Magic of Ash

Beginning of the End

I grew up on fairytales, on knights in shining armor and damsels in distress, on things like fairies, dragons, and elves. They exist in our imaginations and come to life only in the pages of a story. At least, that's what I thought before. My name is Andromeda Iris Nox and my world has changed completely. I've lived in a small town all my life. My dad walked out on me when I was a baby and my mom is off working on her next novel. She's travelled all over the world writing and signing books. Eillen Nox is a critically acclaimed author, everyone knows about the Albornia Chronicles. Her fantasy masterpiece that took the literary world by storm. We were well off, her novels had made her millions so I lived in a small house inside the surrounding forest while she was away. I liked the way the walls were covered in pictures of our travels and how plants hung from the ceiling. I liked how it was my home. I wish I had cherished it a little longer. It was a sunny day, much like the last and I was walking through a nearby glen in search of herbs for a salve. A crow had flown into my window and had badly injured its foot. I was searching for the things to help it when I heard a small growl from close by. I smiled to myself as I looked up to see bright blue eyes staring at me from the shadows.

"Ciaran, come here!" I yelled loudly.
A small white blur began barreling towards me and soon I was on the ground being licked. Ciaran was a small grey wolf that I had found years ago. We had bonded as I raised her, she had been abandoned by her mother and I was the only family she had. She was free to leave as she wished, but most days were spent with her by my side. Avalon usually followed, but tended to find a sunny spot to nap in rather than come along. As if she was called by the thought of her name, the white fox trotted into the glen.

"Avalon, what have you been up to?"
   
All I got in response was an exasperated huff. She jumped onto my shoulders, curling around my neck and promptly fell asleep. I nuzzled my face against her soft fur and headed home. The walk was quick, the chirping of songbirds filled my ears. I knew it was going to be a good day. Then the songbirds stopped singing. The gurgling of the nearby river went silent, and even the shaking of the leaves ceased. Something was wrong. The chills up and down my back were telltale. I whirled around looking for the source of the silence and saw a boy standing there. He seemed to be tall, taller than me at least, with inhuman red hair. As he stalked closer I could see the light glint across his green and gold eyes. The wind ruffled his hair and I could see two pointed ears poke through. Everything in my body told me to run, but my feet felt like they were planted into the ground below me.

"Are you Andromeda?" His cool voice questioned.
   
I could only manage a faint nod. He came closer to me and I could see how easily he towered over me. He moved with predatory grace and a small part of me cowered down further
than my already short height would allow.

"Good. Then we'll be off."

Off? Off where? With him? What could he possibly want with me?

My thoughts were racing at all of the possibilities of why this stranger would tell me to come with him. Was he a crazy fan of my mother's? He did look like one of the characters from her book.

"Who are you and what do you want?" I asked.

"My name is Orion and you need to come with me. Now."

"Why would I need to come with---"
   
My sentence was interrupted by the sound of loud hoofbeats and distant yelling.

"O-okay, now then." I stammered.
   
Before I could realize what was happening, we were running. It was faster than I knew I could move, the trees were a faint green and brown blur. We stopped for only a second before we were off again. When I finally realized where we were, I was shocked to find that we were at my house. Orion pushed me towards the door and locked it firmly behind us.