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Fellow Ereki,

After much blood, sweat, and tears, I have finally gotten a new portion of my story down. I have pretty much re-written it, so I hope that you enjoy it. Agian, this is only a portion of the novella I plan to write, and if you find anything that you think needs correction, I would welcome your ideas. Thanks for all your help and support!
<p style=”text-align: center;”>Saving Neverland: The Kiala Wars</p>
<p style=”text-align: center;”>By: Heidi McGrew</p>
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The forest surrounding Lana was black and dying. Her arms and legs were sore from lifting her way through the denseness, and though she had been touching everything she could, her magic was only minimal without Khan, her pixie. He was off doing something equally important most likely, so she tried not to blame him for not being there to help her.

“Well, my friend,” she said to a tree still standing next to her, “I apologize, but this is all I can do for you. I hope that it will amount to something in your lifesap.” With her hand upon the trunk, she slowly sank her magic into the lifesap, feeling the tree merging with her.  In answer, the tree slowly rose taller, and turned a dull shade of brown along its trunk. Lana sighed and returned to her work, slowly progressing through the forest to the lagoon right on its borders. At the beginning of her day, she had been so sure that today would yield different results from the past twenty, and it had. The trees were slowly responding to her magic, even without Khan, and she believed that in another few days she and the other restorers would bring the forest back to life. The lagoon, however, was a different story. As she came out of the forest, lifting her hand from the smooth bark of the pine she had been restoring, she let out a groan as she saw the lagoon. Slowly, her eyes took in the site of a bubbling lake with its water black and oily. Then she lifted her hand to her mouth to stifle a sob when she saw a being with hard, black and red scales distorted by the ooze, jump out of the lake. Its hair was straggly, and its face was a thing of Lana’s nightmares. The eyes that were once a clear sea blue were now an evil black that held a hatred so deep, none could fathom it. The mouth that had been filled with beautiful white teeth were now filled with long fangs that were dirty and disgusting. The face was still beautifully deceiving, and when the eyes found you, it seemed that the being was staring into your soul. Lana closed her eyes and tried to block herself from the probing thoughts of the creature that was staring at her from the lake. That being was what used to be a mermaid.  Lana could clearly remember the ranging green scales that ran the length of the mermaids’ tale. Her eyes would have been a sea blue, and her face a welcome sight after a long day. Lana had spent much time around the lagoon talking, laughing, and playing with the mermaids. Now, seeing her once-friends, her heart felt a little stab of pain to see the horror before her.

“It’s time to leave, Khan,” Lana whispered into the air. Instantly, a twinkle grew before her eyes into the size and shape of her male pixie. His purple eyes gave off a hint of concern, and he sighed.

“I was waiting for you to say that, Lana. But, can’t we stay for a few days longer? The pixies still need me, and the trees are looking loads better,” he pleaded.

“I don’t know if I can take much more of this. And besides, the Kiala inside the mermaids keep getting stronger. I don’t know when they will fully transform,” Lana explained, but there was still that spark of determination about her, Khan knew. “We will stay for two more days. I want to see what you have been doing, and I do believe that you are right about the trees.”

“Then come with me, and see Pixie Hollow,” Khan said gravely. Slowly and gracefully, the pixie floated into the air above Lana’s hands. She rested her hand on his shimmering blue wings, and suddenly, she was transported to Pixie Hollow. What she saw around made her jaw drop. In the middle of all of the chaos and sadness of Neverland, Pixie Hollow seemed like it had been separated from all of the destruction that the Kiala had brought with them. The big tree stood tall in the middle of the glade, and its leafy expanse looked strange next to the semi-black trees slouching next to it. Its expansive trunk was laced with pixie dust and seemed to glow amidst the overhanging shadow that were the clouds above.

“The pixies have been feeding its lifesap with dust. It has taken us five days to fill it to the bursting, but even the wisest of us do not know how long before it diminishes again,” Khan explained. Her interest piqued, Lana walked up to the tree and placed her hand on the huge trunk. Then she dove into the tree with her mind. It was well and truly filled with dust. Every strand of lifesap she touched with her consciousness showed her that the tree was fully sustaining itself with the dust.

“You realize that the tree now has a connection to you. I mean a stronger one than it already had,” Lana queried.

“We understand,” said a rich voice behind her. Lana whipped around to find a tall, human-like pixie standing in a deep red dress, blonde hair shining with light from the dust that surrounded her like a cloud. Her eyes were upon Lana, and she could see within the green depths a resignation to their fates.

“Queen Jiala, I didn’t know you were here,” Lana said as she dropped to one knee.

“Rise, my child. I care not whether you pay me homage. Right now, I need you and Khan.” At this, Queen Jiala started walking quickly to the northern edge of the glade, and soon, the trio was walking through the forest.

“As I’m sure is obvious, Neverland is in danger. Kiala are growing in strength and numbers, and we don’t have the strength to fight them like we’ve done before. The Conga and I have made up our minds about leaving. We must make our exit, and find a new home,” the Queen said sternly.

“But the Kiala are going to come after us again, my Queen! We have to stop them once and for all. Right here. Right now.”

“You don’t think that the Conga and I have talked about this! You don’t think that I want to go out there and fight with my whole being against those retched feasters!” the Queen raged. “I would give my life for this place, and this people. Every one of us would give ourselves over if it meant safety for you and every other Neverlander.”

Ashamed, Lana bent her head. “I apologize, queen. I did not mean to offend you of the Conga. We all know that you are the bravest among our people, as well as the wisest.”

Sigh. “There is one option that we haven’t ruled out though. That is why I have come to you and Khan.” And suddenly, they exited the forest and immediately entered the trunk of a huge tree. All around them were pixies of different sizes, and appearances, and forms. After their entry, they began to slowly rise until they were in the leafy canopy of the tree. “Welcome to the Conga. Queen’s log: Final Meeting. Our last option is to recruit. We must make an army so large, the Kiala have no choice but to leave.”

“But where would we go to mass such an army?” queried Lana.

“Earth.”