Herend hid in the top branches of a tall pine tree. She had hunted, killed and betrayed for this moment, the moment she would launch her attack on the Faery Training Fortress. She scanned the landscape, searching for the signal that would tell her it was safe to enter the city. Instead, she saw a group of soldiers coming out fully armed and ready to defend their city.

“No,” she whispered and shot a fiery, red ball of light at what seemed to be the leader. He fell face down into the dirt. A smile crept onto Herend’s face. She leapt out of her tree, a show of grace and beauty. The soldiers stared wide-eyed as she waved her hand— and another one of them fell. Her silvery blonde hair whipped around in the wind, hiding her face. Another simple gesture caused men to howl in pain.

Herend fought the urge to kill all of them at once. She knew that she had to inspire fear in the survivors, to make sure she would be obeyed without question. She shot down another group of soldiers with her lethal balls of light but one of the men still stood.

She glared into his eyes, trying to figure out why he looked so familiar. Then she realized. He was the man who married her daughter, and had a child with her. He was the man that guarded his wife and daughter from her. He was the reason that men had stopped falling merely from a twitch of her fingers. He had to be stopped. She raised her sword, whipping it around in complex patterns. He held his up high, and then lunged forward. She parried his blow, laughing. This was just too easy. He darted to the right but the slight subtle movement in his hips showed in was a ruse. As he switched directions, just as she expected, she skillfully knocked his sword out of his hands. She quickly slew him, but she knew she couldn’t fight them all.

“Retreat!” Herend shouted, her voice echoing through the wood.

Faces appeared over the wall that marked the border of the city. Only one of them, a young girl only five at most, had the courage to stare at Herend. “You killed my daddy!” she screamed at her. Herend knew who she was seeing, but it still shocked her. Her granddaughter was the only one who didn’t seem to notice her enchanted beauty nor did it arouse any fear. The little girl started crying then grabbed a sword and leapt over the fence. “You murdered him,” the child shouted.

“Aleena!” a female voice called out, “Come back now!” Aleena ran gracefully back to the wall, extended her tiny wings, and fluttered to the top of the wall. “I’ll never forget this,” Aleena said and leapt back to the other side. Herend's first attack had failed.