Utopia: The Rise and Fall of Fahlynn

Chapter I

Fahlynn

It was an unusually cold day in Hamlet's Wiccan region merchants were haling carts around and the sun was finally settled in the sky when his lips gently caressed her neck. The wind whistled by carrying the heavy sent of a crisp autumn day. All Fahlynn could think was how amazingly complete his life was. "Fahlynn, will you stop?" Leah asked pulling her wrap tighter across her porcelain skin. Her golden, tousled hair was blowing in the wind. Her petite frame fit perfectly into his arms.

"If only you didn't smell so delicious," he said holding her tighter and looking out over the peaceful town. The sunlight painted the sky with a bright band of gold. It reminded him of Leahnna's hair.

"Fahlynn, Leahnna, we're going to be late if you two don't get off the roof," Lotus yelled out the window not seeing how they could spend all their time sitting in the cold watching the world go by. Fahlynn studied his cousin's face. Her hazel eye's narrowed at him and her usual smile was out of place.

Fahlynn looked into the window at his overzealous cousin and said, "It's just the first day we could always skip."

Her eye brow furred at him as she thought about what Fahlynn was proposing. He knew she never missed a day of school, yet alone was late for one, a day in her life. "Would you just hurry up," she yelled pulling her head back into the window and going down stairs. "Fahlynn's on the roof, again." She gave the last of her bags to her little brother Toby who was going to East Falls for the first time. Toby looked more like Fahlynn's little brother than his cousin. They both had the same piercing brown eyes that could unravel any unsuspecting girl. Toby also had his straight black hair. Lotus envied that about both of them it took her hour to straighten her hair but it didn't hold a candle to theirs. "They'll be down soon," she said giving her dad a kiss good-bye.

"I still wish you would let us take you to school," he said staring over at Lotus's boyfriend Shalimar. Shalimar could be easily defined as the love of Lotus's life. He was everything she could have hoped for, but her dad surely didn't approve. He felt they were too young to be so in love, but it was no one's fault. Just fate. Shalimar and Lotus found something that people only dreamt about. They found true love. Shalimar was the kindest man she'd ever known and the most sincere friend you could find.

"Baba, please be nice he's really wonderful," she said as she hugged her dad and gave him another kiss. Lotus was tiny compared to her father, but she was the spitting image of him. She had his dark brown curly hair, and gently hazel eyes. Shalimar reminded her of her dad. He was strong, handsome, and dependable.

"Have fun and call every day," he pressed her. She looked into her dad's hazel eyes and saw a twinkle of glee. He had the kindest eyes she'd ever seen, but they were pretty good at scolding. And she knew that all too well.

"I always do," she said grabbing her cat Sphinx, "You ready Toby?"

"I was ready way before you," he said taking the cat from her and going to the car. The deep timbre to his voice always made her smile. The kid couldn't even grow a descent amount of facial hair, but he sounded like a man.

"Fahlynn Qing-Ting and Leahnna Leighton get down these stairs right now," his aunt Lilly-Ann yelled up to him.

"What are you talking about," he said setting on the couch with Leah who was laughing. Fahlynn loved using magic to drive everyone crazy mainly his aunt and Lotus. Lilly-Ann's hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she was scolding him with her big brown eyes. The same ones he inherited from him father.

"Not funny," his uncle Eric said smiling behind his newspaper.

"I'll miss you," Lilly-Ann said tearing up as she hugged him. Something about her felt off. She was being way too emotional for the first day of school. He would have assumed she'd be cling on to Toby like this, since it would be his first year at East Falls.

"I'll be back for Lunar Harvest in a few weeks," he said kissing her cheek. Fahlynn looked into his aunts eyes and remember the last time she looked at him like that. I was after he read a speech he wrote about his parents at their funereal. She was proud of him for being brave enough to share them with the large crowd, and she spent the whole day by his side, wiping his tears away.

"You behave and look out for those two," his uncle said hugging him. Fahlynn knew something was defiantly going on now. His uncle never hugged him. He might give him a pat on the back or rub his head, but a hug. That was out of character for him.

"I will," he said with a smile as they walked to the door. His looked back at the house he spent most of his childhood in. After Fahlynn's parents died this was his home. However, this was his last year of school, and his last year under this roof. Soon he'd be a teacher and hopefully a husband.

"Wait, I have to get something," his aunt said running back through the foyer and up the staircase.

"I really should be getting home," Leah said as they walked out to Shalimar's black SUV. The street was quiet and the air still was brisk. She opened the trunk for Fahlynn so he could squeeze the last of his bags inside. Leah lightly kissed his cheek and said. "Love yah, have fun."

"I'll miss you," he said holding her finger tips in his hands. He didn't want to let her go. Something wasn't right and Fahlynn didn't know what it was. He could feel his life changing and Leah was the one thing he needed to stay constant. He didn't want to grow up and he didn't want to leave his aunt and uncle's place. However, no matter how much you want time to slow, it never will.

"Good-bye," she laughed as she walked up the street and disappeared into the horizon.

"Okay here," his aunt said. "Your father gave this to your mother when she had you," she smiled giving him a little ring with a dark blue pearl surrounded by the brightest sapphire diamonds he had ever seen. The diamonds twinkled and shimmered as the wind made the matching golden chain, it was hanging on, dance. "You should hold on to it for good luck," she smiled.

"I don't know," he said shaking his head holding it out to her.

"Take it... they would want you to have it," she cried.

"Okay," he whispered putting it around his neck for safe keeping.

"Be safe and happy," she said as if he were going off to war and was never coming back.

"I'll be home soon," he said smiling.

She just shook her head as he got into the car and waved as they pulled off. Fahlynn didn't know what to think of this unexpected gift, and his aunt's weird behavior. Of course she'd been over protective of him his whole life. Why did this time seem so different? He thought to himself.

"Finally our last year of school," Shalimar laughed giving Lotus a bottle of wine from Spain.

"Mortal wine how wonderful," Lotus smiled pouring some for everyone. "Carla isn't your brother amazing," she smiled at her.

"About as amazing as computer paper," Carla said with a heavy sigh causing everyone, but Fahlynn to laugh. Carla Shalimar's little sister was starting her first year at East Falls too. Her short hair was in taunt kinky twist that framed her angelic face. Carla was the purest soul. Her laugh was lighter than air, and despite her sometime sarcastic attitude she was a joy.

"Funny," Shalimar said scratching in-between his braids.

"You know I am," she laughed with Lotus and Toby.

"And Toby I thought you were cool?" he asked looking at Toby through the rearview mirror.

"What can I say, that sister of yours is funny," Toby shrugged.

"I still got Fahlynn anyhow," he teased, "Right?" he looked over at Fahlynn who was staring at the ring.

"Fahlynn are you okay?" Carla asked putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Hunh, oh I'm fine," he shrugged sitting back and looking out the window.

"Is that for Leah?" Carla asked admiring the ring.

"No of course not," he sighed and said, "It was my mom's." The car fell silent, "Lotus why did your mom give it to me?"

"What do you mean it's yours?" she shrugged.

"I know but"-

"Don't you want a piece of your mom?" Toby asked confused.

"Yeah, but why give it to me now? Why didn't she wait until after graduation or something?" he said with a shrug. Something wasn't right he just couldn't figure out what.

"Well, if you don't want it I would love it," Lotus said with a smile. "I'll take good care of it."

"Never, you can't even have it in your dreams," he laughed.

"Can't blame a girl for trying," she shrugged turning around.

"Please tell me this isn't true!" Carla shrieked scaring everyone.

"Dag what?" Shalimar asked still feeling his heart racing.

"Their letting a vampire going to East Falls," she yelled showing them the newspaper.

"What?" Fahlynn said grabbing the paper from her and reading it aloud. "East Falls is proud to announce its first half vampire student since Holly-Jamerson Macadam's in 1823, says administer and C.E.O Paramour Grincel," he chuckled a little then added "I wonder why she did that?"

"Maybe it's wrong, maybe nothings even going on," Toby said taking the paper next. "You can never trust these things nowadays."

"Maybe she's hot," Shalimar said with a grin as Lotus hit him. "What?" he shrugged, "I would never leave you for a vamp, but they are nice to look at," he freely admitted.

"What if it's a he?" Carla asked with a light laugh.

"Then you'll stay away from him," Shalimar said glaring at her through the mirror.

"Hypocrite," she yelled at him.

"Every brother is," he bluntly said.

"I'm sure," she frowned.

"I think she'll be nice," Toby said still reading through the paper.

"Of course she'll be nice to you, right before she bits your neck off and sucks your body dry of every ounce of blood you have. Then she'll leave your body in The Dark Forest to be knolled on by werewolves, and your flesh to be devoured by shape shifters," Shalimar said laughing and turning on to the school's back road. "Home sweet home," he said as the gothic castle tower came into view.

"We should talk to Paramour about this whole vamp deal," Carla said.

"If she wants to talk about it she will," Lotus added.

"Who really cares anyway?" Shalimar asked as they pulled up to the school's main road. Consequently, the road was filled with a crowd of angry protesters holding signs with tons of slanderous remarks. They looked as if they should have been holding flaming torches and pitch forks. Everyone was appalled by them all, everyone but Fahlynn that is.

"Maybe a lot of people," Fahlynn said looking over the rows and rows of protesters.

"This is crazy," Toby said looking out the window. He didn't think it was right for someone to be treated like this. No one had the right to say a living being should die. "We have to do something."

"What are you gonna do?" Lotus asked looking out her window.

"Something," Toby said.

"Good luck with that," Shalimar laughed.

"It's not fair, she could be like Queen Natalya, She's cool right?" Toby said looking at their unconvinced faces in the car. "Come on."

"You're on your own little man," Shalimar said with a laugh.

"I feel for whomever, but what can we do? We don't even know what they look like, or if they want our help," Lotus said trying to reason with Toby. He was trying to do what they all knew was right. However, after the war interaction between vampires and the non-vamps living in Hamlet were very hard to find. No one trusted the vampires, and they liked to keep it that way.

"Well, we could always find out," Toby said smiling at her.

"Lotus, please don't do it?" Shalimar asked. He could see her giving into Toby. Shalimar knew the first person to befriend the blood sucker, would be excommunicated by everyone else once the s**t hit the fan.

"It could be fun," Carla smiled.

"Not you too," Shalimar said shaking his head. They weren't going to make it out of this live.

"I'm in too," Lotus said smiling at her brother.

"How about you?" Toby asked Fahlynn.

"I'm not sure I'm on your side with this one. Sorry little man," Fahlynn said looking out the window at all the anger faces and feeling his own anger at vamps take hold of him. It wasn't the vamps fault he lost his parents, but they didn't help the situation. They hid the man that killed his parents for year, and never thought twice about it.

"How can you say that when they want to hang somebody," Toby asked? He studied the crowd of anger faces. They didn't look like peaceful protest, more like a blood thirst mob. They looked like the persona of the very thing they were afraid of.

"Because, we don't even know if whoever is worth saving. Vampires are worthless traitors that have real priority checking to do," he yelled.

"They didn't kill your parents," Toby whispered as they entered the school gates in silence.

"They didn't help, they didn't help," Fahlynn told Toby. They got out the car and each enjoyed the comfort of being inside the school gates and away from the protesters. The hostility coming off of them was catching and the kids needed to breath.

"I'm sure whoever it is coming wasn't even old enough to do anything," Toby smiled at Fahlynn.

"He has a point," Carla said holding on to Fahlynn's arm as they entered the main building. Toby and Carla had to get their room assignments and do the freshmen tour.

Sapphire

Sapphire stood in her huge room by the fireplace; she was brushing her hair and standing in her antique three-way mirror. "Hey, are you ready yet?" Jessi asked peeking into Sapphire's room.

"Almost," she said brushing her long jet-black hair. He loved how dark it was. It reminded him of the shadows in the black holes you could find in the mountain pits surrounding the Village, straight black with flickers of various shades of blue. He also loved how it didn't tamper with the golden brown of her skin.

"Why does it take you hours to do your hair when it always looks the same?" He asked teleporting himself next to the mirror. She looked into his deep blue eyes and knew he just wanted to be a pain. His blond hair was in its usually messy state. For a prince he sure didn't keep up appearances.

She glanced over at him with her seeping blue eyes. "I just got a haircut so how does my hair look the same?" she asked with a frown. Something about her temper brought Jessi to life. He loved the way she challenged him.

"I don't see any change," he said folding his left arm over his chest and biting his right thumb.

"I got the front cut in layers and I have a slight bang now." Jessi just blankly stared at her, "Boys," she said with a heavy sigh.

"Knock-knock," Demetrius said coming in the room. Demetrius was dressed in his finest suit his favorite one, with the gold and green stitching. He wore his green tights instead of the white ones he usually did. He looked a lot like his cousin Jessi. However, Demetrius was well put together. They both did share the royal blue eyes which sparkled as he looked Sapphire over.

"Can we come in?" Solé said seeing Jessi wanted some privacy. Her blond curls bouncing as she peeked over Demetrius's shoulder.

"Sure," Sapphire shrugged as Jessi rolled his eyes. He wanted to talk to Sapphire alone.

"I, for one, am going to miss you two the most," Demetrius said laughing and crying all at the same time.

"Sometimes you're just too gay," Allen, Sapphire's uncle, frowned. He came into the room behind Solé and sat on Sapphire's queen size bed. He looked like Sapphire's mother curly light brown hair, smooth mocha skin, and hunting green eyes.

"Stop being so sour," Solé said hitting him in the head as Sapphire and Jessi laughed.

"Is this what we're going to do with our last moment together?" Demetrius screamed at them.

"Demetri you are being a little melodramatic. We'll be back in like two weeks then everyone goes on Harvest break and holiday, then we celebrate the new lunar year and"-

"We get the point," Jessi screamed falling back onto the bed next to Allen.

"By then you just might want to spend all your time with-"

"Not a chance. I love y'all, and I probably won't even like him," Sapphire said shrugging and tying her hair up with a white ribbon that matches her white and blue petticoat and cloak.

"It's your destiny to love him," Solé said laughing at Sapphire.

"So, prophets have been wrong before," Allen said defending her.

"Not Hildegard, not ever," Demetrius whispered as if they were keeping some dark secret.

"Let's change the subject," Jessi ordered them covering his eyes with his left arm. He didn't want to do this, but he had no say in the matter. Sapphire wanted to go to her stupid witch school, and make stupid witch friends. They'll turn their backs on her as soon as they figure out she's half vampire, and wait until they find out who her father is. Those were all perfectly good reasons to keep Sapphire in the village where she would be safe and loved.

"Someone really needs a nap," Sapphire said smiling and poking him in the knee.

"No one should be up at 5 in the morning to start some stupid witch school no one wants them at," he said through his teeth.

"Grumpy-grumpy," Demetrius tsked.

"Can we just leave," Jessi practically roared causing everyone to laugh, "Shut-up," he yelled and it quickly grew silent. "Everything is always a joke to y'all," he said leaving the room and slamming the door.

It was quite for a minute while they just stared at each other. They all broke out in laughter after a moment. "Stop, y'all know he's sensitive," Sapphire said taking control of herself and going after him.

"Just leave me alone," he said sitting on her Gran's plastic cover couch. Sapphire knew that the last thing Jessi wanted was to be alone. When he was hurt he did whatever he could to push everyone away.

"Jestin Oni I know you're not having a b***h fit with me," she said putting her hands on her hips, then sitting down next to him.

"I'm just tired," he said running his fingers through her soft black hair. He loved the way her heart hummed when he touched her.

"Maybe you should close your eyes for a second," she whispered as he held the back of her neck and inched closer to her.

Ding-dong ding-dong, chimed the clock making her jump out of her skin. Good thing Jessi was there to catch her. "It's time for us to go," Ethel, Sapphire's grandmother, said. She was wearing the same thing Sapphire was. It wasn't weird, but remarkable.

"Gran your clock almost scared me to death," she yelped.

"Almost honey, almost," Gran smiled.

Lotus

"Welcome, back one and all," Paramour said greeting students at the main entrance. She was dressed in a cotton lilac colored dressed. Her dress blew lazily in the brisk wind. Her brown curls were loss as the fall sweetly down her back. "Please may I speak with you Ms. Sycamore?" she asked leading Lotus the other way.

"Sure why not," Lotus smiled allowing Paramour to lead her down the hall. Lotus was uneasy Paramour never shown an interest in her before.

"I just want you to know what is said in this room mustn't be repeated to anyone," Paramour said gesturing for Lotus to enter her office. That was the red flag that let Lotus know things were about to change. Something big was happening. What if this is about the ne vampire girl? She thought to herself.

"I understand," Lotus agreed a little worried now.

"Just take a set anywhere," Paramour reassured her when she hesitated.

"Mom, dad, what are you doing here?" she said extremely worried. Lotus thought she would have a panic attack at any moment. This can't be good.

"Please sit," Paramour insisted, "We have a lot to talk about," she continued as she offered everyone tea. No one took any. "Would you like to start Mr. Sycamore?"

"Lotus, There's a lot about destiny and the future none of us can be sure of. Not even the fates can control an outcome once factors start to change it. There are things about yours and Fahlynn's destiny we haven't shared with you. Things each of you started to pick up on that we've dismissed."-

"Things like what?" Lotus asked licking her now very dry lips. Her father's face was shadowed by the sadness she hinted on this morning. She knew something wasn't right.

"You remember when you were five and you said there was a monster trying to kill Fahlynn, and the next day Fahlynn fell out that tree and said it felt like someone made him jump," He pulsed. "That really happened sort of."

"What do you mean sort of?" Lotus asked her father trying hard to wrap her head around all of this but it just was making sense.

"Lotus, do you remember what you learned about The Connection theory?" Her mom asked taking a go at trying to make her understand.

"Yeah, Astro believed that everyone in the world's fate was tied to an unknown person that shared a cosmic energy with them."

"Good girl," her mom smiled. "Fahlynn and Normid are connected. Fahlynn's the only one that can stop him," Mrs. Sycamore sighed.

"Why haven't you told Fahlynn yet?" Lotus asked worried for her cousin's life. "If Normid tried to kill Fahlynn once what's to stop him from trying again," she said. Normid was the most malicious being in all of Utopia, maybe even both realms.

"Lotus we can't tell Fahlynn his future, if he finds out he could change the outcome," Paramour said matter-of-factly.

"So, how do we help him?" Lotus said frustrated with the current state if things.

"There's a girl coming to school... her name's Sapphire Silverman."-

"She's half vampire right?" Lotus asked.

"Yes, and she's going to help Fahlynn throughout this journey." Paramour said giving Lotus her roommate assignment. "You will be sharing a room with Ms. Silverman and her sister. That's all we'll tell you for now, but keep your guard up especially with some of the darker students."

"Yes," Lotus said turning to her father, "Earlier when you were talking about changing fate did something happen to change our fates?"

"Not at the present moment, but something could happen that we aren't sure of. The girl, Sapphire is supposed to be Fahlynn's cupere. I'm not sure how he's going to deal with that," her father said.

"He doesn't have a choice. Cupido is one of the strongest and oldest spells ever. Once you're spirit connects with the other person's there's nothing anyone can do about it."

"You know how determined your cousin can be," her mom said. "I'm sure he'll find a way. Just try to encourage Fahlynn to follow his heart I'm sure everything will be okay."