A few months later colorful leaves fell from the balding yet beautiful trees. “Haha! Pretty!” three-year old Alura cheered with her arms outstretched over her head towards the tree’s branches. She ran ahead of Sophia, unable to stop giggling as she jumped into a neat little pile of leaves. “Boom!”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡel5aIp6LoX
Sophia smiled and softly laughed while following casually behind her. “Stay within my sight Alura, okay?”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlE0k3VlZF8
“Okay mommy,” Alura sighed while rolling her eyes and resumed her game of trying to catch falling leaves and jumping on or in any pile she could spot.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlv9qACTSKN
The brunette looked back as she rested a hand on her belly, wearing a simple long sleeved, pale orange and white dress with comfortable shoes. Looking ahead again, she gasped and broke into a short jog. “Hey get back here!”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZtLmpxauC
Alura made her way further forwards, hopping once and began to peer around a bush. “Oh bunny,” she sang before poking her head into the shrubbery after she got on the ground.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmJ61NCBAK
“Honey we do not touch the wild animals.”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KA7reeNTE
“But I wanna play,” the little girl said from the bush with her eyes scanning for the gray and white rodent. “Eek!” she squealed as arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her from the greenery. Alura looked back and pouted, “I wanna play with the bunny.”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOiskWp5w4
“No you aren’t going to play with the bunny. The bunny has a family to get back to,” Sophia firmly explained and knelt down to be eye level with her daughter as she released her.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeozA8ZHcK0
“But-”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1iWQbAstb
“No buts. If we don’t get to the park then daddy will get there first,” Sophia said and reached out to rub Alura’s brunette head. “Do you want him confused where we are?”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLD6ANsnUCd
“No,” Alura cutely answered with a shake of her head.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0zFYY2RwD
“Then how about we keep going so we can wait for him there?”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0KFHXoe6Ii
The girl looked towards the bush then her mother who now stood and offered a hand. Hesitating a moment, she nodded and took Sophia’s hand. “Okay. We beat daddy to the park!” Alura grinned.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8er4YzihS9
“That we will,” her mother agreed and they continued to the park located south-east of their home.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx30Z4GAwVN
Minutes later they arrived off the treed path to the open park. Alura ran through the leaves, kicking and throwing arm full after arm full up into the air or simply jumping into piles giggling. “Come play mommy,” the little girl called as she popped out of a pile of leaves she had burrowed under.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0yw6wCskYH
“Here I come-rawr!” Sophia said while she approached and had lifted her hands above her head. Alura gave a shriek and scurried away through the leaves with her mother following, delivering tickles whenever she would catch her little girl.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzlS9p6Uwk
The two played with Alura chasing Sophia and back to Sophia being in pursuit for several long minutes before she came to a stop. “Hang on,” she panted while she made her way over and sat on a bench, “mommy needs to catch her breath.”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xb8cMWX5C
“Did the baby take it away,” Alura asked as she jogged over and rested her hands on her mother’s lap.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgRY71Yu4A
“No dear,” Sophia giggled. “Mommy just gets tired. I’ll watch as you take out the evil leaf monster,” she held a dramatic tone towards the end with her hands up like a monster ready to strike.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4aKXU0ZJ4
“Yeah! I’ll defeat the monster and be the knight protects everyone like daddy!” Alura ran back to the leaves roaring. “Look out leaves, here I come!” Sophia sat back and watched before briefly looking up to the clear blue sky.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IybOQcyn9
Almost half an hour passed of play before a familiar male voice called out, “hey,” and caused Sophia to turn her head and look.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQQOc6ZLoD
“Hey honey,” she greeted as Nate made his way over with a basket in hand.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlOHw4lkDQ
“Daddy!” Alura cheered while running up and tackle hugging his legs tightly. “You made it!”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP5EbjPDdP3
“Well I did say I’d come after I finished helping out Lizzie. And…” he held out the basket and removed the cloth covering it. Alura’s eyes widened with small sparkles in them at the sight. “She gave me some free apples, as well as a new fruit her father’s trying out. She said they’re supposed to be a cross between an orange and a lemon or something.”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9EDcE963H
“Thank you!” Alura said excitedly while grabbing one of the good sized apples with both hands and bolting back into her leaf fort to munch on her snack.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnXo3Bx5lz
“You say they’re a mix between an orange and a lemon? That doesn’t sound like it’d taste very good,” Sophia said as Nate stepped around, sat beside her and handed her one of the smaller fruits.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHJLVLkdOH
“I know, right? But she said her dad is sure they’ll be a hit once they get going.”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nvXpHZqnw
“How’d she have any to give you?” she sniffed the sunset colored oval, picking up both sourness as well as citress.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFq08YNqWsj
“He was starting them small in his greenhouse before he tries planting them outside.”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqvrIVXzgoi
Sophia eyed the fruit, peeled one end and took a bite. “This is-” she slurped up some of the juice trying to run down her chin. “Pretty good,” the brunette commented as her free hand wiped away the remaining residue of the juice. “It’s citrisy but also a little sour but it’s not overwhelming.”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYGxE25OOs
“Oh? Let me have a bite.” Sophia held the fruit over, Nate leaned in, took a bite and leaned back as Sophia took another taste. “Mmm it is good,” Nate said muffled, swallowed and wiped around his mouth with the cloth from the basket.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1p6UJFbio
Sophia finished and peeled some more skin off. “Hey Alura, why don’t you come here? Mommy wants you to try this.” She looked up confused while Nate pulled himself out an apple. “Sweetie?”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBs4UtvVID9
Alura sat still, staring off to the eastern airship docks. The girls face slightly twisted with a head tilt. “Weird…” she softly said.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCahpVWWpI
“What’s weird?” Sophia looked to her husband who too was looking the same direction as Alura with a flat expression. “Nate,” she asked concerned.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhz6enaOkx
“...Sophia...I want you to start heading back with Alura and get in the cellar,” he explained in a quiet and serious voice.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCH5DozRB2b
“But why?”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OJXiTBled
Nate didn’t answer as Alura walked up. “Mommy, daddy...why there big vehicle sound?”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhSzccC2rA
“Big ve…” she whispered and followed their gaze. “...oh no. That...sounds like an-”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjvquoF737z
“Airship and a big one that isn’t alone,” Nate finished and stood. “Come on, you both need to go.” He gently helped Sophia up and reached down, taking hold of Alura’s hand and began to start them off north west back home.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLoQJaaq5zZ
“But I can’t let you be out here alone,” Sophia protested as she turned towards him.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLm0BrCX9VT
“I can’t have you and Alura out here as I deal with them. I’m not losing either of you,” he sternly responded while he kept on the move.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LflTWBgpi
Alura looked back with her blue-brown gaze on the bench. Simultaneously as she pulled her hand free and ran back to the bench, her mother had placed her hand on Nate’s and his free hand had rose to remove her appendage off his, which held onto her wrist. “Nate, I am not leaving you to stay out here alone!” Sophia snapped forcefully with a matching gaze locked with his.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj69YHaztBs
“I’m not going to stand by and cower as they come and murder my family and the others on this isle!”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVldfrdP2LV
“I’m not saying we cower but follow what you were wanting to do and I agreed to should danger come that would be beyond our land’s power to fight back to protect our family!” she snapped back, getting in his face as her necklace flickered.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirT1uqW415
He tightened his jaw and his upper lip curled back a bit to display his fangs. “...Just as bullheaded as before…” he barely breathed under his breath through his teeth.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVeDn8Y1qy
She narrowed her blue gaze, “what was that?”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrSGSVDRyT
“Nothing you need to know,” Nate coldly answered.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLD12vYdY3F
“I got the basket,” Alura called out from the bench with the picnic basket in her little hands. At this same time both parents looked and ran to their daughter.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKx7TAM7XfE
“Alura duck!” Nate roared as his wings shot from his back and his necklace began to glow. Sophia fell next to and pulled the girl in close to her chest in one motion. The sapphire began illuminating with a barrier forming around them. Just as this was done, a whistling reached Sophia’s ears. Nate flew over them and snarled while he opened his mouth ablaze, unleashing a fireball straight into the mortar artillery. Alura screamed and latched onto Sophia as they were pushed back a few centimeters from the blast of the air kept explosion. “Run!” he roared but dove for them just as Sophia’s barrier dropped.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVgqBjLHAo
Nate scooped them into his arms and flew back to their home as quickly as he could. On the horizon behind them a few tank looking vehicles began to appear with many smaller forms around the metal machines.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKizKpDjp1
Once back at their home, Nate put Sophia and Alura down outside the cellar. “Get inside. I’ll be back.”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Fv29LJxfp
“No!” Sophia reached and snatched hold of his arm. “I don’t want to-”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqvPXWpaHCh
“Someone needs to alert the King and I’m the fastest.”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPCgFrUf2l
“But-...you promise to come immediately back,” Sophia asked anxiously. Nate nodded and Sophia sighed, closing her eyes momentarially. “Come back to us right after, okay?”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0u7Q3hOhAK
“Always. Now,” he looked at the cellar doors where Alura waited. “Go and hide. I’ll come down later.”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjTORf4FBaj
“Be safe.”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGp15Grzte
“Always will be.” They shared a kiss before she turned away and proceeded to get into the cellar with Alura. Nate turned and took to the air, quickly flying north east to the capital city.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSKdNOuL5u
At the castle, Nate entered and approached the throne where a nicely dressed, middle aged man sat with guards following in behind the croen. “What is the meaning of this?!” the King demanded strongly.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXkdcGg79cF
“I hate to barge in but this could not wait for a proper audience,” Nate said before stopping in front of Flora’s leadership.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4cai5YFtBG
“We’re sorry, your Majesty but-”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjt8636iFke
“He just wouldn’t stop,” a second guard finished, panting out the rest of his comrades sentence.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Xyy9bzXys
“What is so urgent you could not make an appointment like everyone else,” the King asked sternly.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYvepET3i8
“You are being invaded from the east docks and heading this way. I need your army to help fight them.”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj12BJ6cq7S
“Can’t you fight them yourself? You are a demon after all.”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKiqZ0TN3rZ
Nate shook his head. “I can take out some but not all of them. I’m only one demon and have my limits.” His voice lowered, “even a small army of demons cannot withstand against the force of an entire army of hundreds of demons with military machinery.”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGNvg98koz
The King frowned and leaned back. “...I will ready what force we have and meet you to the east. I won’t let Flora fall without a fight,” he said mightily and stood. “Guards! Go and ready the others,” his majesty ordered with his arm extending to point to the doors. “See if we can get any man and woman who is able and willing to fight.”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LHRyVhSUw
“Yes sir!” the guards replied together with a salute before leaving.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1THiII6OPr
“I’ll go and do what I can after I check on my family,” Nate said with a bow.617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07J6kE8Sny
“May the Great One protect us all in this fight.”617Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ88KrTT1Oi
“Yes, may the heavens guard our backs,” Nate replied, stood upright, turned and left in a jog out the doors which turned into a run.
ns 15.158.61.6da2
