Author's note: Oh wow, it's been a long time since I've updated this. Sorry for the long delay. The next chapters will hopefully be posted much sooner than this one was :3
Enjoy! ~ awesomeri14

It was midnight in the fairy realm. Nothing stirred, save for a distant owl that descended from a tree. Then all of a sudden, something moved in the dim light. A cloaked figure walked through the thicket, searching for something important. The figure drew its hood up over its head, revealing the worn face of a young man. There was wisdom there in his strange, owl-like eyes, though, that would make you question how old he truly was, and what he had seen in these woods that made him so cautious. His hair was a dark violet, but it was not faded at the edges, nor was it damaged to give away that it was dyed. The boy was not human, but he was otherworldly, even among his own kind. He took a deep breath, his wide eyes flashing, then continued onward, reaching a tree that looked like it had died ages ago. He knocked his bony fist against the side of the tree's trunk and waited rather impatiently. The tree glowed, and a door appeared on its side. It opened, and a girl was at the doorstep. Her hair was the same violet hue as the boy's. "Oren?" she murmured. She looked surprised and relieved at the same time. "Is it really you?" The boy smiled, his sharp features softening from his happy expression. "It is. Hi, Peony. It's been a long time, hasn't it?" The girl blinked, still rather bewildered, but then recovered and enveloped Oren in a tight hug that would've injured anyone else. She looked up at him, blinking back her tears. "I can't believe it. How did you escape from your captors? You were bound in iron." Oren shook his head at her. "Sister, you should know that I can find assistance anywhere." He gave her a look that expressed more than he could say out loud. "Let's go inside. I'll explain as much as I can."

Toby's bedroom door was shut tightly. He had taken it upon himself to lock it from the inside. Anyone that knocked would receive an explanation-except for Kara. She couldn't know because he was making something for her. He had thanked her for releasing him from the spell, that much was true, but what she had done had saved him from an eternity spent alone, and a gift seemed to be in order. Sparks came from his fingers, weak golden ones that fizzled out as soon as they left the palms of his hands. Frustrated, he tried again, and nearly burned his hands as energy surged to life to help him. Toby beamed, and waved his fingers in the air, murmuring a spell under his breath. An object that shimmered and shined came into existence and floated into his grasp, and he carefully placed it in one of his pockets. This would be perfect! He'd thought long and hard about what to give her, but now that he had created it, he knew for certain. Kara would love this! Toby found his caramel colored boots by his bed and put them on quickly. He stepped out of the room, straightening his plaid shirt. He hoped he looked alright, because everything had to go off without a hitch, or he wouldn't have a chance with her-well, that's what Kyle had told him, at least.

Kara was in the Fern family courtyard outside. She had gotten a little tired of being cooped up inside, and since the rain had cleared up, she had gone outside. The courtyard was beside the forest, where the wildness of it receded to a small nature path that led into a garden. Vegetables like tomatoes and the like grew there, but there were also glittering marigolds and daisies that definitely were of a different variety than that of the human world. She admired them from where she was on a stone bench, and sighed contentedly, breathing in the wonderful scent of the flowers. The sun's warm rays made her kind of sleepy. She would've drifted off right then if it weren't for a voice startling her back into reality. "Kara!" Hearing her name, Kara woke up and fell backwards off of the bench, hitting the ground behind her. She got up rapidly, brushing dirt off of her green shirt and rubbing her scraped knee. There was a flash of gold through the trees, and Kara recognized who it was before she completely saw him. "Toby?" The fairy boy appeared from behind the foliage. His hair was as vibrant as the marigolds were. "Yeah, hey! Are you busy?"
"No, not at the moment." Kara patted the side of the bench, her expression friendly. "Here, you're free to sit down if you want." "Oh, um...sure." Toby moved to sit with her. He seemed nervous. Kara couldn't think of why he would be, but it didn't seem to matter, since he soon relaxed. The boy leaned back on the bench, his wings extending farther out. They always fascinated Kara, fairy wings. They looked flimsy, as if they might break if you touched them, but they also looked rather strong, and they let fairies do incredible things. At the moment, one of Toby's wings was bent at the top, left that way from the scuffle he had been in with Kyle. Kara knew that it might bother him, but she still felt the need to ask. "How's your wing?" "My wing?" Toby fluttered his wings, then looked back at them and remembered. "Oh, right. They're fine, as far as I can tell, although I still don't get what was wrong with Kyle. Do you think I should ask him about it?" Kara nodded, running her fingers along the stone of the bench. It was smooth, but rough too in some places. "Probably, but not right now. We should go do something while it's nice out like this. The day's too good to waste." Toby smiled. "You're right. I actually did have something planned, if you don't mind." "Oh, that's fine. What were you thinking of doing?" "There's a place in this realm that you haven't seen yet, but...I want it to be a surprise." Kara looked at him with amusement. "A surprise? Why does it need to be one? You could just tell me where we're going." Toby smirked. "Yeah, but where's the fun in that? Just be patient, and you'll see it soon enough."

Kara followed Toby as he led her through the forest. The fairy boy seemed eager to get where they were going, for his steps were fast and rather hard to keep up with. Kara felt as if they were walking in circles, but at last they reached a spot that was different than just a dark forest. A cave came into view, a vast cave with a darkened entrance. Toby came to a stop when he stood directly in front of it. He was a little out of breath. "Sorry," he told her. "I wouldn't have rushed like that, but I really hate those woods." At first, Kara was confused about this statement, but it soon dawned on her. Of course Toby hated the forest. He had been stuck there for years. The formerly cursed boy started to go inside of the cave. When Kara didn't follow him, he stopped to face her. "What?" Kara was afraid of what she'd see in there, but she tried her best to be brave anyhow. "Nothing. I'm coming." Toby nodded, then as she watched, held out his hand. A brilliant fire burst forth from his outstretched hand, illuminating his face and neck. "Whoa," she murmured. "What's that for?" "To see where we're going." Toby raised his hand out in front of him. The fire flickered, but remained where it was. "Come on, already." Kara swallowed hard, but did as he asked. The cave was pitch black and damp. It was cold too, and Kara shivered slightly, wishing it wasn't so dark. When the silence grew to be too much for her, she spoke, thankful that she wasn't alone in this eerie place. "Toby? Are we almost there?" He responded right after. "Yeah, just hold on." Kara nodded, then remembering that he couldn't see her in here, moved to speak to him. "Okay." She trailed after him quietly for a long while. The blackness around her soon felt like it was choking her, and she walked a little faster. Toby chuckled and moved so she could walk beside him. When the boy came to a stop at last, Kara nearly ran into him. The girl apologized, her face burning as she fumbled in the cave. "Sorry." "It's fine." Toby's flames lit up the cave walls around them, but as he moved forward, purplish light gleamed on them instead of the wavering fire. The boy brought his hands together in front of them, and the fire that had once been there vanished. Kara hardly noticed. She was too busy staring in awe at the huge thing in front of them. It wasn't a part of the opposing wall like she'd thought at first, but a massive stone. It was a deep purple color with other swirling patterns across its top. "The Fairy Stone," Toby announced. "Pretty cool, huh? It gives every fairy their powers from birth." "Cool," Kara echoed. For some reason, the giant stone was hard to look away from. Its luminous glow was so soothing. She was pulled towards it, like metal drawn to a magnet. She reached out to touch it and- "No! Stop!" Toby took hold of Kara's wrist and pulled it away from the stone with a sharp yank. Kara returned to her senses and recoiled from him. "Ow! What was that for?" "You were going to touch the stone." Toby looked intrigued and a little frightened. "I heard somewhere once that humans are drawn to it, but I've never seen it happen before."
Kara was puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"When humans gaze upon this stone, the power inside of it is so intense that they fall into a trance. Only a fairy can stop them from touching it. Even then, the pull can sometimes be too great. It's a good thing I was able to stop you." Kara's eyes were wide. "What happens if they aren't stopped?" Toby looked at her with uncertainty. "I don't know. I know the Stone used to be used for a special ritual, but it's hardly even mentioned anymore." The boy looked apologetic. "I'm sorry I brought you here. I just wanted to know what you were, but it was too risky. Are you okay?" Kara nodded. She was mad at him for bringing her to such a dangerous place, but she could tell that he hadn't meant for that to happen. She released a sigh, which was the closest he would get to any verbal expression of her forgiveness. "Yeah...don't worry about it."
The golden haired boy rested his head against the cave wall behind him. "So...what are you exactly?"
Kara moved to sit too, but his question caught her off guard. "What?"
"I mean, are you a human or a fairy? It's really hard to tell. You undid that spell on me, but you were drawn to the Stone too.." Toby laughed. "Kara, you are the most confusing person I've ever met." She raised an eyebrow to this. "Um...thank you?" Toby laughed again, and soon enough, Kara was laughing too. When their chuckles quieted, the fairy boy looked uneasy. "Kara, uh...I have something for you." Toby waved his hand, and something that glittered with gold light appeared in his palm. "Here, just hold out your arm for a sec." Kara eyed him with worry. "You're not going to bend my hand back again, are you?"
Toby shook his head, smiling. "No way." Kara looked at the boy, studying the object he held. She decided to trust him and held out her right arm, closing her eyes. A strange warmth crossed over her wrist. Kara opened her eyes to see an object attached to it, one that jingled when she moved it. A bracelet! Three tiny charms adorned it. Kara studied them closely. There were of a person with their arms outstretched, a bird, and a leaf. She beamed. "Toby, it's beautiful...but I can't take it. It's too nice." "Sure you can." Toby smiled at her. "You pretty much saved my life. I had to pay you back somehow." Kara looked back at her present. It glittered in the dim light. "Thank you," she murmured. "You're welcome. It turns into a necklace if you snap your fingers."
Kara looked at it, then tested those words. The bracelet did just that, becoming longer and floating upwards to rest gently against the nape of her neck. Kara reached for the clasp in the back that kept it together, but Toby stepped up behind her. "Oh, I've got it." The boy moved her scarlet hair aside and put the necklace together for her. His hands were strangely rough, as if there were callouses on them. Toby stepped back and looked at her distantly. Kara fingered the lovely charms and looked back at him. "Thank you so much." Toby smirked. "You already told me that." "I know." A harsh cry broke into their peaceful moment. The sound was loud and ear splitting, causing the two of them to fall backwards in terror. "What was that?" "A griffin." Toby had already risen to his feet, and helped his comrade up quickly. "Kara, we should really get out of here-" There was another horrible wail, and a tremor like that of an earthquake rocked the cave. Toby took Kara by the hand, and they both raced out of the place, dodging falling rocks as they went. The griffin that had attacked Sylvan's house earlier was on top of the cave, clawing at its roof with its massive taloned feet. When it saw Toby and Kara flee from the cave, it screeched and swooped down after them, its piercing yellow eyes wide in its fearsome, feathery face. "That...was a magically created griffin," Toby said as he ran beside her. "How do you know?" Kara gasped. "The thing was drawn to the stone...just like you were. Duck!" The griffin soared down right above them both. Kara obeyed, dodging it while stifling a scream. The creature shrieked in frustration, its wings flapping wildly as it continued to chase them. To Kara's horror, the thing's beak was dotted with dried blood. "Toby," she called, "I know you probably can't fly us back home, but you should really try to!"
"It won't work!" he protested. "My wings aren't fully healed!"
"Try anyway! Please! If you don't, we'll both die!" The griffin loomed closer, its screeching getting louder and louder. "Come on! Hurry!"
Toby shook his head. "No, I have a better idea! Keep up with me!" Kara nodded and sped up so that she was right alongside her friend.
"Give me your necklace real quick!"
Kara put a hand to it. "What? But I just got it!" "Just do it!"
Kara, with some reluctance, reached back behind her to undo the clasp. After some struggling, she did it and tossed the jewelry to Toby. He caught it and then yelled something. "Protection and rescue!" The necklace sparked with light around the charm shaped like a person. It flew up into the air and scattered light everywhere. These flashes seemed to injure the monster, for it howled and its wings dropped down to its sides, causing it to fall out of the sky. Kara looked at Toby with disbelief. "What just happened?"
Toby grinned. "It's a magic necklace. I guess I forgot to mention that." The boy snapped his fingers, and the gift fell back into his hand, a bracelet once more. "Here." Kara took it back and skidded to a halt. They seemed to be far enough away from the griffin now. "That's awesome! It's good that you stunned it, or we would've been bird food." Toby gave her a knowing look. "That attack did more than just stun it. The charm I activated protected us and rescued the griffin from the spell it was under. Whoever it is should turn back to normal now."
Kara knew why Toby had included something like that in her present, and nodded. A screech tore through the undergrowth, and she turned back to see the griffin writhe around on the forest floor. Its entire body was engulfed with golden light, and as Kara watched, its features shifted. The griffin's coarse feathers fell off at a rapid pace, and its talons began to shrink down into much smaller feet. Its tail dwindled down into nothing, along with its huge wings that covered a somewhat impressive expanse of the ground. Its face was the last thing to change. The features lost their monstrous intensity and reformed into something more human like. The golden light faded entirely, revealing what the griffin had become. The crest of tousled feathers that had topped the creature's head was now a tangled mess of short, dark brown hair. The person was human, completely so, with no wings to be seen. The only problem was that he was naked from head to toe. Once Kara noticed this, she averted her eyes. Toby waved his hands around briefly, and the human was clothed once again in simple, brown garments. The shirt had a plain, plaid design upon it. Kara looked at Toby with surprise. "You made clothes for him! I didn't know you could do that."
Toby smiled, but looked very tired. "I didn't know I'd have to until today. Unfortunately, doing something like that takes up a lot of energy." The fairy then proceeded to sit down and yawn. When Kara kept watching him out of concern, Toby waved her away. "I'll be fine. You should really be worrying about that human." He was right. Kara turned back to the boy that had appeared where the griffin had fallen. He seemed to be okay, with only a few scrapes on his face and arms. His eyes were closed, his expression a serene one. There was something familiar about the boy, but Kara couldn't quite place a finger on it until she leaned in close and saw a little white line by his collarbone. Only one boy she knew had a scar in that particular spot. He didn't have his glasses, but she still remembered him instantly. "Foster," she breathed. "Oh my God." Despite this realization, the boy didn't stir in her arms, remaining as still as always. Toby had heard this from her and sat up a little, casting an interested look at the boy. "Wait, you know this person?" "Yes." Kara held him more tightly, as if he would slip away if she let him go. "This is Foster, my um...friend from home." Toby struggled to his feet and went over to get a good look at him. "Really? How do you know?" "He has a scar near his throat. He told me a story about it once." It had to be him. That scar had come from something her boyfriend had done as a kid. Foster had fallen out of a tree after climbing up too high, and a sharp edged branch had scraped him on the way down. Toby crossed his arms as he watched him. "He's not doing much. Should I-"
"No, I'll do it." Kara set Foster down against the nearest tree, lifting his face up slightly so that she could speak directly to him. He was still limp, and it terrified her. "Foster," she said clearly. "Foster, it's me, Kara. Can you hear me?" When the boy still didn't respond, Kara fought back tears. He couldn't be dead. She wouldn't let that happen. Her throat burned as she forced herself to speak through her grief. "Foster, please! Answer me! Don't leave..don't leave yet." Before she could say another word, the boy jerked upwards in her arms, gasping as if he had been underwater and no air had entered his lungs for a long time. The anguish left from his face, soon replaced by recognition as he gazed into her eyes. His familiar dimples showed themselves as he smiled. "I'm not going anywhere, Kara. I promise." Kara's heart seemed to skip a beat, causing her to shudder as she hugged Foster. But when she pulled away from him, she frowned, and took a few steps back. Something was wrong. Foster didn't notice though, so when she moved away from him, he looked at her with confusion. "What? What's wrong, Kara?"
"Foster, it's...it's your eyes. They're...they're yellow. Why are they like that?"