Fairy War

Chapter 15

"What the hell was that?" I asked no one in particular before seeing the source; just metres from the barrier was a fairy, but it looked nothing like any I'd ever seen before. It had dragonfly-like wings, a huge (if almost skeletal) frame, and it was leaning on a weapon that looked part staff, part spear. Its skin was deathly pale and it had a pair of grey, sunken eyes just visible under its wiry grey hair. I tried to shoot at it, but it moved faster than the bullet, dodging out of view. "What the hell was that?" I asked again.

"I don't know," Nightshade shouted from where he was sitting, the soldiers around us beginning to fire as the enemy got closer. "I've seen pictures of many types of fairies in my life, but that... that was something entirely new to me."

"Clint, you'd better come here!" Nick suddenly called out. "It's your dad." I looked around to see him hunched over, his hands glowing orange intermittently.

"I'm not sure what happened," my dad said as I reached him, his breathing panicked. "One of those... things... got close enough to touch me before anyone could take a shot. The minute it vanished, this started."

"Don't worry, Dad," I said, hoping he wouldn't notice the panic in my own voice. "When Nareena comes back we'll get her to teleport you to safety."

"I... I'm not sure that's a good idea," my dad stuttered.

"What do you mean?" Nick asked.

"When it touched me it briefly gave me a vision," my dad replied. "Those creatures, they are fairies, but Feth'rael created them. One of their purposes seems to involve me: they've been ordered to follow me wherever I go. No matter what, they'll always find me. They also intend to turn me into a weapon," he added. "They didn't send me to the President by accident."

"Oh my god," Nick said, the colour draining from his face. "Clint, they're using him as a bomb! Their plan was to get all the dignitaries in one place, then use a weapon we could never trace, wielded by a person we'd never suspect."

"Then we get you out of here," I said, grabbing his arm. "If you're not here then no one will be in danger."

"I told you, Clint, they'll follow me," he said, shaking my hand off. "You need to go; I don't know how long this will last."

"I've already lost Mum," I said, a mixture of despair and anger in my voice, "I'm not losing you too. We'll find a way."

"I should be dead already," my dad said, grabbing my chin and forcing me to look him in the eyes. "This should never have come about in the first place, do you understand? I love you, Clint, and I've never taken the time to tell you how proud you've made me. My two consolations are the knowledge that you'll be safe, and the knowledge that I'll be seeing your mother again in the next life. Now go – you aren't safe here anymore."

"The rest of the guests have been cleared," Nareena said as she reappeared in the room. "This place is about to be overrun." As she said this she nodded towards the window frames, where the fairies were now clambering through the broken windows, their swords drawn.

"Go!" my dad said again, pushing me towards Nareena. "Get to safety while you still can. Niana, Nick – I'm trusting you to keep him safe." He turned to face me again then, smiling as he said, "I love you, Clint."

"Dad, wait..." I tried to shout as Niana grabbed me before taking her sister's hand. Then, as the barricade became overrun by the enemy, I caught one last glimpse of my father before a bright light flashed in front of my eyes and everything went black.

"Where are we?" I asked when my senses had returned to some form of normality, looking around to see the overgrown garden of an old cottage. As I looked I caught a glimpse of the house we'd just left in the near distance. "My dad, we have to go-" Before I could utter another word, however, there was a large flash of light and then the entire house vanished in a pillar of smoke.