Lexy woke up to the sound of knocking on her bedroom door. She got up and got dressed before she went over to open the bedroom door. Lexy looked up to see Thokath. He gave a warm smile, “Do you want to practice some archery?”

Lexy smiled and nodded before she went over to her dresser. She grabbed her father’s knife, along with her bow and arrow.

She came back to the door to see Thokath with his bow and arrow case. The two headed downstairs and out to the archery range. A pleasant silence between the two as they walked outside to see a beautiful day outside. 

Thokath got his bow ready while Lexy got her glove on. The two practiced until the silence was interrupted by the sound of Thokath’s phone ringing. Thokath sighed with a kind of defeat in his eyes when he pulled the phone out, “I'm sorry I hoped I could have gotten more time with you.”

He then pushed a button on the phone before he talked to whoever was on the other end. He talked as he cleaned up his equipment and went inside. 

Lexy sighed and put her arrows away into her quiver. She frowned as she sat down and realized there was no Callum coming to cheer up her situation. She looked to the woods and frowned, “as much as I don't want to. I'm going back.” She looked back to the house, “I'm sorry Thokath.”

Lexy closed her eyes, put her hood up and focused on charter. She felt her hairs go on end as she heard the singing of birds fade away. It was replaced by the sound of people going about their business. 

Lexy focused on sticking to the darker corners of the streets and listening to the people talk. She listened as two women walked by. The first spoke with wide nervous eyes, “You didn’t hear? A nevermore flew north of charter and is trying to make a nest there.”

The other woman gasped, “No, I didn't. Oh golly do you think the royal guards will be able to keep it from making a nest there.”

The first shook their heads, “No I don't but I heard they're already headed out.”

Lexy frowned and closed her eyes. She thought of the hydra and it’s cave. Her eyes shot open when she heard wing beats and the sound of something scaly shaking. She looked to her left to see the hydra curled up by the entrance of the cave. All of the hydra’s heads gazed at the sky as it quaked with fear. 

Lexy frowned, “what’s wrong?” Her question was answered by a huge shadow looming over them followed by more wing beats. She walked up to the hydra right as the biggest bird Lexy had ever seen landed fifty feet away.

This bird had four wings and claws at the folding point of each. This was clearly the nevermore, with its midnight feathers and serrated beak. But most of all it’s size, this bird at minimum stood at least eighty feet tall.

Lexy’s eyes widened, when the bird set it’s gaze on the hydra it’s eyes glimmered with interest. She knew what she had to do right at that moment. Lexy took off her bow and loaded it with an arrow. She began to run and take aim, “Hey bird brain over here!” 

She let her arrow fly and to every party's surprise the arrow hit nevermore. The bird wasn’t hurt by the arrow but it did seem to make it look for where that came from. Only to see Lexy. The nevermore tilted it’s head before it let out a hiss as it flailed out its wings and opened its mouth.

Lexy quickly reloaded her bow and fired. This arrow didn’t hit. The bird was getting really close, too close. It was going to eat her and she screamed. 

****

Lexy awoke to hearing the hydra panicking, “Holly shit, you killed that thing.” 

Lexy sat up, “I what?” 

She opened her eyes and there for all to behold was a dead nevermore. But what was most disturbing was the twenty foot diameter hole in the chest of the bird. It’s blood brought an iron tinge to the air along with the scent of burnt flesh.

Lexy’s eyes widened; she couldn’t pry her eyes away from the cavity in the giant bird. How did she do that? How could that have even worked? 

The hydra hissed when he saw on the horizon people riding in on tiger horses. But they were Anawrath guardsmen. With their light dark red tunics and flags, “The royal guards are here for the Nevermore and if you don’t leave soon for you to!”

Lexy still couldn’t pry her gaze away from the dead body. The world was like static from a t.v. 

General Fenic rode in leading his soldiers. Fenic’s gaze landed on the dead bird and he could feel the shock from his toups.

Albis looked at the hole and frowned, “Sir did The mistress of time visit or did the king?”

Fenic shook his head and then his gaze widend when his eyes set on Lexy staring at the dead Nevermore. He huffed, “kill the hydra. I will take the child.”

Lexy tore her gaze from the nevermore and her eyes met Fenic’s. Quickly Lexy grabbed her fathers knife.Fennec glared at Lexy, “I recommend for your safety you come with us.”

Lexy glared, “and let you kill the hydra? Yeah no.”

Albis frowned when he looked to the horzen with a spyglass, “Sir we have rebels incoming and.” he paused and shuddered, “Their being lead by their cursed son.”

Fenic cursed under his breath, “Damn it they mean business. Men get ready for battle, we are not letting these scumbags take our prize!”

 Lexy watched as rebels in response drew their swords and weapons. Fenicc got off his horse, “I don't have time to deal with this. Come with me now!”

Lexy glared and she tightened her grip on her fathers knife, “Like hell i'm going back to you. You nitwit!”

Fenic huffed and went in to grab her, only for Alcore to come riding in with his sword at the ready. Quickly Alcore slashed his sword for Fenic. Fenic drew his sword just in time for himself not to get hit. While Lexy dived and rolled to the side to get out of the way.

Alcore got off his tiger horse and looked to Lexy, “Protect.” He then looked to Fenic and smirked, “So we meet again, general.”

Lexy watched in awe as this tiger horse protected her from enemy soldiers with its teeth and claws. The beast gave out a roar at their next foe before they attacked them.

General Fenic fiercely battled his foe. Sweat dripped down his face as he offered Alcore a chance to surrender.

“Alcore you are outnumbered. You should have some sense. Save what troops you have left and submit to me.”

A deep throated laughter erupted from Alcore’s throat. “You are a fool, Fenic. You actually thought this was all I brought with me? Surender? Ha!”

Fenic smeared, “Seriously?? Are you blind? Can you not see that you are beat?”

Then the battlefield is darkened by the shadow of an epic sized creature. Terror siezed Fenic’s soul. Dread filled his eyes as he watched the beast land.

The pungent smell of fear mixed with death filled Jackson’s nostrils. The beast snorted and hot steam covered the land.

“Retreat!” Fenic called out to his troops, he knew all too well the capabilities of a dragon this size. The Anawrath guards scattered like ants but were too slow. 

The dragon took in a deep breath and then exhaled an inferno at his foes. 

Lexy watched in awe as sand turned to glass. But the awe changed to horror when the soldiers began to scream as they died. She shuddered, it was different when it was monsters. 

Alcore looked over to Lexy and walked past his tiger horse. The beast calmed as he passed and followed shortly behind him.

Lexy frowned, “Are you going to hurt me?”

Alcore smirked, “Littleone if I wanted to hurt you I would have done that a while ago. Now are you ok?”

Lexy nodded and sighed, “So what are you going to do with me?”

Alcore looked to the nevermore and frowned, “Who did this? Did you see them?”

Lexy eyed the dragon and then the nevermore, “No I didn’t see who did this.” 

Alcore hummed and looked back to Lexy, “Hey I think we really got off on the wrong foot earlier.”

Lexy scoffed, “Bad foot? Bad foot you tied me up to a chair that was bolted to the ground. You gave me a free tattoo. That's far more than just a bad foot! That's the whole dabm leg!”

Alcore sighed and his eyes held remorse, “and it’s because of me youre in this situation in the first place. So let me be the first to say I'm sorry. This world is scary and you don’t know who to trust. But from what I've seen your pretty strong for a kid youre age.” 

Alcore paused and looked Lexy in the eyes, “How did you get here anyway, also what was with the hydra?”

Lexy frowned, “I'll tell you but only if you and your comrades promise not to tie me to a chair again. Otherwise I can not go with you and if you try half the things you did before I am not scared to bite you.”

Alcore raised a brow and looked back at some of his team before he looked back to Lexy, “I promise not to tie you to a chair.

Lexy nodded, “Verry well, I'll tell you how I ended up back here. I was home and I went to practice my archery. When I met a boy who could vail hop on his own. He was there because he needed flowers to heal his mom. 

So I decided to help him. Plus I encountered the warden apparently it was after me for some reason. Come after a few days of helping him. It was tax day as you people call it and I don't think that family should lose another child when apparently they already lost one to the Anawrath soldiers.

So I gave myself up. Then I was brought here and they tried to take my stuff so I bit one of the soldiers. Then because I'm too stubborn and don't have enough magic to be of use to them. They left me here. Told me if I wanted to be trained by them I would prove myself by going out in the desert and finding them. Then all this other stuff happened.” 

Lexy paused her rambling and sighed, “Any questions?”

Alcore and Jackson looked at each other and then at Lexy. Alcore was the first to speak,

“Wait if it was after you then that means you're not.”

Alcore paused for a bit and looked back to Lexy.

“How does joining rebellion sound to you now that all this has happened?”

Lexy hummed softly, while she ran fingers through her hair. She knew she would either have to make a deal with these guys or take her chances with the dragon. She shuddered thinking back to the soldiers. Lexy sighed

“One condition is that if I join I have to go to Thokath daily. He’s my caregiver and he’s probably worried sick right now. That is my only condition, in return for letting me do this I will help you go against the Anawrath soldiers. Plus I'm going to love seeing the bastards' faces when they see me alive.”

Alcore smirked,

“I think you have yourself a deal there.”

Alcore looked to Jackson,

“Take her to the same place last time. Then retrieve her from there by noon.”

Jackson nodded,

“Yes, sir.”