Duman shivered as the cool, damp air of the cavern brushed over him, in harsh contrast to the warmth of the beautiful sunset. 

He walked down the dark, empty hallway, a few flickering torches lighting his way, his footsteps echoing ominously around him. God, he'd forgotten how much he hated it down here.

Almost a century ago now, this place had been a prison brimming with captured Earth fairies, waiting for their fates to be sealed. 

Now all it did was serve as a cold memory of those dark times. 

The corridor was lined with cells, each with a unique magic seal to open them, and the shadows of the bars drew long lines over Duman's body as he continued to travel stoically through the cavern. 

In his hands was a small, pine box that rattled with each step he took, the slight jolt from his movement shaking the contents slightly. It made a sound like chains chinking against each other, the noise also reverberating around the empty space.

As he turned the corner, the highest security cell loomed into view. 

It was slightly larger than the others but what really set it apart was the complexity of the locking mechanism. Ogron had spent months deciphering the incantation from ancient texts to be able to implicate it onto this prison. 

Escape from here was impossible.

Within the cell was a singular, wooden chair, placed directly in the centre and a fairy, curled up on a straw bed along the back wall, in foetal position, as if as a last defensive resort. 

Her hair lay messily around her face and her eyes twitched irregularly, her face twisted unnaturally like she was struggling against something.

Just outside the metal bars, Anagan sat, his head leant against the wall, his arm resting on a bent knee while his other leg extended outwards, his eyes shut. 

Duman smirked at his sleeping friend. 

What was he thinking? Bringing a fairy back to base with him. 

Granted, she had put up a good enough fight against the four of them, but was quickly outmatched and knocked unconscious by a brutal blast to the temple from Ogron. Never one to be merciful. 

Duman was quite excited by the prospect of a hostage but he wasn't completely oblivious to the reactions from his brother. 

He had seen how Anagan's eyes seemed to soften when he realised Flora was going to be alright. He had noticed how his gaze lingered on her when they had first put her in the cell, and his reluctance to leave her side thereafter. 

After over a century of living with the guy, it made sense that Duman could easily see through Anagan's sloppy attempt at nonchalance. Even more so now that he knew Anagan had been sleeping by her cell instead of in the comfort of his own bed.

"Hey." Duman grinned as he kicked Anagan awake. 

His eyes bolted open as he gasped in shock, his posture straight, his muscles tensed, hands out in front of him ready for combat, before he realised it was just Duman.

"Ugh, you dickhead." He moaned, slumping back down against the wall which was met with the sound of Duman's laughter. "What do you want?"

"Well," his tone was cheeky and accusatory, "I just happened to notice that somebody was spending a lot of time by this cell?"

"It's called guarding, idiot." Anagan retorted indignantly, though he felt his heart beating faster than usual. "Maybe if you weren't completely useless, you would take over for a bit."

"And ruin your little bonding sesh? Nah, you're having too much fun." Duman teased, purposefully nudging Anagan's leg with his boot in the most insufferable manner possible.

"I'm making sure she's not escaped." He reaffirmed, slapping Duman's leg away harshly and rolling his eyes.

"Ow! Jeez okay!" Duman held back another laugh, "Whatever you say, man."

"Fuck's that supposed to mean?" Anagan stood up slowly, raising an eyebrow as if daring Duman to test his patience any further.

"Look. It's okay, I get it. The girl's hot as hell I can see why-"

"Will you shut up." Anagan hissed as he stood up, staring Duman down, "She's right there." He flexed his wrists, clearly agitated by their conversation, but Duman was cocky. 

He needed to know how much further he could push this.

Duman looked past Anagan's piercing stare to Flora who was resting peacefully, though her face still bore that same twisted expression.

"She's sleeping." He flicked his head to the side, motioning to the unconscious fairy he was referring too. 

Anagan's fierce eye contact didn't falter though. 

"Tell me, I'm curious," Duman began, inhaling slowly as he peeled himself away from his aggravated friend, "why did you bring her here?"

Anagan hesitated for a second, his gaze softening slightly as he thought of them in that burning building. 

Why had he saved her? 

She would have been one less enemy to worry about, one more threat eliminated, had he just let that ceiling crush her.

"Oh shit-" Duman's eyes widened in mock disbelief as he continued to torment his brother, "You like her, don't you?' 

Before Anagan realised what he was doing, a fist swung round at Duman so fast he felt the air woosh past his face, just narrowly missing a punch to the jaw by transforming into a small, golden scarab beetle. 

Just before it hit the floor, another bright flash of light signalled his transformation back into a human and Anagan stared at his friend, propped up by his forearms, sitting breathlessly on the ground. 

Duman stayed there for a moment, panting, his eyes wide with shock at the abruptness of his friend's attack. That was far too close. 

Anagan's muscles suddenly went lax as he realised what he had done, his face now bearing the mark of chagrin as he tilted his gaze downwards. 

What was wrong with him? Attacking his brother over some... fairy?

"Sorry." His voice was low as he extended an arm out. Duman didn't hesitate to take it.

"Nah, that's on me." He admitted, taking a step forward and patting his friend on the back in a quick hug. 

Anagan just nodded back, pausing for a moment. 

"You've lost your edge though, man. Usually I wouldn't be able to dodge." Duman grinned and Anagan rolled his eyes, though his guilt did subdue at his brother's jesting. 

"So what was it you came here for then?" He asked, quick to change the conversation. 

Duman looked around for something briefly before his eyes lit up, having found the small box he had dropped during his metamorphosis. 

"Ogron's orders." He handed Anagan the box, who opened it tentatively. 

Inside were two bracelets- metal coils that looked something akin to barbed wire. Anagan instantly knew what they were, and his brows furrowed solemnly as his gaze flicked momentarily to Flora. 

During their prime hunting era, some fairies had proven especially difficult to contain. In these cases Ogron used the runic limiters to sever the connection between a fairy and their magic to better control them. 

It is a method known to be excruciatingly painful. 

Anagan took slow, heavy steps towards the cell, exhaling steadily through his mouth. 

He flicked his hands towards the locking mechanism and waited as the cogs whirred while the cell door began to open. 

Pausing briefly, he looked back down at the box in his hands, which now felt like a dead weight. 

Guilt gnawed at his conscience. 

Did he really have to put her through this now? 

She was in enough pain from that blow she took to the head. Although, it was probably best while she was still unconscious...

"If you want, I can-" Duman began, seeing his brother's hesitation.

"No." Anagan cut in, not wanting it to seem like he cared about this stupid fairy. 

No, screw seem. He didn't care about her. 

They were enemies by conflict of interest. He took a deep breath. That's why he was doing this.

He slowly knelt down in front of her, noticing the steady rise and fall of her chest. He carefully lifted her up, her head lolling back as he held her in his muscular arms, bridal style. 

"Pass me the rope." He commanded gruffly, placing her on the chair. Duman obeyed. 

Though tempted to make another inappropriate joke, he saw the intensity of his brother's gaze, the way his hands gripped the rope as he took it from him and decided he'd rather live to see another day.  

Anagan drew Flora's hands behind her back, binding them tightly as well as securing her ankles to the base of the chair. 

Before reaching for the box, he took one last look at her face, her head drooping defeatedly, strands of hair falling loosely either side. 

He sighed, her face still bore that twisted, pained expression. Oh well, the pain she was in now wouldn't even begin to compare to what she would experience next.

Looking away, he opened the lid and pulled out the first bracelet, inspecting it thoroughly. 

His heart thumped louder in his chest as he slowly reached out, gently gripping her forearm, and allowed the bracelet to snake quickly around her wrist. The barbs pierced her flesh, embedding themselves into her skin and he looked on in anguish as her crimson blood began to run down to her fingertips, dripping onto the floor. 

Sucking in a slow breath through his clenched jaw, he somewhat shakily pulled out the second bracelet, this time looking away as it wrapped round her other wrist. 

It was done. 

Her connection with nature was severed, her magic vaulted away. 

The blood pooled at the base of her chair, the flickering torchlight refracting off it. It would stop soon, Anagan reasoned sighing as he closed the now empty box.

He rose, moving round to the front of the chair to get another look at her surely pain stricken face. 

But his eyes widened as he caught sight of her expression- peaceful and relieved. 

Her brow relaxed, her eyelids no longer crinkled but merely softly closed, her lips even turned ever so slightly up into a smile. 

Confusion clouded Anagan's mind, though he didn't have the time to ponder upon her strange reaction.

~Meeting in the den. Now~

Ogron's voiced pierced through Anagan's thoughts, causing him to start a little.

"Somebody's in trouble." Duman chided, grinning as he watched the colour drain out of Anagan's face. 

Shit. 

He knew he'd have to face Ogron's wrath sooner or later. 

"Shut it." He snapped, whipping round to death stare his smirking friend as he exited the cell. 

With another flick of his finger, the door creaked shut behind him, the locking mechanism whirring once more as it sealed the fairy in. 

Anagan sighed, looking blankly up at the ceiling. 

What the fuck was he going to tell Ogron? He didn't even fully know what had happened. 

"Come on, let's get this over with, lover boy." Duman teased and before Anagan could open his mouth to insult him, he vanished before his eyes.

He allowed himself one last glance at Flora, just to make absolutely sure he had seen her expression correctly. 

And like last time, her face was the very picture of serenity, something that happened to ease his nerves ever so slightly. 

Realising this however, he shook his head and followed Duman, vanishing into a cloud of black dust.

~

"I just can't fathom how this would help us." Ogron said snidely, laying back in the black leather armchair, his boots resting up on the oak table. 

He took a bite out of the blood red apple he'd been spinning in his hands and it crunched satisfyingly between his teeth.

"Listen, Ogron," Anagan began, all eyes glued to him as they congregated in the den (which was pretty much just a glorified living room that Duman had wanted to sound cooler when they had first moved in), "the risk that I took was calculated."

"But man are you bad at maths." Duman muttered under his breath, almost inaudibly, save for Gantlos perched on a bar stool behind him, who smirked in response.

"Oh yeah, how so? We are compromised! If the girl escapes we will have no choice but to leave our home or they will come for us. Please enlighten me! What is the bigger picture here?"Ogron pressed exasperatedly, his hands waving dramatically. 

Anagan felt himself shrink under the pressure of Ogron's interrogation, under the accusation delivered in his icy stare.

"Well, I-" He fumbled to find the words necessary to justify his actions. 

Shit, he should have just left her to die. It would have avoided this whole mess.

"The girl is in the highest security cell, unconscious, and her magic is bound by the runic limiters, correct?" Gantlos cut in, his voice even and cool. 

Anagan nodded, thankful for the interjection. 

Though Gantlos pretended not to care, he always came to the aid of his brothers when subjected to Ogron's exhaustive questioning. 

"In that case, we don't need to worry about her escaping." He concluded, before tipping his hat downwards, marking the clear end to his contribution.

Ogron mulled this over for a moment, before nodding, somewhat reluctant to agree. 

"Even so," he began again, more cautiously this time, "we have no use for her. It's in our best interest to dispose of her regardless."

Anagan felt his blood run cold. 

He shot a pleading glance at Gantlos but his gaze was resolutely lowered. He didn't enjoy conflict. It was in his best interests not to get involved.

"If I may," Duman drew their attention, walking towards the middle of the dim room, "I believe she might be of use after all."

Oh great. 

If Duman was fighting her case, she's as good as dead, Anagan thought hopelessly.

"Go on, Duman." Ogron waved his hand in encouragement, though a cruel smile played on his lips. 

Duman was not the brightest. Ogron found it amusing whenever he tried to make a meaningful contribution. It did brighten his day to see the youngest try so hard to live up to the brilliant scheming minds of his brothers.

"Simple. Classic. Hostage exchange."

Ogron's presumptions about Duman's typically stupid ideas suddenly vanished. 

Now hold on. A hostage exchange wasn't a completely hopeless plan.

"An eye for an eye, so to speak." Duman continued, desperately trying to supress the smile forming on his face after seeing his brother's eyes light up in recognition. 

Even Gantlos slowly tipped up the brim of his hat to watch the ground breaking phenomenon. 

Duman actually had a good idea.

All Anagan could feel, however, was relief flood through him. 

They weren't going to kill her. That was enough for now. 

He sank into a free sofa, rolling his eyes at his own stupidity for worrying about this silly fairy who was probably going to die one way or another anyway. 

Whatever.

"Duman. I can't believe I am about to say this." Ogron got up, patting the wizard on the shoulder. "Let's do it."

Finally Duman couldn't contain himself any longer, a beaming smile spreading across his face as his heart overflowed with pride. 

He shot a cheeky glance at the collapsed wizard on the sofa, mouthing "you owe me" which merely elicited a shrug and an eyeroll in response. 

Though even Anagan, had to turn away to hide his own pride-filled smile as his best friend bathed in momentary glory.

"Right so. How do we do this?" Ogron began to pace back and forth, his hand resting on his chin. 

"We should send a messenger to tell the fairies. Short and simple. A time and a place." Gantlos spoke up again, rationally thinking through the best way to approach it. 

Though this time his usually logical formatting of the situation was slightly tainted by his curiosity for the music fairy, Musa. 

If he were to be the messenger, he would see her again. Something he wished to do having left her unconscious on the floor of a burning building. 

He had felt remorse, even though he shouldn't. 

He was just doing his job after all.

"Sure." Ogron mused. "Duman. Seeing as you failed to locate the fairies the first time, I shall give you a chance to redeem yourself."

Duman gulped, though grateful that Gantlos hadn't exposed his lie, he was still not completely off the hook. 

He thought back to the unfurnished apartment as he had placed the sleeping sun fairy on the sofa, her face so still and tranquil. Her confusion when he had teased her about their encounter during their fight. 

Did she still really not know? Or had she fit the pieces together by now? 

There was only one way to find out.

"Yes, sir." Duman saluted jokingly, met with a disdainful, weary look from Ogron. 

"Very well." Ogron sighed, shaking his head at Duman's constant antics. "In your own time then. Let us know once you have found them and delivered the message."

"What do we do about the girl?" Anagan asked, though cautious to bring her up again.

"It's Flora, isn't it?" Ogron questioned.

"I think so." 

"Well seeing as it's your fault she's here, she's your responsibility, Anagan." Ogron stated condescendingly, as if trying to teach a six year old how to take responsibility for their actions after shoving their friend in the playground. 

"You'll have fun with that, won't you?" Duman smirked, winking at Anagan's flushed face. 

"I swear to Go-" He began, standing up, his hands curling into fists.

"Right, that's it for tonight. Meeting adjourned." Ogron called abruptly before vanishing, eager to leave before their childish playfighting escalated any further.

Gantlos vanished shortly after, disappointed that he wouldn't be seeing Musa any time soon- at least not due to Ogron's direct orders anyway- leaving Duman and Anagan alone. 

"So..."

"Don't even-"

"I didn't say anything!" Duman threw his hands up in surrender, slinking off to the kitchen with a grin on his face. 

Anagan sighed. 

All things considered he couldn't really be angry at Duman right now. After all, Flora was alive and wel- actually, just alive at the moment, thanks to him. 

No, he wasn't the best brother in the world, but he could at least let Duman have his moment, right? 

Yeah, that would be all right. For now.

~

"Hey, uh, Jasper from Twilight? Can you move or something? You've been staring out the window for almost an hour now, it's kinda freaky." Riven called over from his spot at the kitchen table as he looked up from the newspaper he was reading. 

His coffee mug lay empty next to him- he had decided he should probably stop after his third- and the title of the paper gripped in his hands read, Police investigate Gardenia house fire as a possible criminal case.

Though the sun had fully set, a blanket of darkness enveloping the city, Roxy still enjoyed observing the small dual specs of light as they wove through the dark streets; the small yellow rectangles embedded into buildings, some painting the picture of a happy family sat around the dinner table, some showing the flashing colours of someone's TV screen; and even the stable glow of streetlamps, occasionally flickering every so often. 

Artu was still by her side, laying down with his head resting on his front paws. 

When Riven had broken the heavy silence, she had jumped, spinning round hastily, causing Artu to leap up, ready to defend against whatever had scared her. 

Her eyes softened at his readiness to protect her, instantly calming her nerves.

"Sorry." Her small voice spoke. 

They both paused, unsure what to say next. They barely knew each other. 

To her, he was just the man who had broken her fall and to him, she was just the poor girl he should take pity on. 

"Wait, how do you know Twilight?" Roxy suddenly digested the reference he had made. 

Wasn't he from some magical far far away planet or something?

"Seriously? I'm friends with Bloom." Riven almost laughed, "You don't think she wouldn't show us a movie about vampires and werewolves? When she first came to Alfea she was so clueless about the magic dimension, I almost pitied her. You Earth people are crazy off about what vampires are by the way." 

Roxy's jaw hung slightly open as she processed all this new information. 

"Wait. You guys have vampires and werewolves over... wherever your from? And what's Alfea?" Her voice brimmed with curiosity, her eyes lighting up for the first time since that fateful day in the car park.

"Shut up. You don't know Alfea?" Riven raised his eyebrows in disbelief before shaking his head profusely. "No, no, no this won't do. Siddown." 

He pulled the chair next to him out from under the table, inviting Roxy over. 

She happily accepted, Artu trotting dutifully behind her.

"Okay so, Alfea is only the best magic school for fairies in the whole magic dimension." He explained his hands mapping out the magic dimension in front of them. 

Roxy listened eagerly, strangely comforted by Riven's transparency. He wasn't pitying her like the rest of them, hell, he had barely made an effort to talk to her for the first hour they were alone together while Musa had slept. 

But even now as he explained to her the differences between Edward Cullen and real vampires, there was no pity or belittlement towards her, no sorrow for was had happened to her, only an overwhelming sense of presence in their current moment together. 

She appreciated every second of it. 

Even Artu seemed to like his sheer openness and the comfort he clearly brought his best friend. 

"So yeah basically, the only reason anyone put up with watching that shitty movie is cos the characters are hot as fuck." He concluded almost half an hour later, standing up and boiling the kettle for the fourth time. 

Shit he said he would stop. Ah never mind, one more wouldn't hurt. 

"Hey kid, you want a coffee?" He called behind him to Roxy whose eyelids had begun to droop as tiredness overwhelmed her. 

"Um, no thanks." She managed a weak smile and Riven rolled his eyes, mumbling under his breath something about her young tastebuds not being able to properly appreciate its mature flavour. 

"Hey listen, you look like you're about to drop dead." He chuckled.

"Cheers."

"What I'm saying is you should get some rest. I'll fill you in on what the guys found tomorrow."

"Okay." She was too exhausted to manage more than one word answers.

"Hang on," He stirred he brown liquid with his silver spoon before tossing it in the sink, "I'll show you where you're sleeping." 

Riven lead her to the room she was sharing with Musa. "Yours is the one on the left." He pointed to the empty bed where Flora once lay.

"Got it." Roxy walked in, taking in the surroundings and watching as Artu instinctively curled up at the foot of the bed she was walking towards. 

Riven began to turn away, eager to get back to his piping hot coffee when Roxy interrupted him. 

"Hey, Riven?"

"Yeah." He paused, his hand still resting on the doorknob, and looked back at the innocent, wide eyed girl before him.

"Thanks." 

She managed a smile at him. 

The first one she had shown in what felt like a century. 

"Whatever, kid." He said nonchalantly, closing the door, leaving Roxy in darkness. 

Though behind the closed door, as he sat sipping his coffee, reminiscing on their conversation, he couldn't help but smile back.

~ 

Roxy's eyes fluttered open. She sat up slowly and looked around. 

Where was she? 

Silvery mist snaked around her enchantingly. She sank into the soft, white sand on which she sat comfortably, and grabbed a fistful, watching as it trickled through the gaps in her fingers, shimmering slightly. Above her was an endless expanse of pale blue, not a cloud in sight, and the centrepiece of the sky- a large, bright harvest moon. 

This strange place felt familiar somehow. Had she been here before? 

The mist curled around her arm as she extended it out and smiled. It was beautiful. The air smelt fresh and clean, a harsh contrast to the smoggy air of the city and everything was still and silent. 

That was until a warm voice spoke out through the mist.

Hello, Roxy, I have been waiting for you. 

A warm voice called around her.

"You!" Roxy's face lit up in recognition as she recalled that voice from her struggle in the fire. 

The voice that had barred fear from paralysing her, the voice that had offered it's strength to her, the voice which had taught her to believe.

I am so glad we could meet again. 

The woman's songlike voice rang around her, as if dancing in the gentle breeze.

"What is this place?" Roxy asked, looking around. In the distance, the silhouettes of tall trees swayed behind the wall of silver mist and small blades of sage green grass poked out of the sand a little further away from where she was sat.

Somewhere you are safe.

Roxy breathed in the fresh air, allowing herself to relax under into the soft ground.

"Who are you?" She mused, spreading her hands back and forth over the fine grains of white sand.

Your guardian. I want to help you, Roxy.

"With what?"

Your magic, of course. 

She spoke even softer, as if coaxing Roxy into gentle acceptance of her true self. 

Roxy closed her eyes wearily. She'd had enough of all this magic nonsense. 

I know you have. 

The voice called out again, as if reading her mind. 

But it isn't something you should be afraid of. I hope you can trust me to show you that.

"It's not that I'm afraid of it... more that I just don't want it. My life was fine before all of this magic stuff happened to me. Before those men..." She trailed off, the chilling thought of the wizards piercing her otherwise tranquil mind. 

As if hearing her thoughts, the breeze turned ever so slightly cooler, causing Roxy to shiver.

I understand. But your life always had this magic in it. It didn't just happen over night. This magic- being a fairy- it has always just been you. 

The voice lulled her back into the sense of safety and peace and in response, the bitterness of the cold in the breeze vanished. 

"Always been me?" Roxy repeated in disbelief. 

How could she have lived 16 years without realising it though?

It has been a part of your life since you were little.

The voice answered, reading her mind again.

"What do you mean?"

Your beloved dog, Artu. You have a connection unlike any other. One that can't be forged purely from good ownership.

"I don't understand..."

Roxy, you are the fairy of animals.

The voice stated. Roxy stared out blankly. 

"Oh." She whispered quietly. 

That was why she had such a strong bond with her dog, her best friend. 

That was why animals seemed to inherently trust her. 

That was why when she was five years old, she had been able to rescue that baby bird and nurse it back to health all on her own while her father pulled double shifts at the Fruity Music Bar. 

I can teach you how to use it. If you'd like? 

The voice offered hopefully. 

"Yes." Roxy sniffed, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "I'd like that."