(fanfiction archive) Star Stone Saga by Morning Glory

Chapter 1: Anastasia


Everyone has a special role in their lives. Usually, early on, everyone has a childhood dream of what they want to make out of their life... but my life story is different. Living as an outcast for so long taught me that my life was an accident... and that my presence in the world had no meaning... but I was wrong.

***

It was a bright, early morning and a familiar Moon Stone rider was up with the sun and already adventuring in the forest.

"Fallon, don't you think it's too early?" a silver roan unicorn said as she yawned.

Fallon tilted her head.

"No... I always get up early."

"And you usually let me sleep."

The Moon Stone rider laughed.

"Maybe, but we're on a mission."

"A mission?" Moondance said sarcastically.

"Yeah."

"And what might that be?"

"I don't know yet..."

A sweat drop rolled down Moondance's head.

Fallon laughed.

"I just feel like there is something to find today." she replied.

"And if there isn't in the next five minutes, can I go home?" Moondance asked teasingly.

A rumbling noise filled the unicorn's ears.

"Fallon, do you hear that?"

Fallon listened for a moment.

"Is it a low rumbling sound?"

"Yes..." Moondance nodded.

"What makes a sound like that?" Fallon asked as she looked behind her.

Moondance's Moon Stone began to glow.

"Wild Magic!" the unicorn screamed. "Fallon, get down!"

"Huh?" Fallon said as she turned back around just in time to see a large flash of light surge out of the bushes around her.

The Moon Stone rider reached for the crescent enchanted jewel, but the light blinded her and the wind off it was so strong, it blew her from Moondance's back.

Not able to concentrate on keeping the stone in her grasp, she let go of the jewel and it disappeared from her sight.

A split second later she found herself lying on the ground beneath one of the nearby trees with Moondance at her side.

"Fallon! Fallon, are you alright?"

Fallon shook her head and looked around.

"Moondance, did you say something?"

The unicorn tilted her head and realized that she couldn't understand what Fallon was saying.

Fallon couldn't hear a word Moondance was saying either. That's when she realized that her Moon Stone was gone.

The Jewel Rider gasped and began to scan the area for the crescent moon jewel.

"I can't talk to Fallon without the Moon Stone!" Moondance thought.

"It's over here." a voice filled the unicorn's head.

She looked to Fallon and realized that it was not her that had said it.

Just then a young lady, who looked a few years younger than Fallon, walked out from the bushes.

Both Fallon and Moondance looked up.

" I think this is yours." she said as she handed the blue crescent moon jewel back to Fallon.

"Where...? Did you take this?" Fallon asked.

"No. It was lying over there," she said, as she pointed toward the bushes.

"Oh. Thank you for bringing it back to me." Fallon smiled.

The girl smiled back, and saw something unusual. The dark skinned woman was talking to the unicorn...

"You can talk to the unicorn?"

"Yes, I am a Jewel Rider. We can talk to each other using the power of the Moon Stone, an enchanted jewel."

Fallon smiled.

"Her name is Moondance." Fallon told her.

"My name is Anastasia." the girl introduced herself.

"I'm Fallon."

"We should be going, Fallon..." Moondance reminded.

"Oh yeah." Fallon said. "We..."

"I know... I heard." Anastasia said and winked at the unicorn.

"Do you need a ride somewhere?" Fallon asked.

"I guess so..." Anastasia said.

"Climb on!" Moondance said.

Anastasia nodded and mounted.

Fallon looked surprised. She didn't have to translate the unicorn's messages to the girl.

The Moon Stone rider mounted the unicorn and cued her off.

***

It wasn't a long ride to New Camelot, but it was faster than it would have been on foot. Fallon stopped at the front gate of the Crystal Palace.

"I'll let you off here unless you have important business in the palace..." Fallon said as Anastasia dismounted.

The girl shook her head and smiled.

"No." she replied.

"Okay then..." Fallon said and waved.

Anastasia watched the pair ride through the gates of the palace grounds. She hung her head low and thought to herself.

"I wish I could have an enchanted jewel like hers... then maybe I could understand why I can talk to unicorns..."

***

"What is it Moondance? You've been acting different since we ran into that girl!" Fallon complained.

"I felt something very special about that girl... she has such a strong magical aura, unlike any of the Jewel Riders... " Moondance thought to herself.

"It's nothing Fallon, I just didn't know her, that's all."

"Well I'll take you're word on it..." Fallon said with a smile.

Moondance nodded and returned to her train of thought.

***

Anastasia began looking through all the windows of the shops in New Camelot.

"Oh that's a pretty dress... and look! Those earrings are genuine diamonds!" she thought as she smiled, looking into the costume and jewelry shop.

"If only they had an enchanted jewel in a jewelry shop." she thought aloud.

***

Lady Kale was snooping around the back roads of the capital and she overheard someone's random thought-out-loud.

"If they only had an enchanted jewel? Hahaha..."

She cradles the Dark Stone in her hand and it showed her which way to go.

The amethyst crystal led her straight to the young Anastasia.

"I'm sorry, I overheard that you wanted an enchanted jewel..." Kale put on an innocent act.

"Yes." Anastasia nodded, she had no idea who Kale was.

"Come with me and then maybe I can get one for you..."

Anastasia felt a chilling feeling as the dark woman smiled and began to lead her away from the shops.

"No... I have to quit having these feelings, she's just a kind lady trying to help me out..." or so she thought.

***

Princess Gwenevere and Sunstar were just finishing eating breakfast that one of the handmaidens had brought into their rooms.

Gwenevere stepped out from under the warm covers and slipped on her fuzzy pink house slippers that matched her nightgown. She headed to the vanity and began to brush her long blonde hair.

Sunstar stood up in her stall and walked over to the wooden window that opened to Gwenevere's room. She stuck her head out and the princess smiled and opened the rest of the door.

"Good morning..." the princess trailed off as she yawned. She opened a drawer in the vanity and pulled out a grooming brush and began to brush Sunstar's white coat.

"My fur is getting thicker, Gwen, I think I'm getting my winter coat again..."

The princess looked at the brush and saw that there were large amounts of fur in the brush.

"Remember how much trouble we had last time with that? There was fur everywhere!" the princess and the unicorn laughed.

"That's okay, we'll just pull out those fancy horse blankets we found at the craft fair last year."

"Okay... ohh those are so warm and fuzzy." Sunstar imagined.

There was a knock at the princess' door, interrupting their conversation.

"Gwen?" a voice outside called.

"It's Fallon..." Sunstar said.

"Come in..."

"There's something your mother wants us to see..." said Fallon. "Tamara and I will be waiting in the Jewel Keep."

"Okay." said Gwenevere as both she and Sunstar got up to get ready.

***

The Jewel Riders all met in the Jewel Keep.

"The messenger brought it this morning..." Tamara whispered to Gwen.

"I wonder what it is?" Fallon asked.

Queen Anya opened the Jewel Keep door and then closed it behind her.

"Everyone's here?" she asked.

"Yes." said the Jewel Riders.

"Okay then... I wanted to show all of you this." said Anya as she held up a red velvet pouch.

She untied the strings at the top and the pouch fell flat, revealing a sparkling diamond star.

"We have found that this is a new enchanted jewel."

The three girls gasped.

"A new enchanted jewel?" Gwenevere asked.

"Yes, a messenger found it this morning, in the forest... it is not tuned, so right now it's magic is unstable."

Fallon looked at Moondance.

"That must have been what blasted at us when we were riding this morning! It's full of wild magic!"

"Then you must tune it with your jewels. Then this stone might be able to be used as a Jewel Rider's jewel."

"For a fourth Jewel Rider?" asked Tamara.

"Yes."

"Here's to it then!" Gwen said as she raised her Sun Stone into the air.

"Jewel Power!" said the three girls as they directed magical beams from their jewels to the diamond star.

When magical jewels are tuned, they pick up the sound of the voice of who is going to use them: this is how only the owner of the jewel can tell it special commands. Something very different happened when this jewel was being tuned.

Tamara suddenly stopped firing the Heart Stone.

Gwenevere and Fallon looked at each other and stopped also.

"Tamara? What's wrong?" Gwen asked.

"I heard something from that jewel! Did you?"

Gwen and Fallon shook their heads.

"No? I was positive I..."

The Heart Stone began to glow.

A whisper as calm as a spring breeze filled the three Jewel Riders' heads as the diamond star began to glow with the Heart Stone. All was silent.

"The Star Stone has chosen me..." the voice said and then faded away.

"That voice!" Moondance said. "It's her!"

"Who?" Fallon asked the unicorn.

"The girl we met in the forest! It's her!"

"She's the fourth Jewel Rider?" asked Gwen.

"We have to find her first..." Fallon said.

"Alright, then we'll go find her." Gwen said.

***

Kale had already made friends with the young girl... making her believe that she was also one of the Jewel Riders.

The two walked up to the dragon wagon, which was parked outside the town gates.

"I've heard that there was a magical jewel that was discovered in the forest this morning." Kale said. "That sounds like the perfect one for you."

"Where can I find this jewel?" Anastasia asked.

"I will retrieve it for you and contact you when I have it."

"Oh thank you... you are so kind!" the young lady answered.

Kale looked in the window of her dragon wagon and noticed something very strange. The reflection of the girl standing there waiting for her to say goodbye and an evil witch pretending to be nice... it suddenly hit her.

Kale held the Dark Stone up to the reflection in the window to capture the image.

"I guess I had better be going..." Anastasia said.

"Of yes of course my dear... I'll find you when the jewel is ready."

"Goodbye!" said the young lady as she began walking toward the forest.

Kale signaled for the big red dragon, Grimm, to carry the dragon wagon into the sky.

"That little tramp is too good for her own good." the witch muttered.

She looked into the Dark Stone and found the image of the reflection. She was shocked at the similarities between her and the young lady... and she began to think.

"Could that be... her??" Kale gasped.

***

Gwenevere, Fallon, and Tamara searched all over New Camelot to find the young girl.

"Fallon, we can't find her anywhere either!" Moondance said as both she and Sunstar galloped up

"Where do you think she would have gone?" asked Tamara.

"Maybe she went back into the forest." Fallon thought.

"We should probably try searching there..." Gwenevere said as she signaled for the team to move out. "We'll have better luck finding her if we split up."

Tamara and Fallon nodded.

The Moon Stone rider mounted her unicorn and the two galloped off into the forest.

Gwenevere mounted Sunstar and they soared off into the sky.

Tamara held up her Heart Stone and found a strange call.

"I think I'll go this way." she said as she ran down a different path.

***

Anastasia walked deeper and deeper into the forest. She heard all kinds of voices in her head, and she did not react to any of them.

"I wonder if that Kale lady will really find me an enchanted jewel." she thought.

The noon sun began to beat down and light up the darker parts of the forest. Anastasia looked down to the ground and a black shadow cast over her quickly and then moved on in front of her.

"What??" she said as she looked up.

High above her was the silhouette of a winged unicorn. Anastasia squinted to get a better look at it in the bright sunlight.

The unicorn was flying very fast, and Anastasia had to run after its shadow to see where it was going.

She soon ran out of breath, but luckily, the unicorn landed close by in a small clearing.

"You came back." an older male voice filled Anastasia's head.

She moved closer and peeked through the bushes to see.

"Yes I have." the winged unicorn said with a lighter, younger voice.

Anastasia's eyes focused in on him. He was the most beautiful unicorn she had ever seen. His coat was a shiny black and he had a sparkling golden horn with hooves and wing feathers to match. He flipped his silver tail and shook his silver mane. He blinked his dark blue eyes and a long white blaze running from the base of his horn to the tip of his nose caught the sunlight.

"Knight Star..." a female unicorn walked up to him. Her voice was soothing yet sad.

The black unicorn looked to her.

"Knight Star, I am asking you to leave." said the older male unicorn.

"What! What are you saying!" the female stepped in.

"He's not my son anymore... and not yours either. He has wings! Look at him!"

"Are you saying you don't want him because he is different?"

"It's an embarrassment Flora!"

Anastasia gasped as she watched the two fight. The black unicorn stepped back.

"Please Silver Slope, don't do this!"

"You don't want me?" Knight Star said as a small tear ran down his cheek, "Well that's just fine!"

Knight Star backed up and spread his wings. He looked up to the sky and shot upward, and instantly disappeared.

"Knight Star!" Flora called, but he was already gone.

Anastasia gasped and got up to run after him.

***

"Wait...don't cry."

Knight Star looked around him.

"Who's there?" he asked.

"My name is Anastasia... don't cry... I know someone who will take you in..."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm down here... come and see me."

The black unicorn swooped around and landed on the ground.

Anastasia came out from the bushes.

"You?" Knight Star asked.

"Yes." Anastasia answered without moving her mouth.

"You can speak to me?"

"Yes I can... its kinda a special gift of mine. But I want to tell you that I saw and heard what happened between you and your parents... and if you need someone to talk to, you can come to me."

Knight Star blinked his eyes and then he smiled. He felt a warm feeling when he walked up to the girl.

"You're not afraid of me... are you?" Anastasia asked.

"No. Unicorns can sense a human's aura and tell if their intentions are good or bad. You have the strongest good aura that I have ever felt before."

Anastasia smiled and she ran her hand along his neck. His fur was so soft and so shiny... it reminded her of an enchanted jewel.

"Knight Star?"

The unicorn turned his head.

"Will you stay with me? I am going to get an enchanted jewel soon... and I need a best friend to share it with. Will you share it with me?"

Knight Star nodded.

"Oh thank you!" she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

For once, the unicorn and the girl both felt loved.

Knight Star could tell that there was something special about this girl.

***

A dark shadow covered the sun. Kale's dragon wagon flew endlessly in search for the young lady.

"Hmm... the Jewel Riders have already tuned the new jewel... no matter. I'm sure that little tramp has found an animal friend in the forest, so maybe I'll just take it. Hehe, I think of so many evil plans I can't fit them all together!" the witch complimented herself.

Her Dark Stone began to flash and she jumped up out of her wooden seat. She held her jewel out over the edge and it flashed again.

"Down there Grimm! She's down there!"

The big red dragon growled and her turned around. He curved his wings to his side and dove down through the forest.

***

Anastasia and Knight Star were walking down a path when both of them heard the sound of tree branches cracking.

The unicorn stepped in front of the girl and they backed up.

Kale's dragon wagon came crashing through and landed with a loud thump on the ground.

"So there you are!" she said.

"Oh Kale!" Anastasia said. "Did you come to find me?"

Knight Star's eyebrows lowered as the dark lady smiled.

"Do you know her?" he said with warning in his voice.

Anastasia nodded.

"Stasia..." he said, "stay away from her."

"She's here to give me an enchanted jewel..."

"Well do you want your enchanted jewel?" Kale asked getting impatient.

"Oh yes... please." answered Anastasia.

"Its all right," the girl told the unicorn, "I will come right back."

Knight Star turned his head away as Anastasia walked up to the dragon wagon.

Kale held out the Dark Stone to Anastasia.

"But isn't this one yours?"

"Oh no. I don't want this one anymore... I have all kinds of them."

"Oh thank you!" said Anastasia as she held out her hands.

Knight Star shook his head.

"Anastasia, don't take it!" he tried to tell her.

The Dark Stone shot a spark out and Anastasia jumped back.

"Do you want it or not?" Kale said, getting angry.

"Yes I do, I'm sorry."

"NO!" the unicorn screamed.

Knight Star charged at the Dark Stone and pushed Anastasia out of the way just as Kale dropped it. The amethyst crystal fell on the unicorn and shot sparks everywhere, surrounding the unicorn in a red net.

Anastasia gasped.

"Blast!" Kale said. She grabbed the Dark Stone as the unicorn fell to the ground. "No matter. I'll just take him with me... he's such a beautiful thing."

"No! What are you doing?!" Anastasia screamed as the unicorn and the net disappeared and reappeared in the back of Kale's dragon wagon.

"Sorry my dear, but I never had an enchanted jewel for you."

"Bring Knight Star back... PLEASE!" Anastasia screamed.

Kale acted as if she had not heard a thing and she signaled for Grimm to carry the dragon wagon up into the sky.

"Knight Star... KNIGHT STAR!" the girl screamed and fell to the ground, crying.

She wiped away a flood of tears.

"I've got to find Fallon!" she said, but just as she began to get up, she fell face down again. This time she did not get up.

***

"So you're awake, huh." said Kale.

Knight Star shook his head and opened his eyes.

"I could tell you were evil the second I saw you."

"Oh well, it seems like its the only way to get what you want these days."

"You can talk to me?"

"Of course. My Dark Stone has many powers, and talking to animals is one."

"Its not true that you have to be evil to get what you want."

"Of course it is. If you lived the life I lived you would know. My sister Anya is queen of Avalon now... all because Merlin denied me the Sun Stone which would have gave me the power to become queen."

"I'm sure he had a reason."

"My life was messed up before that. My mother and father always put Anya before me, saying she was so pretty and regal and someday she would be queen. They never shared the same love for me... all I ever did was wrong. So I began to think that since I can get through life doing what is all wrong, then maybe being wrong was actually right. So that is why Merlin denied me the Sun Stone, and I was banished from the Crystal Palace."

"That is a terrible story. But that is no reason to turn evil..."

"I'm not turning back now... I'm glad to be bad... teehee."

Kale thought for a moment and looked back at the unicorn.

"I don't know why I am telling you my life story..."

"Because you can always trust in a unicorn..."

"I trust in no one, the story isn't worth keeping secret anyway."

Knight Star shook his head.

"The only thing that was denied to her..." he thought, "was her own heart."

***

"Moondance!"

The silver roan unicorn perked up her ears.

"What's wrong Moondance?" Fallon asked.

"I heard something..." the unicorn turned off onto another path. "It's this way..."

***

"Someone, help Stasia!"

Tamara looked up and saw Kale's dragon wagon.

"That's Kale's dragon wagon!" she thought.

"Heart Stone Rider... Help Anastasia!"

Tamara heard the voice and held up her Heart Stone.

"Where are you?"

"It doesn't matter. Find Anastasia!"

"My friends are going to find her. Where are you?"

"I'm up here... in this cage."

"Kale's got an animal captive!" Tamara thought.

She chased after the dragon wagon.

"It's too dangerous! If you come any closer, she'll destroy you!"

***

Kale turned around.

"Who are you talking to?"

Knight Star suddenly shut up.

Kale looked past the back of the cage and saw a figure running under them.

"Blast, they're after us!"

She stood up and shot magic blasts down to the ground.

"Look out!" Knight Star screamed.

Kale shot a stream of wild magic at the unicorn and the blast shocked him, making him fall unconscious once again.

"Now you can't warn her." she said.

***

"Gwen, Fallon! I need help here!" Tamara called to the other Jewel Riders with her Heart Stone.

***

"Gwen, that was Tamara!" Sunstar said as she landed on the ground.

"Where is she?"

"She says she's chasing after Kale. Kale's captured a unicorn!"

"We've got to help them!" the princess said.

Sunstar nodded and soared back into the sky, in the direction of Tamara's call.

***

"Look Fallon! Its her!"

Moondance skidded to a stop and Fallon jumped off and ran up to the collapsed girl.

"Anastasia!" she said as she took the girl into her arms.

Anastasia's purple eyes fluttered open.

"Fallon." she said.

"Oh thank goodness Anastasia! There's something we want you to see..."

"Wait. We have to save Knight Star."

"Who?"

"Knight Star. The black unicorn. That Kale lady has captured him."

Fallon and Moondance looked to each other.

"Okay then..." Fallon said, "C'mon, I'll help you up."

Fallon put Anastasia's arm around her and helped the girl up.

Moondance laid down and Fallon slid Anastasia into the saddle. The unicorn stood back up and Fallon jumped into the saddle behind Anastasia.

"Hold on." she said and the girl wrapped her arms around the unicorn's neck.

Moondance smiled. She knew now that she would get to know this special girl better now that she was going to be a Jewel Rider.

The unicorn went galloping down the path.

***

"Tamara!" Gwenevere called out as Sunstar soared above the Heart Stone rider.

Tamara looked up and pointed to the dragon wagon.

Gwenevere nodded and Sunstar flew faster, toward it.

Behind Tamara, Moondance burst out from the trail and galloped up beside her.

"Fallon!" Tamara said as she stopped running.

***

Kale heard a scream and looked back.

Her niece Gwenevere and Sunstar, the flying unicorn were flying straight toward her.

"No! Not now!" she screamed.

Knight Star's eyes slowly opened. Though it was blurry at first, his eyes came into focus on a beautiful white flying unicorn swooping towards him. He seemed stunned by her beauty.

Sunstar gazed into the cage and gasped.

"What is it?" Gwen asked.

"Gwen, he's a winged unicorn!"

"A winged unicorn??! Tell him to hold on!"

Sunstar nodded.

Kale turned around and sent dozens of wild magic blasts bask at Gwen and Sunstar.

The beams streaked like lightning bolts, and the winged unicorn tried to dodge them, but one hit the princess, knocking her from Sunstar's back.

"Gwen!" the winged unicorn turned to save her friend, but just as she did, a blast of Wild Magic hit her, forming a net around her also.

***

"Gwen!" Fallon screamed.

"She's falling!" Tamara screamed.

Anastasia, now fully awaked jumped off Moondance's back.

"You have to hurry!" she said.

"Let's go!" Fallon said to Moondance and they galloped toward the falling princess.

Moondance jumped high into the air and Fallon caught Gwenevere's hand, pulling her onto the unicorn. Moondance landed safely with the two Jewel Riders on her back.

"It's all up to Sunstar now! We can free her from the net!" Gwen said as she and the other Jewel Riders raised their enchanted jewels.

They sent a beam of spiraling light at the net and Sunstar broke out of it.

"Sunstar, it's up to you now! Save the unicorn!" Gwenevere cried.

***

The winged unicorn nodded and soared up towards the back of the cage.

Knight Star looked up and smiled.

"You know you are very brave."

Sunstar kinda blushed.

"Oh it's nothing. Right now I have to get you out of this cage."

"Its a big problem. I have been trying to break free too."

Sunstar put her horn against the bars and Knight Star did also. They were both concentrating and looked up at the same time... into each others eyes.

Sunstar blushed again and turned away.

"I'm sorry..."

"No... I'm sorry." Knight Star said.

"I can't melt the bars..."

"Its okay, Sunstar."

"No it's not. I have to get you out of there."

Kale looked back and saw the two unicorns conversing.

"I'll teach you to follow me!" she laughed.

As they approached the Travel Tree ring, Kale whipped a beam of wild magic, opening the travel tree tunnel. Wild magic poured out and surrounded Sunstar.

"Sunstar!" Knight Star gasped.

"I... can't... fight... it!" the unicorn cried in pain.

The dragon wagon tilts and enters the wild magic doorway, slamming Knight Star up against the wall. The unicorn fell over and groaned.

The wild magic portal closes, but the wild magic outbreak is still surrounding Sunstar, stinging her sides.

***

"We've lost them!" Fallon said.

Anastasia closed her eyes.

"They're that way." she said, pointing toward the Travel Tree clearing.

"How you do know?"

"I can feel it." the girl answered.

She opened her eyes and gasped.

"What is it?" Gwen asked as she and Tamara ran beside Moondance.

"Sunstar, she's in trouble!" Anastasia answered with an urgent voice.

"We've got to hurry!" Gwen said as they neared the Travel Tree clearing.

The Jewel Riders burst out of the clearing and instantly saw Sunstar fighting to free herself from the wild magic.

"SUNSTAR!" Gwenevere screamed and ran off after her.

"I can't hold on anymore." the winged unicorn said.

Anastasia closed her eyes.

"Sunstar... I'll help you. I'm lending you my power."

The winged unicorn began to plummet to the ground when she heard the voice.

"Who's there?" she asked.

"Just hold on."

The unicorn closed her eyes and she began beating her wings against her sides, but it was no help. Suddenly, a burst of energy filled her and she began flapping her wings furiously, slowing herself down. She slowed down enough to land hard on all fours, and she fell over from the impact.

Anastasia opened her eyes and looked up.

"Sunstar, Sunstar!" Gwenevere ran over to the unicorn.

"I'm alright..." she said as she slowly stood back up.

"Oh Sunstar! Thank goodness!" the princess cried as she wrapped her arms around the unicorn's neck. A tear streamed down her cheek.

Moondance and Tamara ran up to them. Fallon dismounted and Anastasia jumped off.

"She's alright!" Anastasia said.

"Gwen I couldn't free Knight Star. Tell her..." Sunstar started to say.

"I know. Where did she take him?" Anastasia asked.

Gwen and Sunstar looked at each other.

"You heard what I said?" the unicorn asked.

"I did..." the girl said and then she dropped to her knees. "This is driving me crazy!"

"Easy. What's wrong?" Tamara asked as she helped Anastasia back up.

"Why can I hear them? I can hear unicorns. I can hear what Sunstar, Moondance, Knight Star say... I can hear what any unicorn says! Why?"

Gwen, Fallon, and Tamara looked at each other.

"We don't know, Anastasia." Gwen said as she mounted Sunstar.

"Oh well it really doesn't matter now." Anastasia said, "We have to rescue Knight Star!"

The Jewel Riders nodded.

"Here, you can ride with me." Gwen said as she pulled Anastasia up into Sunstar's saddle.

Tamara jumped onto Moondance's back and the two unicorns made their way to the Travel Trees.

"There's something we need to show you, Anastasia." Gwenevere said as she held out the red velvet pouch.

The princess untied the strings and the pouch fell flat in her hand revealing the diamond Star Stone.

"This, is for you. You need it now." said Gwenevere.

"This is... and enchanted jewel?" Anastasia asked as the light of the Star Stone reflected in her eyes.

"Yes, it is. And it tuned itself to you." Fallon said.

Anastasia smiled.

"Then I can use this to help us free Knight Star." she said as she held it up.

"You know what to say." Tamara said.

Anastasia nodded and closed her eyes.

"BY THE MAGIC OF THE STAR STONE!"

White magic spiraled out of the Star Stone and circled around Anastasia from her head to her toes. In a flash, she is surrounded by white magic and as it fades away, it shows her new, white and blue jewel armor.

The Star Stone rider opened her eyes. She saw the blue collar and chest plate over the white tank top, and the blue belt and armor skirt and white boots. Around her wrists were blue bracelets with carvings of shooting stars all over them. Adorning her black and silver streaked hair were blue ribbons braided into some small curly strands of silver. Dangling from her ears were yellow star earrings.

"Wow!" was all the brand new Star Stone rider could say.

"We must go!" Gwenevere said.

The four Jewel Riders raised their jewels to the sky.

"Great Trees of Merlin, please let us follow Kale!" Gwen called.

A wild magic portal opened in the Travel Tree ring and the two unicorns dove into it.

***

After riding through the tunnel of wild magic, the unicorns appeared in the Thornwoods.

Gwenevere shook with a cold chill.

"This is all too familiar." she grumbled.

Soon Sunstar and Moondance arrived at Castle Thornwood. Kale watched as they galloped into the courtyard.

The four Jewel Riders dismounted and stepped in front of the unicorns.

"We have come for Knight Star, Kale." Gwenevere demanded.

Kale shrugged her shoulders and smirked. As she raised one hand, a trap door spiraled up and revealed Knight Star.

The black unicorn was haltered and a magical rope was locked in a magical bind which consisted of a stone circle slab with carved indentations of the Star Stone. One indentation is in the middle, while there are six other carvings around the outside edge of the stone.

"I see that you have already found the Star Stone... some of my spies were on the way to pick it up when the messenger found it. I want that jewel."

"We'll never give the jewel to you..." Fallon started to say.

Anastasia held out her hand and the Moon Stone rider stopped.

"The only way to get your friend back is to give me the Star Stone." Kale told her.

"What do I do?" asked the Star Stone rider.

"NO! You can't give it to her!" Gwen screamed

"It's the only way." Anastasia said.

"Place the Star Stone in the middle carving on the stone bind. Every facet has to be in place." Kale replied.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" cried Gwen.

"Afraid not. The Star Stone must be placed in the middle of the bind in order for it to be broken." Tamara said.

Anastasia walked up to the stone and took the diamond star jewel from her Jewel Belt. She carefully placed it into the middle indentation and turned it slightly to get it in place.

The jewel began to emit a blinding white light.

Anastasia backed up and covered her eyes.

As the light died down the Star Stone began to glow with six colors of the rainbow.

Above the Star Stone appeared a red Star Stone, identically shaped like the original. Moving counter clockwise around the slab Star Stones of orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple form in the carvings. As the last colored Star Stone formed, the glow from the diamond Star Stone suddenly stopped.

"What now?" Anastasia asked as she saw the jewel stop glowing.

"Haha! The jewels are all mine now! In each different colored stone lies one of the six powers of the Star Stone. Your Star Stone is completely useless now!" Kale laughed.

"What?!" Anastasia cried.

She felt something strange happening. She looked down and slowly, piece by piece her jewel armor was fading away. Soon all was left was her leather skirt and tank.

"The unicorn is mine now! The Star Stones are all tuned to me!" Kale said.

Gwenevere blinked and the image of Sunstar being captured by Kale reflected in her eyes.

"This is too much!" she said as she fell to the ground.

"Gwen!" Tamara and Fallon cried as they ran to her side.

"This is just like what happened when she captured Sunstar! When everything is alike, I get this strange feeling that Anastasia and I are linked somehow."

Tamara and Fallon looked up and saw Anastasia and Kale staring off, while the Star Stone rider wiped tears from her eyes.

"Gwen look. They look just alike don't they!" Fallon said as her mouth gaped open.

Gwenevere looked up. She saw that the two had haunting similarities.

"Can Anastasia be... Kale's daughter??" Tamara gasped.

"She's too kind hearted! That can't be!" Fallon said.

"Anastasia!" Gwenevere cried as the Star Stone rider fell to the ground.

Kale stood over her.

"Haha, what is wrong with you? Are you too weak?"

"Knight Star, forgive me..." Anastasia whispered and went still.

Her body began to fade in and out and the diamond Star Stone began to glow each time it did.

"Look, she's gonna fade out!" Tamara screamed.

The three Jewel Riders got up and gasped.

A sparkling tear ran down Knight Star's cheek. He opened his dark blue eyes and saw the girl lying there.

The unicorn remembered Anastasia's gentle words

"If you need someone to talk to, you can always come to me. Will you share this enchanted jewel with me?" her voice filled his head.

"NO!!!" he cried, suddenly rearing up.

Knight Star kicked the stone binding slab, knocking the Star Stone out of it's place.

"No, this can't happen!" Kale said as she saw what had happened.

The stone slab began to crack into six pieces, each piece with one of the colored Star Stones. As the crack reached the middle where the original Star Stone was placed, white light burst everywhere.

The three Jewel Riders covered their eyes from the light as the pieces of stone slab burst out of the castle, flying all different directions.

"NO! I was too close!" Kale screamed as wild magic began to surround her and she faded away.

Knight Star kneels beside Anastasia and covers her body with one of his wings.

Gwenevere and Fallon began to cry while Tamara picked up the Star Stone and sat down beside Knight Star.

"She was very brave. She would have been a strong Jewel Rider. She came to free you because she wanted you as her partner." Tamara said as her eyes teared up.

The Heart Stone rider held the Star Stone in her hands and placed it in Anastasia's hands, cupping them around it.

She stood up and stepped back where Fallon and Gwenevere were standing.

The Star Stone began to glow with white light. The light began to grow brighter and it spiraled up to the sky.

Gwenevere looked up from crying on Tamara's shoulder.

Knight Star looked down at Anastasia with sparkling, tear filled eyes.

The spiraling white light almost made the girl and the unicorn look invisible for a moment. As the light fades away, Anastasia is covered in her blue and white jewel armor, and Knight Star has a golden jewel band on his neck.

The black unicorn blinked and flapped up his wing.

"What is it Knight Star?" Tamara asked.

The hand around the Star Stone flinched and Anastasia opened her eyes slowly.

"Look!" said Gwenevere.

"She's alive!" said the three Jewel Riders as they ran over to the Star Stone rider.

Anastasia looked up at all of them.

"Thanks... everyone." she said softly.

She bent her knees and sat up. She looked down and saw that her Jewel Armor had returned. As she looked to Knight Star she saw that he had a golden jewel band around his neck, holding a half of the Star Stone.

"Oh Knight Star, we're Jewel Riders!" she said happily as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I will share this enchanted jewel with you, Stasia.. I'll always be at your side." the unicorn replied.

Gwenevere smiled at Fallon and Tamara and gave Sunstar a hug.

"What a happy ending." said Sunstar.

***

Knight Star took Anastasia to meet his feuding parents.

"I'm so happy you're home." Flora said.

"Knight Star... I should have never treated you like that. After all, you are and will always be my son."

Knight Star smiled.

"And you will always be my father." he replied.

Anastasia smiled. She knew that Knight Star had done the right thing.

Chapter 2: Legend of the Unicorn Maiden


It was a dark and rainy day in Avalon. As the rain poured down, and the sky was gray, with little glints of lightning flashing before the clouds... and then came the loud clap of thunder.

"Oh... why did it have to rain today? This is when our circle of friendship ceremony was supposed to be!" a young girl said as she and a black unicorn ran for shelter of the rain.

The two finally found refuge in a little gazebo, in the royal garden. The unicorn and the girl crowded under it.

"The storm came up pretty quick..." said a familiar voice.

"Fallon! Moondance!" Anastasia was quick to recognize the voice as she looked up from under her soaked black and silver hair.

The Moon Stone rider and her unicorn crowded under the gazebo also. She and Anastasia sat down and found themselves cramped for space as the two unicorns tried to get comfortably situated.

"Lousy timing, huh. To think it would rain today..." Fallon said with sympathy.

"Oh it's alright, I guess Queen Anya can reschedule the ceremony for some other day..." Anastasia smiled.

Moondance overheard the young lady talking to Fallon.

"She's always so nice. She never puts herself first, and she doesn't complain. Why is that?" the unicorn thought to herself. "Now I know that there is something special about her... but I can't think of what it is..."

The Star Stone rider looked out and she saw the flowers in the royal garden. As the rain splashed against their petals, she could almost see them grow stronger, and taller, up towards the sky.

Anastasia looked at Fallon and pointed to the roses growing on the gazebo. As they watched closely, they saw the rosebuds unfold as drops of rain ran off the roof of the shelter and trickled onto them.

"See how beautiful the flowers become when it rains? Rain isn't always bad..." Stasia murmured as she listened to the rain falling. Her eyes began to close and then she jumped up and blinked fast.

"Are you all right??" Fallon laughed.

"Yeah, the rain has always put me to sleep."

The Moon Stone rider listened to it.

"I've never paid attention before... it sounds so soft and soothing..." she said as she closed her eyes and took in the smells and sounds of the fresh rain.

As she opened them she saw Anastasia, asleep! The dark skinned girl smiled and chuckled softly.

***

Deep within a realm of misty dreams, Anastasia found herself flying through the clouds with a pair of long feathery wings on her back. They took her soaring across the sky until she found a castle made of white marble. The wings folded upward and she put her feet down, stepping onto the castle.

As she walked further on the white marble, she saw the mist that was in the dark shadows behind the castle towers.

She looked around and movement from the shadows caught her eyes. As she turned her head to see what it was, she saw a young lady, about the same height as her walking out from the mist.

As the lady came closer, Anastasia realized that she was about the same age, and as she came even closer she realized... it was *her!*

The maiden had a long blue dress with sparkling jewels adorning her neck, her waist, and even her forehead. Out of her back sprouted a pair of translucent blue butterfly wings and a blue bow that matched her dress with flowing ribbons. She stepped forward and took Anastasia's hand.

"Anastasia..." her voice was a whisper and her lips did not move.

"Y... yes?" the Star Stone rider stammered.

The maiden looked down at their hands and they opened. Inside was one of the replicated Star Stones! This was the sparkling blue Sapphire Star Stone.

"I am the Unicorn Maiden, you must find me." the maiden's voice filled Anastasia's head again as their eyes met.

"I don't know what you mean..."

"I lie deep in a spirit produced by both good and evil. You are the only one who can find me..." the maiden's voice trailed off.

Anastasia still had no clue of what she was talking about.

The maiden's hand slipped out of Anastasia's and she began to float slowly back into the shadows, with her toes barely sliding over the marbled floor.

"Wait... please...I still don't understand..."

"Find the five other rainbow Star Stones, and the Sapphire Star Stone will reveal everything to you."

As the voice trailed off again, Anastasia looked down at her hand and saw the Sapphire Star Stone glowing with an odd glow. As the Star Stone rider looked at it closer, the blur light swirled around her and she disappeared.

***

"Anastasia..."

"Anastasia..."

The young girl opened her eyes and for a moment she saw the maiden again but as her eyes focused, she saw that it was Fallon leaning over her.

"Fallon...?" Anastasia said and with question on her voice.

"Yeah..." the dark skinned woman said as she giggled.

"Oh. I had the strangest dream."

"Yeah, dreams are always strange. But anyway, the rain is letting up so I figured that we could make a brake for the front doors." Fallon said as she pointed to the sky, and the rain had gone down to a soft sprinkle.

"Okay." said Stasia as she lifted herself up.

Fallon and Moondance stepped out of the gazebo and ran towards the front doors of the Crystal Palace. Anastasia watched as they ran.

"I guess it's our turn..." she smiled as she gestured to Knight Star and they both ran in the same direction.

***

Later that evening, at the dinner table, Anastasia sat down and felt something heavy in her pocket. Everyone else was busy eating, so she quietly reached into her pocket and brought it out. As she quickly glanced at it without anyone noticing, she realized that it was the Sapphire Star Stone!

She slowly returned to her dinner, but she could hardly eat any more of it because she was so awestruck. The 'dream' must have been real!

***

After dinner, Anastasia sat in her room and stared at the blue star-shaped jewel. As she compared the blue jewel with her Star Stone, she realized that the shape, size and facets were *exactly* the same.

"Knight Star..." she said, "who is the *Unicorn Maiden?"*

Knight Star's ears perked up.

*"The* Unicorn Maiden?" he asked.

"Yes. Who is she?"

"She's a fairy tale princess. My mother and father told me the stories of her adventures when I was young."

"Is there anything else about her?"

"Not really. The elders, a group of wise, old unicorns, once claimed that she was real, and that someday she would vow to protect all unicorns from the eternal darkness. They made a bunch of weird prophesies, but over thousands of years, she never came and it has since become a fairy tale."

"That's interesting."

"Why?" asked the black unicorn.

"Because I met her."

Knight Star, who was lying down in his stall rolled over and jumped up.

"Whaa?" he said as he shook some straw off of his back.

"Yeah. I met her in my dream... and she looked just like me. But it was real, because she gave me this..." said Anastasia to the unicorn as she pulled the Sapphire Star Stone out of her pocket.

"Serious??" asked Knight Star as he examined the jewel.

Anastasia nodded.

"Maybe you can find a book or scroll about her in the library..." he added.

"Alright! Let's go!" said the Star Stone rider as she ran out the door, followed by Knight Star.

***

In the library, the two bumped into Gwen, who was studying a map.

Anastasia walked up to her and read it from behind her shoulder.

"Is this a map of Avalon?" she asked. It didn't look like any of the maps she'd seem before.

"Yeah, this is what the philosophers say it will look like in a couple hundred years."

"Is this part of your training for queen?"

"No, I just thought it sounded interesting."

"Oh." Anastasia said as she backed away. Gwen being serious? Nah.

***

As the girl and the unicorn searched for a book which included the legends of the Unicorn Maiden. Far back on a shelf with few books, Anastasia dusted away some cobwebs and found a huge book with brown leather coverings and a gold carved emblem on the front, with a blue jewel inset.

"What do you think this is?" Anastasia asked for Knight Star's opinion.

"I would pull it out of there and see." Knight Star answered.

Anastasia nodded and pulled the book out. It was heavy!

She stumbled over to a table and dropped the book down with a large THUD. It was quiet before, but everyone went silent and looked at the dark haired girl and the black unicorn.

"Uhhh..." said Stasia as she began to blush, "Sorry."

***

Soon, everyone had cleared out of the library except for Anastasia and Knight Star. They still stood, reading the huge book.

Anastasia was absorbed into this marvelous piece of literature. Every tale, every adventure, every description of the beautiful Unicorn Maiden was revealed.

As Knight Star read the ancient text, he realized that this was one of the books and scrolls that were given to the first Jewel Riders of Avalon when the princess long, long ago shared a special bond with the unicorn queen of that time.

He had to turn away to rest his eyes, but the young Star Stone rider didn't even blink.

"She's really serious about this." he thought to himself.

After another period of long reading, Knight Star's eyes began to close.

"Stasia, I'm going upstairs, I'm too tired to read anymore." he said as she shook his head to keep himself awake.

"Okay..." Stasia's voice filled his head, but she didn't open her mouth to speak.

"Good night." Knight Star said quietly and headed out the door.

"Good night," Anastasia echoed.

***

The next morning, Anastasia awoke and found herself in her bed. As she looked around with half opened eyes, she saw Knight Star moving around in his stable.

"Knight Star," she said as she rolled back over, the opposite direction.

"I brought you back up here a few hours ago... you were sprawled out over your book, asleep." said the unicorn.

"Where's the book?" asked the girl, her voice raspy and slow.

"Relax Stasia, I brought it up too. The queen said that the Circle of Friendship ceremony was rescheduled for next week..." he trailed off when he realized that she was asleep.

Chapter 3: A Circle Completed


“Are you there?”
“Yeah, I’m here...” a soft whispering voice answered.
A small foot covered in a blue boot stepped into a pool of cold water and the rings began to branch off of each other and caused small ripples in the water.
A pair of haunting purple eyes searched the pool’s reflection for answers to her unanswered questions. All she saw was a face staring back up at her. As a small breeze swept across the water, the young lady’s black and silver hair blew around her face and the winds caused ripples to shatter the reflections, but they always reappeared when the small breezes stopped.
“Who are you...” the girl’s soft voice whispered.
When there was no answer, she held her hand out in front of her and a blue star shaped jewel appeared floating above her hand.
“What are the answers...” she thought, “this stone will reveal everything to me...”
The blue jewel began to glow bright blue and as it reflected in the water, the water began to bubble up and another girl rose out of the water.
“Anastasia...”
“It’s you...”
The Unicorn Maiden smiled and nodded.
Anastasia tried to say something, but the beautiful young maiden gestured to silence her from asking more questions, and she took her hands.
As clouds of mist swirled around the two, the Unicorn Maiden opened her hands, a green star jewel appeared.
“The Emerald Star Stone represents the lands that you walk on. Wherever you go, the land will do its best to protect you. You must find this stone soon, for it is the basis of the three protection stars.”
“The three protection stars?” Anastasia asked.
The Unicorn Maiden smiled sadly and she released the green Star Stone into the air and it disappeared.
“Find the five other Star Stones and the Sapphire will reveal everything to you...” the maiden trailed off as she disappeared back into the water.
“The Emerald Star Stone?” Anastasia looked down and saw the Sapphire floating in her hands as a white light wrapped around her, making her disappear back to reality.

***

“Knight Star...”
“Stasia?”
“Knight Star, bring me the book... please...”
The black unicorn saw the young lady asleep in her bed.
“She has had a rough night the past week. All she has done is read that book.”
Even though he complained about it, he still scooted the book over beside the bed where Anastasia lay.
He watched her for a moment and he smiled. He didn’t understand why, but he could always sense a strong good aura from her, even when she was asleep.

***

“Okay, there will be a surprise party afterward, in the ballroom... Tamara, Fallon, make sure everyone knows...” the princess was reviewing last minute party preparations.
Fallon and Tamara smiled and nodded. They both knew how exciting the Circle of Friendship Ceremony was.
Just after they were discussing various last minute decorations that had to be put up before the crowds started coming in at sunset, they heard footsteps coming closer.
“Shh!” Tamara gestured and the three girls scurried around until they found different seats and poses that looked most un-suspicious.
They watched as the black and silver-haired girl and a black onyx unicorn walked by the doorway. The girl smiled and gestured with her hands as if she was talking, but no words came from her mouth.
Tamara’s heart stone flickered occasionally and as they walked out of sight it stopped.
“What was that?” asked Gwenevere.
Fallon shrugged, but Tamara was still trying to figure out why her Heart Stone was reacting.
“Where do you think they might be going?” she asked.
“Who knows. They should stick around here for today... with the ceremony being tonight...” Gwen replied.
Fallon had a soft spot for the girl. She seemed to care about her more than the other two Jewel Riders did, in this point in time anyway.
“How about I go and see what she is up to.,” the Moon Stone Rider suggested. “I was never really one for decorating... you guys can manage alright, right?”
Tamara and Gwen nodded.
“Make sure she is back here before the ceremony, if you guys go anywhere.” added Gwen.

***

“I had another dream. It said something about the Emerald Star Stone...” Anastasia said as she walked beside Knight Star.
“Emerald Star Stone? But isn’t your jewel the Star Stone?” the unicorn questioned.
“Yes, it is... but when Kale made me put this stone in the rock, it made six other star stones, and then the rock broke and the stones flew everywhere.”
“Oh. What’s so special about those stones?”
“Right now, I have the Diamond Star Stone, and it only has the power to make me transform. That’s all I can get it to do. As we find the other six stones, they will come together to make the Star Stone from before, with all the right powers.”
“Ok, it’s all clearer to me now.” said the black unicorn. “So is that blue star one of the Star Stones too?”
Anastasia reached into her pocket and pulled it out.
“Yeah... this one is the Sapphire.” she told him.
“Where do you propose we look for the Emerald Star Stone?” asked Knight Star.
“Somewhere very green. Like a field or a forest.”
“There are plenty of them...” answered the unicorn.
“Any special ones?”
“The greenest forest I have ever seen is the jungle.”
“Of course! The jungle! We’ll start there.”
Anastasia mounted the unicorn and he jumped up into the air and gently turned and flew south.
A dark skinned rider with a silver and purple unicorn watched the two soar high above.
“Looks like we have to turn around, Moondance.”

***
The black and silver unicorn landed lightly on the grounds outside of the jungle. As suggested by his rider, he slowly pushed his way through thick ferns and vines, to try and reach a clearer path.
“This is the thickest jungle I’ve ever seen!” Anastasia said.
“This is probably the only one you’ve seen. Its the only one in Avalon...” Knight Star said with a smile.
Anastasia blushed.
“Oh yeah,” she replied with an embarrassed smile.
“But even for not getting enough sunlight, there are still a lot of ferns and vines on the forest floor. Its almost abnormal.”
“It probably has something to do with all the magic around here.” Stasia said as they ventured deeper and deeper into the jungle.

***

“I don’t remember the jungle ever being this thick, do you?”
“No,” replied the silver roan unicorn.
“Do you suppose there is another outbreak of wild magic around here? You know what it did last time when the Crown Jewels were missing.”
“I don’t sense any wild magic… at least not enough to worry about,” the unicorn replied.
“Alright. I’m just afraid we’ll lose them!” the Moon Stone rider said.

***

In a deep, dark area of the Thornwoods, Lady Kale sat on her stone throne plotting her next move against the Jewel Riders. Something always came back when she thought of them… ever since the Star Stone rider came into play… something was not right, and something actually scared her.
She shook her head and then tried to think of a reason the Star Stone rider sent chills up her spine. She held up her amethyst Dark Stone and conjured up the image of the young lady.
“After all these years… it’s her? Why didn’t I ever see her before?” the witch thought to herself.
She had a strange feeling that she knew where the Star Stone rider was… and that there was powerful magic nearby.

***

Anastasia noticed her Star Stone flashing.
“Do you feel something strange?” she asked her unicorn companion.
Knight Star shook his head at first, but then he realized that there was something.
“What do you think it is?” he asked.
“I’m not sure.” Stasia answered.
As Knight Star came to a somewhat clearer path, Anastasia quickly dismounted.
She jogged ahead of the unicorn and stopped suddenly in front of a wall of vines and giant ferns.
“Is there something behind there?” the black unicorn questioned.
Anastasia turned around and motioned for the unicorn to join her.
“There is something behind this… it’s making my jewel react.” She said quietly as she tried to push he leaves out of the way.
“They are like a wall!” Knight Star said as he also tried to push them.
Stasia reached for her Star Stone and held it up.
“BY THE MAGIC OF THE STAR STONE!” she chanted.
After a burst of sparkles, the Star Stone riders were covered in their magical armor.
Soon after, the girl and the unicorn disappeared into the leafy wall.

***

“Stasia?” Fallon called out as Moondance tried to pick up the Star Stone.
“It’s no good…” Moondance replied.
“Where could they have gone that quick?” Fallon said as she looked at the ground.
Moondance came on to a barrier of leaves and branches, and stopped in front of it.
“Their tracks end here… and there aren’t anymore leading out…” the Moon Stone rider said as she tried to think it through.
“You don’t suppose they got captured, do you?” Moondance suggested.
“Knight Star can fly, can’t he? I’m sure they took off somewhere. That’s why there aren’t any more tracks.” Fallon put two and two together.
Moondance didn’t argue, but she felt as if there were something in this picture that they weren’t seeing. She shrugged it off and turned around to find another possible path.

***

“Knight Star??” a worried voice asked.
There was no answer.
Suddenly after much shuffling, a diamond star lit up and made a small stream of white light. It flashed in different directions, but finally it stopped.
“It’s pitch black here…” Anastasia thought to herself.
She held the Star Stone high and the darkness began to fade until everything was dimmed, as if lit by the night stars. She saw small, white moonflowers creeping up the trees and green leaves under her feet. No light reached any of this area, yet it was still lush and green, as if protected by something.
Suddenly, small yellow lights began to rise up out of the ground. The lights danced and flashed rapidly.
“Who’s there?” Anastasia asked aloud.
Yet again, there was no answer.
As a light flew by, Stasia realized that they were fireflies coming out after the light created by her Star Stone.
She smiled for a moment, but then returned to her priorities. She knew that the first thing she had to do was find Knight Star.
After a couple steps, all of the fireflies scattered.
“Stasia?” a familiar voice called.
“Knight Star?” Anastasia answered.
Soon, the black unicorn came into sight. It was rather hard to see him because everything was so dim, but Anastasia could sense him there.
“This whole place is preserved by some kind of magic.” The unicorn replied.
Anastasia put her hand out and caught Knight Star’s mane. She slowly moved over until she felt his fur and stayed at his side.
Something suddenly flashed in front of them. It was the same lush green color of the leaves and the jungle.
“Knight Star, it’s the Emerald!” Stasia said and she took off in the direction of the flash.
She slid to her knees and picked up the sparkling green jewel, dusting off the leaves and unraveling the vines that had intertwined around it.
“Knight Star! It IS it!” she said happily as she held it up.
The Star Stone flashed again and showed a path to another floral barrier, like the one the two had entered in.
The girl and the unicorn did not hesitate to walk through it.

***

Lady Kale stood in front of one of the leafy barricades. Try as she might, she could not untangle the mass of ferns, vines, and branches, blocking her from the other side.
“Blast the stupid shrubbery!” she cursed and held up her Dark Stone.
She shot sparks of Wild Magic around in circles, trying to eat away at the plants, but as soon as the leaves began to wilt and brown, fresh, new leaves began to bud in their place.
“What is this?” she asked aloud as she turned to the Dragon Wagon sitting behind her.
Grimm the dragon heard what she said and just shrugged. He wasn’t smart enough to figure it out.
Soon, two figures emerged from inside the wall.
Kale heard the noise of rustling leaves and quickly turned around. She saw the black haired girl and the black unicorn!
“You?!” she said, half surprised and half angry.
Anastasia and Knight Star both looked up and realized that there was going to be trouble.
Kale stared into the young girl’s purple eyes.
“Who are you, really?” She asked.
Stasia was absolutely shocked at the question. She didn’t know what to say.
Kale stepped down from the Dragon Wagon, not once taking her eyes off the girl. She noticed something green flashing in the Star Stone rider’s hands.
“Why won’t you answer me.” The witch more stated than questioned as she began to move closer to the girl.
Knight Star jumped in front of his companion and spread his wings.
“This is between the girl and me.” Kale said to the unicorn, but he still would not move.
“Kale…” Stasia stammered, “I am Anastasia.”
“I know that much.” The dark lady stated. “Who are you, really?” She asked once again.
“I am Anastasia! I don’t know why I am, and I don’t know where I even came from. Is that what you want? I don’t know a mother or father… I don’t know!”
The evil witch snickered.
“Good.” She said.
Anastasia stepped back with a questioning look on her face.
“Why?!” the black and silver haired girl asked.
“Because I don’t feel obligated to tell you.” Kale smiled as something heavy lifted off her shoulders.
“You know who my parents are??” Anastasia asked in shock.
Kale didn’t answer, but she slowly moved closer to the girl.
“You are just like I was at your age… so innocent and naïve.” Kale said, as she looked straight into Stasia’s eyes.
“What does she mean?” was the question running through the girl’s mind.
Knight Star was very leery of the situation, and he stayed at Stasia’s side, but he did not get between the two women because he did not sense any evil in Kale at that moment.
Kale slowly reached for the Emerald in Anastasia’s hands. Anastasia was so shocked and scared, she was frozen stiff.
Knight Star finally realized what Kale was doing.
“STASIA!” he screamed at the girl.
Kale quickly snatched the Emerald from the girl’s grasp. Anastasia snapped out of her shock and held up her Star Stone.
“That won’t do you any good! The powers are all in this stone!” Kale laughed.
“How do you know that?” Stasia was confused.
“That doesn’t matter. I have this stone now. I am one step ahead of you.”
Stasia still held up her stone. The stone began to flicker.
“It’s reacting to something…” Anastasia thought to herself.
Kale held the stone up and pointed it directly at the girl.
“Put the Star Stone down.”
The young girl was reluctant, but finally she sat the diamond Star down on the ground.
Knight Star knew that something bad was about to happen. He lunged forward with his wings spread.
Kale was tired of the foolish game they were playing, and she whipped a beam of Wild Magic out of her Dark Stone at the unicorn.
“KNIGHT STAR!” Stasia jumped out in front of him.
Knight Star’s Star Stone flashed and the Wild Magic beam swirled around the Star Stone riders.
Kale was surprised at what had happened, and then an electrifying pain ran up through her arm from her hand. She dropped the Emerald Stone, which was now emitting green sparks, burning the evil witch’s hands. As soon as the stone hit the ground, a swirl of roots, vines, and leaves all swept up from the soil, tangling around her.
“What is this?!”
Kale began to blast her way out of the brush that grew around her, but vines began tangling up her arms and legs.

***

“Fallon, there’s a serious outbreak of Wild Magic! It’s not far away!” Moondance was alarmed.
“Alright! We’ll go check it out.” Fallon answered.
Fallon knew Moondance seemed upset about something.

***

“You knew that would happen!” Kale screamed in a blind rage as she shot various blasts out between the vines and roots.
Stasia and Knight Star slid under the Wild Magic beam circling around them to dodge the new ones. Knight Star shielded the girl with his wings.
“No, I didn’t!” Anastasia cried out.
Kale shook her head and kicked at the roots, which finally began to give way.
Anastasia looked up and then realized what had really happened. She remembered the words of the Unicorn Maiden, telling her about the Emerald Star Stone.
“Wherever you go, the land will do its best to protect you…” the words played over in Stasia’s head.
“Knight Star,” Anastasia said, “The Emerald was protecting us!”
Knight Star didn’t know exactly what Stasia meant, but he nodded anyway.
“We have to get out of here, Stasia.” The black unicorn stated.
Anastasia gasped.
“The Friendship Circle… that’s today! I forgot all about it!”
Kale overheard.
“I can’t stand you.” She said.
For some reason the words sliced into Anastasia like a knife.
“Wha..?” the Star Stone rider questioned.
“You heard me. I can’t stand you!” Kale said as she pointed the Dark Stone at the pair.
“NOT SO FAST!” Fallon cried as Moondance leaped over a large barricade of branches and vines.
“You Jewel Riders ruin everything!” Kale screamed as Fallon reflected a Wild Magic blast directed at her.
Fallon had a questioning look on her face as Kale finally retreated and headed toward her Dragon Wagon.
She motioned to Grimm and the large dragon quickly rose up into the sky and disappeared over the treetops.
Moondance walked over to the Star Stone riders and Fallon dismounted.
“Why didn’t you guys drive her away, she’s really a pushover…” Fallon said, teasingly.
“Something about that lady is so strange.” Was Stasia’s answer. “She’s not afraid of us like she is of you.”
“It’s not that she’s afraid of me, or Gwen, or Tamara…” Fallon stated, “She knows that her Dark Stone isn’t powerful enough to stand up against all three of our Jewels.”
Anastasia nodded her head. She understood what Fallon was saying, but there was more to the fact that Kale would run away as soon as the other Jewel Riders came.
“The Circle of Friendship Ceremony is about to begin…” Moondance received a message from Sunstar.
“Oh no Stasia, we have to get you guys back… you guys can fly, we’ll meet you there.” Fallon said.
“No, we’ll stick together, it doesn’t matter what time we get there.” Stasia disagreed.
Fallon nodded and smiled.

***

“Where are they??” Gwen was pacing back and forth as people began to come into the Friendship Ring.
“I’m sure they are on their way.” Tamara tried to calm her friend down.
Gwen was always so high strung about everything, but Tamara knew that she just wanted everything to be perfect.
Soon, everyone was seated in the stadium-like seats and Gwen, Tamara, and their magical animals stood in the center.
“Um… due to technical difficulties…” Gwen gave a look of panic toward Tamara as she addressed the audience, “Our Moon Stone and Star Stone riders will be running somewhat late…”
“No, we’re here.” Fallon said as she and Moondance walked up. Fallon was dressed in her purple and blue gown and Moondance had her fancy light blue Jewel Band around her neck.
“Are Stasia and Knight Star here??” Tamara inquired.
“Yes they are in the back, ready for you to introduce them…” Fallon whispered as she pointed to Gwen.
“The Moon Stone riders have now arrived… so we shall begin the ceremony!” Gwen announced. “This ceremony will be conducted a little differently this time. The Star Stone has already chosen a pair of graceful, young Jewel Riders, Anastasia and Knight Star!”
That was the pair’s cue. The young, black and silver haired girl walked out. She had her hair all tied back in a blue bow, and her long, dark blue gown swished as she walked. The large but beautiful black unicorn followed closely behind her. He tucked his wings to his sides, but the audience could see that he was a winged unicorn.
Various surprised comments ran through the crown about Knight Star having wings, just like the princess’ unicorn.
Fallon had taken the two halves of the Star Stone and placed the two on the pedestal in the center of the Ring.
Anastasia and Knight Star walked up the steps to the center and picked up the two halves. She placed one on Knight Star’s neck and held the other up in her hand. The Star Stones flashed and the two were covered in their magical armor.
The crowd cheered as they saw the faces of the new Star Stone riders, the new addition to the group that protected their kingdom.

***

Later on that evening, there was a surprise reception for the two new Jewel Riders. Of course Gwen was her old, flirty self, talking and laughing with all the boys there… Tamara was watching after her babies, so she didn’t get a break very often… and Fallon, Stasia, and their unicorns sat and talked.
“This party is for you…” Fallon reminded.
“I know, I’m just not much of a party person… besides, something Kale said today keeps bothering me.”
“What did she say?” Fallon asked.
“She knows who my parents are. But I don’t know whether to believe her or not.”
Fallon sat back.
“Well this is the time to have fun.” The dark skinned girl recommended.
“I know.” Stasia said as she smiled and rubbed Knight Star’s neck. “The Circle is completed now…”