Forget-me-not: Moon's Guardian

p.23 Faeries not Elves

"What do you think is hidden here?" asked Jake to the two, his hands on his waist while looking up at the tree, the two girls are in front of him inspecting it closely.

"I don't know, but, I have this feeling like this is the right place, something's pulling me into it." said Annicka while looking around but not getting close.

"What is it?" asked Erin.

"Inside, I--I sense a presence inside, same as yours." said Annicka looking at Erin, she cannot explain it herself but ever since she woke up next to the brown eyed girl, she felt something in her presence that is somehow connecting her to the Guardian.

"Really?" asked Erin, she was about to step closer to the tree but she was stopped when a dagger zipped past her but a barrier stopped it.

"Not an inch closer to the tree Erin." said a fairy behind them, his face hidden by a hood, the three turned to him with question how he knew Erin, then a few seconds later, more fairies surrounded them.

"Rebels." said Jake clenching his teeth as he looked around, he and Erin moved Annicka in between them.

"Erin, I..I think he's a Guardian too." said Annicka warily as she held onto Erin's arm. The Guardian tensed up, she held her bat tighter.

"What do you want from this tree?" asked Erin to the hooded fairy, wanting him to talk more, she seemed to recognize his voice.

"It doesn't matter what I want, I just need you to step aside and let us get the Maiden inside the tree's heart." said he while playing with his dagger on his finger.

"Is she your Maiden?" asked Erin, the fairy paused for a while as if mocking her.

"Answer me Dray!" she demanded, the other two looked at her confused.

"Oh yeah, he's Dray alright." she added clenching her jaw.

"Wow, now I'm impressed."said he and pulled his hood off, revealing Dray.

"Ho--how could you?" asked Annicka in disbelief, she felt betrayed all over again.

"Listen, I don't want to do this okay? Just give us the Maiden, she's a threat to us all, I'm just protecting you Annie." Dray pleaded, pulling his best innocent look. Jake gagged at how he called Annicka by her nickname, Erin on the other hand wanted to rip his head off.

"Really? You sent those Rebels to kill me! They almost took Annicka, and who knows what you did to those other Maidens, how's that protecting huh?" asked Jake through gritted teeth, his fist started releasing flames.

"We're not like those guys okay? Trust me Annicka please?" Dray tried once more, he's getting really impatient at the two playing guard at the Maiden. Annicka felt bad somehow and wanted to give him a chance.

"Annicka, don't listen to him, he's using his gifts as a Guardian against you." Jake said, holding Annicka's shoulder.

"Climb the tree Annie, find a way inside the heart." Erin whispered as she pulled Annicka backwards.

"But they'll reach me." said Annicka with fear.

"They can't, the tree is bounded, I have a feeling only fairies from the South can come through." said Erin pushing Annicka towards the tree inside the barrier she seen earlier and smiled at her Maiden to which she nodded.

"Okay, here I go.." said Annicka and took a deep breath and began her ascend.

"Stop!" called Dray, another fairy threw dagger towards Annicka who shut her eyes but as Erin suspected, it didn't get through the barrier, she's right, anything not from the South wouldn't reach the tree, but she doesn't know how long it'll hold.

"Sieze them!" Dray commanded to the Rebels who attacked immediately, Jake and Erin hold them off.

Annicka climbed as fast as she could while glancing at the commotion below. Erin and Jake are now fighting the Rebels, somehow she wished she can fight too, but that's not important now. She continued to climb getting startled every now and then when some Rebels would try to break the barrier using their gifts or weapons, thankfully it's holding, she sighed in relief knowing it's there.

Finally, she reached the top where there is a wooden slab as a flooring, jars of all sizes filled with fairy dusts, flowers are growing from the tree trunk and branches and.... Nothing! There was nothing but a beautiful abode above the tree! A tree house to be exact! Annicka face palmed herself thinking it is a joke. Looking around while massaging her temples, she noticed some branches have carvings, as well as the floor, some writings she guessed are called runes.

"Hey Annie! Found anything?!" called Erin while peeking from the lush leaves above.

"There's nothing here but symbols!" said Annicka looking around in circles.

"Well, read it! It may be some spell or something!" said Jake as he threw one Rebel away from the tree.

"What?! How? I don't know any Elvish language!"

"It's not Elvish! We're Fairies!" Jake spat.

"I still don't know!" yelled Annicka while trying to peek outside.

"Hold on! I'm coming up!" said Jake and flew to the top where he can see Annicka, a Rebel followed him and they fought.

"Just a second!" he called and punched the fairy with his burning fist.

"Well?" asked Annicka when Jake landed in front of her looking at the carvings.

"Wow, I don't know how to read it either." said he putting his hands on his waist. Erin came in with them and held Annicka's cheek, forcing the Maiden to look at her.

"Annie..I know you can do it. You know how to read it, you're a Maiden." said Erin, Annicka sighed rolling her eyes.

"That's a lot to take in don't you think?" said she, Erin just raised her eyebrow at her.

Anncika sighed and paced around, the two waiting on her while looking out for Dray and the Rebels. She held her temple in frustration, she doesn't even know if she is a Maiden for real, but atleast they trusted her. Last night she grew her wings, then she saved herself and Erin and now this, she can do this.

'Come on Annicka think!' she scold herself while pressing her fingers on her temple, her eyes grew big as realization hit her. In one of the memories her father returned was her reading the same symbols her parents taught her.

'At least one good thing came out of what Dad did.' she thought as she knelt to the floor studying the runes.