packed with students. Hayley and Amy had trouble getting to their lockers. The day was pretty normal until after lunch. Hayley started to get a massive headache and was eventually sent to the nurse. The nurse did all the normal procedures. " My goodness!" she exclaimed after taking her temperature. " My dear, you're burning up! You're going home this instant!" Lying in bed at home was not what Hayley had planned for the day. But there were advantages. She didn't have to take that history test. The strange thing was, she didn't feel sick at all. In fact, she felt perfectly normal, save the fact her temperature stayed a steady 102.5 degrees. She didn't really think anything was wrong at all until she woke up the next morning. She walked, drowsy and trousel haired into the bathroom. She began brushing her teeth and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Suddenly she spit out the toothpaste. Her hair was tucked behind her ears. Her pointed ears. Worse still, there were feathers embedded in her hair and scattered on her sheets. But that wasn't even the worst of it. Late in the afternoon, she snuck out of the house and to Amy's. Amy had just gotten back from school and was a little surprised to see Hayley. Reluctantly, she let Hayley into the house. " You know, you're lucky. If my mom was here she would have chucked you out of the house. You're not still sick, are you?" " I never was. Listen, I have to tell you something. But you gotta keep it a secret and not freak. You're the only person I can trust." " Well, what is it already?" " I think something's happening to me." " Like...?" " Like a change in appearance. Wonder why I'm wearing my hood up?" " Yes actually." " Well, this is why." Hayley pulled down her jacket's hood. The prominent black banded feathers stuck out hear and there and her ears shone clear as day. Amy whipped off her glasses and cleaned them furiously. When she put the back on, Hayley was still the same as before. Amy began to stutter. " But...but...that's not possible...how...whoa." " What? Something else I missed?" Amy nodded. She pointed to her mirror. Hayley got up and stared into the mirror. Her eyes had turned yellow, her eye teeth were more pointed than usual, and two lumps rose from her back. Hayley was scared more that ever. " What's happening!?" Hayley yelled as she ran out of the room and out the back door. Amy called after her. " Wait! Came back, please!" But it was no use. Hayley had disappeared into the desert. It was night and Hayley had stopped, to weak from thirst to run any further. She was angry and sad. She wanted to know what was going on right now. A sharp pain in the lumps on her back made her cry out. Her T-shirt tightened and a ripping noise echoed through the night air. A whirlwind of feathers announced the arrival of another problem. A glint of steel talons couldn't possibly make anything more complicated. Hayley was now very angry. " What's going on?! I want to know now!" " And know you shall," said a voice. Hayley spun around to face a misty stranger. It was a male figure, that looked afflicted by the same syndrome that afflicted her. He was semi-transparent, at least a head taller and had short jet black hair. He was smiling slightly. He held a hand out. Hayley took it and pulled herself up. She eyed the boy suspiciously. " Who are you?" " I am a spirit, created by science. I have no family, no name, no heritage. You may call me whatever you like." " Hmm... Alright, Spirit. Are you here to explain?" " In time, yes. But first, you must understand. We are bound to one another, spirit and flesh, body and soul. One cannot survive without the other. I choose you for a reason." " Oh, and what would that reason be?" " To fulfill a destiny laid out by the Ancient Ones. Mine was to simply find a host. Once I did, I was to help my host. To help them understand what their new lives would include. I am here to teach you to use powers bestowed on you by me." " But I don't want any of this!" exclaimed Hayley. " Ah, I though you would react like this. There is no escaping it. You were chosen and that is that." " Fine. So now I'm a freak. What exactly can I do?" " Those wings should explain a little." " Wings? What wings?" asked Hayley, spinning around. " Oh... those wings. Does that mean I can fly?" " Hmm... catch on fast, don't you? Yes." " Wow! But, how do I do it?" " That is what I'm here for. Let's go up to that ridge," he said, pointing to a very high mesa. Hayley gulped. " All the way up there? Ok, I can do this." " No, we can do this." Together they ran (really one ran, other floated) to the mesa. Hayley's sharp steel talons dug into the rock and she was able to climb the mesa fairly quickly. Up at the top, Spirit gave directions. " Take deep slow breaths and your wings should pump up and down in a even fashion. Just run and spread your wings and jump. A wind draft will catch you, so just use the currents. Ready?" " I guess so." " Don't worry. I'll be right here with you." The pleasant night air felt wonderful on Hayley's face. She took a deep breath, and ran full speed off the side of the plateau. Quickly she spread her enormous wings and found herself flying high in the sky. It was a totally awesome experience. Her body felt lighter than air. She was enjoying herself immensely when all of the sudden a net burst out of nowhere and caught Hayley. She fell to the ground with an sickening thud. She was dazed. The netting tightly wrapped her body so she couldn't move. The harder she struggled, the tighter it became. Dimly she was aware of several people crowding around. Two of them picked her up and tossed her inside a cage. A muffled voice called. " We got it, sir! Yeah, you bet its secure." A truck engine started and the cage vibrated. With a jolt, the truck sped off, taking Hayley with it. Back home, Hayley's parents were worried. Their daughter had never been out this long before. Where could she be? Her mother decided to call the police. They arrived shortly after. " Mrs. Ketmia, I'm sorry to say that Hayley may, how can I put this, never come back. When a child has been gone this long, we send out an Amber alert. We can only hope and pray that we find your missing child. Would you please give us a description?" Mrs. Ketmia was beside herself with grief. Mr. Ketmia gave the officers a photo. The officers assured them that they would give them a call if they found anything at all. " I do hope Hayley is alright," said a very disgruntled Mrs. Ketmia after the officers left. " Don't worry. I'm sure she's just lost track of time." But the truth was Hayley was being taken away to a secret base held by the government. There she would endure horror she never would have imagined. At least, until Spirit showed her out. Hayley awoke to a dark room. At first she wondered where she was. Then, it hit her. She had been taken away by people she did not know. She was sore all over, and didn't remember the trip. The door opened and a dark shape entered. Hayley felt her limp body being picked up and thrown onto a very cold table. She was too weak to care. The rest of the day was a blur to Hayley. She was poked and prodded and given injections. She was wheeled back to the dark room and strapped to heavy manacles. The door shut, blotting out all light. Hayley slowly got to her feet. " Well, what a fine mess you've gotten us into," she seemed to say to thin air. Spirit had appeared from nowhere and his misty shape gave off an eerie light. " You're blaming me for this?" he said, floating closer. " Yes. I you hadn't interfered with my life, I wouldn't be here now." " What do you expect me to do? I alone can't get you out of this, only you can." " How?" " Telepathy." " What?" Spirit sighed. " Just find the door. You should be able to see it." Spirit was right. The room really didn't seem all that dark anymore. In fact, she could see every inch of the room. The door was right in front of her. She ran eagerly to it but was yanked back by chains. She pulled and pulled at the chains but they wouldn't break. Hayley soon stopped. Pulling was tiring. Panting, she slumped back onto the stone floor. " You know I could teach you how to break those chains," said Spirit. " Use your telepathic powers." " One problem with that," said Hayley, straightening up. " I don't know how to use them." " Oh it's quite easy. Concentrate on the locks, thinking ‘Break chains, break!'" Hayley gave Spirit a doubtful look but tried anyway. She stared intently at the locks of her chains. Thinking hard on her goal, she scarcely noticed a small tickle that started at her feet and moved up into a pair of blazing eyes. The chain locks clicked and a second later Hayley was free. She rounded again on the door. In a fraction of a nanosecond, the door was blown clear off its hinges. Hayley was guided through by Spirit. Both she and Spirit were floating about a foot from the ground. Alarms were going off and blaring like crazy. Men in black S.W.A.T uniforms came running down the corridor shooting weapons and rushing towards Hayley and invisible Spirit. Hayley easily deflected the bullets and sent the guards flying. Thinking quickly, she blasted through the glass walls and out into the night sky. " Well played," said an amused Spirit, floating right beside Hayley. " I didn't think you had it in you." " I'm more mysterious than you think. Oh!" " What?" " My parents! They must be worried sick over me! But I can't go home like this! What kind of explanation would I give them?" " I don't think they will really care. All they'll care about is the fact that you're safe." " I guess you're right." Jose` and Martin saw their experiment run into the desert, but there was definitely something different. The specimen they raised was male, but the figure they watched run away was female. The worst came into mind. What if it had already stabilized itself in a living body? Martin turned worriedly to Jose`. Jose` wore the same pained expression of grief. " Jose`?" asked Martin nervously. " You don't think...?" " There's no other excuse. That creature was female, no doubt. I believe our worst fears are now confirmed." Martin swore loudly. " How are we supposed to contain it now? How powerful exactly did you say this thing was?" " More powerful than either you or me can imagine. Its powers range in the Spirit realm, giving it supernatural abilities like telepathy and shape shifting. Well, you saw what it did to the laboratory." Martin nodded. He remembered all to well when the specimen blast through the roof in the little ball of light. Setting off into the desert, Jose` and Martin pursued the specimen. Hiding behind a very large rock, they watched as the sun set over the horizon. The specimen was climbing the highest cliff in sight, using what looked like glinty steel talons. It paused on the top, then took a charging run. It leapt off the side, spreading its large wings wide. It soared over the rock and back towards the cliff. A net sprang out of nowhere and caught the specimen in mid-air. It fell to the ground. Jose` sprang to his feet. All his hard work was being taken away by some barbaric pillagers. Well, he most certainly wasn't going to take that kind of crap. He was going to get it back, no matter what. The sticky night air was unpleasant to Hayley's face. Having narrowly escaped those strange people, she was leery of returning home. She had cast away her jacket while running from Amy's house. She needed something to hide her appearance. Something like... " Spirit?" she called to the ghost. " Do any of our powers include morphing appearance?" " You mean your powers, and yes, though I prefer it be called shape shifting. Would you like me to teach you?" " Of course, if not I wouldn't've asked." " Just checking. Let's land. This can't be properly done in the air." The pair landed on the edge of the desert. Spirit told Hayley to stretch and concentrate on what she wanted. " I really don't want change my physical appearance. Just create something to hide it." " Well then why did you go and ask me to teach you shape shifting? That power is for appearance. You'd want materialization. You can make a long cloak or something to throw over yourself." " Brilliant idea! But lets hurry, its almost sunrise..." They worked for the remainder of the night. Hayley found that this was more difficult than any other thing she had even tried, including violin lesson. The sun was peeking over the desert horizon when Hayley finally got it right. A long billowing, black cloak materialized in front of Hayley and Spirit. Hayley was happy. Spirit was simply pleased. His pupil was doing well. Hayley clipped the hooded cloak to her throat. Spreading her wings from underneath the cloak, she took off. Soaring over the dry cracked earth, left the desert. The tops of trees in people's homes were tiny blurs of green in morning sunrise. Houses were larger square blocks colored differently. Her house was a brick colored block. Motioning to Spirit, she descended onto her lawn. Pulling the cloak over her wings she retracted the steel talons. Breathing deeply, she put the hood over her head and walked in. The house looked deserted until Hayley heard sobbing coming from the kitchen. Slowly she entered. Her mother was crying on the table, a cup of coffee next to her. Her head was down on her arms. Hayley felt tears well up in her yellow eyes but she made no effort to wipe them. She walked over to her mother. " Mom?" she asked quietly. Hayley's mother's head shot up. She turned and saw Hayley. Her eyes blood shot and blurry, she got up and hugged Hayley. Hayley hugged back. This is definitely a memorable moment, thought Hayley. They stayed locked in one position for a few minutes. When her mother finally let go, Hayley saw she was almost a head taller than her mother. She used to be shorter. Hayley blamed it on Spirit silently. Maybe now she could make the basketball team. " Oh honey, we were so worried," said her mother, tears streaming down her face. " Where have you been?" " Shh, Mom, please. It's okay. All that really matters is that I'm here, safe and sound. But first, there is something you have to understand." Hayley told her story to her silent mother. When she was done, Hayley felt was if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Her mother, however, was horror struck. She sobbed even harder. Hayley felt her anguish. Swiftly she tried to comfort her, but to no avail. Jose` was thinking. And when he was thinking, you stayed out of his way. Devising a plan to capture a otherworldly being wasn't was simple was it sounds. Then, out of the blue, an idea sprang up. " Martin!" he said sharply. Martin jumped. He wheeled around and ran to Jose`'s desk. " What?" " I have an idea. We make the specimen come to us." " How?" " I'm getting there, don't interrupt me! We launch a attack on the largest city in this area. " Which would be...?" " Some city called Phoenix. Millions of people live there, it's bound to show up." Comforting her mother wasn't working so she turned on the TV. A special bulletin was being shouted from a live report. " I'm here in Phoenix where a mysterious ship has declared war on the city. Wreaking havoc, its threatens to destroy the city. Police are helpless and baffled at the ship's weapons, none of which have ever been seen..." The report continued when Spirit appeared next to Hayley. He was looking somber. " Who or what is that thing?" asked Hayley. " My creators, come searching for me. They must be stopped." " Well, then lets go!" She ran out of the kitchen. Her mother got up and followed her out. Hayley was about to take off when her mother grabbed her arm. A pleading look lined her face. Hayley took her mother's hand. " Don't worry Mom. I'll be okay. Keep watching the TV. I'll be back." Hayley threw the cloak off and took off, heading for Phoenix. Her mother stood watching her go. The city of Phoenix was in shambles when Hayley and Spirit arrived. Hovering above the wreckage, she saw the ship of Spirit's creators. Indeed it was a baffling thing. It was perfectly round, made of metal and a single window. Cannons were shooting some sort of plasma at buildings and making them collapse. Chunks of the buildings were falling, crushing cars and fire hydrants. People were running in all directions, screaming and yelling. It hurt Hayley's ears. Suddenly an blast hit a nearby building and a chunk of concrete fell. A boy was right underneath the concrete's shadow and he was screaming. Hayley sprang into action. Using lighting speed, she lifted the boy from harm's way in the nick of time. The boy stopped screaming as she brought him into her arms. He looked up in awe at the being who had saved him. People had stopped running. All eyes were on Hayley and the boy. Slowly she floated down and put the boy in safety. Looking up, she saw the ship had stopped firing. Hayley took flight. She flew up and up until she was level with the ship. A platform rose from the top of the ship. Two men were standing atop it. Spirit urgently warned Hayley. One of them was smiling. " So specimen, you've found a host. Quite typical that you picked a girl." He laughed. " We traveled all over for you, and now you've given us something more powerful than yourself!" Spirit was cowering. " I'm helpless against them. My future rest with you. Remember our exercises and put them to use." " I won't let you down, Spirit." The live TV reporter was excitedly shouting something into the microphone. " I'm back live to you here in Phoenix. A great miracle has befallen this shambled city. Out of nowhere a strange flying creature resembling an angel has come to our rescue. But oh will it be able to do it ? I'm here to fill the blanks..." The man was laughing again. His laugh was cruel and merciless. " Let's see your full potential, specimen!" The men disappeared back inside the ship. The cannons charged and shot blasts of plasma at Hayley. She dodged, dived, swooped and swerved the blasts. " You have to get them out of the city!" shouted Spirit. " Lure them away into the desert!" Hayley nodded. Flapping away, she streaked towards the desert. The metal ship followed in hot pursuit. It was blasting away at her and she in turn swerved. The desert was right in front of her when... A blast of plasma hit Hayley square in the back, sending her careening down into the pavement. Temporarily dazed she stood. Her knees were wobbling. Slowly she turned to face her enemies. The men were on the platform again. " You're stronger than you look," said the cruel man. " But now we must dispose of you." A cannon charged. The plasma lighted and was ready to shoot when a voice entered her mind. Hayley listen to me. You must destroy the ship. Use the talons and the powers I taught you. Please! As you lose, I begin to fade. Help me! Spirit's last words rang through Hayley's head. The words gave her strength. She shot in the air just before the cannon went off. Hovering in the air, she was breathing hard. Thinking of Spirit's fate, Hayley shot the talons out and charged. The men inside were shocked. " It looks like it's try to take us head on!" shouted the short man. Indeed that was Hayley's plan. She slashed at the metal, combining its power with mental telepathy. She landed and rolled, far from the ship. It hovered for a moment then light issued from the cuts slashed deep in its surface. It exploded like a bomb, sending shards of burning metal everywhere. People were in danger. Hayley rushed in front of them and put up a defensive shield. The shards bounced off and clattered to the ground. When all was done, she collapsed to her knees. The watching crowd was silent. Then cheers rang al through the streets praising their savior. Hayley was a heroine. In the hospital, Hayley lay, fast asleep. A heart monitor was beeping quietly. Suddenly her eyes shot open and she sat bolt upright. Spirit was standing by her bed and her parents were asleep in the chairs. Spirit's face was unreadable. " So, you beat your foes. Everyone is praising you for a hero. My job is done. I...must depart," he said, sadness filling his eyes. " My quest is done here, but I must continue to roam. And...I regret that some powers of yours...must be taken back. I am truly sorry." Hayley said nothing. She already knew which powers must be taken back. She would miss them. They had become a part of her. " Do what you must," she said. Spirit sighed deeply. He began the cleansing ritual to deprive Hayley of her powers. An odd glow surrounded Hayley. A warm, fleeting feeling ran through her body. The wings shrank and disappeared. Her teeth returned to normal. Shape shifting and materialization were gone. The talons vaporized. The ritual was complete. Spirit floated above the ground. He slowly faded away until nothing was left. Hayley began crying. A soft voice blew on a breeze. Hayley, I will not forget you. Remember out times together and don't forget. I will always be with you and near you. Farewell. Hayley sat there sobbing into her hands. Some of Spirit still remained and she would not forget him. Thus ends the epic tale of bravery and bonding. Hayley and Spirit both learned that there is always hope, no matter how though the situation may be or seem. Look inside yourselves for that special gift. Use it to express yourself. And remember; loved ones never die, they are always with you.[/color]

[color=yellow][/color] Chapter Three Truth Trick grabbed Kaeno, his belongings, and raced out the door. He didn’t even stop when the woman yelled at him. Time was running out. He needed to find the shaman first. He twisted in and out of the flood of people, thinking of all the places a shaman would live. Suddenly a strange feeling overtook him. He turned slowly and looked down. On a merchant’s stand sat a small crystal orb, much like his blue one only brown. Something deep within him told him he needed that orb. The owner was nowhere in sight. Trick looked this way and that, making sure no one was near him. He snatched up the orb, stuffing it into his pocket. As he began edging away, he bent down and grabbed a small canvas shoulder satchel. Trick began to walk away slowly, careful not to be noticed. His pace grew faster and faster until he was a safe distance from the stall. Ducking down a side alley, Trick pulled out the brown orb. A rune was scratched on its surface too, but it was different from the blue orb’s. Trick put both orbs in the satchel and continued walking. In truth, he had no idea where he was going. Kaeno had fallen asleep in his arms and Trick himself was beginning to feel drowsy. Finally he stopped and asked a man. “Aye, there’s a shaman in this town,” said the man. “Right on the edge of it. Big old wagon in a clearing, can’t miss it.” Trick nodded his thanks and raced off to where the man had indicated. The buildings and people thinned and eventually vanished all together as Trick neared the edge of town. Sure enough, the wagon and the field were right where the man had said. The wagon itself gave no signs of being inhabited. Trick could tell that the dilapidated old wagon had once been painted blue, but the paint had since peeled away. Broken shutters covered the grimy windows. Trick walked up the rotted steps and pushed the door open. The interior of the wagon was cluttered from ceiling to floor with junk. Thick leather bound books lay stretched against the walls, gathering dust. An assortment of paper, quills, inkwells, candle stubs, and corked bottles of various sizes and colours were strewn throughout the place. “Hello?” inquired Trick. “Hello?” A sharp female voice answered Trick. “Yes, yes, I’m coming.” A thin woman appeared from another room and surveyed Trick through thick glasses. She wore a simple black dress and her shoulders were draped in several shawls. A long necklace of large wooden beads hung from her frail neck. Her expression was somewhat annoyed. “Well? What do you want?” she snapped. Not wanting to get on her bad side, Trick pulled out one of the crystal orbs. “I want to know what this is.” The woman’s magnified eyes widened. “But I thought… Quickly, come with me.” Trick followed her into the room she had come from. A few candles burned on a table piled with dog-eared books. With one swift sweep she threw the books into a corner. “Sit,” she commanded, pointing to a chair. “What I am bout to tell you is not to be repeated to anyone. Is that clear?” Trick nodded vigorously. “Good. First, how many of those orbs do you have?” “Two,” answered Trick. “Hmm…well, you have many more to find. These crystal orbs are the legendary Elemental orbs of Myotis. Twelve orbs, twelve elements, each just as powerful as the next. And you are the only one to find them.” “Me?!” “Yes. You see, anyone who possesses a magical ability can use them, but only one person can find them. There is a prophecy that speaks of an ancient power contained within a mortal man. It also has something to do with these orbs and the restoration of King’s Isle. In my travels, I have had the great fortune to hear it.” “What does the prophecy say?” asked Trick. The shaman paused dramatically before she began. “On summer solstice a child of great magical power will be born. He is infused with the power of the immortals, an ancient source that spring deep from within the heart. His power will be vast, a master of all magic. The day will come, when all hope has failed, he shall rise to vanquish the evil that plagues his world. The kings of old have crowned him heir to the world’s throne. He is the One.” No sound rang through the wagon as Trick let these words sink in. A king? A KING?! Impossible. Unbelievable. How could he be a king if he was not of royal blood? But… “If you are the one, you must learn to harness and control the power of the orbs. There are three ways to unlock their power. The first way: element with weapon. This is by far the simplest way to use the orbs’ power. Anyone with even the smallest amount of magical ability can use this system. To activate it, call out the name of the element and the weapon you want to fuse it with. To return the two to their original state, say ‘diffuse’ “The second way: element with element. This can only work when all twelve orbs have been brought together. This system comes with an incantation. To bring the orbs’ power collectively as one say ‘Elements twelve, combine your power and give me strength’. “The third and final way: element with body. This system also comes with an incantation. It is ‘ Power of the element fuse with my flesh.’ This is the most difficult of all three systems. No one, not even those with the unmatched magic have accomplished this. All have died trying.” Trick frowned. Something about the shaman bothered him. He was about to speak when loud knocking sounded. As the pounding continued, Kaeno jolted awake. He drew closer to Trick and said fearfully. “Oh sir, it is those men! They’re here for you!” “Not on my watch,” said the shaman firmly. She handed Trick a piece of parchment and a bag of coins. She quickly ushered him to the back door. Trick turned. “How do you know so much about the orbs?” The shaman woman sighed. “ I was a very close friend of the orbs’ creator. Now, leave before you are discovered!” Trick leapt from the wagon just as the front door was forced open. He ran from the scene only stopping when he heard a scream. With teary eyes, he turned and saw the worst; the wagon afire and the anguished screams of the shaman piercing his ears. Trick felt sick. Another innocent person had died because of him. Tears streaming down his face, Trick ran until he could run no more. He wandered off the road to the shelter of the roadside trees. He was angry. He could no longer see the point of continuing. And there, Trick collapsed out of frustration and exhaustion.

[color=blue][/color] Chapter Two A Secret Set in Stone Trick stood upon the skeletal ashy remains of homes that were once his village. He gripped the orb in his hand more tightly. He had a strange connection to the little crystal glass ball and he had to find out more. But first… Trick carried the bodies of the two most important people to him form the rubble and buried them a short distance away. There he sat for several hours at their graves, remembering the good times he had with them. Trick sat on the beach some more hours later, a small fire crackling at his feet. He was silent was he stared out to sea. No thoughts crossed his empty mind. The occasional tear dripped down his face and before long it had become an overwhelming emotion. He broke down and cried himself to sleep. The next morning dawn cold and grey. Thick clouds blotted out the sunrise and a strong wind whipped across the beach. Trick shivered and moaned in his sleep. In his dreams, tormented memories of his aunt and uncle’s death haunted him. At that moment, something scurried on the sand. It was a creature of strange proportions. It was about the size of a cat, with green fur, large pointed ears, a long tufted tail, big paws and eyes, and little wings. It moved about nervously, not quite sure what to made of Trick. After some debate, it judged that Trick was safe to draw closer to. It padded right up to him and plopped onto the sand. It sat there, watching the clouds roll by. It was so lost in thought that it didn’t notice Trick hand fly up and grab it. Immediately it began shrieking and squirming, struggling to get free. Trick brought the creature’s face up to his own. The frightened creature squeaked in a high-pitched voice. “Please, sir, I meant no harm! Don’t hurt me!” Trick rolled his eyes. “Be quiet, or you’ll attract rather unpleasant things to this beach.” The creature shut its mouth tightly. “That’s better. Now, who and what are you?” “N-nothing of any importance to you sir!” stammered the creature. “I am nothing more than a lowly Neeze, an outcast of my herd!” Trick set the Neeze back on the ground. “Well if you’re from a herd, what are you doing out here all by yourself? And what might your name be?” “Kaeno is my name, sir,” said the Neeze, bending into a low bow. “And because of it I have been banished from my herd.” “You were banished because you had a name?” The Neeze nodded. “Yes sir. My herd is very superstitious. They believe that names are the devil’s doing. But not me! Names define who you are. Though I tried very hard I could not convince the others of my theory. They threw me out and told me never to come back. Oh, sir, I’ve never been more scared in all my life!” Trick looked with pity at the trembling Neeze. He stood, stretched the stiffness from his joints and offered a hand to the Neeze. “No harm shall befall you while you’re with me.” Kaeno’s eyes widened. “Do you truly mean it sir?” “Of course. Climb aboard.” The Neeze grinned as it scaled Trick arm and settled on his head. Trick his belt on and his weapons too. He stamped out the remains of his fire and set off. Kaeno was the first to spot the road. It was a beaten dirt path, barely wide enough for a cart. As the day wore on, Trick and Kaeno saw many strange things. They passed funny looking people carrying staffs, people pulling and driving carts and wagons, and one guy who was muttering to himself as he passed. Then, about mid-afternoon, they reached the first town. It was bigger than Trick could have imagined. Buildings the largest he had ever seen towered over the crowded streets. Trick’s head spun in all directions, trying to soak in everything. Small tents and stalls had been erected on the sides of the narrow main streets and their owners shouted their wares. If the buildings weren’t amazing enough, the smell of the place would do it. The rancid scent of garbage and manure mingled with the air. The horrible stench made Trick blanch. Trick saw many things being sold, traded, and bought. He saw jewelry, cloth, perfume, spices and incense, clay jars, woven rugs, and many other things he could not name. One tent was even selling riding animals. Just before the square, Trick came upon a traveler’s inn. The battered wooden sign said The Pony at Bay. Hesitating slightly, he reached for the handle and entered the dim tavern. The place was practically empty, considering the crowds outside. As he stepped inside, Trick was spared the noise of the people. Five men were seated at a table in the far end of the room in a corner. Their quiet whispers ceased when Trick entered. Doing his best to ignore the men’s following eyes, Trick made his way to the bar front. A large rotund woman stood behind the bar, cleaning mugs with a filthy rag. It was hard to tell whether the mugs were dirty from the start or if they had, at one time, been clean. She seemed not to notice Trick. She paid no attention to him as he drew closer. She had the look of someone who would slice your throat without remorse. Trick cautiously cleared his throat. “Um…I’d like a room…. please…” The woman stopped her task. She set the mugs down and fixed Trick with a hard stare. “You got any money?” she asked in a rough voice. Trick shook his head. “Then you’ll have to work for a room. Follow me.” With some difficulty, she squeezed out from behind the bar and headed for a flight of stairs in the back. She led Trick up these stairs and to a locked room. She wiped out a key and unlocked the door. “How long you staying?” “Just one,” answered Trick. “Then that’s a day’s work. Follow me to the kitchen; that’s where you’ll be working.” The kitchen was huge. Steam rose from boiling pots of water and people rushed about preparing meals. A rather large pile of dishes lay stacked by the sink. “You’ll be cleaning the everything in that corner. Hasn’t had a decent wash in years…” She left, leaving Trick to his chore. Trick grabbed an empty pot and examined it. He made a mental note never to eat or drink anything here. “Those men sure looked suspicious,” said Trick. “They did indeed sir,” said Kaeno, jumping onto the grimy counter. Trick looked down at the Neeze. “Do you think you could keep an eye on them? You know, eavesdrop?” “Ah, most certainly!” “Good.” Trick watched the Neeze slink away before he grabbed a rag and began his payment. Several hours later an exhausted Trick slumped down onto the floor of his tiny room. The job proved to be very taxing, especially when the woman would come in a shout that the dishes weren’t clean enough. Trick had just closed his eyes when something pounced on his head. Trick jumped and found himself staring into the wide eyes of Kaeno. He looked extremely excited. “What’s wrong?” “Oh, sir, I have news, yes indeed! The men are of Lin Traver’s navy. They’re looking for the one who possesses magical orbs. I also heard them talking about a secret set in stone. They’re going to a shaman to learn the locations of the remaining orbs. Oh, sir, what does it mean? “Me,” he said quietly. “They’re after me. Well, we’ll just have to get to that shaman first, then won’t we?”