February 1969
Aloe'la wiped her brow as the fairy and her companions made their way through the thick jungles bordering Cambodia and Vietnam. Despite being paired with two of the most prominent hunter families in Asia, this was a task she felt would be best done alone. "If you're having trouble keeping up Chang I can go alone."
Yao Chang, grumbled, slashing through the underbrush as he tried to keep up with the fairy. "I am managing just fine," he called, a stray branch whipping back into his face. "Blasted jungle. This is why I stick to the mountains." Aloe'la smirked, watching the 45 year old Chinese hunter maneuver through the underbrush. Chang often dealt with rogue Yeti or mummies within the mountains of China, rarely venturing out of his home country. Heat and humidity were definitely not something he was a fan of as Aloe'la could see the sweat stains on his shirt. Still, he seemed to be faring better than his partner.
Masahiro Hakato had established himself as the premiere Japanese hunter within Asia. At only 30 years of age, the man was seen by the church as the future of what demon hunting would be. Hakato spent his days traveling through the growing urban expanse of Asia and the Pacific, hunting down demons, ghosts, and vampires that were beginning to encroach upon a rebuilding Asiatic hemisphere. It also meant he was completely out of his element when trekking through the thick jungles of Southeastern Asia. Aloe'la watched man stumble through the jungle like a drunk leaving the bar. "I knew we should have hired the Kanes or Morelands," the fairy sighed.
"Having an American in this region would not be wise," Hakato replied, the man tripping over an exposed root. "The people of this land are already engaged in a war with Americans. They would shoot them on sight."
"Besides," Chang added. "Maxwell Kanes wife asked him to remain at home. I believe she recently learned she was pregnant."
"Malcolm won't like that," Hakato chuckled. "The good natured rivalry between the two means Malcolm will want to even the score. He's probably trying to get his wife pregnant as he speak." As the two hunters laughed, Aloe'la simply rolled her eyes. Humans and their competitions, grown men turning everything into sport. How could the fae entrust them with keeping the evil of the supernatural at bay?
If the mission had not been so important, Aloe'la would have been more insistent on going alone. As head of fairy intelligence Aloe'la had learned of the threat to the Vietnamese Dragons. Centuries ago a dragon in the region had fallen in love with a fairy, the pair marrying before settling down in this region and having children. These children would become known as Vietnamese Dragons, part fairy part dragon and cousins to the fae. The fact that humans were now poaching them for their mystical abilities angered Aloe'la. If left unchecked, the Vietnamese Dragons would be hunted into extinction.
The sounds of battle now began echoing through the forest, the trio pausing for a moment to listen. The sounds were all to familiar to them since arriving. Vietnam was embroiled in a bloody civil war, which had drawn in many outside agitators. The entire region was proving to be a powder keg, Aloe'la and her companions often times forced to halt their progress to determine how close they were to battle. Today's fighting sounded a bit too close for their comfort.
Shifting into human form, the fairy now ducked into the underbrush as she and her companions scanned the area. "Do you see anything," Chang asked. Aloe'la paused, the jungle was so thick it was difficult to see more than 50 yards in front of you. All she could tell was that what sounded like a sizable force had ambushed another. Screams, machine gunfire, and explosions rang out, Aloe'la training her sight on a groove of trees.
The fairy watched as three soldiers now retreated, pausing for a moment to return fire at an approaching force Aloe'la could not see. "Americans," Hakato growled, Aloe'la noticing the Japanese hunters face form into a scowl. The 30 year old man had only been a small child during World War 2 but he throughly disliked American soldiers, especially after two of his uncles lost their lives during the war.
Quieting the hunter, Aloe'la watched the three soldiers trying to retreat. It amazed her how young these soldiers were, barely entering adulthood yet thrust into a warzone. Despite their youth, she could see determination in their eyes, especially in one skinny, straw haired boy who now helped another to his feet. Aloe'la now watched this same boy pause to the familiar sound of a mortar sailing through the sky. A look of panic now washed over this boys face as he realized what was about to happen.
What happened next surprised the fairy, instead of running this boy now shoved his comrades out of harms way. This boys sacrifice now saved his two comrades but at a terrible cost. Aloe'la winced as the explosion of the mortar sent the boy tumbling through the air, his limp body crashing into the underbrush only inches from where the trio was hiding and obscuring his body from both ally and enemy alike. Gazing down at the boy, she winced as she noticed the burn marks and shrapnel on his back and legs, her eyes locking with his for a moment.
That moment between fairy and soldier seemed to last an eternity, Aloe'la noting the pain and confusion in his face. Before he could say anything though he fell unconscious. "Leave him," Hakato hissed. "We have to go."
"He's still alive though," Aloe'la countered. "Barely," Chang countered. "Look at him! With those wounds he'll be dead within a day. We can't save him." Aloe’la wanted to argue, it didn't seem right to leave this boy to die in the jungle after he sacrificed himself to save his friends. Before she could say anything though, the trio were ambushed, the boys attackers accidentally stumbling onto their position.
Shrinking down the blue skinned fairy darted forward, dodging machine gun fire as she and her companions now fought off the confused VC guerrillas. Not wanting to use her magic, the fairy instead focused on physical combat, knowing exactly how hard to hit a human to knock then out. As she did her companions returned fire, thankful the battle now hid their attack in the fog of war.
Aloe'la screamed, her body wracked with pain as an errant shot now devastated one of her wings. Crashing to the forest floor, she could hear her companions call out in distress as they eliminated the last of the guerrillas. Racing to her side, the fairy could see the looks of shock and anguish on their faces. Neither one knew, which one had accidentally shot Aloe'la. "Are you okay," they asked.
Aloe'la winced, glancing at her damaged wings as tears stung her eyes. The top quarter of her right wing had been sheared off by the bullet. Considering the damage, the fairy knew that this bullet came from a hunters weapon. "You shot me!"
"It was an accident we swear," they replied, gently picking up the fairy. Aloe'la was seething, her beautiful wing damaged by careless hunters. It would take time to heal and she would still have some ability to fly but she would forever be scarred. "Aloe'la," Chang said softly, the man looking sorrowful as he gazed at the injured fairy. "We are so sorry. What can we do to atone for our failure?"
Present day
Aloe'la sighed, the woman now gazing at the assembled teenagers within the home. "I was incensed by their careless actions," she stated. "It was an accident yes but hunters should know better. As retribution I asked that they nurse you back to health."
"Why," Martin asked.
"I saw the look on your face when you pushed your friends out of harms way, " she said. "I saw how you were willing to sacrifice yourself to save another. That deserved a chance at survival." Martin was speechless, he remembered everything she had said, he even remembered seeing Aloe'la in human form but had chalked it up to a fever dream brought on by a near death experience. He never believed she was real! "Thank you."
"So what happened next," Stephanie asked.
"Because of my injuries I would be unable to continue," she said. "Although Hakato didn't like the idea of treating an American soldier, he relented under my request. I used my magic to try and heal your injuries. I was able to remove the shrapnel and mend your broken bones and cuts. Unfortunately the damage to your spine was too severe. I repaired it enough so you could walk again but you would be left with scars and a limp for life."
"And you took care of Martin for a month," Marilyn asked.
"I still had a job to do," Aloe'la replied. "The Vietnamese Dragons were still in danger. Chang and Hakato continued without me after establishing a base of operations in the Cambodian jungles away from the fighting. While I treated our wounds, they discovered the poachers and secured the safety of the Dragons." Aloe'la now went quiet as she recalled the end of the mission. Martin had been in and out of consciousness, the fairy doing her best to fight his fever and mend his wounds. The trio initially argued over what to do with him.
"Hakato was still bitter about American soldiers in his youth," she said. "It was Chang though that reminded him that Japan had committed atrocities to the Chinese as well. Hakato seemed to relent when he heard that. That's how we decided to leave you close to the Americans instead of the VC." Martin simply nodded, thankful for this man he had never met. If he hadn't convinced the others, he could have easily been a POW or worse. "Thank you," he said softly. "I'm eternally in your debt."
Aloe'la simply gave this teenage boy a stiff nod. Unsure of what magic had occurred but realizing the difference her decision to show compassion had meant.