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The Lost One Ch. 03

By: Zodia195



A/N: Hello everyone. I hope you are enjoying this story. Here's the next chapter. Again thank you blackstallion21 for editing this chapter. 

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III.

Under the Deep

Blue Sea

So Lance and his band of outlaws joined Pristine and her crew on their quest. After cleaning up after lunch, they got ready. Ophealia had to retrieve her own horse nearby. As soon as she returned, they left. As they rode along, Lance could not keep his eyes off of Pristine for the most part. He tried to get closer, but Kyra kept glaring at him. Sir Reginald stayed by Ophealia, watching the outlaws like a hawk. Lance really didn't know what was wrong with himself for he never felt any feelings like the ones he was feeling right now. At one point he finally managed to get by Pristine's side when she got away from the crowd a bit by lingering back. Kyra kept looking back at them and frowned. 

She thought, "If he does anything to hurt Pristine, he'll be sorry." 

Sometimes Kyra believed that she was the one who watched over Pristine rather than vice versa. Every now and then Lance looked at his brother and the princess. He grinned to himself. Grayson was trying to impress Ophealia by telling her of all the 'great accomplishments' he had done. Lance knew that all the stories were rubbish and that Grayson just wanted Ophealia to like him. It also appeared that Ophealia was not buying them. Lance also knew that Grayson wasn't exactly a knight in shining armor. In fact, he hid behind Lance for the most part and was more brains than a fighter. At least he could fight, thought Lance.

A while later, they made it to the river. 

"This is the river that will lead us to the ocean." Pristine pointed out. 

"We better rest for a bit." requested Lance as he dismounted. 

Grayson and the other outlaws followed his lead. Lance raced over to Pristine. 

"Here, allow me." he offered. 

"Thanks." smiled Pristine before carefully turning in the saddle so she was facing Lance. Leaning over, she placed her hands on Lance's shoulders. Lance gently placed his hands on her hips just before she slid down. Pristine felt the same tingly sensation when Lance kissed her hand. Lance was in another world. They stared at each other for awhile before Lance let go of Pristine's waist. Seeing what his brother did, Grayson went over to Ophealia. 

Ophealia just said, "Thanks, but no thanks," before getting off. 

Grayson sighed in defeat. This caused Ophealia to feel sorry for him and apologized. Sir Reginald shook his head and dismounted. Kyra was the only one left on her horse. 

Looking at Lance, she asked, "Why are we stopping? We need to get moving." 

Lance looked at her and answered, "The horses need to rest. We'll be heading into rougher terrain." 

Kyra shrugged and dismounted. She really wanted to continue. Pristine smiled at her friend before heading upstream. Lance began to follow her, but was stopped by Kyra. 

"Let her go." 

"She shouldn't be going off on her own." 

"She likes to be alone most of the time." 

"I wonder why?" 

"I am not sure, but I respect her privacy." Kyra replied tersely. 

She walked back to the others. Lance smiled at the little girl. She was certainly protective of her friend. Lance looked toward where Pristine went, before heading back as well.

Everyone talked when suddenly they heard shouting. The outlaws immediately drew out their weapons. Sir Reginald followed suit as well as Ophealia, who was armed with bow and arrows. 

"Oh great! I was afraid this would happen." said Lance as he drew his sword. 

"Who are they?" asked Ophealia. 

"Another band of outlaws." 

He was glad that Pristine wasn't here. 

"Stand by me Miss Kyra." ordered Sir Reginald. 

Kyra did not argue. During the fight, the leader of other band of outlaws appeared. 

"Lance!" he called out. 

Lance looked up and saw a man with dark brown shoulder length hair and dark green eyes. He was muscular like Lance and was the same age and stood at six feet. 

"Aaron! What's the meaning of this?" Lance asked. 

The two men were rivals, but friendly ones. Sure they fought from time to time, but never like this. Something must have happened for Aaron's group to attack his. 

"Where's my little sister?" Aaron demanded as he jumped from a boulder. 

He landed in an open area and made his way to Lance. 

"What? I don't know where Adrianna is!" Lance shouted at him. 

"Someone told me you kidnapped her." Aaron said as he stepped up. 

"Hey! I may steal, but I am no kidnapper! Why would you think I'd ever do that? I adore Adrianna." 

"Well, who else could have done it?" 

"I don't know. All I know it wasn't me." 

"Liar!!" 

Lance was able to tell that the man was obviously out of it. 

"I'm no liar either!" 

The two started to fight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Pristine walked along the river. Suddenly she became sleepy and decided to take a nap. As she dreamt, she had another vision from Drackor. 

"Pristine . . . Your friends are in danger. Zeather, the Evil One, has captured a little girl named Adrianna. She is the younger sister of Aaron, the leader of another band of outlaws. Aaron's gang is the archrival of Lance's. Zeather made Aaron believe that Lance has Adrianna. Aaron's group is now fighting Lance's. You must save Adrianna." 

"Where can I find her?" 

"Go further upstream. There's a camp nearby. Use extreme caution. Be brave and you will succeed." Drackor explained. 

The vision ended. Pristine woke up. Without thinking about the dream, she got up and headed further upstream. The way got rockier as she went, but she pushed herself on. Finally, she pulled herself over a ledge, and looked down into a valley. Down below was the camp. It was heavily guarded. Immediately, Pristine sensed the Evil One. He was near, Pristine thought. She knew that she must be quick and quiet. 

"I need a distraction. I need to hide my complexion." she thought to herself. 

Indeed, she needed something to cover herself for she stuck out like a sore thumb. As if someone was watching over her, there appeared a cloak beside her. 

"It is an invisible cloak." a voice said. 

It was Drackor! 

"Thank-you Drackor." Pristine said quietly.

Pristine putted on the cloak and silently slipped into the camp. It was hard for there were human guards and goblins all over. Pristine wanted to belch when she saw some goblins eating like ravenous dogs. And the smell did not help for it reeked of death and burned metal. There was numerous tents, some bigger than others. It was dusty and dirty in the camp as well. Pristine moved quickly for she knew that her scent could be picked up. Soon she spotted Adrianna. The little girl was seven years old with curly black hair and violet eyes. She looked terrified, but remained silent. She was tied to a pole. There was only one problem. She was right next to the Evil One, Zeather. The dark figure was covered in black from head to toe. No one could see his face. The only thing that could be seen where his piercing yellow eyes. Pristine calmed herself down for he was the source of the entire world's problem. Even with her disguise, she knew that the Evil One would be able to sense her. Just as Pristine sensed anything evil, Zeather sensed anything good and pure, or so she heard and something told her the rumors were true. She needed to distract him somehow. Then something caught her eye. She smiled. Quickly and quietly, she grabbed a torch, and set several tents on fire. The fire quickly grabbed the attention of Zeather and his men. Not wasting any time, Pristine rushed over to Adrianna. 

She stopped suddenly when she heard the girl said, "You don't have to hide. I know you're there." 

Pristine lifted her hood and became visible. 

"How did you know I was there?" 

"Your scent." Adrianna answered with a smile. 

Pristine smiled back. 

"I got to get you out of here." Pristine said as she knelt down. 

She took out her dagger that was strapped to her lower leg and cut the girl free. 

"Okay, let's go." Pristine replied. 

She picked up Adrianna and pulled her hood back over her head, which caused them to vanish. Pristine ran as quickly as possible. However, Zeather picked up her scent and threw a ball of dark energy at Pristine. It hit her directly on her side. Pristine screamed as she fell down. Adrianna held onto her as she fell, but let go when Pristine was on the ground. She knelt down next to Pristine, who was clutching her side. Since her cloak was damaged, Pristine became visible. 

She looked at Adrianna and managed to say, "Adrianna . . Go get help. Follow the river . . .downstream." 

The little girl looked worried, but nodded before running off. Unfortunately, some of Zeather's men started running after her before catching her. To make matters worse, Zeather appeared in front of Pristine! 

"So you're the one who is giving me trouble. I heard that you plan on finding the Crystal of Life. Well my dear, I'll see to it that you won't succeed. Let's see what you look like." he said in a sinister and dark voice. 

He blew off the remains of the cloak. When Pristine lifted her head and looked at him straight in the eye, the Evil One suddenly screamed. His wail was so loud, that Lance and the others heard it. Seeing their master on the ground that seemed to be in pain, the two henchmen holding Adrianna dropped her and rushed over to him. With all the strength she could muster, Pristine managed to stand up, went over to Adrianna, and picked her up. She struggled because the wound at her side was extremely painful. It was her mental strength that kept her going though. She was able to follow the river through a ravine.

After Lance heard the scream, he looked over and saw the smoke coming over a hill side. 

"Oh no! Pristine's over there!" he yelled. 

He started running while the others followed close behind. Aaron and his group looked at them with confusion before running after them. 

"Look!" yelled Kyra as they came to a stop. 

Someone was making their way towards them. It was Pristine, who was still holding Adrianna. Aaron shoved his way to the front to see his sister and the lady who held her. 

"Adrianna!" shouted Aaron. 

"Aaron!" the girl shouted with glee. 

Pristine set the girl down and she ran over to her big brother. He picked her up and hugged her, thinking he would never let her go again. He held her back a bit. 

"Are you all right?" Aaron asked her, trying to hold in his emotions. 

"Yes, she saved me." Adrianna answered as she pointed to Pristine. 

Aaron looked at Pristine and said, "Thank-you. I can't tell you how much it means to me to have my sister back." 

"It was no trouble at all sir." bowed Pristine, although it took her some effort. 

"Please, call me Aaron." 

Pristine was soon surrounded by her companions. 

"Are you okay, Pristine?" asked Kyra. 

"I will be." said Pristine before touching her side and collapsing. 

The injury to her side finally became too much for her. Luckily, Lance caught her as she fell and gently placed her on the ground. Pristine's hand fell from her side and revealed the bloody wound. Everyone gasped in horror. 

"Oh my gosh, Pristine! You're bleeding!" exclaimed Ophealia, stating the obvious. 

Lance immediately tore off a piece of his cloak and put it on the wound to stop the bleeding. Pristine managed to open her eyes and looked at everyone. 

Finally, she found her voice and explained slowly, "I'm sorry, but Drackor told me to rescue her." 

Lance, who looked like he wanted to take the powerful wizard head on, shouted, "Now why would he do that?!" 

The man was ready to go wild. Pristine tried to sooth his temper by placing her hand on his cheek. He stopped trembling immediately. Her hand limped back to her side. 

"I did it to stop the fighting. You see, Zeather was the . . .ah . .one who captured Adrianna. . . And he tricked you, Aaron . . .into thinking that . . . Lance did it." Pristine said barely between breaths. 

"I'm sorry miss. I had a feeling Lance didn't do it. It's just that I went ballistic when Adrianna went missing. She's the only family I have left." apologized Aaron. 

"You don't have to explain. I understand." 

"Who did this to you, Pristine?" Kyra asked. 

"Zeather. I was given an invisible cloak from Drackor. Zeather was able to sense me as I was escaping with Adrianna. So he shot black magic at me." 

"If you were hit Pristine, how were you able to escape?" asked Grayson. 

"All right! That's enough questions! Pristine's wound needs tending to." shouted Ophealia. 

"No, let me finish. When Zeather took off the remains of the cloak and looked at me straight in the eye, he screamed and fell to the ground." Pristine said quietly. 

"Aaron, let me down." Adrianna instructed. 

Aaron nodded before letting her down. Adrianna placed her hands on the wound and seconds later, Pristine's wound vanished. 

"How did you do that?" asked Kyra in awe. 

"Adrianna is blessed with the ability to heal people physically." answered Aaron. 

Pristine felt much better and carefully sat up with Lance's help. 

"Thank-you." said Pristine. 

"You help me. I help you." answered Adrianna. 

Pristine suddenly realized that her energy was back as well. 

"We must go immediately." said Pristine before suddenly getting up. 

They rushed back to the horses. Pristine mounted hers before anyone else. The others followed suit. 

"Zeather knows we're on the quest." Pristine said. 

"What quest?" asked Aaron. 

"Now's not the time Aaron. You take care." replied Lance. 

"Can you ever forgive me?" 

"Well, I guess I can let you off the hook this time." 

Aaron just shook his head. 

"Pristine? Are you an angel or a princess?" asked Adrianna. 

She looked at her as if she was a celestial being. In fact, that was how Adrianna saw her. 

"I'm afraid I am just me. Farewell!" Pristine answered. 

They all waved as they rode off. 

Finally Aaron asked, "Adrianna, why did you ask that question?" 

"Didn't you see her? She was wearing white garments and was glowing. She also had a crystal on her forehead." Adrianna explained in great reverb. 

Aaron knew that his little sister saw people in their true forms. She also thought everyone else could as well. 

"Also, when she was carrying me, she ran so gracefully, that it was like riding a unicorn." 

That caught Aaron's attention. 

"You don't suppose she could be . . ." commented Aaron.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Pristine and the others continued to follow the river. 

"I still don't understand how Zeather could have been hurt by looking at Pristine." commented Ophealia. 

"It's simple really. The Evil One is sensitive to those who have pure hearts. Pristine's purity must have blinded him, like fire blinding us." explained Grayson. 

"If Miss Pristine has a pure heart then we better watch her more." said Sir Reginald. 

"Why?" asked Kyra. 

"Because Miss Kyra the Evil One has been searching all over for the world looking for those with pure hearts and destroying them." 

Kyra's eyes widen as she realized something. 

"That must be why Zeather attacked our village!" 

"The Evil One attacked your village?" asked Ophealia. 

"Pristine and I were not there when it happened, but when we got back, everything laid in ruins. Zeather must have figured out that Pristine's heart is pure." 

Lance listened in and totally agreed with Sir Reginald. The idea of Pristine in the Evil One's clutches did not sit well with him at all. In fact, it made him even more determined to protect her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It took them a little over a week to make it to the ocean. The water looked magical as the afternoon sun shined upon it. It painted an enchanting picture. Pristine smiled at the view. She never saw anything so beautiful. Soon Lance's voice snapped her back to reality. 

"Now where do we go?" 

Pristine sensed something underneath the water. 

"Hello!" yelled Pristine with all her might. 

That very second, a giant sea snail rose from the water. It was forty feet tall with light blue skin and a shimmering shell on its back. However, only someone who listened and looked with his or her heart saw it. Pristine was the only one who saw it at the moment. Also, all animals saw it so the horses started to get nervous. 

"Easy girl. I don't think it's dangerous." Pristine said as she soothed her horse. 

"What are you talking about Pristine? There's nothing there." pointed out Lance. 

Everyone looked at Pristine confusingly. Pristine ignored them and turned to the snail. 

"Good afternoon!" Pristine greeted. 

"So you can see me. Can you hear me?" the male snail asked. 

"Yes I can. Can you take us all to Oceanica, please?" 

"I will only take those who can see and hear me." 

Pristine glanced back at the others before turning back to the snail. 

"I don't think they can see or hear you." 

"They can't see or hear because they are not using their hearts." 

"Oh! Okay, thanks." said Pristine before turning back to the others. 

"Guys! The reason you can't see or hear the snail is because you're looking with your eyes and hearing with your ears. Close your eyes and ears, and listen and look with your heart." 

Everyone else closed their eyes and concentrated. 

As soon as they opened their eyes, Ophealia yelled, "Oh my goodness!" 

Grayson's face turned white and he said, "Uh, I think I want to go home now." 

Ophealia looked at him and smirked. 

"Are you chickening out, Grayson?" 

"No, no! Of course not!" 

In truth, he did not want to go back. He just never saw anything like this Sea Snail before and it scared him initially. 

"Can you-all see and hear me now?" asked the snail. 

Everyone answered yes. 

"Then come here. There is an opening to my shell. You may enter there." 

"What about the horses?" asked Kyra. 

"They'll be fine." 

"One more thing, does water get into the shell?" asked Lance. 

"No." 

Lance looked at everyone and they all nodded. They dismounted and entered the snail's shell.

After they entered the shell, they settled down amongst the shell's twists and curves. It was shimmering pink inside. The snail slowly sank underneath the water and headed for Oceanica. 

"Wow! This is so cool! I never thought I would ride in something like this." exclaimed Kyra. 

"I've heard that these types of creatures use to thrive before the Evil One took over." said Grayson. 

"Sir Reginald, you were alive before Zeather invaded, right? What was life like?" asked Ophealia. 

"Oh, I remember a little. Some of my favorite memories were actually swimming in the river with my brothers." Sir Reginald told them. 

He smiled in reminiscence. 

"Have you ever seen any unicorns?" asked Kyra eagerly. 

"Only one. I was playing hide-and-seek with some friends. When I was it, I ended up finding a unicorn instead." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During this time, the giant snail swam through the deep blue ocean. Many different creatures swam around it. Finally, the snail reached the underwater kingdom of Oceanica. The kingdom was made out of coral and other materials that could only be found in Oceanica. The whole kingdom was covered by transparent domes. Like the other protected places, it had an invisible shield. No evil, especially Zeather, could gain entry to the place. There were many entrances to the kingdom. The entrances were caves. The snail entered one of the caves. The entrance closed up. The creature entered a gigantic room. The water quickly drained out. Another door opened as some of the inhabitants walked in. They were water folk. They looked exactly like humans with a few exceptions. For one thing, their skin was blue, they had fins on their arms and ankles, their hands and toes were webbed, and they had gills on their backs. So they breathed both air and water. They were also adaptable to both cold and warm climates. One of the water folk stepped forward. She had turquoise hair with sea green eyes. She was three hundred years old but her appearance was of a twenty-three year-old. Her name was Mallian. She looked at the snail and smiled. 


The Lost One Ch. 03



"Good afternoon, friend!" 

"The same to you Mallian. I have brought visitors." 

Mallian frowned. 

"Visitors? We weren't expecting anyone." 

"Well, they came all this way to come here. Let me call them out. Hey! We're here." the snail said as he announced into his shell. 

Pristine and the others got out. The water folk shuddered and whispered. None of them liked humans. In fact, most mystical races disliked them. 

"Oh great, humans." mumbled Mallian, irritation in her voice. 

She walked over to them. While a few looked eager, the rest looked nervous. 

"All right. Who are you and why are you here?" Mallian asked them. 

Before Lance answered, Pristine boldly stepped forward. She felt all eyes on her. She felt their anxiety toward them, but she also sensed some curiosity towards her. Mallian was curious too. She could already tell that this was no ordinary young lady. 

Pristine finally overcame her shyness and replied, "Hello, my name is Pristine." 

Every water folk in the room gasped. The others started looking around. Even Mallian showed a reaction by raising her eyebrows. 

"Is something wrong?" asked Pristine with concern. 

"Oh no. Now who are the rest of these folk here?" asked Mallian, a bit more politely this time. 

"Sorry, this is Kyra, Sir Reginald of Cranston, Princess Ophealia, Lance, his brother Grayson, and Lance's band of outlaws." 

"Outlaws!" gasped all the water folk. 

"Don't worry! We won't steal anything!" assured Lance. 

He really was not surprised by their reaction. Outlaws did not exactly have a good reputation amongst races. Mallian looked at Lance and frowned at him. She never trusted humans, especially outlaws, but since she and the other water folk would be watching them, she decided to take his word, for now. 

"Well, for your sake, you'd better be saying the truth." she told him sternly. 

She turned to Pristine again and said, "You've yet to answer as to why you're here." 

"Oh, I am sorry. We are looking for the Stone of Water." 

The water folk started conversing amongst themselves. Mallian sighed. Deep down inside she knew that was reason for them being here. And if her guess was right, they were searching for the Crystal of Life and the unicorn princess. 

So she looked at the group of humans and said, "Oh really? And I suppose you are also looking for the lost unicorn, aren't you?" 

"Yes, we are." 

Mallian looked at her people. They all nodded, trusting her. After all, she was one of their most respectable leaders. Mallian looked directly into Pristine's eyes and saw the sincerity there. 

"All right, you may have the stone, if you past the test." answered Mallian. 

The others sighed in relief. 

Pristine grinned and nodded, but before she could saying anything else, Kyra stepped forward and said jovially, "Okay. Lead the way." 

"Very well then." said Mallian. 

She turned to the snail and waved, "We'll see you around, friend!" 

The other water folk waved as well. 

The snail nodded and replied, "Take care." 

"Follow me." Mallian instructed the others. 

They exited the room before it filled back up with water and the snail went back out to the ocean.

Mallian led them down an intricate path of halls where they got a view of the city. The buildings were blue, green, and other sea colors. They looked out of this world too, Pristine thought. They passed numerous water folk, all of which glanced at them before moving on. Soon they made it to a large temple. As they walked, Kyra tried to start up a conversation with Mallian. 

Excuse me, but what is your name?" she asked. 

"My name is Mallian. I am one of the council members that helps governs Oceanica." 

"Did your kind know the unicorns?" asked Ophealia. 

"Knew them, we were one of their strongest allies." 

"Really? Did you ever know any?" Kyra asked enthusiastically. 

"Kyra, Mallian wasn't probably even born before the Invasion." Ophealia told her. 

"On the contrary, your highness, I was alive, but no, I didn't know any personally. I was still young." responded Mallian, starting to grin. 

"Then you must be in your mid- to late-thirties." Grayson guessed. 

A few of the water folk giggled. Mallian was one of them. 

"No, you're way off." she said as she giggled. 

"Then, how old are you?" 

"I'm three hundred years old." Mallian said causing the others, except Pristine, to gawk at her in astonishment. 

Pristine started to laugh, including Mallian and the other water folk. 

Finally, they recovered and Grayson managed to say, "That's a long time to live." 

"Well, that's pretty young compared to Drackor." 

"Oh really! Hey we forgot to mention that Drackor was the one who sent us on this quest." Kyra mentioned. 

The water folk glanced at them. 

"Well, that's something you don't hear every day. Well, did you know that he's over one thousand years old?" asked Mallian. 

"Whoa! I didn't." 

By the time they finished talking they made it to the trial room inside the temple. It was shaped like a dome and in the center was a pool. 

"Okay. This is the trial room." explained Mallian. 

"What's the test?" Lance asked. 

"Oh, this." Mallian said before pressing a button on the wall. 

The water suddenly started swirling around creating a whirlpool. 

"That's your test. One of you will have to swim twenty feet to the bottom, then you'll be suck into a tunnel. The stone is at the end of the tunnel. The whirlpool is the easy part. The tunnel is almost twice as long. The key here is endurance." 

She looked at everyone's faces. Pristine was the only one not showing any reaction. The others looked pale. 

"So, any volunteers?" 

All of the sudden, Pristine dived in as if something was pulling her. 

"Pristine!!" screamed Lance and Kyra, knowing it was already too late as the poor girl swam deeper and deeper.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pristine continued to swim as the current helped her get to the bottom. Her head was clear and focus as she went farther down. The water felt warm against her skin. She totally forgot that she couldn't swim, but for some reason it felt natural to her. Soon she made it to the bottom and was suck into the tunnel. It felt like she had swum for hours. She was both exhausted and running out of air, but kept on going. Determined to reach her goal flowed through her. Finally, she saw the stone and felt the urge to go on. As soon as she touched the stone, blue light filled the area and Pristine found herself on a beach. The sand looked white and soft. The sunset in the distance caused an array of colors to appear. There was a soft breeze. 

"Is this real?" Pristine asked herself. 

In the distance she saw a couple walking along. The man was holding a small little girl, who looked to be about three or four. All of them were wearing white clothes and their hair was light blonde. 

"I know these people." Pristine thought. 

The man placed the girl down and the man and woman turned into unicorns. Both were white. The female knelt down and the child climbed on her back. The two unicorns galloped towards the horizon. The scenery vanished. Pristine found herself back in the room where she got the stone. Pristine looked around. The room's door was shut and it wasn't filled with water. Pristine also realized that she was still drenched. The Stone of Water was still in her hands. 

"I guess I passed the test." 

"Well done Pristine." said a female voice. 

Pristine turned and looked to see an enchanting lady in white garments. Pristine saw that it's the same woman from the vision, even though this one looked a bit older and wiser. She also had the same skin, hair, and eyes as Pristine did. She wore an ivory crown at the top of her head. 

"Who are you?" Pristine asked in awe. 

"Someone here to help you. Pristine, I am here to give you your second sign. Now listen carefully, my dear. You must journey northeast along the Radan Mountains, until you come to a cave. The cave leads you to a sequence of tunnels. Use your instincts and the stone to help you find your way. You will eventually find another mountain range, the Silver Mountains where the Stone of Fire is. Be careful though for the journey will be even more treacherous." the lady instructed with an angelic voice. 

"Thank-you. Now how do I get back to the others?" Pristine asked after bowing. 

"Take this passageway." the lady answered as an door opened up. 

"Again, I thank-you." Pristine thanked before running through the passageway. 

The minute she left, the lady said with tears in her eyes, "Be safe, my beautiful baby girl."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During this time, everyone else frantically screamed for Pristine. Even Sir Reginald was astonished by Pristine's behavior. Mallian and the water folk were just as surprised as the rest. 

"Pristine!! Come back!!" Kyra yelled hysterically. 

"Dang it! I should have gone!" Lance complained. 

"I sure hope she is a good swimmer." replied Grayson. 

"No she isn't! She doesn't even know how to swim! I don't understand. Pristine's never been one to do things like this!" said Kyra. 

Sir Reginald tried to regain his composure, and commented, "Actually, it does make sense Miss Kyra. Miss Pristine probably didn't want anyone else to go so she went herself." 

"Well, she didn't have to!" shouted Lance. 

"Oh will someone go after her!" Ophealia ordered. 

"No need." replied Mallian. 

"Why?!!" yelled Lance, Ophealia, and Kyra. 

"Because she is right behind you." said Mallian with a grin. 

All at once, everyone turned around to see Pristine standing with the Stone of Water. She was still soaking wet. 

"Pristine!!" cried Kyra as she ran over and hugged her. 

"Well done, Miss Pristine." congratulated Sir Reginald, his eyes showing their relief and admiration. 

"Pristine, don't you ever do that again!" ordered Ophealia. 

"I must admit, that was pretty good, for a girl." grinned Grayson. 

Everyone turned to Lance, who was still under some shock. Pristine walked up to him. 

"Lance, I am all right. I am just wet and tired, that's all." Pristine assured. 

"And shivering." Lance added. 

He took off his cloak and placed it around Pristine's shoulders. 

"Thank-you." she replied. 

"Why did you do that, why?!" 

"I worried you?" Pristine asked, a little surprised. 

"Worried me? You scared me half to death!" 

"I'm sorry, but I did it to protect all of you." Pristine apologized as she bowed her head a little. 

Lance took a hand and lifted up her chin with it so he could look into her eyes. 

"Well, just warn me next time, before you put your life on the line, okay?" 

"All right." replied Pristine with a small smile. 

"Thank-you." 

Suddenly, Pristine found herself in Lance's arms as he hugged her. With the stone in one of her hands, she wrapped her arms around his back. 

"This feels so right." she told herself. 

Lance never wanted to let her go. 

A moment later, Kyra said, "All right! Break it up! Break it up!" 

The two separated. Pristine blushed a bit. Mallian and the water folk approached Pristine. 

"Pristine, you're either the craziest or bravest person I've ever met." Mallian commented with a grin. 

"Is that a compliment?" Pristine asked with a smirk. 

"What do you think? Anyway, we better get you dried up before you get sick." 

Mallian stepped back and noticed that all of them looked worse for wear. 

"I'll tell you what. How about all of you get cleaned up. Follow me." she said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They followed her out of the temple to another facility. 

"This is our healing facility." Mallian told them. 

They passed up water folk that were healers and care takers. Soon they came to a huge bubble. Mallian stepped through it as well as the other water folk. 

"It's magic. Don't be afraid." she encouraged them. 

The bubble grew in size when they did enter. 

"Relaxation Rooms on floor one-four-six." Mallian instructed. 

The bubble worked by voice activation an it moved up at her command. Pristine and the others could tell they were moving at a fast rate. Soon they made it to the hundred and forty-sixth floor. The others got out as Mallian turned to her kind. 

"You may leave us now. Go to the food room and have them prepare our guests a fine meal." 

They bowed and the bubble went down. 

"This way." Mallian told the others as she led them on. 

They soon came to four doors; two on each side of the hallway. 

"Okay now. The doors to your left lead you to what we call relaxation rooms. They are baths, only the liquid isn't water, but it's a hot liquid substance called ameline. It is very soothing and relaxing. The door to the right is for the guys and the other is for the girls. The other doors are our changing rooms. Your rooms are right across from each other. There are changing stalls inside as well as towels to wear while you're bathing. Be sure to leave your clothes in the room so we can come by later and clean them for you. Ladies, there are some clips in the room for you to use to keep your hair up. I'll be back for you in hour or so." Mallian said before walking away. 

"Before I forget, here's your cloak, Lance." said Pristine before taking off the cloak and handing it to Lance. 

"You sure you don't need it anymore?" asked Lance, taking it. 

"I am sure, thanks." Pristine said with a smile before they went into the changing rooms.

A while later, they were all in the baths. 

"Man! This is relaxing!" replied Lance as he leaned against the wall of the pool. 

"I will agree with you on that." Sir Reginald agreed. 

"Sir Reginald, I don't understand why people like you have grudges against us outlaws. It's not our fault we are what we are. And we are not barbarians or animals with no feelings for others." 

"Oh, I guess it's because you steal and are capable of deceit." 

"We steal to survive. A lot of us were orphaned at a very young age and we had to learn how to survive. Also, there are very few outlaws I know who are treacherous." 

Sir Reginald decided to change the subject. 

"Where's your brother, Lance?" 

"Oh! He's still in the other room taking his own sweet time." 

In the other room, the girls relaxed as they talked. 

"Are you feeling any better, Pristine?" asked Ophealia. 

"I'm fine, your highness." 

"Would you please stop calling me that. Please, just call me Ophealia." 

"Can I call you that too?" asked Kyra. 

"Yes, we are friends now so there's no need for formalities." 

"Oh, I've received my second sign." mentioned Pristine. 

"What is it?" Kyra eagerly asked. 

"Well, we have to go to the Silver Mountains." 

"Oh, I've heard a myriad of things about the Silver Mountains. They say that dwarfs live there mining the caves. Also, the mountains use to produce their own magic so it was never cold; however, since evil has entered this world, the mountains have been bitterly cold." Ophealia told them.

During this time, Grayson got ready. Whistling a tune, headed out the door with a towel wrapped around his waist. But he did not realize where he's heading, and ended up going into the girls' room! 

"Hey guys! I am ready for . ." he started to say, but then Ophealia screamed, "WHY IN THE BLAZES ARE YOU HERE!? GET OUT!! GET OUT!!" 

"Princess! I'm sorry . . I'm . ." Grayson stuttered out. 

He was just as shocked and embarrassed. 

"Get out of here, or I'll make you!!" 

"Yes ma'am!" he replied before stumbling for the door. 

He ran like lightning into the guys' room. He stood wearily in front of the guys. 

"What happened to you?" asked Lance. 

"I . . .uh . . .ran into . . .a storm." gasped Grayson. 

"Storm? Sounded more like a blizzard to me." 

All the other outlaws started to laugh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Awhile later, Mallian came for them. By then, they were all cleaned and dressed. 

"Well, I hope you-all are relaxed and cleaned-up. Would you like something to eat before you go?" Mallian asked. 

"Oh, yes. Please." answered Kyra. 

"Uh, Mallian? Do you want to join us on our quest? You could be a great help to us." suggested Pristine. 

"I might. I'll think about it." replied Mallian before leading them onward. 

"Princess Ophealia? I am sorry about that little intrusion." apologized Grayson. 

"Oh, that's okay. I'm sure you didn't mean to. I'm just a short-tempered person. And I am sure Pristine or Kyra didn't mind too much. Right, Pristine?" Ophealia asked, nudging her. 

"Oh no! I was a little stunned, but I wasn't mad. I hardly get mad." Pristine smiled at Grayson. 

"Don't worry, Grayson. I was more astonished than anything. Also, I found it a bit funny." added Kyra. 

Grayson nodded and sighed with relief. As they talked, they went downstairs to the cafeteria. 

"Okay, here we are." announced Mallian. 

She opened the door and there before them was an assortment of sea food! The cafeteria was empty. 

"Since you-all are humans, we had to pick out foods you-all would like." Mallian mentioned. 

"Smells wonderful." complimented Ophealia. 

"I'm starved!" said Kyra, her mouth watering. 

"May we?" asked Grayson. 

"Oh yes! By all means." replied Mallian. 

That's when Grayson, Kyra, and the outlaws started rushing for the food. 

"Hey! Slow down! All of you!" ordered Lance. 

Those who rushed forward suddenly stopped and some tripped over each other. Ophealia shook her head. Pristine giggled. Lance looked sternly at his men. 

"Sorry." Kyra, Grayson, and the outlaws said. 

"Lance, they were only hungry." said Pristine. 

"Well, my men should act like men and not like hogs. Besides, it's always ladies first." Lance replied while looking at her. 

Pristine blushed knowing he's referring to her. 

"You-all can go ahead of me. I'm not nobility." 

"You're a lady in my eyes, Pristine." 

"Oh, thank-you." she replied, her blush deepening. 

"Go ahead and go Pristine. You deserve it." Ophealia encouraged. 

Everyone else nodded. 

"Okay." Pristine complied before going to pick out what she wanted. 

Then everyone else got their food. 

"Does anyone want to try this soup?" asked Mallian as she went over to a bowl with a lid on it. 

"I will. What's in it?" asked Pristine as she stepped forward. 

"Oh, I can't tell you that. It's a secret recipe." 

Actually, it was made out of kamari and tofu. Kamari was a rare sea flower found in Oceanica. Only a few liked it though. 

"Here, why don't you take a sip first." suggested Mallian as she hands her a spoon. 

"Thank-you." Pristine told her before dipping the spoon into the bowl. 

She slowly tasted it. 

"It's delicious." Pristine smiled. 

"Here, let me try some." said Kyra. 

But when she tasted it, she spat it out. 

"Yuck! Sorry Mallian, but that's horrible." Kyra replied bluntly. 

"That's okay. It's an acquired taste anyway." Mallian commented. 

She looked at Pristine and worked hard not to show the excitement she was feeling. Oh, she knew who Pristine really was. At first she felt uncertain, but now she knew. Pristine was the princess. It was her name that gave her suspicion at first. And only a unicorn earned the Stone of Water. Mallian's assumptions became clear when Pristine tried the soup for only unicorns liked it, especially the princess. Besides, Mallian seen a picture of the princess before. 

"Mallian? Do you want any?" Pristine asked, causing Mallian to snap back to reality. 

"No, thank-you. I already ate." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Soon after eating, they went another coral building. They entered a large room with underwater ships. All the ships were chained down by large clamps. 

"Pristine. I've decided to join you on your journey." replied Mallian. 

"That way I can protect her and watch over her." she thought to herself. 




The Lost One Ch. 03



"That's great!" Pristine said with joy.

"One of the other water folk will accompany us on one of the ships. He'll bring it back here when we surface." 

"We're going to ride in one of those? Wow!" pointed Kyra. 

As soon as they settled in one of the ships, water started to fill the room. 

"Are we ready?" asked Mallian. 

"Yes." replied the others. 

"All right then. Release the clamps." Ophealia ordered the other water folk in the ship. The clamps released the ship. The ship turned to the large door. 

"Open the doors." Mallian told the controller. 

The male water folk pressed a button and the door opened up. The ship moved toward the opening. It entered a tunnel. The two doors behind it closed as it headed toward another pair of doors. The doors opened up and the ship headed for the surface. Soon it reached where the horses were. The door opened up and a ramp extended to reach the beach. All of the others, except the one water folk, exited out. Mallian waved to him after they made it onto the beach. He waved back before going back underwater. 

"Oh Mallian. I forgot you need a horse." mentioned Pristine. 

"Don't worry. I have it covered." assured Mallian before whistling. 

Suddenly, a pale green horse jumped out of the water and landed right next to Mallian. The horse's mane was covered coral petals and a few large fins. There were also smaller fins on its legs. 

"What kind of horse is that?" asked Grayson. 

"This is a Sail Horse. They love to swim about the waves. We water folk also like to ride with them. It has to come up for air often because it doesn't have gills. They can also travel pretty much anywhere." explained Mallian as she pet the horse's muzzle. 

She got on the horse and the others got on their horses as well. 

"So where to from here?" asked Grayson. 

"We travel northeast along the Radan Mountains until we reach a cave. It leads to a sequence of tunnels. One will lead us to the Silver Mountains. That's where we'll find the next stone." Pristine explained. 

"We better bundle up then when we get there." Lance suggested. 

"Yes, we better. Shall we press on?" suggested Mallian. 

"Yes! Let's go!" answered Kyra. 

"Okay! Here we go!" shouted Lance. 

They all galloped toward the mountains as a billion stars danced across the sky.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: You'll find in this story I've created my own creatures. Great examples are the waterfolk and the sea snail. I got the idea of the sea snail from the old Dr. Doolittle movie, not the current one mind you. The next chapter is my longest one so it's a doosey. Please rate and comment for it means alot to me.



The Lost One Ch. 04



A/N: Hey guys, here's the next chapter and it's the longest one I have so be prepared for a long read. It's pretty fast paced though compared to the others. Thanks to Blackstallion21 for editing. Well enjoy! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IV.

Enter the

Fire

Pristine and her group continued to ride along the Radan Mountains. The further up they went, the colder it got. 

"Brrr . . . How did it get so cold?" Ophealia shivered. 

"It's because we're further up north." explained Grayson. 

"Here your highness." said Sir Reginald as he handed her a thick cloak from his stash behind him. 

"Thank-you." Ophealia replied gratefully. 

"We better put on some more clothing before we freeze to death." suggested Kyra. 

"You are right." agreed Lance. 

"Mallian, do you want some of my clothes?" asked Pristine. 

"No thank-you. We water folk produce our own heat because the ocean is pretty cold." assured Mallian. 

Pristine nodded before putting on her extra clothes. They others did as well. 

"We best find shelter for the night." suggested Lance. 

"Let us keep going then." agreed Pristine, and soon they found a cave. 

"There it is!" pointed Pristine. 

"There is what?" asked Grayson. 

"The cave." 

"We'll stay there for the night. Let's go." ordered Lance. 

The wind started to pick up and while the cave held a chill in the air, at least it was dry. They traveled a ways until they came upon several more tunnels. 

"Now which way?" asked Grayson. 

"We'll worry about it in the morning. Let's make camp here." suggested Lance. 

"Good thing. I am exhausted." added Kyra. 

They all unpacked some things and unraveled their traveling bed gear. Ophealia nestled next to Sir Reginald and fell asleep. Grayson looked at her before he laid down and went to sleep. Mallian slept by herself. The other outlaws scattered throughout the cave. Kyra laid down by Pristine and fell asleep. 

Lance looked Pristine and said, "Good-night Pristine." 

Pristine replied, "Good-night Lance."

That night Pristine dreamt and became unsettled. She saw that she was in the middle of a battle. 

"This looks like when Zeather began the Invasion. Hey! Isn't that Drackor?" Pristine thought. 

Drackor stood and shot several beams into sky making the protective barriers appear. He began to try and save any good creature. But his efforts were futile as Pristine saw creatures like gryphons, elves, winged-lions, and other mystical creatures as they fell, were captured, or were carried off. People ran and screamed, and there was smoke and fire everywhere. It was too much for Pristine to handle. She started running before stopping in her tracks. There before her was a trapped unicorn and the Evil One. He held a mighty sword in his grotesque hand and wore a mask. He raised the sword and swiftly brought it down toward the unicorn's horn. Pristine screamed in protest, but he did not stop. Pristine woke up and wailed as she sat up. Everyone else woke up as well. Lance was by Pristine's side in seconds. What he saw concerned him. Pristine's skin was completely white, her eyes and mouth wide open in fear, her hand on her heart, and she was breathing heavily. 

"Pristine? Are you all right?" asked Ophealia. 

"She's frozen with fear." explained Mallian. 

"She must have had a nightmare." added Grayson. 

Finally, Pristine gasped, "It was . . . huh . . . horrible. There was . . . screaming . . . crying . . . running . . . fear. .pain . . . smoke . . . dying . . . war."

Tears streamed down her porcelain face. 

"Pristine, it's over. It was only a dream. We're here." comforted Lance as he wiped the tears from her eyes gently. 

He was not the comforting type, but seeing Pristine so petrified struck a chord in him. He wanted to cast away her fears and bring back the light in them. Mallian also looked concern. 

"Poor girl, she must have dreamt of the Invasion." she thought. 

Pristine slowly regained herself. She looked around at all the concern looks of her companions. 

"It was so real." she said. 

She managed to grin and assured, "Don't worry. It's over now. I'll be okay." 

"Are you sure?" asked Lance, not looking convinced. 

"Yes, Lance." 

Everyone else went back to their places and slept. Lance lingered a little next to Pristine. She realized how close he was to her. 

"You know, Lance. I am really scared." Pristine admitted. 

"Of what?" Lance asked quietly so only Pristine heard. 

"I really don't know, but I have this feeling that tells me something bad is going to happen." 

She leaned her head against Lance's shoulder. 

"I don't want to be alone tonight . . ." she added as she dozed off. 

Seizing the opportunity, Lance gathered Pristine and the blankets she's in before standing up with her in his arms. He walked over to the side of the wall and carefully sat down, still holding her. For the first time, Lance inhaled her scent. She smelled of wild flowers. It took all of his willpower to do nothing more than hold her. Finally, Lance fell asleep. Kyra woke up and noticed the two. 

Mallian noticed as well and whispered, "Kyra, come here" before sitting up and opening her arms. 

Kyra crawled over and Mallian wrapped her arms around the child. Kyra's surprised to find how warm Mallian was.

"I don't trust him." Kyra admitted. 

"Me either, but I don't think he'll hurt her. In fact, I think he loves her." 

"Really? How can you tell? Outlaws don't seem like the loving type." 

"Well, look at them. If you look at the way he treats her and looks at her, I think you'll agree with me." 

Kyra looked at her and believed that Mallian was right. 

"Don't worry about it Kyra. Go to sleep." 

Kyra did and the two laid down, and Mallian soon fell asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At daybreak, Pristine slowly opened her eyes. She looked up and noticed Lance's face. She felt her heart beat faster. Despite her uneasiness, she felt safe. She slowly and carefully moved out of his arms. She stood up and glanced around the cave. Everyone was still asleep. She quietly head out towards the cave's entrance. Mallian woke up and saw that Pristine was gone, but she did not panic. She prudently took Kyra off of her shoulder and laid her down before getting up and heading for the entrance. Just as she thought, there was Pristine watching the sunrise. She knew unicorns always loved to see sunrises. 

"Lovely, isn't it?" Mallian asked. 

Pristine didn't turn around. 

"Oh yes. I've always admired the sun's brilliance. It takes my breath away." Pristine said in awe. 

"Yes. We water folk used to enjoy watching the sun." 

"Why don't you watch it anymore?" Pristine asked as she glanced back. 

"Because of the Evil One. He has spies everywhere. We hardly get a chance to come up to the surface." 

"That's sad." 

"Don't worry about it. We better get back to the others before they start looking for us." 

"You're right. Let's go." agreed Pristine before following Mallian.

Everyone else started to wake up when the two returned. 

"Hey! Where did you two go?" asked Grayson as he stood up. 

"Nothing for you to be concerned about." replied Mallian. 

"I'm hungry." Kyra replied. 

"Don't worry, Miss Kyra. We still have plenty of food. Tomorrow, though, we might have to go searching for more food." Sir Reginald mentioned. 

"Okay then. For now let's eat." said Lance. 

So they ate before packing everything up. 

"Now, which way do we go?" asked Ophealia. 

"We could split up, but then there's the possibility of getting lost." suggested Grayson. 

"Good point." agreed Mallian. 

"I know where to go." stated Pristine. 

"How do you know that?" asked Lance. 

"That way doesn't smell as bad. And I was told that the stone would help me." Pristine explained as she points to the right tunnel. 

"How the Stone of Water is supposed to help us?" asked Kyra. 

"I don't know, but it's worth a try." Pristine said before taking out the Stone of Water. 

She held it out and replied, "Please, show us the way. Show us the truth!" 

The stone lit up as well as Pristine. Several of the horses became unsettled, and everyone covered their eyes. The stone's light moved over the cave's interior to rest above the right tunnel. Pristine looked at it. There was lettering. She could read it at once, although she didn't know why for she was illiterate. 

"Mallian? Can you read that?" asked Pristine. 

Mallian slowly opened her eyes and looked at the writing on the wall. 

"Yes. It's dwarfish. It's says 'Find the rock of Irasis'. That means this is the right way. Nice job Pristine." smiled Mallian. 

The light died down. Pristine grinned. 

"What is Irasis?" asked Kyra. 

"Not what Kyra. Who?" commented Mallian. 

"Who is Irasis? I've never heard that person." asked Ophealia. 

"Because she's not human, Irasis was a female dwarf who was the first to find lucadon. Lucadon is a healing mineral only found in the Silver Mountains." 

"Was? You mean she's gone now?" asked Grayson. 

"Yes, she's passed away when I was a baby. Before her findings, everyone had to solely rely on unicorns and faeries for healing. Lucadon was the first medicine that was created." 

"Wow! So what's this rock?" asked Kyra. 

"I don't know, but let's go through this tunnel first." suggested Lance. 

Everyone agreed and moved forward.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several hours later, they made to an open space in the cave. It was spacious with gleaming stalactites and stalagmites. 

"Oh wow! It's incredible!" gasped Ophealia. 

"Yeah, but we have a problem. There are multiple tunnels here. Which way do we go?" asked Lance. 

"Wait! I see something." said Pristine before dismounting. 

She went over to one stalagmite that was strangely shaped. It looked like a figure, or a statue and it's surrounded by other stones and shapes. One part of the stalagmite stuck out like a hand. 

Pristine was about to reach for it when she heard Grayson asked, "Pristine? What are you reaching for?" 

Pristine looked at the others. 

"It must be invisible to the others." Pristine thought. 

Well, Mallian saw it. She wanted to grin, but that might give something away. The statue must have had a spell on it for only certain people to see. It was also a statue of Irasis. Pristine turned back toward the statue and took out the Stone of Water, and placed it on the hand. Suddenly, there was a rumbling. Lance jumped off his horse as Pristine took the stone off the statue's hand. He pulled her away and covered her as several rocks and boulders started to fall. By this time, others dismounted and made sure the horses staid where they were. An opening appeared. Everything calmed down. 

"Let me guess. The rock was there and it was invisible." guessed Grayson. 

"I guess so." replied Lance as he and Pristine stood up. 

Pristine was red in the face because of Lance's nearness. Lance's arms were around her and her back was up against his front area. 

"Uh, are you two finished cuddling?" Mallian smirked. 

The two drew back. Pristine's face was totally red while Lance just grinned. They all mounted their horses and went through the tunnel.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They continued to follow the tunnels and paths until they stopped for a lunch break. Then they moved on. The trail picked up a bit as they traveled onward. Hours went by and they rested up a bit and ate dinner. 

Finally, "Man! Are we there yet?" complained Ophealia. 

"I hope so." added Lance. 

They made it through another tunnel and they heard something. 

"Hey, do you hear that?" asked Grayson. 

"Sounds like water trickling." commented Mallian. 

They set their horses to a trot. 

"I see a clearing!" said Kyra with excitement. 

Soon they came to the clearing. The water they heard came from a stream. They all looked up and saw they were in a valley. Just ahead was the Silver Mountains. 

"We made it!" shouted Kyra in delight. 

"Shh! It's late." scolded Mallian. 

"We wouldn't have made it without Pristine." smiled Lance. 

Pristine grinned, but inside, she was tired, mentally and physically. Using the stone continually sucked up her energy. She swayed as her eyes began to droop. Lance appeared by her side on his horse and caught her before she fell. 

"Pristine? Are you all right?" he asked with concern. 

"Only tired . . ." started Pristine before falling asleep. 

"We best get some rest." instructed Lance as he transported Pristine from her mount to his. 

"Grayson? Get Pristine's horse." Lance ordered. 

Grayson nodded and grabbed the stirrups. They rode a bit back into the tunnel before dismounting and unpacking. Lance managed to get off his horse with Pristine still in his arms. He again slept with her against the wall. Kyra and Ophealia both sighed simultaneously before going to sleep. 

That night Pristine dreamt again. This time Pristine was standing in a throne room. The room was mostly white but there were other colors in the room. Near the center of the room was the same couple from the beach as well as the little girl, only she looked a bit older here. She looked to be five here and she was sitting on her father's lap. There was a crowd there too. Soon Drackor and another elderly man came forward and bowed.

"Your majesties I've finally been able to find suitable girls for the princess's court." Drackor said.

"Thank you Drackor. Our daughter has been anxious to see which girls you've picked for her." the king replied.

Drackor nodded and gestured for four young girls to come up. The girl smiled brightly and waved to them. Pristine guessed that the girl knew who they were.

"May I present the earth unicorn, Lady Joyce, the daughter of his majesty's brother Duke Apollo."

The small brunette waved at the blonde girl before curtseying.

"Next is the wind unicorn, Lady Grace, the daughter of Lord Elton."

The eldest looking of the girls, who had curly gray hair, curtsied and grinned a bit.

"Next is the fire unicorn, Lady Fanesse, the daughter of Lord Hector."

A girl with fiery hair jumped forward and exaggerated her curtsey causing the blonde princess to giggle and earning a stern looked from Drackor.

"Last but not least is the water unicorn, Allora, daughter of Lord Thaddeus."

A blue hair girl stepped forward and smiling brightly, curtseyed.

Pristine felt a stirring in her as she watched the crowd before her vanish. Somewhere in the back of her mind she felt lonesome for them as she slept on without dreaming.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the morning everyone else woke up except for Pristine. 

"Man! She must really be tired." commented Grayson. 

"Well, it's probably because she used the stone a lot. Using the stone requires a person's energy." Mallian stated plainly. 

"Great. And we only had short stops too. Why didn't she tell anyone she was tired?" pondered Lance. 

"Because she didn't want to complain; Pristine seems to be the type who puts others' needs in front of her own." explained Mallian. 

"She'll be fine, bro. Once she wakes up, we can get some food in her." comforted Grayson. 

"Uh, we have a problem though. We're low on food." mentioned Sir Reginald. 

"Well, I guess we better find some then. Grayson, guys! Mount up! We're hunting!" ordered Lance. 

All the outlaws packed up and got on their horses. 

"Hey Princess Ophealia. How about a kiss on the cheek for luck?" asked Grayson as he bended down and closed his eyes. 

Ophealia walked behind the horse before smirking. Taking a part of her outfit, she whipped the horse's behind. The horse reared before taking off. 

"Whoa!" yelled Grayson. 

"If you bring me something I just might!" shouted Ophealia. 

Everyone else laughed. 

"C'mon guys. Let's go!" ordered Lance before they took off. 

Mallian looked at Pristine to see that she's still asleep.

Some time later, Pristine woke up. 

"Good morning Pristine." greeted Kyra. 

"Good morning. Where are Lance and the others?" Pristine asked, still half asleep. 

"Oh they went looking for food awhile ago. They should have been back by now." answered Ophealia. 

Suddenly, Pristine became wide awake. Something was not right. She immediately got up and packed up her gear. 

"What's wrong Pristine?" asked Kyra as the others followed her lead. 

"Something is wrong. I can sense it." 

"I believe you Pristine. They've been gone for way too long." agreed Mallian. 

"We're going after them." 

She quickly jumped on her horse and took off. 

"Hey! Wait for us!" shouted Kyra as she and Ophealia got on their horses. 

"I order you to slow down!" ordered Ophealia as the two rode off to catch up. 

Mallian and Sir Reginald soon followed. Pristine raced through the tunnel when she finally made it to the clearing. She stopped so everyone could catch up. 

"Gees, Pristine. Do you have to go so fast?" gasped Kyra. 

"Sorry, this way." pointed Pristine. 

They traveled through the valley before seeing a group of horses at the foot of the Silver Mountains. 

"Well, here are their horses, but where are the guys?" asked Ophealia. 

"They went climbing. So must we. Let's go." Pristine ordered before dismounting.

They started to hike up the mountain trails. Pretty soon, they saw someone. 

"Hey! That's Grayson!" pointed Kyra. 

"He looks so tired. I wonder why?" asked Ophealia. 

Grayson was out of breath by the time he made it to them. 

"Grayson, where are the others?" asked Pristine. 

"Huh, huh, . . .captured, by . .goblins. I was told to get . . . Sir Reginald." explained Grayson. 

"Sir Reginald? Why just him?!" yelled Ophealia. 

Even Pristine did not like the idea, even though she could see why. 

"Because your highness, Lance wouldn't risk you girls." replied Grayson. 

"Why I-" started Ophealia but was interrupted by Mallian. 

"We'll obey." 

The other girls looked at her in shock. Even Sir Reginald and Grayson looked surprised. 

"All right then. Let's go Sir Reginald." replied Grayson. 

"You girls go back to the horses." Sir Reginald told them. 

As soon as they left, Kyra looked at Mallian and asked, "Why did you say that?" 

"Because I have another plan." Mallian grinned. 

The other three smiled. 

"What is it?" 

"If we want to save the guys, we must find the dwarfs first. They could help." 

"That's a good idea." agreed Ophealia. 

"If we are, we must hurry. I sense danger." mentioned Pristine. 

"You're right. Let's go." agreed Mallian.

They continued along as they made their way up the mountain. That's when Mallian smelled something. 

"This is not good." she said. 

"What's wrong?" Pristine asked. 

"Wolves. They've probably picked up our scent." 

"We better move then." said Ophealia. 

They picked up their pace. 

Then suddenly, "Uh-oh! I think I see them." pointed out Kyra. 

Sure enough, about twenty feet away from them was a pack of silver wolves. There were eight of them. 

"They look hungry." commented Ophealia nervously. 

The pack suddenly charged. Ophealia hesitated while stringing one of her arrows. 

"No! Don't shoot Ophealia." ordered Pristine. 

The wolves were just upon them when Pristine came forward and tried to yell into their minds. 

~Stop, please!~ she tried to tell them. 

The minute she said this, all the wolves stopped. They were about a few feet away from Pristine. 

"Why did they stop?" asked Kyra. 

Mallian knew. Unicorns had the ability to speak to all creatures telepathically. 

"Pristine? What are you doing?" asked Ophealia as Pristine took a step toward the wolves. 

"I am going to try to calm them down." explained Pristine. 

"But they'll kill you!" protested Kyra. 

"Let her try." Mallian stated. 

Pristine kept her eyes on the pack. They all looked hostile. 




The Lost One Ch. 04



~Calm down~, she tried to tell them telepathically, ~I am your friend. I won't hurt you.~ 

The pack seemed to get the message, because some of them calmed down. Suddenly, one of the wolves lunged at Pristine. Aware of this, Pristine ducked. The wolf flew over her, and fell over the cliff. Pristine sprinted to her feet and peeked over the side. The wolf was on a ledge forty feet from where Pristine was. 

"Stay back!" Pristine ordered the others, including the wolves. 

She glanced at Kyra and told her, "Give me a rope please." 

Kyra did without hesitation. 

"What are you doing? You're not going to actually go down there?" asked Ophealia. 

"What do you suggest I do? Let that poor wolf die down there?" replied Pristine in anger. 

"Whoa! Calm down, Pristine." answered Ophealia, with a look of surprise on her face. 

"Sorry." 

She did not know what came over her. She tied the rope around a boulder and her waist. Mallian, Ophealia, and Kyra took a hold of the rope before Pristine went over the edge. She slowly climbed down toward the wolf. She made it to the ledge. The wolf became agitated. 

~Easy boy. I am here to help you~, she told him as she slowly crawled towards the wolf. 

The wolf suddenly bit her right arm. 

"Argh! Biting me won't help." Pristine replied. 

The weak male seemed to get the message for he let go of her. Ignoring the excruciating pain in her arm, Pristine checked the wolf. The front leg was broken. 

"There must be something I can do." Pristine thought. 

Whatever she did, she had to it fast for she felt her energy draining. That very second, the Stone of Water in her knap sack began to glow. She pulled it out and held it to the wolf. The wolf's eyes opened widely and he shakily put his paw on it. Blue light shone all over the place. All the others looked up. The wolves looked surprised. As the light settled down, Pristine collapsed. When she woke up, she realized that the wolf was licking her face. 

"Hehe hehe, I'm awake now." she answered as she hugged the wolf. 

She got up and picked up the wolf. Her arm was throbbing. 

"All right! Pull us up!" she shouted to the others. 

They started to pull them up. Even the other wolves joined in. Soon Pristine and the wolf were safe. Pristine put the wolf down. He walked over to the other wolves as they gathered around him. As Pristine untied the rope, the other girls walked up to her. Kyra noticed Pristine's arm. 

"Pristine! You're injured!" she exclaimed. 

"Oh, it's nothing. He was just feisty." explained Pristine. 

"Pristine, you better get that patched up before you lose too much blood." replied Mallian. 

"You're right, in fact . . . I do feel . . ." Pristine admitted before she fainted. 

"Pristine!" shouted Kyra. 

Seeing what was happening, the pack started to howl. 

"What are they doing?" asked Ophealia. 

"Calling for help." answered Mallian. 

"I hope somebody hears them." prayed Kyra.

Someone did hear them. He was a twenty-eight year-old mountaineer with curly dark brown hair and beard, and grayish-brown eyes. His name was Drock. He lived in the mountains all his life. When he heard the wolves, he knew there was danger. He quickly hurried to the scene. 

When he saw the girls, he said, "Okay, what happened here?" 

The other girls turned to see him. 

"Who are you?" asked Ophealia. 

"The name is Drock. What happened?" he asked again as he came forward and butted in between Kyra and Ophealia. 

"She was bitten by a wolf." 

Drock saw the wound and took out some medicine. It looked like a pasty substance. 

"What are you doing?" asked Kyra. 

"Helping her." Drock answered. 

Drock tore off a piece of his cloak after he put the medicine on Pristine's wound. He gently wrapped the cloth around the wound. Soon Pristine recovered. She looked up and the first person she saw was Drock. 

"Who are you?" she asked. 

"I'm Drock. I live in these mountains. Who are you?" asked Drock. 

"My name is Pristine. That's Kyra, Princess Ophealia, and Mallian." 

"You look different. Are you water folk?" Drock asked Mallian. 

"Indeed I am. Excuse, me sir, but was that the healing mineral lucadon?" 

"Yes, it was." Drock answered guardedly. 

"Lucadon is only mined by dwarfs though. Are you familiar with them?" 

"And what if I am? How do you know I am?" 

"Well, for one thing, you are dressed like one and you have their emblem on your cloak." 

"You're good. Okay, I was actually raised by them. I was found as a babe in the mountains. They found me not too far from my dead father and decided to raise me." 

"Okay well, can you lead us to the dwarfs?" asked Kyra. 

"Why should I?" 

"Because we need their help to rescue some people." answered Ophealia. 

"And whom might these people be?" 

Pristine took a deep breath and replied, "They are Sir Reginald of Cranston and a band of outlaws." 

"Outlaws! Why should the dwarfs risk their necks for them?" 

"Because I care about them. Besides, they protect us." replied Pristine as she stood up. 

"You actually trust these outlaws?" 

"Yes." "Not entirely." Pristine and Ophealia said simultaneously. 

Drock grinned a bit before standing up himself. The other girls stood up as well.

"Another question. Why are you here in the first place?" Drock asked them. 

"We were sent to find the lost unicorn." replied Kyra. 

"Oh, I see. You've come to get the Stone of Fire." Drock asked sarcastically. 

"It's the truth." protested Ophealia. 

"Oh yeah, sure it is." 

"Drock! This is not a laughing matter. Since you were raised by dwarfs you should know my kind doesn't lie. What these women speak is the truth. Don't you want peace to return?" asked Mallian. 

"Yes, sure I do. It's just that, I didn't expect a bunch of humans to be helping out." explained Drock. 

"Drackor is helping them." replied Mallian. 

"Hmmm, if Drackor is involved then this is a serious matter. All right I'll help you. But I won't promise you anything." 

"Thank-you Drock." smiled Pristine. 

When they all turned around, they noticed that the wolf pack was still there. 

"Go now! Shoo!" commanded Drock. 

"No, don't!" protested Pristine. 

She went over to the one she helped and knelt. 

~Are you feeling better?~, she asked. 

The wolf went up to Pristine and rubbed against her in affection. As soon as he backed off, he and the other wolves bowed down. 

"What are they doing?" asked Kyra. 

"They are paying homage or respect. That's a rare honor indeed. What did you do to deserve such respect?" Drock questioned Pristine. 

"I saved his life." Pristine replied. 

"That will do it." 

The pack got up and headed off. They looked back, and Pristine and Mallian waved to them.

As they walked along, Kyra asked, "Pristine? That blue light came from the stone right?" 

"Yes." Pristine replied. 

"Well, what did you use it for?" 

"I healed the wolf with it." 

"You have the Stone of Water?" asked Drock his eyebrows rising. 

"Yes, I do. Mallian, maybe you should take the stone. It does belong to your people." 

"No, it doesn't. We are only its guardians. It belongs to whoever earned it. Since you earned it, Pristine, it belongs to you and it will also protect you. Also, the Stone of Water has the ability to heal and reveal things." Mallian explained. 

"If the Stone of Water does that, than I wonder what the Stone of Fire does." pondered Ophealia. 

"It has the ability to renew. If something is destroyed, the stone would rebuild it." answered Drock. 

"Wow! That's neat." exclaimed Kyra. 

"All right. We are here. Now don't expect a warm welcome." 

Drock pressed a rock and a door opened up.

They all walked through a tunnel until they reached a clearing. The girls stared in awe. It was an underground world. There were caves, crystals, and dwarfs. They heard all sorts of mining sounds. There were even females about, but not much. 

Suddenly, one of the dwarfs noticed Drock and yelled, "Drock! Who is that with you?" 

"Um, these ladies want to ask something of you." Drock reluctantly answered. 

Then another dwarf yelled, "A few of them are humans!" 

Pandemonium broke out. Drock tried to calm them down without any success. 

Pristine fixed the situation by pleading, "Please! We bring you no harm! We just need your help!" 

Miraculously, the dwarfs calmed down, looked at Pristine, and gasped. 

Finally, one of them asked, "Who are you?" 

"I am Pristine." 

Now the dwarfs were at a loss for words. 

"What do you want from us?" asked a female dwarf. 

"We need your help in rescuing a band of outlaws from the goblins." Pristine answered. 

She started to feel uncomfortable of all the attention she's getting, but she knew that she must do this. 

"Outlaws! Why should we risk our necks for them?" asked another dwarf. 

"Because they are our friends! I know how you feel about outlaws and humans, but none of us here are untrue. The outlaws are not evil. Each of them holds honor. They would never do anything to hurt you. Besides, I care for them and I couldn't live with myself knowing I could have done something. Now will you help us or not. Either way we're going." Pristine replied. 

"Spoken like a true princess." Mallian thought and smiled with pride. 

The dwarfs talked amongst themselves before one of them answered, "All right. We'll help, but only because of you." 

"Thank-you." thanked Pristine as she bowed.

She honestly had no idea how her speech changed their minds, but still she was grateful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During this time, Sir Reginald and Grayson made it to the goblins' hideout. There were guards outside the entrance. 

"We need to get in without being notice." whispered Sir Reginald. 

"I have an idea." 

Grayson picked up a rock and threw it with all his might. The guards heard it land and went to investigate. 

"Nicely done." grinned Sir Reginald. 

"We better move before they come back." 

The two sneaked in and found a place to hide. The place reeked of smells that belonged to waste and worse. 

"Now comes the fun part." commented Grayson. 

They sneaked around for awhile. 

Then finally, "Lance is near. I can smell him." Grayson said. 

"How do you know that?" 

"Well, it's pretty easy to distinguish horses and dirt from rotten flesh." 

Soon, they made it to the dungeon. 

"This must be it. Pss! Lance. Where are you?" Grayson called out softly. 

"Grayson? Is that you?" responded Lance. 

Grayson and Sir Reginald went over to the cell where Lance and a few other outlaws were. 

"Way to go, bro. I see you brought Sir Reginald. You didn't bring the girls right?" asked Lance. 

"I didn't." 

"That's good." 

"Here's the strange part. At first, Pristine, Kyra, and the princess resisted staying, but Mallian says that they will stay." Grayson mentioned confusedly. 

"You know what that means?" 

"No." 

"It means that they are going to come to save us on their own." 

"Then we better get out of here before they do." 

"Right." 

"Where are the keys?" 

"Looking for these?" questioned a rough and disgusting voice coming from behind Grayson and Sir Reginald. 

When they turned around, they saw the goblin king and a myriad of goblins. 

"Seize them!" the king ordered. 

That very second, all the goblins tackled Sir Reginald and Grayson.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, the dwarfs and Drock led Pristine and the others down a tunnel. 

"Do you know where you're going?" asked Ophealia. 

"Yes, we do. This tunnel lead right to the goblins' hideout, your highness." explained Drock. 

"We are near. I sense them." said Pristine. 

Her heart was racing, but she kept a calm face. 

"Your instincts serve you well Pristine, because we are here. Now be quiet." replied Drock.

Drock and few dwarfs removed a boulder. They were up high above the ground near the ceiling. 

As Drock looked down, he said softly, "Uh-oh, it looks like we got here just in time. Those 'protectors' of yours are about to get sacrificed." 

Drock was right for the guys were bounded to the wall. The room was filled with goblins. 

"Looks like they're having a banquet and we're the main course." commented Grayson. 

"Be quiet, Grayson." replied Lance. 

"Kyra, I want you to stay here so just in case we fail, you can get more help." instructed Pristine. 

"Okay, I will listen to you." obeyed Kyra. 

"Ophealia? You got your bow and arrow ready?" 

"Ready as I'll ever be." Ophealia responded; her arrow already notched. 

"Pristine, I'll stay with Kyra." said Mallian. 

"All right, is everyone else ready?" asked Pristine as she drew out her sword. 

Deep down inside, she did not want to fight, but she really didn't have any choice. She felt that she had to be there in the fight. Pulling herself together, Pristine looked at the others, and they nodded. Ophealia stepped up and aimed for the goblin priest, who was in red robes. Ophealia may not look it, but she could shoot almost anything hundred feet away. The goblin king called for one of the guys. Several goblins came up and fetched Lance. 

"Let go, you big ugly buffoons!" Lance protested. 

They dragged him onto a stone table before tying him to it. The goblin priest came up with a knife. He spoke in a foreign dialect before he raised the knife. Then an arrow went straight into his heart. The priest gagged before falling down dead. Everyone on the ground looked up to see who shot the priest. 

"Princess!" shouted Sir Reginald and Grayson. 

That's when Drock and the dwarfs threw ropes down and slid down. 

"You're days are numbered, Goblin King!" shouted Drock as the dwarfs started attacking the goblins. 

"Who's he?" asked Grayson. 

Soon Pristine and Ophealia were on the ground. 

"Well, well. What do we have here?" smirked Ophealia as she approached Lance. 

"Princess, can you cut me loose please?" asked Lance. 

"Hmm, maybe I should. Maybe I shouldn't. I guess I will since you asked so politely." 

She always loved having the upper hand when guys were involved. She took her knife and cut Lance loose. 

He got up and said, "Thanks." 

Ophealia smiled and nodded, "You're welcome."

Lance quickly ran over to Pristine who was being guarded by several dwarfs. 

"What are you doing here?" asked Lance, irritation in his voice. 

"Saving your lives." Pristine replied.

"You shouldn't be here." 

"I am sorry I upset you, but you would have done the same for me." 

That's true, Lance admitted to himself. 

"Hey you, what's your name?" asked Drock as he came over. 

"Lance, but who-" started Lance but Drock interrupted him. 

"Drock. Here! You'll need this." he said before throwing Lance a sword. 

"You stay right here." Lance ordered Pristine before he began to fight.

During this time, Grayson yelled, "Your highness, can you cut me loose now?" 

Ophealia already released Sir Reginald and the other outlaws before coming to Grayson. "Oh you men are so impatient. I'll cut you lose when you say the magic word." replied Ophealia. 

"Please." 

"Very well." answered Ophealia sweetly before cutting him loose. 

"What do you say?" she asked. 

"Thank-you." 

"You're welcome." 

Meanwhile, Lance was fighting the goblin king. 

"You're pretty good for a human." the king commented. 

"Thanks. I learned from the best." 

Suddenly, the goblin king knocked Lance's sword out of his hand. 

"Pathetic." the king commented. 

Lance was backed into a corner. The goblin king was about to strike him when he stopped and sniffed the air. 

"I smell a pure heart." he said. 

The goblin king saw Pristine. Suddenly, he started to charge toward her. 

Realizing his intent, Lance yelled, "Pristine! Look out!" 

Pristine already sensed the king was rushing toward her. The king literally charged through the dwarfs to get to Pristine. Just when the king was about to slash Pristine, she pulled out the Stone of Water and it protected her by deflecting the attack. The king was blasted by the force of the shield. Blue light filled the area. Everyone shaded their eyes. When the light settled down, they looked up and saw the goblin king on the ground, unconscious, and Pristine kneeling next to him. Also, all the other goblins laid on the ground. 

"I'm sorry." whispered Pristine as a tear fell from her face and landed on the goblin king's heart. 

He and the other goblins, including the priest, started to glow. 

Pristine held up the Stone of Water and beckoned, "Please, heal them." 

Again the stone glowed and its brilliance covered the area. As the light died down, all the goblins changed. They became dwarf children. Everyone became astonished. What used to be the goblin king, was now a dwarf boy. 

As he sat up and rubbed his eyes, he said, "Hey, what happened? Where am I? Father? Father! Where are you?" 

"Son!!" yelled a dwarf as he ran towards the boy. 

They embraced. 

"Oh thank-you! Thank-you!" the dwarf thanked Pristine. 

"You're welcome." Pristine replied before fainting. 

Mallian, Kyra, and the few dwarfs who stayed behind climbed down the ropes. 

Kyra ran up to Pristine and asked, "Pristine? Are you all right?" 

Pristine opened her eyes and said as few of the others came up to her, "I am all right, just tired." 

She tried to sit up, but it was in vain. Lance helped her up. 

"You should be tired. You had to use a great deal of energy to purify the goblins." replied Mallian. 

"The goblins were actually kids?" Grayson asked puzzlingly. 

"Yes, I was told that on the day of Invasion, all the children disappeared. I guess this is what happened." explained Drock. 

"By the way, who are you?" 

"Drock, and who are you?" 

"Grayson." 

Drock walked up to Pristine. 

"Pristine, you are one amazing person." he commented with a grin. 

"Why thank-you Drock." 

"How's your arm Pristine?" asked Ophealia.

"It's fine."

"Pristine? What happened to your arm?" asked Lance. 

"Oh, it's a long story." 

"Is there anything we can get you, Miss Pristine?" asked Sir Reginald. 

"Yes, you can get me some food." 

"That's right. We never did have breakfast." mentioned Grayson. 

"Why don't you come back to our domain?" asked a dwarf. 

"Yes, please!" all the dwarfs said simultaneously. 

"All right." agreed Pristine with a smile. 

Lance helped Pristine up, and they all exited the lair.

As they head back, Mallian asked Drock quietly, "Drock? Can I ask you something, privately?" 

"Sure." 

"We better linger back." 

"Okay." 

They waited for the group to go past them. 

"What do you think of Pristine?" Mallian asked. 

"Pristine? I think there is more to her than meets the eye." 

"Good, you do sense it." 

Drock might be human, but since he lived with the dwarfs, Mallian figured that he knew whether to tell if one was a unicorn or not. 

"Do you think . . ." 

"I don't think. I know. You must have recognize the signals, don't you? You know very well that only unicorns can control the stones as well as the Crystal of Life." Mallian said. 

"Yes, I know. I don't think the others realize that Pristine's the princess, besides the dwarfs." 

"I don't think that Pristine realizes it either." 

"Yes, but why doesn't she realize it?" 

"Haven't you heard? When the princess's soul was sent to the future, it split into two parts, the human part, and the unicorn part. Pristine's human part probably doesn't remember anything of her past life." 

"That explains it." 

"Hey! Are you two coming or not?" asked Kyra as she appeared. 

"Sorry, we're coming." responded Mallian. 

"We better keep this between us." suggested Drock. 

"Right." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Soon, they made it to the dwarfs' domain. There was a raucous when the other dwarfs discovered about the dwarf children. The others lingered back, but Pristine was thrown into the middle of the celebrating. The dwarfs announced she's the guest of honor and the others were welcomed as well. When things finally settled down, a few dwarfs led them to a huge den where they ate. 




The Lost One Ch. 04



"Please sit down." the dwarfs said eagerly. 

After they sat down, the dwarfs left to get them some food. 

"You know, I haven't seen the dwarfs this excited since I can remember. You sure know how to brighten someone's day, Pristine." grinned Drock. 

"Well, anyone would have done the same." Pristine replied. 

"They are certainly a lot nicer than when we met them." added Ophealia. 

"Why would you say that?" asked Lance. 

"Because when we met the dwarfs, we didn't exactly get a warm welcome. If it hadn't been for Pristine, they might have never helped us." explained Ophealia. 

"It sounds like dwarfs don't like humans." guessed Grayson. 

"They sure don't. I am pretty much the only human they trust." agreed Drock. 

"Why you?" 

"I was raised by them." 

"To be frank, all enchanted creatures don't trust humans." mentioned Mallian. 

"Why is that? Humans and enchanted folk use to always live in harmony before Zeather's Invasion." protested Sir Reginald. 

"That's true, but it was humans that betrayed the enchanted folk. Since most humans have the most vulnerable hearts, they are the most capable of being turned to evil. In fact, most of Zeather's army is human. They were the ones who started to attack the enchanted creatures. Also, while the two were fighting, Zeather attacked the unicorns. Some enchanted folk actually believe that humans were the reason why the unicorns became nearly extinct." 

"Yes, the dwarfs are among the some. They say that it was because of humans that they couldn't protect the unicorns." mentioned Drock. 

"That's so sad." Pristine said.

"Drock? Mallian? I have a question. If the Silver Mountains has a seal on it so evil can't touch here, why is this place cold and why were there goblins?" asked Ophealia. 

"That's a good question, princess. You see, the seal on the Silver Mountains was the last seal. The goblins and the evil winter spell was probably already in place by the time the seal was placed." explained Drock. 

"Okay." 

"Pristine? I think you should tell me now what happened to your arm." mentioned Lance. 

"Well, while were climbing the mountains, this pack of wolves shows up. I was able to calm most of them down, but then one tries to ambush me. I duck and he fell over the edge. He landed on a ledge. I went down to get him. He was so scared, that he bit me. He let's go out of weariness. I healed him with the stone, and he began to trust me. The others pull the two of us up. I collapsed and the wolves called for help. That's when Drock showed up and tended my arm." explained Pristine. 

"Speaking of which, how is your arm Pristine?" asked Drock. 

"Oh, much better." 

"Let's see what it looks like." said Lance. 

He gently unwrapped the cloth. 

"Whoa! It sure healed quickly. There are only small teeth marks here. Did you use anything?" Lance asked Drock. 

"Yes, I used Lucadon." 

"That would do it." said Grayson. 

"It also healed quickly because she's a unicorn." both Mallian and Drock thought.

It was not long until the food arrived. 

"Honey glazed rolls! I haven't had one in ages!" said Pristine with glee. 

Indeed, the last time she tasted one was even before Kyra was born. A merchant came by with some rolls when she was five. 

"Anything else, miss?" asked a female dwarf. 

"Yes, after we eat, can you show us where the Stone of Fire is?" Pristine requested. 

"You're looking for the unicorn?" 

"Yes, we are." 

"As you wish then." 

Later, they all followed a dwarf to an underground volcano. 

When they reached the top, the dwarf said, "The stone is at the bottom. This volcano is an active volcano. But you won't have to worry about it erupting. It erupts every ten years, and it'll be six more years 'til it erupts again. Nether less, it is still dangerous. And it's also hard to breathe." 

"I'll go this time." volunteered Lance. 

"You can't Lance." said Mallian. 

"Why can't I?" asked Lance angrily. 

"You didn't get the Stone of Water. Pristine is the only one who can get the Stone of Fire and the Stone of Wood." 

"Says who?" 

"Says Drackor." replied Drock. 

"What does Drackor have to do with this?" 

"After the Invasion, Drackor broke up the Crystal of Life so Zeather couldn't get it. He said to us guardians of the stones, and I quote, 'That whoever earns the first stone, is the only one who can earn the others.' I'm sorry, but it's the only way." Mallian told him. 

It was true, but she did not add that one person would be the princess. It was another reason why Mallian, Drock, the water folk, and the dwarfs knew Pristine's the princess. 

"Lance, let me go. If you try to, you'll die." added Pristine. 

"But what if you die?" 

He did not even want to think of that. 

"I won't. I wouldn't be worthy if there is a possibility." 

"I need to be alone." said Lance as he walked off. 

Pristine sighed and went off in another direction. 

"What's wrong with her?" asked Grayson. 

"She feels sorry for Lance." said Mallian.

Lance was hiding somewhere, and was waiting until everyone left. 

"I don't care what anyone says. I will not let Pristine take the chance of getting hurt or even killed." Lance said to himself. 

Finally, everyone left. Lance quietly stepped up to the volcano. He noticed some stairs and went down them. He covered his mouth and nose with his cloak. Everything went well, until about midway. 

"What's that noise?" Lance asked when he heard a rumbling. 

All of the sudden, the steps he's standing on deteriorated, and he fell through! He fell until he landed hard onto a thin ledge. Groaning, he carefully stood up and looked around. There were no other ledges for him to jump onto.

"Well, Lance. This is some fine mess you got yourself in." 

During this time, Pristine was sitting by herself when she sensed something. 

"Lance." she said before standing up. 

She went to find the others. 

When she found them, she asked, "Does anyone have a rope?" 

"Yes, I do." said Drock. 

"Can I use it please?" Pristine quickly asked. 

"Sure thing, but what's wrong?" Drock asked her as he handed her a rope. 

"Lance is in danger. I can sense it." Pristine replied before running off. 

"I bet you anything that he's going to try and get that stone." said Ophealia as she and the others followed Pristine.

When they caught up to Pristine, she was already tying the rope to a boulder and was about to go down into the volcano. 

"Can you guys hold the rope please?" she asked. 

"Pristine? Why don't you use the stairs?" 

"Because it's too easy." Pristine pointed out before going down. 

Pristine moved as quickly as possible as she went down the rope.

Lance's situation wasn't looking too bright. The ledge he was on couldn't support his weight so it started to crack. 

"Uh-oh. I better think of something quick." 

"You really know how to get yourself into trouble." Pristine said as she appeared. 

"What do you think you're doing?" asked Lance as he looked up. 

"Saving your life, again. Here! Grab onto the rope!" 

The ledge gave away as Lance grabbed onto the rope.

"Got it." 

He looked to see Pristine had started to climb down and passed by him before climbing down to another ledge and stepping onto it.

"Pristine? What are you doing?" asked Lance before climbing down to her. 

"I'm getting that stone." 

"You certainly will not." 

"Lance, I am the only one who can do it. You know that very well. I know you are trying to protect me, but I have to do this. Please." 

Lance sighed and said as he placed his hand on her shoulder, "Just promise me you'll be all right." 

Doing her best to hide the affect his touch was doing to her, Pristine said, "Don't worry. I will." 

Pristine leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. 

"Hey guys! Pull him up!" shouted Pristine. 

"How are you going to get back up?" asked Kyra. 

"Don't worry about me, now do it!" 

Pristine and Lance kept looking at each other until the last moment. Blowing out a bit, Pristine followed her instincts and unexpectedly jumped off the ledge! 

"Pristine!" shouted Lance.

Within seconds, Pristine landed on a platform. She rolled forward as she landed so she would not land on her feet or head. In front of her was the Stone of Fire, which was crimson red. The heat was excruciating. She stepped up carefully and took hold of the stone. The minute her fingers touched it, red light filled the area. As it died down, Pristine found herself in another place. This time, she was in a celestial citadel in a bedroom where a lady was giving birth. She was holding onto a man's hand and was moaning in pain. At times she screamed. Another person was on the other side of the bed. It was Drackor. There's another lady present. It must have been the midwife. 

There was a healer saying, "You're almost there your majesty." 

Pristine recognized the lady and the man as the couple from the beach vision and her last dream. 

The next thing she heard was a baby's cry and the healer saying, "It's a girl." 

The healer and the midwife separated the baby from the mother as they cut the cord. 

"You did it honey." said the man, a radiant smile on his face. 

"Congratulations, Queen Loreanna." replied Drackor. 

After cleaning the newborn, the midwife wrapped her in a white sheet and handed her to the man. 

"Look at her, darling. She's beautiful." he said. 

He carefully placed the babe in the queen's arms. 

"Hello, my little princess." she said wearily. 

Pristine stood with tears in her eyes. The vision ended. Pristine found herself standing in a different place. The walls were red and it wasn't hot in the room.

"Now where am I?" 

"You are safe, Pristine." said a male voice. 

"Who's there?" asked Pristine as she turned around. 

She saw a man with the same eyes and hair as she with white garments on. 

"Oh, did Drackor send you?" Pristine asked in awe. 

"Yes. I am here to give you your third sign. Now pay attention. You are to travel through a tunnel under the Silver Mountains. It will lead you to the Valley of Mists. There will be a sign telling you how to get through without getting lost. If you make it through, you'll make it to the Mystical Forest. Be careful, Pristine. The inhabitants of this forest are very cautious and hostile towards humans." the man explained. 

"Thank-you for the warning. Now, how do I get back?" 

"Here's a passage you can take." said the man before stepping to the side. 

Behind him was a doorway. 

"Again, thank-you." thanked Pristine before bowing. 

She ran through the doorway with the stone in possession. 

As soon as she left, a woman appeared by the man and asked, "Did she get the message?" 

"Yes." replied the man as he took the woman's arm. 

"Elios. She has grown so much. She makes me proud." said the woman as she shed a tear. 

"Yes, she has Loreanna. This next test will be her toughest one yet." replied Elios. 

The two vanished.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, everyone else was able to pull Lance up to safety. 

"Lance? Why didn't you listen to Mallian?" asked Grayson. 

"Because I couldn't bear it if anything happened to Pristine." Lance bluntly said. 

"He does love her." Mallian thought to herself. 

"Lance, I'm sure Miss Pristine can take care of herself. You must learn to trust her judgment." commented Sir Reginald. 

"I know, Sir Reginald." 

"Hi guys." said a voice. 

They all turned to see Pristine. 

"Pristine! Are you all right?" asked Lance as he and the others went toward her. 

"Did you get it?" asked Grayson. 

"Yes, I did." nodded Pristine as she lifted up the stone. 

"Oh, it's magnificent." replied Ophealia. 

"Now that's settled, where do we go from here?" asked Kyra. 

"We head for the Mystical Forest." answered Pristine. 

"Pristine? How is it that you know where to go?" asked Ophealia. 

"Someone told me." 

"Who?" Grayson questioned her. 

"Well, the first person was Drackor, and the last two were two people dressed in white and they wore crowns." 

Mallian and Drock both looked at each other. 

"I wonder what's got those two so excited? I'll ask them later." Pristine thought. 

"Pristine, I said it before and I'll say it again. You're amazing." replied Drock. 

"Thank-you Drock. Uh, Drock? I've been meaning to ask you something." 

"Sure. Ask me anything." 

"Um, do you want to join us on our journey?" 

"I would like to, but I need to get permission first." 

"All right." 

They went and found the dwarfs. All of them were mining or working on their daily chores. One of them spotted them. 

"Well, hello there. Were you able to get the stone?" he asked. 

All activity stopped and looked at them. 

"Yes, I did." answered Pristine. 

"Friends, I need to ask you something." said Drock. 

"Sure, go ahead." replied another dwarf. 

Drock then stepped up and shouted, "Kinsmen, Pristine has asked me to join her. I need your permission to join them." 

Then all at once, all the dwarfs shouted their affirmations. 

Then one shouted, "Go, Drock. So just in case you meet the princess, you can apologize to her for us." 

"What does he mean by that?" asked Kyra. 

"Do you remember what happened during the Invasion? Well, the dwarfs felt guilty because they couldn't protect the unicorns." reminded Mallian. 

"Oh!" 

"Drock? Do you have a horse?" asked Pristine. 

"Actually, I do. I'll go get him." said Drock. 

He went off and soon returned with a chestnut stallion. 

"I'll need to pack some things." Drock mentioned. 

"We need to stack up on goods as well." Lance said. 

"Okay, follow me." 

They followed him through several tunnels before coming to a storage place. Drock helped them re-supply before packing up his things. 

As they came back to the main area, a dwarf saw them and asked, "Anything else you need?" 

"Yes. We are heading toward the Mystical Forest. I was told that there is a tunnel under the mountains which leads to it. Can you show us where it is?" Pristine asked. 

"Yes, I can, but it's near a valley southwest of here." mentioned the dwarf. 

"Um, does this valley have a stream?" 

"Yes, it does." 

"Oh, good. That's where our horses are. We needed to get them anyway." Ophealia mentioned.

As soon as they got the horses, they packed up their supplies on them. 

The dwarf leading them said, "Follow me, please." 

Leading their horses, the others followed them. 

Soon, "Okay. Here you go. Good luck." said the dwarf as the others mounted their horses. The entrance was huge. 

"Thank-you. Good-bye!" thanked Pristine as she and the others took off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Shrew! See, I said it was pretty fast paced. I promise the next chapter is slower for the most part. I find interesting that Lance wants to protect Pristine, when most of the time she's saving him. Don't worry folks, he'll get his chance at one point lol. Please rate and review. Thanks.



The Lost One Ch. 05



A/N: This chapter isn't as long as the previous one, but it's still important. Special thanks again to Blackstallion21 for editing this chapter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

V.

The Spirits

Of Nature

Pristine and the others headed toward the Mystical Forest. At one point they stopped and took off their extra clothing for the atmosphere was getting a bit warmer. After that, they continued onward. Their journey to the Mystical Forest was a long one for they had been traveling for two weeks. They were grateful though that they had enough food. 

They traveled under the mountains on the fifteenth day when Kyra said, "Boy, this tunnel sure is long. It seems like we've been ridding for eternity." 

"That's because the forest is supposed to be located far southeast of the mountains." Grayson explained. 

"How do you know so much?" asked Drock. 

"I like to read and study things." 

Drock looked surprised and was about to ask another question when Ophealia complained, "When are we going to get there?" 

"Not much further I hope." Grayson replied.

Soon, "I think we are almost there. Look!" pointed Lance. 

"All right, a clearing!" Kyra shouted enthusiastically. 

"Let's go!" Lance ordered.

Soon, they made it. The area was filled with fog. But it was not too thick for they could still see their surroundings several feet away. 

"Where are we?" asked Ophealia. 

"The Valley of Mists." replied Pristine. 

"How do we get through it?" asked Grayson. 

"Let's see. There should be a sign nearby. Oh! There it is." pointed Pristine as she dismounted. 

The others dismounted as well and followed her. Pristine went up to a sign. Beyond it the fog got as thick as pea soup. 

"Mallian? Can you read this sign?" asked Kyra. 

Mallian stepped forward and said, "All right. It says,

'You must use the light inside,

As well as the fire in your hand,

If you make through this maze of the mind,

You'll find the Forest of the lost children.'"

"Oh, I get it. We have to use our hearts, and trust our instincts to make it through. We also use the Stone of Fire." explained Pristine. 

"We need to stick together then." said Grayson. 

"Good point." agreed Sir Reginald. 

"Why don't we hold hands then?" suggested Lance, who already offered his to Pristine. 

Ophealia and Kyra frowned at that, but everyone nodded and began to follow suit when Grayson replied, "Why don't we use a rope too. Can never be too careful. Drock do you still have that rope with you?" 

Drock nodded. Everyone helped tie the rope around themselves before they took each other's hand again. Pristine and Lance were next to each other. On Pristine's other side was Kyra, but since Pristine held the Stone of Fire, Kyra held onto the strap of her bag. Kyra was also next to Mallian, who was next to Drock. Next to Lance was Grayson, who was nervous about holding hands with Ophealia. Ophealia just took his hand and actually smiled at him, which caused Grayson to blush a little. Ophealia was also next to Sir Reginald. The outlaws gathered on both ends of the human chain. 

"Pristine? Why don't you lead the way since you have the stone." suggested Grayson. 

"All right, but I need total concentration so please no talking." Pristine said. 

She closed her eyes and focused. The Stone of Fire started to glow as well as Pristine. 

"What's happening to Pristine?" whispered Lance so not to disturb her. 

"It's the light inside her. It's shining through to light the way." explained Mallian. 

"Follow me." Pristine said angelically as she led them into the dense fog. 

"Pristine? You sound different." commented Kyra. 

Pristine did not even hear her for she was in a trance. Mallian and Drock saw Pristine as that celestial being. They noticed that they were the only ones who saw her that way because they were seeing her with their hearts and instincts. Both looked at each other and acknowledged without even saying a word. 

"I knew it! To think I doubted it for a moment." thought Mallian. 

"Oh my! I can't believe it! I thought I would never . . ." thought Drock. 

They all walked for what seemed to be like hours, but it only took them half an hour to get through the mists.

When they exited the mists, they entered a large forest area. 

"We made it! We made it!" shouted Kyra after they untied the rope from around them. 

As the light died down around Pristine, she collapsed. Lance managed to catch her in time before she reached the ground. 

"Pristine? Are you okay?" he asked. 

"Yes, I will be. Can you help me get up Lance, please?" 

"Sure." 

When Pristine tried to stand up, she quickly fell to her knees with Lance catching her again. 

"I think you're not strong enough to walk yet." replied Lance. 

"You're right . . ." answered Pristine as she fell asleep. 

Fatigue and exhaustion finally got to her. Lance picked her up. 

"Poor thing. This journey has really taken its toll on her." commented Ophealia. 

"You have to admire her though for she never complains." added Grayson. 

"You think you can manage her Lance?" asked Sir Reginald. 

"Yes, I got her." replied Lance. 

In fact, he loved the idea of carrying her around. She felt so soft and he knew she deserved some rest. 

"Um? Why is Pristine always worn out whenever she uses one of the stones?" asked Kyra. 

"Because she uses her own energy to use them. The stones are powerful, but they need someone with a powerful soul and energy to use them. If a regular person would have just used them for a little bit, he or she would have been unconscious for days or weeks, or they could have died. For someone like Pristine though, they would only lose consciousness for a little bit. But they can die if they use too much of their energy." explained Mallian. 

"No offense to Pristine, but why does she have all this power?" asked Ophealia. 

"Because she has a pure-heart. Pure-hearted people hold some of the most potent and powerful souls because of their goodness. They can never think ill of anyone and they have an abundance of love in their hearts for all. Besides, Pristine is one tough nut." added Drock. 

Everyone else agreed. They looked around. 

"So this is the Mystical Forest right?" asked Ophealia. 

"Yes it is. We have to be extremely cautious here." warned Mallian. 

"Why is that?" asked Grayson. 

"Because if you thought the dwarfs are insecure, wait until you meet the creatures here. Most of them were some of the unicorns' greatest allies and friends. Their species use to be numerous, and only a small number of them managed to survive. That's why this sanctuary had the first shield placed up." explained Drock. 

"Boy, I can't imagine how they feel." said Ophealia. 

"Oh, they really don't like humans period." replied Drock. 

"What about you two? Will they accept you?" asked Kyra. 

"Well, they will probably accept us, but I don't know if they'll listen to us." answered Mallian. 

"Um one more question? Did all of the mystical creatures survive the Invasion?" asked Kyra. 

"Well, actually, every mystical race believes that the unicorns' greatest ally and protectors are extinct. They were the dragons. Some say a few survived, others said that they simply vanished, or they were all killed in the war. We know that some dragons did die. Amongst them was the princess's own protector who was also the general of the dragon army that protected the unicorns. He died valiantly protecting the princess. Few even say if it wasn't for him, the princess's soul would have been devoured too." Mallian said sadly. 

"That is sad. Can we rest now? My feet hurt." asked Kyra. 

"All right, but not too long." Lance replied.

They entered the woods and soon found a glen where they rested. 

Lance turned to Grayson and asked, "Brother, can you get my cloak off please?" 

"Sure Lance." Grayson helped him out of it. 

"Can you lay it on the ground please?" 

Grayson nodded and did what Lance said. Lance placed Pristine on his cloak. She didn't even stir as she slept on. She was dreaming again. This time she dreamt of a place where there were so many mountains and the place covered in snow. Pristine was surprised to see some girls in only trousers and light-weight jerkins. Pristine recognized four of them as the princess's court. The princess was also there with them. They all seemed to be around ten, eleven, twelve, and thirteen.

"I just love spending the winter here. And what's best is it never gets cold." smiled Allora.

"It's cause of the magic of this world." Grace said simply.

"I guess winter is okay. I still prefer summer." Fanesse replied.

"That's because you're a fire unicorn Fanesse. But I guess I like spring and summer better because the trees aren't sleeping. I can't climb them when they're sleeping. What about you cousin?" sighed Joyce looking at the princess.

"I love all the seasons for each has its pros and cons." she replied.

"Oh look! Here comes Slycer and Sir Gladius!" shouted Fanesse pointing to two figures in the sky.

"Did you have to shout it right in my ear?" complained Grace.

Pristine looked up to see two dragons descend from the sky. While both were gold, one was smaller than the other. The larger one was ten feet tall and fifteen feet long, not including the tail. The smaller one was seven feet tall and twelve feet long. They both landed near the girls and changed into their human forms. The larger one turned into a man who appeared to be in his forties when he was really six hundred and seventy-five years old. He stood tall though at six feet and four inches and had a Nordic look about him with golden blonde hair and beard. He was very muscular and in good condition for his age. His eyes were dark blue. The other person looked like the younger version of the man only his eyes were gold and he was beardless. He also was a bit leaner and appeared to be eighteen years of age but was two hundred and seventy years. He was only six feet tall.

"There you little scamps are. You're parents asked us to find you and Slycer and I figured you five be here near our stronghold." said the older man a bit sternly but couldn't hide his grin.

"Oh it was my fault Sir Gladius. I wanted to come here on my own but my court refused to let me come on my own." the princess said, feeling bad.

"Ha ha ha! It's okay princess. It's not like you are never alone." Sir Gladius replied.

"I sometimes forget that you dragons are undercover."

"So Slycer has Sir Gladius been pushing you hard again?" asked Fanesse.

"Yes, in fact, soon I shall replace my father soon as sworn protector of the royal family." the younger man said proudly.

"Oh that's right. You're eighteen in human years now." the princess said.

As Pristine watched she couldn't help but think she knew those dragons. Suddenly everything got blurry and the images vanished.

Soon Pristine woke up. 

"Ah, boy do I feel refreshed. I feel like walking." she said as she got up. 

"Now Pristine, you shouldn't be going out on your own." protested Lance. 

"Don't worry Lance. We'll go with her." said Drock as he and Mallian stood up. 

"Is that all right with you Pristine?" asked Mallian. 

"Yes. I am okay with that." 

Besides, she wanted to have a private talk with them. So did Mallian and Drock. Lance watched as the three of them leave. 

"Stop worrying about her bro. Mallian and Drock are with her." comforted Grayson. 

"You're right, Grayson." 

As the two of them sat down, Ophealia commented, "Oh, my feet are sore. Grayson, I want you to rub me please. Please?" 

Grayson looked at Ophealia as a blush crept up on his face. Ophealia looked at Lance and the other outlaws, who were on the brink of laughing. Sir Reginald looked at her stoically, while Kyra just shrugged. 

Finally, Ophealia looked back at a still nonplussed Grayson and snapped, "Hey! Are you going to rub my feet or not?" 

Grayson shook his head a bit and replied, "Um, okay, if you want me too. Then can you rub mine?" 

At this Lance and the other outlaws barked with laughter. Even Kyra giggled. 

"Maybe, if I am in the mood." Ophealia gave Grayson a grin. 

Grayson scooted over, but before he could do anything, a group of gryphons and winged-lions ambushed them! They quickly surrounded the group. 

Lance, Grayson, and the other outlaws drew their swords, but Ophealia quickly protested, "No, Lance! Lay down you sword." 

Lance and the others did. 

Finally a gryphon said, "Humans are forbidden here. You-all are hereby order to surrender or die." 

"But we mean no harm sir. I'm Princess Ophealia of Grom-" Ophealia started to say but was cut off by a lion. 

"Princess, knight, outlaw, peasant. All the same. Now are you going to surrender or not." the lion said. 

It took all of Lance's willpower not to take on the creatures by himself. 

"Fine. We surrender." he submitted before he threw down his sword. 

Everyone else discarded their weapons. The lions and the gryphons led them away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Pristine, Mallian, and Drock were walking through the woods until Pristine said, "Mallian. Drock. I've been meaning to ask you two about something. I noticed when I told everyone who I got the signs from, your expressions changed. Do you know who the couple was?" 

"Yes, we do, Pristine. The people you saw were King Elios and Queen Loreanna of the unicorns." answered Mallian. 

Pristine just stared and replied, "I thought they were dead." 

"They are, but their spirits remain." Drock explained. 

"I wonder why they are helping me." 

"That we can't say now, Pristine. May I ask you something?" asked Mallian. 

"Sure." 

"Pristine, are you happy?" 

That caught Pristine by surprise and she thought about what she would say, and when she did, she couldn't hide the sadness in her eyes.

"Uh, that's a tough one. I will say that I am glad that I have friends and people I know who care about me. But, I still feel empty and lonesome. Excuse me, but I like to be alone for awhile." 

"All right. We'll head back to the others." Drock replied. 

"Okay, thanks. I'll be back soon." Pristine thanked before leaving. 

When she left, Mallian told Drock, "Figures; since she doesn't have the other part of her soul, she is going to feel 'empty'." 

When the two finally got back, "Uh-oh! Looks like trouble." commented Drock. 

They looked around before seeing some feathers. They also smelled something different. 

Mallian looked at the feathers and said, "This feather comes from a golden gryphon. Looks like we got some lions here too." 

"We better go get them." 

"Yes, but mostly for Pristine's sake."

"I will admit though, I am beginning to really like them." 

"Right. Let's go." 

During this time, Pristine continued to walk through the forest. The forest contained a mystical feel about it in its green and mysterious labyrinth and it enchanted Pristine. She found a glen with a pond and sat upon a boulder. Listening to the sounds of birds and other creatures of the forest, Pristine felt at peace for once for here was a place she connected well with. Forest animals began to watch her from the protection of the trees. Pristine, oblivious to them, began to ponder about her inner self. 

With sadness in her eyes she asked herself out quietly, "Why do I still feel empty? Will I ever find my true self and purpose?" 

She closed her eyes and opened them and finally saw the animals. They suddenly took off. 

Pristine sighed and commented, "People in the past have always been scared of me for some reason. I guess the animals here are no different. Really cannot blame them for I am strange." 

The animals understood her words, and began to feel her sincerity and purity. So they appeared once more and some even gathered around her. One little rabbit even jumped onto her lap. Pristine smiled with joy. 

"Thank-you for understanding." she replied as she gently stroked the rabbit. 

Suddenly the animals became alert. Pristine stood up with the rabbit in her arms and placed it down before smelling something. 

"What's that smell?" 

She looked up and saw smoke. 

"Oh no. No! Fire! I've got to find the others." 

The animals urged her to go with them. 

"All right. Let's go." Pristine agreed as they started to run.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Lance and the others were taken to a meadow where the leaders of the creatures of the Mystical Forest were. Amongst them was an elf. Her name was Pixie. She looked to be twelve years-old, when in fact she was actually over a hundred years. Her skin was olive toned and her pink and green hair was in pigtails. Her form was very much like a young lady about to enter adolescences, for her body was slender and long, but it's still petite. She stared at the intruders with harsh pink eyes as she stepped forward, eyes that had seen a lot in her young years. The others were tied to several stakes. Different mystical creatures surrounded Pixie and the other leaders. 

Finally Pixie demanded, "Why have you trespassed on our land? You humans know very well that it's forbidden." 

"Please, we didn't mean to. We're on a quest." Kyra replied. 

"Oh really." Pixie said sarcastically. 

"It's the truth my lady. I am a knight and would never lie." added Sir Reginald. 

"So, I knew several human kings who said they were honorable men, but ended up breaking their words." 

That moment, a brown satyr came forward. 

"Pixie, several beings wish to speak with you." he told her. 

"Who are they?" 

"One's a water folk, and the other is human, but he was raised by dwarfs. He wears dwarf clothing, has a dwarf name, and he has the dwarf emblem on him." explained the satyr. 

"Let them approach." Pixie replied reluctantly. 

The satyr led Mallian and Drock in. 

Mallian looked at the humans and sighed before saying, "Well, leave them alone for one minute, and they still manage to get into trouble." 

"All right, who are you and what do you want?" asked Pixie. 

"Good day. My name is Mallian and this is Drock. We came for the humans." Mallian replied. 

"And then will you leave?" 

"I'm afraid not. We're on a quest." said Drock. 

Pixie pondered on this quest of theirs. Suddenly, she figured it out. Mallian and Drock came from the two other places that had shields. The only reason why they would leave their sanctuary and the only reason why they would come through here was because . . . "Let me guess, you want to find the princess of the unicorns?" 

"Yes, we do." answered Drock. 

"And do you actually trust these humans?" 

"As a matter of fact we do. These humans have done nothing to hurt anyone. They are all honorable. And you know very well that my kind doesn't lie." protested Mallian. 

"Yes, I do Mallian. They may be sincere now, but how do you know they'll stay that way. It was because of humans that we could not protect and possibly save the unicorns! It was because of humans that I saw my family die right in front of me!" 

"Yes, but don't forget that humans were being controlled by Zeather, and that not all humans became evil." Drock bounced back. 

"Yes, I know, but give me one good reason why I should trust these humans?" 

"Because Drackor is involved." 

"How do you know he is? Have any of you seen him?" 

"I have!" shouted Kyra. 

"Okay then, what proof do you have?" 

"I have it, but not with me right now." 

Pixie sighed confusedly. 

"Oh, I don't know what to do. I am perplexed." 

"Do what you feel is best." Mallian replied. 

Before Pixie replied, someone shouted, "Fire!! The forest is on fire!" 

Immediately different creatures began to scramble. 

"No! Don't panic! Everyone go and find water!" ordered Pixie. 

"What about them?" the satyr asked referring to Lance and the others. 




The Lost One Ch. 05



"Oh, release them." 

The creatures did. 

"That's a relief." said Grayson. 

They approached Mallian and Drock. 

"Where's Pristine?" Lance asked immediately. 

"She's safe. Right now, we got to help protect this forest." said Mallian. 

"Mallian's right. Let's go." ordered Ophealia.

The fire spread quickly. The mystical creatures were astonished when the humans started helping. But their efforts were done in vain as the fire surrounded them. 

Meanwhile, Pristine and the woodland animals ran as fast as possible to find Pristine's friends. 

"I must hurry. There's not much time left." Pristine thought. 

She sensed Lance and knew he was near. Most of the time she avoided the fire, but at times she dodged falling, burning debris. Still she got a bit banged up whenever she fell down. She stopped at a wall of fire and knew immediately that Lance and the others were on the other side. She looked at the animals and told them she'll be back shortly. Taking a deep breath and holding the Stone of Water in her hand, she jumped through the fire. Miraculously, the fire didn't touch her thanks to the Stone of Water. She saw her friends and others scrambled to try and douse the fire. Pristine felt fear, chaos, and pain. Suddenly, memories of another time flashed into Pristine's mind and it became too much for her as she screamed in agony. This act caught everyone's attention as they all turned to see Pristine fell to her knees. 

"Pristine!" Lance yelled. 

He was about to go up to her, but was halted by Mallian. 

"No! I will not allow this!" Pristine shouted before gathering herself. 

To all of the mystical creatures' astonishment, Pristine took out the two stones as they started to glow as well as Pristine. 

Holding up the Stone of Water, Pristine commanded, "Please, Stone of Water! Open the sky and let the healing rain wipe out this destruction!" 

Suddenly, the sky darkened and rain began to fall, and eliminated the huge fire. Pristine took a deep breath. She needed to stay focus because healing was a consuming and draining ordeal. 

Placing the Stone of Water down, she reached for the Stone of Fire and holding it up, she beckoned, "Stone of Fire, renew this enchanted place and bring back life to the forest!" 

Wind blew through the area as the forest transformed into a lush and green utopia once more. Pristine managed to put the stones away before collapsing. Lance ran over to her and took her in his arms. 

"Pristine? Are you all right?" he asked. 

Pristine did not respond. 

"Pristine? Pristine!! Wake up!! Please!" Lance begged. 

Her face was stark white and she felt limp. For one second, Lance thought the worse. Pixie, who recovered from the shock, came up to Lance and placed her ear on Pristine's chest. 

"She's alive." Pixie said, causing Lance to sigh in relief. 

"Open her mouth please." Pixie ordered him. 

Lances did. Pixie took out a pouch, which was strapped around her waist. 

"I need some spring water." she asked to no one in particular. 

"Isn't that hard to find though?" asked Grayson. 

"It's no trouble." said a golden hair fairy before coming up next to Pixie as she knelt down. 

The fairy handed Pixie a bottle of spring water that's strapped around her waist. 

"Thanks, Marigold." Pixie thanked her before taking some powder from her pouch and placed it in the water. 

She swirled it around and gave the mixture to Pristine, who slowly regained consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open and the first person she saw was Lance. 

She smiled at him and asked, "Hi Lance. Is something wrong?" 

Lance just shook his head, embraced Pristine, and whispered into her ear, "Pristine. I swear I don't know what I am going to do with you." 

Pristine wrapped her arms around him. His embrace and scent began to have a profound effect on her. 

Finally, she whispered, "Why do anything? Lance, you got to understand that I had to do it. I couldn't bare it if anything happened to you or anyone." 

Lance knew she was right, but seeing her like this always left him helpless, and he hated feeling that way. Reluctantly, he loosened his hold on her. Pristine turned to Pixie, who's baffled by Lance's compassion. Having excellent hearing, she heard everything that the two said. 

Pristine snapped Pixie out of her revelry when Pristine replied, "You. You're an elf, aren't you?" 

"Yes, I am. My name is Pixie. You must be Pristine." 

"Indeed I am. How did you know that?" 

"I heard lover boy here calling out your name." Pixie smirked at Pristine, causing her to blush. 

Lance just grinned. 

"We're you the one who gave me that remedy?" 

"Yes, I was. It helps bring back physical and mental strength. Are you feeling better?" 

"Yes, I am. Thank-you very much." 

"It is I and the other inhabitants of this forest who should be thankful. You saved our home, and for that we are eternally grateful." 

Pixie and the other creatures bowed causing Pristine to become all modest and turn red. The woodland animals suddenly surrounded Pristine, Lance, and Pixie. 

"Wow, it's rare that these creatures approach anyone. You are gifted to earn their trust so quickly." replied Pixie.

She turned to Pristine's friends and replied, "As for the rest of you humans, please accept our apology for being so rude. You have proven to be sincere. Now, if I may ask for your names, please." 

Each of them introduced themselves. Lance helped Pristine get up. He kept a hand on her waist to keep her steady. The mystical creatures went back to their daily business. The only ones left were Pixie, Pristine, and her group. 

"Now travelers; if my memory serves me right, you are searching for the unicorn princess right? I am assuming then you want to know where the Stone of Wood is right?" Pixie asked. 

"Yes, please." nodded Pristine. 

"Very well, follow me please."

Pixie led them through the woods. 

"Pixie, we know about the forest dwellers relationship with the unicorns, but have you ever known any yourself?" Kyra asked. 

Pixie looked at the human girl and decided that it's all right to tell her a little bit about herself. 

"Indeed I did. In fact, one of the duchesses from the princess's court was my best friend." 

"Really? Did you get the chance to meet the princess then?" 

"Yes I did on numerous occasions, and no, I am not going tell you anymore." 

Kyra sighed and wondered why no one would tell them about the princess. But not wanting to press her luck, Kyra remained silent.

"Pixie? We know what the other two stones' powers are, but what about the Stone of Wood?" asked Ophealia. 

"The Stone of Wood has the power of sanctuary. In other words, it protects others from physical, emotional, and mental attacks. And it controls earth elements. All three stones have elemental powers." 

"Um, why isn't there a Stone of Air by any chance?" asked Grayson. 

"Well, Drackor didn't have enough time to place a fourth Shield up around one more area. Zeather beat him to it. Since he only had three sanctuaries, he could only split the Crystal of Life three ways. So in each stone he placed a little bit of Air's power." Mallian replied. 

"Do you know where the fourth Shield would have been placed?" asked Kyra.

"Most likely the mountain range near the Unicorn realm; they're called the Mountains of Eternity." guessed Pixie. 

As they walked through the woods, they came across many of nature's treasures for there were waterfalls and exotic flowers. Soon they came to a clearing and in the center was a huge tree that looked like it's twisted all around and inside out. Pristine felt the power coming from the tree. 

"All right, this is it. Pristine, since you are the only one who can use the stones, you are the only one who can enter the Tree of Spirits. This test isn't as physically dangerous, but it's is the most perilous and hardest of the three tests. Inside are the spirits of this world. They were once peaceful, but since the Invasion they have become chaotic. Only one has remained peaceful and she'll need your help in calming the others down. If you calm all of them down, the stone is yours. Please be careful okay for this is not an easy task. Oh! One more thing, you must leave all your weapons and stones behind." explained Pixie. 

"All right." Pristine agreed before taking off her weapons. 

She took the bag filled with the other two stones and handed it to Lance. 

"Please, watch them for me." 

"I will." Lance answered before placing a hand on her shoulder and kissed her on the cheek. 

"Good-luck." he told her. 

Pristine's face was flushed, but she said, "Thank-you."

Pristine went through the entrance. As she entered, she sensed the chaos around her, even though she didn't see anything initially. Pristine noticed a circle in the center, went over to it, and sat inside it. She innately knew what to do. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on trying to contact with the peaceful spirit with her own soul. It seemed like ages, but she finally contacted the one. 

"I've been waiting for you", the spirit replied. 

She had a willowy figure and had green garments on that shimmer and had light green hair. 

"You are the Spirit of Wood aren't you? Why have you been waiting for me?" Pristine's spirit asked. 

"Because I have been trying to calm down the other spirits and have had no success. Only you can calm them down and bring balance back between them." the Wood spirit replied. 

"But why me though? What sets me apart from everyone else?" 

"You must find the answer for yourself. Right now open your soul and let us combine our powers to settle this feud."

Pristine nodded. The test or tests were just as hard as Pixie said. Pristine's soul was at risk for she had to use a great deal of mental power to settle down each spirit. Pristine and the Wood spirit managed to settle down the minor elemental spirits first like lightning, ice, and metal, than they went onto the primary elements of wind, fire, and water. The hardest were yet to come for Pristine began to waver. She stayed strong though for she had to bring peace between the spirits of light and dark. Light was dying, as well as the Dark. The light was fading for the lack of power and the dark was dying for it was corrupted with too much of it. Pristine managed to solve this problem by becoming a median between the two. Since both light and dark were intertwined, Pristine got Dark to convert its power to Light. It was Pristine's job to convert the flow though for too much would kill the light. She did it though, but her soul was weakened to its limits. Her spirit would have vanished, but because she was able to restore the harmony of the spirits, each gave Pristine a piece of their power to revive her spirit. 

Before Pristine awoke, she remembered them saying, "Be at peace Pristine, for you will soon find your path." 

When Pristine opened her eyes, she found herself in a different place where green walls surrounded her. In front of her was an emerald green stone. It had to be the Stone of Wood. Standing up, Pristine walked over to it and picked up the green stone. Green light filled the area. When it died down, Pristine looked around and found herself in a grand ballroom. The lights were out, but moonlight filtered through the large windows. And there dancing in the moonlight was a little girl in a white nightgown. The girl appeared to be five years old and she held a serene look on her face. Pristine recognized her as the princess. The girl suddenly stopped when she heard someone. 

"Sweet heart, what are you doing up this late?" asked a lady wearing a white shawl and nightgown. 

Pristine recognized her as Queen Loreanna. 

"I am dancing with the spirits mommy." replied the child. 

"What spirits?" Loreanna asked with a smile on her face. 

It was then Pristine saw little lights flying about the room. She guessed that the queen couldn't see them, which she found odd. 

"Oh, wood, water, air, fire, everything." 

"Ah, well why don't you dance your way up to bed then?" 

"Will you dance with me?" 

Loreanna couldn't resist. 

"All right, come here." 

The small princess ran over to her mom, and the mother picked her up as they danced through the double doors. 

For a moment, Pristine thought, "I remember that. Could it possibly mean . . . No it couldn't." 

The next thing Pristine realized was that she's back in the room where she got the stone. 

"Well done, Pristine." said a voice. 

Pristine turned to see King Elios and Queen Loreanna. 

"You have done well, my dear. Now you're ready to receive your fourth and final sign. You are to go to the edge of the forest where you'll find a huge tree. The tree has a passage that leads out of the forest and back to the Valley of Mists." instructed Loreanna. 

"All right." Pristine replied. 

"Now here's the hard part. There will be a lake nearby. You are to wait until our two moons come out. When both of their reflections reach the center, a platform and bridge to the shore will appear. You must hurry for the portal on the platform will open up for a few minutes. This magical portal will lead you to what use to be where the unicorns roamed. The first building to your right will be the Temple of Corlana. That is where you need to go for it's one of the few structures standing." explained Elios. 

"Thank-you for everything. Now how do I get back?" 

"Here's a passageway." pointed Loreanna. 

"Again thank you so much for everything." Pristine bowed before running through the passage. 

After she was gone, Loreanna said, "She's heading into more danger my love. The portal is just outside the protection barrier." 

"Yes, but she'll make it. She has friends as well as that young man." 

"He's good for her. She doesn't realize how much he loves her." 

"I don't think he even realizes it himself either. Our daughter doesn't realize she holds the same feelings deep inside of her or that they are destined for each other." 

"She will soon. Very soon." Loreanna grinned. 

The two vanished.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, everyone else was waiting for Pristine to return. It actually did take awhile for they had been waiting close to five hours and the sun was beginning to set. 

"Wow, I didn't think that the test would take this long." said Lance as he paced back and forth. 

"The test is supposed to be long. It's so difficult, that Drackor would have trouble with it." replied Pixie. 

"Well, that certainly helps my nerves." grumbled Lance for he's beginning to worry. 

Pixie just grinned. Being the elf she was, she sometimes loved to torment others, especially humans. 

"Hey! There she is!" pointed Kyra. 

Everyone turned to see Pristine coming out from the tree. 

"Hello everyone. Sorry it took so long." Pristine replied as she came up. 

This didn't stop Lance from embracing her though. 

"I am just glad you are okay." he whispered. 

Pristine blushed and said, "Thanks." 

Lance pulled back so everyone else could come up to her. 

"Pristine! Did you get it?" asked Kyra. 

"Yes, I did. Lance? Do you still have my things?" asked Pristine as she let the others see the stone. 

"Yes, I do. They're right here." Lance answered before giving Pristine's supplies to her. 

Pristine placed the Stone of Wood away before putting on her other gear. 

"Pristine? Did you receive the final sign?" asked Kyra. 

"Yes. Pixie, I was told to go to a huge tree near the edge of the forest. Do you know where it is?" 

"Yes, I do. And oh, I was wondering if I could join you." 

"Oh course you can." 

"Thank-you. Let me get my things and we'll get on our way."

It took awhile for not only did Pixie get her things together but they restocked on supplies for up to two months. Pristine said that she had a feeling it would be awhile before they found another place to restock at. Soon all the mystical creatures and woodland animals of the forest gathered around the large tree to see them off. The leaders gave Pixie a hug and wished them the best. 

"We will pray for your safe return, Pixie. Please find the princess soon." said Marigold. 

The others nodded as well as Pixie. 

"I will return." Pixie said. 

They all waved as the group went up to the tree and Pixie pressed a knot on it. A passageway opened up. 

"All right! Let's get going!" Kyra shouted enthusiastically. 

"Crystal of Life! Here we come!" shouted Ophealia as they entered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Pixie is one of my favorite characters for while she's still pretty young for an elf, she's seen too much to act like a young elf. So while I did want to portray her as mature, I still want to remind my readers that she's still young. The next chapter will be short but it helps set up the chapter after that, which is another long one.



The Lost One Ch. 06



A/N: Hey guys, I've been very busy with college and all that. I appreciate those who are reading this story and I do hope you continue to do so. I also love hearing feedback, just no flames. This chapter is short but it sets up the next chapter. Thank you again Blackstallion21 for editing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

VI.

Reflections of

The Night

It took them awhile to reach the end of the cave.

"Thank goodness! I thought we would never make it." commented Ophealia. 

"My feet hurt. Look! There's the horses." pointed Kyra as she went over to hers and literally jumped on it. 

"Pixie, you don't have a horse, do you? Do you want to ride with me?" Pristine asked. 

"No thanks. I already have it taken care of." Pixie assured before whistling. 

Suddenly, out of the mist appeared two horses. Both were yellow and golden. 

"We'll use one of these for the gear." Pixie said. 

"Dawning Mustangs. I thought they were extinct." said Drock. 

"Nope. My kind found the remaining few and raised them. There are now close to seventy." explained Pixie as she placed the extra gear on one. 

Several others wanted to help, but Pixie said the mustangs really didn't like strangers. 

"If you touch one you can turn to ashes instantly. If they trust you than that won't happen." Pixie warned them. 

"That's wonderful how you were able to breed them." exclaimed Mallian. 

Soon everyone mounted their horses. The mustang with the gear was strapped to Pixie's horse. 

"All right guys. Are we ready?" Lance asked. 

The others nodded. 

"Then where do we go from here?" asked Grayson. 

"There's a nearby lake. Pixie do you know where it is?" Pristine asked. 

"As a matter of fact, I do. Follow me." Pixie replied.

Soon they saw the lake. 

"There it is!" shouted Kyra before taking off. 

"Wait for me!" replied Ophealia. 

Everyone else followed. 

As soon as they dismounted, Kyra asked, "Now what?" 

"We wait until the two moons' reflections reach the center. That's when a bridge and platform appear. A portal will open up, but only for a few minutes." explained Pristine. 

"Who told you this, Pristine?" Pixie questioned her. 

"A couple deck out in white garments and wearing crowns." 

She did not think telling the others about the king and queen would be a good idea at the moment. Pixie's eyes shot wide open. Only Mallian, Drock, and Pristine noticed this reaction. 

"Um, Mallian? Drock? Can I have a word with you?" she asked. 

The other two nodded and the three of them walked off until they couldn't be seen nor heard. 

"Pixie, before you say anything, Drock and I just want to say that we do know Pristine is the princess." replied Mallian. 

"I know it's her too. Even before I heard her name I knew it was her, so did the other creatures of the forest. Is that why you two joined the quest, to keep an eye on her?" Pixie asked. 

"Yes. I don't think anyone else suspects it though, including Pristine." answered Drock. 

"Me too. Do you think the Evil One suspects Pristine?" 

"I am not sure. He couldn't attack the places we were at because of Drackor's magic." Mallian answered. 

"But out here, we are vulnerable to an ambush." added Drock. 

"Then we better get back to the others." 

"Maybe it is a good thing that those humans are here." Pixie admitted.

When they got back, they noticed Pristine was not there. 

"Where's Pristine?" Mallian asked. 

"She went on one of her walks again." said Kyra. 

"Much to Lance's disapproval." added Ophealia, smirking towards the outlaw. 

"Hey! I'm just concerned about her." Lance replied. 

"I don't know about you guys, but I am going fishing. Anyone want to join me?" Grayson asked as he got his supplies. 

"I will!" popped up Kyra. 

"Hold on, Miss Kyra. You're going to need some help." replied Sir Reginald as he stood up. 

He did not want to admit it, but he was really looking forward to doing that. 

"You know how to fish, Sir Reginald?" 

"Yes, young miss. Before the Invasion, it was one of my favorite activities." mentioned Sir Reginald as he followed Grayson and Kyra. 

"Grayson! I want a big catch when you come back!" shouted Ophealia. 

"As you wish, your highness." saluted Grayson as he looked back. 

"Lance, just out of curiosity, how old is Grayson?" Ophealia suddenly asked Lance. 

Lance was a bit startled, but grinned. So the princess did take an interest in his little brother. 

"He's seventeen years old." Lance replied. 

"And you?" 

"I am twenty years old. How old are you?" 

"Sixteen. How long have you been an outlaw?" 

"Let's see, for about thirteen years." 

"Did you have to build your way up to become leader?" 

"Well, not exactly, but I did have to prove myself. My adoptive father was the former leader, and I was his 'heir', but I had to prove myself first. So for one week I had to survive on my own. The day I came back, was the day my adoptive father died." Lance said showing some sadness. 

"Oh, I am sorry." 

When he told her he only been an outlaw for thirteen years, she had a feeling he used to have another family. Ophealia knew how he felt for she lost her mother when she was eight years old. She let the matter slip.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During this time, Pristine was walking along the shoreline and skipping rocks. She sat down, took off her boots, and put her feet in the cool water. Looking in the water, she saw that same celestial figure. Shaking her head, she saw her own reflection again. 

She wondered, "For some strange reason, I feel as if I know her." 

Pristine looked at the stars. 

"A little bit longer. The first moon should be out soon." she thought. 

Looking over the lake, Pristine spotted something, a bird; a swan to be exact. It was not just any swan though. It was a midnight swan, Pristine realized. She remembered looking through a mystic creature book that the merchant owned. She remembered it saying they were rare to spot for they constantly traveled and only appeared at night during full moons. Also, it was said they were good omens. Pristine hoped this was a good sign. 

The creature was the color of midnight blue and had silver feathers. Pristine gazed in awe as a few more joined the one on the lake. Soon there were a dozen of them. They did a dance on the lake. When a few of the swans spotted Pristine, they beckoned her to join them. How could she have resisted? It was like a spell was pulling her on. Not to mention that her instincts told her to go and join them. Smiling and nodding, Pristine took off her cloak and slowly got into the water and swam toward them when it's deep enough. She completely forgot that she couldn't swim. Pristine began to dance in the water as well, using arms and legs, using one or the other to keep her up. She felt as though she'd done this type of dance before. She was feeling at peace when the dance ended. 

Pristine swam back to shore with the swans following her. Pristine saw that her performance didn't go unnoticed. A lot of birds were watching her, including a golden falcon, another rare bird. They all chirped and Pristine blushed, but curtsied. They all flew off, with only the swans remaining. As Pristine settled down, the swans shook the water off themselves. Unfortunately, they got Pristine even wetter. 

"Hey!" she exclaimed with a laugh. 

Feeling guilty, the flock flapped their wings and Pristine was instantly dried. This technique must have been one of their magical ones. 

"Thank-you. You-all are very kind." Pristine replied with a smile. 

Pristine saw that one of the moons was out and felt the need to get back to the others. She got up and head back.

Meanwhile, Grayson, Sir Reginald, and Kyra returned with about twenty fish. 

"Is this enough your highness?" Grayson asked Ophealia. 

"Well, I'm impressed." 

"Place them over here bro." instructed Lance, indicating to a mat he spread out. 

A while ago, he started up a fire. Soon they cooked the fish over it. 

"Oh, smells wonderful." commented Kyra. 

"Wait 'til you taste it." said Grayson. 

"Mallian, Drock, and Pixie. You going to want some?" asked Lance. 

"I'll try some. Never had fish before." answered Drock. 

"Boy you've been missing out." replied Grayson. 

"Pixie and I won't have anything. Both of our kinds never eat meats anyway. I think we'll take some of the fruit we got." replied Mallian. 

"Did somebody say fruit?" called someone. 

They all turned to see Pristine carrying something in her cloak. 

"You won't believe what I've found." she said as she came up. 

Lance and Sir Reginald came over to help with the heavy load. 

"Thanks. Go ahead and place it down." 

The two did and the cloak opened up to reveal strange colorful fruit. They looked like pomegranates only they were multicolored. 

"They looked edible so I ate one. It's delicious." Pristine said before taking one and biting into it. 

"Pristine? Do you know what you just found?" Pixie asked. 

"No." 

"This is Rainbow Fruit. It's very rare to find one of its trees." 

"They are good." said Ophealia after eating one. 

"Well, out of all the fruit I've ate, this one is my favorite." Pristine commented. 

Pixie and Mallian glanced at each other and grinned. They also knew that the fruit could only be found by unicorns and that it was the unicorns' favorite thing to eat. Everyone began to eat. Afterward, Pristine looked up at the sky. The other moon was not out yet and it would still be several hours before the portal opened. Yawns began to break out. 

"We should probably get a few hours of sleep." Lance suggested. 

"We should. It will still be awhile." agreed Mallian. 

So they unpacked their blankets and began to settle down. Ophealia and Sir Reginald slept near each other as well as Pristine and Kyra. Lance, Grayson, and the outlaws slept nearby. Mallian, Drock, and Pixie were about to fall asleep when Pixie noticed something interesting. The midnight swans and the golden falcon flew down and surrounded Pristine and Kyra. They would not fall asleep. Pixie woke up Mallian and Drock. 

"Hey you two. Look at this." she whispered. 

The two sat up and looked. 

"Well, looks like the animals know it's her as well." Mallian replied quietly. 

"I guess they feel since they weren't able to protect her before, they could do it this way." added Drock. 

The three lie down and fell asleep.

Pristine was dreaming when she heard a voice. It sounded similar to hers. In her dreams she saw a creature coming toward her. For a moment she thought it's a horse or deer, but as it came closer, she realized it's a unicorn. It spoke to her. 

"Beware of the danger for it is near. You must be strong for it's nearly time. Awake for the Evil One is here." she said before vanishing.

Pristine woke up instantly. The swans and falcon flew off. Pristine looked at the lake. The moons' reflections were almost in position. Sensing danger, Pristine took out the Stone of Wood. As she and the stone started to glow, everyone else woke up. 

"Pristine? What's wrong?" asked Kyra. 

Just then arrows came flying toward them. Luckily, Pristine put up a magical shield, which reflected the arrows away from them. Suddenly, everyone heard a loud sound. Most of them turned to see the bridge and platform appeared. The portal opened. 

Immediately, Pixie yelled, "The portal is open! Let's go!" 

Everyone, except Pristine, got their gear together in a flash. As soon as they mounted their horses, they started to go through the portal. Several of the others got Pristine's gear together. 

"Pristine! Come on!" shouted Lance. 

"Go! I am stalling Zeather! I'll catch up with you." Pristine ordered. 

"Pristine, I am not going without you!" 

"Lance! Go please!" 

Lance realized he had no choice. The woman was stubborn. 

"I'm coming back for you!" responded Lance before reluctantly going through the portal. 

Soon everyone else made it through. 

"Pristine hurry!" warned Mallian. 

Seeing everyone safe, Pristine quickly took down the barrier, jumped on her horse, and headed for the portal. But before she got through, a dark beam launched out and grabbed Pristine around the neck. It pulled her off the horse just as it went through the portal. Any other would had died from the action, but Pristine managed to place a shield around herself in time. 

Back with the others, "Where's Pristine?!" demanded Lance. 

"Zeather must have got her." replied Pixie. 

"I'll be back." Lance said jumping on his stallion and riding back through the portal.

As Pristine struggled to get away, the Evil One dragged her closer. Pristine looked over her shoulder to see Zeather wearing a mask. It was becoming harder to breathe. 

"I commend you for defeating the obstacles I created. You've grown more powerful. Too bad you won't live to see the sunrise." he said as he let out a sinister laugh. 

That's when all the midnight swans, the golden falcon, and other birds attacked Zeather, making him released Pristine, who gasped for air. One of the swans managed to knock Zeather's mask off before he repelled all the creatures away. Before he got his mask, Pristine blasted him with the Stone of Water. The Evil One screamed as he fell. Weakened, Pristine collapsed. Just then, she felt someone picked her up. She tried to open her eyes, and was barely able to make out that it's Lance. Lance came through the portal on his stallion just as Zeather fell. After lifting Pristine, he got her stones before mounting his horse. Just when the Evil One recovered, they disappeared through the portal. At the same time, the portal closed and the bridge and platform vanished beneath the lake. 

"I will find and destroy you Pristine, if it's the last thing I do." Zeather promised himself.

Lance appeared with a still unconscious Pristine just as the portal closed. 

"She'll be all right in the morning." assured Pixie after examining Pristine after Lance dismounted with her. 

Pristine finally came around and looked at Pixie. 

"Did we make it?" she barely asked. 

"Yes, thanks to you." Pixie answered. 

"Okay, goodnight." Pristine sighed as she snuggled up to Lance and fell back asleep. 

"Pristine never ceases to amaze me. She's had one rough day." commented Ophealia. 

"I'll say. She's been through more than any of us." agreed Grayson. 

"She deserves some rest." added Sir Reginald. 

"I think we all need to rest." replied Drock. 

They all nodded and dismounted before getting their blankets out once more. Lance still held onto Pristine. In his mind all he thought of was Pristine. Several times he came close to losing her. Suddenly it hit him, he's in love. He's not too happy though cause now he felt vulnerable and he never wanted to feel that way again. He decided to worry about it in the morning. Lance went over to a dead tree and lean up against it before falling asleep. Kyra and Ophealia frowned at the site. 

Mallian walked up to them and said, "Let them be." 

They did, and went to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pristine was dreaming again. She was walking in a forest. This one was different from the Mystical Forest. The trees were more wide spread and the feel of it all seemed more elegant. Pristine walked a bit when she heard something. Sounded like galloping. That second, five unicorns galloped past her with elves on their backs. The unicorns were fillies and elves were all young. Pristine ran after them and soon saw them resting. One of the elf children bared a startling resemblance to Pixie, only she looked like a four year old. They all were laughing as well as tired.

"Boy Allora, you and the others are sure fast." laughed the youngest as she hugged the pale blue unicorn.

Pristine heard the girl and looked at the fillies and figured it was the princess and her court again.

"Thank you Pixie, but Grace is the fastest." smiled Allora, looking at the gray and white unicorn.

"I was actually holding back today." replied Grace.

"And why is that?" asked an elf girl with dark green hair and gold eyes.

"Because Elsie, she's afraid to let go." laughed Fanesse, a red filly.

"Actually Fanesse, I am not. I just don't want to leave everyone behind." replied Grace sternly.

"You want to race to prove it then?"

Grace smirked, "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Oh here they go again." complained Joyce, who's a green unicorn.

"Come on Fanesse you can win!" shouted one of the boy elves, who had light brown hair with green eyes.

"I doubt it Dickory." stated another girl who looked to be the oldest of the elves and who looked like Elsie.

"I agree with Mae." nodded an elf girl with pale pink and yellow hair.

"Canaya, you always agree with Mae." giggled Pixie.

"All right you five the race is about to begin." replied Allora.

"How about I race you back to the village and back?" asked Fanesse.

"Fine but are you sure you don't want to have a head start?" asked Grace.

"Pa! I'll defeat you fair and square!" bragged Fanesse.

"Such confidence." Grace said.

"Cousin why don't you start off?" Joyce asked the princess.

"All right. On your mark, get set, go!" the princess ordered.

Fanesse took off fast with Grace right behind her. Soon the two were out of sight. About ten minutes later Grace galloped into view and she was going so fast that she was barely visible. She was a bit out of breath when she arrived. Other than that, she was fine. A few minutes later Fanesse came into view and literally collapsed a few feet in front of the others.

"I tried to warn you." replied Grace.

"Oh! . . . Be . . . Quiet!" gasped Fanesse causing the others to laugh.

Pristine giggled to herself as the dream ended and she slept for the rest of the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the sun began to rise, Pristine woke up. She realized that someone was holding her. She smiled and knew it was Lance. It felt so right like this for some reason. As much as she wanted it to stay like this, she calmly moved out of his arms. Standing up, Pristine looked around her. Everyone was still asleep. The surroundings were depressing. Once white trees were scorched and torn and many were destroyed. The sky was gray. The once magnificent unicorn palace laid in ruins as well as many other buildings. The only one left standing was the Temple of Corlana, but it did not looked like the same structure like before. 

"Sad, isn't it?" asked a voice. 

Pristine turned to see Pixie. Pristine simply nodded. A tear fell down her cheek. For some reason, she felt a part of this place. Pixie felt her sadness. 

"She ought to feel down. This was once her home." Pixie thought. 

"Why did this have to happen?" she heard Pristine said. 

"No one knows. Are you going to be okay?" Pixie placed a hand on Pristine's shoulder causing her to turn to her once again. 

"I hope so." 

She quickly wiped her eyes. 

"Thanks Pixie." 

"Anytime."

Soon everyone else woke up. 

"I'm hungry. When's breakfast?" asked Kyra as she got up. 

"Right now, Miss Kyra." answered Sir Reginald. 

After they ate, they got ready to move on. 

"I guess this is the Realm of the Unicorns." replied Ophealia. 

"What's left of it." added Mallian. 

They head toward the Temple of Corlana. 

"Looks like there are writing on the door." 

"It's ancient writing." added Pixie as she walked up. 

Pristine saw the writing and recognized it immediately for some strange reason. 

"Can you read it Pixie?" Kyra asked. 

"Yes, I can. It says,

'Only the Pure of Heart can come through.'

Well Pristine, it looks like only you can enter." 

"Why can only a pure-hearted person go in?" asked Pristine. 

"Because this is a sacred place. It was said to be build where our world touches the Heavens. Some even say that the goddess Corlana herself built it when she created our world. That's why this building is still standing for Evil can't touch here." 




The Lost One Ch. 06



"All right." Pristine replied before going through the double doors with the three stones.

The place was all white and made of marble. Miraculously, nothing was damaged. In the center were three marble stands forming a triangle around a center one. There was ancient writing on the three outer stands. Pristine was able to read them clearly. She put each of the stones in their places. When the last stone was in place, three beams of blue, red, and green light burst out of the stones up to the ceiling. The lights combined at the center stand. A white light appeared from the stand and lit up the whole building. Pristine covered her eyes. Feeling the light die down, she opened her eyes and saw the Crystal of Life. For a moment, Pristine just gazed in wonder for she felt the power radiating from the crystal. She slowly walked up to it and placed her fingers around it. Instantly she lit up as well as her surroundings. As soon as the light died down, Pristine looked and saw that she was in a different place again. This time she was floating over a cliff where she saw two adult white unicorns, a small unicorn filly, Drackor, other unicorns, and other creatures. 

"Mama, I'm nervous." said the little one. 

"Of course you are dear. Everyone gets nervous for their first flight." said the mare. 

Pristine recognized the voice of Queen Loreanna. 

"The princess must be flying for the first time." Pristine thought. 

"Your highness, do you remember how to sprout wings?" Drackor asked.

"Yes, Drackor." 

The foal closed her eyes and concentrated. Suddenly, two white wings popped from behind her shoulders. Both parents did the same. In case something went wrong, they wanted to be ready. 

"Okay, my little star. I want you to take a deep breath and get a running start. Now you can do it." said King Elios. 

The princess took a deep breath, and started to gallop toward the edge. She leaped off and started flapping her wings. She struggled at first, but soon began to soar. 

"Look mommy and daddy! I am flying! I'm really flying!" she shouted with glee. 

"We knew you could do it!" said her father. 

"You make me proud." added her mother as she shed a tear with her wing. 

"Bravo, your highness!" cheered Drackor. 

The crowd began to cheer as well. Pristine herself felt such pride and joy for the little one. Soon though she found herself somewhere else. She was in another white building, but this one was grander and the light in the area felt powerful. 

"Where am I?" she asked. 

"This is the Temple of Purity inside the Heavens. The Temple of Corlana is the only place where you can reach the Heavens. Only a chosen few from the mortal realm can enter here." said a voice. 

"Then why me?" asked Pristine as she turned to see Drackor. 

"You'll learn soon." 

Pristine sighed in frustration. She was starting to get irritated with these vague answers.

"Now what must I do?" she asked, hiding her feelings.

"Search for the princess. But first, I want you to go and see an old friend of mine. His name is Inion and he lives in the Mountains of Eternity. He will help you on your journey and knows you're coming. You are to travel north following the sun, and when the sun sets, follow the largest star in the sky. The mountains are treacherous. There are blizzards, snow beasts, and the Evil One has a base there. But once you reach Inion's castle, you will be safe." 

"Thank-you, now how do I get back?" 

"Close your eyes Pristine." 

Pristine did. 

"Now when you open your eyes, you'll be back in the Temple of Corlana." 

Pristine vanished right before his eyes. 

"Drackor, we appreciate what you are doing." said the voice of Queen Loreanna. 

Drackor turned to see the king and the queen. 

He bowed before saying, "I am only keeping a promise I made twenty-eight years ago, your majesty." 

"It's just like the prophecy, Drackor." replied King Elios. 

"Yes, it's coming true." 

"These next few months will be her most challenging." mentioned Queen Loreanna. 

"I know. We cannot help her anymore. The only one who can help her now is her own 

self and her instincts." said Drackor. 

The three vanished.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During this time, Pristine came out of the temple with the crystal. 

"Whoa, I never thought I'd live to see this." commented Grayson. 

"Pristine, do you remember what that jester said about finding the unicorn?" Kyra asked. 

"Yes. He said the closer you are to the unicorn, the brighter it shines. I was also told by Drackor to find his friend, Inion. He lives north of here in the Mountains of Eternity." 

"Do you realize that that's Zeather's territory?" asked Drock. 

"Yes, I do, but Drackor said he could help us, and that we'll be safe there. We are to follow the sun until it sets, then follow the largest star in the sky." 

"Well, Pristine, we're with you all the way." replied Lance. 

The others nodded. 

"Thanks guys."

So they all mounted their horses. 

"Lance, I forgot to thank you for saving me last night." said Pristine. 

"Pristine, I'd do anything for you." replied Lance before reaching and touching Pristine's cheek, causing her to blush. 

As Lance went ahead, Pixie came up and purred in Pristine's ear. 

"Pixie!" Pristine pushed her as her blush deepened. 

Pixie laughed. 

"Now off to the Mountains of Eternity!" shouted Lance as they took off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Hehe, Lance finally got his chance to save Pristine. The next chapter is one of my longest and there's alot in it. Thank you and please remember to comment.



The Lost One Ch. 07



A/N: Here's another long chapter folks but alot happens in it so I hope you enjoy it. Thank you BlackStallion21 for editing for I really appreciate it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

VII.

So Close . . .

Yet So Far . . .



Now that Pristine held the Crystal of Life, she could go and find the lost unicorn. But first, she had to find Inion. It was still morning as the travelers went through another dense forest. Unlike the majority of the land, these trees were alive and towered up to the sky. 

"I've never seen a forest this alive before or trees this high!" exclaimed Kyra. 

"They are called Macory Trees. You know you are near mountain terrain when you see them." explained Grayson. 

"Where did you learn all that?" asked Pixie in astonishment. 

"I read a lot." 

"You read?!" 

"Yep!" 

"Grayson, where did you learn to read anyway?" asked Ophealia. 

"Oh, uh . . ." Grayson looked down. 

"He was taught by our foster father, but the books he used were from our real father." Lance said with sadness in his eyes. 

"Oh, sorry I asked." replied Ophealia. 

"That's all right princess." said Grayson. 

"Boy, I'm tired. Can we rest?" asked Kyra. 

"Sure thing. We'll rest here." agreed Lance. 

They all dismounted and rested a bit. Pristine soon sensed something and stood up. 

"Is something wrong Pristine?" asked Lance. 

"No. I just want to walk a bit." 

"You be careful then." 

"I will."

As Pristine walked, she said, "Something is here. Something familiar." 

She looked around. The sun was shining through the trees. There was a morning mist and a subtle wind causing the leaves to rustle. Birds were singing. This was a magical place and Pristine felt it. She continued to walk until she reached a glen where there was a stream. Kneeling on the mossy ground, Pristine waited. Then, like out of a beautiful dream, she appeared out of the mist. There she stood the unicorn. Pristine stared in awe as the unicorn reared on her hind legs and neighed. Every animal in the forest as well as Mallian, Drock, and Pixie heard her because it only called out to the hearts of those who listened. The three looked at each other before getting up. 

"Now where are you three going?" asked Grayson. 

"We just feel like walking." replied Pixie. 

They walked off. When they were out of sight, they started to run. They soon stopped and gasped before kneeling to the ground. Pristine did not know they were there for her entire focus was on the pure white unicorn as it came toward her. The unicorn began to communicate with Pristine as she took out the Crystal of Life. The crystal in her hand was glowing brightly. 

"I knew you would come." the unicorn said. 

To Pristine's astonishment, the mare sounded almost like her. 

"Who are you? Why do I feel this connection?" Pristine asked. 

"We are one. I have been searching for you all my life." 

While Pristine was looking into her eyes, memories and visions started flowing back. She outstretched her hand, while the unicorn lowered her horn. The Crystal of Life glowed more and more. 

"Yes, yes." whispered Pixie. 

Just when Pristine was about to touch the horn, Kyra showed up besides Mallian and shouted, "The unicorn!" 

The unicorn saw Kyra and galloped away and all the animals left as well. 

"No! Wait! Come back!" said Kyra as she ran out. 

Pristine sat dumbstruck. 

Glancing at Kyra, she raised the crystal and murmured, "I wish for her not to remember any of this." 

The crystal glowed and light surrounded Kyra before she collapsed and fell asleep. Pristine put the crystal away before going over and picking her up. 

"What did you do to her?" Pixie asked as she and the other two came up. 

"I put her to sleep. When she wakes up, she won't remember a thing. I don't want any of you to mention this to anyone." Pristine ordered. 

"We won't. Let me take her Pristine." suggested Drock. 

Pristine handed Kyra to him. 

"You look different Pristine." mentioned Mallian. 

"I feel different. As I watched her, I felt as if a huge burden or emptiness was lifted from my heart. For once, I feel free and happy." Pristine said with a smile on her face. 

"You look stronger Pristine. Was there anything else?" asked Pixie. 

"Yes, she told me that we are one and that she has been searching for me. The strange thing is I believe her. Do you think that's possible?" 

Her voice sounded more regal as well as confident. 

"It is very possible, Pristine." smiled Mallian. 

"Well, we better get back before Lance sends out a search party." replied Pixie. 

"Yes, let's go." Pristine agreed.

When they got back, Ophealia asked, "What happened to Kyra." 

"Oh, she'll be all right." answered Pristine as Drock placed Kyra on a mat. 

"You look different Pristine. Is everything all right?" Lance asked. 

"I'm fine Lance. I just feel more at peace with myself. This forest must have a beneficial effect on me." 

Pristine looked up and smiled serenely. Lance thought that most of the sadness was gone from her eyes as well. She looked so lovely that way in the sunlight. 

"If only I had the heart to tell her so." he thought. 

He's snapped out of his thoughts when Grayson commented, "I wonder why this forest is so alive. There must be a lot of good magic in the air to cause it to be that way." 

"It's the unicorn for only something that powerful could have made this result." Pristine thought. 

Soon Kyra woke up. 

"Ah. Boy do I feel relieved. Can we move along now?" she asked as she got up. 

"Well, aren't we in a spirited mood." commented Ophealia. 

Everyone else got up and got ready. Soon they mounted their horses and head out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For the next several days they traveled through the forest and the closer they got to the mountains, the more desolate the forest seemed to become. Lance and the outlaws took the opportunity to hunt while they traveled along. Pristine, along with Pixie and Grayson, searched for other food for the few vegetarians in the group. Soon, around midday of the third day of traveling in the forest, they came to a vast valley. 

"Well, there's the Mountains of Eternity." replied Drock. 

The mountains ahead looked rough and forbidden. A cold bitter wind welcomed them. It was so cold that even Mallian shivered. 

"We should eat something before we continue and we better put on our extra clothing as well." suggested Mallian. 

"Right, let's break for lunch." agreed Lance. 

They all dismounted and put on their extra clothing. Even Mallian put some on. Next they ate their midday meal. 

"Pristine, do you have any brothers or sisters?" Grayson asked. 

"No. I was an only child." 

"Yeah, me too. My mother died when I was a child." commented Ophealia sadly.

Grayson placed a hand on her shoulder for comfort. Ophealia looked at him and smiled.

"It's okay." she replied quietly.

"I had a little brother but he got sick and died. I was too young to remember it." said Kyra. 

"I have five brothers and two sisters." added Mallian. 

"What about you Pixie?" 

"Me? I was the youngest of fifteen. Ten sisters and four brothers. It's not uncommon for elves to have large families. Unfortunately, they all died in the Invasion." Pixie said sadly. 

"Oh Pixie I am sorry." apologized Pristine. 

"It's okay." 

Pixie tried to smile. 

"We best pack up and get going now." Lance commented. 

After cleaning up and putting their things away, they descended into the valley and began to journey towards the mountains.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The path wasn't steep at first, but the wind continued to pick up and the sky started getting cloudy. Still the sun was shining through as the hours passed by. It was sunset when it began to snow slowly; and they finally started to head into the mountains. They decided to eat before they lost all their light for there would soon be a blizzard. 

"We must find shelter soon!" Lance commented. 

They all agreed and found a cave just before the blizzard hit. 

"Man! I didn't think the weather would be this severe!" exclaimed Kyra. 

"Is it always like this?" asked Ophealia. 

"Actually, before the Invasion, blizzards were rare here." commented Pixie. 

"It's like evil affects the weather as well." added Pristine sadly. 

"It'll all become normal after we find the lost unicorn." Mallian replied. 

"What will the unicorn princess do when we find her?" asked Kyra. 

This was a good question for no one responded at first. 

"I am sure she'll set things right. If I was her, I would fight back, but only if I knew I had the power to." Pristine answered. 

"I am sure we all would." replied Mallian.

They ended up spending the night and half of the day there until the snow let up. Soon they were on the road again. Nearly a month went by with the snow going off and on. The few times they traveled, they did it at night because it snowed all day and it stopped at night. Still the sun and star kept shining through the clouds somehow. They only rested when they found shelter or right before they came to a steep trail. Other than the snow, there were no other barriers in their way until one afternoon. 

"Something is near. I can smell it." said Pixie quietly. 

"Me too." added Mallian with Drock nodding in agreement.

"Okay girls, for once, please obey me and hide. We'll check this out." Lance replied. 

"All right." Pristine agreed. 

The other girls reluctantly hid. The guys hid their horses before sneaking off. Pixie listened for anything. They suddenly heard a roar in the distance where the guys went off too and soon heard scuffling. Pristine felt a chill up her spine and it's not from the cold. Instinctively she looked up to see large spiders descending on them. 

"RUN!!" she shouted as she led her horse away. 

The others listened without question. It was not until they moved, did the others see the spiders. Ophealia squealed. 

"Don't make any sudden movements. These are Ivory Spiders. Very deadly. Zeather must have sent them." informed Pixie. 

There were six of them, each over six feet tall. 

"How do we take them out?" asked Ophealia as she quietly drew an arrow. 

"You can't kill them with arrows or any other regular weapon." Pixie explained. 

"They are cursed." Pristine stated suddenly. 

"How'd you know that?" 

"I talked to them. They said they once were common spiders before Zeather caught them and cursed them. When Zeather sent out his troops to find us they volunteered to come as well to find me. They want me to heal them." Pristine explained. 

"They could be lying Pristine." Ophealia stated. 

"They aren't. Let me see what I can do." 

Pristine went up to spiders real slowly before standing in front of them. She took out the Crystal of Life and began to glow. As she concentrated, she began to hear a voice in her head and felt the unicorn's presence. Pristine began to talk to the spiders telepathically, but her voice sounded different in their heads and it's in an ancient language. Soon the spiders lit up too before shrinking to their normal state. Pristine took deep breaths before hearing their thanks. The spiders left. Mentally tired, Pristine fell to her knees. 

"Pristine? You going to be okay?" asked Kyra. 

Pristine suddenly felt something and suddenly jumped up. 

"PIXIE WATCH OUT!" she shouted as she jumped in front of her. 

The other girls watched in horror as an arrow pierced through Pristine, right below her left shoulder. Pristine screamed as she fell. The other girls gathered around her but before they could do anything else, twelve of the Evil One's archers surrounded them. 

"Drop your weapons!" one of them ordered. 

The girls reluctantly did so. Miraculously, someone shot an arrow through one of the guys' neck. Mallian suddenly covered Kyra's eyes as the guys appeared and attack Zeather's men. Pixie and Ophealia paid more attention Pristine than the battle, which ended quickly. Lance jumped from his horse and rushed over to Pristine. It took all his willpower not to panic, but he cannot hide the fear and concern from his eyes. 

"She protected me." Pixie replied, trying not to get emotional, but did not succeed as several tears escaped her eyes. 

"It's not your fault Pixie." Ophealia tried to comfort. 

"BUT I COULD HAVE HEARD THEM COMING!!" Pixie screamed, showing her vulnerable side. 

She felt awful and remembered the Invasion for she couldn't do anything there either. Ophealia hugged Pixie. She kept reminding herself that Pixie was still a child in elf terms. The girl had told them her age at one point. 

Pristine, who was in excruciating pain, managed to say, "I'll live Pixie. It didn't hit my heart." 

"Hush now Pristine. Save your strength." Lance told her. 

Grayson sat next to Lance. 

"You are right Pristine. This shot is not fatal. You think you can pull it out Lance?" he asked. 

Lance simply nodded. 

"Lance, Pristine will have to have part of her shirt removed. Pixie, you are going to have to calm down for I am going to need your help." Mallian said in a firm tone. 

Pristine blushed as well as Lance. Pixie finally calmed down. 

"I am sorry." she said. 

"It's okay." 

"Okay you guys! Go off and go somewhere until we are ready!" ordered Ophealia. 

They all nodded in agreement before going off. 

"I am sorry about this Pristine, but you're going to have to find another shirt." Mallian explained. 

"It's a good thing that we got extra clothing." Pristine smiled weakly. 

"This might hurt. Ophealia, can you help me please?" 

Ophealia nodded and helped as they tried to get Pristine's extra clothing off. They did it carefully, but Pristine couldn't help but grunt in pain. The cold wind didn't help either. 

"Pristine, don't fade out on us okay?" Ophealia ordered. 

Pristine nodded. 

"Can I use your knife, princess?" Mallian asked. 

Ophealia nodded. Mallian carefully cut Pristine's shirt away. They really had no choice but to do that for much of the shirt was in ruin. They quickly and carefully covered Pristine with her cloak and extra clothing. They had to leave her shoulders bare but at least her modesty was intact. Pixie instinctively placed the Crystal of Life in Pristine's hand. 

"It'll help keep her warm. And don't worry, it won't drain her of her energy." she assured. 

"Okay, Pixie, you can go get Lance now." Mallian told her. 

Pixie ran off and before long Lance and the other guys returned. 

"Sir Reginald, hold Pristine still okay? Drock, you got that lucadon paste ready?" Lance asked him. 

"Yes." Drock replied. 

He knelt down and carefully smudged the medicine on his fingers before placing it around Pristine's wound. 

"This will help stop it from bleeding." he explained to Pristine. 

Sir Reginald knelt behind Pristine and replied, "Pardon me, Miss Pristine", before placing his hands gently but firmly on her shoulders. 

"Drock, can you hold her feet down. I am sorry Pristine, but you must not move an inch after I pull the arrow out." Lance explained. 

Pristine smiled at him in acceptance. Lance grinned back. Her being calm helped him remained calm.  Lance got a good hold on the arrow. 

"This will hurt Pristine. But it'll be over soon." Lance stated. 

"I trust you." Pristine replied before taking a deep breath. 

Everyone else did the same. With all his strength, Lance pulled out the arrow as quickly as he could. Pristine tried not to, but let out a cry. Immediately, Grayson took a rag he was holding and gave it to Lance, who placed it on Pristine's wound to stop the bleeding. Finally, it stopped bleeding. Drock covered the wound with more lucadon as Lance tore a long piece off his cloak off. As Sir Reginald careful lifted Pristine in a sitting position and kept her cloak around her, Lance wrapped the bandage around Pristine's wound. Pristine only let a few tears fall because of the pain. Lance's hands only shook a little, but inside his heart was pounding. Finally he was done. 

"You girls can redress her now." Lance replied as he carefully stood up. 

He also needed a minute. The guys went off before the girls redressed Pristine before she caught a cold. Ophealia unpacked Pristine's extra shirt. Soon the girls had her bundled up again. Pristine insisted on standing, but began to sway as they helped her up. Mallian draped Pristine's arm around her shoulder as Lance and the others came back. He walked over and lifted Pristine up. 

"I can walk." Pristine assured. 

"You're asleep on your feet Pristine. You need to take it easy. And until you are better, you're riding with me." he added with a grin. 

Pristine frowned and blushed at the same time. Lance laughed. Kyra, Ophealia, and Sir Reginald sighed. At least they were out of danger for now.

It took only a day for Pristine's wound to heal, but a bit longer for her to regain her full energy for she suffered from a cold and fever which delayed them for several days but soon they were back on the trail again. More weeks past, and soon almost another month past. On the afternoon of another snowy day, they decided to take a break before going into higher elevations. 

"I'm cold." shivered Kyra. 

"Come here Kyra." replied Mallian. 

Kyra walked over to her and Mallian wrapped her arms around her. 

"It's a darn shame we couldn't find any shelter." commented Lance. 

"Your highness, are you cold?" Grayson asked. 

"No, I am fine." assured Ophealia. 

She smiled mischievously and picked up a handful of snow. 

"Hey Grayson! Catch!" she said as she threw it at Grayson. 

Grayson turned just in time when the snowball hit him square in the face. Lance burst out laughing as the rest of the outlaws did as well. 

"Oh yeah. Take this!" replied Grayson as he threw snowballs hitting Lance and a few other outlaws. 

"Oh boy! Snowball fight!" shouted Kyra as she and Ophealia joined in. 

"Come on Sir Reginald and Drock! Join the fun!" shouted Lance. 

"Not at my age son." said Sir Reginald. 

"I don't know." said Drock. 

Finally, several snowballs accidentally hit Pristine, Mallian, and Pixie. Not only did the three joined in, but the incident caused Sir Reginald and Drock to be their 'bodyguards'. Lance started to protect Pristine from an onslaught of snowballs. 

"Pristine! Look out!" shouted Lance as he grabbed her and the both of them fell and rolled down the hill. 

Miraculously, they came to a stop and didn't hit anything. 

"Pristine! Lance! Are you all right?!" shouted Ophealia. 

"Yes, we're fine!" assured Pristine before looking down at Lance. 

She was on top of him and Lance's arms were around Pristine. 

"Well, at least I am all right. How about you Lance?" Pristine asked quietly. 

Lance smiled, which caused Pristine's heart to flip, before replying, "I am now, since you're here." 

Even though he was happy that they both did not get hurt, he admitted to himself that he loved having Pristine in his arms. She smelled so fresh and looked like a winter angel with her hair all disheveled. He pushed back some of her hair behind her ear as she blushed. Afraid of what might happen next, Pristine got up, although not as graceful as she liked. Lance followed suit. 

"That was an interesting experience. Wouldn't you agree?" Lance asked. 

Pristine turned to see Lance was still smiling like the handsome rogue he was. 

"I guess." 

It was true, but she did not want to admit how this experience made her blood run hot. 

"Lance! Pristine! Grab a hold this rope!" ordered Drock. 

Lance let Pristine go first before coming up behind her. It took them awhile, but they finally made it back to the others. 

"Well did you two have fun?" winked Pixie. 

"Yep! We sure did. Right Pristine?" Lance asked as he and the others turned to Pristine, who was still blushing. 




The Lost One Ch. 07



"Uh, right." Pristine's blush deepened. 

"That looked fun. Would you like to do that, princess?" Grayson asked. 

"No way! I'd get my hair and clothes all messed up." replied Ophealia. 

"Speaking of all messed up, Pristine and Lance, I hate to say this, but you both definitely need to clean up." replied Kyra. 

"Come with me Pristine. I'll get you cleaned up." said Ophealia before taking Pristine's hand. 

Pristine was still too embarrassed to protest. 

"I am coming with you." Pixie answered as she followed the two.

Soon, the three came upon a frozen stream. 

"I should have known that the stream would be frozen." Ophealia said. 

"I've got it." replied Pristine. 

She took out the Crystal of Life and held it on the ice, which melted instantly. 

"Oh wow! That's interesting." responded Ophealia. 

"Now let's get all that dirt out of your hair, Pristine." said Pixie. 

They sat down on some rocks with Pristine's back to the water. 

"Whoa! This water is warm." exclaimed Ophealia after she tore off some of her cloak and used it as a rag. 

The two began to damp Pristine's hair. 

"Pristine, did you know how soft your hair is? Softest I've ever touched." commented Ophealia. 

"Thank-you Ophealia. No, I didn't know that." 

"Her hair is just like a unicorn's mane." thought Pixie. 

"There, now to do something with your hair." replied Ophealia. 

"Yes, let's do something Lance would like." Pixie added. 

"Pixie!" 

The two laughed. 

"Oh come now Pristine. Surely you've noticed the way he looks at you." replied Ophealia. 

"Yes, and it scares me. What I am feeling that is." Pristine felt better about finally saying that. 

"I think someone is in love." giggled Pixie. 

"But . . ." 

"Pristine, I know when someone is in love. My sister, Petunia, acted the same way." 

"All right, I'll admit it. I love him." 

"Are you going to tell him?" asked Ophealia. 

Pristine paused before cocking her head and looking upstream. 

"What is it Pristine?" 

"Pixie, can you hear that?" 

"Yes, I do. Sounds like a cry." replied Pixie.

"Let's go see what it is." 

Pristine stood up. 

"Lance will get worried." mentioned Ophealia. 

"I know, but something is telling me to do this." 

The two finally agreed.

The three headed upstream, following the cry as it got louder. Finally they came up over a ledge and looked to see a big white creature which looked to be four feet tall. It looked to be part Yeti and part wolf and it was in a frozen lake struggling to get out. 

"Oh my, I do believe that's a baby alobine." said Pixie. 

"We got to get it out of there." replied Pristine, worry in her voice. 

"Hey look! Someone else is coming. Hide!" ordered Ophealia before they ducked. 

That's when a young lady who looked to be seventeen ran to the frozen lake. She was wearing dirty blue and gray clothes. Her hair was bundled up in a hood so one couldn't see it. She rushed toward the alobine. 

"MELANIE! I'll get you out! Your mother is going to kill me!" she said before getting on her tummy and crawling over to the baby. 

She soon made it, but couldn't pull her out. 

"Oh no! I can't hold on!" the teen said. 

"That does it! I'm helping." said Pristine. 

She got up and rushed down. Quickly taking off her extra clothing and placing her weapons and bag near the pond, she slid toward the two. 

"Huh? Who are you?" asked the teen. 

"Never mind that." said Pristine before jumping into the water. 

Ophealia and Pixie were right on Pristine's heels and watched her stuff. When Pristine got into the water, the two slid up. 

"Pristine!" they shouted. 

Pristine was struggling to get the baby out; all the while Melanie's claws were scratching her. Not to mention that the water in the lake was below freezing temperature. Finally the alobine was pushed out. The young lady hugged her as Ophealia and Pixie pulled Pristine out. They carefully made it across the lake onto solid ground. Pristine was shaking from head-to-toe. There were bloody scratches all over her, but mostly on her arms and chest. Her cheeks were red and her lips were blue. She passed out. 

"Pristine!" shouted Ophealia. 

"She'll die if we don't do something quick." Pixie said as they put her clothes back on. 

"I know where we can warm her up. Here, let me help." offered the lady as she helped with Pristine. 

Up close, Pixie and Ophealia saw wisps of dark brown and gray hair and her eyes were brown. Melanie started to howl for help. Soon a twelve foot tall alobine appeared. Melanie ran up to cuddle up to it real quick. The two communicated for a bit before the adult lowered down. 

"Thank-you Misty. Come on!" the teen signaled the others as all of them, including Melanie, climbed on.

As they traveled through the mountains, Pixie and Ophealia learned that the girl's name was Lola and she and her cousin had been living in the mountains for as long as they could remembered, protecting the alobine. They also told her a bit about themselves. After awhile, they made it up to a cave in the high elevations. At the entrance was a man with the appearance of nineteen years with dark brown hair with silver highlights and gray eyes. He did not look too happy either. 

"Well, Lola. Where have you been? A blizzard is coming!" he shouted. 

"Sorry, Xack! I'll explain later. Right now, this lady needs our help." said Lola. 

"Lady?" asked Xack. 

Misty helped the others get down. 

"Who are they?" 

"Oh, Xack, this Princess Ophealia and Pixie. This here is Pristine." 

Xack picked up Pristine. 

"How did she get all wet?" 

"Let's get her inside and warmed up first."

They went inside and Xack placed Pristine on the couch near a fireplace. Pixie, who had Pristine's things, placed the Crystal of Life on Pristine. It slowly started to heal her. 

"Is that the Crystal of Life?" asked Xack. 

"Yes, it is." replied Pixie. 

"Come and sit down and I'll warm up something hot." offered Lola as she started to heat up something to drink. 

They complied and sat around the table. The home of Lola and Xack was a modest one, but inviting. There were several cushions and a couch near the fireplace. The kitchen and a table were next to it and there's a hallway leading to several rooms. 

"So cousin, what happened?" asked Xack. 

"Well, Melanie fell into a frozen lake. As I was trying to get her out, Pristine shows up and gets into the water to push her out. At the same time, these two show up. After we get Melanie and Pristine out, Pristine passes out." 

"We really should see about her wounds." Xack suggested. 

"Yes we should!" Ophealia began to stand. 

"Don't worry your highness, the crystal will heal her." assured Pixie. 

"Oh! You're the princess of Grom aren't you?" asked Lola. 

"Yes, I am. How'd you figure that out?" 

"I have my ways." 

Xack shook his head and gave Lola a warning look. 

"I've been meaning to ask you. Why are you here?" asked Lola. 

"It's a long story. We are right now looking for a mage named Inion, but we are on a quest to find the unicorn princess." explained Pixie. 

"Drackor the wizard is helping us. He first appeared to Pristine and a little girl named Kyra. More of us joined up along the way." added Ophealia. 

"Who else is in your group?" asked Lola. 

"A lot more. There's Sir Reginald of Cranston, Lance, his brother Grayson, and Lance's band of outlaws, Mallian the water folk, and Drock, who was raised by dwarves. We should mention that the Evil One is after Pristine." mentioned Pixie. 

"Pristine is pure-hearted then huh? Not surprising since she holds the Crystal of Life." Xack guessed. 

"Not to mention that Zeather wants the crystal." added Lola. 

Pixie and Ophealia both nodded. That's when Pristine woke up. She moaned as she tried to sit up. 

"Pristine, how are you feeling?" asked Pixie as she and the others came over. 

"A little light-headed." replied Pristine, sounding a bit hoarse. 

"Here, drink this." ordered Lola as she handed Pristine a cup. 

Pristine drank it. It was soothing and warm. Pristine felt better already.

"Thank-you." 

"No, thank-you. You saved Melanie's life." 

"How is the little one? Is she all right?" 

"She's just fine." 

"That's Pristine for you. Always thinking of others." commented Ophealia. 

"You should rest." said Xack. 

"Who are you and where are we?" Pristine asked. 

"I'm Xack and this is my cousin, Lola. We're safe." 

"I wish to see Melanie." 

"Pristine, you need rest." Ophealia said. 

"Oh, I feel better now." 

Pristine stood up and placed the crystal in her bag. When they walked outside, Xack led them to a nearby cave. The wind picked up considerably and the sky was getting darker. Instinctively, Misty and Melanie came out. Instead being shy, the baby came forward as Pristine came up to her. 

"Are you okay?" 

Melanie started to nuzzle Pristine, and knocked her down before licking her. Pristine laughed. 

"This is strange." commented Lola. 

"What is?" asked Ophealia. 

"Usually, alobine don't cuddle up to people so quickly." 

"Unless she's a unicorn." thought Pixie. 

As Pristine got up, Misty bowed. 

"Boy Pristine, they must really like you." grinned Xack. 

"Thanks! Uh-oh! I just got a bad feeling about the others." said Pristine with fear in her eyes. 

"I hope Zeather hasn't found them." responded Ophealia. 

"I'm sure he has." answered Pixie. 

"We must go at once!" ordered Pristine. 

"Now wait a minute you three. There's a blizzard coming. It would be too risky to go out this afternoon. It's best that we wait 'til morning." mentioned Xack. 

"He has a point Pristine." Ophealia mentioned. 

"I don't care! Now I am going to find them, with or without your help." shouted Pristine, anger flaring in her eyes. 

Everyone actually backed up at her reaction. The two alobine stepped forward and Melanie nudged her. 

"Will you help me?" 

The two nodded. 

"We'll all help." replied Lola. 

"Do you two know how to fight?" asked Ophealia. 

"Of course! We may be nomads, but we aren't fools." 

The two went back and came back with blades that looked odd for they looked to be made out of silver instead of iron. 

"Are those swords?" asked Ophealia. 

"Yes they are and are more durable than iron." replied Xack. 

"You sure you want to come?" asked Lola. 

"Yes, someone's got to keep an eye on you four." grumbled Xack. 

Misty lowered and helped Melanie and the others up. 

"Let's hurry." Pristine insisted.

When they got back, they did not find anyone. There was also no sign of a struggle. 

"We're too late." Pristine said sadly. 

It was snowing hard again. 

"They must have been ambushed." commented Xack. 

"Now what do we do?" asked Ophealia. 

"We find them. They must have been taken to Zeather's base." suggested Pristine. 

"But where is it?" 

"I know where it is. I was hunting and saw it from a distance one day." answered Xack. 

"Then let's go." Pristine ordered. 

Far off in the distance on a hilltop, watching the others was the unicorn.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Surprisingly, it only took them several hours to get to the Evil One's base. It was located in a valley and anyone barely saw it for it was white, but it also reeked of evil and black magic. When Pristine's group saw it, they hid near the hill the dipped into the valley. They dismounted Misty and looked over the ledge. 

"Now how do we get in?" asked Ophealia. 

"It's not heavily guarded." mentioned Lola. 

"Know why? Cause he's setting a trap." added Pixie. 

"I believe you are right Pixie. Listen, you four stay here. I'll distract them." replied Xack. 

While Xack, Lola, Ophealia, and Pixie discussed a plan, Pristine was contacted telepathically. 

~Pristine, can you hear me?~ said a familiar voice. 

Pristine scooted away from the others near the alobine. 

~Yes.~ 

~I must be brief for time is of the essence.~ 

Pristine realized who it was. It's the unicorn! 

~What can I do?~ 

~Think. You remember seeing that fortress before.~ 

~Yes, it was where I stayed during the winter. There was a secret passage that I only knew about.~ 

~Good. The Evil One does not know where it is. You must hurry for soon your company will soon be seen by the guards. I must go at once.~

When Pristine did not hear her anymore, she looked at the others, who were still talking. Pristine looked at the alobine and read their expressions. They looked concern. 

"Don't worry. I'll be careful." Pristine whispered and smiled. 

She quietly slipped away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During this time, the others were being held in different cells. In one were Lance, Sir Reginald, and Grayson. 

"Grrr! Man I'd like to give that Zeather a piece of my mind!" growled Lance. 

"Save your strength, Lance. You'll need it." replied Sir Reginald. 

"Well, I am just glad that Pristine and the others weren't caught." 

"I hate to say this, but those three are our only hope." added Grayson. 

"I wish there was another way out of here. I wonder where the others are." 

They were not too far away, only several cells down. 

"It's cold in here." shivered Kyra. 

Mallian sat next to Kyra on the floor and wrapped her arms around her. 

"The Evil One just loves suffering. There aren't any windows and the walls are too thick. I bet this was not even a dungeon before the Invasion but a storage area." Drock commented. 

"Let's just hope the others get here in time." prayed Mallian.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pristine did her best to sneak around. Soon she saw the shelter for the horses. She remembered the secret entrance being in there. Only it was on the outside. She circled around the back before spotting the things she was looking for. The shelter was made out of stone, but one of the stones was slightly discolored. Pristine looked around before pressing the stone. A small opening in the ground opened up. It was covered in gravel and snow to give a façade. Pristine quickly and quietly slipped into the hole before closing it with a handle on the top. Pristine knew that once inside the castle she had to move fast because of the Evil One. After traveling through a dark and dank tunnel she came to a door. On the other side was a room. It was covered in cobwebs and dust, proof that no one found it. 

"This was my secret room." Pristine thought. 

She saw a key on one of the old tables. Not just any key though. It was a rare skeleton key that opened up any lock. Pristine picked it up. It occurred to Pristine the she couldn't use the key to release the others. They'd ask too many questions that she was not ready to answer. Pristine remembered a map of the whole castle and its secret tunnels. It must be in one of the drawers. Carefully opening one, she found the map and took it out before seeing something else. A picture, she realized. It was still in good condition as Pristine took it out. Pristine's eyes opened wide in shock. It was a picture of that angelic figure, a pale blue-haired lady, and Pixie. That's not what surprised her though. On the bottom, there were names. Of course there was Pixie's name. The blue-haired lady's was Allora, which Pristine remembered a flash of memory of playing with her in the ocean. Underneath the angelic figure was her name! 

"That's impossible!" Pristine thought. 

Taking the picture, she put it in her pouch. Pristine took the maps and skimmed through the pictures. Pristine figured the others were down in what use to be the storage units for food. 

"They are probably freezing down there." Pristine thought. 

She noticed something and smiled. There was another way to the cells. It was risky though. She figured out two ways to get them. One if she got them before her presence was known and one for if she was discovered. She better find their weapons first. Only she had no idea where they could be. Suddenly she remembered a magic mirror she once had. Opening another drawer, she found it. It was a mirror with a silver handle. 

"Show me where my friends' weapons are." she whispered. 

The mirror glowed before showing a bedroom with black everywhere. Pristine felt evil radiating from it. She sensed that was the master bedroom and knew it's Zeather's chamber. She was in luck for there was a passageway from this room to that one. Pristine put the map and the mirror away in her pouch before looking around. Pristine soon saw what she was searching for. In one corner was a small cabinet. She carefully moved it out of the way. There was a keyhole in the wall. Taking the skeleton key, she put it through the keyhole and magically opened it revealing a secret door. Pristine grabbed a bag before crawling through it. She slipped into the passageway. Taking the key she placed it through the keyhole from the other side before closing the door and locking it.

Pristine moved through the tunnel with stealth and speed. She came to a dead end; or it looked like one. She saw a panel that is at her chest level. Sensing no one, she pushed it open. She put up a barrier around for the evil radiating through the opening was strong enough to suffocate her. She climbed through the panel and onto the floor in the next room with the bag in hand. This room was defiantly Zeather's chamber. Pristine already felt her strength slowly leaving her. She saw the weapons next to the bed and went over to them. She stopped and thought though. 

"It's too easy." she thought. 

Looking behind her, she saw a wardrobe. There was a drawer at the bottom. She went over to that instead and placed the key into the keyhole. Unlocking it, she opened the drawer to find the real weapons. As she placed them into the bag, she sensed someone coming. Thinking quickly, she created her own weapon decoys with the Crystal of Life and locked it back up. Quietly, she slipped back into the passageway and pulled the panel back just in time. She ran quietly back to her secret room. Unfortunately she did not have enough time to cover her scent. Zeather came in seconds after Pristine left and picked up her scent. 

"She's taken the bait. How did she escape though? Guards! Sound the alarm!" he ordered to the ones who came with him. 

"Yes, my lord." said one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Outside, Lola noticed all the guards running about, going in and out of the fortress. 

"I wonder what their problem is." 

"Hey you guys, Pristine's not here." replied Ophealia. 

"She must have gone inside. That's why those guards are running amok! We better move now." suggested Xack. 

"Right! Let's move." 

"Melanie, Misty. You two stay here until we need you." Lola told them. 

The alobine nodded. The four started to head down into the valley.

Meanwhile, Lance and the others heard activity from outside their cell. 

"Boy, something must have happened." Grayson commented. 

"The others are here then." added Sir Reginald. 

"I hope the Evil One doesn't get them." 

Lance did not like hearing this. But for once, he decided not to worry, but have faith instead. 

"Let's just believe that the others will be okay than." Lance said.

During this time, Pristine made her way outside again. She was forced to go with her second plan. She sensed Lance and the others. Soon, Pixie and the others found her. 

"Pristine! What were you thinking?" demanded Ophealia. 

"Shh!" silenced Pixie. 

"I got the others' weapons and now I am locating them." Pristine whispered. 

"Pristine, you know Zeather knows you're here." 

"I know that's why I am hurrying." 

Pristine suddenly stopped. She placed her ear up to the wall. 

"Pristine? What are you doing?" asked Lola. 

"Mallian! Are you there?" Pristine shouted into the wall. 

Mallian heard her. 

"Pristine? Is that you?" 




The Lost One Ch. 07



"Yes, it's me. Stand back now and cover your heads." 

"Right. Drock, Kyra move and duck." 

They complied without question. Pristine took out the Crystal of Life and gathered enough energy to blast a small hole in the wall. She did not need a loud explosion that drew more attention. 

"Pristine!" shouted Kyra as she hugged her. 

"Now who do we have here?" asked Drock when he saw Lola and Xack. 

"Now's not the time for introductions. We need to release the others." Pristine said before blasting the door open. 

As Pristine stepped through it, one guard charged at her. Pristine held out the crystal and it shocked the guy as well as knocked him out. Pristine saw keys on him and got them as the others came out. 

"What happened to him?" asked Xack. 

"I put him to sleep." Pristine went down several cells until she sensed Lance. 

"Lance?" 

"Pristine?" 

Lance came to the door as well as Sir Reginald and Grayson. 

"Yes, it's me Lance. Are you okay?" 

"Yes, I am just glad you guys made it." 

"Thank-you Lance." 

Pristine unlocked the door. 

Before Lance commented about Lola and Xack, Pristine said, "Quickly, let's set the others free before Zeather finds us." 

They all agreed and hurried to set the other outlaws free. 

"Hey! There they are!" shouted another guard. 

"Uh-oh! Now we're in for it." said Grayson. 

"Hurry!" ordered Lance as they head back outside. 

Lance, Drock, Xack, and the outlaws fought off the guards as the others went and get their horses. 

"Darn, they took our supplies!" grumbled Ophealia. 

"Let's not worry about that now." Pristine said as they got on the horses. 

Lola stole two extra horses for Xack and herself. 

"Lance! Let's go!" shouted Grayson. 

Lance and the others wasted no time in mounting their horses. Zeather's men continued to attack them as they tried to make their escape. 

"What about the alobine?" asked Ophealia. 

"Not a bad idea princess." said Lola before whistling. 

Unexpectedly, a myriad of alobine came running down the hill. Leading the way was Misty, with Melanie on her back. 

"Whoa! Looks like Misty called for reinforcements." Xack commented. 

"Who's Misty?" asked Kyra. 

"The one in the front. She's our friend." answered Lola. 

When the Evil One's men saw the alobine, they retreated. 

"Cowards!" replied Zeather from atop of the fortress. 

He began to shoot dark magic at all the alobine. 

"I don't think so." replied Pristine. 

She took out the Crystal of Life and held it up in the air. As she and the crystal glowed, light shot up into the night sky and broke through the blizzard and clouds. 

"Stars in the night, protect the alobine!" commanded Pristine. 

The stars shone down causing the Evil One to scream for the light was blinding him. 

"Now's our chance! Come on!" said Pristine as she shouted to the others. 

By then the alobine were with them and began to follow them. 

"I can see the star we're suppose to follow!" shouted Ophealia. 

"Pristine must have blasted the clouds good enough to reveal it." added Mallian. 

They all followed it and ended up in a gorge. That's when they heard a heinous laugh. 

"You fools! Did you really think you could escape from me?!" laughed Zeather's voice.  

They all heard a rumble. 

"I know that sound anywhere. RUN!! IT'S AN AVALANCHE!" shouted Lola. 

The alobine quickly picked them up and put them on their backs before taking off. The horses were startled at first, but soon calmed down. 

"AHH! Here it comes!" screamed Kyra as she looked behind her. 

Melanie scooted to Pristine and shivered in fear. 

"Shh, I'm here." Pristine comforted her. 

"Melanie really likes you, Pristine." commented Lola. 

"I know this is a bad time, but who are you guys?" asked Kyra. 

"I'm Xack and this is my cousin Lola." 

"Oh! Well, I am Kyra. On that alobine is Lance, his brother Grayson, and Sir Reginald of Cranston. On that one is Mallian and Drock. I am assuming you know Ophealia and Pixie. The others are a part of Lance's band of outlaws." 

Lola and Xack nodded. 

"Pristine! There's a blockade coming up!" warned Grayson. 

"Not if I can help it!" Pristine replied. 

Using her crystal once again, she continuously blasted at the blockade. She began to lose her strength, but her will was stronger and it helped sustained her. Pristine kept on blasting through until she noticed that the star began to drift to the left. 

"We have to turn left! Get ready!" she warned. 

Pristine blasted the icy wall to her left and at the same time ordered, "Turn now!" 

Misty led the way. They soon made it out of the gorge when Pristine shouted, "Get ready for a jump!" 

"We'll never make it!" replied Grayson. 

"Yes we will!" 

She knew they'd make it, somehow, but her power was nearly gone. Just as the alobine jumped off the edge, Pristine closed her eyes and lifted up the Crystal of Life. Next thing they realized, they were all floating on clouds. 

"Hey this is neat! You did it Pristine! Pristine?" Kyra asked as she looked at Pristine. 

Pristine was unconscious. With the last bit of her strength, Pristine created the clouds to float to the ground. 

"Oh no! We're floating away from the star!" exclaimed Ophealia. 

Suddenly the clouds began to float toward the star again. 

"Something else is moving us." Pixie said. 

"Is it Zeather?" asked Kyra. 

"No, this force does not feel heinous. Wonder who it could be?" 

As they drifted on down, they vanished. They settled to the ground and the alobine placed them down. Lance immediately rushed over to catch Pristine before she fell off her horse. 

"Hey! Wasn't it snowing a minute ago?" commented Ophealia. 

"Welcome friends. I've been expecting you." said someone. 

Everyone turned to see an old man with no hair wearing silver and blue robes. 

"Who are you?" asked Kyra. 

"Why, I'm the mage Inion. And this is my sanctuary." he said before waving his hand and a citadel appeared.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: I love the alobine. They are my fav creature that I created for this story. The next chapter is one of my favorites and it's one of the most critical in this story. Please rate and review, but not flames okay? Thank you.



The Lost One Ch. 08



A/N: This chapter is one of my favorite chapters! I hope ya'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you BlackStallion21 for editing this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

VIII.

A Clue From

The Past

"So you're Inion." said Lance as he dismounted with a still unconscious Pristine. The others dismounted as well. 

"Yes, I am." 

"Were you the one who directed us here too?" asked Kyra. 

"Yes, since all of you were close enough, I was able to use my magic to help." 

"Thank-you, Inion." bowed Ophealia. 

"Oh, it isn't me you shouldn't be thanking. It's Pristine you should thank." 

Inion approached Lance and placed a hand on Pristine's forehead. 

"How did you know her name?" asked Kyra. 

"Oh, I know about all of you, Drackor told me. Now, you-all must be cold and hungry. Follow me." 

"What about Pristine?" asked Lola. 

"She'll be fine. Besides, I have something that can help her. She'll be back to normal sooner than you think." 

Inion winked as he led them inside through a set of double doors. The main entry way was huge with a large stairway near the back. Two other stairs connected to it from both sides. There were separate hallways to their left and right. 

"Now, you put your excess clothing here." Inion instructed them as a table was rolled in. 

"Can someone help me with Pristine?" asked Lance. 

Xack helped him by taking Pristine so Lance could take off his extra clothing before taking off Pristine's extra clothing. Lance thanked Xack before taking Pristine again. 

"Now follow me. I have something that will revitalize Pristine in no time." Inion said before leading them down the right hallway. 

They came to another pair of double doors. 

"This is my study." 

Inion opened the door. Everyone gasped at what they saw. The room was large for a study. There was a cupboard filled with books on one wall next to a desk before the room opened up into a circular area. There were artifacts and gallery art. But what made the others gasped was a ball of gray energy in the center of the room. It's held in a glass container on a small pillar of marble. 

"What is that? Is that what I think it is?" asked Pixie. 

"Indeed, you-all know that there were originally three stones? Well, Drackor didn't have time to create a fourth shield or stone cause of the Evil One. That is the power of Wind. True each of the stones has a little bit of Wind in it, but most of it was placed here. Drackor only had enough time to place a barrier here and gave the energy to me. I've never seen it so active." 

"Must be because of the Crystal of Life for its right here." commented Mallian. 

"Well, one reason why Drackor wanted you to see me was so I could give you guys the Wind energy. This will help Pristine." 

Inion carefully took the Wind energy out of its container and went over to them. 

"Pixie, place the crystal over Pristine please. Lance brace yourself." 

They did as he instructed. Inion relinquished the ball of energy and it floated to the crystal as it began to glow more brightly. Pristine slowly glowed as well. Finally the crystal absorbed the Wind power and light shined throughout the room causing everyone to cover or close their eyes. As soon as it settled Pristine began to stir. She opened her eyes and saw Lance. 

"Did we make it?" she asked. 

"Yes, we did. Thanks to you. How are you feeling?" Lance asked with relief and tenderness in his voice. 

"I feel, one hundred percent better." Pristine said before standing. 

"How did I recover so quickly?" she asked.

"Inion gave you the Power of Wind." explained Mallian. 

Pristine turned to see the mage bow. 

"It's an honor to meet you Pristine." 

"No, the honor is mine. Thank-you." Pristine bowed. 

"Well, now that you are better, I shall give you another gift. Come." 

"Oh boy! What is it?" asked Kyra eagerly.

They went back into the main entry way before heading upstairs. 

"This is a lovely place you have here, Inion." commented Ophealia. 

"Why thank-you, your highness." 

They took the flight of stairs to the left side. Finally, they came to separate hallways. 

"Ladies? Will you stay here for a moment? Gentlemen, follow me." 

Inion led them down one hallway before opening a pair of double doors. 

"Oh my goodness." exclaimed Grayson. 

It was a large suite with furnishings the men had never seen anything like before. 

"This room was designed by a dragon that had a very eclectic taste. In fact, this citadel was the dragons' stronghold." explained Inion. 

He went to a set of doors before sliding them open to reveal a closet filled with men's clothes and accessories. 

"When Drackor told me you were coming, he made all these outfits for you. Drock and Sir Reginald, I have custom made outfits for you." 

Inion took out two outfits from the closet. 

"Drock, yours is in dwarfish style and Sir Reginald, this one what a knight of your standard use to wear before the Invasion." 

Inion handed the outfits to them. 

"Gee, thanks." Drock said, a bit surprised. 

"Thank-you sir." bowed Sir Reginald. 

"Now my servants will help you change. If any of you need to shave, the servants will help you with that too. Dinner will be ready in awhile. After you're done, head back to the main parlor." Inion said. 

"Uh, Inion, where are the servants?" asked Grayson. 

"Oh, they are really magic and are invisible. Don't worry, they are here. Have fun."

Inion went back to the ladies. 

"Now if the six of you would just follow me." he replied as he led them down the other hallway. 

He opened another pair of doors and led them into a room similar to what the guys were shown, only more feminine. Pristine felt as if she'd been here before. Inion slid opened the doors to the closet. Unlike the men's closet, this one only had five dresses in it, but it did have plenty of shoes and accessories. 

"Drackor had these gowns made for you." 

Inion took a sapphire blue and silver gown down first. 

"This one is yours Lola." he said before whispering something into her ear as he handed it to her. 

Lola smiled and shed a tear. 

"Thank-you." she said. 

The next gown Inion took down was a brilliant crimson red with gold trimmings on it. 

"Next is Princess Ophealia." 

"OH!! My favorite colors!" Ophealia exclaimed in excitement. 

Inion took down a small lavender dress. 

"That's mine right?!" asked Kyra giddily. 

Inion chuckled and handed it to her. Next was Mallian's gown. It was different from the first three in many ways. The teal dress was made out of fine sequences and it shimmered and was slim. 

"This dress here Mallian was made from the tropical clophean. If I remember right, it's the most expensive and rarest type of clothing material from Oceanica." 

"Oh it is. I've never seen anything like this in ages." Mallian replied in awe. 

Inion got one more gown from the closet and it was pale green with tiny flowers and seeds on it. The sleeves were translucent. 

"As you can see Pixie, this one is for you." 

"It's lovely. What about Pristine?" Pixie asked. 

"Oh yes, I was just about to get to her. I have a special one in store for you my dear. Now the rest of you get dressed. My servants will help you. I'll be with you shortly." Inion said before leading Pristine to another door into master bedroom.

After closing the door behind them, Inion went over to a wardrobe and opened it up. Pristine gasped. Inside was the most gorgeous gown she's ever seen. It was garnished in silk and satin with puffed sleeves. There was gossamer over it. The front waist area looked a bit like a corset for the bottom pools out a bit. The puffy sleeves were cut to the top so Pristine's shoulders would be bare. 

"Oh, Inion. It's so . . . Oh, I don't know what to say." Pristine managed to say. 

"Then don't say anything. My servants will help you put it on for it's quite complicated." 

His magical servants took it down. It looked like it's floating. 

"I shall return." 

Inion knocked on the door connecting to where the other girls were. 

"Ladies? Can I come in?" 

"Yes, you may." replied Lola. 

As Inion walked in, he noticed that a few of them were twirling around. 

"You like?" 

"Like it? I love it!" shouted Kyra. 

"Thank-you Inion." replied Pixie. 

"You're quite welcome. Now let's do something with your hair. This way." motioned Inion as he opened a second door that led to a bathroom with a long mirror and chairs in front of it. 

Inion motioned for the girls to sit down. When they did, Inion's servants began to do their hair. 

"Now when you are through, in the closet are cabinets with jewelry and shoes. You than can go ahead and go down to the main parlor." 

Inion went back to where Pristine was and knocked on her door. 

"Pristine? Are you finished?" 

"Yes, I am." 

As he walked in, he saw Pristine looking at herself in the mirror. 

When she turned around, Inion remarked, "Pristine, you look like a princess." 

"I feel like one." 

Pristine blushed. She remembered wearing this gown from another time. 

"Now let's fix your hair. I know just how to do it." 

Inion went across the room and opened a door to the restroom. When they entered, Inion helped with Pristine's dress as she sat in a chair facing a mirror. Inion personally did Pristine's hair.

Awhile later after Pristine's hair was done, Pixie knocked on the door. 

"Hello? Can I come in?" she asked. 

Pixie's hair was done in different braids and was wrapped up. She also had small flowers in her hair. 

"Of course you can my dear." answered Inion. 

As Pixie came in, Pristine was sitting on the bed putting on white slippers. Half of Pristine's hair was up in a bun with wisps of hair spilling out and her hair was in curly ringlets.

"Oh! Lance is going to flip when he sees you." 

"Pixie!" 

"Now just a few more things." said Inion before coming over with a silver and diamond studded chest. 

He handed it to Pristine, and she opened it up as Pixie came to sit next to her. Both of them gasped. Inside was a pair of diamond earrings and a large diamond necklace. Both were made with silver. 

"Wow! How lovely." Pristine gasped as she put on the earrings. 

Before she could put the necklace on, Pixie took it. 

"Here, let me." she said before moving Pristine's glossy ringlets to the side and put on the necklace. 

"You're defiantly going to be the belle of the ball Pristine. Well, I'm going downstairs. See you later." said Pixie as she stood up and exited the room. 

As she walked out, Pixie thought that Pristine looked exactly the way she use to before the Invasion. She knew Inion from back then and also knew the Pristine was dressed in the same attire that she wore for her coming out. Back with Pristine, she looked at herself in the mirror one more time. 

"How do you feel Pristine?" 

"Alive for the first time." 

She never looked away from her reflection. Could that really be her? 

"The others are downstairs. Shall we join them?" 

Inion offered his arm. 

"Yes, let's go." 

Pristine grinned and took his arm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile the others were waiting in the main parlor downstairs. Invisible servants served some of them champagne or nectar. Ophealia was talking to Lola and Sir Reginald. Ever since she came down, Grayson's eyes never stopped watching her. He looked like a club hit him. Lance noticed this and grinned before waving his hand in front of his brother's face. Grayson didn't even budge. Lance laughed and returned to talk to Xack. The two had quickly become friends. Mallian, Drock, and Pixie were talking. 

"Pristine looks like the princess now." Pixie whispered. 

"This should be interesting." added Mallian. 

Kyra suddenly popped in. 

"What's going to be interesting?" 

"How Lance is going to respond to Pristine." replied Pixie. 

Soon Inion came down the stairs. 

"Inion, where's Pristine?" asked Ophealia. 

"Oh, she's coming. Just you wait and see." chuckled Inion. 

That was when Pristine appeared. As she walked down one set of stairs, everyone stared, except Lance. His back was facing Pristine as he was talking to Xack. 

When Pristine stopped at the last set of stairs, Xack patted Lance on the shoulder and said, "Uh, Lance. You might want to turn around." 

"Hmm?" 

Lance turned around. The second he saw her, his mouth and eyes opened wide and he dropped his wine glass. Inion, expecting this kind of reaction from Lance, used his magic to catch the glass before making it float over to him and he took it. For a moment, Lance couldn't breathe. 

"She is breath taking! No, more than that. She is a dream come true. Like something I have been waiting for my entire life. Perhaps I had." he thought. 

As Pristine walked down the stairs, Lance slowly moved toward her. 

When they finally faced each other, Lance asked, "Are you real or just a dream?" 

Pristine smiled and lifted her hand. 

"I'm real. Take my hand and see." 

Lance did as he kissed her hand gently. Both of them felt the heat. In the mean time, Mallian, Drock, and Pixie smiled at each other. There was no doubt in their minds that two in front of them were in love. The tender moment between Pristine and Lance did not last long as the dinner bell rang. 

"Ah, dinner is served." said Inion. 

Lance took a hold of Pristine's hand and placed it in the crook of his arm. 

"Pixie, will you do me the honor of escorting you to dinner?" Inion asked Pixie. 

"My pleasure." 

"Grayson, I want you to escort me." Ophealia said. 

"Me? You want me?" 

Grayson was astonished. 

"Yes, now let's go." 

Ophealia took his arm. 

"Who will escort me?" asked Kyra. 

"I will Miss Kyra." Sir Reginald said as he picked her up. 

Drock and Mallian were together as well as Xack and Lola. The others followed them.

They all entered a huge and spacious room with an elaborate and long table in the center. Pristine felt like she was walking down memory lane. She remembered running down this hall as a child. After they all sat, the invisible servants brought them appetizers and drinks.

"Um, don't you have any 'real' servants, Inion?" asked Grayson. 

"Nope, just me and my magic." 

"Inion, you knew the unicorns didn't you?" asked Ophealia. 

"Indeed I did. In fact, I use to see the royal family often, especially in the winter. You know Zeather's fortress here use to be the family's winter home. Drackor tried to save the place, but Zeather beat him to it. Drackor was only able to protect this place." 

"Can you tell us about the princess? I mean, what did she look like?" Kyra asked. 

"I can't tell you much because you must discover the whole truth for yourselves. But I will tell you that the princess was loved by everyone, even though she did get into mischief at times."

Not long after they all ate, Inion led them into a grand ballroom. Music filled the air. 

"Pristine? May I have the honor of the first dance?" Inion asked. 

"Sure." Pristine replied as he led her onto the dance floor. 

Soon, they began to glide along the floor. 

"Since when did Pristine learn how to dance? I've never heard this music before and I don't recognize that dance." remarked Ophealia. 

Pixie, Drock, and Mallian knew. A Unicorn composer and choreographer created the dance and music and it was only performed when unicorns were in attendance. And since they knew who Pristine was, they were not surprised that she remembered. 

As they danced, Inion whispered, "Remembering?" 

"Yes, I danced to this song at my Coming of Age Ball right here in this room." 

"Good." 

Soon the dance ended. By the time Lance worked up an urge to ask Pristine to dance, he found out she was dancing with Xack. 

"That Lance there hasn't stop looking at you, Pristine." 

He grinned and Pristine blushed. 

"I know. I hope he's okay." 

"Oh, I think he's okay." Xack chuckled. 

For the next dance, Pristine danced with Sir Reginald. Ophealia stunned Grayson when she agreed to dance with him. Dance after dance, Pristine danced with nearly all the men in the room, except Lance. She considered asking him to dance after the next one, but right now she was dancing with Kyra. 

After the dance was over, Lance suddenly appeared next to her and asked, "Pristine, will you dance with me?" 

He lifted his hand. 

"I'd thought you never ask." 

Pristine smiled and placed her hand in his before he swept her onto the floor. Everyone stopped and stared, but they felt as if they were the only ones in the room. 

"This feels so right. Being in the arms of the one you love." Pristine thought. 

"I hope I am not dreaming." Lance thought. 

As the music ended, everyone clapped. Pristine and Lance never stopped looking at each other with their hands still linked. Suddenly, Lance left the room, leaving Pristine awestruck. 

"That was fantastic! You two make an excellent pair." Inion commented as he walked up. 

Pristine did not hear a word he said for she was still looking in the direction Lance left. 

"Excuse me." she said before going off.

Pristine went into the hallway and walked a bit before seeing an open door. She glimpsed in and saw Lance. The room must have been the music room; for there were several musical instruments. Lance was leaning against a window, looking outside. 

As Pristine walked up to him, she asked, "Lance? What's wrong?" 

Still looking outside, Lance said, "The last time I saw my family alive was on a night like this. I was only seven and Grayson was four. He was too young to remember everything, but I do. I also had two sisters, one five and another only a year old. I had another brother who was two, and my mother was several months pregnant. The next day Grayson and I went playing in a nearby wood. But when we returned, everything was obliterated. Everyone, including my family, was killed. The only thing left was my father's books. I immediately knew who was responsible. Grayson went through a denial period, but was able to stay sane thanks to my father's books. There was no release for me though. We didn't know how we would survive for we were only kids. But luck must have been with us for a group of outlaws found us a few days later. We were hungry and dirty, but we were alive, and the leader, who had recently lost his family, adopted Grayson and me. And tonight after dancing with you, I just had a feeling that something bad was going to happen again." 

Lance's story broke Pristine's heart; to lose almost everything at such a young age. She yearned to hold the little boy inside of him and she yearned to comfort the man who had his back turn to her. She didn't know how to comfort him, but she would try to ease his pain a little. She placed her hand on his shoulder. In reaction, Lance turned to look at her, but only for a moment. He didn't want her to see the pain and anger in his eyes. 

"I don't know what happened to my family." Pristine said. 

"All my life, all I could think of was avenging my family. But since I met you, I realize that killing Zeather won't make the pain go away or make any difference." 

"I can't imagine what you've been through Lance. I miss my family and pray that they are alive, but then again, I've always been alone." 

Lance felt the sadness in her voice and finally turned around, tenderness in his eyes. 

"Oh Pristine, you are not alone. I'm here, as well as everyone else." 

During this time, some of the others peeked through the doors. 

"Yes, I realize that now. Thank-you." 

Pristine smiled as tears ran down her face. 

"Come here." 

Lance hugged her. Pristine did not know how it happened. She was supposed to comfort him, not vice versa, but she still clung to him. They soon separated, and Lance offered her a handkerchief. Accepting it, Pristine turned away and blew her nose. 




The Lost One Ch. 08



"I'm sorry." she replied. 

"No need. Pristine?" 

Lance placed his hand on her bare shoulder. She turned toward him. 

Lance placed his hand on her cheek and started to caress it before saying, "Pristine, you mean so much to me. I couldn't bear if anything happened to you. I loved my family, but I never told them everyday cause I assumed they would always be there. I'll not make the same mistake here." 

Pristine's heart began to beat faster and faster. 

"Lance-" 

"Shh." 

Placing his other hand on her other cheek, he drew her closer. Closing her eyes, Pristine held her breath. Finally, his lips touched hers. Pristine sighed as she placed her hands on his wrists. His kiss was as tender as the morn and Pristine felt like she was flying; every bone in her body was melting. 

"Her lips are so soft." he thought. 

His was lost as he took the kiss deeper. She tasted like all the good things in life. He wanted to go further, but he had to know something first. Drawing back, he kept his hands on her cheeks. Her eyes were dazed and were deep blue. She was also breathing hard. 

"I love you, Pristine. I've loved you ever since I first laid eyes on you. Please, tell me how you feel." 

His voice was low and husky. 

"Yes, I love you. I was just afraid to admit it. I've been hurt many times in my life." 

"You won't be hurt anymore. Not while I'm here." 

Lance's hands slid down to her upper arms. 

"Oh, Lance. Hold me." 

This time she was prepared as his arms wrapped around her. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he kissed her again. 

"Finally." Lance thought. 

The kiss they shared became deeper and hungrier. As some of the others watched, Ophealia and Lola worked very hard not to giggle. Kyra was about to protest when both Mallian and Pixie put their hands over her mouth. Kyra started to squirm. 

"Shh! You'll ruin it." whispered Lola. 

Too late. Both Pristine and Lance's faces turned to see the others and blushed. 

"Oh, hi bro." waved Grayson. 

"All right now. Let them be." replied Inion as he came in between the group. 

"Excuse us." he said as he closed the doors. 

"Maybe we should go back." Pristine suggested. 

"Are you sure? I'm fine where I am." 

Lance smiled and Pristine smiled back before they kissed again.

Awhile later, they returned to the ballroom to see everyone staring at them. Pixie was the one who broke the silence. 

"Well, all I can say is that it's about time." 

"How did you . . ." Lance started to ask. 

"Oh for crying out loud! A blind man could see that you two were in love. Right Mallian?" 

"Yes, indeed." 

Kyra yawned and asked, "I am exhausted. Can we go to bed now?" 

"Sure thing. Follow me." instructed Inion. 

As they went up the other set of stairs, the lights started to die down. Soon they made it to another set of hallways. 

"Down this hall is the men's room and down this hall is the ladies'. Whatever room you choose, something will already be there for you to wear. Also there are a few servants to help you. Mallian, Drock, Pixie; once you finish, I would like to speak with you. You know where to find me." 

Inion left them. Before they separated, Lance and Pristine kissed one more time. As Pristine went down the ladies' hall, her instincts told her to go to the room with the double doors. Seeing the others picking their rooms, she went in. At once she felt at home. This was her room. She stayed here whenever she visited the place. Nothing had changed. Her white and flowing nightgown still lay on the huge four poster white bed. She looked in her expansive closet to see all her gowns there. There were a few invisible servants there to help her get undressed before Pristine put on the nightgown and a shawl. When the servants left, Pristine lit a candle and looked around the room. She remembered a hidden passageway near her cupboard full of books. Coming up to it, she saw a book called Prophecy. Pulling on it, the cupboard moved and revealed a stairway. Taking her candle, she walked down. She soon found herself in a room filled with portraits. 

"I see you made your way here." said a voice. 

Pristine turned to see Inion, Mallian, Drock, and Pixie. 

"You knew all along that I would find this place." Pristine said. 

"Indeed I did. I also know that the four of you saw the unicorn. When you saw her, you remembered many things right?" 

"Yes. Why do you ask?" 

"Come with us." beckoned Mallian.

They led her to the other side of the room. There in front of her was a curtain. Inion walked to the side and pulled a cord to reveal a portrait. Pristine gasped. It was her with the same gown and hairstyle and jewelry she wore earlier tonight. 

"These portraits are of those of the royal family from generation to generation." Pixie explained. 

"Are you saying that I'm . . ." Pristine started to say, flabbergasted. 

"Yes, you are." Drock finished. 

"No! That's impossible! I remember having a past life, but I never . . ." 

Pristine began to panic. 

"It's true Pristine. You are the princess." insisted Inion. 

"No! No! It can't be true! I'm confused. I need to be alone." Pristine ran off crying. 

"Wait Pristine!" hollered Pixie. 

"Perhaps we pushed too hard." said Mallian. 

"She does remember, but not enough to realize who she is." Inion concluded. 

"She shouldn't be alone right now." mentioned Drock. 

"Right. Mallian and Drock you look for her. Pixie you find the Crystal of Life. It will help us find Pristine." 

They nodded and went off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During this time, Lance was having a dream. He was dreaming that Pristine was being consumed by darkness. He heard a voice. 

"Pristine's in danger. Go to her." it said. 

Lance didn't know it, but it was the unicorn. Lance woke up as he sat straight up. Leaping out of bed, Lance pulled his robe on over his sleeping attire before grabbing his sword that was laying next to his bed. He went downstairs and head outside, hoping he was not too late.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Pristine ran outside and wept near a pond. 

"I don't know what to believe anymore." she said, wiping her tears. 

Suddenly, she got the instinct that she was being watched. Getting up, Pristine started to head back to the citadel. But as Pristine moved faster, so did the thing following her. Then out of the bushes, someone ambushed her. But before she screamed, it gagged her. She turned her head a bit and saw that he was dressed in black from head-to-toe. He's too strong for her as he tied her hands in front of her. Still struggling to get free, Pristine tried to kick him. The figure dragged her to a nearby tree. Pristine continued to trip, but the person kept dragging her. He finally stood her up and as fast as the wind, he tied her against the tree trunk. He also tied her hands about her head. Pristine realized that this person was a shadow demon. 

"The Evil One wants to see you my dear. But since I can't have you squirming the whole way, Lord Zeather gave me this special dagger to put you to sleep. Now hold still cause this is really going to hurt." he said. 

Pristine shut her eyes. But before the demon pierced her heart, he felt a sword thrust through him. 

He turned his head to see Lance, who said, "I don't think so." 

Pristine opened her eyes to see Lance take the sword out and her assailant fall dead. Lance looked at Pristine, who began to cry wildly. Dropping his sword and with concern in his eyes, he rushed up and removed the gag. 

"Oh Lance!" Pristine blurted out before he kissed her. 

Lance untied her and she wrapped her arms around him as she cried. Lance just hugged her. Then holding her at arm's-length, he wiped her tears and smoothed out her hair from her eyes and face. 

"It's all right now, love. I'm here." he whispered. 

He kissed her forehead, nose, and cheeks. 

"Do you want to stay with me tonight?" he asked. 

Pristine looked at him. 

"Look, all I would do is hold you. Nothing more, nothing less." 

And Lance intended to keep that promise. Taking a deep breath, Pristine nodded her head before drawing him close and placing her head on his shoulder. Lance picked her up in one swoop and headed for the palace. That was when everyone else rushed out.  

"What happened?!" Ophealia demanded. 

"Pristine was ambushed by one of Zeather's men. He tried to put her to sleep, but I got him in time. Pristine is staying with me tonight. Someone get my sword please." Lance explained before walking through the group and into the castle. 

Xack went and got Lance's sword and cleaned it on the ground. 

"Come on everyone. It's time we all get some rest." said Inion as he and the others walked in.

Lance carried Pristine all the way up to his room. He kicked the door open and shut it with his hip. He placed her on the bed. 

Taking his robe off, he asked Pristine, "Would you like to take your shawl off?" 

Pristine looked at him and his bare chest before slipping off her shift and giving it to him. He placed their clothes on the dresser before coming back and slipping under the covers. 

"Come on Pristine." he offered so gently. 

Pristine knew he was being honest and got under the covers before snuggling up to Lance as he wrapped his arms around her. In no time, they both fell asleep. That night, Pristine dreamt of the unicorn talking to her. 

"Pristine, you have every right to be scared. But you know the answer as well as I. Soon your greatest test arrives. Not the one with Zeather, but the one with yourself. Once you overcome that test, nothing will stand in your way." she said before vanishing. 

Pristine dreamt again. This time she was in the same room where Inion gave her that gown she wore that night. In front of her was herself again, only she looked to be sixteen. Pristine also realized it was that angelic figure before too. Was Pristine really the princess? Inside she felt her soul telling her the answer. As she battled within herself, the door opened and four figures appeared. They were the princess's court, only much older than the last time Pristine saw them.

"Pristine you looked enchanting!" gasped Allora.

"Well it's not every day royalty celebrates his or her coming of age." smiled Grace.

Pristine suddenly remembered this day. And Allora had addressed the princess as Pristine. So it was true. She was the princess. But Pristine still felt something was missing here.

"I haven't felt this confident since . . ." Princess Pristine started to say.

"We know cousin. It's been awhile." finished Joyce.

"A lifetime ago." added Allora.

"Come on already! There's a ball downstairs and I am ready to go!" shouted Fanesse.

"Hehe, right you are. Let's go." the princess nodded.

Pristine watched as they left. Other memories came forth. Only these calmed her down more.

As the sun shined into the bedroom, Pristine woke up to the sweet taste of Lance's lips on hers. Opening her eyes, Pristine saw Lance, who was leaning on one shoulder, and smiled at him. 

"Good morning, Pristine." 

"Good morning." 

"How are you feeling?" 

"Much better. Thank-you." 

"My pleasure." 

Lance touched her cheek and Pristine placed her hand on his. 

"I have a feeling that something big will happen. I can't tell if it's good or bad." 

Lance took her hand and kissed each finger before saying, "Maybe it's both. Whatever happens, I'll always be here for you." 

Lance kissed her again as he held her close. Pristine wrapped her arms around him. 

Soon, they heard a bell for breakfast. 

"We better get up before the others make us." Pristine said as Lance kissed her neck. 

"Let them try." 

That was when someone knocked loudly on the door. 

"All right you two lovebirds! Get up before I have to make you!" ordered Kyra. 

"Yeah! You two had your fun. Now's time to get serious." added Lola. 

"As princess, I order you to get up!" commanded Ophealia. 

"All right already!" shouted Lance as he got up. 

Pristine laughed as she got out of the bed and got her shift. Lance got his robe on as well. 

"Excuse me, but can I come in?" asked Inion. 

"In a minute." Lance said. 

He quickly kissed Pristine before she left. Inion went in. 

"Here is a new set of clothes for you to travel in Lance." Inion handed him.

"Oh, thanks." 

Lance was a bit surprised.

When Pristine came out, there waiting in the hall was Kyra, Ophealia, and Lola. The first thing Pristine noticed was their clothes were different. 

"What's with the new clothes?" 

"Inion gave us new traveling clothes since our original ones are getting worn out." explained Lola. 

She looked like a warrior for she was wearing a little bit of armor. 

"Well?" Lola suddenly asked her. 

"Well what?" 

Lola went up and whispered in her ear, not wanting Kyra to hear. 

Pristine turned red and yelled, "Of course not! You knew what kind of state I was in last night. I can't believe you thought that!" 

"Thought what?" asked Kyra. 

"Uh, you'll learn when you're older." Ophealia answered. 

"Pristine? Why did you run outside?" 

"I really can't tell you now." 

"That's okay Pristine." 

"Well, Pristine I suggest you wash and get changed. We'll be downstairs. Bye!" said Lola before the three left.

Going back to her chamber, Pristine found the bathroom connected to her room. After getting clean, Pristine dressed herself in the outfit Inion set out for her. It was then Pristine remembered wearing the outfit on the day of the Invasion, for they were her training clothes. After she dressed, Pristine noticed her other belongings and the Crystal of Life and got them. She glanced around the room one more time and something caught her eye. There was an actual book called Prophecy on the dresser. Picking it up, she read where a page was indented. It read,

'There will come a time when darkness covers our galaxy. Then one day the Child of Light, whose soul was split into two, will vanquish the evil and restore the balance of light and dark, and bring peace to the galaxy.'

Pristine closed the book slowly and thought. So that was why she couldn't remember who she was. Her soul was divided into two parts. She finally acknowledged herself and accepted her destiny. When she did this, images flashed into her mind. Not of her life as a unicorn, but from ancient times. Putting the book down, she left the room.

When she got downstairs, everyone else was eating. 

"Sorry, I took so long." 

Pristine took a seat next to Lance. 

"No problem Pristine. I hope you slept well." said Inion. 

Everyone stopped and looked at the couple before Pristine replied, "I rested, nothing more." 

"Pixie, Mallian, Drock? Did you know that soon it will mark the twenty-eight anniversary of the Invasion?" Inion asked them. 

"No, I forgot all about it." said Mallian. 

"Why bring it up?" asked Pixie. 

"That's for you to find out." replied Inion. 

"Inion, I was wondering about something. If Drackor's magic is protecting this area, then how did one of Zeather's men get in here?" asked Ophealia. 

"That's because the Evil One's forces are growing stronger. Soon the protective barriers will be over-powered." 

"Then we better find the unicorn fast." said Grayson. 

"Lola? Are you and Xack coming?" asked Pristine. 

"We sure are."

Later they restocked their supplies. Soon after they went outside and got ready to leave. 

"Don't worry about the alobine. I'll watch over them." Inion said. 

"Thank-you for everything." thanked Pristine. 

Melanie came up to Pristine. 

"Oh, good bye little one. You be a good girl okay?" 

Pristine pet her before she and the others mounted their horses. 

"I can give no further advice my friends. But I can show a shortcut under the mountains. Follow me." instructed Inion as he led them behind the palace. 

Behind the palace was another tunnel. 

"This will lead you to the land of Drexal. It will take you at least a week to get there. The Evil One has very little influence there, but mind you there is dispute. Zeather does have another fortress near the border. All I can say now is good-luck, and may victory be yours!" 

"Thank-you Inion. Bye." replied Pristine before they all headed into the tunnel.

Once they were out of sight, Drackor appeared behind Inion. 

"You have done well my friend." 

"They will succeed. I know they will." 

Inion turned around. 

"By the time the sun sets in a little over three weeks, the prophecy will be fulfilled." 

"I never thought I'd live to see the day. Is there anything else we can do?" 

"No. I've contacted all the enchanted folk, plus the King of Grom. They are all prepared." 

"Then let us get ready as well." 

The two vanished along with the alobine. That was when the unicorn came out. 

"Mother. Father. I will not fail you. Not this time." she said. 

Her horn glowed as a portal opened up. She quickly went through it before it disappeared. The final pieces were coming into place.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Hehehe, yeah they're officially a couple now and Pristine finally remembers who she is. That's why I love this chapter hehe. The next chapter is a short one but it sets up the chapter after it and it's a real doosey for so much happens in Ch. 10. Please rate and review, but no flames.



The Lost One Ch. 09



A/N: Hey guys, here's Ch. 9. Thanks for your patience. This chapter is a short one for it sets up the next chapter, which is another long one. Thank you Blackstallion21 for editing. Well, enjoy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IX.
Caught in
The Middle



It took nearly a week to travel through the tunnel. 

"Wonder which way we are headed?" asked Kyra. 

"South I believe. I remember seeing a map of the world in a book I was studying." commented Ophealia. 

On the morning of the sixth day, Pristine and her group arrived in the land of Drexal. 

"Man! This place is really barren." commented Lola. 

"Much of the world is like this Miss Lola." added Sir Reginald. 

"You don't have to call me miss." 

"I do it because I respect all females." 

"If you insist." 

"We should be careful here. Vandals usually roam plain areas." mentioned Lance. 

"Um, what's a vandal?" asked Ophealia. 

"Vandals are devious and will take your life regardless of who you are." 

"We must be prepared then." said Sir Reginald. 

"Do you hear something?" asked Pristine. 

"I do." answered Pixie. 

"Where's it coming from?" asked Kyra. 

"This way." Pristine pointed as she led the way. 

As they moved along they noticed that the grass was getting greener. They galloped up a hillside before spotting something.

Down below in the valley was a herd of cows and trouble. Several figures were taking a good portion of the herd while two others were harassing a young lady. 

"Vandals." Lance said. 

"She looks like she can use a hand." added Grayson. 

"We must help her quickly." replied Sir Reginald. 

"All right. We need someone to watch the girls." shouted Lance. 

"Who says we need protection? We can take care of ourselves. Besides, we could help you." commented Ophealia. 

"Yeah." agreed Kyra. 

"I'll stay with them." volunteered Drock. 

"Thank-you. Stay here." ordered Lance, with a direct look at Pristine. 

"Be careful." Pristine said. 

"Don't worry Pristine. We'll be back." 

Lance pulled his stallion alongside her mare before touching her hair and thoroughly kissed her. 

"I love you." Pristine whispered. 

"Right back at you." 

They kept their eyes on each other before Lance turned to the other men. They tried to speak low so the others didn't hear. 

"All right. We'll try to sneak around. If that doesn't work, we'll do the direct approach." said Lance. 

"I got an idea." replied Grayson. 

"Let's hear it." 

They all huddled around. 

"That is a good idea." admitted Sir Reginald. 

"We'll do it. You're coming right Xack?" asked Lance. 

"Sure I am." 

"All right then. Sir Reginald, you come with me. The rest of you know what to do." ordered Lance as he and Sir Reginald went off in one direction and Grayson, Xack, and the outlaws went in another. 

"What are they doing?" asked Ophealia. 

"I heard. They seem to forget that elves have superior hearing." Pixie smirked. 

"Oh! Than what are they going to do?" asked Kyra with a giggle. 

"Grayson, Xack, and the outlaws are going to distract the vandals while Lance and Sir Reginald get the girl." 

"That might work." commented Lola. 

"Pristine? What's the matter?" asked Kyra. 

Pristine barely listened to the others because she was looking in another direction. In her mind she saw people running and there was smoke. 

"Fire. There's a fire in the distance." she said. 

"I don't see any smoke." commented Ophealia. 

"I sense it. I need to help them." 

"Wait! You heard what Lance said." reminded Lola. 

"I never did say I'd stay." Pristine grinned mischievously. 

"True, we didn't either. What do you three think?" Kyra asked Mallian, Drock, and Pixie. 

They couldn't help but think how smart Pristine was. They all knew that the princess had a clever mind. 

"Pristine must be slowly returning to her true self." they all thought. 

"I think Pristine's right." said Mallian. 

"I said I would watch you, but I didn't say I would stop you from doing anything." Drock grinned. 

"Okay then. We're all going." said Ophealia. 

"Thanks you guys. Let us hurry." said Pristine before she and the others took off and went east.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During this time, Lance and the others put their plan into action. While Lance and Sir Reginald snuck around, Xack and Grayson approached the vandals. The rest of the outlaws hid. One of them was picking on a fourteen year-old girl with short golden brown hair. 

"You can't have any of this! It belongs to the Scallen family!" she shouted. 

"Oh, come now lass! We take what we like. We might as well take you along as well." a vandal grinned sinisterly. 

"Excuse us!" shouted Grayson as he and Xack approached. 

"What?" asked one of the vandals on horseback. 

"We are just passing through and are wondering if you by chance happen to know if there is a nearby village." 

"There isn't one for miles." said another vandal. 

"Oh, then sorry we bothered you. Good day." 

"Hey boss! Look at all the supplies they have." a vandal told the one who's holding the girl hostage. 

He had a hand over her mouth and another around her waist as the girl struggled. 

"So I see. Get them!" he ordered. 

Seeing they took the bait, Grayson and Xack headed toward where the other outlaws were hidden. Lance and Sir Reginald were hiding as well, waiting for the right moment. When they saw it, they mounted their horses, and quietly went over to the one with the girl. The guy didn't know they were behind him until Lance placed his sword against his neck. 

"Release her or I'll make you." Lance threatened. 

The vandal reluctantly let her go. She quickly ran to Lance's side. 

Without looking at her, Lance told her, "Go over to the gentleman behind me." 

The girl nodded, looked behind her, and ran over to Sir Reginald. He held out a hand and helped her up to sit in front of him. 

"Now, I suggest you take your men and go." suggested Lance. 

The guy nodded and slowly went over to his horse. He saw that his men were caught by Grayson, Xack, and the outlaws. Mounting his horse, the guy started heading toward his men when he suddenly charged toward Lance, who had his head turn. 

"Look out Lance!" warned Sir Reginald as he covered the young teen's eyes. 

Lance already turned around to take out a hidden dagger in his belt and threw it at the guy. It hit him straight in the heart and he fell off the horse dead. 

"Anyone else?" Lance asked. 

The other vandals took off. 

"You want us to go after them boss?" asked an outlaw. 

"No. Let them go." 

The young teen got off of Sir Reginald's horse and ran over to Lance. 

"Thank-you for your help. You're not from around here are you?" 

"Nope. My name is Lance, that's Sir Reginald of Cranston, my younger brother Grayson, Xack, and my band of outlaws." 

"My name is Palla. You're an outlaw? I always thought outlaws were a bunch of barbarians." 

"Well, don't believe everything you hear. None of us outlaws would ever take a life unless we have to. Excuse me." 

Lance dismounted his horse and walked over to the dead vandal and pulled out the dagger before cleaning it. 

"Hey? Isn't that Pristine's dagger?" asked Grayson. 

"Yes, as a matter of fact, it is. She gave it to me when we were traveling through that tunnel." 

There was a flashback to when they were in that last tunnel. They were all resting at the time. Pristine and Lance were in a dark area a ways from the others. 

"Here, I want you to have this." Pristine said as she handed him her dagger. 

"I can't have this Pristine. You must use it to protect yourself." 

Pristine shook her head and insisted, "Take it. You'll need it soon. Trust me." 

"Thank-you." 

Lance relented and smiled before kissing her. The flashback ended. 

"Pristine must have known something was going to happen." commented Xack. 

"I guess so." replied Lance as he stood up. 

"Excuse me? Who's Pristine?" asked Palla. 

"She's Lance's love." grinned Grayson. 

"She's also the one who discovered you were in trouble." added Lance as he mounted his horse. 

"Oh! Is she a sorceress?" asked Palla. 

"No, but she does have instincts and premonitions." answered Grayson. 

"Where is she? I'd like to meet her." 

"She's with the others." said Xack. 

"Others?" 

"Others from our group. There's Pristine's best friend Kyra, the Princess Ophealia, Mallian the water folk, Drock, Pixie the elf, and my cousin Lola." 

"Wow! That's incredible! Give me a second." 

Palla whistled and a horse came from another direction. It galloped over to Palla and she mounted it. 

"Okay, let's go." she insisted.

But when they got over the hill, the others were nowhere in sight. 

"Where are they?" asked Grayson. 

"Great! I told them to stay here." exclaimed Lance. 

"Well Lance, neither of them did say they would stay." pointed out Xack. 

"Lance, you shouldn't worry about Miss Pristine so much." said Sir Reginald. 

"I can't help it, Sir Reginald."

"I don't blame you for worrying either Lance since the Evil One is after her." Grayson added.

"The Evil One is after Pristine?" asked Palla. 

"Yes, Pristine is pure-hearted and has the Crystal of Life." explained Grayson. 

Lance and Xack sighed. Sometimes Grayson talked too much. 

"The Crystal of Life? WOW! Hey! Are you searching for the unicorn?" 

"Indeed we are. Drackor first appeared to Pristine and Kyra. Along the way, more of us joined up." 

Lance moved over to his brother before whispering, "Knock it off bro. Zeather could be listening." 

"Drackor's involved! Oh my! Well, why don't we go back to my place, and then my family will help you look for your love and the others." suggested Palla. 

"Okay." Lance reluctantly agreed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Pristine and her group were galloping across the plains. Vineyards started popping up. Finally, they all saw a manor house in the distance and it was on fire. 

"Oh my goodness! Pristine was right." commented Lola. 

"Let's hurry." said Pristine. 

They soon arrived at the gates, which were opened at the moment. As they approached the huge blaze, they noticed the commotion around them. Some were standing around, while others were scrambling to extinguish the fire. 

Pristine saw a black-haired lady ask a boy, "Where's Freyia?" 

"She went back inside to get cousin Josiah." said the lad. 

"What?! We got to get them out of there!" 

"Pixie! Watch my horse!" Pristine ordered as she dismounted. 

"What are you doing Pristine?" asked Pixie as she took the reins. 

Pristine didn't answer. She ran and entered the burning building. 

"Pristine!" screamed Kyra and Ophealia.

It was a raging inferno inside as Pristine covered her mouth with her cloak. She sensed something and rolled to the side just in time as a burning chandelier fell. That was when Pristine heard a cry for help. She saw that it's coming from a room blocked by burning rubble. 

"Hello! Can anyone hear me?!" Pristine shouted. 

"Help us! We're trapped and the roof is about to crumble!" hollered a female's voice. 

"Stand back!" 

Pristine blasted through. When she entered, she saw an auburn haired fourteen year-old teen, holding a blonde boy. 

"Who are you?" coughed the teen. 

"That can come later. Hurry! This building is about to collapse." 

They rushed out and dodged the falling debris. 

"The front door is blocked!" the teen coughed again. 

"I'll unblock it then." 

Pristine used the crystal to blast through. Outside, Drock, the girls, and several other people watched as Pristine, the teen, and the boy made it out. 

"Freyia! Josiah!" shouted the people as they ran over to the teen and the boy. 

The others ran over to Pristine. 

"Pristine that was the craziest thing I've ever seen." commented Lola as she and the others dismounted. 

"Welcome to my world. She does this kind of thing a lot." sighed Ophealia. 

"Excuse me miss?" asked a dark auburn hair man. 

Pristine and the others turned to the crowd. 

"We all want to thank you for saving Freyia and Josiah." replied the man. 

"Well I did what I had to do. You don't have to thank me." Pristine said. 

"You are too modest my dear." chuckled the man. 

They turned towards the burning house. 

"Now what will become of us?" asked Josiah. 

"No need to worry. I'll take care of it." answered Pristine as she pulled out the Crystal of Life once again. 

The inhabitants gasped. Holding it close to her, Pristine closed her eyes before she and the crystal began to glow. 

Holding the crystal, Pristine replied, "Crystal of Life, undo what was done and create this place anew." 

Light shot out of the crystal and at the manor, engulfing it in light. As it died down, the house was renewed. Pristine dropped to her knees and gasped for breath. 

"Are you okay Pristine?" asked Kyra. 

"Yes, I am. Just give me a minute." 

"You know what Pristine? You didn't collapse or faint. That means you're getting stronger." mentioned Drock. 

"I guess. Thank-you." Pristine replied as Drock helped her up. 

When they turned to the inhabitants again, the crowd knelt before Pristine. 

"There's no need for you to kneel." Pristine said. 

"Oh, but there is. You saved our home and for that we are eternally grateful." replied the man before they all rose. 

"I'm just glad I could help." 

"Now that everything is settled, let me introduce myself. My name is Lord Nelson of Jarain. This is my wife Lady Darla and our daughter, Freyia. These are my younger brothers, Derrick and Steward, and their families. The rest are our servants and guards. I have an older sister, but she lives in another house. Now may I ask who all of you are?" asked Lord Nelson. 

"My name is Pristine, this is Kyra, Princess Ophealia, Lola, Mallian the water folk, Drock, and Pixie the elf." 

"Excuse me, but are you looking for the lost unicorn?" asked Freyia. 

"Yes. How'd you know?" 

"You have the Crystal of Life with you. I've read the legend." 

"Would you like to come inside? I'm sure you-all are tired and hungry." offered Lady Darla. 

Pristine looked at the others, particularly Pixie and Mallian. Even though they hid it well, Pristine sensed their discomfort around all the humans. The two nodded though and Pristine didn't sense any dishonest people. 

"All right, but we can't stay too long."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Palla led Lance and his group to her home, which was a manor house as well. As it turned out, Palla is the niece of manor's owner, Baron Boris of Scallen. Her father, Carson, was Baron Boris's younger brother. When they arrived, the Scallen family invited them in. When asked why they were here, Palla couldn't help but tell them everything. Little did they knew that one of Zeather's spy demons was there. Before anyone spotted it, it vanished. When Palla finished, Baron Boris welcomed them and offered them his hospitality. 

"We thank you sir." bowed Sir Reginald. 

"Is there anything else you need?" asked the baron. 

"Part of our group is missing. We would like to go look for them." said Lance. 

"I can help you. I just hope they haven't gone into Jarain territory." commented Baron Boris. 

"Why?" asked Grayson. 

"Those Jarain are full of themselves; all high and mighty. They treat everyone like peasants." snorted Carson. 

Palla looked away at that, as if she's hiding something. Lance noticed her reaction for she did not look pleased with her father's comment. Lance himself was not all that convinced either that the Jarain were who Carson said they were. 

"I just want to find them. If you don't mind, I'd like to get started as soon as possible." requested Lance. 

"Oh sure my boy!" agreed the baron. 

"Daddy! Daddy! Look!" shouted someone. 

They all turned to see a five year-old girl with honey-colored hair come up to Carson. 

"Look daddy. I drew a unicorn." she showed him. 

"It's beautiful, Tarma." replied Palla. 

"Tarma, we have guests." replied Carson. 

"Hi!" waved Tarma. 

"Hello little lady. Is she your daughter?" asked Grayson. 

"Yes. Palla, can you watch your sister please?" 

"Sure father. Let's go Tarma." 

Palla and Tarma left. 

"Now let's go find your companions." replied Baron Boris.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the meantime, the others were resting in one of the guest rooms of the Jarain house. 

"We need to get out of here soon. Lance is probably having a fit." replied Ophealia. 

"That might be putting it lightly, your highness." added Pixie. 

"But Princess Ophealia is right. We need to leave." agreed Drock. 

"I'm ready when you're ready." stated Kyra. 

That's when Freyia came in with a tray with drinks on it. 

"I brought you something to drink." 

"Freyia? How is it that Zeather hasn't taken over this region?" asked Lola. 

"Well, Zeather doesn't see the people here as a threat because . . ." 

"Because what?" asked Ophealia. 

"Because of the disputes between the houses. I think the Evil One believes as long as we are fighting amongst ourselves we can't be a threat to him. Personally, I wish the fighting would stop. Anyway, you guys drink up and rest." 

"Boy, if what Freyia says is then we got us a serious problem." commented Lola. 

"Why?" asked Kyra. 

"Because the others could be at another house that is enemies with this one." 

"In other words . . ." started Ophealia. 

"If a fight brakes out, we all will be caught in the middle." finished Mallian. 

"Hey! Where's Pristine?" asked Kyra. 

"She was here a minute ago. She can certainly be quiet." commented Ophealia. 

"We better go look for her." suggested Pixie.

Pristine snuck out of the room after Freyia left. She knew something was wrong and wanted to see what the young lady was up to. Freyia went to her father and asked if she could picked apples. He reluctantly let her go. 

Pristine came up after she left and asked, "Is something wrong?" 

Lord Nelson turned and replied, "Freyia is going to one of our orchards to pick apples. It's near the Scallen border. The Scallen are boars and filthy thieves." 

"Well, if you like, I can follow her and watch her for you." suggested Pristine. 

"After that incredible display this morning, I am sure you can look after Freyia. Sure, you can go. I've placed your horse in our stables." 

"Thank-you."

Pristine went to the stables in time to see Freyia ride away. After suiting her horse up, Pristine followed Freyia. She made herself invisible as she followed. It didn't take long for Pristine to see a wooded area that Freyia was heading to. When Pristine entered, she noticed Freyia dismounting her horse and approaching two people. Pristine recognized one of them as the teenager from this morning. 

"I knew Lance and the others would rescue her. The child must be the teen's sister." Pristine thought. 

"Hi Freyia, you'll never believe what happen. That dream that I had happened!" Palla said. 

"You mean the dream when you are attacked and a group of men save you?" asked Freyia. 

"Yes, they are at my house right now." 

"Oh, well. Palla? You know the dream I told you about where my cousin and I are trapped in a burning place and we are rescued by a figure of light?" 

"Yes, what about it?" 

"Well, today our house caught fire and my cousin and I were trapped until this stranger named Pristine saved us. Oh! There's more. She has the Crystal of Life and restored our home. She came with several others. Two of them are enchanted folk." 

"Pristine? Where have I heard that name before? Oh! One of the men was an outlaw named Lance and his true love's name is Pristine. And I was told she had the crystal. I bet they're now looking for Pristine's group." 

"Uh-oh! You know this could be a difficult situation because Lance's group is on your territory and Pristine's group is on mine. If our families found that out then they might not help them or not even let them leave to go to the other house." 




The Lost One Ch. 09



"You know what we can do? We can lead both groups here." 

"What a good idea. But when should we do it?" 

"I don't know, but we'll think of something." 

During this time, Pristine was watching and listening. She figured that Palla was from the Scallen territory, the house that the Jarain family is disputing with. She began to admire the two girls for being close friends even though they were supposed to be enemies. 

"Where's that sister of yours Palla?" 

"Oh! She must have slipped off. Tarma! Tarma!" 

"I am over here!" 

The two friends went deeper into the woods. As Pristine dismounted, she heard a scream. She ran and climbed into a tree to see the girls trapped inside a net and surrounded by Zeather's men! 

"No!" Pristine thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Hehe sorry about the cliff hanger. I'll try to get the next chapter up as quickly as possible. I want to get it up to before I leave for Turkey next week. I am going to be studying abroad there for 2 weeks and I am excited. The next chapter is action packed and there are lots of surprises so be patient.



The Lost One Ch. 10



A/N: See I told you I wouldn't leave you hanging for long hehe. This chapter is another long one and it's action pacted hehe. Thanks Blackstallion21 for editing. Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

X.

Lost and

Found

"Let us go!" screamed Freyia. 

"Silence! If anyone of you makes so much as a whisper, then the small one dies." warned one of henchmen. 

All four of Zeather's henchmen were orcs. Tarma began to cry, but Palla managed to calm her down. As much as Pristine wanted to help, she knew that she couldn't because she was not a sword fighter like Lance or Xack or Sir Reginald. Besides, if one of them escaped and told the Evil One, then she'd really be in trouble. It was best to follow them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During this time, Lance, several of the Scallen men, and the others were searching throughout the area for Pristine's group. 

"No luck over there!" said Xack as he returned to Lance with several men. 

Soon Grayson, Sir Reginald, and the other men returned without finding a trace of Drock and the girls. 

"Sorry bro. It's like they vanished into thin air." apologized Grayson. 

"Where can they be?" wondered Lance, who was slowly going insane with worry. 

He hid it though. Grayson himself was beginning to get sick with worry for Ophealia. Unlike Lance though, he didn't hide it. 

"Man! I hope nothing bad has happened to them. What if-" 

"Grayson, calm down! Panicking isn't going to help." scolded Xack. 

"I can only assume that they're on Jarain territory." assumed Carson. 

"Then we better search there next." 

"No, we won't. We'll be caught and tortured. Best go back to the house." 

Lance started to protest, but Sir Reginald stopped him. When they returned to the manor, they noticed something was not right. People were running around. 

"Dickory! What's wrong?" Carson demanded one of the servants. 

"Miss Palla and Tarma have not yet returned. They should have been back by now." 

"You're right, they should have. Forgive me Lance, but I'm afraid we can't help you. I must find my brother." 

"No problem." 

As Carson and the other Scallen men left them, Grayson came up and said, "You know what I think? I think Zeather might something to do with this." 

"Why would you think that?" asked Xack. 

"Inion said that the Evil One has a fortress near here. And since we're out in the open, Zeather can do whatever he wants like . . ." 

"Set a trap." finished Sir Reginald. 

"You're right Grayson. Zeather's going to set a trap for Pristine and is using those girls as bait. We better find them before the others get word." replied Lance. 

"Lance, how are we going to get away from here?" asked Xack. 

"I know! We'll just tell Baron Boris that we'll help find his nieces." suggested Grayson. 

"Great! Is that all right with you Sir Reginald?" asked Lance. 

"I guess. We would be searching for the two lasses." 

"Thanks. Let's go."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the same time, the others were looking for Pristine. 

"That Pristine has got to stop disappearing." complained Ophealia. 

"I'm sure she had a reason for doing so, your highness." Lola commented. 

"Still . . ." 

"Pristine can take care of herself Princess Ophealia." Drock interrupted. 

"Did anyone notice when Pristine left?" asked Kyra. 

"I noticed Pristine was gone soon after Freyia left." replied Mallian. 

"Then that means if we find Freyia, we might find Pristine?" assumed Lola. 

"Right." 

They kept walking along until they noticed servants running around. 

"Excuse me, but what's happened?" Ophealia asked a serving maid. 

"Everyone is looking for Freyia. She was last seen going to the apple orchard near Scallen territory. Our lord thinks the Scallen might have gotten her as well as that friend of yours." 

"You mean Pristine?!" exclaimed Kyra. 

"We'll help look." said Pixie. 

"Oh thank-you." bowed the maid before scurrying off. 

"I seriously doubt Pristine and Freyia were caught by the Scallen family." commented Drock. 

"Why do you think so?" asked Kyra. 

"Because with all the disputing around here, some of the things said about the Scallen may be untrue. Besides, Pristine isn't so easily caught." 

"It sounds to me that Zeather is behind this." said Mallian. 

"I think so too. The Evil One might have captured Freyia and set her up as bait." added Pixie. 

"What should we do then?" asked Lola. 

"We should find the others. With all this commotion, we'll be able to get out of here." Mallian suggested. 

"What if we get caught?" Ophealia questioned. 

"We'll say we're looking for Pristine and Freyia. We will still be telling them the truth, just not the whole truth." explained Drock. 

"Great! Let's go!" shouted Kyra.

They eventually found the stables and loaded up their horses. As they mounted them, they noticed Lord Nelson rounding up some men. 

"Lord Nelson? What are you doing?" asked Ophealia. 

"Oh! Good day your highness. We're getting ready for our fight with the Scallen." 

"Why?" asked Kyra. 

"Because they have my Freyia and possibly your friend." 

"Do you have proof?" asked Lola. 

"Proof? Freyia is missing, isn't she? Let's go men!" 

Lord Nelson mounted his horse. The other Jarain men mounted as well as they head off. 

"Now what?" asked Lola. 

"We find the others first." said Drock.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was midday when Lance and his group were near the Jarain territory. Lance ordered his men to stay at the Scallen manor just in case the others showed up. 

"Look Lance. Someone is coming." pointed Grayson. 

It was one of the outlaws. The man was out of breath by the time he stopped. 

"Lance, we got trouble." he gasped finally. 

"What's wrong?" 

"Baron Boris and the Scallen men are planning to battle the Jarain. What do you want us to do?" 

"Great. Okay, if anyone asks any of you for some help, tell them you'll watch the place and watch for the girls. I don't want Zeather to attack that manor and there not be anyone there." ordered Lance. 

"Right!" 

The outlaw rode off. 

"We're running low on time, Lance." mentioned Sir Reginald. 

"Yes, I know. Let's move!" shouted Lance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Pristine followed the henchmen to another one of Zeather's fortresses. There were numerous dead plants and trees in the area. The fortress itself was huge! In the center was a tower surrounded by several smaller towers that connected to the main tower by ways of turrets and parapets. The fortress might have looked inviting under any other circumstances, but since Pristine sensed the evil surrounding it, it looked ominous. The fortress was more heavily guarded than last time. 

"I had a feeling Zeather would be more prepared." thought Pristine. 

~Pristine . . . ~ said someone telepathically. 

Pristine recognized the voice. It was the unicorn again. 

~Yes?~ Pristine asked telepathically. 

~Do you remember studying the geography of our world under Drackor? You recognize that fortress right?~

~Yes, I do. Didn't it belong to one of the human kings?~ 

~Yes, it was also one of the first human fortresses to fall after the Invasion. I heard the Evil One changed it drastically to suit his needs.~ 

~Did the Evil One find the secret passages?~ 

~Unfortunately he did, but you can always 'blend in', if you know what I mean. Be careful.~ 

After waiting a few more minutes, Pristine sensed that the unicorn was gone. She knew exactly what the unicorn meant, but she also knew that she'd had to move quickly. As she snuck closer to the fortress, she noticed what some of the guards were wearing. She saw a group of guards heading toward the entrance. Seizing the opportunity, she used the crystal to change her outfit into one of the guards' uniforms. She was glad they wore helmets as she tucked her hair up in one. Without breaking a stride, she came out of her hiding place and joined the infantry as they walked through the entrance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During this time, Ophealia, Kyra, and their group were searching in the apple orchard. Pixie sniffed the area. 

"Pristine was certainly here. I recognize her scent anywhere. Freyia was here too, along with similar scents." she commented. 

"Mmm, these apples look so yummy. My mouth waters just looking at them." commented Kyra. 

"I'm getting hungry myself." 

"We can't think about food now. We got to find Pristine and the others." reminded Ophealia. 

"You're right princess." agreed Drock. 

"Pixie? What's wrong?" asked Mallian. 

"Someone's coming. Hide!" ordered Pixie as they hid their horses and themselves in the dense area of trees. 

Moments later, they heard someone. 

"Too bad we can't snag a few of these apples." commented someone. 

It was Xack! 

"Xack!" exclaimed Lola as she suddenly came out of her hiding place. 

Her response was so sudden, that she scared Grayson as he yelled and fell off his horse. As Lance and Xack laughed, the others came out. Ophealia dismounted and knelt next to Grayson. 

"Are you all right?" she asked with concern. 

"Ouch! Well, your highness, let's just say I've been through worse." groaned Grayson as he rubbed his lower back before staggering to his feet and getting on his steed. 

Ophealia mounted hers as well. It was then that Lance noticed that Pristine wasn't with the others. 

"Uh, where's Pristine?" 

"Oh, heh, heh, um, . . .frankly we aren't sure." answered Kyra. 

"What?! Great! This is not good. Okay, let's start from the beginning. First, you can tell us where you've been all this time." 

Lance was obviously upset, but deep inside, he's ragging. All of the sudden, Lola and Kyra started talking at the same time. 

"Okay! Okay! One at a time! One at a time!" shouted Lance. 

"You really should calm down Lance." mentioned Ophealia. 

"Argh! I give up!" 

"Sorry Lance. Pristine sensed something wrong and we traveled to this manor house that was on fire. Pristine restored the house and the people invited us to stay. While resting we met this young teen named Freyia. After she left, we waited a few more moments before noticing Pristine was gone. Pandemonium broke out when Freyia went missing. We ran into her father and asked if he'd seen Pristine. He said that he's certain the Scallen have Pristine and Freyia-" Pixie tried to explain but was cut off by Grayson. 

"But that can't be! We were just at the Scallen's house. Were you guys on the Jarain territory?" 

"Yes, we didn't think the family had them. We were thinking Zeather caught Freyia and set a trap for Pristine." replied Ophealia. 

"How do you know Zeather doesn't already have Pristine?" asked Xack. 

"Because I know Pristine and she wouldn't get caught so easily." answered Kyra. 

"Well, the Scallen are getting ready to attack the Jarains. They think that they have two girls named Palla and Tarma. We think the Evil One has them." added Lance. 

"We can tell you right now that those girls aren't on Jarain estates." said Ophealia. 

"I guess that means they're all at Zeather's fortress. We best get moving." suggested Kyra. 

"Miss Kyra is right. Time's a wasting." agreed Sir Reginald. 

"Let's go then and pray nothing happens." said Lance as they moved out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pristine was ever watchful as she made her way through the fortress. It was like a labyrinth. Even though she was in disguise, she still had to be careful. She knew the Evil One was in the citadel because she could sense him. It would only be a matter of time before he sensed her presence also. Luck was on her side though, she soon found herself in the dungeon. However, she wasn't prepared for what she saw next. People, both male and female, were in chains which hung from the ceiling. It smelled like someone was being burned and she heard wailing and screaming. It was almost too much for Pristine, but she managed to retain her composure. When she entered the horrid area, she slipped into the shadows. That's when it dawned on her. She remembered when in her old village, merchants and other travelers said that all the captured people and creatures were sent to Drexal Fortress. She heard rumors that this place was a nightmare and impossible to escape from. Right now, Pristine could not see any cells, so they were probably further on down. It was then that several henchmen came in with Freyia, Palla, and Tarma. 

"Bregar! Garum!" one shouted. 

Two huge men as ugly and hideous as goblins came forth. Their faces were grotesque and they smelled worse than the dungeon. The three girls gasped in fear. 

"We got three new ones for you. Lord Zeather wants you to place them in Cell Thirteen." instructed another. 

The prisoners there gasped. 

"What's in Cell Thirteen?" asked Tarma, who's trembling. 

"Things that only nightmares are made of." Bregar grinned sinisterly. 

Pristine's eyes opened wide. She'd heard of Cell Thirteen. Whoever went into that hideous cell never came out. Looked like Zeather was going to force her hand. Time was definitely not on her side at that moment. As she watched the guards leave after the two giants grabbed the girls, Pristine quietly followed them. It was a good thing there were no guards here. They went down a hall where people were behind bars. Things were getting harder by the minute so Pristine made herself invisible. She moved quietly as she continued to follow them. Suddenly, Garum stopped and sniffed the air. 

"What is it?" asked Bregar. 

"I thought I smelled something that wasn't rotten." 

Pristine froze when the two stopped. If she got caught, there was a good chance that there would be a riot. 

Fortunately, Garum said, "Aw, I guess my nose is playing tricks on me." 

The two moved on. After a few turns through several corridors, they stepped in front of a cell door with thirteen on it. Bregar took a set of keys and unlocked the locks before opening the door. 

"No!" screamed Freyia before Bregar threw her in the cell. 

"Freyia!" shouted Palla and Tarma before being thrown in there. 

The door was closed and locked once more. 

"I'll come back later to clean up the leftovers." said Bregar as they walked away. 

Pristine became visible when they left. She was glad that she had the skeleton key with her and quickly unlocked the door. As she entered, she made the crystal glow for it was pitch black inside. She saw the three girls shivering in fear. 

Freyia turned around and asked, "Who are you?" 

Pristine remembered that she's still in disguise. She took off her helmet. 

Freyia smiled and gasped, "Pristine!!" 

The teen ran and embraced her. 

"Shh! You must be silent." Pristine grinned though. 

As they separated, Freyia turned to Palla and Tarma. 

"So you're Pristine. It's an honor. Let me thank you for what happen this morning. Lance said you were the one who found me." smiled Palla. 

"You're welcome, but right now we must leave this place immediately." 

Before she did anything else, something ambushed her. Luckily, Pristine turned in time so it attacked her from the front. 

"Pristine!" shouted the three girls. 

Pristine struggled with the creature. She tried to prevent it from biting her neck. Pristine managed to take the Crystal of Life and shined it in its face. It screamed as it staggered back. Pristine's eyes opened wide as she jumped to her feet. She remembered that wail like it was yesterday. She heard the creature moaned as she shined the crystal at it. 

"What is it?" asked Tarma. 

The creature was covered in black from head-to-toe. 

"It's a dragon." Pristine said. 

The dragon turned around and looked at Pristine menacingly. 

~Wait! I won't hurt you.~ Pristine contacted him telepathically. 

~Yeah sure you won't.~ the dragon replied back. 

~Slycer, I've never lied to you before.~ 

~How do you know my name?~ 

~I am Pristine, Slycer. Don't you recognize me? You were my family's royal guard.~

~NO! You can't be! Princess Pristine was killed right in front of me when I failed to protect her.~ 

~I am she. My parents managed to preserve my soul and I was reborn.~ 

"No!" the dragon screamed as he breathed out fire. 

Pristine placed a protective barrier around her and the girls. 

"What's happening?" asked Palla. 

"I don't know, but I'm going to heal him." Pristine said before running toward Slycer. 

Just when the dragon started to lunge at her, Pristine placed the crystal on his chest. That very second, light engulfed them both. Within it, Pristine closed her eyes, placed her other hand on Slycer's head, which couldn't move, and transported her soul into his body.

When Pristine's soul entered his body, she called out, "Slycer! Where are you?" 

She finally saw Slycer's soul. Instead of being all black, he was all gold and he was bounded by dark beams. 

"Slycer!" Pristine cried. 

She sensed the agony and pain radiating from him and it was almost overwhelming. 

The dragon looked up and shouted, "Pristine! What are you doing here?! Get out!" 

"Did Zeather do this to you?" 

"Yes, he did. Get out of here now!" 

Ignoring him, Pristine walked toward him. But by doing so, negative energy blasted at her. 

"No! Princess!" 

Slycer tried to break free. Pristine dropped to her knees and tried not to scream. She suddenly felt the presence of the unicorn and managed to ignore the pain as she stood up. In fact, the more pain she felt, the more determined she got. For what seemed like an eternity, Pristine finally reached her old friend. 

"I will save you, but I need your help. We must join our powers to vanquish this evil. Come back to the light, Slycer." 

Pristine reached out and offered her hand. Slycer nodded and placed his claw in her hand. Both closed their eyes and concentrated sharing their powers. The light within them both started to expand as the evil force loosened its hold. Outside, the light became brighter and brighter. 

Inside, Pristine's spirit shouted in an ancient language, "Set him free! Now!" 

Light suddenly engulfed the entire cell as the three girls covered their eyes. When they opened their eyes, it was still dark, but at least they saw Pristine and Slycer. Slycer was now all gold. He was the first to recover. Pristine was lying down next to him. 

"Ow! What happened?" Slycer asked before seeing Pristine. 

"Pristine? Pristine! Wake up!" he cried. 

Pristine finally opened her eyes. 

"Pristine!" Slycer smiled. 

"Shh! The guards will hear you." said Freyia. 

"She's right. Can somebody help me up, please?" Pristine asked. 

Freyia and Palla did. It took her awhile for her to stand on her own. 

"What did you do anyway, Pristine?" asked Palla. 

"It's called Soul Cleansing. It's an ancient spell I learned of awhile back." 

It was true, but Pristine learned it in her past life. She also did not tell them that it's a very dangerous spell and put both souls at risk. 

"We need to get out of here. Slycer, I suggest that you change into your human form." 

"I was just about to do that." 

He quickly turned into a tall, muscular man with long golden blond hair. He looked to be twenty-five years, when in fact he was about three hundred and seventy years. 

"Excuse me Pristine, but do you two know each other?" asked Freyia. 

"We're . . Ah, old friends." 

She turned to Slycer and told him telepathically, ~Whatever you do, don't ever call me highness or princess. There are many people who don't know who I am.~ 

~Why is that?~ 

~I'll explain later.~ 

Pristine smelled something suddenly. Slycer smelled it as well and pulled out his sword before placing himself in front of Pristine and the girls. 

"What is it?" asked Palla. 

Just then, Bregar and Garum barged in. They eyed Slycer and Pristine evilly. Slycer got ready to defend the girls when Pristine moved to his side and shook her head. She looked at the two giants and motioned them to come at her. The two charged with their axes. At the last moment, Pristine pulled out the crystal and blasted them both. They both fell. 




The Lost One Ch. 10



"Did you kill them?" asked Freyia. 

"No. They're asleep." answered Pristine. 

"Leave it to you Pristine, not to kill anyone." sighed Slycer. 

Pristine smiled before using the crystal to close and lock the door. 

"Now how will we get out?" asked Tarma. 

"I remember that there's a secret exit here. Let's go." Pristine said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While all this was going on, Lance and his group made it to the fortress. It was then that they noticed there was a bit of commotion going on. 

"I wonder what's going on?" asked Grayson. 

"I bet you anything it's caused by Pristine. The same thing happened when we were at Zeather's fortress in the Mountains of Eternity." replied Xack. 

"Okay then. Here's what we'll do. Grayson and Princess Ophealia, you will go fetch the outlaws and then try to prevent that battle between the two families." Lance instructed. 

"Why me?" asked Grayson. 

"Because you're better at settling disputes and we're going to need help. Okay?" 

"We understand." answered Ophealia. 

"Good. Sir Reginald and Xack are with me. The rest of you stay here." 

"Oh-no! I am not going to stay here." protested Kyra. 

"Me either." agreed Lola. 

"Lance, we better let them come because that way we'll be able to keep an eye on them." added Sir Reginald. 

"Oh! Very well!" 

"I'll go with you as well." said Drock. 

"Pixie and I will stay here in case Pristine and the girls appear." Mallian commented. 

"Okay. Let's move out." 

They split up again once more.

As Lance's group drew near, Lola asked, "How will we get in?" 

"Every fortress has a secret entrance. We just got to find one." Lance grinned.

Unfortunately, it took them awhile to find one because they were attacked several times. Finally, near the one of the towers, Lance found one by knocking on a wall. 

"Ah, here we are." smiled Lance. 

"Let's hurry." insisted Kyra as they entered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During this time, the Scallens and Jarains confronted each other. 

Baron Boris shouted, "What have you done with my nieces, Palla and Tarma, Nelson!" 

"We don't have them Boris! It is you who have my Freyia!" accused Lord Nelson. 

"A Scallen would never go so low!" rebuked Carson. 

Lord Nelson lost his temper there. 

"Attack!" he ordered. 

The two groups suddenly charged at each other.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Grayson and Ophealia raced against time to reach the Scallen manor. They were both breathless by the time they made it there. One of the outlaws spotted them from a lookout point, and by the time Grayson and Ophealia made it to the house, all the outlaws assembled in front of the building. 

"What has happened?" asked an outlaw. 

It took a moment for the two to catch their breath. 

Finally Grayson explained, "There's no time to explain. Lance needs your help. We believe Pristine, the sisters, and a Jarain girl are in great danger. Lance also wants us to try to stop the battle between the Jarain and Scallen." 

That's when they saw the Scallen women approaching them. Leading them was Baroness Charlotta, Baron Boris's wife, and Hannah, Carson's wife. 

"What happened? Who's this?" Baroness Charlotta asked referring to Ophealia. 

"This is Princess Ophealia. She is one of the people we were looking for." explained Grayson. 

The women suddenly curtsied before Hannah asked, "It's an honor, your highness. Did you find the others?" 

"Yes, we did. Forgive us ladies, but we're in a hurry." 

"Wait! At least tell us if you've found my daughters." 

"We have, Hannah. Let's go you guys." 

The outlaws rushed off and in no time returned with their horses before taking off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Slycer led the way as he and the girls made their way through the secret passage way. Several times they came across an orc or a soldier. Slycer did most of the fighting while Pristine mostly protected the girls and made sure they cannot 'see' any of the killings with her Crystal of Life. She did not want the girls to have nightmares after this. She was also have a mental battle within herself too for all the fighting was slowly getting to her. Slycer felt her inner struggle. He knew she was trying to be strong for he taught her to be so, but he tried to hurry to get them out of there. Finally, they escaped. As they left the area, they soon ran into Mallian and Pixie. 

"There you are! Where have you been?" demanded Pixie. 

"Saving these girls." responded Pristine before she magically changed back into her regular clothes. 

"Figures." said Pixie before seeing Slycer. 

Her eyes opened wide and she gasped. 

"Sly . . . Slycer?" 

"Hi Pixie. Long time no see." grinned Slycer. 

"Oh my goodness! I thought you were dead!" exclaimed Pixie. 

"I thought I was too. We'll talk about this later. Excuse me, but are you a water folk?" 

Mallian smiled and bowed for she'd never met a dragon before. Oh, what mystical creature had not heard of Slycer? Already he was considered a legend and hero. 

"Indeed I am. You may call me Mallian." 

"Where are the others? Did you find Lance's group?" asked Pristine. 

"Yes we did. They are all looking for you inside the fortress, except for Grayson and Ophealia. They went to go get the outlaws at the Scallen manor and to stop the fight between the Scallens and Jarains." 

"Our families are fighting? We got to stop them." said Freyia. 

"Don't worry we will. Slycer, Mallian, and Pixie? Can you take the girls and stop the fight?" asked Pristine. 

"And just what do you think you are doing?" asked Pixie. 

"I'm going after the others." 

"If you are then I'm going with you." replied Slycer. 

"Slycer-" 

"No buts," interrupted Slycer before whispering into her ear, "I made a vow to always protect you and your family. I won't break my promise." 

He whispered so low that not even Pixie heard him. She did not even try to eavesdrop for she knew that Slycer could sensed it. 

"Very well. Good-luck you guys." said Pristine. 

"You too." repeated Pixie before helping the girls mounted their horses. 

Pixie was reluctant to let Tarma and Palla onto the Dawn Horses but the she sensed that the horses liked the girls so it was okay for them to ride them.

"Wow! I've never seen these horses before? What are they?" asked Palla as she helped Tarma settle.

She was referring to the Sail Horse and the Dawning Horses. 

"We'll tell you soon." Mallian grinned before she and Pixie mounted their horses and took off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It took them awhile, but Grayson, Ophealia, and the outlaws found the Scallen and Jarain. The groups were still fighting. 

"Jameson, the horn." ordered Grayson. 

A light brunette outlaw took his horn and blew it. The battle came to a halt soon. Thankful they got their attention, Grayson and the others rode down to them. 

"Grayson!" shouted Carson. 

"Princess!" yelled Lord Nelson. 

The leaders rode forth and met them in the middle of the battle ground. 

"Why are you fighting? There's no reason to." Grayson asked loud enough for everyone to hear. 

"We're fighting because the Jarain have my daughters." answered Carson. 

"No we don't!" shouted Lord Nelson as well as the other Jarain men. 

"Silence!" shouted Ophealia. 

They did. 

Ophealia turned to Baron Boris and Carson and replied, "They really don't gentlemen. I've been at their place since this morning. The Jarain family is a very kind and respectful family." 

"Unlike some families. The Scallen are the ones who captured Freyia, my daughter." added Lord Nelson. 

"I told you we don't have her." shouted Baron Boris as the other Scallen men did. 

"Cut it out!" snapped Grayson. 

Like Ophealia, he was getting tired of their bickering. 

When the Scallens stopped yelling, Grayson turned to Lord Nelson and commented, "Baron Boris is right. He doesn't have her. The Scallen family is also respectable. The Evil One is the person who has the girls." 

"Zeather hasn't bothered us in years. He doesn't have them." stated Carson. 

"Zeather hasn't bothered you because all of you dispute with each other. He only kidnapped the girls because he was setting a trap for our friend Pristine." Ophealia countered. 

"That's preposterous! Zeather promised to leave us alone!" shouted Lord Nelson. 

"The Evil One lies. There's no good in him whatsoever!" 

Ophealia was beginning to lose her temper, which was never a pretty sight.

This was how Mallian, Pixie, and the girls found them. 

When Ophealia finished, Mallian added, "Princess Ophealia is right, Lord Nelson!" 

Everyone turned to see them as they galloped towards them. 

"Hi daddy!" waved Tarma before Palla helped her off. 

Freyia got off as well. 

"Palla! Tarma!" shouted Carson, who was dumbfounded at first as well as the other Scallen and Jarain. 

He soon regained himself and galloped toward them before dismounting and hugging his two daughters. Baron Boris and Lord Nelson were soon to follow. Lord Nelson dragged Freyia into his arms as the others came forward. 

"Are you hurt, Freyia?" asked Lord Nelson. 

"No father. Pristine saved Palla, Tarma, and I from Zeather." 

"So Pristine wasn't caught. That's a relief." sighed Grayson. 

"Actually Grayson, Pristine went back into the fortress to go after Lance and the others." replied Pixie. 

"Yeah, and this other fellow went with her." added Palla. 

"Fellow? What other fellow?" asked Grayson. 

"Slycer. He's a golden dragon. He used to be the royal guard of the unicorn royal family." explained Pixie. 

"Oh! Can we please get going!" begged Ophealia. 

"You're right, princess. Baron Boris and Lord Nelson, we could really use your help." replied Grayson. 

"And we will. It is time we repay Pristine for all she's done." Baron Boris replied. 

"I agree. Let's move out! But first, I suggest someone take the girls to our house. It's the closest manor to the border." shouted Lord Nelson.

"No father, I am going with you. I want to make sure Pristine is safe." said Freyia.

"Us too, we won't get in the way either." added Palla.

The others reluctantly agreed and they moved out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was one big riot inside the fortress. Lance's group made their way to the dungeon. It was not an easy task for they had to fight their way there. When they found the dungeon, they were just as astonished as Pristine was. 

"By the saints!" exclaimed Sir Reginald when he saw the prisoners. 

"It's smells like rotten flesh." gasped Lola. 

"I wouldn't be surprised if there is any." added Xack. 

"You and me both." agreed Lance. 

"We got to free them!" said Kyra. 

"We got to find the keys." replied Drock. 

"Okay, spread out! And be careful!" warned Lance. 

They went in different directions. Drock and Sir Reginald went to the left, Lola and Kyra went through the center, and Lance and Xack went to the right. 

First, with Drock and Sir Reginald, "I wonder what would have happened if your king knew about this. I've heard of this dungeon, but I didn't think want to believe the rumors." commented Drock. 

"He would be appalled. I'm sure anyone would be who had a heart." 

"I hope we find those girls and Pristine." 

"So do I." 

That was when Drock picked up Pristine and Freyia's scents. Being with the dwarfs all his life, he picked up how to distinguish scents. Pristine and Freyia's scents were mixed with several others. Two were similar to Freyia's while a few others smelled worse than the dungeon. 

"I've picked up the girls' scent. This way."

In the mean time, Lola and Kyra were in an area that looked like a torture chamber. 

"My goodness! Does Zeather actually use these things?" commented Kyra. 

"Well, the Evil One isn't a human or any kind of creature so I would think anyone with a heart and soul would never use these contraptions." 

"What do you mean that Zeather isn't human?" 

"Zeather's an evil force. He has no real blood in him." 

"Then how come he's able to take human form?" 

"He's so powerful that he's able to control and manipulate evil into any form. He has enough power to wipe out the entire galaxy. He almost did during the Invasion." 

"Uh, Lola? How do you know so much?" 

Lola's eyes widen. Now she was in for it, but she couldn't turn back now. Lola wanted to lie to her, but she knew she couldn't. 

"I guess you might as well know, Kyra. It was bound to come out sooner or later. I am a dragon. A sky dragon to be exact. Xack is a silver dragon or ice dragon." 

For the first time in her life, Kyra was speechless. 

Lola grinned and told her, "My kind is spread throughout the Mountains of Eternity. We were the unicorns' main guardians." 

"Oh! I was told that! But I heard your kind was killed." 

"We almost were. Drackor managed to save us though. Before the Invasion, there were so many of us. Not very many creatures saw us because we hid in secrecy. I was the youngest of seven and the only girl. All my brothers and my father were killed during the Invasion. My mother died ten years later trying to protect me and Xack, who had lost his family as well. Zeather had found us. Most of us were captured while the rest were slaughtered. Drackor saved us and we remained hidden. Not even the mystical creatures know we're alive. Mallian and Pixie might know who Xack and I are, because mystical creatures can detect others." 

What Lola did not tell her was she knew who Pristine was. She recognized her the moment she first saw her. And when they were at Inion's, he met privately with Xack and her and asked them to watch over Pristine. The next morning, Lola noticed that Pristine was looking at her and Xack differently as if she recognized them as dragons. 

All the sudden, Kyra snapped her out her thoughts when she asked, "Did you know the princess!?" 

"Not personally, but have seen her. And no, I cannot tell you what she looks like. I will tell you that I've seen Pixie, but she hasn't seen me, because I was always undercover." 

It was then she picked up Pristine's scent. 

"Well, let's get going." Lola replied as she led them onward. 

She knew Xack was going to be upset with her, but she didn't regret telling Kyra their secret for she trusted her and it was rare for anyone, even mystical creatures, to earn the trust of a dragon.

Meanwhile, Lance and Xack made it to the cell section. All the prisoners shouted from their cells to set them free. 

Xack shouted, "I wish they weren't so loud. The guards will hear us." 

"You're right about that. I just hope we find the girls before the guards find us." 

Xack hoped so too. When Inion assigned Lola and him to watch the princess, he took it very seriously. The scene flashed back to when Xack and Lola secretly met Inion after Lance took Pristine to his room. 

"How are things with your kind?" asked Inion. 

"Doing well actually. Zeather hasn't found us yet." replied Xack. 

"Why did you call on us? Just so you know, we have been watching Pristine." asked Lola. 

"Probably not as good as we like to though. She was almost caught this night." 

"I know how you feel Xack. We all feel responsible for the princess's death twenty-eight years ago. But I still want you two to watch Pristine. Drackor also wants me to tell you two that on the day when you return to Pristine's old home, he wants you to gather all the dragons together. Pristine will eventually meet up with you near the edge of the mountains in that forest." Inion told them. 

Even though Xack did not like Pristine wandering off, he was use to it. When he and his kin visited the royal family, Pristine always went off on her own. Whenever that happened, the king and queen sent his cousin, Slycer, and himself to go fetch her. Slycer, Xack thought, was also his best friend. Xack was Slycer's second-in-command. The last time he saw Slycer was when during the Invasion. Slycer was on the ground covered in blood and was struggling to get up. Xack rushed over to him when he looked up and saw that the Evil One had the princess. She was dead as he saw white blood dripping from a gaping wound in her abdomen. Suddenly, Slycer lunged at Zeather and there was a great blast and that was it. Slycer was gone as well as Zeather. Well, at least Zeather's body was gone for the same evil presence still hanged in the area as well as Pristine's floating body in the darken sky. This was how King Elios, Queen Loreanna, and Drackor found them. That was when the royal couple made the ultimate sacrifice to save their daughter and bring hope to the future. Now the time came to defeat Zeather and undo all the evil he brought. 

Xack was deep in thought when Lance said, "Xack! Look! I wonder where this passage leads." 

Xack looked and said, "There's only one way to find out." 

"Xack! Lance!" someone shouted. 

The two turned to see Sir Reginald and Drock coming forth. 

"Hey guys. Any luck?" asked Lance. 

"None, but Drock picked up the girls' scent." answered Sir Reginald. 

Lance and Xack sniffed the air and picked it up as well. 

"Yes, Pristine has been here. I know her scent anywhere." commented Lance. 

"Oh really? And how were you able to acquire it?" teased Xack with a glint in his eye. 

"Oh knock it off!" 

Lance shoved him causing Xack and Drock to laugh. That's when Kyra and Lola appeared. 

"Hey guys! You won't believe what I found out! Lola and Xack are dragons!" Kyra shouted. 

Xack gave Lola a stunned look before glaring at her. At the same time, Lance and Sir Reginald looked at the two cousins in surprise. Drock did not look astonished. 

"You weren't supposed to tell anyone Lola." Xack replied angrily. 

"I'm sorry, Xack. It just came out that way. I didn't mean to tell her." 

"You're dragons? Why didn't you tell us? I thought your kind was extinct." asked Lance. 

"We'll talk about this later. We need to find Pristine." answered Xack. 

"Very well. Let's move." 

They moved down the narrow corridor until they came to Cell Thirteen. 

"I know that cell. It's the infamous Cell Thirteen." said Sir Reginald. 

"I've heard about it as well. Those who go in never come out." added Lola. 

"Oh gosh! Pristine!" hollered Lance before running to the door and pounding on it. 

"Stop it Lance! It won't help to panic." said Sir Reginald. 

Lance stopped and said, "You're right, but I am not going to stay here while Pristine's in grave danger." 

"Move aside Lance. I'll handle this." ordered Lola. 

She gathered her power together and launched wind at the door. It's so powerful that several of the others had a hard time standing their ground. 

"Whoa!" exclaimed Kyra. 

"Cousin, I could use your help." Lola barely said. 

Xack simply nodded. Sometimes Lola tried to do things the hard way, much to his frustration, but at least she asked for help when she needed it. He stepped next to Lola and shot ice at the door. A few minutes the thick metal door was completely frozen and Lola's wind power knocked it over. There was a colossal bang causing a few of them to cover their ears. As Lola and Xack regained themselves, the others rushed in. But all they saw was the two brothers, Bregar and Garum, on the floor. They were still asleep. 

"Where are they?" asked Kyra. 

"They must have escaped somehow." replied Drock. 

Lance sighed in relief. Soon, Xack and Lola entered. Xack suddenly picked up a certain scent and stopped. He looked stunned as well as Lola. 

"What's wrong you two?" asked Kyra. 

"I know that scent. A dragon was in here. But not just any dragon. Oh my gosh! It couldn't be! It isn't!" gasped Xack. 

"Do you really think it could be?" asked Lola. 

"It is! Slycer's alive!" 

"Who's Slycer?" asked Kyra. 

"Wait a minute. I've heard of him. Slycer was the royal family's main protector, right?" questioned Drock. 




The Lost One Ch. 10



"Indeed he was. Slycer is also our cousin and my best friend. Dragons have always been the unicorns' strongest ally and protector." explained Xack. 

"But on the day of the Invasion, we couldn't protect them from the evil forces. As some of us later found out, Slycer was there when the princess was killed by Zeather. He would have destroyed her soul if Slycer hadn't of sacrificed his life. The rest of us hid in the Mountains of Eternity." added Lola. 

"The Evil One was looking for us so the best place to hide was right under his nose." 

"That is clever. Zeather would never think to look in his own territory." grinned Sir Reginald. 

"That is correct. But now time is of the essence. We must find Pristine and those girls. If Slycer is with them, then we don't have to worry as much. I know he'll protect them." said Lola. 

"Right, but we need to release the prisoners here too." mentioned Kyra. 

"Okay than. Sir Reginald, Drock, and Kyra, you release the prisoners. The rest of us will look for the girls." instructed Lance. 

"Right." agreed the others. 

"What's Drock doing?" asked Lola. 

Drock walked over to Bregar and bent down to get something. He walked over holding up a set of keys. 

"I guess these guys are the guards." replied Drock. 

"Great! Now let's get going!" insisted Kyra vehemently.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All the while, Pristine and Slycer were fighting their way through the chaos. Pristine was a little surprised on how well she could still fight. She mostly defended herself for she refused to kill anyone. It was hard on her though for even though she was fighting Zeather's men, it pained her to hurt anyone. One of the few things that kept her going was her feelings to keep everyone safe, and plus the unicorn's mental support. She continued to put a few of them to sleep when she could. 

"You're doing well, Pristine. I can see you've improved your fighting skills." commented Slycer. 

"Well, you and Xack were my sword instructors in my past life." 

"I wonder if Xack and any other dragons are alive." 

"Oh, Xack and Lola are alive. They're with my group right now." 

Pristine told him about her travels. 

"When I remembered who I was, it was after they joined up with us. I recognized them immediately on the morning of my discovery. They were living in the Mountains of Eternity. We were on our way to see Inion. He's using your old stronghold as a sanctuary." 

Slycer sighed in relief. 

"That's a relief to know they are alive. Um, who else is in this group again besides Pixie and that water folk, Mallian?" 

Slycer kept on fighting while they are talking. 

"My friend Kyra, who was living in the same village I was reborn in. There's Sir Reginald of Cranston, the princess of Grom, Ophealia, Lance, his brother Grayson, Lance's band of outlaws, and Drock, who was raised by dwarfs." 

"You have humans in your group?" 

Slycer raised his eyebrows in surprise and disbelief. 

"They're trustworthy Slycer. Their hearts are true. And you know very well that I have the ability to see into a person's soul." 

Pristine frowned at her old tutor. Slycer grinned. The princess always did have a stubborn streak, but he didn't see it as a flaw. 

"Yes, you're right. Lance, huh? " 

He looked at Pristine and stated, "You're in love with this Lance." 

Pristine blushed before saying, "I am. How could you tell?" 

"You're eyes glowed when you spoke his name." 

Slycer grinned slightly. Pristine giggled. He had always been one of the few people who could read her. 

"You know this is a problem Pristine. He's human and you're not. The law says you can only marry someone within your own kind." 

"Yes, I know. But I also know that I have the ability to change the laws." 

Pristine smirked before moving on. Slycer did not know what to think of that. No one could changed the Natural Laws of their world unless that being was the goddess of Light, Corlana or . . .- Slycer snapped himself out his thoughts before following Pristine. They must have made a wrong turn for they were making their way up one of the towers. 

"We better work our way down. We are getting side track. Pristine, what's wrong?" 

Pristine stopped in her tracks. Suddenly, she took out the Crystal of Life and placed a protective barrier up. At the same time, an explosion came from the other side as debris came flying at them. Luckily, Pristine's barrier protected them and the debris disintegrated. Cold air rushed in from the outside. 

"Well, you are getting more powerful." commented Slycer. 

That's when a figure appeared in the opening. It was Zeather! Slycer immediately stepped in front of Pristine. 

"Slycer, it's been such a long time. How were you ever to escape that cell?" asked Zeather heinously. 

"None of your business; you come one step closer and I'll tear you limb from limb." 

"Slycer! Move!" ordered Pristine. 

"I'd listen to her Slycer. You couldn't defeat me twenty-eight years ago. What makes you think you can destroy me now?" 

The Evil One giggled sinisterly. 

"He's right, Slycer. This is my fight." 

Pristine tried to get in front of him. 

"No! I will not leave you!" 

"You leave me no choice than. Forgive me." 

"What are you doing?" 

Pristine held out the Crystal of Life and shouted, "Take him to the others! Now!" 

"No!" 

It was too late. Light engulfed him and transported him out of the area. 

"You realize that no matter where you place him, he can't hide. But now, let's get down to business." commented Zeather as he pulled out his huge claymore. 

That very second, he launched negative energy at Pristine. Sensing it ahead of time, Pristine managed to dodge it and started running up the stairs. 

"You can run, but you can't hide!" 

Zeather added in a silent voice, "And just to make sure you can't escape . ." 

Using his power, the Evil One locked the doors leading up to the tower, and put a spell on it so no one got in. 

"Ready or not Pristine! Here I come!"

Slycer reappeared near the entrance of the stairs of the western tower. The minute he realized where he was at, he charged toward the doors. Unfortunately, Zeather's spell prevented him from breaking through. 

"No! Pristine!" Slycer hollered in agony. 

He would not give up. He would not fail her again. He was so focused on breaking through the doors, that he did not see Lance, Xack, and Lola running into the room. 

"Slycer!" Xack and Lola shouted. 

"Xack!! Lola!" 

Lola ran and hugged her cousin. Xack's eyes became misty, but soon though they became serious again. 

"What's wrong?" asked Xack. 

"The Evil One's got Pristine." 

"WHAT?!?!?! Noooo!" shouted Lance before taking his sword and miraculously broke through Zeather's barricade, before running through. 

The three dragons were impressed. Slycer was about to follow Lance, but Lola stopped him. 

"Where are the other girls?" 

"Pixie and Mallian are taking them home. I need to protect Pristine." 

"We know you do Slycer and so do we, but Lance there will save her. We'll do better in our dragon forms and go outside. That way we'll surprise Zeather." commented Xack. 

"Very well. So that's Lance, huh. He must really love her to go rushing in like that." Slycer managed a smile. 

"He does. Slycer, we feel we should tell you that Lance and the other humans don't know who Pristine is. We don't even know if she realizes it herself." added Lola. 

"She does now. She also told me she remembers about the prophecy and her past. She remembered when you were at Inion's. She recognized you two as well." 

"I wondered why she was looking at us differently that morning. Well, we better hurry." reminded Xack. 

"Yes, we better." agreed Slycer.

"And hope we're not too late." 

They knew they didn't have much time for even if Lance did save Pristine, neither of them were a match for the Evil One.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After Sir Reginald, Drock, and Kyra released all of the prisoners, they fought their way to the main hall. Those prisoners who could fight did their best to help out. Those who could fight not were taken outside and away from the fighting. Amongst the prisoners, most were mystical creatures. 

"We need help!" commented Kyra. 

"You're right about that lass." agreed Sir Reginald. 

Suddenly, the front doors busted open as Grayson, Ophealia, Mallian, and Pixie appeared along with the Jarain, Scallen, and outlaws. 

"Perfect timing." smiled Kyra. 

"Where's Lance, Xack, and Lola?" asked Grayson. 

"They went looking for Pristine and the girls." answered Drock. 

"You don't have to worry about the three girls. Pristine brought them to us and they're safe now." assured Pixie. 

"Then what happened to Pristine?" asked Kyra. 

"She and a dragon named Slycer went back to find you guys." replied Mallian. 

"So the dragon Xack and Lola knew was alive." commented Drock. 

"How'd Xack and Lola know about this dragon?" asked Ophealia. 

"Because they are dragons themselves." answered Kyra. 

"Whoa!" replied Grayson. 

"You two don't look surprised." Ophealia stated when she looked at Mallian and Pixie. 

"We already knew they were mystical creatures. We even guessed they were dragons, but we weren't sure." replied Pixie. 

That's when Xack, Lola, and Slycer appeared. 

"Hey guys! Who's he?" asked Kyra. 

"This is Slycer." introduced Xack. 

"Oh so you're Slycer! Hi, I'm Kyra!" 

"Uh, Xack, where's Lance?" asked Grayson. 

"Slycer? Where's Pristine?" asked Mallian. 

"Zeather has Pristine on the western tower." started Slycer. 

"And Lance went after them." added Xack. 

"Oh no! We got to help them!" exclaimed Ophealia. 

"That's what Xack, Slycer, and I are going to do. Come on! Let's go!" urged Lola. 

They all rushed outside to find Baron Boris, Lord Nelson, Carson, Freyia, Palla, and Tarma and others looking up. The three girls looked scared. 

"What's going on?" asked Ophealia. 

"Look up there! Pristine's fighting Zeather!" pointed Freyia.

True enough, Pristine was on the top of the western tower with Zeather. Pristine was holding her sword in front of her. 

"There is no place for you to run Pristine." replied Zeather. 

"I don't plan on running anymore, Zeather. I also know it's not time yet. I will survive." 

And she would for the fate of so many people rested on her shoulders. She sensed and heard her 

friends shouting below. 

"On the contrary Pristine, I will see to it that you will not make out of here alive." 

"Let's just see." 

She would try to disable him somehow and then made her escape, but that was easier said than done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During this time, Lance was racing up the tower. All that he was thinking about was Pristine. She was his life and everything. He could not lose her after he finally found her. 

"Please let me get there in time." he thought. 

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he reached the top. He opened the trap door to see Zeather cornering Pristine, who's kneeling in front of him. Pristine breathed heavily. She tried her best to fight the Evil One, but without the other part of her soul and the ancient sword, she was no match. On the ground, Xack and Lola literally held down Slycer. Xack kept saying that they attacked at the last possible moment. Lance did not wait though when he saw the two. As Zeather raised his sword, Lance charged at him. By the time both Pristine and Zeather noticed him, Lance swung his sword and chopped off Zeather's hands. Zeather staggered back a bit as he screamed so loud that the world trembled. Just as Lance knelt next to Pristine, Zeather quickly regained himself and suddenly created a new pair of hands. He grabbed Lance and threw him across the tower. Luckily, he landed on it but hit his head on the hard ground, knocking him unconscious. 

Pristine screamed, "Noooo!" 

Her scream was felt by every living thing. Feeling the unicorn's power inside of her as well as her own rise within her, Pristine took out the crystal again as she and the crystal started to glow. Holding it close, Pristine levitated into the air. The wind picked up, the earth trembled, clouds began to form and it started to rain, and lightning crackled. All the while, Lola and Xack transformed into gray and silver dragons and flew up to retrieve Lance, who was still unconscious. They both stayed in the air, just in case. Slycer also changed into a dragon. He felt Pristine's power increased twofold. Most likely she would use most her strength in this move and Slycer wanted to be ready when it happened. 

"Everybody start moving! This is going to be a big one!" he ordered. 

Everyone complied. The Evil One knelt down because the light emanating from Pristine was intense. Pristine looked up into the sky and held up the crystal. 

"Elements of earth, wind, water, and fire! Lend me your strength!" 

All of the sudden, all the four main elements combined into one ball of energy over Pristine. 

"Elemental Storm!" Pristine shouted before launching it at Zeather. 

There was a huge explosion as the spell obliterated the fortress. Pristine fainted as she and the crystal fell for she used up most of her power. Seeing their cue, Lola and Slycer flew to catch them. Lola caught the crystal while Slycer caught Pristine on his back. All of the others were gone as the dragons raced to catch up with them. Zeather was not destroyed though and staggered from the rubble. He was exhausted but managed to create a ball of negative energy. Glaring in the direction of where the others escaped, the Evil One launched the ball in their direction. It hit its mark as it hit Slycer on the neck. The force of it knocked Slycer unconscious as he hollered and tumbled to the ground. Pristine fell off of him, but Lola quickly caught her. Everyone else saw this and followed them. 

Slycer crashed nearby. By the time both Pristine and Lance woke up, they all found Slycer. 

"Oh, what happened?" asked Pristine before she saw Slycer on the ground. 

"Slycer? Slycer!!" she cried as she slumped off Lola and dragged herself over to her friend. 

Lance did the same. Xack and Lola turned back to humans and knelt next to their cousin. As Pristine hugged Slycer and cried, he opened his eyes. He was weak and tired and felt his life force draining. Lance placed a hand on Pristine. Slycer murmured Pristine's name. 

Pristine drew back before asking, "Where's the crystal?" 

"No! Don't Pristine. If you use the crystal, you'll die because . . . You used up most of your strength when you fought . . . Zeather." Slycer barely said. 

Pristine knew he was right and broke into a sob. Lance hugged her. 

Slycer looked at Lance before saying, "Please, watch and protect her." 

"Count on it." Lance nodded. 

Slycer managed to nod back before closing his eyes and breathing his last breath. Pristine screamed out his name before clinging to Lance. Far off the unicorn cried out as well and their cry broke every heart. Lola burst into tears as well as Ophealia, Pixie, and Kyra. Even some of the eyes of the men were misted. After a few minutes of mourning, some of them covered Slycer's body with dead leaves and dirt for they did not find anything living like flowers or green leaves. They all then prepared to return to Drexal making travois for the injured. The mystical creatures agreed to help them even though they were eager to find the three sanctuaries. Soon the others mounted their horses and left. Since Pristine was still too weak to ride by herself, she rode with Lance. Pristine's horse was tied to his.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was early afternoon they finally returned and since the Jarain territory was closer, they went there. The Jarain women and children and several other servants rushed out of the manor. 

"Hi mother!" waved Freyia, who was riding with Lord Nelson. 

"Freyia!" shouted Lady Darla. 

Freyia dismounted, rushed to her mother, and the two embraced. Everyone else dismounted as Lord Nelson ordered some of the servants to tend to the wounded. The mystical creatures said they would stay until all of them were fully recovered. Lance was the only one that remained on his horse. 

"Can someone help me please?" asked Lance. 

Pristine was asleep. 

"Here." offered Xack as Lance transferred Pristine into his arms. 

Lance dismounted before Xack gave him Pristine. 

"What's wrong with her?" asked Josiah. 

"She's had an ordeal and is tired." Lance stated. 

"Freyia, lead him inside and show him where he may place Pristine." Lady Darla ordered. 

"Yes, mother. Follow me sir." 

Lance followed her into the house. It was then the Jarain women noticed the Scallens. 

"Why are the Scallen here?" asked Lady Darla. 

"They are our guests, Darla. We've made peace. Harold! Have the cook prepare more food for we're going to have a feast!" Lord Nelson told his butler. 

"Right away my lord." bowed Harold before leaving. 

"Baron, you should go and invite the rest of your family over." 

"Indeed I shall. Brother, you and a few others go home and invite the others." ordered Baron Boris. 

"Yes, brother." 

"Can Palla and I go too, uncle?" asked Tarma. 

"Of course you can." 

"Yippee!" 

The girls mounted a few horses. Tarma rode with Carson while Palla rode with another Scallen. They took off. 

"Come, let's go inside and rest our feet. Today's feast will be in honor of Pristine and her friends." suggested Lord Nelson. 

"All right! I am starved!" shouted Kyra. 

They all entered the house. Unbeknownst to all, the unicorn stood at a nearby hill. 

"Soon, all will be restored. Soon." she said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Hehe, how many of you were surprised to learn who Xack and Lola really were? I did give clues that they weren't human, but you had to catch them quickly because they were pretty subtle. Slycer is one of my favorite chars here. I was inspired by several movies for the dungeon and the dungeon guards. The dungeon was inspired by the dungeon from The Three Musketeers staring Chris O'Donnell, Tim Curry, and Keifer Sutherland. The guards, Bregar and Garum were inspired by the two creatures from the evil kitchen in Legend, that started Tom Cruise and Tim Curry. Only 3 more chapters left so we're almost there! hehe.



The Lost One Ch. 11



A/N: Egad! Sorry everyone for keeping you waiting! I've had been busy going to Turkey and other things. Here's Ch. 11. Thanks Blackstallion21 for all the editing (and being patient).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

XI.
The Trap is
Set

Pristine was dreaming again. This time she was in a forest filled with white trees. There near a pond was her past self and she looked to be the age Pristine was now. Her old self had her bare feet in the pond. Suddenly voices could be heard.

"Princess Pristine!" shouted a familiar male voice.

"Over here!" the princess shouted back.

Soon two figures appeared and it was Slycer and Xack as well as the rest of her court.

"There you are princess. What are you doing out here?" asked Xack with a frown on his face.

Princess Pristine giggled, "The spirits called me here."

"You're parents are looking for you. Come, let's go." Slycer gestured.

The princess nodded and stood up before slipping into her boots. The scene soon changed and Pristine started tossing and turning in her sleep. She dreamt of all of her encounters with Zeather. Next she dreamt of Slycer again. Lastly, she dreamt of the future and it was what will happen if she failed. There was a lot of suffering and pain, and she saw her friends die and the remaining sanctuaries were destroyed. Before she woke up though she heard a voice in her dreams. 

"Go back home near the cave. It's time." 

She woke up gasping as she sat up. She felt arms wrap around her. As she leaned into the person, she inhaled his scent and immediately she knew it was Lance. Lance had watched Pristine all this time. 

"How long have I been asleep?" 

"About a couple hours. How are you feeling?" 

Lance rested his chin on her head. 

"A little tired. Lance? Did it really happen?" 

Lance knew what she was talking about and it broke his heart. 

"It really happened my love. Slycer's gone." 

Pristine began to weep again. 

"Shh . . . I'm here." 

Lance comforted her as he kissed her tears away and held her gently. Pristine soon regained herself and Lance offered her a handkerchief. Pristine took it and wiped her eyes and blew her nose. 

"Lance? Where are we?" 

"We're in the Jarain house. Everyone has been waiting for you to wake up. You'll be happy to know that the two families have made peace. In fact, the Scallen clan is here right now." 

"That's good. Are you okay, Lance?" 

"I am fine. Pristine, do you know how scared I was when I heard that you had gone off when I told you to stay put. Also, I must have lost a good twenty years of my life when I found out Zeather had you. You will never do that to me again." 

Pristine started to giggle. Lance sighed before he kissed her. Pristine sighed as she wrapped her arms around him. The kiss was deep, but tender. Pristine poured all she was into it for she knew that this would be last time they would be alone together for awhile, if ever. Lance felt that he would do anything for her; he would certainly die for her. 

Finally, he pulled back and whispered, "I love you Pristine." 

"I love you too." 

They kissed once more before getting off the bed. Lance helped Pristine as she steadied herself. 

"You ready?" Lance asked. 

"Yes, I am." 

The couple walked out of the room and headed downstairs.

Everyone was in the huge dining room when the doors opened and Pristine and Lance entered. All at once, everyone stopped what they're doing and stood up. 

"Pristine!" shouted Kyra as she ran towards her and embraced her. 

Their other friends joined them as well. 

"You gave us quite a scare there, Miss Pristine." sighed Sir Reginald. 

"I knew Pristine would pull through." Ophealia said. 

"How are you feeling Pristine?" asked Lola. 

"Much better now, but I am kind of hungry." 

"Then sit down Pristine." insisted Grayson. 

Everyone else sat down after Pristine sat down. 

"Let's have a toast. This toast is for Pristine and her friends who have brought us together. I'd also like to welcome the freed prisoners into my home. I hope soon you can return to your own homes." said Lord Nelson after standing up. 

There was a great applause before the food was brought out. 

"Pristine, here's the crystal. I've kept it safe for you." said Lola as she handed the Crystal of Life to Xack who passed it to Lance who handed it to Pristine. 

"Thank-you." smiled Pristine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the meal was over, Pristine and her group got ready to leave. It took them an hour or so to get ready and restock. By this time, Pristine was at full strength once more. After they were ready, they mounted their horses. 

"We wish you the best of luck." said Baron Boris. 

"The same to you." replied Lance. 

"Thank-you Pristine, for everything." thanked Palla. 

"You're welcome Palla." replied Pristine. 

"Farewell!" said Lance. 

The crowd waved bye as Pristine's group rode off.

As the late afternoon sun shined down upon them, Pristine and the others traveled a bit before stopping. 

"Where do we go now?" asked Kyra. 

"Let's use the crystal." Pristine suggested before taking it out. 

It glowed as an image appeared in it. 

"I know that forest. It is near the unicorn's place." replied Lola. 

Pristine recognized too. That was the place where the first part of her dream took place. 

"I guess this means we're going to have back track. Which way do we go?" asked Grayson. 

Suddenly the crystal shined a beam of light to the north. 

"Well, that was easy." laughed Lance as they started heading north. 

For the next two weeks they traveled in that direction. Finally, they reached the ocean again. This time they were on a cliff looking over it. 

"Now what? How are we suppose to cross this?" asked Ophealia. 

"I know someone who can help." said Mallian before taking out something amongst her supplies. 

It looked like a horn shell. 

"I've been saving it just in case we had to travel over water." Mallian replied before blowing it. 

It didn't take long before something responded to it. 

"What was that?" asked Kyra. 

"It's an arch whale." replied Mallian. 

"What's an arch whale?" 

"You'll see." 

Soon a huge whale flew out of the ocean. It was dark blue with transparent wings that were shaped like the waves. And it's over a hundred feet long. The second Pristine sensed it; she telepathically talked to the horses so they didn't panic. They were a bit skittish when they saw the whale though. 

"Wow! So that's an arch whale. I've heard of them, but never seen one." exclaimed Ophealia. 

"Are we going to ride her?" asked Kyra. 

"It's a male, and yes we are. We are going to ride on his back." explained Mallian. 

"Uh, won't we be blown off though?" asked Grayson. 

"Nope. Arch whales use to provide transportation before the Invasion so they produce their own magic so nobody will fall or be blown off." 

"Okay, we'll take your word for it. Can we get moving?" asked Lance. 

"Yes. Friend! Can you lower down now?" 

The whale nodded before lowering down. Everyone carefully moved their horses onto its back. When all were on it, the whale created a bubble-like sphere around it. 

"Oh cool! Let's go!" shouted Kyra. 

The horses laid down and everyone dismounted as the whale flew off. It traveled so fast that their surroundings seemed like a blur. It only took them a day to finally reach land. It was a beach, but it looked depressing. The others quickly packed up their things and mounted their horses before the whale magically transported them to the shoreline. 

"Thanks friend!" waved Mallian. 

Everyone else waved too before the whale left. 

"I remember this coastline. We head northwest." replied Lola. 

They did for several more hours until sundown. They ate supper and traveled for a little while later until they came top of a crest. Down below, they saw a forest. 

"There it is!" pointed Kyra. 

"Well, we'll start exploring tomorrow. Let's rest for the night." suggested Lance as he dismounted. 

The others dismounted as well. Pristine found herself next to Lance that night and could not sleep. Tomorrow was the day. While she was ready, she was very nervous. Tomorrow also marked the anniversary of the Invasion. Whatever happened though, Pristine did know that she was not alone. Finally feeling sleepy, she closed her eyes and snuggled up to Lance before drifting off.

As she dreamt, she was in a foggy area, but she was not alone as she saw a figure beside her. It was the unicorn.

"Tomorrow is the day." she said.

"It is. This may sound silly, but I know you're scared and I am glad you are because that way, you'll be more prepared."

"Indeed. Mother is also worried as well as the other gods."

Pristine knew who she was referring to.

"I miss her. Those were good times too." Pristine mentioned.

"I know what you're thinking. Will we ever stop playing this game?"

"Will we ever just be able to live normal lives?"

"We will. But first we must do our duty to this world."

"Then let's finish this war and we'll see what happens."

The unicorn nodded and everything vanished.

Pristine was the first to wake up the next morning. It was dawn. She carefully got out of Lance's arms. She felt the spirits of nature calling her again. She looked about and saw everyone was still asleep. 

"Be safe for I shall see you-all soon." Pristine thought before running off towards the woods.

She also grabbed something to eat on the way. Minutes later, Lance woke up and found Pristine gone. 

"Guys! Wake up! Pristine's gone again!" he shouted. 

While a few woke up instantly, while others moaned and groaned. 

"Where on earth can she be and why would she wander off now?" complained Ophealia. 

"Guys before we all panic, I suggest we eat breakfast first so we'll be at full strength." suggested Lola. 

"All right." grumbled Lance.

After eating breakfast, they all loaded up. 

"Lance, Lola and I have been thinking. We will join you in your search for Pristine, but we have also decided to go and find the other dragons for we can use the help the next time we confront Zeather." Xack replied. 

"Very well, but you guys be careful." 

"Don't worry. We'll be back before you know it." smiled Lola. 

The two of them changed form and took off. 

"Okay we'll search the forest first so let's go." ordered Lance. 

When they reached the woods, Lance said, "Split up. We'll meet up back here in an hour. She couldn't have gone too far."

As they split up, Mallian, Drock, and Pixie went in one direction. 

"Pristine was supposed to do this right?" asked Drock. 

"Indeed she was. Drackor told me last night in my dreams. Did you-all have the same one as I?" questioned Mallian. 

"Yes, we are to meet Drackor in this forest and we have to be quick about it too for time is of the essence." answered Pixie. 

"Well, let us go then." urged Drock.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in the country of Drexal, where Slycer's body was buried, the unicorn appeared. The scenery saddened her heart as a few silvery tears fell from the unicorn's face. When they landed on the ground, flowers and green grass sprouted. 

As she approached Slycer's body, she said, "Slycer, you believed it was your fault that I died. You're mistaken though. What happened twenty-eight years ago happened because it was destiny. You saved my life and soul. For that, I shall restore you."  

She bent down and touched her horn to where his head was. The wind picked up as Slycer's body glowed. The leaves and dirt scattered. As Slycer opened his eyes, he saw the princess. 

"Princess? How were you able to change? I thought your soul separated." he said as he lifted his head. 

"You're right, Slycer. My soul was separated. I am the unicorn, Princess Pristine. The human Pristine and I are not yet one." 

"How'd you survive all these years?" 

"Drackor's kept me safe." 

"Um, one more question, I thought I was dead." 

"Technically, you're body was dead, but your soul did not move on to the afterlife. When Pristine cleansed your soul, she also placed a protection spell of her own around it just in case Zeather tried to go after you again. You would go through a physical death though. I merely finished the spell. Now as much as I would love to catch up with you, we must go. The others are in danger." 

"Is the other Pristine in danger?" 

Slycer instantly got up. 

"No. The spirits of this world are protecting her and are leading her to the Cave of Corlana. We must meet her there." 

"But the cave is a myth. It doesn't even exist." 

"Yes, it does. Only Drackor, Inion, my family and I only know about it. Inside the cave lays the sword that will smite evil and stop Zeather." 

"The Sword of Corlana? But that can only be wield by someone of the light. You and Pristine may have descended from the goddess of Light, but your souls would have to be of the light." 

"We are. Don't you remember the Prophecy of Light and Dark? In ancient times, long before the world we knew and before the Invasion, there was a great war between good and evil. Corlana had a child and she stopped the evil forces. The child succeeded, but it cost her life. Corlana prophesized the return of her daughter when once again the galaxy was filled with evil. Zeather is the same evil that attacked our galaxy all those centuries ago. The time has come to defeat him once and for all. Come, for time's a wasting." 

"Yes, princess." 

The princess nodded before opening a portal. Slycer was a little surprised, but followed as the unicorn went through the portal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Pristine continued to follow the spirits' voices until she came to a glen where the same pond was from her dream. She gasped when she saw the small spirits become human. 

"Don't be afraid Pristine. We are your friends." replied a lady with pale green hair. 

Pristine recognized her as the Earth spirit. 

"You are the spirits." 

"We are. We are here to take you to the Cave of Corlana." replied another spirit. 

This one was male wearing gray. He was the Wind spirit. 

"I remember. My parents often told me about it. I wanted to find it, but they told me it wasn't time yet." 

"Now it's time. Brace yourself." replied the Dark spirit, who had violet hair and dark skin. 

Suddenly, they all vanished.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During this time, everyone was looking for Pristine. While they were doing this, a thick fog rolled in. Somehow, those who stuck together got separated. 

"Lance! Pristine! Anybody!" shouted Kyra. 

She did not know what to do or where to go and was very afraid. Suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind. Before Kyra shouted for help, the person placed its hand over her mouth and ran off with her.

Mallian was also separated from Drock and Pixie. 

"This fog is unnatural." she thought. 

That's when a large net fell on her and pinned her down because there were iron balls at the ends of it. 

"Oh no! I've got to get out of here." Mallian thought. 

Soon, goblins appeared and started to grab at Mallian. 

"Hey! Let me go! Help!" 

That second a bright light appeared, and the goblins and the net vanished. Mallian looked up and saw Drackor. 

"Drackor!" 

"Shh! We are not safe here." 

Drackor helped Mallian up. 

"What's happening Drackor?" 

"Zeather is going to set a trap for Pristine by capturing all of you. We must find Drock and Pixie." 

"What about the others?" 

"They'll get captured. I am sorry Mallian. If I save them all, Zeather will suspect something. You see, every living creature that is good is preparing for battle. The only ones who don't know about this is Zeather's forces, your group, and Pristine. Zeather won't know about this because he's too consumed with finding Pristine that his guard has dropped. Let's go." 

Mallian nodded. Raising his staff, Drackor made the two of them vanished.

After awhile, Ophealia was searching for the others. Her bow was drawn as she moved through the forest. She tried to stay strong, but something about the fog made her feel uneasy. 

"Hello! Grayson! Sir Reginald! Pristine!" she shouted. 

She heard a sound and raised her bow. 

"Put down your arrow! You're surrounded!" replied someone. 

Ophealia noticed that there were at least twenty arrows pointing at her. Lowering her bow, she surrendered.

Drock was hiding from a group of goblins and orcs by hiding in a tree. He immediately thought that Zeather was getting serious by trying to capture them all. Drock waited patiently when they finally left. As soon as they left though, Drock heard someone else coming. To his relief, it was Mallian and Drackor. 

"You can come down now Drock. I got rid of them." replied Drackor. 

Drock quietly climbed down the tree. 

"Thank goodness. I was getting worried." sighed Drock. 

"We've got nothing to lose. I'll explain everything in due time." 

Suddenly they vanished.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While all this was going on, Lola and Xack were flying as fast as they could to the Mountains of Eternity. 

"Where exactly are we meeting the others?" asked Lola. 

"Drackor said that they be waiting for us in the valley between the mountains and the forest. We then wait for Pristine. I have no idea how she'll get there, but Drackor assured me she'll arrive." 

"Well! I can't wait! I know some who are itching for a fight!" 

Lola did several loops in her excitement. 

"Slow down cous. You sky dragons were always fast." 

"Just like an ice dragon, always complaining." 

Xack sighed. 

"I sure hope Zeather doesn't know what we're up to." said Lola. 

"I'll agree with you on that. If he doesn't know, then he's in for a surprise." 

"I just hope the others are ready. This is going to be big." 

"Indeed it is. We're almost there. Let's wing it!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the same time, Zeather's men could not find Pixie. Catching an elf was very hard to do because it heard anything miles away and it was very fast and clever. Pixie was no exception. She was also able to camouflage herself in trees and bushes because of her outfit. She was hiding in some bushes looking at some of Zeather's soldiers. They heard something and rushed off. Pixie wondered where they ran off to when she heard something from behind her. She quickly turned around to see Drackor, Mallian, and Drock. 

"How'd you sneak up on me like that?" Pixie asked with relief in her eyes. 

"Because Drackor transported us here." grinned Mallian. 

"Now that I've found the three of you, I shall transport each of you to your homes. I want you to lead your groups to designated areas where I've placed transportation portals. They will transport you to where I've gathered the others. Mallian, your designated portal is outside the Council Building. Drock, yours is near the waterfall in the valley outside of the Silver Mountains. Pixie yours is near the Tree of Spirits. The battle will take place before sundown." explained Drackor. 

"Drackor, will you at least tell us if Pristine is safe?" asked Pixie. 

"Yes, she is. Now let us be off!" 

They all vanished again.

Eventually, Lance, Sir Reginald, and Grayson found each other. 

"Grayson? Where's the princess? She was with you right?" asked Lance. 

"We got separated. I can't find her anywhere." 

It was evident that Grayson was both nervous and anxious, and was about to panic. 

"I don't know how, but Miss Kyra got separated from me." added Sir Reginald. 

"This is bad. We have to find them." said Lance. 

"Well, look who it is." said a voice. 

The men turned with their swords and saw Zeather! 

"Where's Pristine?!" demanded Lance. 

"Ah, such a temper." Zeather replied.

"Answer me!" 

"If I knew where Pristine was, I'd go after her. But since I don't, I have to get you. Now gentlemen, either you surrender or else . . ." 




The Lost One Ch. 11



Zeather snapped his fingers and instantly the fog vanished. Right next to him were several henchmen with Ophealia and Kyra! The two constantly tried to get away but both were bounded. 

"Princess!" shouted Grayson. 

He was about to charge at Zeather, but Sir Reginald restrained him. 

"Stay back, son!" ordered Sir Reginald. 

"Now where I? Oh, yes! Surrender or else these lovely ladies will be history." Zeather said. 

"No! Don't do it!" cried Kyra. 

"Oh, and Lance, I've already captured your men. So you can forget about any last minute miracles." 

Lance knew they had no choice. Pristine, Mallian, Drock, Pixie, Lola, and Xack were still out there so maybe they still had a chance. Lance moaned and threw down his sword. Sir Reginald and Grayson did the same. 

"Guards!" shouted Zeather. 

A few of the guards seized them. 

"Now, my trap is set! All I have to do is draw out Pristine." 

"No!" protested Lance. 

"Oh yes! And if any of your other pals show up, my entire army shall dispose of them." 

"You have no heart Zeather!" commented Grayson. 

"Ha ha! Indeed I don't. Soon I'll be rid of any threat to me!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, the spirits took Pristine to the middle of the forest. In the center was a huge waterfall. Pristine felt power radiating from it. The water was so clear, Pristine could see the bottom of the lake, which was a hundred feet deep. 

The Earth spirit shouted, "Oh Guardian of the Cave of Corlana! Please reveal yourself to us!" 

The waterfall formed into a female figure. Glowing blue eyes opened up. 

"Who has summoned me?" she asked. 

The spirits urged Pristine forward. 

"It is I, Pristine." she said out loud. 

The guardian's eyes soften as she smiled. 

"I've been waiting for you, Child of Light. You've come for the Sword of Corlana, haven't you?" 

"Yes, I have. My parents have told me about it, but I think I've always known about it for I've used it before. I was just afraid to realize who I was." 

"I know that princess. The experiences you have had in this lifetime and your other two have been trials for this day. You are worthy of being called 'The Child of Light'. You have done Corlana proud. You may enter now. To get over here though you must leave any items and weapons behind. This includes the Crystal of Life. Also, you can't touch the water for it is sacred." 

Nodding, Pristine took off her weapons and bag with the crystal in it. Placing her hands on her chest, she closed her eyes and concentrated. Suddenly, wings of light sprouted from her back as light radiated from her. She flew over the water and landed right next to the guardian. 

"I knew you'd be able to use the light inside of you, Pristine. Are you ready?" 

"I've been ready for over a thousand years." 

Pristine grinned. 

"Then enter." 

The rest of the water split, revealing the entrance. Pristine took a deep breath and entered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For the next several hours, everyone began to assemble. Mallian was back with her people as the water folk made their preparations for the coming battle. Mallian's eldest brother, Seamus, was the one in charge of the Oceanica army. 

"Mallian, I'd rather you and the women and children stay here." said Seamus, who looked to be thirty. 

"Seamus, you may be the general, but don't forget who's on the council. I say, we're all going." 

In Oceanica, the council held the most power besides the rulers. Mallian was the youngest council member. 

"Mallian is right Seamus. Besides, this is the battle that will decide the fate of Serenai. There's no way any of us will miss out on this." added Mallian's younger sister, Coral, who looked to be twenty. 

"We won't be in the battle Seamus." replied Mallian. 

Seamus sighed before giving up and said, "Oh, very well." 

"Thanks big brother!" 

Coral hugged him. 

"Okay, Mallian, lead us to the designation spot." ordered Queen Emmeraya. 

"Yes, your majesty."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Drock and the dwarfs were already going through the caves that led to the valley. 

"Now Papa, can you tell me why we are going to the Unicorn Kingdom?" asked a dwarf boy named Onyx. 

"Because my son, Drackor told us that's where the final battle will take place." replied a dwarf named Broc. 

"Father, I sure hope we win." replied Drock. 

"Oh, we will. I just know it." replied Broc. 

Broc is Drock's adopted father. 

"I believe you." 

"Oh! I can't wait to meet the princess again!" exclaimed Onyx. 

"Now Onyx, you just be sure to stick with your mother and sister until the battle is over." ordered Broc. 

"Yes, Papa."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pixie's group was gathered in the center of the Mystical Forest where the Tree of Spirits was. All of them were gathering their materials and weapons together. 

"All right now! I can see we are nearly assembled. Now remember, once the faeries return, we'll be on our way." announced Pixie, who was in charge of the elf division. 

That's when a large group of faeries appeared with the midnight swans, golden falcons, and other creatures of that area. 

"Wow, I can't believe you found them, Marigold." Pixie gasped at the leader of the faerie division. 

"Ha ha, actually it wasn't too hard to find them, since Drackor told them to find us." Marigold laughed. 

"I guess everyone is eager to see the princess again." commented the leader of centaurs, Windsor, a silver centaur. 

"Oh yes, indeed. Is your division ready Windsor?" asked Pixie. 

"Yes, they are." 

"Bronzewing! Are the gryphons ready?" 

Bronzewing was leader of the gryphon division and was a bronze and brown gryphon. 

"Yes, Lady Pixie." 

"Stormrider?" Pixie asked a silver male winged-lion. 

The leader of the lion division grinned and replied, "We are always ready!" 

Pixie laughed. 

"All right! Let's go!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was just past noon as Pristine made her way through the cave. Water dripped from the silver walls of the cave. The sound was magical to Pristine's ears. It seemed to take forever until she finally made it to the end. There was a wall in front of her with ancient writing on it. Pristine read it as,

~Only Corlana's daughter may enter.~

She saw indentions on the wall that resembled a hand print. Stepping forward she placed her hand on it. Suddenly, the wall moved to reveal a large room. The oval-shaped room contained a marble statue in the center holding a tray. On the sterling silver tray was the Sword of Corlana. It was made of crystal and sparkled. The hilt was made out of silver and gold. It was magnificent for it was as light as the light within herself. Also, there was a white flame surrounding the statue. Slowly, Pristine walked toward it and passed through the sacred fire unscathed because only the pure of heart could pass through it. As soon as Pristine touched the hilt of the sword, she felt a surge of power rushing through her. The entire room was engulf in the light and then it died done. Pristine appeared different as well. Physically, she looked the same, except she looked more wise and formidable. Inside though, she was different because of the power radiating from within her and it took exquisite control to keep it under control. The power gave her such an energy boost that she didn't feel hungry or tired. Still, she knew she was not yet powerful enough to defeat Zeather, but at least she held enough power to face him. Taking the sword and placing it in her scabbard, she left the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While everyone else was making preparations, Zeather and his forces took Lance and the others to his camp. Lance, Kyra, Sir Reginald, Ophealia, and Grayson were placed in a cage as well as the other outlaws, who were placed in cages too. Lance was furious. Everyone tried to calm him down, but it was all in vain. 

"The others are still out their bro." reminded Grayson. 

"Yes, I know! But have you noticed that Zeather's entire army is here or at least from the looks of it? If Pristine should try to save us, then she'll get caught!" 

Ophealia finally snapped from Lance's anxiety. She stepped towards him and suddenly slapped him across the face. Everyone stared in shock, especially Lance. 

"Now you listen Lance! You're acting like a whining boy. Pristine will be all right. You've got to have faith in her as well as the others." she replied. 

"Man Lance, I'm ashamed of you. You never use to complain or mope." said a voice. 

Everyone looked to the back of the cage and could not believe their eyes. It was Aaron and Adrianna! 

"What in the world are you guys doing here?" asked Kyra with a huge smile. 

"We've been following you ever since we last met. When all of you were at that palace in the Mountains of Eternity, Inion found us and told us to keep an eye on you." explained Aaron. 

"Don't worry about the others. They are safe. Inion gave us a skeleton key. They are extremely rare." added Adrianna. 

"I've heard of those. A skeleton key can unlock any door." replied Ophealia. 

"Where's your gang?" asked Lance. 

"Freeing your men. We managed to get a hold the keys." grinned Aaron. 

"I owe you big." 

"Can you let us out now, please?" asked Grayson. 

"Our pleasure!" smiled Adrianna. 

Taking the skeleton key, she unlocked their door, and set them free. 

"Now to get our weapons." mentioned Lance. 

"Don't worry about it. We have them right here." replied Adrianna as Aaron pulled up a sack with their weapons in it. 

"How'd you get them?" asked Grayson. 

"It was easy." boasted Aaron. 

"Let's get out of here." suggested Ophealia. 

"Follow us." instructed Adrianna.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, the other armies were now assembling around the hills surrounding Zeather's camp. Every leader of the groups were summoned by Drackor. Inion was there as well. Inion brought other creatures that wanted to fight, which included the alobine. 

"Don't you think Zeather might be able to spot one of the alobine?" asked Drock. 

"Don't worry, they'll be fine." assured Inion. 

"Now where were we? Oh yes! Grom's forces will attack east from here between the Alobine and dwarf armies. Your majesty? Are your troops prepared?" Drackor asked. 

"Yes sir! Uh, Drackor? Is my daughter safe?" asked King Charles. 

"She's fine, I assure you. Now Baron Boris and Lord Nelson, you and your allies will be positioned in between the forest creatures and the Water folk. And don't worry about your wives, children, and servants. They'll be with me and Inion." 

"Thank-you, sir. Kids! Get back over here!" ordered Lord Nelson. 

The Jarain and Scallen children and teenagers were looking at and petting some of the mystical creatures. 

"Coming father!" replied Freyia. 

"Daddy! They got swans with silver wings!" shouted Tarma. 

"Those are midnight swans. They are very rare. Very few people see them." explained Pixie. 

"Then why are they here?" asked Palla. 

"They are here because the unicorn princess will appear and the swans want to protect her." explained Mallian. 

"Zeather doesn't know about this does he?" asked Carson with concern. 

"No, one of Zeather's weaknesses is his arrogance. I am pretty sure he still believes he destroyed the princess during the Invasion. He didn't know that she was reborn." replied Drackor. 

"I can't wait!" shouted Josiah. 

"Anyway, let's get back to business."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Pristine made it out of the cave, the guardian said, "Perfect timing. Someone is waiting for you. Look." 

Pristine looked to see the unicorn and Slycer, who's in human form. Pristine smiled and cried with glee and actually leapt across the water before throwing herself into Slycer's open arms. 

"You're all right! I knew you would be. You did it!" Pristine cried, saying the last part to her other half. 

"No, Pristine. We did it. You and I are one remember for I can feel everything you feel. I know where you are and vice versa. And I am sorry about last time near our home because I was so excited about seeing you again that I rushed. It was not time yet for us to become one." explained the unicorn. 

Pristine smiled before hugging her other half.

After pulling back, Pristine became serious and asked, "Is it time?" 

"Yes, but first you must meet up with the other dragons. They are in valley before the Mountains of Eternity. You know where to go Slycer." stated the princess. 

It was not a question, but a statement. 

"Yes, but what are you going to do, your highness?" 

Slycer changed into a dragon. 

"I will join you later. Zeather might be able to sense us both if we were to show up together." 

"She is right. We must go now if we are to make it in time." suggested Pristine. 

"As you wish. May I address you as the princess now?" 

Pristine grinned. 

"You may." 

She jumped on Slycer's back and after waving farewell to her other half, they took off. Golden dragons were the most rare of dragons on Serenai and were also one of the fastest. 

"Won't we be spotted? I mean, we aren't flying over the others, right?" asked Pristine. 

"We won't. Trust me." 

"Haven't I always?" 

Pristine laughed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This can't be right? How were we able to escape without the Evil One noticing?" questioned Lance. 

"You have a point there." agreed Aaron. 

They were now in the valley area. After escaping, they met up with Lance and Aaron's group of outlaws. They never found their horses though or anything else to ride. 

"It's quiet. Too quiet." said Sir Reginald. 

Suddenly, Zeather's whole army appeared from all sides and began rushing towards them. 

"Great! They have us surrounded!" shouted Lance. 

But before the army came upon them, they all heard a horn that stopped the charge. Then another horn blew, and another. 

"Charge!" hollered someone. 

They all turned to see Pixie on top of Stormrider as she led the inhabitants of the Mystical Forest. Soon all the other armies appeared and started to charge. 

"Their timing couldn't have been more perfect." grinned Grayson. 

"Look! It's my father!" pointed Ophealia. 

Sir Reginald picked up Kyra so she saw what's happening. 

"And the people from Drexal!" added Kyra when they saw the human armies. 

"The water folk and dwarfs are here. Even the alobine and other animals!" said Lance. 

"This is great! Now we stand a chance." replied Grayson. 

"We sure do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Slycer flew along the northern coast. He flew as fast as his wings carried him. The world passed by them in a blink of an eye. For what usually took several days to travel only took Slycer a couple hours. During this time, Xack, Lola, and the other dragons assembled in the valley before the forest. As time went on, some of them began to grow restless, which was not a good thing. 

"Come on, Xack! Why are we standing around here!?" demanded a muscular man with scarlet red hair. 

He was a red dragon name Furon. 

"Sorry Furon, but Drackor told us to stay put until the princess arrives. Now settle down before I make you!" threatened Xack. 

Red dragons and ice dragons rarely got along. 

"Is that a threat?" asked Furon angrily. 

"That's enough you two!" ordered Lola. 

"Look! Someone is coming!" pointed a little boy. 

They all looked up to see Slycer and Pristine before they started to descend. 

"Slycer? Slycer!!" exclaimed Lola. 

"I thought you said he was killed?" Furon asked Xack. 

"I did." Xack said in disbelief. 

Slycer finally landed as all the dragons surrounded him and Pristine. After Pristine dismounted Slycer, he changed into his human form. 

"Pristine!!" shouted Lola as she ran and hugged her. 

"Hi, Lola. I guess you remember who I am right?" grinned Pristine as Lola drew back. 

"You're highness, I recognized you the moment I saw you rescue Melanie." 

"Slycer, I thought you were . . .dead." Xack told him. 

"I was, but the unicorn and Pristine's power revived me." 

"So the two haven't combined yet." replied Furon. 

"Afraid not, but don't worry. Everything will be settle by the time the sun goes down." assured Pristine. 

"Then we don't have much time. The sun is getting pretty low." commented Xack. 

"Right! Let's go show Zeather what happens when he messes with our home." agreed Slycer. 

The others hollered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While the fighting continued, Drackor and Inion protected those who were not fighting. 

Finally, Drackor said, "It is nearly time. We'll join them now." 

"But, Drackor, they are still fighting." replied Hannah. 

"There will only be one fight by the time we get down there." 

"Which two will be fighting?" asked Mallian. 

"You'll see. Let us go now."

Zeather was also watching the battle, but soon entered the fray. With one swipe of his gigantic sword he cut down anyone who got in his way. That's when he saw Ophealia. 

"Hmm, I have something special for you, my dear." he thought. 

Ophealia was unaware of the grave danger she was in as Zeather gathered negative energy around him, but Grayson was aware. He suddenly started running toward her, shouting her name above the noise. Ophealia turned to see Grayson before seeing Zeather. Grayson jumped in front of Ophealia right when Zeather launched a wave of negative energy at Ophealia, and it hit Grayson instead. Grayson screamed as Ophealia watched in horror. Everyone else stopped fighting to see Grayson fall. 

"NOOO!!" cried Ophealia as she dropped her weapons and dropped down next to Grayson. 

"GRAYSON!!" screamed Lance when he saw his brother fall. 

In seconds, he was kneeling on Grayson's other side. All their other friends gathered around, including Mallian. Grayson opened his eyes to see Ophealia crying. 

He lifted a weak hand to her cheek before whispering, "Are you okay, princess?" 

Ophealia touched his hand with her hand before crying, "Why?! Why did you do it, you dummy!" 

"Because, I love you," answered Grayson before turning to Lance, "Brother, I finally did something brave." 

"Yes, you did. Hang in there Grayson. You'll be fine." 

Lance felt several tears ran down his cheek. Grayson nodded before slipping into unconsciousness. 

"Grayson! No! Come back to me! Grayson!" begged Ophealia as she sobbed. 

Sir Reginald held her. Kyra went over to Mallian and hugged her as the girl cried. Pixie came over and placed her ear on Grayson's chest. 

"He's still alive, barely." she said. 

Lance looked at Zeather and shouted angrily, "Zeather! I challenge you!" 

The others began to protest, but Drackor stopped them. 

"Ah? Are we mad Lance? Very well, come and face me and I'll show you my power." Zeather taunted. 

By this time, the crowd formed a large circle. 

"Be careful Lance." warned Sir Reginald. 

"Aren't I always?" 

Drackor knew that Lance would not be able to defeat Zeather, but he had faith that he would put up a fight. 

As the fight began Drackor thought, "Hurry, princess. You're running out of time."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pristine felt something. And it was not a good feeling. In fact, something was terribly wrong. She, Slycer, and the other dragons flew at top speed toward the battle. 

"We're almost there princess." said Slycer. 

"Hurry! The others are in danger." 

"Xack! You lead the main fighters and attack. We'll be right behind you!" ordered Slycer. 

"Go after Zeather! He's the only one fighting!" added Pristine. 

"Right! Let's go!" shouted Xack as he and others started to dive. 

"Who's he fighting?" asked Slycer. 

"Lance. I can sense it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lance was managing well, but Zeather proved to be a powerful swordsman. 

"Come on Lance! Show him who's boss!" encouraged Aaron. 

Adrianna was checking out Grayson. There were many cuts on him, but only one was serious and it's on his chest area. They wrapped it up to stop the bleeding. 




The Lost One Ch. 11



"This injury is beyond my scope. Only a unicorn can heal him." Adrianna said. 

"He still has me though." Ophealia replied as she cradled Grayson's head in her lap. 

Lance was starting to tire out as he dodged another attack from the Evil One. Suddenly, Zeather vanished only to reappear behind Lance and slashed him in the back, which cut deep. Lance fell to the ground and was unconscious. 

"No!" shouted the forces of good. 

Zeather was about to stab Lance when suddenly several dragons appeared and breathed fire on him. Everyone looked to see other dragons dived. Some attacked Zeather while the rest landed. The ones who landed change into humans. Lola was one of them. She and Xack rushed over to Lance. 

"He's badly hurt! Get him out of here!" ordered Lola. 

Furon and Xack did it. They carried him over to Ophealia and the others. 

"About time you showed up!" snapped Ophealia. 

"Where's Pristine? Have you seen her?" asked Kyra. 

"You'll see." smiled Xack. 

Slycer and Pristine were above them. 

"We best land now while the Evil One is distracted. Ready to make your entrance?" asked Slycer. 

"Yes." 

Slycer dived down and as he neared the ground, Pristine jumped off and landed before Slycer landed next to Xack. The other dragons stopped attacking Zeather and landed all around the crowd making a circle. They changed into humans including Slycer. 

"Slycer! I thought you were dead?" exclaimed Pixie. 

"I'll explain later." 

"Pristine!" shouted Kyra. 

It did not take Zeather long to recover. 

"Zeather! If you want to fight someone, fight me!" shouted Pristine. 

"Ha! Have it your way. I'll get rid of you the way I got rid of your hero!" 

Pristine looked to see Lance. Even though she's shocked, she knew he's alive. 

"You have gone too far Zeather! Let's finish this!" 

Pristine unsheathed the Sword of Corlana. Every mystical creature gasped, except for the dragons, Drackor, and Inion. Even Zeather looks astonished. Suddenly he ran at Pristine, who quickly dodged him. The final duel began.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OOC: Here we go folks. I hope you don't mind I brought back Slycer. I love the guy too much lol. Did any of you figure out that Pristine was Corlana's daughter? I did hint a few times to it. There are still a few more surprises. I will submit Ch. 12 asap.



The Lost One Ch. 12



A/N: Here it is, the big battle. Thank you BlackStallion21 for editing. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

XXII.

The Prophecy

Is Fulfilled

This was it; the time for the epic battle between the Child of Light and the Evil One to begin. Both Pristine and Zeather fought each other like they did centuries ago. No one could figure out who was winning. Even the gods, who were watching from the Heavens, couldn't tell who was winning. Corlana, who was the epitome of patience, was pacing back in forth in front of a big globe that displayed the fight. She was all white and her eyes held no pupils.

"My sister, she will win." said a man with long brown hair and green robes.

"Gyrian is right sister Corlana. You're daughter is strong and will prevail." added a woman with gray and light blue-gray hair.

"I know sister Zephelle, but a mother is entitled to worry right?" Corlana asked.

"We all are worried." nodded a man with hair that was in different shades of blue.

"But she can't do it alone brother Oconis. She needs the four Guardians." Corlana replied.

"Have faith sister! That daughter of yours knows what she's doing. And while we can't do anything now, we can have faith in her." encouraged a woman with gold and red hair.

"Thank you sister Roweena. I do have faith. I know things will be all right."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, the others continued to watch the fight.

"Since when did Pristine become an excellent sword fighter?" asked Ophealia. 

"I have no idea." answered Kyra as she watched her best friend in awe. 

At times the two fought so fast, even Pixie and the elves had trouble seeing them. And at other times it seemed like they were battling in slow motion for their actions and counters were precise and deliberated. 

"It's as if the other person knows exactly what the other is going to do." pointed out Aaron. 

Suddenly, Zeather lunged with his sword at Pristine, aiming for her neck. Instead, Pristine barely dodged it and the sword nicked her as it came in between her neck and the strap of her bag, which contained the Crystal of Life. The Evil One ripped the bag off as it flew and the crystal came out. Everyone gasped when a flying demon caught it. Then out of nowhere, a beam of light zapped the creature. It did not kill it, but it knocked it out as it dropped the crystal. As quickly as she could, Pristine jumped and grabbed the crystal as it fell. When Pristine landed, who should appear but the unicorn as she flew down and landed next to Pristine. The crowd gasped except the dragons, Drackor, and Inion. The minute the princess appeared, all the good mystical creatures bowed. The good humans followed suit. Zeather eyed the two angrily as well as in disbelief. 

"You're reign is over, Evil One!" Pristine said. 

As the crystal glowed, Pristine gave it to the unicorn, which held it in her mouth. The unicorn's horn and Pristine's sword started to glow as well. Zeather screamed and charged them. Pristine charged as well. They both attacked at the same time. There was a collision of dark and light energy as Pristine's sword broke Zeather's in half and the force of it blasted the Evil One backward. The good guys cheered. 

"That's the way to do it Pristine!" hollered Kyra. 

Also, when the sword broke, four balls of light sprang from it: one green, one gray, one red, and one blue. The unicorn came up to Pristine, the crystal still in her mouth. The four lights formed a circle around the two. 

"What are those things?" asked Ophealia. 

"The spirits of four lost unicorns. Zeather had taken four souls of the most powerful unicorns and placed them in his sword." explained Inion. 

"They were also the first unicorns to lose their souls." added Slycer. 

Pristine looked at the souls and taking the crystal from the unicorn, replied, "Spirits of Serenai, bring back the four lost bodies of these souls!" 

The earth began to rumble as four holes opened up from the ground. Four figures floated up, perfectly preserved saved for the fatal injury each held. 

"Whoa, you mean to tell me that their bodies never rotted after all this time?" asked Aaron. 

"Remember that unicorns live for a long time so twenty-eight years is a mere grain of sand for them. Also, the Spirits of Nature used up almost all their energy preserving the bodies of not just these unicorns but all the others so they could be awaken when the time is right. That is how they became chaotic." replied Drackor. 

Everyone turned to the four figures on the ground. All of them were young ladies. One was decked in green garments and her wavy short hair was brown. 

"It's Joyce! The princess's cousin! She's an earth unicorn." gasped a winged-lion. 

Another figure was covered in gray clothes and curly hair that was silvery gray. 

"My goodness! It's Grace the wind unicorn." gasped a gryphon. 

The third figure wore fiery clothing and had red hair. 

"Fanesse, the fire unicorn." replied a dwarf. 

The last figure was a blue hair maiden with light blue clothing. 

"It's my friend, Allora, the water unicorn." replied Pixie with tears in her eyes. 

"Oh Pixie." comforted Ophealia. 

Pristine and the unicorn looked at each other, sadness and anger reflecting in each others' eyes. These four were the princess's closest friends and confidants as well as her court. Pristine nodded and the unicorn went on her hind legs before neighing as her horn lit up. The four figures lit up and their bodies were healed. The souls returned to their bodies. By this time Zeather recovered. 

"Surrender Zeather! Otherwise I'll be force to destroy you!" commanded Pristine. 

"It's not over yet." laughed the Evil One. 

Suddenly, Zeather threw a spear of negative energy right at Pristine! Pristine and the unicorn screamed as the spear stabbed through Pristine's stomach and came out her back. The two instantly fell. The others would had rushed forward if Drackor did not place a barrier around the inner circle. 

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine." he assured. 

He hoped so at least. It was especially hard for him to stand there and watch as a person he cared about was seriously hurt. Then, to everyone else's surprise, Pristine started to pull the spear out of her. Instead of red blood, white blood gushed out of. The same thing was happening to the unicorn. The spear shattered when Pristine pulled it out. 

"You're right . . . Zeather. . . It isn't . . over." Pristine struggled to say before grabbing the crystal, which started to glow once more. 

She looked at the unicorn, who managed to sit up, and whispered, "It's time." 

Pristine raised her free hand as the unicorn lowered her horn. Zeather saw what was happening and charged toward them. Finally for what seemed like an eternity, Pristine's finger and the tip of the unicorn's horn touched. Instantly, light engulfed them both and blasted Zeather back. 

The sun set as Drackor shouted, "The Prophecy of Dark and Light will be fulfilled! Arise daughter of Corlana!!!" 

"WHAT?!!" replied Pixie, Mallian, and Drock. 

"'There will come a time when darkness covers our galaxy,'" said Slycer, repeating the words of the prophecy. 

"'Then one day a Child of Light,'" continued Xack. 

"'Whose soul was split into two,'" added Lola. 

"'Will vanquish the evil and restore the balance of light and dark, and bring peace to the galaxy.'" finished Inion. 

"What's this? How come we never heard of this prophecy?" asked Pixie. 

"Because your kind wasn't there in the beginning when the prophecy was foretold. Drackor, unicorns, and dragons were the only ones. Drackor told me because I'm his closest friend and I knew the royal family really well." explained Inion. 

"So Pristine's the . . ." started Kyra, who's eyes never left the light. 

"Indeed she is." smiled Mallian. 

"That's why you five joined us! You knew Pristine was the unicorn princess and wanted to protect her!" replied Ophealia when she looked at Mallian, Drock, Pixie, Lola, and Xack. 

They just nodded. During this time, the light split into two separate lights and they swirled into the sky before combining again. The light revealed a female figure. The light around her formed into a white dress and cloak and the Crystal of Life appeared on a necklace around her neck. There was a glimmering, transparent crown on her head and her hair turned into flowing white ringlets. Her face was completely pale with silver and gold tones. When she opened her eyes, they were not blue, but clear and there were no pupils. Her sword was in a scabbard on her side. There was a clear crystal on her forehead and wings of light sprang from her back. She landed to the ground. She looked serene, yet formidable at the same time. 

When Zeather finally saw her, he hollered, "You! I thought I destroyed you one thousand and a hundred years ago!" 

Pristine looked at Zeather and said in a regal, angelic voice, "You were wrong. I am the princess of the unicorns and I am Corlana's daughter. I will restore the balance of light and dark." 

"You can't be that unicorn brat! I killed her twenty-eight years ago!" 

"Still need proof? Very well, I will take you-all back to that day twenty-eight years ago." 

The Child of Light raised her hands as light engulfed them all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the light settled down, the scenery looked different. The atmosphere looked peaceful and alive. Unicorns were gazing about and different folk walked around doing their businesses. In the courtyard of the castle, five young ladies practiced swordplay with their instructor. The five were Pristine, Joyce, Allora, Fanesse, and Grace and their teacher was Slycer. They were practicing combining both of their elements and physical skills. Onlookers watched them as it was their habit. Amongst them was Inion. 

"Take that!" shouted Fanesse as she emitted fire from her blade at Pristine. 

Pristine shouted in ancient language, "Shield!" 

As globe of white light absorbed the flame before bouncing it back at Fanesse, this time as white fire. 

"Yikes!" Fanesse flipped so the ball of fire hit a bale of hay. It caught fire, but Allora was there to douse the fire. 

"Nice one Pristine. Not many can dodge that one." grinned Fanesse. 

"Hehe, Drackor taught me that one." Pristine laughed. 

"You two should be more careful. You could have easily hit someone." rebuked Grace. 

"Yes, you are right Grace." agreed Pristine. 

"Man, Grace, you always ruin the fun." complained Fanesse. 

"She's only trying to look out for us. After all she is the eldest of us five." replied Joyce. 

"All right now ladies, that's enough talking. We're done practicing for the day." replied Slycer, who was watching them. 

"Thank-you Slycer." bowed Allora. 

"Come on! Let's go see Penelope's new foal!" jumped Joyce before running out the castle gate. 

Fanesse was right behind her as well as Allora and Grace. Allora looked back at Pristine. 

"You coming Pristine?" asked Allora. 

"I'll catch up with you." Pristine replied before running into the garden area. 

Several of the servants and other visitors waved to her. Pristine went into the hedge maze in the center of the garden and made her way to the middle. It's big enough to hold a small gazebo and bench. Pristine laid on the swinging bench. 

"Boy, fighting lessons with Slycer can be exhausting." 

Before she realized it, she fell asleep.

"Thank-you for coming by ladies. Where's her highness?" asked Penelope, who's Allora's oldest sister. 

Right now they were in her nursery where she rocked an infant in her arms. The baby was in a light blue blanket. Allora's sister looked similar to Allora. Only her hair was dark blue and in a bun. Allora preferred to have her hair down. Even during practice, Allora's hair was only half up as it was right now. The only time she ever put her hair up was during a ball or formal affair. 

"Oh Pristine should be here soon. Can I hold my nephew?" asked Allora. 

"Sure." 

Penelope handed the sleeping babe to her. 

"What's his name again?" asked Grace. 

"Niron. He's looks just like his father doesn't he?" asked Penelope. 

"Yes, he does sister." agreed Allora. 

"Pristine should have been here by now. Where is she?" asked Joyce. 

"I don't know, but she does this all the time." answered Fanesse. 

They heard a knock. 

"I'll get it mommy!" shouted Penelope's daughter, Symphony. 

The toddler opened the door only to see Xack at the door. 

"Xack? What are you doing here?" asked Grace. 

"Sorry girls, but storm clouds are approaching and the king and queen want you four back as soon as possible. Where's the princess?" he asked. 

"Oh, she was suppose to meet up with us here. She might be still at the castle." replied Allora. 

"Let's go look for her there." replied Joyce. 

"I swear that girl is as bad as me sometimes." sighed Fanesse. 

"We'll see you later sister." replied Allora before the girls left with Xack.

The dark clouds rolled in quickly and the wind picked up. Drackor knew this was a sign of the things to come. Still a tear ran down his eye. He knew this day would come, but that didn't mean he liked it. Far from it; he always dreaded this day. For the moment, the castle was in a small panic looking for Pristine. Pristine's court rushed outside into the garden area. 

"Have you found her Allora?" asked Joyce. 

"Sorry, Joyce." replied Allora. 

"Ladies! I've just heard that humans have started attacking the dwarfs in the Silver Mountains as well as the Forest of Fotain!" announced Fanesse as she rushed toward them. 

"Oh-no! Pixie's family lives in that forest!" gasped Allora. 

"Something is wrong. Even Drackor has gone off." added Grace. 

Suddenly, a blast of negative energy shot from the black sky and landed on Grace. Grace screamed before a spear of darkness shot down and pierces her heart and her soul came out her body and floated into the darkness. The second the spear hit her, Grace died as the others screamed in agony. Pristine appeared out of the maze in time to see the attack. Fanesse began attacking the dark sky. Fire unicorns were aggressive at times and angered easily. Fanesse was beyond angry. 

"Grace!! Grace wake up!" Pristine screamed as she held her fallen friend. 

"Pristine! Get inside! It's dangerous out here!" Allora told her. 

They heard Fanesse screamed as a beam of negativity settled upon her and a spear killed her too. Joyce tried to help but was soon killed too. 

"No!!!" Pristine screamed as she rushed toward them. 

"Pristine!! Watch out!!" Allora pushed Pristine out of the way and got caught in a negativity blast. 

"ALLORA!!!" 

Pristine hollered as she watched her friend's soul got taken. 

"Princess!! There's nothing you can do now. Come!" Slycer lifted a frantic princess into his arms. 

"No!! I have to save them!! Cousin!! Fanesse!! Grace!! Allora!!" 

"I am sorry princess." 

For once Slycer felt like he let Pristine down. Suddenly beams of negativity shot down all over the kingdom. Drackor quickly put up the barriers. 

"Slycer!! What happened?" asked Loreanna as Slycer brought in a very quiet and still Pristine. 

She ran up to her daughter and hugged her as she cried. Seeing the brokenness inside of Pristine's eyes tore at her heart. 

"Momma, they died. The darkness took them." Pristine said, her voice quiet and in shock. 

"Oh my poor baby! Mother's here now." Loreanna cooed. 

"What do I do now?" 

"Go to your room, sweet pea. We'll be there soon." replied Elios as he ran a hand over his daughter's head. 

"Okay daddy, but I want to help." replied Pristine. 

"You can help when you're feeling better okay?" 

"All right."

Pristine looked outside her window and watched as her home crumbled around her. Slycer watched her with concern. 

"I want to help Slycer." 

"Your safety should be your main priority, princess." 

"Slycer, why is this happening?" 

"I wish I knew, your highness." 

Suddenly, the outer wall was blasted at. 

"Slycer! The ceiling is collapsing!" 

Slycer immediately changed into a dragon and ordered, "Get on princess!" 

Pristine jumped on and Slycer took off without a moment to spare. However, as soon as they flew outside, beams of dark light started shooting at them. Slycer barely managed to dodge them. That's when a dark figure appeared. 

"Who's that?" asked Pristine. 

"I don't know and I don't want to find out." said Slycer as he flew away. 

Just as he flew away, the dark figure threw a wave of negative energy at the two. Slycer saw this and turned just in time so the negative energy only hit him. He hollered as he fell to the ground. 

"Slycer! No! Not you too!" shouted the princess. 

She tried to heal him, but there's a force field around him. 

"You can't heal him. I've placed a curse on him." said someone. 

Pristine turned to see the dark figure. She drew her sword and faced the dark one. She immediately knew who it was. 

"I know who you are. You are Zeather, aren't you? I've heard about you." she replied angrily. 

"Very good princess. Do you really think you can defeat me?" 

"I can sure try." 

Pristine charged him. Zeather's sword quickly appeared. The two fought until Zeather knocked Pristine's sword out of her hand. Pristine was cornered! 

"Now I've got you." 

But before he did anything else, Slycer lunged at him and bit onto his shoulder. Zeather hollered before engulfing himself in darkness which caused Slycer to scream in anguish. When it died down, Slycer collapsed and changed into his human form. He was covered in blood. 

Still, he struggled and replied, "Fight me you coward!" 

"Slycer!" shouted Pristine as she started to run toward him. 

But before she got to him, Zeather appeared in front of her and thrust his sword into her. Pristine screamed so loud that every living thing heard it. She died as Zeather pulled his sword out and caught her. Then Xack appeared. 

"Slycer! Princess!" 

At that moment, Slycer lunged at the Evil One. There was a blast as Slycer and the Evil One vanished. The princess hung in the air. That was when the rulers and Drackor appeared. 

"PRISTINE!! NO!!" cried the queen as she dropped to the ground. 

"The darkness has her! We were too late!" replied Xack. 

"It is not too late. Her soul is still alive." commented Elios as he held his wife. 

"What can we do though?" asked Xack. 

"We must preserve her soul and sent it to the future. It is what's been ordained." explained Loreanna as she tried to regain her composure. 

"But how, oh-no! You're not seriously thinking-?" exclaimed Xack. 

"It's the only way. Drackor, the crystal." ordered the king. 

"You do realize the consequences?" asked Drackor as he handed it to Elios. 

"Yes, I do." said Elios. 

"Elios, I am doing this too." replied Loreanna. 

"Loreanna-" 

"No! I am helping you. Besides, I couldn't live a day without you." 

"I love you." 

"I love you too." 

The two kissed one last time. 

"Drackor, please look after Pristine." said Elios. 

"I will. Good-luck to you." 

"Good-luck." added Xack. 

The couple nodded before holding the Crystal of Life between them. They replied ancient words as light engulfed them and shot toward Pristine. It surrounded her before the area lit up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the light died down, the scenery changed back to the present time. 

"So you see Zeather. You never completely destroyed me. Now I shall defeat you." said Pristine. 

"You want to face me? Fine! Let's see you try this then!" taunted Zeather as he split into five different figures of himself. 

Pristine remains calmed, but she knew she was in for a challenge. 

"I will not lose. I will defeat you, all of you!" 

"Ha ha! How can you? You're all alone!" one shouted.




The Lost One Ch. 12



"My cousin is never alone Zeather! Did you forget about us?" shouted a figure. 

The person turned out to be Joyce. Pristine turned to see her life-long friends standing beside her. 

"No matter how many times we must face, good always wins!" stated Grace. 

"You will pay for all the suffering you've caused!" Fanesse threatened, aiming her fiery sword at him. 

"So prepare yourself Evil One! For your time has come!" finished Allora. 

"Who are you four to threaten me? I defeated you brats twenty-eight years ago, and I'll do it again!" replied Zeather. 

"Want to bet on that? You might have taken our souls from us years ago, but you couldn't defeat us one thousand and a hundred years ago!" smirked Fanesse. 

"You couldn't be . ." began Zeather. 

"Yes we are!" shouted Joyce as Pristine's court changed their appearances to their true forms as well. 

Joyce, the Child of Earth, changed into a figure of green with flowers in her hair. Her brown hair was highlighted with shades of green. Grace's figure hadn't changed too much. The Child of Wind's hair color remained gray only it held silver in it too and it was longer. Her garments were silver rather than gray. The Child of Fire's, Fanesse's hair was gold, red, and orange with half of it up. Her garments were the same color of her hair and she looked fiercer than before. Allora's blue hair was halfway up too and it held more sea greens and other bluish colors as well. The Child of Water looked serene but there was a power radiating from her as well as the others. Also, each of them had a crystal on their forehead. They were blue, red, green, and gray.

"We are the Four Guardians of Nature as well as the Child of Light's protectors." replied Grace. 

"They are?" asked Kyra. 

"Indeed, they knew all about the prophecy as well and the roles they would play." replied Inion. 

"I always knew I could count on the four of you." smiled Pristine. 

"We have always been with you Pristine." grinned Allora. 

"Humph! I don't care who you are. Enough talk now! Let's settle this!" said the Evil One before the five figures flew toward the five ancient ones. 

The girls drew their swords and flew up and the two groups clashed. They moved so quickly the even the elves could not keep up with them. Joyce fought one of Zeather's clones with patience and stamina. Zeather's clone taunted her constantly into losing her cool or wearing her down. Grace, being a wind unicorn, was a constant blur of moves and blocked and still managed to fight with elegance. Many commented how she did not seem to break a sweat, but several like Slycer and the other highly trained fighters saw that Grace was being tested to her limits. Fanesse was definitely the fiercest fighter out of them, but much to the surprise of some, she did not overdo it. Slycer grinned. Looked like all the training he taught her about controlling her power was finally paying off. There was only one word to describe Allora: fluid. Her fighting style was clean and crisp and changeable. At times she seemed to take her time, and other times she was like a wave of power. All five unicorns fought separately, but at times combined. One thing was for sure, Zeather was doing his best to keep them apart. 

"Man, it's like Zeather is one ball of energy." commented Ophealia. 

"You're right, princess. Zeather is not a living being. The Evil One is one sinister force." replied Drackor. 

Suddenly, all of the Zeather's launched dark blasts at the ladies. Each tried to block it, but it knocked them back. Zeather formed into one body again and used his power to create a twister of negative energy as it swept the five unicorns off the ground. They all screamed as pain whipped through each of them. But as darkness started to cover the world and everyone's hearts, Pristine lit up again as well as the other girls. Blue, red, green, and silver balls of light circle a bright white light before spiraling up. Everyone heard Pristine's voice. 

"Don't give up! Zeather feeds on fear! We need your help! Believe!" she told them. 

They all listened and every living thing that was good and even some of Zeather's men started to fill their souls with hope and faith. That energy fed the four guardians who converted it towards the Child of Light. Pristine knew what she must do now. She shot toward the source of the darkness and right to its center where Zeather was. 

"No matter what you do princess, you can never fully defeat evil or the darkness." 

"I know very well I can't do that. Life is a balance. You can't have good without evil and you can't have light without darkness. But there's too much evil and darkness. If there isn't a balance between the two forces, life will collapse. And to restore the balance, I shall absorb the darkness you create and convert it." 

"How do you plan to do that?" 

"Like this." The Child of Light moved so fast that not even Zeather expected it. 

She laid her lips on his and combined both light and dark by doing that. Also, the two conflicting forces were so powerful and strong the world and whole galaxy trembled. Drackor and Inion and other magical beings struggled to keep everyone from being blown away. They heard a scream as Zeather was destroyed for without the power of darkness his power was nothing. Suddenly, light engulfed the world and spread all over the galaxy.

As the light died down, everyone regained themselves. They noticed that some of the villains were gone, and those who used to be on Zeather's side were back to their original selves before the Evil One changed them. Pristine and her court were laying on the ground. Their appearances were back to normal. Pristine was back to being the princess of the unicorns. Her hair was blonde again and her eyes turned back to their blue color. She was wearing a white and cream colored dress, but still had the crystal on her forehead. In fact, all the unicorns had the crystals on their foreheads. The Crystal of Life was clutched in Pristine's hand. Joyce was wearing a green and pink gown. Grace's gown was silver and gray. The dress Fanesse was wearing was red and orange. Allora's was cerulean blue and coral blue. Pristine got up at the same time as her court did. She first saw Joyce. 

"Joyce!" Pristine cried. 

"Cousin!" 

The two ran toward each other and embraced as they laughed and cried. 

"Pristine!" shouted Fanesse as she and the others joined them. 

"Fanesse! Grace! Allora!" she gasped as they got into one big group and hugged and cried. 

Pixie suddenly started running. 

"Allora!" she shouted. 

Allora turned and exclaimed, "Pixie! You're alive!" 

The two embraced each other. 

It was not long before the animals, the mystical creatures, and Drock greeted the unicorns. Soon Drackor and Inion approached. Pristine and her court made their way to them. The two sages bowed. 

"Drackor. Inion." grinned Pristine. 

"You did well, princess." smiled Inion after they stood up. 

"Your mother and father would have been proud." added Drackor. 

"Thank-you. I wish they were here." replied Pristine. 

"We are always with you sweetheart." called out a female voice. 

They all turned to see the souls of King Elios and Queen Loreanna. 

With tears in her eyes, Pristine cried, "Mother! Father!" 

She took off, running towards them. As much as she wanted to embrace them and hold them, she could not for they were only spirits. She stopped right in front them and Loreanna reached out and did her best to hold her. Pristine felt the soft warmth coming from her late mother. Elios cupped his daughter's cheeks with his hands and kissed her forehead just about her crystal. The two stood back. The royal family headed back to the crowd as they all bowed. Pristine turned to her parents. 

"I wish we could always be together." she said. 

"Pristine, you know we can't stay." replied King Elios. 

"But we'll always be in your heart, my daughter." added Queen Loreanna. 

"I love you both." said Pristine. 

"And we love you too. Look Pristine." pointed Elios.

They turned to see balls of light falling from the sky. Also, bodies appeared up from the ground. Some were unicorns, others looked to be humans. 

"Those are the souls of all the unicorns Zeather consumed." replied Drackor. 

"But their souls cannot enter their bodies unless their bodies are healed." added Inion. 

Pristine stepped forward and commanded, "Spirits of Serenai, please heal them!" 

She lifted the crystal as they both shined. The spirits appeared and healed the bodies. The souls returned to their bodies. As Pristine and the crystal stopped glowing, and the spirits vanished, the unicorns slowly woke up. The first to stand up was a middle age looking man with blue-gray hair. He was the royal family's butler, Lyonall. He was the first to spot Pristine. 

"Princess! Thank goodness you're alive! What happened? Where are your parents?" he asked as he and the others rushed over. 

There were more hugs and simultaneous talking before things calmed down again. Pristine looked and saw that her parents' souls were gone. Her smiled quickly faded as she turned to her people. Drackor was explaining to them what had happened since the Invasion.

Pristine turned to the humans. Her human companions were in the front. She headed toward them along with her court and other friends. 

Looking at them she said, "I want to thank you all for your help." 

They nodded. 

"Princess? What about Grayson and Lance?" asked Ophealia. 

"Please, call me Pristine. We're friends remember? And don't worry about them. Everything will be all right." Pristine smiled as she sat down. 

Placing her hands on Grayson's chest, she closed her eyes and concentrated. She and Grayson started to glow. When she stopped, Grayson started to moan. As he sat up, Ophealia gasped and wrapped her arms around his neck. 

"Oomph! Princess! Calm down!" Grayson gasped. 

"Calm down! You scared me half to death! Oh, I am so glad you're alive! Don't ever do that to me again!" Ophealia ordered. 

Without thinking, she kissed him. 

"Ophealia! Where are your manners?" questioned King Charles. 

The two suddenly separated, both red in the face. Their friends laughed. 

Grayson finally noticed Pristine for the first time and exclaimed, "Pristine! Are you . . .the . . .?" 

Pristine giggled before saying, "Yes, Grayson, I am the unicorn princess. Zeather is no more. Thank-you for your help." 

Grayson grinned and nodded before seeing Lance. 

"Lance! Oh-no!!! He's not . . ." Grayson started. 

"He'll be all right." assured Pristine before shifting to her beloved. 

"He needs to be turned over." she said. 

Slycer and Xack gently turned Lance onto his stomach. 

"Unwrap his bandages please."

They did so.

"He's been slashed by Zeather's sword." replied Kyra. 

"That means he has black poison in him. And there's only one way to get rid of it." said the princess before grabbing her old dagger Lance still held. 

"Your highness, you're not doing what I think you are doing." replied Slycer. 

"It's the only way." 

"What's she going to do?" asked Grayson. 

Pristine answered by cutting her arm. Most of the crowd gasped. Pristine quickly put the blade down as white blood appeared. She placed her hand over most of the wound, turned her arm, and let her blood fall onto Lance's wounds. She healed her arm and Lance. 

"Turn him back over." Pristine instructed. 

Slycer and Xack turned him back over. With tears welling up in her eyes, Pristine lowered her head to Lance's. Two silver tear dropped and fell onto Lance's lips. 

"Come back to me." Pristine whispered before laying her lips on his. 

It was not long before she felt the warmth return to his lips. As she lifted her head, Lance's eyes slowly opened. 

As he groaned and sat up, he replied, "Oh, what a dream." 

He looked up and saw Pristine. 

His eyes opened wide with shock and he gasped, "Pristine? . . . . You are the unicorn princess?" 

"Yes, Lance. Zeather is gone forever. Nothing can . . ." 

Pristine stopped speaking when she saw Lance suddenly staggered to his feet. 

"Lance . . ." Pristine started to say before Lance interrupted. 

"No, no . . . it's not possible." 

There was sadness in his eyes. He could not belong to her, for she was a unicorn, and he was human.

Everyone was looking at Pristine and Lance when they heard someone shout, "Charles!" 

They turned and saw a group of people ridding toward them on horses. The one who spoke, was a lady with light brown hair and wore a golden dress. A tall man with dirty blonde hair helped her dismount when they stopped in front of the crowd. When Kyra saw her, she started to shove her way through the crowd. 

"Kathleen! I thought I told you to stay at the castle." King Charles of Grom said. 

"Have I ever listened to you?" smirked Kathleen. 

"Father? Who's this?" asked Ophealia as she came forward. 

"Ophealia, this is my youngest sister, Kathleen. Sister, this is my daughter, Ophealia." 

"Oh, so this is the lost sibling you've been trying to find." 

"Mommy! Daddy!" shouted Kyra as she rushed out. 

Kathleen gasped as she dropped to her knees and held her arms out. Kyra ran into her arms and the two embraced. The dirty blonde hair man knelt down and hugged the two as well. 

"Mama? Why are you crying? I am okay." Kyra said as Kathleen sobbed. 

"Your mother is fine Kyra. She's just surprised. We were worried about you." answered the man. 

Soon Kathleen composed herself as she wiped her tears. 

"I'm sorry. Trevor, can you help me up please? I don't think I can stand." she asked Kyra's father. 

The man helped her up. The family looked at King Charles and Ophealia, who looked astonished. 

"Kathleen, you never told me you had a child." gasped the king. 

"You never gave me the opportunity. You were too busy assembling your soldiers." laughed Kathleen as she picked up Kyra. 

"Princess Ophealia, why do you look so surprised?" Kyra asked. 

"Uh, well Kyra. Your mother just happens to be my dad's sister." 

"But then that means . . We're cousins." 

Pixie suddenly started to laugh. 

"It makes sense! You two are exactly alike!" she exclaimed. 

"You're right Pixie. Both of them are stubborn, overactive, and have a temper." added Lola with a laugh. 

"We do not!" Kyra and Ophealia protested. 

Everyone else started to laugh. 

"How do you two know each other?" asked Trevor. 

"All with be explained in due time." answered Drackor. 

"One last thing Drackor. Mommy, Pristine is the unicorn princess." Kyra told her. 

"She is? Where is she?" 

"I am here." said Pristine as she stepped forward. 

"Oh Pristine! It's good to see you. Your parents would be proud." 

Kathleen was referring to Pristine's family from their village. 

"How are they? Are they here?" 

"I am sorry Pristine, but they're dead. Drackor saved us when our village was attacked and told us to go to Grom. To get there we had to go by ship. On the boat trip your parents both caught pneumonia. They did die peacefully." replied Trevor. 

Pristine was shocked as she tried to hold back tears. 

"Oh come here dear." comforted Kathleen before handing Kyra to Trevor. 

She wrapped her arms around Pristine. Pristine returned the hug as she wept. After separating, Pristine dried her eyes. 

"Come, let's go to the castle." she said. 

"Uh, Pristine, the castle was destroyed during the Invasion remember?" Grayson replied. 

"The world has suffered much damage too." added Lola. 

"Then we'll just have to rebuild everything, won't we?" smiled Pristine. 

"But that'll take months, even years." replied Ophealia. 

"Well, it will take time to rebuild buildings and villages, but for now we can heal the world itself and the kingdom of my kind. I'll show you." 

Pristine changed into a unicorn. 

Sprouting wings, she turned and asked, "Adrianna and Kyra? Do you want to ride?" 

Both girls gasped and nodded. Aaron and Trevor helped them on. Following Pristine's example, the unicorns, dragons, and some of the mystical creatures transformed as well. Pixie got on Allora. 

"Daddy! I want to ride a unicorn." Tarma giddily requested. 

"Can we dad?" asked Palla. 

"I want to ride too." added Freyia. 

"Very well." sighed Carson. 

"But don't you think you should ask first?" asked Lord Nelson. 

"Do these girls want to ride?" asked Grace, who's a gray and white unicorn. 

"Yes we do." answered Freyia. 

"Very well. Joyce? Why don't you let one of these girls ride on you?" Grace asked Joyce, who's a dark green unicorn. 

"Sure thing." 

"Someone can ride me." offered Fanesse, who's an orange and red unicorn. 

"Fanesse, knowing you, you'll just fly all over the place and drop your rider." teased Allora, who's a pale blue unicorn. 

"I will not!" protested Fanesse. 

They all laughed. In the end, Freyia got on Fanesse, Palla got on Joyce, and Tarma got on Grace. Soon they all took off while the others followed. What they do not know was Lance did not follow them and vanished.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Hehe, how did you like that? Did you guess that Ophealia and Kyra were related? They really are alike. This was the reason why Kyra was sent on that quest, it was to find her family again. There's still one more twist and one more chapter! I'll try to get it up soon. Please rate and comment. Thanks!



The Lost One Ch. 13



A/N: Here's the last chapter folks. All loose ends are tied up here. Enjoy! Thank you Blackstallion21 for everything!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

XIII.

New

Beginnings

The sky was an array of pinks, reds, and purples as the heroes of Serenai arrived at the remains of the Unicorn Kingdom. As the flyers landed, their riders got off of them before the flyers changed form.

"Oh my goodness!" exclaimed Joyce when she saw her home.

Pristine stepped forward before turning to her court.

"This world is still filled with power. All we have to do is add our power to it and the world with heal itself." she replied.

"How are you going to do that?" asked Aaron.

"We will sing the 'Song of Healing'." answered Allora.

"'Song of Healing?'" replied Grayson.

"Yes, it is only known to us five and Drackor." explained Fanesse.

"It was done one thousand, one hundred years ago to heal the world. In our past lives we used the same song to heal Serenai, but we had only enough power to do it. So in the end we used up all our strength and died." Grace told them.

"But won't you die then by doing this?" Kyra asked with worry. 

"No. We are much stronger and so is this world." smiled Joyce.

The five unicorns stepped forward. Pristine started to sing in an angelic tone. Soon she was joined by her court. The Spirits of Nature started to stir as the world lit up. The song was filled with so much peace and love that everyone else felt the connection to the planet and one by one they started to join in. The other unicorns joined in first, followed by the mystical creatures and animals. It wasn't long before everyone else sang as the whole world became anew as Serenai began to heal. Forest, fields, oceans, mountains and everything natural began to go back to the way it used to be twenty-eight years ago. The buildings that were tinged with evil lost their sinister demeanor, however since majority of the buildings and towns were destroyed they would have to be rebuild manually. Only the unicorn kingdom was able to be put back together because of the connection it held to Pristine and her court so they used most of their strength to rebuild it. When it was over, Pristine and her court fell to their knees as they gasped for breath. They stood up and turned to the others.

"Thank you; because of you we were able to not only heal this world but place a seal on it so nothing evil could ever harm it again from outside forces." Pristine smiled.

"Look everyone!" pointed Kyra.

The Kingdom of the Unicorns was healed and the buildings were back to their original state as well.

"It is as beautiful as the history books say." exclaimed Ophealia with awe.

"Let's go inside everyone." said Pristine.

"We need someone to open the gates." mentioned Grace.

"Richard? Emery?"

The two gate guards came forth and knelt.

"Gentlemen, please open the gate."

"With pleasure, your highness." replied the soldier with grayish-blue hair.

"Thank you Emery."

The two sprouted wings and flew to their posts on top of the gate, which were located on each side before opening the gate. 

"Mr. Lyonall, please lead the way." Pristine instructed her butler.

As they all entered, Pristine started to look for Lance. Her friends noticed this and when it was only them, they went over to Pristine. She was trying to keep her composure as she turned to them.

"He's not here." she replied.

"Who?" asked Kyra.

"Lance." answered Pixie.

"Why did he leave like that?" asked Lola.

"He thinks that since he's not a unicorn, he and Pristine can't be together." explained Slycer.

"I am sure he'll come back, cousin." comforted Joyce as she placed a hand on Pristine's shoulder.

Pristine burst into tears as she threw herself into Joyce's arms. It took her a few minutes to dry her tears and regain herself. Drackor and Inion showed up.

"Princess, everyone is waiting for you." said Drackor.

"Yes." Pristine agreed as they all headed toward the castle.

The evening was one filled with merriment and glee. Despite her broken heart, Pristine managed to put on a happy face. Her friends continued to watch her, knowing she was slowly falling apart inside. During dinner, it was announced that Ophealia and Grayson were to wed. Later on that evening, Pristine said she was tired and went to bed early. She was weary, but it wasn't because of the day's fighting. Later everyone else retired to their rooms and homes. Some of them slept outside. They didn't mind though for makeshift tents were built.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During the night, Pristine's court met in the main parlor.

"We need to do something about finding this Lance and bringing him back." whispered Allora.

"I know." the others said.

"Lance reminded of another legend." commented Grace.

"What legend?" asked Fanesse.

"Follow me."

She led them to the library and they all saw Pixie.

"Pixie?" asked Allora.

"Oh, hey, I was looking at the different legends. I thought Lance fit into one of them." she explained.

"Grace thought so too." replied Joyce.

Pixie had lit a candle. They all circled around her.

"If I remember correctly, the legend is on page one thousand and one hundred." whispered Grace.

Pixie carefully turned the pages before finding the right one.

"Ah, here we are. Read that one Pixie." Grace instructed.

"'In old times there was a unicorn stallion who fell in love with a human being. In time he turned into a human and the two were betrothed. The stallion eventually forgot his heritage, but his unicorn spirit was passed onto his descendants. One day, a descendant will embark on a quest and protect his love to become his true self once more.' It all fits. Lance went on the quest to protect Pristine." read Pixie.

"Not to mention that unicorns do usually only fall in love within their own species." added Grace.

"Do you think Pristine knows of this?" asked Pixie.

"I am sure she will. Pristine use to read this book all the time." answered Allora.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Little did Allora know, she was correct. Pristine was looking out at the moons from her window.

"Oh Lance. Why did it take me so long to realize who you were? I wish you were here." she whispered.

Turning around, she glanced at the crown which she would receive tomorrow during the coronation when she would be officially proclaimed Queen of the Unicorns. She should have been happy and proud about tomorrow. And on the following day was Ophealia and Grayson's wedding. She wished Lance was there to watch. Pristine walked back to the window to look at the moons.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the same time, Lance was looking at the moons as well. What he didn't know was that the Spirits were watching him. Lance felt ashamed of himself for the first time in his life. He shouldn't have left the way he did. He should have at least said good-bye. Maybe it was for the best, he thought.

"I am a coward."

"You're not a coward Lance, just confused." said a voice.

Lance turned around to see the Spirits.

"Who are you?"

"We are the Spirits of Nature." said the female water spirit.

"What do you want?"

"I don't think that's the question Lance. The question is what you want?" responded the male fire spirit.

"What I want is for Pristine to be happy."

"Do you believe Pristine is happy right now? Without you?" asked the male light spirit.

"I don't know."

"She's not Lance. She's miserable. It doesn't matter to her what you are. She loves you Lance. And if you truly love her, it should not matter to you either." replied the male lightning spirit.

"I do love her, more than life itself."

"Then you know what you must do then. Everything will turn out for the best." assured the female ice spirit before the Spirits vanished.

Lance thought a bit before saying, "The Spirits are right. How could I've been so dumb?"

He walked into the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was well after midnight when Pristine decided that she could not sleep. She got up and headed toward her bookcase. She pulled on a book called "Nature". The bookcase moved to reveal a secret passageway. Going through it, she quietly went down the long stairway. The passageway eventually led her outside. She walked to a nearby pond and sat down looking into it. Moments passed before she heard footsteps and knew who it was.

"I knew you'd return." Pristine said without moving.

Lance took another step before replying, "I hurt you, but I didn't mean to."

"You did what you thought was best."

"I am sorry."

"It's all right. Come here and look into the water."

Reluctantly, Lance walked over and sat next to Pristine before leaning over to look at his reflection. What he saw shocked him. Instead of his own reflection, what he saw was a unicorn. It had his eyes and the stallion was silver. As he drew back, he looked at Pristine.

"What is this?" he gasped.

"This pond shows you who you truly are. You are a unicorn, Lance. It took me awhile to figure it out. Did you ever feel out of place, Lance?"

"Yes, but I never would have imagined . . . . How is it possible? Zeather nearly destroyed all the unicorns."

While they were talking, all of their friends watched them.

"It's a long story, Lance. I just now finally remembered it. Your ancestor was a unicorn stallion who fell in love with a human. So he became human and they both got married. In time he forgot his heritage, but his spirit continued through his descendants."

"Is Grayson one?"

"No. Only the firstborn were unicorns. The Evil One knew of this legend. That's why Zeather went after humans with pure-hearts because he didn't want any unicorns left. That's why your family was killed. Both you and your mother were unicorns. I know this because I can feel her spirit and all unicorn spirits. I am sorry."

Pristine lowered her eyes. She wished she could bring back his family. Lance took Pristine's chin in his head and lifted it up to see tears in her eyes.

Using his other hand, he wiped her tears and whispered, "I love you. I will always love you."

Pristine slowly grinned before saying, "I love you and I need you."

They kissed, gently at first. Then Pristine wrapped her arms around Lance's neck as he drew her closer. The kiss grew to be aggressive. Suddenly, they heard cheering and looked to see their friends.

"I always knew there was something different about you bro." grinned Grayson.

The couple stood up and walked up to the group.

"I must say, I didn't know you men were so stubborn. It took you long enough to come back." complained Lola.

"I am with you there." agreed Fanesse.

"I think it's the other way around." contradicted Aaron.

They all laughed.

"Lance, do you want to go flying?" asked Pristine.

"Pristine, I would capture both moons for you, as long as you are with me."

"Does he know how to transform into a unicorn and know how to fly?" asked Joyce.

"Watch." Lance replied.

It was like the words were inside of him all this time. He changed into a magnificent silver stallion and sprouted wings. Pristine changed as well. The two took off and flew around the area. Lance had never felt so free in his life.

"Lance, will you marry me?"

"Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?"

Pristine giggled and answered, "I think we can make an exception here. So will you?"

"I'd be dumb not to."

"Good! Let's share it with Ophealia and Grayson's wedding. Their wedding is the day after the coronation. Will you mind, being a king?"

"Hehe, I may enjoy it for then I can make sure you obey everything I say."

"Aw, that's not nice."

"Don't worry my love; I want you to have your freedom as long as I can share that with you."

Pristine nodded and smiled before saying, "Let's go back and tell the others than."

"All right. I am sure they will be relieved."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day was a glorious one. The courtyard was filled to the maximum capacity as most of the land inhabitants of the world were there. Even the ones who could not be there, like the fish in the oceans, saw the coronation thanks to Pristine and Drackor's magic. Because they were not properly married yet, Lance would not yet be officially crowned that day. Lance didn't mind. He wanted his Pristine to have her moment. Pristine reluctantly allowed this for she really wanted Lance beside her as she accepted her crown. So Lance stood in the front row with all their other friends as Pristine came toward Drackor and Inion. Pristine's court, dressed in their elemental colors, helped Pristine move forward for she was draped in long and heavy garments. She didn't show her discomfort though and she truly looked like a queen. Her dress was multi-layered with silver, white, and gold colors. She wore a sash across her top area that went from her shoulder to her waist that held several medals of her rank. She would receive one more when she became queen. Around her neck was the Crystal of Life. Soon the ceremony began and it wasn't long before Drackor placed the silver and diamond crown on Pristine's head. Inion handed her scepter to her. Drackor announced her formally as Queen of the Unicorns before everyone cheered. It was as if Serenai was filled with life and laughter at that moment. After the coronation, there was a huge feast, but soon that had to end and preparations immediately began for the double wedding.

The next day started out hectic. Even Pristine, who was usually the sane one, was nervous. She was in her bridal room with her court and an equally frantic Ophealia. Kyra, Lola, Adrianna, Pixie, Mallian, and even Kyra's mother, Kathleen, were there.

"You two should really try to calm down. Everything will run smoothly." commented Kathleen.

"I know Aunt Kathleen, but not everything is in order." replied Ophealia.

Ophealia and Kathleen had quickly become good friends. It still felt strange though to Ophealia to know that she and Kyra were cousins. Kyra at one point had asked her parents why they never told her about Kathleen's family and they told her they thought it was the best that they kept quiet about this for their own safety. Apparently right after Kathleen and Trevor got married ten years ago, King Charles had gone to the aid of one of the neighboring kingdoms that was being attacked by Zeather, but unfortunately they lost. As a warning to King Charles, Zeather sank the ship Kathleen and Trevor were on while on their honeymoon. The couple managed to survive and ended up on the coast where a family had found them who were relatives of Pristine's human family and helped them settle in Pristine's old village. They thought it best to keep a low profile so Zeather wouldn't come after them. Kyra was upset for them not telling her this, but did understand and the family remained as close as ever.

"Are brides always like this one wedding days?" asked Kyra.

"I am afraid so. When my sister got married, she was a mess. Everything worked out great though." replied Allora.

"Yes and that's what I keep trying to tell myself. I wonder when our dresses will arrive?" replied Pristine.

The minute she said that, the seamstresses of the palace rushed in and hurried to get Pristine and Ophealia ready. They already had their hair done. Pristine's court would be Pristine's bridesmaids and Lola, Pixie, Mallian, and Kathleen would be Ophealia's. Adrianna and Kyra were the flower girls.

Things were just as frantic with the two grooms.

"I don't know if I am ready for this." replied Grayson.

"Ha ha, every man is entitled to be nervous on their wedding day, my boy." laughed King Charles.

"I think he's more worried about tonight." grinned Aaron causing Grayson's face to flush.

"You'll be the same way when you get married Aaron." smirked Lance.

"Who said I was going to get married?"

"I've seen you looking at a few girls yesterday Aaron."

Aaron's face turned red there causing all the guys to laugh.

Lance's groomsmen included Slycer, Aaron, Xack, and Drock. Grayson's included Sir Reginald and three other outlaws.

All the men were ready for the wedding; they were just waiting for Inion to come get them. Soon, Inion showed up.

"Okay, gentlemen, they are ready for you. If you will just follow me." Inion replied.

They followed him towards a huge cathedral. This was where all royal weddings were held as well as other sacred ceremonies other than coronations. Other than the palace and Corlana's temple, it was the biggest building in the area. The place was already packed and not everyone would be able to fit so Pristine and Drackor used their magic to create screens for everyone to see it. While the groomsmen went off to their starting positions, Lance and Grayson walked down the aisle to the front where Drackor and Inion was. Once they got there, both become nervous, only Grayson showed it by rubbing his hands. Soon all the bridesmaids and groomsmen walked down. They all wore colors of the rainbow, only Ophealia and Grayson's colors seemed bolder. Pristine and Lance's were lighter. Kyra and Adrianna were next. Both were grinning and placed flower petals along the aisle. Soon the trumpets sounded as everyone stood up. Both brides were smiling radiantly and they both wanted to cry too. Ophealia was wearing a crown as Princess of Grom, and Pristine wore her crown too. Ophealia's dress was mostly gold with green trims. Pristine's was all white. Both Lance and Grayson wanted to faint for their beauty was unspeakable. Grayson almost did, but Sir Reginald kept a hold on him.

The wedding went on smoothly and both couples exchanged rings and vows.

Soon, "If there is anyone here who objects to these marriages, speak now or forever hold your peace." replied Inion.

"I would like a few words, Inion." replied a voice.

Everyone looked up and gasped. A formidable figure of white light appeared from above and descended to the ground before landing in front of the couples. It was Corlana. Everyone was in shocked, except for Pristine and her court. 

Pristine smiled with glee and replied, "Mother."

"Is she?" asked Lance.

"I am the Goddess of Light, Corlana. I didn't come to stop the wedding, I just wanted to bless it personally." Corlana replied.

Everyone bowed except for Pristine. There was no need for her to do so since she was her daughter.

Corlana went up to Pristine and kissed her on the cheeks. Pristine can't help but cry a bit.

"I am so proud of you my daughter. All the gods are and wish nothing for the best for you and all your friends. Beware though, for there will always be evil."

Corlana turned to Lance, "Lance, you have more than proven yourself worthy of my daughter. I am proud to call you my son. I am also counting on you to keep her in line for Pristine has become crafty by becoming a unicorn."

Lance grinned and replied, "I look forward to it."

Corlana smiled and then turned to Pristine's court.

"Your journeys aren't yet over. Danger awakes all four of you. Your parents will guide you though as each of you make your marks." Corlana warned referring to the gods. 

The four nodded and Corlana looked at everyone once more.

"Remember, that the gods will always watch over you. Blessed be." she replied before vanishing.

"Wow! That was incredible." gasped Grayson.

"Looks like we've more adventures ahead." replied Joyce.

"Indeed. Inion, you may finish the ceremony." said Drackor.

Inion nodded continued. It wasn't long before the couples were announced as men and wives.

"You may now kiss your brides." grinned Inion.

Ophealia wasted no time in pulling Grayson to her and kissing him hard. Pristine and Lance laughed at them before kissing each other. There were plenty of cheers and cat calls. Drackor and King Charles came forward and Drackor crowned Lance king and King Charles crowned Grayson prince. Inion properly announced them before everyone threw rice into the air. Grayson and Ophealia went first before Pristine and Lance.




The Lost One Ch. 13



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The reception was held in the grand ballroom of the palace. Actually the crowd was so huge that Pristine and Drackor opened up a wall in the room which opened up into another ballroom. Both Pristine and Ophealia changed into better gowns to dance in. All four of the couples took off their crowns so they wouldn't fall off. Things got pretty wild. First everyone ate a grand feast, and soon the orchestra arrived and began to play. The royal couples danced the first dance before more couples joined in. Soon it was time for the cutting of the cakes. Next, came the tossing of the bouquets and garters.

"Are you ready Ophealia? You go first." Pristine said.

"Hehe okay. Are you ready ladies? You get two chances to catch a bouquet!" shouted Ophealia.

"I am always ready!!" shouted Fanesse.

So Ophealia tossed her bouquet from behind and there's a huge squabble. In the end, Joyce ended up with it. Joyce smiled, but Pristine and her court could tell it wasn't a full one. Next Pristine threw hers and the one who caught it was none other than Kyra.

"Uh, does this mean I have to get married?" she asked.

"I think we'll wait another ten years for yours' sugar." replied Kathleen.

Things got crazy when Pristine and Ophealia sat down for their grooms to remove their garters.

"Do it! Do it! Do it!" chanted the most of the men.

"Get in there Grayson!" taunted Aaron.

"Don't listen to him bro." replied Lance.

Both Pristine and Ophealia blushed as Lance and Grayson removed the garters. There were plenty of hoots and howls. Grayson threw his garter first. And who should get it but Aaron. Lance and Grayson and the other guys busted out laughing. Aaron knew he was in for it now. The next person who caught Lance's garter was Slycer, who actually blushed for he wasn't even trying to catch it. 

It was well after midnight before Pristine and Lance snuck away. Once they neared their chambers, Lance swept Pristine off her feet. Pristine laughed as Lance kicked open their door.

"Are you happy Pristine?" Lance asked.

"Oh yes! I know this is only the beginning too."

"That and many more."

And so it was. Pristine and Lance consummated their love for the first time that night. Their lives and many others would continue to live on and thrive. So this tale ends, but no, many more tales were sure to come. But that's another story.

The End.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Hehe, did anyone guess that Lance was a unicorn? It answers why his family was killed and why Pristine's old village was attacked. So there are more stories to come, but I am going back to working on Dragons of Fraidel. Those who are fans of that, sorry for the wait. Please comment and rate.