The Land Never Lost

Chapter 14

The sunlight slowly crept in through the circular window in Trinkett's bedroom. The room of the princess looked nothing like the "room of a princess". Ramona teased that Trinkett took extra measures to keep it messy. Trinkett was awake long before the sun shone through the window. She was reluctantly getting dressed. Normally she would don her green skirt, white leather boots, and favorite green leather jacket. Today, she was dressed regally in the manner Trinkett was "supposed" to be. She hated it and didn't try to hide it.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Ramona opened the door slowly and poked her head through. When she caught a glimpse of Trinkett she laughed. Ramona walked to the side table and picked up the stunning golden tiara. She placed it on the princess' head. Ramona studied Trinkett, who was looking more annoyed with every passing second. Trinkett curtsied sarcastically. Ramona returned the gesture in sincerity.

"You look lovely my friend. The king will be pleased."

Trinkett rolled her eyes, "My father will find something to be displeased with. I wonder what he feels is so urgent he needs me back at the palace. He could just send a messenger like always."

Ramona smiled sympathetically. She sat on the edge of Trinkett's bed with her legs crossed. The girls had been best friends forever. Trinkett was close with all of the Fallen, but Ramona was the one person she felt understood her completely. To every fairy in Pan, she was Princess Fairbelle. To the Fallen, she was the protector Trinkett. Ramona knew they were one in the same.

"Indulge the King for one day Trinkett. He doesn't ask much of you."

Trinkett nodded in agreement. Ramona was always right. "Okay, I shall indulge in my regality" Trinkett said in a mocking accent. She and Ramona laughed.

"Unfortunately I cannot accompany you to the palace. With everything that happened last night, you bringing Peter here, and my research, I'm much too preoccupied."

"Oh Peter!" Trinkett had been so wrapped up in the thought of meeting with her father she forgot about the human boy she brought back to Pan.

Ramona eased her Princess' worries. "Peter is fine. More than fine actually. Leif has started the boy's training in harnessing nemerald. They are in the Room of Rumination as we speak." Trinkett let out a sigh of relief. There was no one Peter was safer with. Ramona continued, "Brutus and Blink took off before the sun came up. Probably in the human world hunting glooms. Who knows?"

"So Belias it is." Trinkett said. "Let me know when he arrives."

"He's already here." Ramona turned to leave and Trinkett followed.

On the porch of the tree house stood Belias Gemini. The hooded fairy was sitting on the railing of the porch, his feet hanging off the edge. When he noticed Trinkett and Ramona, Belias stood up quickly and bowed.

"Good morning princess." Belias said quietly. "Good morning Ramona."

"Belias, is there anything new to report from the palace?". Ramona turned to Trinkett, "Last night I sent Belias to the castle to see if he could gauge what the King might want with you today."

"Sorry to say King Fairbelle was wary when he saw it was me he was meeting with." Belias smirked. "The commander of the King's Knights is very careful. I can't sneak past him." Belias' normally dull green eyes flashed with that last statement. Cadman Belargus was the highest ranking Knight in Riordan Fairbelle's court. No fairy was more trusted by the king in all of Pan, not even Trinkett.

"Not sure spying on the King would go over well, Belias." Ramona said. "Cadman has long opposed our mission to continue fighting glooms for the humans. My guess is he is pressuring the King for the leniency he has given the Fallen. Your father turns a blind eye to our activity, that might be a convenience we won't have much longer."

Trinkett chuckled, "All I have to do is buy us some more time. With the discovery of Peter, we won't have to oppose my father for very long.".

"You overestimate how charming you are." Ramona teased Trinkett. "Belias watch over the princess."

Belias bowed. Trinkett and Ramona hugged. The fairy princess ran towards the stairs and leapt off the porch. Two glowing wings of green energy appeared from her back and she flew high above the trees.

Ramona stopped Belias before he could follow, "We have to talk when you return. I've discovered some information that concerns me."

Belias nodded silently. He threw his hood back over his head and shot into the sky. The two fairies raced off towards the palace.

Back inside the Room of Rumination Leif continued explaining to Peter. "Perhaps if I explained it more like a power you could grasp the idea better. Think of the nemerald itself as the power. However, the way it manifests is different for whoever is wielding it. One cannot choose how it will manifest. A lot like the nature we draw from, your type of nemerald is a natural occurrence. You can only choose how you will use your type. Stand up Peter."

Excitedly Peter rose to his feet. Leif stood facing the boy and held out both of his giant hands. Peter copied the fairy. "Basically there are two ways someone can use it. The first way is using nemerald to enhance your own physicality. Make you jump higher. Become more durable. Increase your speed. We call these users, Spikes."

"The second way to use nemerald is by transferring it into the world around you. Healing would be an example. Or something like this." Leif walked to a tree and snapped off a small branch. His eyes glowed as the nemerald flowed from his hands into the branch. Peter watched as the branch grew thicker and longer until Leif was now holding a massive three foot club with flowers coming out of the wide end. "For users of it such as myself, we are called Stokes."

Peter was staring wide eyed. "That is awesome!"

"I guess awesome is a fine description." Leif smiled. "First, you must focus on yourself. Think about what makes Peter... Peter. Then, after you have a firm grasp of that, I want you to picture that essence taking form and materializing. Finally, you will have to draw that essence out of you. The same way one would throw. Wind it up, aim, and release. It should look... like that!" Leif stood in awe as Peter was now faintly glowing an emerald light all around his body.

Peter forced a smile on his strained face and said, "I don't think I got the release part down, but this feels like I'm wound up and aiming." Leif circled the boy. When he was facing Peter again, the boy noticed he was holding the large branch-club. Leif smiled, his eyes closing behind chubby cheeks, and swung the club at Peter. Peter stumbled backward and narrowly avoided getting whacked.

"What the heck was that for?!" Peter said as he shot up, wiping off his shorts. "You praise me and then take a cheap shot?"

Leif calmly hefted his club onto his shoulders. "Is our mission to have you glow like a firefly or to dispel glooms? You are so out of focus because of my actions did you notice you stopped using nemerald?"

Peter looked down and saw his body was back to its regular color. He had only thought of not getting hit. "I get it, big guy. Using nemerald is a constant thing. I have to always be in tune with it, otherwise there is really no point." Leif nodded. Peter swung his arms and crouched down.

Leif walked backwards ten feet. He held the club down by his side and said, "Use yours and keep using it no matter what happens. As soon as I notice a glow, I'm attacking." The Room of Rumination was enclosed in a sea of violet and with a sudden blast of green energy the giant fairy and boy clashed.