Loud howls of pain crept through every room in the castle of Avalon during a dark autumn night, when the wind whistled softly against the hollow trees, creating music for all to hear. The many gargoyles looked up and covered their pointed elven-like ears, trying to avoid the headache-causing noise. The Fay were muttering complaints and Lord Oberon had a look of pure disgust covering his pale blue face.
 "How much longer will this travesty continue?" He said, looking towards the dark, oak doors, where the yelling came from.
 "You are but a Lord of little patience, my husband. You should be happy with another life born on Avalon. With the small disappointment of Alexander, I thought this might please you," Titania put a green hand onto Oberons shoulder and smiled.
 "The child brought into this place is not even out of our magic or blood, why should I care?" Oberon kept his eyes focused on the door as a scream was brought from the room with a large echo following it.
 "Because, my Lord, being the child is brought forth on Avalon could mean that Avalon may grant the child powers and in that way it shall be a sister to you and I as we were both brought out of Avalon too."
 "I suppose, but what of the main blood of the child? Would it not be......" Oberon was cut off  by Princess Katherine opening the door and walking into the great hall.
 "I announce the birth of the baby, my Lord!" She smiled up at Oberon, her once brown hair covered over her shoulders and her eyes streamed out warmness and serenity.
 "Very well. Tell Simh, the provider Fay of Avalon, that there is to be a feast in honor of the birth." - And with that, Oberon turned and walked off towards his throne room. His white cape fluttered behind him and Titania watched, only somewhat amused. She then turned back to Katherine. "Would it be all right for me to see the child?" She queried to the Princess.
 "Of course My Queen! You'd be a blessing on the wee babe, I wouldn't see it any other way!" Katherine took the lead into the room while the stray gargoyles and fairies watched them and then went back into their chatter.
 Inside the small room of stone bricks, lay a white female gargoyle in a large soft, wood made bed. The gargoyle had glossy silver hair slipping over her shoulders and wings, her silver eyes looked with warmth upon Titania and Katherine, in her hands lay a small white bundle, sometimes twitching.
 "Hello Ghost, I am sorry I did not cast a spell granting you a relief of pain. I did not recall how painful mortal births are." Titania walked up to Ghost and the baby. Her toothpick sized waist hardly moved as she bent down to view the baby whom Ghost was looking down at with pride in her warm eyes.
 The little baby gargoyle was dark red in color, a small tuft of white-blond hair sprang from her small, round head.  Little wings were wrapped crookedly by little hands around her half naked figure. The baby's big violet tinted eyes blinked with blankness and some confusion of the new world which she had come into suddenly. Her chubby little hands were in fists and her talons were transparent like Ghost's. A small pug nose wrinkled up to look at Titania and her red lips pursed together, making a whiny noise.
 Ghost smiled at the baby and then looked at Titania "It's all right, you granted the spell of making me have her without the egg, without the wait of 10 whole years, in which time I might have died. I'll be forever in your debt for that."
 Titania smiled back at Ghost with almost motherly love "Have you decided what to call the child?"
 Ghost bit her lower white lip gently in thought "I want her to have a strong-willed name. I was always weak, probably due to the fact I was given the name of the dead. If she's anything like her father, she'll be strong-willed."
 Titania nodded and then looked back at the door which was creaking open gently. Katherine and Ghost had their heads looking towards there too.
 "Mama? Are you ok?" A small tan, furry  female gargoyle-like head peaked in and padded on cat-like paws towards Ghost.
 "Chi-chi, baby! I thought Tom took you to the library?" Ghost said, patting the bed side in a motion to get Chi-chi to come up beside Ghost and Titania.
 "He did, but I wanted to come see you after he told me a story about an awesome fairy! Can I tell you the story.....mama? Where did the baby come from?" Chi-chi suddenly noticed the bundle in Ghost's arms.
 Ghost looked down on the 4 year old cat gargoyle hybrid who had adopted her as a parent. "This is my baby....the baby that was in my tummy, darling." Placing a hand on Chi-chi's dark brown hair, while holding the baby in the other hand.
 "SO THAT'S WHY YOU WERE SO FAT!" Chi-chi blurted out with sudden knowledge which caused everyone in the room to let out a small laugh.
 "Yes  dear, that's why. You wanted to tell me a story, did you?" Ghost grinned and cocked her head, revealing her pale white neck.
 "YAH! About this girl fairy who was really strong and stuff and she saved the planet but when she saved it she was turned into a cat until another fairy released her from the cat body!" Chi-chi's deep brown eyes burst with excitement.
 "Ah, yes, the story of Shami. An old tale with truth. I was there when Shami was trapped by the wizard known to all as Ritz, a demon blue gargoyle. A sad loss, Shami was the war general of Avalon and a true sense of inspiration," Titania said with a solemn look,  "Ever since then, there have been no other war generals of Avalon."
 Ghost smirked. "What a pride-bearing name. I'd name my baby that if I fully knew that Shami was dead and not in a cat form," Ghost smiled down at the baby, who was now grabbing her silver hair with a chubby fist.
 "Shami still lives, although her whereabouts are unknown. A better name would be *Kami,*"
Titania's solemn look faded into another smile, which was becoming common item to have on the face that night.
 "Why Kami...?" Ghost said, a little confused.
 "The name Kami has always been a name of power and strength. To name the child Kami could even mean a hero built inside her. It would be a name of honor," Titania made a fist with sudden inspiration.
 "Kami....." Ghost smiled down at the baby  "So it's settled little one, you're Kami."
 Chi-chi giggled with a high tone that only children could muster up. "Kami is a cool sounding name, Mama."
 "And may Kami be forever blessed, in the great name of Avalon," Titania kissed Kami's brow  and paced out of the room with Katherine on her heels.
 Ghost watched them leave and smiled at Chi-chi, "Why don't you help them set-up for the feast..."
 "FEAST? A BIG FEAST? WITH LOTSA FOOD?" Chi-chi ran out of the room, her black jumpsuit becoming teared on the knee as she tripped and jumped back up again on the way to the kitchen, hungry for food as all children are when they are growing. Her dark brown, velvet fur, covered wings tripped her even more on her way down.
 Ghost chuckled, always amazed by the way children could give and take any situation to their benefit.
 Kami babbled a mockery of words and Ghost looked back down on her with love. She rocked baby Kami a little and kissed her brow just as Titania had but a few minutes ago.
 "My little Kami...you'll grow to be a fine warrior, I just know it," Ghost hugged the baby to her chest and looked out at the night sky through a nearby window, "Just like your father."
 

Chapter 2: Kami age 2

 Kami toddled quickly through the narrow hallway up to Ghost, who picked her up and carried her over to the rookery of Avalon, where the eggs where about to hatch.
 "Mummy, how come I'm not from an egg?"  Kami whispered softly into Ghost's pale, white, pointed ear. She tried not to upset the stillness of the bleak, dark, rookery, which was crowded with many gargoyles.
 "Because Titania wanted to see you before all the other eggs hatched, dear," Ghost propped Kami back up a bit and looked onto the now cracking eggs with awe.
 The first to crack open was a small black-spotted one, which let out a tiny, green, female gargoyle. The other eggs, numbering about ten or so, hatched within a few minutes. But one stayed isolated and closed. A rapping could be heard within, but no gargoyle came out.
 Some panic came amidst the joy. A gargoyle who could not break from it's shell was doomed to death. A few gargoyles, who were not the parents of the hatched eggs, came over to the lone egg and began to pick the layers off the shell, trying to help free the gargoyle babe.
 Ghost put Kami down beside Chi-chi, who noogied her fluffy white hair teasingly and walked up behind the gargoyles and the egg, seeing if there was anything she could do to help. She peeked over the strong, male gargoyles who were prodding at the egg viciously and eyed the small egg, which was rolling due to the frustration of the baby gargoyle within.
 Pushing aside two of the male gargoyles, Ghost rammed her talons right into the egg shell, making a large cracking noise and shocking some of the other gargoyles.
 Ghost took out her talons, covered in glistening egg white. A small, black, gargoyle talon poked through the crack. Within a few seconds, the baby's head was clearly visible. The body of the baby male gargoyle was pitch black, with a small tuft of equally black hair. Limp black wings fell over him and his small crooked tail. His face was small, yet quite chubby for such a little baby. He looked up at Ghost with almost appreciation in his abstract, red eyes.
 Kami and Chi-chi ran up to Ghost and the new gargoyle baby. Chi-chi peeked at the baby while Kami decided to cling to Ghost's leg.
 "Wow, Mama, He's smaller than Kami was when she was born. Is he a runt?" Chi-chi commented examining the new baby.
 "I suppose he would be, but don't say such things about people younger than yourself. It's not nice," Ghost said, putting a hand on Kami's head.
 "Who's his mama?" Chi-chi turned to face Ghost.
 "Most gargoyles do not have parents, dear," Ghost said looking sadly upon the baby black gargoyle who was being wrapped up in some warm towels by another female gargoyle.
 "Oh...." Chi-chi knew more answers could be answered in the library, so she skipped down there without a word.
 Kami blinked up at Ghost, still holding onto her leg.
 "Whatcha want, kiddo?" Ghost picked up Kami into her arms again with a small huff.
 Kami looked at the new babies. "Are they my brothers and sisters?" She asked with her toddler accent.
 Ghost nodded and walked over to the gargoyle holding the black baby, her talons clicking against the stones with echoes. Kami cringed every time she heard the noise.
 "How is he?" Ghost said, somewhat worriedly.
 "It seems his wings are pretty much dead to the rest of his body. Other than that, he's fine, just a little small." The gargoyle answered.
 Ghost nodded acceptingly once again and walked out of the rookery, a little upset. Sometimes life was just not fair.

Chapter 3: Kami age 6

 "MERLE! MERLE! CATCH THE BALL!" Kami yelled, over the field into the darkness, over to the once small, black gargoyle, now stronger, but still a small, young, boy.
 "Do I haveta? Can't we just go to the library ?" He asked, looking desperately looking at Kami for a way out of physical activity.
 "THE LIBRARY??? You're gonna turn into Chi-chi! All she does is read up on boring stuff!" Kami tackled Merle and giggled as they tumbled into the dirt.
 "AH! WATCH IT!" Merle made an irritated face as his dark wings fell behind him deadly.
 Kami leaned back quickly  "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you......."
 "Lemme alone! All you ever want to do is play, play, play!" Merle snarled at Kami and then stormed off to the library. The loss of his wing power made him easily irritable and cranky.
 "No! Please, Merle! Don't go! I didn't mean to!" Kami got up and brushed the dirt off her tight, red skin, then turned and looked at Merle, who was already in the courtyard.
 Kami let out a small whimper, but remained still. Her hands balled into fists and she stomped a taloned foot into the dirt covered ground in frustration.
 "You must be more careful, dear...... you know he has a short temper, and that comes from never being able to do as much as you and Chi-chi can. Ghost walked up behind Kami, taking graceful strides.
 Kami just stood there, completely quiet while watching Merle enter the castle.
 Ghost kneeled down on the dirt and put her hand on Kami's shoulder. "You know he'll get over it, he always does."
 Kami turned around and leaped into Ghost's arms. "Oh mommy! I just don't understand some things. Why can't I be smart like Chi-chi?"
 "Your smart, dear. Just in a different way than Chi-chi and Merle. You learn from experience, and they learn from books." Ghost hugged Kami to her, as she had when Kami was first born.
 "I love you, mommy." Kami wrapped her small arms around Ghost the best she could.
 "I love you too, dear." Ghost smiled and let Kami down. "Why don't you go find Merle and talk to him? I'm sure he's cooled off by now."
 "All right!" Kami skipped down through the courtyard with her mother's loving eyes following each step.
 Once inside the library, Kami was greeted by Chi-chi, who was now 10.
 "Whatcha doin in here, cream puff?" Chi-chi smirked at Kami
 "Don't call me that!" Kami whined and looked up at her adoptive older sister with bright, violet eyes.
 Chi-chi giggled and patted Kami on the head with a furry tan paw. "Now whatcha need? You don't come in here unless you're dragged."
 "Is Merle here?" Kami sputtered out, her bright eyes gleaming as her long, red tail rapped lightly against the cold floor.
 "No... but I think I saw him heading towards your room, kiddo," Chi-chi replied, running a few talons though her neat, crimpy, long, brown hair.
 "Thanks, Chi-chi!" Kami quickly began running towards her room in the west corridor.
 Chi-chi waved good bye to Kami and then lifted her book back up to her fuzzy face, immersed in the world of fantasy.
 Kami saw Merle's black figure by the time she was halfway down the hall. He was easy to notice with his big red eyes reflecting off his dark body.
 Merle stood eye-to-eye with Kami, which wasn't very high, since they were so young. His dead wings were once again wrapped around him, and his face was solemn. One of his midnight hands was wrapped around the doorknob to Kami's small room.
 "Merle, I'm sorry....." Without question, Kami drew Merle into a close hug and reluctantly let go of him. He didn't respond, but a smile crossed his face.
 "Princess Katherine gave me some choco bar she made.....I thought you'd like some...." He opened the large oak door to Kami's room and there, sitting in the middle of Kami's pink-quilted bed was a small, wooden case of chocolate made right from the cocoa plants on Avalon.... the island had a large plant variety in its forests.
 "Oh, Merle!" Kami hugged him again, even more tightly this time, and their earlier spat was long forgotten. "Let's pig out until dawn and you can tell me all of the legends Chi-chi and Tom have been reading you in the library!"
 "YAH!" Merle agreed and nearly jumped into the box of chocolates, making the bed wiggle back and forth.
 Kami giggled, but she had spoken too soon, for just as he did that, a glimmer of light poured into  her window and hit Merle dead-on. Within seconds, his flesh had become grey stone and he was frozen in stone sleep for the day.
 Sun had a different effect on Kami, however. Because she was born on Avalon, magic *DID* seep into her blood, and like Chi-chi, who did not become stone because of her cat side, she did not freeze up for the day. Instead she herself was morphed into a fairie.
 The light would strike her, and her dark blush skin would become soft and peach. Her talons, wings and tail grew in and were replaced by smooth fingers and a slim back. Her feet became about 5 sizes smaller, and her hair darkened a little, so if the sun fell on it just right, a yellow glisten would appear. Kami's normal attire of a white loin cloth and top was replaced by fairy garments of a fitting kind - a classic military outfit with big black boots and a chunky black belt. Katanas given to her by Titania were strapped onto her back in a sling, and 2 leather pouches full of fairie dust and 2 silver daggers  were fastened onto her belt. Her pointed ears and violet eyes were always the same, though, and it was very easy to tell that Kami the gargoyle and Kami the fairy were the same.
 She sighed and looked towards Merle, who had frozen with a great goofy smile on his small face. Kami headed into the court of Avalon for the day's training.
 Everyday Kami and Chi-chi were trained by Titania. Chi-chi had always been a quick learner, and had already mastered the use of katanas, slingshots, swords and daggers, but Kami always stumbled along. The katanas were hard enough to master, let alone the daggers.
 Titania had no real knowledge of weapons, but Chi-chi was a natural born warrior, and Kami had magic running in her veins. Thus, Titania would spend the whole of her morning teaching the two sisters of defending and attacking.
 Oberon and some of the other Fay did not approve of the training, but because, as we all know, women are a greater force than men, he never questioned Titania.
 Anansi and the Banshee, on the other hand, were always at the sides of the courtyard, laughing and mocking. They could not believe Titania would take in two misfits to train as warriors, especially one that was only half fairie.
 But Titania had always told Chi-chi and Kami to ignore them, for they were just jealous. Chi-chi handled it with great stride, but the results with Kami were always upsetting.
 That day was no different. As Anansi yelled at Kami when she missed the target with her katanas, by a long shot, she took out one of her daggers and in anger, threw it into one of his ugly black legs. This caused an uproar from him, but Titania was a little pleased.
 "You always hit the target dead on when you're angry. You should learn to control that anger and summon it when you are in battle." She told Kami after Oberon had called Anansi and the Banshee away.
 Kami grinned, but felt worse when she saw Chi-chi show off her perfection with katanas by slicing a dummy in half in under a second. Kami couldn't accomplish that in one minute, let alone one second.
 "You're young, still not strong enough to do anything that forcefully." Titania would often tell her with great encouragement.
 Kami wished for once though, that Chi-chi would mess up, and she could claim the greatness. But in all occasions, Chi-chi was successful.
 The morning passed and noon came. Kami flopped onto the sandy dirt and made an exhausting wheeze, hardly moving. Her muscles were sorer than usual, and she was tired of  watching Chi-chi do everything effortlessly. The dust from the dirt blew in her nose as she breathed, making her feel even more dirt. Sweat covered every limb and all her clothes clung to her. She felt like stripping right there and running into one of the forest rivers to relax and cleanse herself of all the sweat and dirt.... not to mention the blood which had come off Anansi when she had hit him with the dagger.
 "Hey kiddo. Are you getting up or are you just gonna rot there?" Chi-chi towered over Kami, blocking out the sun with her head.
 "Uhhhhh....." Was all Kami could manage to get out.
 Chi-chi sighed. Every now and then Kami would just become overtired. She knew that too much work was being put on a warrior of Kami's age, but she also knew that Kami's magical ability must be tapped and nurtured, that's why Titania always pushed her harder than Chi-chi.
 Kami felt herself being lifted up by Chi-chi's unusually-strong-for-a-female arms and taken into the cooler castle. She immediately felt less nauseated and hopped down from her sister's arms and ran into the kitchen, starving.
 Chi-chi watched Kami as Ghost had the night before, with love in her eyes and care in her heart. She only wished Kami trusted her more.
 Kami did not want to share Ghost, and she knew that Chi-chi was anything but a biological sister. Chi-chi was also good at everything she did, which made Kami sick to the bone. Kami thought she would have to make it harder for Ghost to love Chi-chi, but it never worked out that way. Ghost loved them both equally, despite their differences, and although Kami was a pushover, sometimes she never stopped loving them both. They were all she had.
 The afternoon's activities were less bothersome. Most days consisted of running through the forest, finding edible berries, and hunting animals for the supper that evening. Chi-chi was allowed reading time during that but Titania always made Kami go out.
 Kami didn't mind though.
 She would bath in the hot springs and draw in the sand with a broken twig. The perfume of the wildflowers and the cleanness of it all overwhelmed her senses and teased her mind. She wished her mother could see Avalon in this bright of day, but because of the same stone curse of all the regular gargoyles, she could not.
 Around this time Kami began to wonder about her father. Chi-chi would often tell her stories of  Princess's. The princess would have the queen as her mother and the king as her father. Having a king father always played in Kami's mind and she wondered if her father, if she had any, was. Titania had once greeted Lord Oberon as "The father of the land" and he in return called her the "Queen of it," which meant that Lord and Lady had to be both present to have made Avalon. Such puzzles crept into Kami's mind for hours, and on some nights she would only come back to the castle with a small animal, due to the fact she had been thinking all day long.
 When Kami arrived home that evening, it was already dark and the gargoyles had burst free from their shells. Ghost and Chi-chi had not noticed Kami and were talking in a corner of the courtyard.  ~Probaly about books no less,~ Kami thought, heading up to them.
 Ghost turned her head towards Kami and kneeled down to hug her in greeting. "Kami, honey! How was your day?"
 "All right, considering I got the stinky smell off me from this morning." She scrunched up her pug nose.
 Ghost laughed. "I think Merle is looking for you inside," Chi-chi said, pointing a talon directly at the main doors of the castle.
 Kami nodded and skipped off, happy that her day was over and that now she could relax.
 "KAMI! You're still in your fairie form." Merle pointed out when he first saw her.
 "OH!" Kami realized. She couldn't control her turning of a fairie by dawn, but during night she could take any form.
 She quickly spun around in a Fay muse and when she stopped, she was back into her gargoyle self, wings and all..
 "Much better!" Merle commented, resting his taloned fingers on his hips.
 Kami smiled . "So whatcha wanna do tonight?"
 "Ummmm.....I dunno......maybe we could go to the library..."
 Kami quickly gagged and stuck a finger down her throat in disgust. "No way, no how, bucko."
 "Ummm then how about..."
 "SHRIEK!"
 Kami and Merle quickly turned their heads to the door to the courtyard  when they heard the scream.
 "What....what do you think happened?" Merle turned his head towards Kami.
 Kami smile wiped off into a look of worry and excitement. "I dunno, but let's find out!" She said, running outside and shoving the doors open. Merle was quickly at her heels.
 Outside their was complete silence. Kami blinked and looked to the right, where some gargoyles where huddled back in a fighting stance. Kami turned to face what was in front of her.... and was met of the odor of fresh blood. Looking towards the ground, she was faced with the body of a dead gargoyle male. Blood had poured over his skin and was now drying up slowly into a large scab. His eyes were opened wide in shock and Kami stumbled back a little, afraid, this was the first time she had seen a dead corpse.
 Merle was in silent tears already but was to afraid to cry. Finally, the two of them looked to the left.
 "MOMMY!" Kami said, running towards the pale white figure, but was stopped dead in her tracks by a deep female voice.
 "One more move and I'll kill her, kid, just like I did to that other one." A demon blue gargoyle came out of the shadows beside Ghost. Her hair was a massive tangle of black, and her eyes pierced with a satanic green. Her body, for the most part, was covered by a thick leather cape, and her wings were clearly under it, for they were no where to be seen. In her hand, she held a revolver, pointed directly at Ghost's head.
 Chi-chi was limp in the corner. She was not bleeding, so Kami guessed she was out cold, but that was not the matter at hand.
 "LET MY MOMMY GO!" Kami snarled, her eyes were almost glazing over with the gargoyle light of anger.
 The demon gargoyle ignored her. "Did you know your mother was once a criminal? She used one of these guns right here Kami. She killed people with it. Even almost killed your father with it......"  The gargoyle smirked at Ghost and then back to Kami.
 "You leave her alone!" Ghost yelled, too scared to move. "Don't listen to her Kami, run, get out of here."
 Kami was about to let out a whimper, but instead yelled at the demon blue gargoyle "Leave my mommy alone! She never did anything to you! LEAVE HER ALONE!"
 By this time, Merle was in a heap on the ground, crying his eyes out in fear, but Kami didn't care about anything besides her mother just then.
 "You're right, she hasn't, young Kami. But *YOU* will."  Just then the demon gargoyle grabbed Ghost's hair and pulled it with great force towards her and the gun.
 "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Ghost screamed, with tears coming to her eyes.
 "By the way.... my name is Ritz." The gargoyle bowed slightly, not moving the gun.
 ~Ritz~ the name sounded familiar........
 "LEAVE HER ALONE!!!! NOW!! PLEASE! DON'T HURT MY MOMMY!" Kami was in panic and she hardly noticed as warm tears streamed down her face. But she was in too much fear and confusion to move.
 Ritz held strong onto Ghost's hair and put the gun tip to her lip in thought. "No. I think I'll just have to do something to her. Otherwise my visit here would be pointless."
 "NO! NO! NO!" Kami stumbled up by lost her balance and fell to the dirt. A swirling mass of dust flew around and Kami looked up at Ritz and her mother. "Mommy....."
 Ghost stifled her words, hardly able to move "Just remember I love you, baby....."
 "MOMMY?" Kami tried to pick  herself up but ended up falling in the dirt again.
 "Alas, 'tis the end." Ritz quoted and slowly pulled the trigger.
 "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Kami's eyes flew wide open as the bullet pierced through Ghost's skull and into her brain. Blood poured out and within a second the once beautiful, graceful body of Ghost fell to the ground in a limp heap.
 "MOMMY!!!!" Kami's heart rate went up as she crawled towards Ghost's body, her eyes were still wide open and her mouth was gaped.
 Ritz smirked in satisfaction. "Just remember my name, kid." A misty haze drew itself up around Ritz and surrounded her fully. It seemed to pull her away into another dimension, like a portal. Then all was silent except for the tears of Kami.
 "Mommmmyyyy...." She laid her head on Ghost's blood covered hair and sobbed.
 Merle still cried over by the other dead gargoyle, as all the other gargoyles slowly approached Ghost, Kami and Chi-chi - who was still out cold.
 One of the gargoyles had summoned Titania and in a split-second she was in the courtyard and kneeling beside Kami and Ghost.
 "Alas,  I am not so powerful as I can bring back the dead." Slowly closing her eyes, a tear slipped out and slid down her cheek, falling onto Kami's hair.
 "Kami, child, there is nothing you can do for her, please come in....." Titania put a hand on Kami's cold shoulder.
 "I could have saved her....I was too scared.......I didn't save her..." Kami stuttered out between the sobs.
 "You could have done nothing child. Ritz is too powerful for even myself. There was nothing you could have done. You at least tried." Titania picked up Kami into her arms, who was at this point, covered with blood, tears and dirt. She gently rocked her back and forth until Kami had fallen asleep, few realize has tiring crying can be.
 Chi-chi looked over to Ghost's dead body as she woke.... her reaction was much the same as Kami's.
 "MOMMY! NO!" Chi-chi kneeled in front of Ghost, tears brimming in her eyes.
 When Titania came back out after putting Kami to bed, Chi-chi was still there looking at Ghost. But in this face, there was more anger than pain.
 "Come in child....." Titania looked at Chi-chi beggingly
 Chi-chi got up, but instead of coming in, she began to pound her furry fists against the wall beside where Ghost had been shot. She pounded and pounded until blood was covering her own paws. She held back her tears and turned towards Titania, full of hatred to everything and everyone.
 "Ritz knocked me out when I went to help my mother. I couldn't stop her. But I'll find Ritz again and she won't be able to stop me. I swear I will have my revenge and Ritz will pay for this dearly." Chi-chi 's paws were in tight bloody fists and Titania stood there silently with echo's of battle ringing in her ears, although there had not been much of a battle at all. Chi-chi walked stiffly through the exit of the courtyard into the forest, and Titania entered the castle silently.

 The body of Ghost lay silently in the dirt. A warrior forgotten by the summoning of motherhood was gone.  Another soul had been claimed, but as most warriors were forgotten with the rising of the sun - Ghost's name would forever live on in the name of her children.  Her battle was not yet over.

Chapter 4: Kami age 10

 "You're going to kill yourself if you keep that up Chi-chi." Kami watched solemnly as her now 14 year old sister high-kicked a punching bag for the 246th time. Sweat had been streaming down Chi-chi's face for hours now and a massive bruise was forming under the fur on her leg. She didn't care. Ever since Ghost had been killed, all she could do was fight. She gave up books and went into training 24/7. She pushed herself harder than Kami had ever been pushed by Titania. Bruises, cuts and scars now completely covered her all of the time. She almost never slept and was irritable all the time. Even Kami worried about her now.
 Chi-chi paused and turned her head towards Kami fiercely. Drops of sweat from Chi-chi's hair hit Kami in the face. "DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE?" Chi-chi's once brown eyes looked demonic red now, because of being overtired and overworked.
 "You should..." Kami put a red hand on Chi-chi's shoulder and gave her puppy dog eyes. "Please, go to bed....."
 Chi-chi was quick to shove off Kami's hand and go back to her kicking. Kami sighed and walked off, knowing she could do nothing for Chi-chi. She had become stubborn and unmoveable. Her anger for Ritz kept on growing and Kami was wise enough to know that it would one day kill her.
 "Hey Kami......." A familiar, comforting black hand gently placed itself on Kami's shoulder.
 Kami  turned to smile at Merle, who was well older than his years now.  Whereas most of the other gargoyles his age were still playing war games, Merle read about war and knew well enough how pointless it was. When he talked, Kami almost thought it was a man speaking, and not a boy. But that too came with Merle immersed in books while all the other boys his age went off to glide in the midnight drafts.
 They hugged as a brother and sister would and walked off silently to Titania's throne room, where Kami had been called as good as an hour earlier, but she had been sleeping, and then watching as Chi-chi killed herself in the courtyard.
 "About time, child." Titania said in greeting to Kami, standing up from her throne and walking towards the two, who were scarcely seen without each other now-a-days.
 "I was..... preoccupied, my lady." Kami made a slight bow and looked up into Titania's warm, green eyes.
 Titania nodded in understanding, knowing full well what Kami had been up to. "Child, you realize that your fairie powers are soon to become full force?"
 "Not quite..... I still do not realize what you mean by.... full force.... I know I turn Fay by dawn but I thought that was the ends of it." The red gargoyle warrior folded over her wings, making a gentle flapping noise, and crossed her arm, listening intently to what Titania was about to say.
 "No child, as I watch you each day in training, I see the magic in your blood grow stronger. You simply do not become a Fay by dawn just for the thrill of it. I see it wise to begin training you in magic as well as weaponry." Titania explained with a wise tone, holding her usually whimsical voice down.
 Kami let out a small groan. She still hated training, but found it easier every passing year. She had become stronger, and now she could read books without grumbling. Her entrance into puberty too was becoming apparent, for most obvious reasons.
 "I know you do not like it, but it is necessary." Titania explained, with a small wave of her hands.
 "I understand..... will that be all?" Kami put her hands onto her hips and cocked her head to the side.
 "Yes. You may go. I shall see you at dawn." Titania turned back towards her throne as Kami and Merle left side by side, their talons making echoes in the large, quiet room.
 "Ah, Kam..... I think it would be great if you had magical powers. You're already awesome with your katanas and your daggers. Magic would be a cinch for you." Merle said supportingly, knowing Kami was not too into the idea. But Kami had become more skilled with katanas and daggers than Chi-chi could ever dream to be.  Now, when Kami became her gargoyle form, her fairy attire stayed on her, complete with the katanas in slings.
 Kami sighed. "Oh Merle..... you don't understand."
 "I probably don't. But you should still care, you're still special, no matter what you can do." Merle said, looking up at Kami, he was now a couple inches shorter than her.
 Kami smiled and scooped up Merle in a hug, suddenly feeling better.
 "Don't you two have better things to do with your time than cuddle?" Chi-chi suddenly came around the corner, still all sweaty and red in blood. Blue and purple bruises showed from under her fur. Her eyes gleamed at Kami and Merle viciously, in frustration, until she stormed back off.
 Kami's eyes almost began to water, but she had become used to Chi-chi's new attitude.
 Merle sighed and looked back to Kami. "So what yah wanna do now?"
 Kami smirked and swatted him with her tail on one of his hands. "TAG! You're it!"
 "HEY!" Merle retorted with wide eyes and galloped after Kami, who was already halfway down the hall.
 Chi-chi flopped down on her bed, exhausted. She did not intend to sleep, she was about to cry instead. During her early life she was shunned, tormented and hurt. Then when Ghost came she had someone to talk to and someone who cared about her. Ghost meant the world to Chi-chi and in a minute Ritz had taken Ghost away from her.
 A cold wind came through the window into Chi-chi's room, and blew her sweat covered hair around. Before Chi-chi could stop it, the Sandman had claimed her and she was in dreamland.
 Merle tackled and pinned Kami to the stone cold floor with a thud and they both burst into laughter.
 "LEMME UP!" Kami chuckled.
 "Nope. Not until you say the magic word." He chided holding her down firmly.
 Kami wiggled and tossed her bright hair around her shoulder in a pile. "Um......please?"
 "No, that's not it. That's the adult's magic word." He loomed over her, grinning.
 "Ummmmm.... NOW!" Kami quickly tossed off Merle using her feet and hopped to her feet with a large smirk covering her face.
 "ACK!" Merle landed in a heap in front of her and returned the smirk as he got to his feet too.  "That would be it."
 "What are you two wee'uns doing gettin yourself dirty in here?" A chubby little female fairy commented, coming into view. Her hair was grey and only came as high as her shoulders. Her eyes were bright, green and cheerful. Her fat little body was dressed up in a blue little dress. To most she was the grandmother of Avalon, but her name was......
 "Simh! Hiya!" Kami said in greeting to the providing fairy.
 "Allo, little Kami, why don't you and Merle go out to play, here, I even 'ave a small treat for the both of you." Simh said and opened her thick hands to reveal two huge chocolate chip cookies.
 "FOOD! Now that's something I'd go for!" Kami said hungrily, grabbing one of the cookies and stuffing it in her mouth.
 Merle took one in a more polite manner and made a small bow to Simh, who chuckled. "Now you don't 'ave too much fun you two."
 Kami smiled and waved to Simh.
 "Thank you." Merle said to Simh and then followed Kami.
 A small cackle escaped from Simh's lips and a dark aura surrounded her. Her eyes became black as the aura flew above and behind Simh.
 Simh fell to the ground cold as the aura took form as..... Ritz.
 "Have fun, indeed." She cackled and turned towards Chi-chi's room, now that that obstacle was dealt with. Her leather cape flew behind her, revealing a leather uniform which looked awfully warm for most any to wear, but Ritz was not that normal. A demon sorceress birthed at first century, immortal and very deadly.
 Inside her room, Chi-chi groaned and looked up. A glaze had formed over her eyes from crying to sleep, and her hair was now dry, but knotted and tangled. She felt stiff, having slept in her normal clothes, but other than that she was still as determined to fight and kill as she had been in the past 4 years.
 A knock came at the  door and Chi-chi grunted, "Who's there?"
 A small voice came back, "It's me...Kami. I brought something for you Chi-chi!"
 Chi-chi got slowly up and put her paw on the doorknob, wincing from the pain of bruises and cuts against the metal. She turned it slowly and opened the door, which gave a large, regular creak.
 The hallway was dark and empty.... Chi-chi growled, "If this is one of your tricks, Kami....you're in for it!"
 The same shrill, sharp voice came from down the hall. "It's in the courtyard, Chi-chi! Come and see!"
 Chi-chi once again grunted and went into her room to get her katanas, which still lay on the bed, then walked off to the courtyard.
 At this point, it had begun to rain outside. Kami and Merle were having a great time jumping in the puddles and getting all muddy and dirty. Merle had mud all up his legs but Kami was a walking pile of mud. Although the rain kept washing it off.
 Kami stuck her tongue out in the air and let the rain drops fall onto her tongue.
 "Is that all you want to show me?" Chi-chi's voice rang out and Merle and Kami turned towards the doorway of the castle where she stood, looking as pissed off as ever.
 "Um... show you what, Chi-chi?" Queried Kami after bringing her tongue back in. Merle had a bewildered look on his face.
 Chi-chi snarled and stomped up to Kami, her footprints leaving marks in the slop, that would in a few seconds be washed away.
 "Chi-chi?" Kami tilted her head crookedly at her, a little confused.
 "You know what I'm talking about. So fess up. I'm not in the mood for your little games." She bent her head down to look Kami square in the eyes.
 "Chi-chi, I don't know what you're talking about! Are you okay?" Kami backed up a step, a little intimidated by Chi-chi's piercing look.
 "She won't be for long." A voice commented, coming from a dark mass of swirling winds behind Kami.
 The three of them gasped and just stood there staring at the mass, which was gradually becoming larger and thicker until it formed a body. The body was quick to solidify and form it's colors. Chi-chi snarled.
 "RITZ!" She pulled out her katanas and held them, crossed in front of her face, still snarling. "Finally I will have my revenge."
 Kami snarled too, remembering that face, remembering the pain it caused.
 ~ "Just remember, I love you baby....." ~ - the last words Kami ever heard from her mother, the ones she did remember.
 "MERLE! Get inside now!" Kami spat at Merle, who was already backing up a little.
 "But...but...but..." he said, too proud to actually leave.
 "GET TITANIA!" She took her own katanas out, listening to Merle's feet run into the castle through the mud.
 "Titania will be of no help." Ritz said, lowering her levitating body into the mud.
 "Maybe not, but I will." Chi-chi ran up to Ritz with her katanas outstretched in front of her, her eyes became red beacons in the night and her fur stood on end.
 "Oh puh-lease...." Ritz mocked and suddenly shot back Chi-chi with a small white spark of electricity coming from her hand.
 Chi-chi fell back and splashed into the mud. Grunting, she lifted herself back onto her feet using a katana and shooed away Kami with a hand, who was approaching her to help her up.
 "Do you really think you can defeat me? I'm stronger than all the Fay! I'm certainly stronger than you. You can't even try." Ritz's eyes focused on Chi-chi menacingly.
 "I will defeat you no matter what it takes." Chi-chi stood her ground, with her katanas held at her sides. Kami took place beside her in the same pose.
 "This is too pathetic." Ritz's hand began to glow a fiery red as she hit Kami in the stomach. Kami fell back into the mud, totally numb.
 Chi-chi snapped her gargoyle fangs together. "You'll pay for that."
 "Oh. Will I? I sincerely doubt it." Ritz suddenly disappeared from view, leaving the dark aura. In a blunt second the aura hit Chi-chi, taking over her body as it had earlier taken over Simh.
 Chi-chi screamed in protest, dropping her katanas into the mud. They sunk in, deeply clayed over with dark brown mud.
 She held her paws to her face and her eyes blinked open, a blank red . A demonic roar sprang from her dark lips and she looked at Kami like a hungry vulture. Her neck twisted and cracked around, her claws extended out and her clothes began to rip as fury took over Chi-chi's soul, making her larger and stronger, but as demonic as Ritz.
 Kami moaned and blinked up at where her sister now stood, all she could see was an image of a demon.
 Demon Chi-chi looked at Kami and clamored towards her, not seeing her sister but seeing a victim.
 "Chi-chi.....?" Kami shivered, now cold from the rain that kept hitting her in the ears and the fear that suddenly evaded her. ~My god, what has Ritz done now?~
 Chi-chi stuck her face into Kami's and sniffed her like an animal for a moment, Kami was too weak to protest. The shot from Ritz had taken a lot out of her.
 "What happened to you...." Kami muttered. Her eyes drifted into the red eyes of Chi-chi and she saw past them, locked in a trance. "Nooo...." she uttered, suddenly realizing Chi-chi's fate.
 Chi-chi screeched as Ritz dug into her mind more, going past all her feelings, all her hurt, all her anguish.  Hurting Chi-chi to hurt Kami.
 "CHI-CHI!" Kami leapt up with renewed energy and grabbed onto her sister's arms. "Chi-chi! Get her out of you! She'll kill you!"
 Chi-chi's voice erupted from the screeching. "I...know...sister....she....AAARRRHHHHH!!!"
 "CHI-CHI!"
 Chi-chi fell down to her knees and put her paws to her ears, trying to shake it off. "Leave me alone! LEAVE ME ALONE!"
 Kami started to become alarmed. Her eyes raced around the courtyard, looking for someone to help her, but she was all alone with Chi-chi and the demon soul.
 "Kami... please... sister...... get her out of my mind....... I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE!" Chi-chi hollered, looking up into the sky. Small drops of drool spit out of her mouth and Kami swore her eyes were beginning to spin around inside her head like small tornadoes.
 Kami's breathing sped up.  She had to help Chi-chi and she could only think of one thing. She had been delaying the inevitable. Her powers. She already knew she had them before Titania had told her. She had practiced them out in the forest, alone in her afternoons. She didn't want to really use them, though... she wanted to be a normal little gargoyle but she also realized now that her hopes of normality were long ago over.
 "Don't worry sister, I'll free you...." Kami backed up a couple paces, all wet and soggy now from the rainfall which was slowing down, but was still awful. Kami concentrated all her focus on Chi-chi and separating Ritz from her. A gaseous white aura formed around her finger and hand. She closed her eyes and concentrated harder. The aura became thicker and brighter. It shone and illuminated the whole courtyard.
 As a fireball, the aura exploded from Kami's hand and hit Chi-chi square in the head. Kami fell a little limp from all the energy she had used.
 The  white aura's energy collided with the black aura of Ritz. It seemed as though they were both at battle with each other. Mangling  together inside Chi-chi's head, each wanting to get rid of the other. Each wanting victory.
 Chi-chi was caught in the middle of it. Her screams were becoming louder and more pleading.
 Finally, with a final blast of grey light, the two aura's dispersed and faded away into the night.
 Kami crawled up to Chi-chi cautiously. Chi-chi had fallen to the ground and her breath was short. Her eyes closed, but a look of peace crossed her face and as she sensed Kami's presence, she simply whispered, "I guess we got her sister. We got her good."
 Kami nodded solemnly, looking over Chi-chi, who appeared to be in a bad condition. Besides the usual mass of bruises and scars, Chi-chi's red face showed through her tan fur and whenever she blinked her eyes open for a second they still seemed blank, but white now.
 "We make a good team, kid...... never thought something like that would come outta you, felt like heaven, though.... I guess I'll be knowing what that really feels like soon enough, kiddo." Chi-chi's short breaths had become wheezes. As she coughed for a moment she stared up at Kami and Kami could see the warm deep brown eyes that watched over her when she was young.
 "What are you saying......?" Kami not until this moment realizing what had happened to Chi-chi. In her lessons she learned no mortal could be taken over without agreement, or else they would die of mindsweep - the disease caused by loss of mind control, which took it's victims swiftly.
 "Never forget the battle, Titania once said you had the heart of an eagle and the soul of a lion. There are so few heroes....*cough*.....never forget our mother...." Chi-chi uttered, her voice becoming softer with each word.
 Kami began trembling. She lost her mother, how could she lose her sister too? It was not right. Kami did not know what to do. She did not know how to help.
 "Chi-chi......." Kami's eyes welled up with tears.
 Chi-chi's lazy gaze looked over Kami. "Don't cry, I would have died with the mind of another had you not gotten it out of me...... I'd rather die a free warrior than a possessed loony. You always could cope better than I. Don't cry over me, just remember me and our mother......." Chi-chi's eye's closed slowly after lingering over Kami for a brief second. Her hand became cold as Kami touched it gently.
 "Die a warrior......." was all Kami heard from the last sentence Chi-chi spoke right then. At that point nothing more came out of Chi-chi, not a single breath of air.
 The raindrops fell on them both and Kami's tears were almost unseen, blending in with the wet droplets.
 It rained all that night, and when Titania looked upon Chi-chi she knew another chapter had been written in Kami's life. She knew how this death would drive her to her future success. Titania.... knew too much.

 Kami held the body of Chi-chi until daybreak's sweet light, when the rain finally gave way. Chi-chi had died a warrior. But a warrior with too much motivation. A warrior who was too focused on the battle to make things all right and make things better. Still, her struggle would be remembered as her fight was not over either.

Chapter 5: Kami age 15

 The tides came in soft and gentle that evening, as Merle broke free of his stone wrapping. The pieces of cement-like rock fell around him on the castle edges. He walked down the staircase he had slept right beside. He headed off to the castle dance hall, where he knew all the day-walkers, a common term used by the gargoyles of Avalon, referring to the creatures awake by day, would be. There was to be a dance that night, for no real reason either. Sometimes the extra bit of fun was needed.
 He had hoped Kami would be there this time around. Sometimes she just seemed to be in a vast depression which lasted for months. He knew what she thought about though, he seemed to know all her thoughts.
 Most thought it was the death of her mother and sister, but that was only the half of it. In all truth what really bothered her was her father. She never knew who he was, or where he was. In the normal earth realm, however, he would be dead, for some 800 years had past in the real world since Kami's birth. On Avalon however, only 30 had gone by.
 Ritz had once said that Ghost had almost killed Kami's father. But why? Love was already such a fragile thing. And how did Ritz even know? Merle thought Kami should talk to Titania about that, but she was too proud to talk to anybody, apart from Merle. They were as brother and sister and had always shared the darkest of secrets.
 Merle had no real secrets, but one. Which he planned on sharing tonight, that was, if Kami showed up.
 The great room had already begun to fill up. Singing could be heard amidst all the chatter. It was bright and colorful. All that a more formal dance in the mortal world would be, but the room was filled with Fay, humans and gargoyles - not what most mortal parties were made of.
 Merle was a handsome young gargoyle now, despite his wing handicap. Excessively mature for his age as well. It came from befriending Kami and reading all those books, as well as becoming the gargoyles' representative for Avalon, which was an idea Titania thought would help the gargoyles express concern about situations better. Something like a 'peer pal'.
 Merle's tuft of messy black hair had become vibrant and shiny, a little long, but short for most gargoyles who had never seen a barbershop. He was strong and thin. Almost rugged. His once chubby little face was slender and manly. For only 13 years old, he had become more man than most 20 year old male humans. It was of no wonder why the young female gargoyles fawned over him instead of the other boyish gargoyles their age.
 He walked in strides through the room, searching for Kami, and sighed when he saw no trace of her.
 "Oh come on, Merle! Surly you can have fun without the little fairy." Priscilla, a golden colored gargoyle girl with a reputation for man-chasing neared Merle and put a talon under his chin, tickling it a little. A look of smugness covered her face.
 Merle kept on his determined look and wrapped his hand around Priscilla's firmly, but not abusingly. "She is more than a fairie, she's a gargoyle too. She's my best friend, and no, I can not have fun without her." Merle said, looking directly down into Priscilla's eyes.
 Priscilla could be described as cowering. She snatched her hand quickly away from Merle and walked off to the next male, defeated.
 "Hey Blackbird, looking for me?" a sweet voice called from behind him.
 He turned promptly and looked into her affectionate violet eyes. "Kami...."
 "You got it mister. Nice comeback with Prissy by the way." A smirk covered her velvety pink lips and she took one of Merle's hands within both of hers. "Today was a drag. Spent the whole day playing with fire......"
 Merle was too knowledgeful to question Kami by what she meant by that, knowing it had something to do with her fairie magic training.
 He led her onto the dancefloor, his hand still within hers. The stone tiles were cold beneath their feet, but they had become accustomed to it after living here for so very long.
 Kami wrapped her silky arms behind Merle's neck and in turn he placed his sturdy hands
on her hips. They each had their wings wrapped around them as capes and together they graced the dancefloor, aware of all the eyes on them, as few danced.
 Kami yawned softly and rested her head onto Merle's well-built chest, her hair grazing over his shoulder. He looked down at her with tender care and wrapped his arms around her snugly, making sure he didn't hold her too tight or discomforting.
 "They make a charming couple, m'lady." Oberon commented, looking up at the pair from where he and Titania were sitting.
 "They do. I just hope they do not become too attached...." Titania'a green eyes lingered over Kami and Merle, and she knew it was too late for those words.
 "Why would you say that?" Oberon turned, his never aging face towards his lady with slight confusion.
 "Nevermind. It is of little concern." Titania went back to studying the gargoyles and fay on the dance floor without another word. Oberon settled himself down too, but with a little uneasiness.
 Merle bent his head down so he could speak in a whisper in her ear "Kami.... I want to show you something... outside."
 Kami bent her head back from Merle's chest and paused to look in his hypnotizing bright red eyes. She blinked and followed him wordlessly, a little tired.
 They stepped onto the grass behind the castle and closed the door. The grass was dewy and Kami soon had chills racing up and down her spine from the wind racing against her wet feet.
 Merle gazed at her silently and put a hand on her cheek, which she trustingly leaned into, closing her eyes.
 "Kami......"  Merle said, his tone lingering in the echoes of the night.
 "Hmmmm?"  She looked up, leaving the calming touch of his hand.
 "Well... um.... come with me..." he took one of her small hands and wrapped one of his own hands around it. Kami gazed up at him and followed him, hand-in-hand, to the sea-shore beside the forest. The greenery was dark now and the only sound there was the soft splashes of the tide hitting the sandy beach.
 The wind swept up Kami 's white hair, which stood brilliant in the night, and tossed it into the air like a flag. Merle watched in hushed adoration and let go of her hand delicately.
 Kami walked up to the shore and let the water spray against her feet as they sunk a little in the sand. She watched the stars, knowing them all by heart, and the formation of stars which made pictures "Pegasus..... Hercules..... Taurus..... Adromeda....." she looked them all over.
  Merle stepped up to her and put his hands on her wing covered shoulders, looking up at the stars too in synchronization.
 "Well Blackbird...... what do you want me to see?"  Kami took her eyes off the stars and leaned back into Merle, who held her closely, not knowing what else he could do, until he remembered the purpose of coming there.
 "Oh.... I got you something.... close your eyes." he let go of Kami and checked to make sure her eyes were closed.  He dashed over to the bushes outlining the forest and poked through them, smiling broadly when he found what he was looking for.
 "Open your eyes." he told Kami, coming back to her.
 Kami flickered them open and looked down into Merle's hands. In them there was a small, beautiful  silver chain with a tiny silver charm of the Kami sign on the end. The Kami sign being the sign of Mars, Taurus and the Yin-Yang overlapped - all signs of power and war.
 Kami gasped - breathless and in shock. It was gorgeous. The moon's reflection made it glimmer and shine and the chain was so fine and thin it looked professionally made.  "Oh Merle...."
 "I made it myself... on nights when you were out on missions. I got the silver from Titania and Tom helped me melt it down. I hid it in the bushes last night. I didn't want anyone to steal it."
 Kami took the necklace from Merle's hands and  put it over her head, letting it dangle over her chest.  "That's why you brought me here?" Kami already knew there was more to it than the necklace.
 "Well... uh... not so much as the necklace, as what I want you to hear... but... uh...." Merle bit his lower lip, mute.
 "You can say it...... I can already feel it........" Kami put one of her own hands on Merle's supportingly and entwined her fingers with his. A beautiful collage of black and red.
 Merle knew she did and felt stupid for not being able to say it, so in a whisper he blurted it out. "Kami, I love you."
 Her solemn face turned into a warm smile lit by sparkling eyes. She turned to Merle and wrapped her arms around him happily. "I've always known you have."
 "You have? I mean I did at 4 but when your 4 it's all cooties and everything so...."
 "You gave me chocolate...... .I knew it then." she nuzzled  Merle's neck and he looked up at the stars, relieved he had been able to get that out.
 "What's it like to glide?" He said abruptly, looking down at Kami.
 She frowned slightly  "It's just like being in a dream, carefree. Like a bird, they'll fly for hours and not come down because it's so peaceful up in the sky. You can't get pushed around up there, you leave all your worries behind you. It's wonderful." she ended with a sigh, looking once again into Merle's eyes.
 "I can only imagine...." he murmured. He ran his hand through her tumble of white waves on her head, looking towards the stars in awe.
 Kami nodded slowly, feeling a little pang of pain.  Merle had always been left behind and she never truly knew how much it hurt him.
 "Kami.... how come you never cry over your mother and sister?"  Merle stroked her hair and she scrunched her eyebrows together as she often did when she had to explain something.
 "I suppose it's because I don't believe in grief. I think a lot of things happen for a reason and some may call me dumb for it, but things happen sometimes no matter what we do. We just have to learn  to live with it.  I think that you do chose your own destiny, but destiny at time chooses you. Fate can make you stronger or weaker depending on how you look at it. If I cry over them, I'll never be able to live my own life and pass on their stories to keep them alive." she finished off, looking up at Merle for approval.
 He nodded, thinking about that for a moment.
 "Just because I don't cry about them doesn't mean I don't think about them. I just chose to honor their memories instead of wasting my life away grieving for them. Besides..... Ritz is gone. No more worries, just *us.*" she added as an end note.
 "I like the sound of *us.*" Merle grinned and  looked long and hard at Kami "I really do...."
 Kami once again gazed up at those mesmerizing eyes of Merle's. He looked back into her flushed violet eyes. Merle bent down and put brushed his lips against her velvet lips before he could let his guiltless conscience say no. Kami accepted happily and they lingered on that kiss for a few moments letting go finally and staring back into each other's eye's silently.
 Merle  rumbled contentedly and without indecision this time said aloud to Kami "I love you."
 "I love you too...my Blackbird."  she took his hand and lingered in the warmth of it.
 "How sweet! Two cute little lovebirds! I may as well gag." a voice came from the shadows of the forest with a razzy tone.
 Kami and Merle's eye's lit up wide in shock and the turned towards the forest. Both of their hearts went a mile a minute knowing that voice.
 "Have you missed me dear?" Ritz's all too troublesome figure stepped into the moonlight.. Her usual insane smug face looked towards Merle and Kami.
 Merle and Kami's eyes ignited into gargoyle fierceness and they backed into a fight ready stance.
 "You *are* alive." Kami growled at Ritz wishing, she had been wiser than to leave her katanas and daggers back at the castle.
 "And quite well, thank you. You really didn't believe a little zap from your hand could kill me, did you? You're not even at the peak of your powers." Ritz rebuked, now staying in place.
 Kami's growl became deeper and fiercer as a threat. "Why don't you just kill me and get it over with? You're obviously more powerful than I."
 "I know I am. But you're protected, so that just messes everything up.  I suppose I'll have to try though....." she gave a fleeting smirk at Merle for an instant and took the lightning from within the ground, letting it wrap around her body.
 "You leave her alone....." Merle snarled.
 Ritz did not answer him, but shot out all the lightning at Kami in a bow, letting it wrap around her. But Kami being still young and unknowledgeable on how to control some magic's fell to the ground, screaming with tears of pain.
 "KAMI!" Merle ran over to her, his eyes wide and alarmed.
 Kami lurched over, holding her stomach. She outstretched an arm and dug into the sand with it, trying to rid herself of the pain in some way.
 Merle was on the verge of hyperventilating at that point, and looked at Ritz for a split second, who was just standing there as smug as ever.  He knew what he had to do.
 As the transfer from Ritz to Kami was just a throw, Merle quickly figured it could be picked up just as easily. Magic was alluring that way.
 Merle placed his hands on Kami's shoulders and felt the surge of the wave vibrating in him already. He fell back, slowly being electrocuted by nature's damned force.
 Kami looked up, now free of the negative energy. Her eyes took a few seconds to focus but that was all the time Ritz needed to take the energy back from Merle and sink it back into the ground.
 Merle lay feeble on the sand. He was too mortal to have stopped it, but he knew then what Ritz had been doing from the beginning.
 "Merle......" Kami crawled weakly over to his partially breathing body and pulled his head onto her lap. She held each of his hands and sniffled. She was still to weak to let the tears fall from her eyes.
 "Until your next kindred my dear...adu." Ritz cackled and spun her cape around her disappearing within it.
 "Kami...... she won't let up...." Merle said, opening his eyes and looking up at the trembling face of his love.
 "Merle....... "  Kami felt the first tear slide down her cheek and drip onto Merle's hand.
 "Don't cry... remember fate. She can't kill you..... she said something was protecting you. So she'll try and hurt you by killing the ones close to you...." Merle's voice became vague.
 "No.... she can't do that... what did I ever do to her?!" Kami protested quietly.
 "I don't know......" Merle coughed raspily. Kami could practically see his lungs explode.
 "Don't die.... please don't die......." Kami begged, looking at Merle sadly, her voice now trembling as well as her body, scared of losing the closest thing to her.
 "Can't help whether I do...... but I can think of no way I'd like to die better than in your arms."  He replied, letting himself look over Kami's face once more.
 "It isn't fair......" Kami sobbed and held one of Merle's hands up to her face, feeling the warmth leave it slowly.
 "Life rarely is.......we just have to make the best of it."
 Kami knew she couldn't help him, her fairie magic never could help the dying. She felt the need to help however, and it hurt her terribly.
 "Kami......do you think when I'm an angel I'll be able to fly?" Merle's eyes turned up towards the stars.
 "I wouldn't doubt it for the world." she muffled in-between sobs.
 "Good........" he held her hand tightly, using the last of his strength and then she felt it loosen and fall by her side. "I'll be able to watch over you that way........"
 Kami bit her lower lip trembling in tears and looked from Merle's body to the stars knowing he was there already, watching down over her.
 
 That night one of earth's greatest warriors died. He might not have been strong or born with powers, but his heart lead his way into goodness.  He wasn't the bravest of warriors either, but he had what counts. That makes a truer warrior than any and generations after him would live to remember his sacrifice.

Chapter 6: 6 months later

 Kami  tossed her silvery mass of hair behind her and looked out her window into the courtyard. Her eyes were full of sleepless nights, cold and weary - a change from the bright violet eyes she had growing up.
 She thought a lot these days. She had never blamed herself for Chi-chi's and her mother's deaths - she knew better than that. She wasn't one of those woeful souls who blamed herself for everything, she knew it wasn't her fault then. But with Merle's death and what Ritz had said to her she was thinking differently now.
 Her mother..... her sister..... her love and best friend were all killed because they were close to her. If she hadn't been born, none of their deaths would have occurred. What did Ritz have against her anyway? She thought a lot about that one too.  Did she do something?  She couldn't remember upsetting the spirits in any way.
 But even so, how was she protected? What had made her so special?
 She had kept to herself in the passing months, pondering those questions, contemplating death as well. Who wouldn't? All life seemed drained from her. She lost her appetite for days on end and had lost an incredible amount of weight and muscle. She refused to train. Refused to talk.  She wouldn't morph into her gargoyle form - it has caused her too much pain.
 Finally, that day, she knew what she had to do.
 She got up and walked down the hall to the throne room where Titania and Oberon sat, around them a few random fay watched as Kami entered.
 Titania smiled  "So you have finally come out of hiding then, eh?"
 Kami nodded and kneeled before Oberon and Titania. "I'm going to leave. I ask for your blessing."
 Titania nodded knowingly, more knowingly than most thought. "Very well then. I give you my blessing in your quest."
 Oberon raised his eyebrows in slight confusing never understanding how his lady seemed to know what went on in the minds of some. "What quest might this be?"
 Kami got up and looked at Oberon with almost a stern face  "I seek to go into the past, find Ritz and kill her before she commits any of the crimes against my kindred."
 Oberon looked down at Kami "And how do you plan to do that?"
 Kami sighed  and bluntly stated with a word, "Phoenix."
 Oberon gawked. "But he has not seen anyone in centuries. It is almost forbidden."
 Kami nodded and looked back up to Titania for support.
 "Phoenix has already agreed to see her my Lord." Titania turned her head to Oberon speaking in her usual wispy voice.
 Oberon gawked again. "But how did you talk to him? He won't even talk to me!"
 "He came to me.... I shall explain later." Titania got up from her golden plated throne and walked down to Kami. "Do you have all you need?"
 Kami nodded. All she ever needed. Her mother's silver flute, known as the Camata, that played a  haunting tune when played right and her mothers necklace, silver with a strange symbol of an eye on the charm. Chi-chi's katana's, made better than all the blades in the land and her necklace... the one Merle gave her. Her most precious things.
 "Good. Let us go." Titania took lead into the hall and Kami followed.
 Oberon sat back down and thought. He was surprised by few things, but letting the gargoyle-fay go back in time by the hand of Phoenix boggled his mind completely. Oh well, Titania was a good one for surprises.
 
 Titania stopped at the door to the highest tower in the castle. She made a fist and was about to knock, but the door opened slowly with a creak before she had the chance.
 "I have been expecting you." A tall bent over figure said, with a small croak in his voice.
 Kami paused and looked over the man.  A clock covered almost his whole body, black in color. A tall wooden staff supported him, held by the only visible part of his body - a spotted, wrinkled hand.
 Kami had heard of Phoenix. The guardian of time. The maker of the gate. He knew all, saw all and had done all. Yet few had heard his voice.
 "Hello, Phoenix." Titania said solemnly.
 "Hello, m'lady" Phoenix shifted his gaze unnoticeably over to Kami and looked her over. "The fine young warrior here at last, what a pleasure."
 Kami nodded quietly.
 Phoenix turned and walked into the tower, which creaked noisily as he stepped on the floorboards. Titania and Kami followed without question.
 The room was empty, besides a chair and what looked like a large, purple, crystal ball which sat in the middle of the floor, bigger than Phoenix himself.
 Phoenix gazed towards Kami "You shall be traveling through your time void - a void only know to your past, present and future. Listen to the voices there - you'll hear from all the times in your life."
 Kami nodded  to Phoenix "I will, and  if I do not get the chance later than .... thank you."
 Titania turned to Kami. "I must give you full blessing."
 Kami knelt placing one of her taloned hands on the floor as it was required for any blessing.
 Titania laid a finger on the Camata of Ghost "For the times of  loneliness and need," then she laid a hand on the katana handles, "in times of great danger," and finally she put her hand on the necklace, "...and for the finale to it all."
 Kami thought quietly. It was the weirdest blessing she had ever heard, but then she had never heard a time traveling blessing. She stood promptly and looked towards Phoenix with a little shock.
 In the place of the old cloaked man now stood a large, golden bird resembling an eagle. The crystal was now aglow and vibrating with pulsating life.
 The bird cawed and Kami walked towards it, drawn almost in a trance.
 Titania watched quietly and whispered, "Good luck."
 The bird cawed again like a crow and outstretches it fine golden wings. It leapt from it's spot on the ground and flew above Kami.
 Kami looked up and nodded in a daze as the bird flew right into the crystal ball leaving a wiggle of purple after it.
 Kami gulped and walked slowly through the purple aura, saying a quiet farewell to everyone.
 
 She fell through a vast purple void drifting swiftly after the golden bird ahead of her.  White hair flew around her pale white faerie body. Kami soon heard the voices that Phoenix had warned her of -yelling and murmuring all around her. She knew some........

 "Do you think in heaven I'll be able to fly?"
 "Never forget I love you baby...."
 "Hey Creampuff!"
 "You learn from experience - they learn from books."
 "I got you something close your eyes...."
 "You always hit the target dead on when you're angry....."
 "Die a warrior...."

 Voices of the past. Voices the taught her and loved her. There were other voices - she had not heard, she listened closely to them......

 "You are only the beginning...."
 "You really think you're going to keep living without having a life?"
 "Tell me the story again moma....."
 "You're just like her...your mother, but twice as beautiful....."
 "All I want is to help you, like you helped me..."
 "You are one screwy chick - you know that?"
 "We'll always be here to help you darling...."

 The new voices seemed to hop into her ear. They were absorbing, interesting. The voices of her future no doubt - she promised herself to listen to them.
   A bright yellow light could be seen now and Kami and the golden bird raced towards it....quickly....so fast.....until a flash sped through Kami's eyes and she  fell into a garbage dumpster in a back alley with a thump. "Owwww...." the rustling of feathers could be heard behind her but as she looked back nothing could be seen of the bird or the portal.
 She hopped out, shaking off some orange peels and paper that had stuck to her and looked at a drunk bum laying in front of the dumpster. Kami nudged him with a toe. "Hey mister, you know where I am?"
 The bum murmured "Manhattan, land of the flying pigs...." he tilted his head up to look at Kami and began screaming wildly when he saw Kami's pale complexion and long pointed ears "MONSTER! MONSTER!" he quickly stumbled to his feet and ran off into the street, leaving an odor of whiskey behind him.
 Kami shrugged and picked up a muddy newspaper nearby, looking at the date she smiled. "Not a bad time to drop from the sky." It was May 9th 1996 - the same day she was born.

Epilogue 1:
 A moment later, the bird flew back through the crystal ball. The crystal ball quickly went dull again and the bird gleamed like a beacon as it was replaced by Phoenix.
 "The task is done. And we know of our future. Now be off." He  pointed to the door with his staff and Titania obediently walked out and back into the throne room.
 "M'lady." Oberon took her hand and kissed it lightly. "You have promised to tell me what it is you are doing."
 Titania smiled. "Simply helping fate."
 "And may I ask why Phoenix will talk to you and not I?"
 "He came to me before the warrior was born and told me when to bring her."
 Oberon gawked once again "Then you knew of her destiny and told no one?"
 "I could not, then this time would be changed and things would not be as they are."
 Oberon smirked "Very shameless, m'lady."
 Titania nodded and went to her throne looking up at the stars through the window, knowing Kami was one of them.

Epilogue 2:
 A pair of violet eyes stared down curiously at Kami from a rooftop nearby.  The eyes belonged to  a shadowed silhouette of a cat. White in color, with short fur.
 The cat cocked its head to the side, still watching the young gargoyle, and then opened its small pink mouth and surprisingly spoke a few words to itself.  "Can she really be the one....?"

The End......or maybe not :)
 
 

 By: Lara 'Kami' Fletcher
kami@connect.ab.ca