The Dark Adventure

      She heard blasts in the far distance; cries and shrieks from just outside the room. There was no escape from the Dark Faerie and the slightest possibility of victory was erased when her beasts began to attack. Mena frantically looked around the bedroom, she needed to find a way out and time was not on her side. Suddenly, everything grew quiet. The screams of her friends still echoed in her ears but now all she could hear was the growling from outside the bedroom door. The beasts had arrived and it was only a matter of time before they got inside.

      *thump* The bookcase wedged against the door shook in terror.

      *thump* Books began to fall to the ground, books that she cherished and loved to read were now sprawled across the floor. Mena knew the bookcase wouldn't hold - she had to get out.

      *thump* Mena nervously looked at the window - she would have to jump...it was her only option. She looked at her wings, torn from the earlier battle against the Dark Faerie. There was no way she'd be able to fly her way out but it was her only option. That was her escape.

      *thump* Mena jolted to the wind.ow. She looked down and stared at the 50 foot drop from the top of the castle's tower to the ground below. She looked back at the bedroom, taking a second to relive the memories she had there with her princess and the feeling of safety this room had given her. She looked back down and saw the garden of roses she had planted for her princess that summer when her father had passed away. As she looked her the roses below, Mena felt a sense of warmth that immediately turned into overwhelming sadness at the thought of never seeing her princess again.

      *thump* A growl emerged from the door, snapping her back to reality. She could see the purple nose of the beast and knew it was time to jump. Taking a deep breath in, Mena put all her energy into her legs as she pushed off the edge and began to fall.

      　　　Tumbling through the air, she tried to flap her wings but was unsuccessful; she knew it was impossible. Mena looked back down to the garden of roses that was quickly approaching and smiled. She focused on the garden and that summer and how hard it was to make the princess smile - but she did it.

      　　　She always made the princess smile, it was her job. But today, she failed. She failed to protect her princess and maybe this was her punishment for letting the Dark Faerie capture her. All the thoughts in her mind became irrelevant as she noticed how close she was getting to the ground. Mena closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable.

      *thump* She hit the ground and everything turned black.

      　　　Mena came to a few hours later. It was actually the smell of ash that awoke her; the particles trapped in her lungs. As her eyes slowly opened, all Mena saw was a blur of red and green from the garden she had landed in. She looked up at the sky and saw the bright blue muddled with hints of grey and black smoke coming from the castle. Mena slowly balanced herself up and took a look around. Destruction was everywhere - the castle grounds were were a smoky mess while the towers above were slashed to half their size. The place that she called home was unrecognizable, the people in her life were no where to be seen.

      　　　Mena closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead, slowly recreating what had happened the night before in her mind:

      　　　Whispers that the Dark Faerie's staff was missing circulated the town. Angering the Dark Faerie was one thing, but stealing the object that contained her power? That was something far much worse. No one had any idea who stole it or where it went...well no one except for Mena. Mena was used to the princess's shenanigans by now - traveling across worlds, going on adventures, "collecting" magical ornaments, but she never knew the princess would go this far. Usually she stuck to taking useless heirlooms and forgotten gems, but this time it was different - how was Mena to know that the princess would take it this far??

      　　　Of course the princess didn't care, "What is she going to do, Mena? Turn me into her ugly beasts??? Hahaha, but hoooow Mena??? I have her staaaaff," she had uttered. It was just another game to her, but Mena knew stealing the Dark Faerie's most prized possession wasn't a laughing matter, this was bad...real bad.

      　　　A nearby shriek snapped Mena back to reality. She frantically looked around trying to pin point the noise - it was coming from the caste gate. Mena limped over as fast as she could and turned the corner to find the castle's gatekeeper staring at a magical green Mena of smoke floating in front of him. A voice seemed to be coming from the Mena, a dark, raspy voice that became eerily familiar as Mena approached it.

      "Return my staff by sundown or else your precious princess will come to regret her foolish mistakes in the most sinister way. Please do not test my patience as the longer I must wait for my staff, the longer she must suffer. You know where to find me."

      　　　Mena’s eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped. Sundown was ten hours away and if Mena didn’t find the staff soon, her princess was doomed. Mena looked up at the castle, now in ruins. The staff had to be somewhere in there, the princess loved to hide her treasures throughout the castle so that little reminders of her adventures could be found everywhere, but how was Mena supposed to find the Dark Faerie’s staff? An artifact like that would’ve stuck out like a sore thumb and she knew the princess would’ve been especially delicate with the staff, knowing the power it held. Mena had to venture back into the castle to try to find the staff. Her chances of finding it were slim but she could not give up when the princess’ life was on the line.

      　　　Mena rushed into the castle and for the first time that day, she finally registered the impact of the attack on the place she called home. The castle lobby was unrecognizable - the chandelier that hung from the ceiling was now in pieces all over the floor, the dual staircase that lead to the first floor was now tattered and unusable, and the statue of the King that adorned the entrance was now tipped over emitting a greenish-purple haze from the Dark Faerie’s attack. Mena stared at the statue as it glowed, heartbroken. She thought of the promise she made the King when she had first joined the royal army - always protect the princess - that was her job and she had failed.

      　　　Mena looked back outside, it was only morning but the ash from the attack made it seem like they day was about to end. She was reminded of the Dark Faerie’s threat and decided this was not the time for pity, it was time for her to fight back and protect the princess like she swore to do. If the staff was anywhere in the castle, it would have to be in the princess’ room - there was no way the princess would let an artifact that powerful out of her sights. So, with that Mena was off on an adventure, alone, that would either save or destroy the princess's life.

      The End.