“Sacrifice! Sacrifice! Sacrifice!”

Misty had her hands tied behind her back with a brown rope. Her legs were tied together and she could not move. Her dark brown hair and white dressed that reached her knees, flowed in the wind as she was carried on a stake, to the mountain that reached the sky. The people surrounded the carriage carrying her and marched up towards the mountain.

The angelic creatures with feathered wings and pearlescent hair, they protected the people of a small village. The one thing they needed to give them in return is to root out all evil from the village and offer them as a sacrifice. In return the people received protection and riches beyond their wildest dreams. The elders always spoke of the creature and everyone dreamed of holding the position of ‘the guardian.’

Misty blinked away tears as she looked up at the sky. She went from being the top of her class to on a stake being brought up the mountain. Misty closed her eyes a reminisced her memories the past 15 years of her life. She then closed her eyes and slipped away into her memories.

“Misty!” Her little brother hugged her.

She giggles and hugged him back, “It’s been too long!”

“How was being the guardian’s assistant! It was amazing right! Oh, please tell me all about it!” He squealed with excitement. His big sister finally had a chance to see what the guardian does for a living. It must of been the best day of her life in his eyes.

“I can’t speak of what happens on the mountain, you know that.”

He pouted and sighed, “Fine…” he grumbled and went to his room. Misty giggled as her mother and father greeted her. Her mother was on the shorter side of the people in the village, but nevertheless she was beatutiful. Her hazel eyes gleamed with approval, as she smiles at Misty. Her father was one of the tallest people in the village and had dark brown hair. He stared at Misty with his grey eyes.

“I am so proud of you!” Her mother spoke enthusiastically. Misty smiled at her but, she knew that her mother only was proud because she could brag about it to her ‘friends’. Her father gave her a nod of approval and she returned it.

“I’m glad to be home,” Misty smiled.

She opened her eyes and she saw her family crying and arguing as the carriage past their home. Misty mouthed ‘I’m sorry’ but, everything on her body hurt so much that she couldn’t say a word. Her brother was fighting against the crowd to try to get to her, while sobbing. Her mother yelled at her that she was a disgrace to the family and her father let a silent tear fell. The moment was so painful that she closed her eyes once again and turned her head away.

“Misty,” Her teacher tapped on her shoulder to get her attention. Misty turned around to look at her teacher. She had fallen asleep once again during class.

“Hmm…?”

“As much as I regret to admit this,” He paused and snarled, “The guardian wants to have a word with you.”

Her eyes lit up as she sprung from her seat, “Really?!”

The teacher rolled his eyes and pointed outside. A person covered in suit and armor sat down outside the armor was trailed with gold, which complemented the main white color covering the armor. Misty rushed outside leaving her teacher in the dust behind her. She had almost reached the guardian when she slowed down into a walk. They sensed her presence and stood up and walked over to her.

“Misty,” Their voice was strong but muffled through the helmet of the armor, “I’ve been watching you for a while now. Will you do the honor of being my assistant?”

The words left her mouth before she could say a word. Her hands shook as she shook her head enthusiastically. The offer was too amazing to be true and she even doubted that she wasn’t still dreaming.

“If that is the case follow me up the mountain. You have much to learn.”

Misty felt a pain in her right arm and she opened her eyes. It was her teacher stabbing her with a pitchfork.

“I knew you were a bloody witch!” He screamed at her. People joined in on the insults.

“You should of never of been born!”

“You’re lucky that this is all that befalls you!”

“How dare you disgrace our protectors!”

“Burn in hell!”

Misty felt the pain with each word. The carriage was now half way up the mountain. Her eyes blurred with her tears as their words cut into her heart. Each word a blade stabbing her. Trying to ease the pain she closed her eyes while grunting her teeth.

“Misty!”

She had wandered up the mountain with the guardian in hand. They screamed at her to slow down. It had been a year since the guardian chose her as their assistant. They reached the pearly white gate that was just beyond the clouds.

“When do I get to meet the creatures?” Misty asked the guardian.

“You can meet them during the next sacrifice,” One of the elders stood at the mountain and smiled at Misty. Her face lit up, wanting to meet their protectors.

“When will the next sacrifice be?!” Misty asked cheerfully.

“It’s not too far away, my dear,” He stroked his long grey beard as he spoke, “Any day now. There is a little girl who has been spreading rumors about our angelic protectors.”

Misty looked at him in shock, “Who would dare say such cruel words?!”

The guardian stepped into the conversation with a stern voice, “That’s enough Misty.”

“But-“

They gave her a stern look even though their mask was on.

“Yes Guardian…” Misty looked down, feeling as if she had done something wrong. The guardian walked past her, gently patting her head, as they walked by.

It started to be hard the breathe. Misty opened her eyes. They had reached the top of the mountain. The guardian stood there and looked at me.

“No one may pass this point. Turn back now,” They spoke authoritatively. Half respecting and half fearing him, all left. The guardian opened the gate a pushed the carriage through the gates.

Misty’s mind flashed back to that night…

It was pitch black outside on the mountain, which the only source of light being from a torch Misty had taken up with her. She couldn’t wait another day, it’s been months and no one has been sacrificed. Misty opened the gate. No one was around but her.

She silently walked through the gates and they closed behind her. Even with the torch, Misty still could not make out a thing. Suddenly she tripped and rolled down a steep hill. The sound of coins being flung around echoed in the air. She had fallen into the creatures riches.

As she fell, she dropped her torch. It was illuminating something towards a stone wall. A human skull. Misty gasped in fear and scrambled to her feet. She then covered her mouth after making a sound. Quickly she tried to run towards the gates.

Misty heard wingbeats close behind her. A feather as big as her arm fell in front of her face. She stopped where she was immediately as she felt breathing down her neck. Slowly, Misty turned around to see a creature. It had feathered wings and pearlescent hair, just how the elders described. They failed to mention the sharp talons it possessed and its fangs…

Misty stared at the creature. One eye was made of gold and the other was pitch black dark. It didn’t move, only breathe. Slowly Misty backed up and the creature opened the gate for her. With a blink of a eye the creature caused a fire among the pillars around the gate, to help Misty see in the dark. Her fear disappeared as she saw the creature try to help her.

She looked at the creature and extended her arm to pet it’s glorious mane of hair, “Thank you” She spoke softly.

“She’s harming the protector!” A loud scream echoed through the clouds and mountains. People all the way down at the village woke up and saw Misty’s mother yelling. Misty looked fearfully at the creature. It flew back into the gates, closing them behind it.

People climbed the mountain and saw the top of the pillars set on fire.

“She must be a witch!”

“No way she could of reached all the way up there the make fires!

“I bet that’s how she became an assistant! She brainwashed the guardian!”

“Bloody magic user!”

“She might try and harm the protector!!”

The guardian made an appearance. They stood in front of Misty and scoffed, “You went through the gate…”

“SILENCE!!!!” The elder yelled. He coughed from straining his voice. The elder made his way through the crowd, “For this witch, I punish her with death!”

Her mind flashed back to the present.

The guardian untied her from the stake and brushed her off. Slowly the guardian removed their helmet. A woman stood in front of of her, with short black hair and scars on her face.

“I truly am sorry Misty,” She spoke sadly, “That day you were lucky to meet Ryu. This day, you will not be so lucky.”

With those last few words the guardian closed the gate behind Misty. Trapping her without an escape. Glowing eyes then met her body.

“This was an okay life…” Misty smiled and looked at the creatures, “They never did tell us about your fangs.”