• The wind whipped against my cheeks, making them sting. Ouch, who knew air could be so painful?
    Then I saw it.
    There was a dark blue blob sitting on a cloud that was about fifty yards below me. It was waving its hands around, as if it was controlling something. I snapped my eyes shut as they started to water. I tried to lift my hand to wipe the water off my face, but the wind was too strong and my hand was whipped out to my side. I winced as my arm wailed around. I was limber; I could twist in ways that no one would think possible. But I knew that my arm was never meant to go THAT far. I made an attempt to pull my arm back in, but I was unsuccessful. I opened my eyes again. I was almost level with the blob. Then the wind stopped… And so did I.
    “Ah, so you must be the young Lilac the guardian spoke of.” It hissed. It raised its hand and the wind started up again, pushing me closer to it. “Hmm, not very much to look at, the others they brought were more...warrior-like.” It dropped its hand and I stopped a few inches from it.
    “Uh excuse me but, what is a Lilac or a guardian? And who are ‘they’.” I asked in a small voice
    “You don’t know?” It boomed out. I shook my head. “Well how did you get here?”
    “Well, Dakota and I were in my room and I saw a rope on his wrist. But he said that he didn’t see anything, so I got my grandma’s knife and cut it. When it hit the floor, he saw it. Then something attacked us. Dakota said that there was a door by my dresser. He told me to take the knife and jump. I fell a ways and…here I am.” I summarized. “Ack, Dakota is still there. I have to get back to him somehow.”
    “Your friend will be just fine, he is a guardian, and he knows how to take care of himself. Now, this knife that you spoke of, may I see it?” It Purred.
    “Umm, sure” I took the knife out of my pocket and held it out to the blob. It reached out a hand and gently took it out of my possession. It slowly opened it and placed a finger on the blade. There was a ringing sound. I looked down at the knife. The swirled designs on the blade were moving.
    “Just as I thought,” The blob murmured, as it quickly moved its finger away from the knife. It snapped it shut and handed it back to me. “How did this blade come to be in your possession?”
    “My great-great-grandma gave it to me on her death bed when I was ten. She said that it had been in her family for a great number of years.” I said slowly
    “Well, there must have been someone who was either a Lilac, or very close to a Lilac, because this is a Lillacian blade, only to be used by a Lilac. Your great-great-grandma must’ve been a seeker; she knew that you would be a Lilac.” The blob pondered
    “How do you know that I am this so called ‘Lilac’?” I asked
    “Well,” It chuckled, “You can see me, can’t you?”
    “So?”
    “Well, if your guardian friend was here, he would not be able to see me; all he would see is air. Well right now I am wearing a cloak, so he would be able to see me. But, if I took it off, he couldn't see me. Just like with the rope, he couldn’t see it until you cut it with your knife.”
    “Uh I have a few more questions.” I said
    “I’ll be as useful as I can.”
    “First off; what is a guardian?”
    “A guardian is a person in a blood line than is connected to the creators that wanted to be trained to hunt down Lilacs.”
    “‘Hunt down’?”
    “Yes, ‘hunt down’ the creators send trained guardians well, young ones into schools and kid programs. Like boys and girls club or 4-H. They pick out kids that have that certain ‘spark’ about them that is possible sign of being a Lilac, and pretend to be their friend, meanwhile, getting closer and closer to them, and they can figure out if you’re a Lilac or not. But that is hard, since many families have been related to past Lilacs, and the Lillacian blood has been passed through their veins. But descendants cannot see things; some just have some…abilities”
    “Abilities?”
    “Like E.S.P. or telekinesis, or mind-reading.”
    “Ah I see.” I said slowly, trying to absorb the information “And who are the creators?”
    “They made everything, they are everything.” Was all he said
    “So… I can see stuff other people can’t, my grandma’s pocket knife is a ‘Lillacian blade’ that only a Lilac can wield, there are people called ‘guardians’ and ‘seekers’, there are the ‘creators’ that ‘are everything’, and my friendship with Dakota is a lie, anything I miss?”
    “That is basically it, besides the fact that guardians and seekers are not the only erm… ‘Different’ people out there and that Dakota might truly be your friend, but that kid is a good actor, so he could fool anyone.”
    “GrEaT.” I muttered “Oh yea, and one more slightly important question… WHERE AM I?”
    “The Netherlands”
    “The whatty what now?”
    “The Netherlands, it’s like an hmm per say, a place for the deceased, like an afterlife.”
    “I’M DEAD!” I shrieked
    “No no you’re in the upper lands, where those with beating hearts may enter. Some use the portals to come here as a refuge, or a last minute escape option, because only those with pure hearts may enter this sacred place.” The blob explained
    “Oh, I see…I think anyway. But I haven’t properly introduced myself, my name is Jillilillia, but most call me Jill, or Lilly, or Lil’.”
    “Well Jillilillia, I am Kenton, the spirit keeper of the Netherlands.”
    “Spirit keeper?”
    “Yes, the spirit keeper. You see, when peoples souls come here, they are frightened, unsettled, and confused. It’s my job to calm their souls and explain what has happened to them.”
    “Well Kenton, I’m glad I ran into you, err well more like dropped, but that’s not the point. Thank you for explaining all this to me.” I said, using my arm to gesture to the Netherlands that surrounded us.
    “No problem.” Kenton laughed, “It’s what I do.”
    “True, very true.”
    Suddenly, the wind started up again.
    “Ah, the guardian has finally showed up, about time.” Kenton grumbled as Dakota blew into sight
    “Sorry that I couldn’t kill the demon fast enough for you Kenton.” Dakota huffed, sliding onto the platform
    “Humph, well I’m glad the Lilac you sent is such an eager to learn pupil, she didn’t even get over excited when she landed in a different world, and she’s a very adept listener.” Kenton beamed in my direction
    “Well Lilly and I have an audience with the creators, so if you will excuse us…” Dakota held out his hand for me to take it, but I just stared at it.
    “Hunt me down?” I whispered angrily, “Pretend to be my friend?”
    “Lilly…”
    “DON’T ‘LILLY’ ME”
    “It’s not what you think.”
    “Oh? Then WHAT am I thinking?
    “That I used you to get promoted to a higher rank for being able to say I found a Lilac?”
    “Hmm, that ever better than what I had, and thanks for telling me what you used me for. I am happy to have been of flipping service!”
    “Lilly…” he started again
    “Save it, guardian.” I hissed
    “Jillilillia, if you wish, I can return you to the place from where you entered the Netherlands.” Kenton said softly
    “I’d like that very much, thank you.” I sniffed. The wind picked up again, lifting me upward towards the portal I came through
    “Kenton bring her back down here.” Dakota growled
    “No, she wishes to return, she will return, maybe she does not wish to be caught up in the mess that the creators made.”
    “She doesn’t have a choice, her and her brother…” I couldn’t hear anymore as the distance between us grew greater and greater. What did they what with my brother?