Some call her ‘the Empress of the East’, some call her Lilith the bloodsucker, and most are sure she isn’t human. Whatever they think of her, their fear of her is absolute. Her real name is Lilith Kyuketsuki. It is widely believed that she feeds on the life force plucked out of many unwilling victims. No one knew how old she was, nor how she came to be. She was well known to have been a beautiful and deadly leader, who used her own abilities to steal…no, draw out the powers of whoever she wished and store them into her crystals, making her stronger and stronger. She sucked the life force from other magical folks and users, extending her life, almost indefinitely and bestowing upon her a set of unusual abilities. Part dragon, part human, part unknown, she had a burning need to suck the life out of anything and everything, in the quest for both ultimate power and immortality. Like most human leaders, she has an insatiable hunger for power, and like them, she also lacks patience for tedious reasons. Her ruthlessness only adds to her appeal to all other worldly outcasts and evil spirits.

She stood there staring at the general, waiting for this so-called ‘precious’ information he had discovered. 

The back part of the room was drenched in darkness and all that could be seen by the general were her red-purple eyes, glowing intensely out of the gloom. 

The general gulped, cleared his throat and began as calmly as he could.

“My…my Lady Lilith…you’ll be wanting my report, the news I have is that there are reports of 7, or more uniquely powerful beings present in the world….their energy has caught the seers’ eyes. They say that these are on par with the old elementals, during the times of the gods and the goddesses….” The general’s voice trailed off as he realised that Lilith’s eyes were no longer visible and the candle next to him had turned an eerie green. 

“Good work, general! Now, leave!” came a dark voice from behind him, shrouded in more darkness.

The general bowed and made his exit as soon as he could.

Her eyes were closed, deep in thought, concentrating; her hand was clutching at one of a multitude of crystals that were hanging around her neck, of varying colours, this one was a light purple.

It glowed softly as she muttered into the stone an unknown incantation. A locator spell, it showed her who was who and what was what; she did not use this power very often as it drew a lot from her, which was a result of a curse that had been placed on the powers residing within the stones.

The green flame spat out a moving image that hovered in the air, as Lilith opened her eyes to the vision. The gem showed her Damian, sitting all alone in a café in central Mul, she gasped at the sight, and she knew immediately who he was and what kind of problems this would start if she went after him. But she could practically taste the power this one had! “Unique! Ha! But they all were until they weren’t!” she thought. She’d have to get him alone and away from Mul to take him.

The next was Will, as he rode the airship casually to someplace she couldn’t tell, his powers were air, and she could see nothing more than that, it seemed he had a natural shield. ‘Damn those monks!’ she cursed in her mind. 

The next one she found, was Harry, he was full of passion, hate and love, burning searing painful love and loss. 

‘I see…. a fire elemental eh?...though Nuria would have plans for him…if she knows of him….if she doesn’t then he may be difficult to meld and control…..’ she thought carefully. 

Next, she discovered Michael, sitting lonely on a park bench, considering his life; he had no one, nothing and was all alone in this cold world. 

‘Hmmm, metal? He could be very useful, perhaps I should be wary, he seems disconnected by something, someone? But, those metal powers, I can almost, almost taste them, yes you, my boy shall be mine! The game has begun….’ she licked her lips at the thoughts that were racing around in her head.

“Albeeeerrrrrtttttt!!!!!!!!!” she screeched at stupidly high volumes which reached across the whole of the large castle, her right-hand man appeared a few moments later. 

-_-_-_-_-

Damian, with his purple-blue hair, walked along slowly, dragging his heels along the pavement, making his way to nowhere in particular, wandering like a lost soul in the depths of the underworld. Reaching his favourite cafe finally, he decided he needed to distract himself instead and went in and cheer himself up with a cup of warming hot chocolate, this place did the most luxuriously rich hot chocolate, and Damian had tasted them all, at least in the lands of the Bards of the Waves. 

Smiling and waving at Curina, the sweet owner, who was usually behind the counter, he went straight to the garden, as it was during the day, the cafe was deserted, save for a couple in side canoodling, in their own world. 

Curina came out with his usual order and a slice of Water Cake. “Your usual Damian and a little something new I’m testing out, let me know what you think, it’s Water Cake, but with a twist!” she smiled broadly and turned on her heel and nearly crashed straight into Li. 

“Oh Shiva! So sorry Li, I didn’t see you there! I’ll get your usual yeh?” Curina said hurriedly as she rushed off to make Li her usual drink. 

Damian stopped laughing long enough to gesture at the empty chair across from him, “Hahahahah! oh gosh, sit, sit!” 

Li sat down with a wry smile on her face, “Oh har har har, You know I can’t help that I’m just a quiet person!” She said as Curina brought out her Jasmine tea and a slice of Vanilla cream cake. 

Smiling and nodding gratefully at Curina, Li eyed the cake hungrily. Damian gave a little chuckle, but couldn’t help but think she was extremely lovable and cute, but shook it off quickly, as he felt guilty about Harry.  

Li took a deep breath and pushed the cake aside, it can wait, this couldn’t, and said, “So, I am just going to come out and say it, I saw you today Damian, playing with the water, in the gardens…you are a water elemental, aren’t you?” Li blurted out, to a stunned Damian. 

Dumbfounded, Damian could only respond with a gaping mouth, “Wha, what do you mean?!” he spluttered. Taking another gulp of his hot chocolate.

“It’s okay, I knew you were hiding something, it’s okay, I won’t tell anyone, besides, I have a secret too…” Li said, just as her phone went off, it was her mother, “Ahh, it’s mum, she’s probably calling for me to pick things up from the market for dinner.”

Damian sat back and calmed a little, he pondered that he could definitely trust her with this if she felt she could trust him with her secret too. Li returned from the call and said with a little smile, “I was right! But I still have some time, so, don’t tell anyone, you know how rare it is for people to have such abilities, let alone mine, I can read and manipulate minds, not everyone! Just certain people it seems.” she waited for a reply. 

Letting his shock subside, Damian sucked his breath in, “Whoooo! That’s some ability you have there then! What am I thinking then?...oh you can’t read my mind?” He saw her shake her head, so as to say that she couldn’t read his mind and was happy to not be able to. 

“It’s okay, I think it’s a really cool power! And yes I can manipulate and control water and ice! I haven’t told anyone because I’m worried bad people will find out and want to use me as their weapon or something.” Damian said as a wave of relief washed over him.

“Thanks for telling me, and thank you for not running for the hills for mine either,” Li said sweetly, and the pair spent the rest of the afternoon chatting and laughing, Damian walked her to the market and they parted ways, until the next day when they went for a stroll around the central gardens, enjoying each other’s company, along with Kalendra who came along most days to hang out together. 

-_-_-_-_-

Sam was sitting at home, with his parents and grandmother, with Sabrina in one corner with a large glass of sweet wine in her hand, she had, what Sam was sure was a smug face on. 

It was his birthday celebration, they had already had dinner and had cut his birthday cake which was a lavishly decorated Noir Forest gateau, with lashings of rich fresh cream and Cherry liqueur; Sam’s favourite.

Now it was time for the presents! First of all his mother handed him a medium-sized plain bag, with a massive grin on her face, her eyes telling of something cheeky. 

Sam dipped his hand in while thanking his parents at the same time. 

He pulled out the object and immediately turned to his mother and pulled a half disgusted, half shocked face; 

“Mum….what the hell!?”  

Sam’s mother and father sat there with huge proud grins on their faces, his mother spoke;

“It’s an edible cocolar penis!” they exclaimed in gleeful unison! 

Sam was horrified, Sabrina was in hysterics in the corner and he grandmother was cackling loudly as she put down her glass of wine and got up somewhat unsteadily and abled over to Sam. She reached into her left breast and pulled out her purse, reached in and pulled out a small wad of money and slapped it into Sam’s hands, winked and said, in a cheeky tone;

“Get yourself a nice boy for the weekend dear! On me!” she turned to the parents and winked again and retreated back to her seat and her wine, which she and Sabrina had been on for the whole afternoon sharing happily.

Sam stared at nothing, flabbergasted at everything that had just transpired. 

“Oh my gods, are you lot serious!? One of these days I’m gonna need to be whisked away from you mad people!” he said finally after some things had processed a little. 

The cacking and wailing kept on going as Sam relented and followed suit, as his father, Sabrina and his Grandmother pulled out a new set of presents, his actual, presents. 

His parents had bought him a recipe book and a YuBag X. Sabrina had bought him a book on how to travel well and the key things to remember when travelling, along with a set of fresh new style vials for all manner of lotions and potions. His grandmother presented him with her trusty old diary. 

“Thank you, everyone! Sabs, I’m not going anywhere though, but it’s good to know, thanks.” Sam thanked everyone. 

“Well, we’ve been talking and we think it’s time you fulfilled your dream of travelling like grandma did when she was younger, and exploring the vast world, we know it’s something you’ve always wanted, so why not go, I can look after the shop and I can recreate the most common potions anyway. it’s sorted.” Sabrina said sweetly while leaning forward with a slight sway to both herself and her words, “We love you, you dummy!”

Sam didn’t know what to say, he was impressed that Sabrina actually could now match grandma Kata in how much she could drink, everyone knew grandma Kata could drink like a fish! “That’s from years being on the road that is!”, she’d say whenever she was asked.

He nodded and smiled at them all, then turned to grandma Kata, “Grandma, I can’t take your diary! It’s too precious!”

She smiled a gappy smile at him and said, “No worries, I don’t need it anymore, I have the memories anyway! Oh do I have the memories…. there’s a LOT to see and do in this world! I have some really detailed notes in there, some I’m sure you are bound to enjoy!” and with that another cackle went up, clearly referring to her multiple sexual conquests of each town and city, as to which grandma Kata was very proud of, and always said, “One should judge a place only on the quality of the men, and women in bed! It tells you everything you need to know really.” She said sagely, and every time Sam and Sabrina shuddered and died a little inside.

-_-_-_-_-

Michael wandered the streets of Gaia, wondering if he should return to Gallium. He hadn’t been back there for a while. He pondered his life, his choices, the good, the bad and the ugly. His mind fell through his life as he sat watching some children playing happily on the grass and amongst the flowers with their loving and devoted family members.

It was tough for him, his whole life, not knowing who his parents were and not knowing where he was from, the only things he knew were his name; Michael Kozma, and that he had abilities with metal no one else had, he woke up at some point, partially hidden by a bush when he was younger and a note in his hand, it read:

‘Hide, flee this place, you must stay away if you want to live! 

Do everything you can to avoid the High Wizard Libor. 

He is after you.

He wants your powers.

He wants you tortured and dead.

C & D’

He fled as fast as he could, he learnt to keep hidden, to have to resort to stealing and taking what he wanted and needed, albeit, in the most subtle way, he hated destroying or distressing anyone or anything. He had no knowledge of who C or D were and why this High Wizard would be after him so badly.

Over the years, the boy taught himself all kinds of things and soon enough, turned into a young man who was beautiful and skilled, as cold as the metal from his skin and as loving and caring as much as he craves to be loved. 

The next day he unexpectedly found himself standing in front of the Herbalicious store, staring…just staring at the building. Something was drawing him to this place, it was now early evening and a light was on in the back. 

Stepping forwards, he knocked three times and waited; the sign said closed, but the door creaked open, almost inviting him into the store.