Max's heart dropped as the rocks slipped out from beneath her yellow shoes, sending her sliding down the steep, rocky slope. She desperately reached out for something to grab onto, the rocks gliding beneath her back. Her feet managed to plant themselves on a large, sturdy bolder, holding the girl as the rocks seemed to swerve around her. Max let out a shaky breath, watching the rocks crumble beneath her, loudly tumbling back down into the trees that towered over the city, Red. As the rocks stopped sliding and the area grew silent again, she continued her trek up the mountain.

She climbed up the rocks, gazing up at the towers looming into the night sky.

Max was very familiar with this route, seeing as she took it at least once a week when she would sneak out to go to bars. It was a rocky slope that connected wind territory to psychic territory, that was concealed by the surrounding trees, so the girl would usually get by with ease. However, this night she was having a difficult time with her quest.

The girl's mind wasn't focused on what she was doing or how she was doing it, but she kept thinking back to her previous encounter.

'Why did I help her? Why did I tell her who I was? Why did I hurt them?' Her mind was racing. This was far beyond normal. Usually Max would slip in, party, slip out and be in bed by morning with no casualties. Not tonight.

'Four psychics! Four psychics saw me tonight! I only told that one girl my name, though. What was her name? Maya? May! And- aw geez that one guy! That scraggly-looking guy got away! I'm sure all the Psychics are talking about it by now! Its only a matter of time until it gets to Pure Towers..'

Max shook the thoughts from her head, attempting to slow her beating heart. 'Its alright. When I get back, I'll just slip in bed. And tomorrow, like usual, I'll just smile and wave, and do my chores. My parents might hear about the fact that a wind elemental was in Red tonight, but they shouldn't expect it was me.'

The girl ran her sleeve across her forehead as she came to the top of the slope, hood still pulled up over her head. She glanced around for a moment, before diligently slipping behind one of the taller towers and latching onto a vine. She swiftly forced herself up the vine, stopping halfway to let a cool breeze swim by, gazing out across the entire island, the earth's curvature surface visible along the ocean horizon. The sound of faint sirens could still be heard from Red, the waterfall from Droplet Caverns, water territory, could be heard crashing onto the rocky surface at the bottom of the mountain. The smell of salty ocean water and the damp vegetation of the forest carried itself up by the breeze. Max's heart slowed as she sighed, taking in the scenery. She stayed there for a long while.

Then she continued, pulling herself up to the top window of the tower, slipping in and silently closing it behind her.

The warmth and darkness of the girls room was deadly still compared to the outside world.

In the darkness, Max slipped her shoes off, placing them orderly in the corner of the room. She untied her cloak and slipped into some comfortable clothes, hiding her tattered clothes in her closet, before slipping in bed.

The girl laid there though, eyes wide as she gazed at the ceiling, thinking back to the teenager she had encountered. And she wondered what would have happened had she not stepped in.

Max had only laid there for no more than thirty minutes when her bedroom door suddenly opened, making her flinch.

"Maximilian Ascil, wake up." A deep voice was heard, sounding agitated. Max shifted and slowly sat up.

"Da-father..?" She said, sleepily. Her heart was pounding in fear and she was wide-awake, but she squinted her eyes as if she had just woken up.

In the darkness stood a tall, muscular man with faded blonde hair and two deep golden eyes. Varick Ascil.

"There's a fairy outside." Was all he said. The room went quiet and strangely still, Max's heart pounded.

"Wh-why?" Max stuttered, then sat up even more, thinking of what to say as to not sound suspicious, "What do they demand?"

Varick went quiet, golden eyes gazing down on his daughter.

"You."