The Secret of the Bag

A Chapter by Ember Anne

Prologue

She snuck out of the house with her bag...she'd had it packed for years knowing this day would come. It contained only food, water, and a secret. She ran as she heard them yell. She had only her trusty Naphital, Akron, by her side tonight. She heard them coming closer...she went into the stables and got the hippogriff and flew off. Akron was just a cub so he stayed in her bag but he wouldn't stop squirming. "Akron, there is no time for this tonight."

"Sorry Akira... Im' just cold and uncomfortable."

"I know Akron...I know."

Chapter 1

Phebe awoke with a start in the hut. Then she heard a snap as a tree limb fell in the distance. "Hailstorm" her brother muttered sleepily...but wait...there wasn't any hail. Or wind. "Strange...I wonder what that was..."she muttered to herself...she put on her shoes and coat and walked out the door silently. She walked towards the direction the sound came from. There was a small flame about a hundred feet away. She ran inside and tried to wake up Issachar but he wouldn't get up so she walked to the flame alone with her Naphital cub, Zephania. As they approached the flame she heard voices. They all sounded about her age, but then she heard a hushed whisper. "She's here Akron, the one we've been waiting for...outside the camp...please get her." Then a fully grown Naphital walked up to Zephania and muttered something in Naphtaly. "He wants us to follow, Phebe, should we?" She nodded silently. Then the stranger's Naphital only said "Come."

She followed silently and she saw the girl... she looked 15, like her...but her face looked sad. "Hello Phebe, I had hoped you'd find us sooner, but we still have enough time."

"Time until what?" she asked.

"Nevermind that now. Right now I need Zephania."

"Zephania? Why? Are you going to hurt her?"

"No. We just need to see how long until her wings come in." she replied. She took Zephania and started checking her shoulderblades. "Hmm. This is interesting."

"What do you mean?"

"Well Zaphania's wings will probably come in in about a moon. How old is she?"

"2 moons. I've had her since the day she was born."

"Even stranger. Do you know what the Areli is?" the stranger asked mysteriously.

"No." Phebe replied. "But I think I'm about to find out."

"Correct. The Areli is the creature that is yet to be discovered. There is only believed to be one and they look just like a Naphital, but their wings grow faster, they have more powers, they grow 8 more tales, and they turn icy white with blue on the tips of their tails when they are older. The Areli is the only thing believed to be able to defeat Daemon. Who we all know is the evil king of Galena. But what only Akron and I know is that Daemon is getting married in a moon and a half to the soon-to-be-queen Coreena. Who rules the kingdom of Katania." "On their wedding day I need to have the Areli to defeat the evil king and queen when their guard is down the most."

"But what does this have to do with Zephania?" Phebe asked cautiously.

"It's not just Zephania, Phebe, it's you, and me,too. Allow me to explain." "15 years ago when I was born, I had a twin. But my twin was taken away by the Larkspur because my mother wasn't allowed to have twins again. Not after Xenia and Xylon. Anyway, my twin was taken care of for 15 years by her supposed brother, until today, where I stand before her. You Phebe, are Akira's twin, my twin."

"That can't be true! I was raised in this very spot! I saw my mother and father die!"

"No Phebe, I saw our mother and father die 2 years ago, when Akron was still a cub. We fled away on our dear hippogrif." she explained.

"But what does this have to do with me and Zephania?" she asked again.

"Well for one thing, Zephania is the Areli."

"What? No! she was born to two Naphitali. I saw it!" she bursted out.

"Yes, maybe she was, but that doesn't change anything. her wings are about to come in in 1 moon, and she is oly 2 moons old. Her fur is tuning grey on her tail, and there are 8 bumps on around her tail. She is the Areli and in a moon and a half she will defeat the king and queen or this world as we know it will be destroyed."

"Okay, I know it's hard to believe Phebe, but haven't you noticed how Issachar has never hugged you or kissed you like brothers usually do?" Zephania asked.

"Yes, that is pretty strange, but what do I have to do with this?" Phebe asked Akira again.

"Well Zephania belongs to you, and you will be the only one who will able to train her correctly, and, I can't do this alone." "Please, sister, help us free the kingdom from Daemon and Coreena."

"Alright, but we wait till morning, I'm still tired." she replied.

"Of course. We will set up a hammock for you right away, Akron, you know what to do." she implied. Then Akron walked into the forest and came back with twigs and a couple of logs. He then took a long, strong cloth and somehow made a hammock faster than I could imagine.