Lunar Mage

The night was dark and cold. The ice covered ground made her cloths cling to the dumpster walls. There was nobody around, no one to hear her tears, or to save her from the frigged air. The alleyway was dark, and she could hear the patter of rodent feet against rusted metal. The little girl curled closer to the dumpster walls, holding tight to the heating amulet that her mother gave her, before wild-magic took hold of the woman's life. The amulet provided some warmth, but the girl didn't know how to use it, or even how to increase the amount of heat it gave off.

She turned in the snow, coating her body with loose snowflakes. The girl didn't know how long the heating amulet would hold out, and if it died, she'd freeze to the old dumpster's walls. A tear rolled down her cheek as another tremor of cold shook her. Only time could tell when she would finally lose her life.

Footsteps began to echo against the stone walls that surrounded the dumpster. They were rapid beats against the icy pavement. Almost as if they were in a hurry to go somewhere. It was well past midnight, and normally, every being on Planet Talba would be snuggled in the warmth of their house.

The footsteps stopped in front of the old, rusted dumpster. Hope flooded through the little girl. She might be saved, even though it could be a mage hunter looking for a midnight snack, she'd be away from the cold. Away from the weakness the cold brought with it.

The lid to the dumpster opened, and the girl could see a thin figure wrapped in several layers of cloth that protected it from the frigged air. “What are you doing here?” It was a woman's voice, light and soft as a mothers to an infant. Hope ingnighted even more in the girl's chest. She could be saved.

“N. . .no where t. . . to go.” The girl stuttered, finding it hard to talk in the freezing weather. She lifted her head slightly to try and see the woman better. The girl noticed that she had long hair that swayed in the chilled breeze.

“Where are your parents?” The woman asked. She pealed a layer of cloth off of her body and held it out for the little girl.

The girl reached out for the cloths and held them to her body graciously. “Mom's d. . . dead and d. . . dad left m. . . me.” She admitted. A tear froze to her cheek, numbing the small patch of skin. The girl used the back of her hand to wipe the frozen water away before it was stuck there perminently.

“You truly are alone, aren't you?” The woman asked sincerely. When the girl nodded, she held out her hand to help the child out.

The girl accepted the help and stumbled to her knees. Her tattered cloths giving way under the effort to rise, making her even more vulnerable to the weather's hostilities. The child held back a whimper as a slice of skin ripped after it refused to leave the cold dumpster's wall.

The woman lifted the girl out of the dumpster and set the child on the ground at her feet. “What's your name child?”

“L. . . Liliana,” The girl curtsied stiffly, “What's y. . . yours?”

“You may call me Mrs. Monroe,” The woman returned the gesture angelically. She looked down at Liliana's neck and frowned. She took hold of the amulet and her frown deepened. “Your a mage's child. That may appose a problem.” The woman tucked the heated metal under the girl's tattered shirt. “Keep this hidden for now, okay?”

Liliana nodded and allowed Mrs. Monroe to guide her through the cold alleyway. Her feet shuffled, stiffly, over the ice. “W. . . where are w. . . we going?” she asked, hoping it was somewhere warm.

“To a ship that would take you out of the cold. I already have a ticket that would allow you to board. All I need for you to do is to act human.” Mrs. Monroe pulled the girl around the corner, where a ship hovered just above the ground. It was about the size of a large elephant and could only hold about 50 beings, including the pilot. It looked like a giant metal bird, meant to glide through the universe with the speed and grace of a hummingbird.

“W. . . where would it t. . . take me?” The girl asked looking at the craft with wounder. It was the finest ship she had ever seen.

“To a small planet called Earth, the water planet. There are no mages there, and it's inhabitants don't want any to enter it's atmosphere.” The woman informed, “But don't be discouraged. I'll make sure you're placed safely on board.”

The small couple walked up to the entrance platform. A tall, dark skinned man asked them for their tickets. Mrs. Monroe provided one small ticket and said, “I only have enough for my daughter to board. Would you be kind enough to guide her to an orphanage, when the ship lands?”

The man nodded and removed the slip of paper from her hand. He typed in the postal code, that was written on the front, into a gray machine that was used to verify refugees. A green light flashed and he looked down at her. “She may enter.”

Mrs. Monroe turned Liliana to face her, and knelt down so that they were eye to eye. “Be safe Lila. When I gain enough mons to pay for another ticket, I'll join you on the planet of warmth.”

The girl nodded and hugged the kind woman, “Thank you, mom,” She said, fitting nicely into the roll she'd been given. She pulled away to look at the woman in the light for the the first time. She had dark blue eyes that matched the midnight sky. Eyes that looked so much like her own. Her black hair dangled at her chest. “Stay warm, alright.” Liliana allowed the dark skinned man to lead her into the ship's interior.

“Be safe young child,” Mrs Monroe whispered to herself, “I only wish the best of your knew life on Earth.” She kissed her blue fingers and stepped off of the entrance ramp. She pulled her jacket closer to her body and headed back down the alleyway, toward her rundown apartment.



---------------------------



The loud chime of an alarm clock sounded in the small apartment. Liliana turned over in the uncomfortable mattress and switched it off. It was 7pm. Time to get ready for work. Liliana groaned and pulled the comforters off of her body. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, and stood in the empty apartment room. It was small and smelled of musty water, but it was the only room she could afford, and with a pile of logs burning in the fireplace, the small room was quite comfortable.

Liliana pulled off her fuzzy pajamas and slipped into a pair of light blue jeans, and a loose T-shirt. She adjusted her necklace so no one would notice the amulet she wore. She quickly brushed her hair and pulled on a heavy over coat, and old, worn tennis shoes, then headed downstairs and out the door of the apartment complex.

The sun was starting to set on the horizon, illuminating the clouds with bright orange and yellows, that reflected off of the snowy hills. If she was lucky, she would be able to spot Talba's sun before all the brighter stars' lights overpowered it's dim illumination.

Within minutes, Liliana arrived at the large, dome-like building. The dome was made out of pure crystal, that amplified the stars' lights even more than the telescope inside of it. During the day, the building had to be closed because, like the stars, the dome also magnified the sun's rays, and caused blindness to some.

Liliana unlocked the crystal door and entered. The room was a dark, spacious area. A large telescope sat on an axis, that allowed it to coordinate any star known to the human race and some that weren't. There were audience seats that surrounded the telescope, for when she had a class older than 15 that actually wanted to learn about astronomy, rather than look at the stars that surround them.

Liliana walked over to the telescope and punched in the coordinates to her home planet's sun. The telescope spun on it's axis and pointed at the dying star. The star twinkled on the edge of the spiral galaxy, known as the Milky Way. It was a white color, no longer the white of it's red. The star flickered in the telescope's eye, almost as if it were greeting Liliana

“What are you looking at, Lila?” Liliana jumped at her friend's sudden presents. He was looking over her shoulder at the telescopes display screen. His copper eyes observing the star with curiosity.

She didn't understand why he insisted on calling her Lila, rather than her full name, Liliana. He started calling her by the name shortly after they had met several years ago. She guessed it was just because the nickname was shorter, and easier to remember. Either way, there was no way to change his mind.

Liliana readjusted the image so she could see it better. “You have to stop sneaking up on me like that, Aoife. You're going to give me a heart attack one of these days.”

The large teenager chucked. His necklaces clinked against his chest. “What is that?” Aoife pointed at the dull star. “You seem to look at it an awful lot.”

Liliana shrugged her shoulders as if the question didn't mean much to her. “It's my star. My mother bought it for me before they outlawed star trading. It's all I have to remember her.” Liliana said, stretching the truth of her words. When had he noticed her seeing it before? He was so silent when he entered, it could have been any time.

Aoife leaned closer to see the star more efficiently, “It looks kind of sickly, don't you think?” He ran his finger across the screen that displayed the dull star. As if to respond to his touch, the monitor flicker, then blinked off. “The screen must be malfunctioning again. I'll take a look at the circuits. Until then, keep everyone away from the control panels.” Liliana watched as Aoife stepped away from the telescope and into the control room, disappearing from sight.

Liliana released a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. What if he noticed the three planets that orbited the star? Would he realize her national background? Would he hall her off to jail, just for the reward money? Liliana shivered at the thought of being cuffed and drugged, then dragged to an unknown institute. Once there, she'd be tested on until she died of dehydration, or starvation. Which ever came first.

The door to the store room's bells rang, letting Liliana, and Aoife, know that they had a customer.

Liliana climbed to her feet, and headed to the store room, where several astronomical gifts where purchased by adoring customers. The store itself was surrounded by brick walls, unlike the domed room. It was also much smaller that the domed room, only about a third of its size.

At the checkout counter, a man with a long, dark overcoat, that swayed at his ankles, stood, tapping his fingers on the counter top irritably. He wore brand new steel-toed boots, as black as coal. His hair was short, and was also pitch black. His eyes where dancing across the room, examining his surroundings, and perhaps looking for possible escape routs. She wondered what all he saw, and yet, knew he hadn't missed anything.

Liliana claimed her spot behind the cash register, “How may I help you, sir?” She asked, repeating the store regulations of the cashier.

The man made one last revolution around the small store before settling his gaze on Liliana. His ice blue eyes swept over her, making her feel uncomfortable. “I'm looking for a Liliana Taulbah.” His voice was almost a sneer, but she couldn't tell whether it was the name, or her at this moment.

A shiver of warning ran down Liliana's spine. “What do you want with her?” She asked, trying her best to sound calm, though a mental voice was screaming for her to run. The urge to flee bubbled up inside her, and she struggled to keep it at bay.

“Confidential. Do you know where she is?” The man asked, his tone was stuck in a cycle of boredom. His blue eyes examined her thoroughly, noting every blemish that flawed her soft features.

Liliana shifted uneasily on her feet, “I'm Liliana Taulbah, scientist and known astronomer. Now, what is it that you want from me?”

At the statement, the man straightened his posture, and folded his arms at his lumbar. The heals of his boots clicked, military style. He lifted his chin and spoke in a tone that would have only been used in the presence of a superior officer. “Lieutenant Douglas is in need of your assistance. He has been told that you are the best astronomer in the galaxy.” It amazed Liliana the difference in his composure when she told him her identity.

“What's going on here?” Aoife asked from the door way. He was leaning against the door frame, with his arms crossed over his chest. His dark brown eyes were rolling over the customer with distaste. “What's the military dog doing here?”

The man glanced over to the newcomer, is eyes narrowed menacingly. “What was that?”

Aoife smiled with satisfaction, his insult giving him the results he wanted, “You heard me. You must be Dwight Stormfield.”

The man scowled, “Devyn. I take it you've heard of my family.”

“Of course,” Aoife shifted his weight lazily. “Your family takes people to help the lieutenant and then they become dogs of the military, and I bet half of them were just so you can keep an eye on the untrustworthy. So, I ask you again. Why is the military dog here?”

A muscle ticked under the man, Devyn's, jaw, “I'm here to escort Miss Taulbah to the military base. There she would help the lieutenant with a slight problem that has occurred.”

“And what problem might that be? A whole in the ozone layer? Global warming?” Aoife asked deliberately, knowing that the whole in the ozone has been declared a false accusation in the early 21st century.

“You better watch your mouth, you filthy. . .”

“Hay!” Liliana interrupted, stepping in between the feuding couple. “There will be no fighting here.” To Devyn she said, “I'm not going to any military base, with anyone.” Liliana strolled out of the room, her worn sneakers tapping against the tile floor as she walked.

Aoife mockingly saluted to the soldier and followed Liliana out of the room, leaving the soldier to contemplate what had just happened. Devyn shook his head and left the building. Preparing to come back later.

When Liliana returned to the crystal dome, a group of kids were lined up at the telescope's passenger seat. Each child fidgeted excitedly. A group of adults were trying to get the small class to settle down and wait for Liliana or Aoife to return.

Liliana cursed as she remembered that there was a school field trip today. “Children!” She called, and every child in the room quieted instantly. “I'm sorry to keep everyone waiting, but I had a small dilemma in the store room.” Liliana slid into the pilot's seat of the telescope. “Whose first?”

A dozen hands waved in the air, all of them were eager to see their favorite celestial light. They shoved in front of each other. Not wanting to be left out of the rare sighting. Liliana smiled at their eagerness, “Alright, you all can't be first. Form a line, and the one who shoves to the front will be the last one to go.”

The children reformed a line, with a slight change in order. The first child climbed in to the passenger seat of the telescope. It was a young girl with silky blond hair and eyes the color of chrome. She wore a long, velvet dress, that was bright pink with purple flowers sown into the fabric. “May I see Polaris, the northern star?” The girl asked, batting her eyelashes like a spoiled infant.

Liliana just smiled and nodded, “Sure.” She typed in the coordinates, and the northern star flashed onto the display screen, so the girl could see it. The star was a bright yelloe color with 5 planets orbiting it's atmosphere.

The girl ran her hand across the screen with wounder. “It's beautiful.” She said, retreating her hand from the screen. “Thank you Ms. Taulbah.” The girl slid out of the seat and allowed the next child to enter.

The day dragged on as each child told her what celestial light they wanted to see. Stars, planets, nebulous, and constellations passed by the telescope's eye. All were different shapes and sizes. Some were just as sickly as Liliana's home star, which disappointed the child who wanted to view them.

At last, the final child climbed into the seat next to Liliana. It was a small boy, with chestnut brown hair. He had bright green eyes, and his shirt had small wholes in it. He wore loose jeans and over worn tennis shoes. “May I see Alula?” He asked shyly.

Liliana paused, trying to remember where the star was located, to no avail. She rubbed her temples with her index fingers, trying to retrieve the star from the depths of her mind. After a short while of thinking, Liliana turned to the child apologetically, “I'm sorry. I can't recall the whereabouts of that star. Do you have another one in mind?”

The boy shook his head and lowered his gaze to his feet. Liliana felt sorry for him, because he wouldn't be able to see his favorite star, like the other children. How could she forget the location of a major star?

“What's he looking for, Lila?” Aoife asked, suddenly to the right of the boy. His voice was layered with knowledge. Something Liliana had never heard in him before. Where he'd gotten it from she didn't know

“He wants to see Alula, but I can't remember where the star is located,” Liliana confessed disappointingly.

“I think I know where it is,” He watched as the little boy lifted his head with hope, “Try 40 degrees latitude and 65 degrees longitude,” Aoife suggested.

Liliana typed in the coordinates and waited as the telescope spun on it's axis to face the direction she had indicated. The familiarity surprised her. But one lonely planet orbited it's atmosphere. The planet had two rocks revolving around it, slightly smaller than Earth's moon.

“Do you see that planet?” Aoife asked, pointing to the screen, but not touching it. “It is said that that particular planet is where dragon's roam.”

The boy's eyes grew impossibly wide. He shifted in his chair excitedly, no longer sad, but filled with wonder, “Really?”

Aoife nodded at the boy, lost in his own thoughts. “Yeah, my dad said he'd flown there and saw the beasts himself. He said that they were beautiful creatures, covered in scales. Their feathered wings were like fluff from the heavens, and teeth as sharp as the finest blade. Their wings, massive structures, but they were as light as you and I.”

The boy leaned closer to Aoife, intrigued by the story he told. A smile spread across his face, and excitement etched his fragile features. He glanced back at the star, it's luminescent rays filled the eye of the telescope with it's beauty, “Thank you, sir.” He said graciously. “I hope that, one day, I'll be able to witness the wonderful creatures.”

Aoife nodded, and watched the little boy rejoin his classmates. The small group headed out of the building, gossiping about what they had just witnessed. All, except for the boy, who only followed the children out. A distant orphan, but he still managed to keep a smile on his face.

Liliana turned to the teenager. Her curiosity about how much the boy actually new increased every second she spent with him. “How did you know all of that? You're still a boy yourself.”

Aoife frowned at her, his eyes filled with discomfort and uncertainty. He opened his mouth to answer, but the bells in the other room chimed, reminding them that they still had work to do. Aoife quickly left the room to take care of the customer. It seemed like he moved faster than a normal human should. What could he be trying to hide from her?

After a few moments, Aoife reappeared at the door to the storeroom. “I'm sorry Lila, but I made plans to meet my cousin at Lunar Hill in a half an hour. I forgot to tell you this morning. Would you be alright maintaining the store by yourself?” He tapped his fingers against the door frame impatiently. He already wore his coat and gloves, ready to leave the warmth of the building.

Liliana nodded and watched Aoife hurry out of the large, crystal dome. She waited until she could no longer hear the tap of his expensive shoes on the tile floor, before turning the display screen to the telescope off, and heading to the store room.

No one was present. The small room was unbearably empty, from the isle ways that lined the store, to the small mouse hole in the far corner. The silence was deafening. Liliana sighed. It was going to be a long night. It was times like this that she wished she had a third companion to help pass the lonely hours. The moon-shaped clock ticked slowly on the wall.

Liliana could see a figure walking passed the glass door. She switched on her mage-sight, a sight were a mage could view a being without the troubles of looking over objects in the way, she could just see through them by viewing the energy a being, or item, provided, no matter how little or how much.

Liliana saw the officer from before, as he paced back and fourth in front of the shop door. He glowed bright blue in mage-sight. He stopped in front of the door every few passes, but never entered the shop. Instead, he just ran his fingers through his dark hair and continued to pace.

Liliana sat in a wood chair that laid behind the cash register. The old wood squeaked with protest. Threatening to give way under her weight. Liliana positioned herself in the chair, so that she would be able to stay there for an extended amount of time without having to shift her weight. Once there, she waited for a customer to enter.

Several other people had come and gone, before Devyn gathered up the courage to confront her. His muscular body was stiff with tension, and he sifted his fingers through his hair nervously. Several black strands fell across his face.

Liliana looked up at the officer, who swerved into a nearby isle, and out of her line of vision. She couldn't help but wonder what was running through the soldier's mind that made him so shy all of a sudden.

In mage-sight, she saw him lift a small key chain off the shelf. In was shaped like a full moon. It glowed dimly with power. Power, which Liliana herself couldn't use, but it was there nonetheless. Liliana had always been curious about the trinkets. No one seemed to like them, but they glowed brighter when a being of power approached. Now, the object glowed faint teal color. It was a dull light, that no human could see. It matched the power given off by the officer. A reaction Liliana had never seen before. She'd always known it to glow several shades of green, a reflection of her own radiant power.

The officer twirled the object in his hand, fingering the steel centerpiece with curiosity. The longer he held the trinket the brighter it seemed to glow. As if he were filling it with his own power, until the magical artifact could no longer hold anymore of the teal energy. He replaced the item to it's shelf and continued to wander about the store. He stopped every once in a while to admire an artifact.

He made one revolution around the store, then returned to where the key chain lay on display. The blue glow it gave off was almost blinding. He reached for the object once more. The teal light glowed even brighter with his nearness, reaching out for him. At the moment of contact, all the energy he had placed in the amulet, flowed back into his fingers. The officer stumbled backward, and fell on the floor in an unconscious heap.

Liliana jumped to her feet and ran to Devyn's aide. Her necklace thumped at the base of her neck, providing some warmth and encouragement. She should have known this would happen. So many times, when she was younger, she had over filled her heating amulet, and when she returned to it, the magic backfired, rendering her unconscious for hours at a time.

The man looked dreadfully pale. His whole body shook, as the extra power coursed through his veins. The amulet had landed at his waist, now glowing it's original color, a bright emerald that match her own source of energy.

Liliana knelt down to make sure he had a steady pulse, and the man laughed. It was a deep, maniacal sound that escaped the his airway. His eyes were blood red, no longer the ice blue of the officer that had walked in. Before she could react, he grabbed her wrist and place the key chain in her hand.

Surges of energy flowed through her, filling her with unknown power. Her body jerked at the sudden burst of energy. Even in human-sight, the amulet that she wore began to glow brightly. It was a blinding light, that only occurred when she gained too much power she couldn't use.

Liliana watched, in slow motion, her body fall to the tile floor. Her wrist, which had been released from the man's grasp, started to turn the faint black and blue of a forming bruise. Her hand still held the moon-shaped key chain, now glowing a dark green, tainted with teal spots.

The man cursed, and yanked the heated amulet off of her neck, breaking the chain that linked it to her body. Liliana tried to scream in protest, but all that escaped her lips were slurred words not even she could comprehend.

The officer, whose eye were back to there usual ice blue, tossed the iron amulet, and it slid under the cashier's desk. The light dimmed to a bearable level, no longer able to be seen by the humans. Liliana felt like her guts had been ripped out of her stomach by a rusty steak knife.

Liliana's body jerked once again, the flow of power growing stronger. Her vision began to fade, though she could still hear the world around her. Liliana's entire body grew numb. It was a horrible feeling. A feeling of helplessness. She was barely able to detect the world that surrounded her. Relying only on her hearing to determine what was happening.

She heard the man's footsteps as he climbed to his feet. “I'm sorry,” She heard him say, in a soft, sympathetic tone. There was a shuffle of clothing, then there was nothing. Not a single sound of the world. Just emptiness surrounded her thoughts. Darkness left her empty and alone.

Her vision began to lighten to a foggy blur. She was awake, yet still doused with sleep. It was like a dream, but she could still feel and hear her surroundings. The space was dark and smelled of death and decay. The air was humid despite the frigged temperature. She couldn't see much more then a few inches away in the thickening darkness.

Liliana looked at her hands. They were transparent. They were there, but they were also somewhere else. They were visible, yet unseen by the ones around to see. A ghost. A being of no true shape or form. Caught in between two dimensions.

The sound of footsteps echoed off the walls. They thumped loudly against pavement. The steps were running in Liliana's direction. They were moving in a frightening speed, faster than the average human. They were determined to leave the area of darkness.

Liliana saw a flash of a face as it ran passed her. It was an oddly familiar face, with the features of an angel. It's dark blue eyes held fear in their depths. It had long hair that flowed in the wind behind it.

Darkness took hold of Liliana once again. Her senses dulled to nothing and she returned to the lonely area of emptiness. A state of nonexistent memory. A space were time held no value, and each hour that passed had been no time at all.

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Aoife quickened his pace as he approached the store. There were no lights on that could be seen through the crystalline windows. Not a single candle lit the dark path. It was unusual for the store to be closed before dawn, and throughout the short time he'd worked there, he'd never seen it occur. Lila would work from dusk to dawn, from the times she was sick, to the times a loved pet died of old age or some other unique disease.

His little cousin, Elmira, stayed quick on his heals. Her feet were light against the gravel road. Just a whisper in the silent street. A sound not many would be able to hear, let alone identify where and what the source belonged to it.

They arrived at the shop moments later. Aoife sifted through his pockets and pulled out the store's key. He tried to open the door, but a piece of metal was wedged in the keyhole. Someone had probably broken the key in a rush to leave the store.

Aoife pulled Elmira to the right side of the door so that she was out of the line of fire. Then he gently tapped the lock. The copper piece flew out of the keyhole, grazing Aoife across the arm as it passed. Blood trickled across the path to which the sharp copper had cut into his skin. Aoife took his key and unlocked the door.

Elmira shoved passed him and entered first, followed closely by Aoife. The store room was spotless. There were no signs of forced entry. Elmira walked straight to the domed room. Her boots softly tapping against the tile floor, Aoife slowly made his way into the large room.

The celestial lights illuminated the room, magnified by the crystal walls. No one was present. “Lila?” Aoife called, but there was no answer. Only the ticking of the clock in the other room echoed off the walls. It had been a gift to Lila his first day on the job. Some time had passed since that day. The look on her face was all he needed to brighten his life. It had been three years since then, and if it hadn't been for Lila's generosity, he'd still be roaming the streets of whatever town he landed in.

Aoife returned to the store room, leaving Elmira to admire the crystal dome. The room was too tidy. Not a single spec of dirt littered the floor. Every piece of merchandise was in it's rightful place. Not a globe, nor key chain, not even a miniature telescope had given him a clue as to where Lila had gone

Aoife walked over to the cash register. The area still smelled of roses. He took a deep breath. Roses and vanilla. A combination of two different shampoos. He breathed in the air once more, relaxing his tense muscles. He caught a whiff of, something else. He'd never smelled it before. It was a sweet smell, yet held a certain sourness to it. He looked around the room trying to pinpoint the source of the unknown scent. Nothing caught his eye. Not even the candles in the far corner could provide such a horridly wonderful smell.

Aoife closed his eyes, trying to envision the different scents as colors. When he opened them again, his whole prospective of the room changed. The varnish on the old wood was a light brown color. The paint on the walls glowed a dull gray. The room was illuminated with the different scents. The rose of Lila's shampoo was was a red, outlined with white. Aoife guessed it was the mixed scent that distorted the true vibrant color, that was once a rose. The unknown scent was a turquoise color. In his Peripheral vision, there was another color. It was teal, a customer, perhaps, that had entered the store.

Aoife focused on the turquoise light. It's faint scent flowed from under the cashier's desk. There, it glowed with a mixture of red and white, blending to make a bright green color. The teenager looked curiously at the desk. It looked ordinary enough, but what lied underneath it's wooden structure? He could tell by the density of red and white, that Lila had worn it frequently. So, why did he only notice it now?

Aoife walked over to the desk, knelt down, and reached his slender arm under the wooden base board. He pulled out an iron necklace. The metal structure was warm to his touch, unusual. The teenager twisted the object in his hand. A half moon lay in the center, with branches of stars surrounding it in a web of iron. It was a beautiful piece, and Aoife wondered why Lila never wore it in the open.

Just then, a thought occurred to him that put his boss in a new category of respect. What if she couldn't wear the necklace in public. Perhaps, the necklace was an amulet, a magical artifact that only the beings of other worlds wore. Aoife smiled at his theory. That would explain a lot about her, like the way she leaves her house early every afternoon to try and see the star, perhaps her home planet's star.

Aoife lifted his head and looked around the small shop. The teal aroma, that he had disregarded earlier, was spread throughout the store. As if it were a customer looking at all of the merchandise, before they checked out. He looked closer down the isle he was nearest to. Underneath the heavy layer of teal, Aoife could see, and smell, the red rose scent surrounded by the whiteness of the vanilla, that had settled gently to the ground under the weight of teal. Aoife focused a little harder on the small section, but he couldn't find any hint that the amulet had been near her.

Aoife stood and walked over to where the scent had settled. She must have lain here for an extended period of time, but what was the other scent? The teal color, it was a masculine scent, perhaps a man's Cologne. Somehow the scent was familiar, yet different to a small degree. Where had it come from?

Aoife looked back through his passed memories. They were memories from his early child hood, before Lila took him off of the streets and provided him with food and shelter. They weren't happy memories, and were far from being joyful. Aoife clenched the amulet firmly to his side. He'd have to find Lila, and as quickly as possible. If the men who kidnapped her found out what she was, if his theory was correct, then she'd be in trouble.

“Fe, calm down.” Elmira warned, suddenly at his side. She tugged on his shirt sleeve, trying to drag him from his vile thoughts. “Your necklace is glowing.”

Aoife looked down at the mass of necklaces wrapped around his airway, and, sure enough, one of his prime pieces was glowing brightly, warning him. The necklace was his favorite. It was in the shape of a young dragon. It's body floated erect with large wings spread on either side of it. The figure's feet were curled tightly against it's body. Inside the dragon's mouth, was a small, blue orb, made out of quartz.

Aoife took a deep breath to calm his nerves. The necklace dimmed at the receding heart rate, dying off completely when his anger and urge to save Lila lowered to an exceptional level. The metal laces were made long ago, to help him control his anger, which use to run rampant as a child. When he was furious, bad things happened to both himself, and the people around him.

Aoife placed Lila's amulet over his neck. He could feel the warmth of it all the way to his bones. The teenager was surprised by the energy the piece of metal held. Only a being of great power could create such an artifact.

“Elmira, would you be able to change into the owner of this store?” He asked, standing to face her, “Someone has to stay here to keep the business going, and the people that come here often might get suspicious if Lila goes missing, and I'm the only one running the store.”

“I would, but I need a picture of her to do it. You should know that, Fe.” Elmira said, her eyes, an unnaturally vibrant violet, revealed her curiosity.

Aoife cursed under his breath as he remembered that she needed to see what she was changing into. He reached into his pocket, and pulled out an old, leather wallet. He opened the scrap of leather, and retrieved the only picture he possessed that was of his boss. He had taken it with her camera, when they first met. She had found the digital picture in the old camera a few days after he'd taken it. Lila had printed it off for him, so he could remember her, if he ever left the store.

In the picture, she was younger than what she was now, but the only thing that had changed, was that she had short hair in the picture, and Lila now had long hair. Other than that miner detail, there was nothing truly different. Reluctantly, Aoife handed Elmira the old photograph.

The girl accepted the old picture, and Aoife watched as Elmira's body began to shift. Her once young and delicate feature, began to morph into, something else. She grew slightly taller, and now reached his chest. Her hair changed from blond, to a darker shade of the same color, and shortened until the strands were shorter than her shoulders. Her breasts grew slightly, to match Lila's. Her teeth whitened, and flattened to reflect Lila's omnivorous canines. After a few moments of watching the nauseating transmogrification, Elmira looked almost exactly like Lila. She was almost a complete replica, all except her eyes. Elmira's eyes were still their otherworldly shade of purple. The only flaw in her gift, her eyes. They always shown through, creating a noticeable difference in the person she was trying to copy. Her eyes should be a dark blue, a color that matched the midnight sky, but they were still the unique violet.

Elmira returned the picture to Aoife, which no longer held Lila's image, but was replaced by Elmira's girlish form. “What are you going to do?” She asked, her voice even matched Lila's, but those eyes. . .

Aoife turned toward the door, “I'm going to find her, and bring her back home to us.” He strolled out of the store, eager to begin his search. There had to be some clue as to where she had been taken. He had to find her and save her before. . . Aoife let his thoughts trail off. He couldn't think that way. He would find her before that would become an option.

Aoife followed the faint teal color, that was beginning to fade against the other scents on the cold street. He pulled his coat closer to his body, relieved by the warmth it provided. At the action, Lila's amulet heated noticeably. Aoife welcomed the warmth, for the cold weakened him. The cold drained his energy until there was none left. Frigid weather made him queasy, and he would die if he was exposed to weather under ten degrees. His veins would slowly freeze, and his limbs would fall off one by one. First, turning a sickly black, before detaching themselves from his nerve endings. The worst part was that he would still feel them before they fell, so when a limb hit the cold ground he'd scream in pain, as it was ripped from his body. The death would be slow and painful. He would not wish such a death on anyone.

Aoife followed the teal mist all the way to an old, abandoned railroad track. The rusted metal overpowered the kidnapper's scent, and it disappeared in the river of different scents and smells. It was an odd place to take a mage. Railroad tracks haven't been used in over three centuries. The man who had taken Lila had either decided to carry her all the way to his destination, or he had somehow managed to highjack an old steam-engine.

Aoife took a deep breath, and combed his fingers through his long hair. He'd have to follow the old track, but if he made a wrong turn, Lila could be lost forever.

He bent down to the ground. Aoife could still see the big man's foot prints in the snow, but even those were starting to fade as new snowflakes fell gently to the ground. Aoife took a chance, and followed his gut. He followed the train tracks northward. Heading into the mountains, out of sight from onlookers.

“Just wait, Lila. I'm coming to get you.” Aoife said to the steady wind. He tightened his grip on his jacket, and the heated amulet.