Ark Lore part 3: Where It All Began

in the Ballroom

"Okay Anya what color should the table clothes be," Alvin said while holding up a back and purple color tablecloth. But Anya didn't hear him. Her mind was elsewhere five years ago.

"A-Anya, just be...g-good for... me ok? I-I'm not.. going to live... I'm ahh I... I don't want to die A-Anya...help," Kaitlyn's last words echoed in her head causing her to not be able to focus. Tears began to form in her eye wetting her red fur on her face.

"Uhh earth to Anya? Did you hear me? Which color do you think would go better?" Alvin asked, waving his hand in front of her face.

"Oh sorry just thinking about something," Anya mumbled, trying to wipe tears away as she didn't want to worry Alvin.

"Okay, but black or purple?" Alvin asked once again. Anya couldn't take it anymore. She missed Kaitlyn so much, her mother figure, she couldn't take it anymore and sprinted out of the ballroom. "Um okay please don't do anything stupid!" Alvin yelled as Anya ran out of the door. Anya continued to run around the place until she ran into a servant causing her to drop the empty tray in her hand.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Anya yelled as she continued to run down the hallway. Anya eventually made her way to her destination, the vault, but the guards stopped her before she could open the door.
"Your Highness you shouldn't be here," A guard told her. Anya sighed and walked sadly back to her quarters. Anya unlocked the door and walked into the dining/kitchen area of the quarters to find a mess of clothes littered along the floor, and soft moans coming from Zac and Raymond's bedroom. Anya shivered and blocked her ears and walked over to the island counter and grabbed what she came for, Zac's tome. She knew Arks couldn't use magic, but she was desperate and was willing to try anything. Anya flipped through the detailed pages looking for the finished teleportation spell. She smiled as she remembered Zac's happiness when he perfected the spell, he was now able to teleport almost anywhere without draining massive amounts of energy. It may have taken him a few years, but Zac did finish it.

"Yes," Anya whispered to herself as she found the right page. Anya closed her eye and tried to focus on the book, but thoughts of that day five years ago filled her head. Her hand wobbled on the page and hissed, trying to get the thoughts out of her head.

"I don't want to die A-Anya...help," those words filled Anya's head causing her to cry and drop Zac's tome on the floor, Anya felt a familiar feeling come over her it was warm and welcoming, Anya opened her eye and she found herself inside the vault. Anya forced herself to hold back her excitement at solving Raymond's life question but she still had no idea how she did it. Anya quickly wiped her tears and happily looked around the vault looking for it, the Bow of Loyalty, it hung on the wall. The Stone of Dexterity reflected the light that shone on it. Anya became transfixed by it, it felt like it was trying to speak to her. She cautiously lifted it off of the mount, and became engulfed in the light blue light of the stone of dexterity. Anya reached for the quiver and strapped it to her back. Anya picked up Zac's tome and focused again in an attempt to teleport out, but instead of the kitchen of her quarters she was on the roof of the palace.

"Close enough," Anya thought to herself. She flew down and into an open window into the kitchen. She placed Zac's tome back to where she thought it was and left the front door into the palace, Bow of Loyalty in hand. Anya walked throughout the empty halls hoping not to run into anyone, eventually Anya made her way to the archery range. The archery range was empty, Anya was alone, and she could finally be herself. She threw the golden tira that floated above her horns on a bench and grabbed an arrow from the quiver, her red fingers ran down the copper shaft down to the feathers as she pulled back the bow string. The arrow felt heavy, but Anya thought that was normal. A thought ran through Anya's head causing her to hesitate.

"Are these arrows the arrows Kaitlyn died with...? Have these been here since her death? Would she have wanted me to fire these...? Am I worthy of a weapon like this?" A shiver ran down Anya's spine but she bit her lip, making herself snap out of it.

The arrow head began to glow a light blue as Anya aimed at the target. Anya let out a sigh before releasing the arrow, the arrow flew glowing light blue, as it made contact with the target it exploded destroying few adjacent targets and creating a loud boom. "Ooops," Anya said loudly as she did not know that it was an explosive arrow.

"Anya how did you get that?" A deep voice asked.

"Ahhh uncle Lars, hey what's up," Anya said nonchalantly after jumping back while attempting to hide the Bow of Loyalty behind her back.

"Anya, I'm not mad that you broke into the vault, I'm hella impressed," Lars said sitting down on a bench.

"Oh good, you're not mad," Anya said, sitting down next to Lars placing the Bow of Loyalty on her lap.

"So, why did you go into the vault?" Lars asked.

"I... I miss mom," Anya broke out crying.

"Hey kid I miss her too, she's the reason we are standing here right now," Lars said reassuring Anya. Lars slumped his arm over Anya's shoulder and rubbed her back.

"It's all I have of her that hasn't been locked up in a museum," Anya cried out before looking up at Lars.

"Hey it's okay, the bow is yours. Please keep it, " Lars admitted, accepting that Anya has grown up now. A smile spread across Lars' face and he chuckled when he remembered the memories he shared with Kaitlyn; it all just seemed like yesterday. What made him smile the most was that Kaitlyn's legacy could be carried onto Anya, and that her death wouldn't be in vain.

"Really!" Anya shouted as she hugged Lars.

"Yes, I'm tired of seeing that bow sit and collect dust. It's been waiting long enough for a worthy archer to wield it, and that is you kid," Lars said while placing Anya's tira back on her horns.

"Thanks Uncle, I uh should really clean up the mess I made huh," Anya said as she looked down at the destroyed targets.