Forgot to mention: My character is open to boys. Sorry. Also sorry this is later than anyone else's, but she might be able to come in as a side character.

aah thank you so much, everyone! @Giraffe, thank you for your charrie! Definitely she can have as important a role as the other charries :)

Part 4

Ardaris Hill was a quick walk away. It was a hill just outside the suburbs, green with grass and clover in the summer, bedecked with goldenrod and flaming trees in the fall. There was a worn, dusty trail that led to the foot of the hill, where there was a tiny mirror of a lake hidden among the scarlet maples. It was an oddly clear, still lake, free of the algae that most other lakes in the area had. Onyx Penumbra, the youngest of the Dragon students, had only been there once before - on her first day at the school a few weeks ago. She had been used to feeling lonely, but the sight of all the other students welcoming each other back after the summer vacation had made her loneliness overwhelm her. As soon as the afternoon came, she went exploring outside the school - and came to Ardaris Hill. When she came to the top she lay down next to the pool and gazed up at the sapphire sky arching overhead. For the first time she could remember, she had felt completely at peace. The memory of that awful day, when she had accidentally spread a magical illnesss that she had to a stranger, slowly faded. It didn't disappear - but it just seemed of no importance. It had seemed as if now all that mattered was Ardaris Hill.

It was a different story now, with the night and the rain and the turmoil that the day had caused her. The group was heading through the woods, and she was feeling cold and bedraggled and wet. Every step seemed to take more strength than she had.

"Here," said a friendly voice. "Take my coat." She glanced up and saw an older boy walking beside her. He had curly, somewhat messy brown hair, blue eyes, and a short, skinny build. Onyx recognized him as Naiche Alstor, who had always seemed to her like a kind, trustworthy boy. He was holding out his parka to her.

The students had all taken coats from the Dragon hall closet, "borrowing" some for the Unicorn students, but Onyx had had only a thin raincoat to take. Naiche's parka looked wonderully thick and warm in comparison. "But - will you be okay?" she asked.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me," he said. "You look like you need it more than I do."

He was right; Onyx was starting to shiver violently, and she was even paler than usual. She slipped the parka on without further protest, too shy to say more than a quiet "Thank you." Its warmth was almost the loveliest physical sensation she could imagine, even though it was too big and heavy for her slight build. Something inside her, something that up until now had always been cold and remote, warmed too, at Naiche's unexpected kindness. She felt cared for, and she hurried on with new vigor in her stride.

The students were approaching the hill. A few more steps, and they had emerged into the clearing where the pool was, illuminated by pale moonlight.

At first Onyx saw nobody. Very slowly, a dim, silvery figure began to emerge from the water. A ghost...? But Onyx was sure it couldn't be. She didn't feel afraid, only awed. 

The figure came onto the shore and walked toward them. It seemed to be a woman, dressed in thin, sparkling robes that looked as if they were made out of moonlight. She was lightly built and moved with a marvelous grace and fluidity, almost as if she were made of water. Her hair was dark, held back in a braid around her head. Her eyes were an intense sea-green that reminded Onyx of the ocean.

"Who are you?" the woman asked. "Who dares to interrupt the Sleep of the Naiads? For centuries we have slept and now I, the queen among them, have been summoned forth. I warn you, if you have nothing of importance to tell me, it will go hard with you for doing this."

Erik cleared his throat. "We - we're the descendants of the Archenians, escaping from the Nighthawk Organization. We want to get somewhere safe. We had a note from someone -" he took it from Eve and held it out to the woman - "saying that we'd find someone here to 'guide us further.'"

"The Archenians? A note?" A wondering look flitted across her face. "Then it is not all over... You had best go to the Dairns."

"Who are you?" Angel Nomore interrupted suddenly.

"You will in future address me as 'Your Majesty,'" the woman said coldly. "As for who I am, I am ruler of the Naiads, the water-folk. We are in charge of all traveling, for in nature it is water which is responsible for the transportation of life from place to place. But when the Great Silence fell, we fell silent too, and never emerged again from our lakes and rivers... until now." This left everyone with more questions, but nobody quite dared to ask her anything. She continued, "However, we must not stand about gabbling. Here is the Box of Phoenixes." She handed Erik a creamy-golden box that looked exactly like the one in which the Topaz was kept, except its swirls and patterns were fire-colored rather than golden. "When you open it, a flock of phoenixes will emerge to carry you to the Dairns. You open in it in this fashion. See here-"

Just then there was a rustle in the underbrush, and a voice whispered something. Onyx gripped Naiche's arm. "Naiche, listen."

"Ssh," said Naiche, so softly she could barely hear him. Glancing around, she saw that everyone else was suddenly tense.

Somewhere among the trees, she saw a faint glowing splinter of red, a splinter which suddenly intensified and grew into a flame. The air was full of a harsh, rancid scent - woodsmoke? But it had none of the warm tang that Onyx associated with woodsmoke. More flames showed between the trees. The Naiad gave one glance around, thrust the box into Erik's hands, and dived back into the pool, with only a faint circle of ripples showing that she had ever been there.

And then - a man stepped forward out of the forest.

His mud-colored clothes showed him to be an Aquiman, but he was unarmed, unlike the ones that had been at the battle that morning. His face wore an expression of evil triumph as he looked at the frightened students before him.

"Give me the Topaz," he said.

"Why?" demanded Derek, stepping forward. It was quick thinking on his part - he made it look as if he were the one responsible for the jewel, deflecting attention off Erik, who now had both the Topaz and the phoenix box to look after.

"Well, there's this fire," explained the man casually. "I can make it stop - if you give me the Topaz."

"I won't give it up," said Derek defiantly. "And anyway, we can always just leave this forest and escape the fire that way. I mean, just think it through a little."

"I have." The man's voice was quiet. "And I've put a spell on this forest so that you can't leave it. So do I get the Topaz, or not?"

Among the further trees, Onyx saw Erik and Naiche, struggling with the lock of the box. They were almost in shadow; there was only the faintest brick-red glow on their faces from the fire.

"I can't get the clasp to work, I can't -" Erik was whispering frantically. "It's too delicate-"

Onyx slipped over to him, under cover of the darkness, and held out her hand. "Let me. Maybe I can do it."

Erik gave her small, thin hand a glance. "Okay, here you go. Maybe your fingers will be more nimble."

Onyx seized the box and worked at it frantically, the clasp still refusing to come undone. Trembling, she inspected it, trying to calm down and think carefully. It was made of a dull, gold-colored material and involved a knob and a hook as well as something which looked something like a keyhole for an oddly shaped key. Maybe it wasn't meant to be opened manually. Maybe the was some magic spell - a spell that involved the Topaz? Since the two boxes were so similar -

"Erik, quick - I need the Topaz."

Without questioning he took it out and gave it to her. Instantly the phoenix box started glowing, the same radiance that the topaz box had.

Just then there was a cry from one of the girls. "Look out!" An ancient oak tree, its branches glowing with fire, crashed down among the group, showering sparks. Eve and Amber dodged out of the way. "Hurry with that box!" Eve shrieked at Erik, her voice breaking.

HIs reply was lost in the roar of the flames. Onyx hardly heard what was going on. She slipped the Topaz into the keyhole and turned it. The lid opened.

A brilliant scarlet glow suffused the forest, making even the fire look dim. For a moment Onyx had to close her eyes, and when she opened them, the forest was full of majestic birds, swooping through the air and growing larger by the second. Their feathers were gold and crimson, and, on their wings, iridescent purple. At last they came to the ground, taller than Onyx, and spread out their wings. Nobody had to be told what to do. They were all scrambling onto the phoenixes' backs. Onyx ran over to one and, as it crouched down a little to make it easier for her to climb up, hoisted herself onto its back.

The phoenix launched itself into a run. The fire was almost upon them now; Onyx could feel its hot breath on her face. She was surrounded by crackling and roaring, the heat too intense for her to even think. 

"Hey!" shouted a voice. Onyx's head jerked up. Ahead stood the Aquiman, his arms outstretched to stop them. Onyx's fingers tightened on the bird's feathers in fright.

But at that moment the ground dropped away, and the phoenix rose out of the forest. Cool, clear air washed over Onyx. She could breathe again, no longer oppressed by the scent of burning forest. The fire was far below her,  a mere pattern of redness and darkness. And in a moment it was receding into the horizon, nothing more than a memory, while the phoenixes flew on through the starry night.

"We're safe!" Derek cheered, giving Ember Sky, whose phoenix happened to be next to him, a high five. "Erik, that was great work!"

"It wasn't me," Erik answered quietly. "It was Onyx."

"Onyx?" Amber turned to look at her. "You unlocked the box? How did you do that?"

"The Topaz," said Onyx simply. "I noticed that the phoenix box was really similar to the Topaz one, and I thought maybe there was a reason for it. So I used it as a key, and it worked. By the way, Erik, here it is."

"Whoa, good work, Onyx," said a girl named Ash, smiling at her. "And thanks."

"I think we all owe our lives to you," said Naiche.

Onyx's mouth pulled itself up at the corners, even though she hadn't meant it to. "It was nothing," she said modestly. She lay back on her phoenix's broad, warm, feathery back and watched as the dark sky sped past. There were so many stars she could hardly believe it. Off to her right, like an ivory horn, hung a perfect crescent moon. Drowsy happiness crept over her. She had earned the respect, not just the kindness, of the other students. She had escaped the Aquiman's fire. And she was on her way to the Dairns at last.

Oops, I forgot to say this - @Moon Wolf, would you be okay with it if I made Erik open for shipping? There are lots of girls open to boys but not many boys open to girls, and also Erik just seems like he'd be a really good charrie to ship. But if you'd rather he weren't shipped, it's okay :)

Name: Sakik (pronounced SAH-keek)

Pronouns: They/them.

Age (13-19, please): 15.

Dragon or Unicorn?: Dragon.

Appearance: Blue and silver scales, long neck and claws, a scar on my right flank, and big wings.

Personality: Stern, nice enough if you get to know me.

Most treasured item: An earring given from my mother (see Background for more info).

Powers: Can summon fire from the earth.

Strengths/weaknesses: Strengths: Sun, hot/dry places. Weaknesses: Moon, wet/cold places. 

Background: Orphaned from the age of 4 from The Last Great War. My mother gave me the earring just as an enemy attacked her. I ran from the battle grounds but an enemy raked his/her/their (I didn't know enemy's pronouns) clawed against my flank but I took off into the air at that point and got to safety.

Oh wait forgot to add:

Shipping: n/a 

Oh also when im human i have very pale skin, brown eyes and black hair, neither skinny nor big, just somewhere inbetween

Hello, writing community! I have a thread on Puddings Place, and it is an all-in-one poetry, art and writing contest! I am trying to recruit people for the contest, so please check it out! (The thread is called Poetry, Art, and Writing contest, but it was cut out and now it's just Poetry, Art, and...) Please PLEASE check it out!