NOTE: This is Book 3 in The Other Chronicles. It is quite important that you read the first two books before you read this one, otherwise you'll go "Whaaaaaa?"

Thank you.

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A Crossbreed’s War

The Prologue

They hate us for who we are. Nothing personal. No, nothing personal at all. No, they hate us because of something we can’t help- because we’re crossbreeds.

My name is Kala- half-midget, half-Air Sprite, full magical creature. I have a brother, Wid, and a sister, Tyryne. We were taken away from our parents several years ago to be put in an incarceration camp. I was twelve (turning thirteen), Wid was eleven, and Tyryne was nine. We fought- don’t think for a second we didn’t- but in the end, they got their way. They being the purebreed dictators. Crazies, the lot of them.

Mom and Dad said things weren’t always like this. It’s hard to imagine it.

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“Tyryne, eat your carrots!” insisted Wynn at the dinner table. Her young daughter looked up at Wynn and then scowled back down at the carrots on her plate.

“Maybe she’s allergic,” suggested Wid, brushing his blonde hair out of his hazel eyes.

“No one’s allergic to vegetables,” said Kala matter-of-factly.

“I AM!” insisted Tyryne, slamming a fork down on the table, her light blue eyes full of determination.

“Dad, what do you think?” asked Wid.

All eyes turned to Zep, who froze while eating a cucumber.

“…Listen to your mother,” he finally mumbled, ignoring the cucumber spilling out of his mouth.

There was a knock at the door. “I’ll get it,” muttered Wynn, getting up from the table and walking out of the dining room into the main room. She opened the door and saw a Purebreed Officer standing there.

“Ma’am, I have a warrant to search your house for crossbreeds or any signs of crossbreeds,” he said stiffly.

Wynn felt her heart across her chest. “Wh-what do you mean?”

“You’ve heard the law. All crossbreeds need to be evacuated to internment camps.”

“Why? They’re not hurting anybody,” said Wynn.

“Listen, I don’t make the laws; I just enforce them,” snapped the Purebreed Officer. “Now move aside.”

“Mama, Kala’s showing off again!” yelled Tyryne, running up to Wynn and tugging on her skirt. Her eyes trailed up to the officer who looked sternly down on the young blonde crossbreed.

“Tyryne, run,” whispered Wynn, pushing her young daughter away.

“But Mama-”

“RUN!”

Tyryne looked up at the Purebreed Officer, narrowed her eyes, and kicked him in the shin. Wynn pushed Tyryne out of the room and Wynn slammed the door on the Purebreed Officer. Tyryne ran back into the dining room and said, “Something’s wrong, Papa!”

Zep looked concerned. “What do you mean?”

“There was this Air Pixie, and then Mama said to run, and I don’t know what’s going on!” cried Tyryne.

Zep heard a crashing through the door and Wynn crying. “Kala, Wid, Tyryne, get to your rooms. Hide.” As they started to run to their rooms, Zep took off his amulet and grabbed Kala’s shoulder, turning her around. “Kala, if anything happens, take care of your brother and sister. Keep safe.” He handed her the amulet and she put it on, looking up at her father, her hazel eyes filled with fear. Then she ran towards her room.

“What’s going on?” asked Wid as Kala ran down the hallway.

“I don’t know, Dad didn’t tell me anything,” answered Kala.

Wid eyed the amulet around Kala’s neck. “His amulet… he never takes that off.” Both brother and sister stopped dead in their tracks as they heard a crackling sound.

“Fire,” they said simultaneously. “TYRYNE! TYRYNE!”

“KALA! WID! MAMA! PAPA!” cried Tyryne as she ran back down the hallway, clutching to an old doll made of grass, sticks, and old cloth.

“Come on, let’s go out the window in Mom and Dad’s room,” said Wid. They ran into their parents’ room and jumped out the window. They saw their parents being loaded into a cage.

“LET THEM GO!” shouted Tyryne, her fists clenching.

“Kala, DO SOMETHING!” demanded Wid.

“I’M THINKING!” snapped back Kala. She got out her light blue wand, pointed it at the cage, and started concentrating. But suddenly, she was grabbed from behind and her wand was snatched away.

“GOTCHA, ya filthy little crossbreed!” sniggered another Purebreed Officer who had grabbed Kala. Kala struggled and looked around her and saw that Officers had grabbed Wid and Tyryne as well.

“LET US GO!” snapped Wid, trying to bite his captor.

“YOU’RE KIDNAPPING US!” yelled Tyryne, struggling and wiggling about.

“MOM! DAD! HELP US!” screamed Kala, feeling rage boil inside her. But her parents just looked sadly at them as they were carried away. Kala felt warm, angry tears well up in her eyes. “Mom…Dad…”

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This book... well, let's get a few things clear right now:

1) Characters WILL die.

2) You WILL be angry with me.

3) I WILL be angry with myself.

4) No part of ACW is a dream. It is all very, very real. Well, except it's all fiction. :)

5) It will NOT end completely happily.

6) I am NOT going to spare a character's life just because you like them.