Welcome to Gaia! ::

Wonderful Aria! There's a few grammar mistakes but nothing too big. If you need me to once it's done I can run through everything and check up on it? Really good so far!

Here it is in all it's glory!!! Please get back to me asap about what you think so I can submit it. I'll check back at around 3pm tomorrow(west coast) and then I'm going to submit it so it's not late. I hope you like it!
Edit* 4,868 words! I was afraid I would go over the limit. >_<


It was a warm spring day, the sun was high in the sky and a perfect cool breeze was pleasantly blowing through the forest and valley below. Adamas, the dragon, viewed the beautiful scene from his perch high on a mountain top. Below him, in the side of the mountain, was a large hole that went straight down to Adamas’ chamber full of treasures. He had mounds of gold, silver, sapphires, and rubies. But right now he did not care. All the treasures in the world could not lift Adamas out of his depression. His head hung and his wings were limp at his sides.
“Why is everything that is beautiful have to be so useless?” He cried to the heavens. At that moment something caught his eye in the valley below. The object shined and sparkled in the brilliant sun. But more importantly, it moved. “It must be alive!” Adamas said joyfully. Quickly he leapt off the mountain and spiraled down to the edge of the forest so he could get a closer look at whatever it was.
What he saw made his heart pound in his chest and his eyes widen in awe. Just a few feet away from him sat the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, a faerie. She was tall and graceful; her large blue eyes were flecked with grey. The faerie’s fur was the color of coffee creamer and she had dainty white wings sprouting from her back.
“Hey Michiko! You want to hang out?” someone said.
“No, come spend time with me instead,” said another. Adamas blinked and realized the faerie, Michiko they called her, was surrounded by male Noodles. A little ways off, a group of females sat whispering among themselves, shooting envious and angry looks at Michiko.
All at once feelings started welling up inside of Adamas, he almost couldn’t control them. He wanted to protect this Michiko. Protect her from the girl’s glares, and most of all protect her from the males. He hated the way they talked to her, begging her to go out with them. He hated the way they looked at her hungrily, undressing her with their eyes. They were animals – every last one of them.
Adamas quickly retreated back into the forest and took off, heading back to the top of his mountain, before he hurt anyone. He would have killed all of them in a heartbeat to protect her, but he was afraid his savageness would frighten Michiko. His thoughts were swimming with her image. She was just so perfect! Adams couldn’t help himself; he had fallen head over heels for her. ”I have to go and talk to her tomorrow,” he decided.
That night while he lay in the moonlight he heard something. He jumped up and looked around in the valley and the forest but saw nothing. Then he heard it again, closer this time. This time he looked to the sky. There was the source of the sound, that beautiful music. It was a phoenix, but unlike one he had ever seen before. The only other phoenixes he had seen had been brightly colored and only out during the day. This one was different; she was a dark black color with green and white feathers. But the one thing that was extraordinarily beautiful, the thing that made his heart skip a beat, where her long feathers that curled up and glowed at the tips. She soared over head singing and laughing in the light of the moon. He looked below and saw a slight glow in the forest where the bright colored phoenixes watched her admiringly.
”You’re so beautiful Antonia,” they called, “won’t you sing us a song?” She obliged and sang the most beautiful song Adamas had ever heard. He watched her all night long until the sun started peeking up from the ground, lighting up the world. The phoenix, Antonia, left and Adamas retreated into his cave. He had to have her! He had never seen anything look so beautiful in the moonlight. But his heart was torn. On one hand he loved the faerie that shone during the day, Michiko, with all of his heart. On the other hand there was Antonia who glowed like sliver in the night. Who in the world should he pick?
Then he stood and shook himself. What was he thinking? He was Adamas the dragon! Next to him was a cave filled with treasures that he had obtained. Why couldn’t he just have both? He took off to the valley to find the faerie. She was there, again surrounded by males trying to accost her. Adamas burst into the clearing and roared menacingly. ”Leave her along!” he growled. Everyone yelled and fled in terror. Adamas then turned to the faerie and smiled kindly. ”Are you okay?” She shook with fear, tears collecting in the corners of her blue eyes, waiting to overflow.
”What do you want from me?” she asked, her fur standing on end. Adamas quickly backtracked and explained that he thought the males might be bothering her. Slowly the faerie straightened up out of her crouch and her fur laid flat. ”What is your name dragon?” she inquired.
“My name is Adamas,” he bowed, ”and what may I call you my dear?”
”My name is Michiko Yousei.” she replied smiling shyly. Adamas’ eyes sparkled with delight.
“What a beautiful name!” he exclaimed, ”Would you care to go for a walk?” She nodded and they started strolling around the valley, talking and admiring the flowers. They talked of many things all day, until night fall came and she left to return home. After Michiko left, Adamas went into the forest to meet the Phoenix.
She sat tall and proud on a branch just out of reach. Adamas walked straight into the crowd of phoenixes, not afraid of scaring them because they were all creatures of fire.
”I heard you sing the other night,” he told her, ”It was incredible.” The phoenix laughed.
”Of course it was wonderful! Would you expect anything less of a creature with my looks?” she sat with her head held high, drinking in the compliments.
”What is your name young phoenix?” he asked, ”would you care to walk with me in the light of the moon, it’s full tonight so I can see you in all your beauty.” Adamas could sense she was a very proud creature so he was sure to shower her with compliments just as she wanted. Her feathers seemed to glow even brighter with his kind words.
”My name is Antonia, and I suppose I could spare some of my precious time to walk with you.” She gracefully soared down to the forest floor and landed silently in some moss. They too spent all night talking. Most of the talking was done by Antonia and Adamas just walked and listened showering her with many compliments.
Once, after they had been going out for a while, Adamas decided to take Antonia to his cave. She followed a little ways behind him, not quite sure where they were going. When they got to the hole in the side of the mountain Adamas pulled in his large gold wings and headed straight down until he reached his chamber full of treasure, all the way in the deepest depths near hell itself. Antonia hesitated before diving in after him, snapping her wings out at the last second and landing near a pile of gold.
”This is incredible!” she said, breathless from the steep fall, ”What is this place?”
”This is my home,” Adamas said. ”You may come here as much as you like if you wish. All you have to do is ask.” He walked over and chose the most beautiful silver pendent he could find and placed it around Antonia’s neck. She blushed and turned her head embarrassed.
”Thank you, I should enjoy it down here. It’s dark but my feathers with your golden scales and the treasure keeps it quite bright. Don’t you agree?” She said conversationally, walking carefully around the gleaming bobbles and trinkets so as not to spill them.
”Very bright indeed,” Adamas confessed. He sat tall as he watched her walking around his chamber. She was one of his treasures now. However, there was still something tugging in the back of Adamas’ mind, but he just shrugged it off and continued to admire the view.
Michiko was a lot different from Antonia, Adamas figured out. He was hesitant to take her to his cave. She was such a delicate thing, like a flower. He was afraid if her pushed her to hard or said the wrong thing that she would break down. That was why he had shown Antonia his cave but not Michiko, for a flower needs the sun to survive and his home, although bright, would never replace the brilliance of the star that lights their world.
”Adamas,” Michiko said one day, ”why do you enjoy spending so much time with me?” They were sitting by the river, her fluffy tale dipping in and out sending a sprinkle of water up in the air glinting like diamonds in the sun. He was taken aback by the question.
”Why would I not want to spend time with a creature such as you?” he countered. She rolled her eyes at his response, amused, and then her face went serious again.
”No, really. Why? The other faeries have been talking and…” she stopped and shifted uncomfortably before sitting up, ”They say you only want be because I’m beautiful. They said that’s all I am – a pretty face. That’s not true is it? Please say it’s not!” she begged him. Adamas stood up as well and walked over to comfort her.
”Why would you ever think something like that! I like you for much more than just your beauty. You are smart, funny, and I’m amazed you can even fly with those small wings. You are amazing Michiko, don’t ever let anyone tell you different.” He brushed her bangs away from her face. She looked up and smiled at him.
”Okay, I won’t. Want to go for a swim?”
This went on for a months. Adamas would court Michiko from morning to the late afternoon. Then he would sleep for a few hours before his date with Antonia. Nevertheless, every time he went out with either girl he would feel horribly guilty, for he felt as if he was betraying the other. Of course he was, but he refused to think of it that way. Adamas would think of it as just sharing his love; he was a dragon, so his heart must big enough to share his love with two. Right? His sleep was restless; nightmares plagued his dreams. He imagined Antonia and Michiko fighting each other to win his heart, but they would stop and turn, killing him instead for not choosing one of them sooner.
”Stop,” he muttered, his eye lids flickering while he slept one night, ”No, I’ll choose, I promise. Please, you’ll hurt each other. NO!” He stood up quickly, breathing hard, a cold sweat dripping off his scales. He took off as quickly as he could and flew far away, from his cave, and the girls. He soared for days until he made it to the place of his birth, Lake Silver. Not a very imaginative name, people would say to him when he was little. But Adamas loved the name, it spoke truth and as he laid eyes on it for the first time in years the top glistened like a silver bell. He headed straight down and crashed into it breaking the smooth surface. From there he swam all the way to the bottom where he curled around an underground volcano and thought. He couldn’t keep living like this. He enjoyed every minute he spent with the girls. They each had unique characteristics and personalities. He didn’t want to give up either one.
Nevertheless, it had to stop. He himself felt as though he was growing weaker. He wasn’t getting much sleep as he spent almost all of his days and nights courting his beautiful prizes. Antonia he would shower with gold and silver that glowed in the moonlight matching her feathers. He would give Michiko sapphires necklaces and ruby earrings that would shine and sparkle in the sunlight, just like her. Adamas covered his face with his claws. What was he going to do?
There he stayed at the bottom of the lake for three days and three nights before he finally came up with a solution. When he did think of one he swam quickly to the surface overjoyed! He finally had a way he could choose. Dragging himself to shore, he laid in the sun to dry off while he went over his plan for the umpteenth time so that he was absolutely sure of what he was about to do.
He would meet Antonia first since he would not get back home until late at night. They would sit beside their favorite tree and he would explain that he had had to go out of town for something urgent. She would no doubt be worried about him! Then he would confess his love for her. If she too claimed that she loved him then he would tell her to meet him the next night under the same tree. Then he would wait until morning and tell Michiko the same thing. If she too confessed her love for him, Adamas would decide who had said it more adamantly. There are many ways one could say ’I love you’, but only one way to say it that showed they meant it with all their heart. After that he would force himself to break up with one of them and marry the other, his true love.
He took off and headed for home as fast as he could. As he flew, Adamas wept bitter tears for the tragic loss he was about to have with losing one of the girls. He reached the forest when the moon was directly overhead. It only took him an hour to find Antonia, surrounded by her group of fans begging to hear her sing.
”Might I have a word with my beloved Antonia alone for a moment?” he said at the edge of the clearing. The other Phoenixes gasped at his sudden appearance and hurried off back to their village.
”Adamas!” cried Antonia happily, ”Where ever have you been? I’ve missed our walks in the forest. The others said you must have been chased out of town by those damn faeries that live in the valley.” Adamas flinched internally at the mention of the faeries but remained composed on the outside.
”I had to leave on some urgent business suddenly. I’m afraid I had no time to say goodbye. Won’t you forgive me?” He looked at her with his sad, pleading, violet eyes. She didn’t hesitate in her answer.
”Why of course I do dear,” she smoothed some of her feathers absent-mindedly, ”Shall we go to our tree for a while?” Adamas agreed silently and together they walked a little ways further into the forest until they reached a tree with the initials ‘A + A’ carved into the bark.
”Antonia…” he took a deep breath to calm down. ” You have the most beautiful feathers of any phoenix I’ve ever seen. You sing like an angel. Antonia, I…I love you!” She sat staring at him with wide eyes. Her beak hanging open slightly, she then seemed to come back from her shock and looked away, her feathers dimming in there glow. ”Please say something,” Adamas asked.
”I…What do you want me to tell you?” Suddenly she flapped her wings and stood back up, tall and proud. ”Well of course you love me! Everyone does. They can’t help it, the way I look, the way I sing, everything about me down to my glowing feathers invites them in. Imploring them to fall for me, love me.” Adamas stood too, taking a step back.
”I see,” he said calmly, but in his mind he was in a panic. ”So…you don’t feel the same way?” Why didn’t she love him? He did everything he was supposed to do. He talked to her, listened to her, showered her with gifts and compliments. What else was there that he could have done?
”I never said that I didn’t love you,” She replied.
”I know, but you didn’t say you did either.” he responded coldly. ”I have to go. I’ll…I’ll see you later Antonia”
”Wait, Adamas, let’s talk,” She said, placing her paw on his shoulder. He shrugged her off.
”There is nothing to discuss.” He spread his wings to their full length and, in one powerful swoop took off into the night. He could hear Antonia call after him but he kept flying. He had never expected her to not love him back. It made him feel small and insecure. What if Michiko didn’t love him either? He would be alone forever and again have nothing but his treasures as his only companion.
He soared in large arching circles around and around in the sky above the valley. The sun peaked over the horizon and he could see the faeries slowly coming out of their homes to bask in the sun, visit, and perform their everyday tasks. Adamas watched intently, waiting for Michiko to arise from her slumber. Then she appeared! Walking sleepily out of her home, she stretched and yawned looking around the valley. She looked sad. But then Michiko looked up and caught sight of Adamas, his gold scales glittering like lighting in the sun. She beamed with joy and headed out to the clearing to meet him as he landed. The other faeries muttered among themselves and scatted away from both of them.
”Adamas! Where have you been? I’ve been so worried. I thought something horrible might have happened to you.” Michiko said as she ran up and gave him a hug.
”I’m sorry,” he said, hugging her back. ”I had to leave suddenly for something important. I had to go right away and didn’t have time to tell you goodbye.”
”Well you’re back now safe and sound. That’s all that matters.”
”Yes, and here you are looking lovely as ever.” she blushed and brushed the tips of the grass blades with her paw. ”Will you come with me to the river? I have something important to tell you.” She nodded and trotted after him, trying to keep up with his long quick strides. As soon as they reached the river he spun around, speaking quickly for fear of getting turned down again. ”Michiko Yousei, I fell in love with you the moment I laid eyes on you! You are the most beautiful and intelligent faerie I have ever met. Please say you love me too?”
For a second Adamas was afraid he came off sounding a little desperate but it was too late to take it back. He waited breathlessly for her answer. She turned away from him so he was unable to see her expression.
”Adamas…I…I’m so happy you feel that way. I really like you too.” she said.
”But just as a friend…?” He whispered, his head lowering in defeat. She heard his sad tone and turned to face him.
”No, it’s not like that! I truly do like you, I like spending time with you, talking or even if we’re just sitting around doing nothing!” she pushed on his chin with her paw, forcing him to look at her.
”Then why won’t say it?” Adamas said.
”It’s not that I won’t say it. It’s that I can’t say it.” This time Adamas had to lift her chin to look at him.
”How hard can it be? Just three simple words ‘I love you’.” She sighed heavily and turned away. ”What is it?”
”I need to tell you something important, something I probably should have told you about after we first started hanging out. You see when I was a young faerie,”
”You still are young!” Adamas interrupted. She laughed.
”Well when I was younger anyway. I had just become an adult and another older male started talking to me. We would “bump” into each other in the market or while I was out in the garden. He kept finding reasons to come and see me. Then one day he took me for a walk in the forest. We weren’t supposed to be there of course, that’s phoenix territory, but he said we wouldn’t get caught and I was naïve enough to believe him.” Already Adamas’ blood was boiling, who did this guy think he was, chatting up his Michiko? Of course at the time he didn’t even know she existed but it still made him angry. Michiko had stopped talking.
”And what happened?” he urged her to go on, speaking through his teeth.
”And he said that he loved me and wanted me to run away with him. I didn’t like him like that, I thought we were just friends and then he kissed me! That’s when we were caught. His mate had been lying in wait. She knew what was going on the whole time. He denied everything and claimed that I had been the evil temptress leading him on. He shouted apologies over her yelling at him, saying he wasn’t in control of his own mind, that I had brainwashed him. That’s when she turned to me. There was such hatred on her face, I had never seen, or understood why; someone could dislike another person so much.” Michiko took a deep breath and closed her eyes before continuing. ”She revealed that she was a sorceress, and a powerful one at that. ‘You will regret you were ever born!’ she had said. Then she put a curse on me.
“You, child of the sun, shall be punished for your beauty.
Forever will you live with your curse until you find your true love.
The moment you admit that you are in love with them
Your curse, as well as your beauty, will be stripped away.
Then even your true love will shy away from you in disgust.
You will be alone for the rest of your life.”
Michiko quoted her curse word for word. When she finished she looked at Adamas sadly, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks. ”I’ll never be able to tell you how I really feel. I won’t put anyone through that.” she turned to walk away. Adamas stood there in shock trying to register what he had just heard before he ran after her.
”Wait! I still love you, even if you can’t say it. As long as you feel the same way about me that’s all that I care about. Will you marry me?” They both looked at each other with wide eyes. Adamas didn’t know what came over him; he just had this sudden urge that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with a girl like Michiko.
”Okay,” she whispered.
”What?”
”Yes I’ll marry you!” Michiko said happily.
”Really? Here, climb on my back! I’ll show you my house.” This was the happiest Adamas had ever been. He flew her to his home and showed her around. She did admit it was rather dark and gloomy even with the glowing piles of treasure, but she still liked it. They decided to get married in one month, but start living together anyway, to get used to each other company all the time. One day Adamas told Michiko that he had to go take care of something before the wedding. They kissed goodbye and Adamas left while Michiko walked around tidying up their cave.
Adamas had left to go find Antonia. He didn’t like the way they had parted the last time he had seen her. It troubled him because he hadn’t heard her singing or seen her flying around at night like he usually did. He searched the whole forest but couldn’t find her anywhere. He finally resorted to looking for her in the phoenix village.
”Antonia?” Someone said when he asked about her, “She left a while ago saying she was going to look for you; said something about telling you something important.” Adamas took a step back in horror.
”She went WHERE?!”
* - * - * - * - *
Back at Adamas’ house Michiko sat by a newly installed fireplace to keep warm. She was paging through a book a friend had given her of different kinds of wedding gowns. Sighing contentedly, she decided to put a kettle on so that Adamas could have some tea when he got home. A few minutes later she heard the click of claws on the cold stone floor.
”Hello? Is anyone home? Adamas?” It was a female voice. Michiko quietly snuck over to a dark corner of the room. ”Adamas, I’m sure you must be upset about what happened between us. I don’t want you to misunderstand what I said, please let me explain.” The girl came into view and Michiko gasped. It was a phoenix, with dark wings and glowing feathers. At that moment something came over Michiko, a feeling she never had never felt before. A pure, uncontrollable hatred brewed inside of her. Jealousy is something no one can wear and still look pretty in. Michiko walked out of the shadows, her head low, eyes livid, lips lifted in a soundless snarl.
”You are not welcome in this chamber. Be gone with you phoenix! You must have mistaken this cave for another.” She pointed to the hole in the ceiling, the only way out.
”I’m afraid you are mistaken! Adamas and I are together; at least we were until a few weeks ago.” the phoenix said straightening herself up to her full height, which was a good head taller than the faerie. ”I am Antonia. Who are you and why are you here? Despite Michiko’s small size Antonia was frightened, the faeries expression was menacing and fearless.
”I am Michiko Yousei! Adamas’ soon to be mate.” She laughed dryly at Antonia. ”Now leave this place and never return! I never want to see your face again!” There was a loud crash in the other room and Adamas came running in. There he found his two loves, Antonia and Michiko in a face off. Antonia looked hurt and scared. Adamas almost didn’t recognize Michiko. His darling faerie, that always looked so sweet and innocent, looked positively murderous, her face twisted in a ferocious snarl.
”Adamas, who is this girl? You said you loved me! Why does she claim to be your future mate?” Before Adamas could answer Antonia, Michiko cut in.
”You told this bird brain you loved her?!”
”No, no! Please let me explain!” he said, back tracking as quickly as he could. ”You don’t know the whole story.”
”Just tell her Adamas!” said Antonia, ”We’ve been seeing each other for almost a whole year, make her leave!”
”You don’t understand Antonia, please listen,” Adamas begged. He looked at Michiko and felt guilt drowning him. Her angry expression had changed. She looked tired and heartbroken.
”Adamas,” she whispered so he had to lean forward to hear her. ”How could you do this to me? I LOVED YOU!” Adamas’ eyes widened in horror.
”MICHIKO NO!!!” he lunged forward to her, but it was too late. She collapsed on the ground writhing in pain. Her fur steamed and her curly chocolate brown hair smoked and fell to the floor in ashes. Shadows and fog surrounded her until Adamas couldn’t see her anymore. She screamed in pain, but he couldn’t do anything to help her. Antonia took one look at Adamas and the faerie and ran in fear.
”Stay away from me!” she ordered him, before flying off. The shadows finally fell away revealing Adamas’ true love in her new ugly form. Her fur was black as night, her tail the color of ash. Her face and wings were covered by a tattered grey cloak, her eyes glowing a bright white underneath her hood. She stood there for a long minute staring at Adamas before taking off into the night. Never to be seen again.

The phoenix is said to have never sung again after that fateful day. The ones that say they have heard her sing say she sings only the saddest of songs, enough to make angels cry. The dragon spends his days alone in his chamber with his treasures, mourning the loss of his love. Once a year, on what would be their anniversary, he spends all day and night looking for her. Sometimes he thinks he sees a flickering light but by the time he gets there, it is gone. The faerie, now turned banshee, wanders the valley and forest at night. The ones that see her can never get close enough to talk to her. They say she carries with her a small black lantern with a single golden flame, a symbol of her eternal burning love for the dragon who broke her heart.

Oh darn! I just posted it, cause you gave the okay. Do you want me to delete it so you can post it?

Oh, alright! I hope we win, this is so exciting. >_<