Gaurdians of Fae: The Bellsong Chronicles

By: Allison Treese

Fae: An island adrift in the emerald sea of a distant world, an island filled to the brim with magic, dragons, fairies, and adventure.

The Bellsong Chronicles is a retelling of the story of Tawny Bellsong, the Earthian girl who, by the unstoppable hands of fate, was thrown into this world, with nothing but the clothes on her back and a mystery to be solved. It is told in seperate scrolls, posted here with permission from Miamé, Head Scribe of the Fairy Collection of Scrolls (or FCOS). Some scrolls are missing, but, seeing as the main story is unaffected by their absence, they must not have been very important.

This takes place in the year 916 AR, during the so-called Era of Peace. However, our heroine's journey begins in the United States of America, in the year 2001.

Scroll 1: Darkness and Light

She watched as raindrops raced down the car window as the world outside turned foggy and gray. The gentle slicing of wheels through the watery road managed to momentarily set aside the storm clouds in her mind, and the rhythmic beats of the windshield wipers seemed to be singing to her in a long-forgotten lullaby. Her eyes began to gently close as sleep-

Wump!!

Her eyes shot open and she jerked up in her seat, looking around, bewildered.

"What was that?" she asked, though to no particular person.

"I think we hit something," the driver said, turning the steering wheel. After pulling off to the side of the road, the driver parked and climbed out of the driver's seat, a spray of rainwater entering before the door slammed shut.

Frustrated, she brushed the water off of her pants leg. You see, Tawny was the sort of person that cared most about making her life convenient and comfortable; easily obtainable to the daughter of wealthy entrepreneurs such as the Bellsongs. Tawny had always lived a life of lazy luxury, making her impervious to others' stories of hardship and woe. So, in situations such as these, instead of worrying about the small creature that might have just been killed or the poor, underpaid escort fighting a mighty downpour outside, she merely chose to worry and mutter under her breath about her 2000 designer jeans being nearly ruined and how unfair it was that she had to go to piano lessons on a Saturday. A rainy Saturday afternoon when she could be home, chatting with her friends; except, of course, that annoying Marley girl who seemed to have the strange delusion that she was Tawny's friend and always hung around like a bad cold sore.

"Oh, man," Tawny sighed, shaking her head, "To live in HER fantasy world."

Just then came the most ear-splitting scream she had ever heard. Whipping around, Tawny looked out of the back window, although the fog prevented her from seeing the source. Frantically, she tried to think of some earthly creature that made a sound like that. There was none.

Splurt.

Her hands began shaking as she realized that the crimson red substance spread on the window was fresh blood mixing and running with the rain. Her face was drained of all color and she tried unsuccessfully to calm her shaking fingers to unbuckle her seat belt.

Crash!

The entire car rocked and shook violently as gigantic black claws pierced through the metal and tossed the automobile to and fro, a gnarled black beak with teeth like a bear trap snapping, pecking, biting, and chewing away at the roof! Her scream was drowned out by the predator's wail of joy as its blood-red eye peered in and found seconds.
By the time she saw the creature lunge in for the kill, excruciating pain had already been spread throughout her entire body, warm blood gushing from the open wound in her stomach.

Darkness.

A sudden rush of cold splashed onto her face and she coughed out a bitter, metallic substance she assumed was blood. A rush of pain greeted her along with the recollection of the attack. She screamed out in agony, blood and rain mixing around her, seeping into her hair and through her clothing.
Sudden warmth brushed against her face. She looked up to see a golden presence far more radiant then any other she had seen.
The being, despite the rain, was perfectly dry, as if a cloud had parted only for her or she had made some contract with the rain long ago to prevent it from touching her.
She appeared to be a young woman with large, shining golden wings. A soft yet intense light exuded from her body, as golden hair fell about her like a halo and eyes as deep as the ocean gazed at Tawny, shimmering with sadness and pity.

"Well, that takes care of that one," came a male voice from nearby, "I'll have this world port sealed up by tomorrow. Hopefully, no one else will find it by then."
The woman, however, took no notice. She leaned down and spoke softly into Tawny's ear, spreading a fragrance of every flower of the field.

"I can save your life," she said, "But, if I do, this body you're in will still perish. Your soul, however, shall be placed into a new body like this one, except that you will never be able to return to this world. Do you accept this?"
Chin quivering, Tawny's eyes shut tightly as she sobbed and nodded, like a small, lost child.

Light.