War. A bloody game we all play, a game where the loser sees the end of their existence and the winner, the winner goes on with the blood of others on their hand. War is always around us. It follows us into our dreams, it over takes what we think, war is part of all of our lives. It comes from two ideas that do not meet together, ones that can not be put together. I find myself in two wars. I picked a side for both, and now I fight for that side and that side only. The only question I care to ask any of you is what would you do in the face of war? Run? Pick the side you know you have the best chance on? Would you even fight at all?


The sound of dirt hitting my tires caused me to jump slightly. I had been driving for most of the night, leaving Damien's house and finding my way back to Nerobel's house. No matter how much I wished I could stay, it wasn't safe for him, nor me. I guess I was starting to understand the consequences of my actions leading up to this point. Damien was slipping from me, I felt it, my work was starting to get harder as time went on and the battles outside of the ring were starting to wear on my body. Still, even with the pain I felt with the fights outside of the ring and the war going on my heart, I still managed to pull though every time not only in the ring, but outside of it.

My car pulled up to the back entrance of Nerobel's home. I looked up at the trees covering over head, not remembering what way I came to get here or how I even managed to get here. The car stopped and I got out leaving the car with a loud slam of my door. The grass slightly crunched under my feet as I got to where a rope hung to Nero's door.

Mandii's back!

I heard Miranda's Voice call from above me. Somehow I ranked up on "Warriors", Miranda, Hadassa, Amaryllis, and now my half sister, Nerobel. Arthes hid most of his days away from the fights and the pain, I considered him a guide, not a lot of help in the fights department.

Plan on going inside sis?

I felt a hand come across my back as I looked up. Nero was standing next to me, dripping in sweat but a smile hung on her face. Amaryllis followed shortly behind her and Arthes behind her with an apple in his hand looking lazy as ever.

Fighting?

Training, you should know a little something about that due to your work, correct? Come, we have news for you.

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After climbing to the top of the rope and making my way through the door, I sat down at a table and looking around at maps with small red markings over them. Nero sat next to me before putting her hand over a map and leading my eyes to another.

We've been doing research. I remembered you saying something about Helen being the only Original Siren left, so I did a little looking around and talking. With That being said, it turns out she is not the last original, in fact, two more are out there and the third is rumored dead but no body was found.

So you've done looking and talking, why should I be happy about this?

For one reason, the only one I could correctly track down...

Hadassa cleared her voice from behind me. I could feel her breath grazing against my ear as she leaned over me to move a map to my attention.

Ya right, you act like you did all this. I was the one to do the looking, not you. Anyway, she is said to be here so I checked it out. Turns out a veil was cast on this forest only a few months ago and strengthened when Helen was said to leave her kingdom. I tracked it back to another forest that was just north of there where rumors were, there is a magical bird with the body of a bird, yet it had the head of a women. I did a little looking around for this said bird but....

But she didn't find anyone or any bird. She did however feel the veil due to her being a Siren.

I looked at Hadassa, who was now letting Nero know she was frustrated, and bumped her shoulder with my elbow. She spun around to me before pulling out another map from the rest. She laid it in front of me and smiled.

While you were gone, I drew this up. I didn't know what plans you would have in mind if you found the original with your blood line, I also didn't know what you had planned when you came back.

I looked over the map, reading each red mark with a close eye. A smile made it's way across my lips as I stood up and grabbed a different map from the one that was placed in front of me. My eyes danced around the room until they locked with Amaryllis.

You all should get ready, we are going for a little walk.

Little Walk? This place is on the other side of the world, do you plan to swim dear Mandii? That would be an interesting show considering you do only enjoy water when it has to do with taking time away from us to go and have your showers.

A growl escaped my mouth before I turned around to Arthes and sent the map to the back of his head. He started to rub it and made a whimper noise.

Shut up!

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The moon hung high in the sky as a breeze shuffled in the trees. We had been walking for hours on end and moans and groans could be heard clearly from behind me. I sighed before turning to face everyone, placing the backpack I had down on the ground, and placing my hands crossed on my chest.

Why didn’t we just take your car?

I'm hungry.

Are we there yet?!

Nero walked up next to me, a smile visibly on her face as she sat her bag next to mine. She turned to face everyone before nudging me slightly.

Some group of soldiers huh.

I don't know what you are making fun of Nerobel, it was your job to "Train" them while I was gone.

Neros smile faded away as I made my way past her. I could feel her scowl on my back and heard as she shifted on her feet.

Where are we going?

We aren't walking to where I pointed on the map, are we? Please say no.

No, you said you went to two different locations and you felt the veil in both. If I were hiding from everyone, including people I knew were family, I wouldn't stay in one place. She is moving and my guess is her next move is here.

I wish you mean right here right here.

I shook my head, putting my hand in my forehead.

We'll stop for food, then, we have to keep moving. She isn't going to stay in the same place for too long, so hurrying is our best option.

I watched as Miranda and Amaryllis jumped up and started to drop their things. I rolled my eyes turning back to Nero, still steaming from my comment before and saying things under her breath, before I felt a hand on my back. To my surprise, it was Hadassa. She looked to the ground before looking back up at me.

We need to talk.

I looked over at the girls before looking back at Hadassa. A frown was carved into her lips as she looked up at me. I sighed and sent a nod her way before feeling her pull my arm. She took me far enough away that the others could never hear, but close enough where we could see everyone getting ready to eat.

It's about Miranda.

Still talking about your father?

No...When I told you about our father and mother, I left out that once our mother was killed Miranda was taken to have the memory changed. She believes that Helen was the one to kill her when really, our father was killed by Helen and not due to doing anything wrong other than...Falling in love with a Siren.

Hadassa looked up at me, her eyes trying to read my expression. I sighed before leaning back on a tree and looking up.

Your father, he wasn't a Siren, was he.

Her head dropped down, and with a shake of the head, I knew the answer all too well. It explained why Hadassa had changed after losing her sister and why she wasn't born full Siren.

Why is this important to me now?

She's starting to remember...I don't know how, but her dreams are bringing back the memories of what happened. Mandii, Miranda isn't the one for logical thinking, she is only a kid and if she begins to ask questions...

You need to be ready for them.

I look back down at Hadassa. Worry filled her eyes as she looked at me.

I may be the leader of you all, but I do not dictate you in any way. You are the one that is in charge if your sister now Hadassa, not me. If she is remembering the past, we all know what she is capable of doing, what she will do just because of her age.

I can't tell her anything that happened! It would break her completely and I would lose my sister! This is Helen's fault anyway!

As much as I can believe that is true, how I wish it was true, I don't think it is. How is this Helen's fault? It seems to me this is your fault for keeping the truth from your sister.

It would break her to know the truth...

Why? What could possibly be the worse thing that happened to make you feel as though you can't tell your sister the truth?

Because...Helen didn't kill our mother...Miranda killed our mother...

To be Continued....