Chapter 1

Okay, I think I lost whoever was chasing me. So far I'm running in the forest in my PJs and bunny slippers, and for the record, bunny slippers do not help with running in any way whatsoever. I stop at an opening in the forest, "Talila, are you there?" I asked.

"Yes, Ayla?" Talila answered.

"What do I do now, I'm being chased down like a wild animal," I explained while gasping for air. My legs gave up on me and I fell to the forest floor.

"Well, you could always get up and—"

"YOU STOP RIGHT THERE," The girl with midnight-colored hair yelled, interrupting Talila. I looked up in an instant to see the girl who had been chasing me was perched on a tree branch right above me.

"RUN FOR IT," Talila shouted. My body shot up and I started to run.

'How did she find me so fast?'

"Not so fast,'' a voice snickered. A tall boy with blondish hair and tanned skin towered over me. He grabbed me, pulled me into a bear hug, and lifted me off the ground. He was not very buff at all, just very strong, surprisingly.

"LET ME GO," I yelled, struggling to get out of his arms. The girl hopped from one branch to another till she reached the ground. She walked over to me and the boy.

"Stop that, you look like a 5-year-old child," the girl barked. I just stuck my tongue at her and kept resisting. "Do it again and I'll cut it off." She threatened blatantly stepping closer and moving a knife closer to my face.

"Why are you here, you don't look like a foreigner?" The girl explained. I didn't pay any attention to what she was saying but could see her facial features more clearly. She had scars and a big burn mark around her left eye.

Her eyes were a very dark purple? Then her ears were what took me out, they were pointy and long. Longer than mine. She is an elf? How is that possible? I snapped back into reality when the girl snapped her fingers in my face.

"Cause I am not," I retorted. She looked like she was about to snap at me until we both heard a big crash sound. The girl immediately stopped wavering the knife at my face.

"Knock her out and bring her to the clearing, we don't have time to deal with her now," The girl demanded, with that command she ran off in the direction of the sound. Next thing I knew something jabbed my neck. A dart, great. In a matter of minutes darkness clouded my vision.

......

"Nonna! Nonna! Nonna! Look, I drew a picture of the magic elves," Young Ayla shouted running into the kitchen. Holding a piece of paper and jumping into her grandmother's arms. She giggled in the arms of her grandmother as she was lifted into the air. Ayla handed her grandmother the piece of paper, her grandmother held the paper in her hands.

"Wow Ayla this is a very nice picture, I love it and I bet the Mythos elves will love it too, " Ayla's grandmother exclaimed.

"Really!?" Ayla cheered.

"Why don't we go up to the attic and hang it where they can see it," Her grandmother suggested, and Ayla nodded her head yes. So her grandmother led her up to the attic.

She pulled on a rope that was hanging from the ceiling, then a flight of stairs fell to the ground. With a loud thud, dust filled the air. Ayla was coughing and swatting the dust away from her face, and so was her grandmother.

"Up we go," Her grandmother began. She walked up the staircase and once she reached the top she set Ayla down on the wooden platform. Then she climbed up herself. "Ayla, you want to see something cool?" Her grandmother asked.

"YES!" Ayla yelled whilst clapping her hands. Her grandmother pulled out a necklace that was hidden inside her shirt. She set down the paper, clasped the necklace in her hands, and closed her eyes.

In her hands, the necklace began to glow a soft baby blue color. Ayla looked at her grandmother's necklace in awe. A small portal opened and soon it was big enough for a hand to fit.

"Ayla, do you want to give the picture to them?" Her grandmother suggested.

"Can I?" Ayla questioned gleefully. Her grandmother nodded and handed her the picture. Ayla took the picture and slid her hand through the portal. She let go of the picture and pulled her hand back out again. "Are you sure they are going to get my picture?" Ayla asked in suspicion.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure they do," Her grandmother reassured the little girl. Once she did, the portal closed.

......

I began to gain consciousness once again. I also gained a really bad headache. My eyes opened, to see my hands tied behind my back to an oak tree in a clearing. I still felt a little drowsy but had enough energy to struggle with the ropes.

I noticed the boy that had grabbed me, sitting at the root of a tree in front of me, fast asleep and drooling. This might be my only chance to get out of here. I felt my way on the ground. Rocks! They were sharp too! I grabbed one and started cutting my way through the ropes. Once I was through the ropes fell off, I stood up and dusted myself off. I started to tiptoe away from the clearing.

"Stop where you are right now if you don't want to get hurt," The girl yelled.

'Oh no she's back again.'

I couldn't pinpoint from where she was shouting, but I knew she was close.

'You're not getting me this time, I made the mistake of taking a break, not happening again.'

I started to make a run for it, but as soon as I put afoot an arrow was shot an inch in front of my bunny slippers.

'Oh, snickerdoodles.'

Then at least ten more were shot around me. One caught onto the fabric of my PJ pants, making sure I was unable to move. The girl walked out of the bushes. I instantly rushed to pull the arrow out, but it was like it was buried into the ground and weighted on.

With all the yelling, the boy managed to sleep through it like a baby. The girl was pissed off at that point. She walked over to the boy, knelt, and knocked on his forehead. Still didn't wake up. She was beyond pissed.

"RYOKO, YOU LAZY BUM, THE GIRL ALMOST GOT AWAY," She yelled with anger into his ear. The boy "Ryoko" jolted awake and scrambled to stand up.

"S-sorry, Tatsuya. I was a little tired and decided to sleep for a bit. I made sure that the ropes were tied tight though. But I don't know how she escaped," He apologized and scratched the back of his head, with a nervous look on his face.

"Don't worry though I'll catch her," Ryoko reassured Tatsuya. Still very pissed she pointed at me without a word. Still trapped in the ring of arrows and pulling on the arrow. I nervously waved back at him.

"What's with all the yelling?" A soft voice spoke. A girl about the same age as me, with soft fluffy silver hair, walked out of the bushes. Rubbing one eye and yawing, she must have woken up due to all the shouting.

"Kaida! Thank Heavens, help me! Please!" Ryoko babbled as he ran over to Kaida's side.

"What's going on?" Kaida asked, "And Who is she?" she spoke again, pointing at me.

'It's rude to point y'know.'

"Sorry, Kaida, Ryoko thought it was a good idea to sleep on watch duty when we have an uncooperative hostage," Tatsuya answered calmly, but still had a hint of anger in her voice when she said his name.

"Calm down, let's get everything in order first," Kaida suggests. They started their conversation without me.

'Wait a minute I haven't heard a single word from Talila in over a hot minute.'

I look down at my chest, where the amulet should be, and it's not there.

'This is bad.'

"Hello, can someone release me?" I yelled. Tatsuya pointed at me, and Ryoko sighed. He walked over to me and pulled out the arrow.

"No funny business please, I'm already in a lot of trouble," Ryoko sighed.

"Fine, but can I have my amulet back?" I asked him.

"Yeah about that... Tatsuya has it," He replied.

'GREAT'

He led me back to the tree. I sat down, my legs were tired anyway. "Can I have my amulet, please?" I asked, looking at Tatsuya.

"No, we have every possible reason to suspect that you are a threat to the village," Tatsuya replied sternly.