THE BEGINNING

Sam found herself once again in the middle of the large poppy field, but something was very very wrong. The always glowing poppies were now dead or dying, the green grass was grey with the feeling of death and the large tree that once stood proudly with power was bare. The bark seemed infected with a muck-like substance and the very earth around it seemed dead. Sam gasped as she noticed the spirits were no longer glowing their beautiful fluorescent blue, but more of a grey-green, making them look sick and lost. The spirits that once jumped around chasing each other were now just floating in circles, occasionally passing through another spirit.

Sam could feel Lex grow uneasy and before she could stop her, Lex took control and darted for the tree. Sam yelled at her trying to take back control, but there was no point. Lex was frantically losing herself. She howled and growled as she ran but her eyes never left the tree. At one point she jumped through one of the spirits and Sam screamed in pain, but it did not seem to affect Lex. With a massive leap she jumped at the tree, but something strong stopped her and she was flung backward.

Come on Lex, give me some control here, let me see what is happening. Sam asked as Lex stood up, shaking her head. After a short while of consideration, Lex allowed Sam to take some control, shifting them into their dual shape. Sam stared shocked at the tree and moved closer to inspect it. She could not feel the always present power of the tree, instead, she felt a shield, a blockade of sorts, a wall making sure nothing can get in or out.

"Mother tree!?" Lex whispered, but no answer came. Again she whispered, but nothing happened. Sam could feel a single tear roll over her cheek as Lex whispered again with such pain and desperation it physically hurt. Sam clutched her chest and fell to her knees as Lex's pain consumed them both.

"Mother!" Lex shouted out, tears now forming a stream over her cheeks, her breathing was rapid and panicked. Realization dawned on Sam as she tried to figure out why Lex was so distraught.

This was not just a magical tree that gave them their power nor was this tree a keeper of the realm, no, this was...is the mother tree. This tree gave birth to all the spirits within this realm, she truly is the mother of the spirits.

"Samantha." Sam tuned in on the faint whisper as she let Lex mourn. She seemed to not hear the whisper at all as she clawed at the ground, letting her rage spill out.

"Samantha, please listen to me." Sam recognized the voice, it was that of the tree, it sounded weak and distant only barely audible.

Yes. She answered, but Lex did not hear.

"I need your help. You are the only human that has ever stepped into this realm more than once. That means that your human spirit is unique and stronger than most have expected it would be. I need you to find Elizabeth. She is from the human world, but not in it. She lives where she died many years ago. Ask Esree to help you, she knows of whom I speak. When you find her tell her I sent you.

The voice faded away and Sam took control of Lex before she completely lost her mind. Lex curled into a little ball in the back of Sam's mind and there she wept. Her tears a constant reminder of what she has lost.

Sam opened her eyes to find herself in front of Esree's house. How she ended up there she could not recall, all she knew was she needed to talk to Esree very very urgently before Lex's spirit caved in on itself. Before she could knock, the door was flung open and Esree stood there with a worried expression on her face. Her whole body seemed rigid, almost ready to attack if she needed to.

"Get inside." She whispered in a panic. Sam darted inside and found an unconscious, silver winged girl on the floor. Her black hair was spread out around her slender, flawless face. Her wings glowed brighter the closer Sam came to her.

"Don't touch her wings. They are made of true silver." Esree warned, but Sam only frowned at her. "As your spirit was created by the mother tree in the spirit realm, she was created by the fates. From the very core of the earth, she was shaped by the hands of fate, with the purest of true silver. No beast can survive if she touches them with it, but her wings were made in such a way her very feathers are daggers that seem soft till they are used. Not even the strongest Lycan can touch her. So I need you to stand back my dearest child." Sam took a step back in fear and looked down at this strange creature in complete shock,

"Who is she?"

"Her name is Elizabeth," Esree answered. "She, almost like you, is the only one of her kind. But unlike you, she was not born, but created by the fates themselves. Her arrival can only mean one thing. A great war is about to start and having her appear here just as you arrived at the door means your fates are linked. We must help her, but please do not touch her wings."

Sam nodded without question and lifted the fragile-looking girl from the floor and placed her on the couch, just as she placed her down her wings moved and some of the feathers brushed against Sam's shoulder. A searing pain burned through her arm and passed into her back. Sam yanked back and ripped off her shirt, the pain continued into her hand and also reached her spine then stopped. Sam breathed deeply to try and calm herself before looking down at her arm. The spot where one single feather touched her skin was scorched as if she held an open flame to her skin. It looked blistered and red with some of the skin completely burned off. Further down her arm swirls of painful-looking burns seemed to melt together like lightning strikes. She could only imagine how her back looked. Without warning a melting burn exploded through her entire body. It felt as if her skin was melting from her bones and she cried out in pain. Esree appeared out of nowhere and doused Sam with an oil-like substance and the pain immediately stopped.

"What the hell just happened?" She gasped out as her breathing calmed down.

"Her wings must have touched you." Esree turned Sam till she found the mark on her shoulder. She pulled a dagger from her belt and looked at Sam for permission. Receiving a single nod she preceded to cut open the wound. Sam screamed with pain and dug her nails into the soft sofa she was using for balance, but Esree did not stop there. She opened the wound further and the pain drove Sam to her knees. Teary-eyed she looked up at Esree, but Esree was completely focused on the wound. When it was opened wide enough she poured more of the oil into the wound sending another wave of liquid flames to fill Sam's body. Sam saw the darkness creeping up on her as her vision started to blur and fill with millions of little dancing dots.

"Don't close your eyes, Samantha, don't fall asleep. Stay awake, hold on!" Her voice seemed distant, but Sam clung to it with all her might. Her voice faded further away and started to sound like listening from beneath a pool of water or from the other side of very thick glass.

Sam was fading faster than sunlight on a winter's day, making Esree panic. She had lost more blood than Esree expected and therefore there as nothing she could do. Suddenly from behind them, Esree heard a gasp. It was Elizabeth, just waking from her comatose state, but Esree did not dare leave Sam, she could not for it was her fault that she was in this mess and it was up to her to get her out of it.

As if hit by a hurricane Esree was pulled away from Sam and flung across the room. She called out and tried to get up but was held back by a force that not even she could fight, and she was known as the strongest sorceress. In all realms, living or dead.

When her vision came back into focus she saw Elizabeth kneeling over Sam and a blue light passing between them. Sam's back was arched painfully and her knuckles were white as she clung to the carpet for dear life. Elizabeth seemed calm and at peace as she mumbled strange words softly while touching Sam. At first, it seemed dangerous, but as Esree looked closer she saw that it looked almost lovingly, or sensually. Like she was teasing her with a pleasurable touch and a mockingly love-filled kiss of her fingertips. She leaned in closer to Sam and placed her lips on Sam's. Sam's eyes opened wide and she gasped giving Elizabeth the access she needed and she allowed her spirit to heal Sam through a sensual kiss that drove Esree to the point of insanity even from a distance. At first, Sam resisted, fighting in her weak state, but Elizabeth was more persistent than your typical creature. She moved her hands over Sam's body allowing all her sensuality to pour from her skin and caress Sam. This seemed to work for soon Sam was moaning at her touch and kissing her back. The healing did not take long and within minutes all the silver was removed from Sam's bloodstream, along with the oil. When she pulled away Sam objected with a small whimper before passing out.

Esree felt the weight lift from her chest and she was able to move again, or so she thought. Her limbs were numb with shock and she almost fell down after struggling to her feet. She fought the weakness that seemed to almost consume her and realized it was relief that numbed her. Looking up at Elizabeth she saw her standing up with a small smile and a light blush on her rather pale face.

"She was a strong one, and her wolf was even stronger though very sad, she'll be fine by tomorrow. For now, we must let her rest. So tell me Esree, why am I here?"

Esree looked shocked and walked over to the couch. Sitting down she heard her heart race as she looked at this strange yet powerful being standing in front of her that somehow knew her name and could heal the only thing that could kill a Lycan with a single touch.

"I don't know what you m-"

"Don't think me rude," She interrupted her. "but I was not born yesterday. as a matter of fact, I am much older than even you even though I may not appear so. Esree, young one, don't try to fool someone that has lived through many wars, in this realm and others as well." She moved to a chair across from her and sat down with a light sigh. "Now tell me why I am here."

Esree swallowed hard and her eyes flickered between the floor and the silver eyes of Elizabeth and the sleeping form of Sam. She closed her eyes and took a deep, but much needed breath before looking straight at Elizabeth with a determination much stronger than it was before.

"As you most probably know, Samantha is the last she-wolf of her kind, but not only that she also a Lycan and not some mere wolf." Elizabeth nodded and looked at Sam with a feather-light smile. "Well, the truth is, she is being hunted by a very dangerous king. The king of all the wolves also happens to have favor with the god of the underworld, but that is not the worst. She is also the mate of his eldest son who, thank the fates, despises his father. But the king had gone to great lengths to kill her and he has ever destroyed part of the spirit realm to reach her. I fear that he will stop at nothing to get her."

Elizabeth sighed and stood up. "This seems like a very small problem compared to the wars raging in other realms." She stood and prepared to leave when she suddenly froze. Her eyes turned white and her whole body started to glow. With her wings spread wide to either side of her and her mouth agape, her body started to lift from the ground.

The earth around her seemed dark and covered with an evil that wanted to rule the world, and all others with a hatred so strong it suffocated light itself, giving the light a red glow. All around her, the bodies of supernaturals and humans were scattered, some in pieces, some so deformed she could not make out the faces. She felt the horror as one little girl ran between the bodies, trying to get away from something. As she looked into the forest she saw monstrous beasts emerge, dripping with blood and gore, and right at the front of the group stood the god of the underworld, laughing and savoring the death. He looked back at one of the Wolves and then pointed at the girl. The wolf looked at her and howled loudly. It dashed after her, followed by five more wolves and a few hellhounds, as well as some other dark creatures. The girl, no more than eight cried as she tried to each safety, but her small legs could not save her as the pack attacked viciously. They tore at her while she screamed in agony her cries became gurgled with blood filling her small mouth. The girl turned her head and Elizabeth was horrified to see the color fade and the life vanish with such pain.

Elizabeth was pulled back to the present and stood to stare at the sleeping Sam then looked back at Esree.

"I will stay..."

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Hey guys I hope you enjoy this chapter. sorry for the gore, but it has its purpose.

Love you all. Please comment and vote