Chapter One

Chapter One.
1
Sun Jia Chan sat up in her bed, sweat running down her face. She had not had that dream in many years. The clock read four thirty, and yet her mind could not rest. Slamming the pillow on the ground in frustration of her insomnia, she clambered out of bed. The room was dark, yet she did not stumble as she walked across the room to her bathroom. The running water of the sink would probably be enough to wake her sisters, so she resorted to wetting her face with a wet towel hanging in the shower. The intense beating of her heart had slowed, and her sweat had stopped, yet she was still restless.
Sun left the large bathroom hastily, and opened the glass door near her bed. The porch that lay outside had been her idea, for this was not her first night where she had lay awake, nor would it be her last. The sound of the forest creatures always seemed to calm her nerves. She sat down on the edge of the wooden porch, and thought back to the last time she had been haunted by that dream.
It had been a different time then; a simpler time. A time where she and her sisters were worshiped, whereas now if they even dared to reveal their presence to the world, they would be ridiculed, and forced into hiding. Without letting their existence known, they could happily attend a middle school, for lack of anything better to do. This was perfect considering that they all resembled fourteen-year-old girls.
Sun could not complain, for their house was perfectly located in the small town of Standale, Michigan, where none of their enemies would ever look. They made a steady flow of income, thanks to Adena, her sister, suggesting that they purchase Microsoft © at it’s beginning, hinting that it would easily catch on. Not to mention the fact that here, at their house, each of them could practice their elemental magics without being seen or heard. The forest surrounding the house made a perfect practice ground for Sun’s Earth bending. For Marina, she had created her own small lake, about one hundred yards from their farm house, in which to master her water magic. As for Hélène, she could shape the air around her to fly her wherever she wished in this small town without being mistaken for more than a fat bird. Adena however, was much more difficult. For if she was too close to trees, they would smolder. If too close to water, her flames would evaporate it. If she tried to practice her fire bending in wind, the results could be deadly, for she could lose control of the fire. It was because of these complications that they had decided to created for Adena, a miniature desert of dry, arid dirt, for her own practicing purposes.
“You okay?” Hélène’s sudden presence startled her; she had a thing for sneaking up on people. “It’s five in the morning,” she stepped over the threshold, and sat beside her sister on the small porch.
“Yeah,” Sun replied with a dazed look in her eyes. The wind blew her hair around her in a whirlwind. Goosebumps formed along her arms and back, for she was wearing nothing more than a small summer nightgown. “I couldn’t sleep,” she said quietly.
“Have a bad dream?” Hélène asked gently. She slowed the gusts of wind to no more then a small breeze after seeing Zi shiver.
A tiny daisy landed on Sun’s thigh. Holding it in front of her face, and twirled it between her fingers. “Not a dream,” she said quietly. She set the flower on her palm and blew it away, back into the night of which it had come.
“The dream,” Hélène whispered. Sun had described this dream to her many times. Even still, the thought of it made her shiver, for none of them knew what it meant. They had never fought szars alone, nor had they ever heard of one so agile. Szars were commonly large creatures who used nothing but brute force to take on enemies. Not one of them would have had the common sense, nor the physical ability to not only climb a tree, but to jump down from one, and land on it’s feet.
“The very same,” Sun said grimly. “However,” she thought back to her vivid dream. “this one was different in one way,”
Sun turned to look at her sister. Hélène’s grey eyes were wide with not only curiosity, but fear as well. “Different,” she whispered. “That doesn’t make sense.” she looked at the forest, then back at Sun. “I thought they were always the same?”
Sun laughed silently, so not to wake anyone else. “It was a minute difference,” she smiled. “The arrow broke the sound barrier,” another small whirlwind engulfed Sun as Hélène laughed alongside her.
“Of course you would brag about that,” Hélène stood up from her perch on the deck, and stretched.
Sun stood with her for she suddenly felt the need to go back to sleep; she had just now realized that today was Saturday. “You’re just jealous,” she turned to head back inside, yet when she did not hear her sister following her, she paused, midstep, and turned. “Don’t you want to come back in?” she asked Hélène.
Hélène simply smiled. “I couldn’t sleep either,” And with that, she crouched down, and pushed off the deck, flying into the early morning sun.
The heat of the September morning beat down on Sun through the large grlass door she had forgotten to close. Groggily, she rolled over, reaching for her watch on the nightstand, but ended up falling off the bed in the process. She heard snickers from the kitchen below her. They were awake; she had overslept.
Clambering down the stairs, she ran into Adena, who was just now waking up as well. As she stepped out of her Beatles-poster-covered door, she mumbled something that sounded like “Happy Saturday,”
Stepping into the kitchen, Sun’s nostrils flared with the scent of many aromas. Hélène was cooking bacon and eggs, while Marina was eating something green that smelled of mint out of a carton.
“Ice cream?” Adena asked as she stepped into the light of the kitchen, out of the dimly lit spiral staircase. “For breakfast?” she almost didn’t sound surprised. You learned after having Marina as a sister for twelve thousand years, not to be surprised.
Marina simply shrugged as she took another rather large spoonful. “If this were my world,” she answered with a mouthful of now melting green mush, “Everyone would eat ice cream for breakfast,”
“It’s not your world,” Sun muttered under her breath, so quietly it was almost inaudible.
Marina heard; for she always heard. “Not yet,” she corrected, almost as though she knew that the world would soon be hers. “Seventy five perfect of it already is,” she said, with a grin on her face that was so creepy, it was almost to the point of evil.
Sun pulled a stick of pocky from deep inside the pantry, placing it delicately in between her teeth. “Huh?” she asked tilting her head to the side like a curious child.
Marina’s evil smile had turned sweet, her dark brown eyes twinkling. “Oceans silly,” her voice was over three octaves higher then average, and Sun was beginning to wonder which was scarier: evil Marina, or overly-sweet and adorable Marina. “Duh,” she added, causing Sun’s anger to flare.
She ripped the cereal box from Adena’s hand and whacked Marina on top of the head with it. “Duh,” she said through gritted teeth. “is for children,” she snapped.
“Well then,” she smiled again, still a little too sweetly to be up to any good. “It’s a good thing I am one.”
Adena broke out in a fit of laughter. She jumped up onto the kitchen table. “Lord almighty!” she sang in her ‘Gospel Preacher’ voice. “Please undo the curse for which you have
placed upon this child! For that there is one ugly baby!” she cried.
Meanwhile, Hélène sat leaning against the oven as her bacon sizzled. “Idiots,” she mumbled, then went back to cooking her bacon. Marina said something in reply, but it was not heard, for the sister’s attention had been drawn to the hummingbird buzzing outside the small kitchen window. They would not have given it much thought, except for the small paper note tied to it’s foot.
“What the?” Adena asked, stepping down from the table, a look of bewilderment on her face. Yet at that moment, all our of them knew who the letter was from, for he was the only one who had the ability to make a hummingbird stand still long enough to tie a note to it’s foot.
“Setonay,” they all whispered. Sun walked, without making a sound, to the window above the sink, upon which the tiny bird was perched, singing happily. One finger pointing at the it, she moved her hand slowly towards the hummingbird.
It stopped singing abruptly and peered warily at her finger. She was so close, she could almost reach out and touch it. Yet, she dared not get any closer, for the slightest movement would startle the bird. The small green bird. squeaked loudly, but rather then jumping, as her sisters had done, Sun froze, allowing the hummingbird to come to her.
Taking a step closer, the bird pecked her finger, and watched a single drop of bright green blood fall from her hand, and into the sink below. Sun did not flinch. Instead, she whistled one low, sweet note, letting it know that she meant no harm.
The hummingbird, very hesitantly stepped onto her outstretched finger. She heard three sighs surrounding her as she pulled the small paper note off of its foot, and set it back on the windowsill. She unfolded the intricate origami note, and read it aloud.
My sisters,
Please pardon the belated return of your letter. As for the favor you request of me, I assure you that it is no trouble at all. I would be more than happy to join you for dinner this Saturday evening. I do agree that it has been far too long since we last talked, and I am looking forward to catching up. I would have had you call me, however I can’t say I remember my own phone number.
See you soon,
Setonay
Ps. Do forgive the ornery bird. Don’t make him angry.
Sun looked up from the note to see three surprised faces. She had never asked Setonay to come to dinner. “What is this all about?” she asked, aggravated at her lack of knowledge.
They looked at her with shock. “Why is Setonay coming?” she asked. “I did not invite him”
“Nor did we,” Marina said, shooing the bird out the window. “However, we should prepare a dinner for out brother, seeing as he is coming,”
“I agree,” Hélène said, plating a breakfast consisting bacon and cherries. “We can ask him about it when he gets here,”
“And we will,” Sun nodded, as they got to work preparing for the arrival of their brother, the king of all creatures.


Pham rested on the leafy ground, her image completely concealed by the forest shrubbery. She sat in perfect silence awaiting the call of her faithful servant. As she leaned back on the large oak tree many thoughts filled her head. She thought of the years when she had worked with the sisters of God, rather then hunted them.
They had needed a spy, someone who had a high seat of royalty in the underworld, who was willing to do whatever it took to get information regarding the king’s plans. They said they needed someone knifing, who would never get caught, and who’s cunning nature could get them out of any sticky situation. Their desperate search had led them right to Pham, Daughter of King Khallen, and heir to the thrown of the underworld. She had been in a rebellious stage, and was willing to do anything to get on her father’s nerves. Sun Jia, whom she presumed to be the leader of the sisters, had offered her protection and comfort, in exchange for her services. Pham, in desperate search for companionship, had obliged gladly. Little did she know the consequences that she would pay for her ignorant actions. Clenching her hand into a fist, she traced the scars that lined her arm.
The tiny buzz of her cell phone made her jump. “What?” she growled after snapping it open.
“Master,” Mize, her most faithful servant, whispered in Latin. “They are taking the bait I take it?”
“Yes,” she smiled. “The father of all creatures is coming,” she peered through the bush to see the four sisters scurrying about the kitchen. Pham had a perfect view of their house’s interior, due to the entire south facing wall being made of glass.
“Master,” he said again, more fearful this time. “Why again was is necessary to bring Setonay to them?” he asked, still speaking his native Latin language.
“Why do you ask?” she snapped into her thin silver phone. “Oh Mize,” she laughed, with a sudden change of tone. “Do you fear the foolish creature?”
“N-no, My Lady,” he stammered. “Of course not,” Pham knew that this was a lie the moment that it left his lips, for no sane person would have the courage to stand up to him. She however was not so sure of Mize’s sanity, due to the fact that he had devoted his entire life to her service, in exchange for immortality.
“That is good news Mize,” she smiled, testing his pride. “I was beginning to believe that your allegiance was fading,” she said so matter-of-factly that she almost thought that her own statements were true.
He gasped in shock of her statement. “Of course not, Lady Pham,” he said shakily. “My loyalty is always yours,”
“Good,” she smiled, her black eyes glistened with pride, despite being in the shadows of the bushes. “Be here at midday,” she said, before snapping the phone shut, almost breaking it.
Pham again sat back against the tree as she watched the four sisters prepare for their brother’s arrival. The blonde one was sending decorations flying across the living room, rearranging them so that they might appeal to the eye.
Marina, whom at one point in time Pham had considered her a sister, had moved a section of the wall to reveal a waterfall where the fireplace had once been. She then
7
moved to look out of the glass wall. Pham backed away from her peephole in the bushes swiftly. A ray of sunlight shot onto the house, as Marina moved the clouds to reveal the clear blue skies beneath them.
Sun Jia was moving large pots of flowers from the greenhouse into the living area, and sending the flowers crawling up the walls enhancing the room’s beauty.
Adena sat at the piano, playing a familiar Mozart concerto to the rhythm of the waterfall. “You could help,” Sun said as she made another trip back to the greenhouse just outside the kitchen.
Adena simply shrugged, yet did not cease the lovely melody. “What do you want me to do?” she asked, without taking her eyes off the keys.
Sun looked up to the ceiling, deep in thought. Hélène held up her hand, freezing the objects in the air. “She could cook,” she suggested. All three of them turned to look at Hélène in disbelief; Adena could not cook, for she burned cornflakes. Adena stopped playing, for they had all busted out laughing.
A tear rolled down Pham’s cheek; she missed the days of her service to the sisters. She had not truly felt happy since then, yet she could not return to their service, out of fear of her father.
Pain shot all throughout her back as she remembered the feel of the whip on her skin. “You promised” she thought to herself. “And a princess always keeps her promises.”

After collecting herself, Adena set to work dusting every inch of the house. She swept every step of the four story spiral staircase. It was nearly noon by the time that she began the windows. Her mind wandered as she rotated between spraying and wiping, and spraying and wiping. So much so that she didn’t notice Marina, whom she ran into. Marina had not moved from the glass window where she had stood hours ago. She was not even phased by Adena’s stumble.
“Something does not feel right,” she murmured, gazing at the old oak tree at the line of the forest. “The bushes,” she whispered.
Adena was confused. “What about them?” she starred at the large bushes, and yet as she asked, she swore she saw something move.
“They were not always there,” she tilted her head to the side as the bushes rustled, although there was no wind.
“Are you sure?” Adena asked, thinking back to the tree she saw this morning. Her photographic memory told her the same thing that Marina had; the bushes were not there just several hours ago.
“I am positive,” she nodded. “There is something evil about the air, like the calm before a storm. The animals can tell us many things, Adena. They know when bad things are coming, and they know when to flee. Look into the forest. Tell me what you see,”
Adena looked deep within the forest. “It looks dead,” she answered. “Almost abandoned,” she turned to face her sister. “You think a fight is soon to come,”
“No, I do not think it,” she whispered. “I know it,” she turned to see Adena’s scarlet eyes looking back into hers. “These are signs Adena. The letter, the bushes, and the abandoned forest,”
Adena nodded. “If a fight is coming,” she said as she pulled a sword out of the umbrella near the door, flipped in the air and caught it in the palm of her hand. “Then we shall be ready,”

Prologue

The chill of the Autumn breeze sent shivers down Sun Jia Chan’s spine. Ignoring her throbbing legs and pounding heart, she pulled her bow off her back and continued through the forest after one of the world’s deadliest predators.
Some humans called her the Tree Shadow, others the Goddess of the Earth. The Ancient Egyptians had even worshiped her as Mother Nature. These all were names given to her by humans in myth and legend, but she only had one name given to her at the time of her creation. No one had said her real name in over twelve thousand years, for it was lost in time. Not even she remembered.
Somewhere in the distance, a twig snapped. Sun stopped, frozen to the forest ground. She stepped forward without making a sound. “You cannot hide from me,” she whispered, drawing an arrow.
A szar jumped down from the tree above her head, swinging a sword frighteningly close to her head, causing her to drop her bow. She took a swift step back. He missed, grunting in frustration of the Warrior’s quick reflexes. Upon landing on the leafy ground in front of Sun, the szar swung again.
This time Sun was ready. She caught the sword with uncanny accuracy between her index finger and thumb. With a smile of victory on her face, she plucked it from his grasp. Taking the hilt in one hand and the blade in the other, she snapped the sword on her knee as though it was no more than a toothpick. Eyes wide with fear, the szar broke into a run.
“Oh no you don’t,” Sun muttered in Chinese. Faster than any human could see, she kicked her bow off the forest floor and caught it perfectly in her hand. After again notching an arrow, she took aim for the szar’s head.
Upon releasing the arrow, a crack echoed through the forest. Sun smiled; the speed of sound was a new record.
The arrow hit the szar in the center of his head, killing him instantly.