Shadow Princess

Chapter Twenty-One: Echoes in the Forest

Callista walks beside Phillip, her mind running rampant. The memories came back in a series of flashes, none in the correct order. She remembers the guard who took her and simply handed her over to the two men, a wad of cash in his grip as he watches them drive away. She remembers a small boy, who denied her anything when he visited her in the dungeon after she was captured. The boy and the man tortured her for days before she woke one day and the face of Tamara and Lukas looking down at her. They proclaimed to be her parents and just moved to a new town, settling into a new home.

There is so much she is remembering, nothing as painful as the memory wipe that she gave herself. Warrior Princess, the term of her line. When Callista asked him, Philip merely nodded, allowing her time to remember. When she did, she realizes that she did a good thing, but now that she is closing in on her eighteenth birthday, her life is about to get worse.

"So, about this Warrior Princess," she starts, her mind drawing a blank, "why me?"

Philip tosses his head in agitation, his eyes rolling. "It is getting annoying that your full memory has not returned," he sighs, "But when a child of the Warrior Princess line is born, a small pocket opens from our world to the Demon Realm. The King of Demons tries to escape, and the Warrior Princess has to be the one to shove him back in before it closes, leaving him here."

"Warrior Princess line?"

"Yes, your mother is part of it or was, but she fought this demon years before you were conceived. She came close to losing because the demon had an advantage over her." Philip explains, merging into his human form in mid-walk. Callista blanches, still not used to him shifting. Not that it should be that surprising for werewolves exists, as well as werecats.

"And when I was born, the pocket opened and since then?" She asks, the only thing she couldn't quite grasp.

"Yes, it has been open since you were born. Thanks to the King of Vampi, you lost a lot of practice. This journey will be hard, but with us you have a better chance." He pulls her to a stop, his eyes of amber stare at her as if trying to get a read of her emotions.

"And again, why me?" she asks, "What if I didn't accept the destiny?"

"It would've gone to your cousin, Kayla. If she refused, then the King of Demons would've taken the world. He would've stripped this realm dry, killing both the supernatural and mortals."

The memory of her mother and father sitting her down, with her brother. They explained everything, to what the prophecy will ensure. They always said nothing is set in stone when it comes to the future. The Fates could only help so much, so they give prophecies to help save this realm. Her brother grew irritated that it wasn't him, due to him being the first born. Mother has merely smiled, explaining that the King of Demons murdered the husband of the first of line. So, the woman has the power to pass down the certain fire to make sure he doesn't stay in the realm for long.

"I need the Warrior Flame." Callista mutters, studying Philip's face, "That is what I need to beat him."

"No, that is one thing you need. That is the weapon, but you need motivation and compassion to wield it."

Her eyes widen as she finally takes in their surroundings. They are still on the path, entering the cluster of trees, but the ground is full of blossoming blue flowers. They grow slowly, inching closer to her. A line vine curls around her leg, climbing her leg. It stops at her thigh and she tries to kick it off, sending a look to Philip, but he is gone.

Panicking, more vines crawl toward her, covering her slowly. A pressure in her chest begins to build, but she exhales, her muscles relaxing. Nothing is going to take her away from her only family left. Callista doesn't understand the importance of this tests, taking extremes.