...and one more thing.

Dawn's light set the flower meadow into a blush of pink. The trees that wrapped around the small clearing were gilded by the face of the rising sun. It was a place of peace and contentment. Souls were only just beginning to stir from the thickets within the woods. All would have been telling of a pleasant day to come.. if it hadn't been for the stark, ominous shapes of the crows on the branches overhead. They dotted the tree tops like oddly placed beads on a crooked necklace and watched with black, calculating eyes.

Not a one of them moved until the soft beat of wings gradually came towards them. A branch bent softly as one last crow landed upon it.

Tension pulled at the air as every crow looked down, and then- with a bound from its perch- a crow dove into the forest below. The others poured in behind it, cawing and flapping. They dove down upon a man sized opening in the ground, bordered by stones, and mounds of soft, green moss. The crows dipped into the opening, their dark forms entering the shadows and disappearing. Moments later a small shriek ripped into the quiet, dewy morning. More followed, crows cawed, wings beat and then- Poof! A cloud of black flooded the opening. From this Naros emerged, whole once more- no, more than whole. He was a bird again. Faceless and dark, with black feathers dripping onto the ground around his feet. Tucked into the curve of his wing feathers was the stone, glassy and a light.

"Well done, Naros..." He whispered to himself. "Oh- it was nothing really.. I just happened to be on the right shoulder at the right time."

There was a patter in the air and Naros turned to see a little fairy, her body glowed softly while her sharp wings sliced at the air. The fairy held a small bow and arrow tight, and aimed. Naros was not much for humor but this was undeniably funny.

"Look at this, Haviers... I missed one and it means to kill me with a twig."

He disappeared into a dark, black blot and then- suddenly- the cloud recondensed over the fairy. Smoke enveloped the creature and when it finally cleared the fairy lay still and broken on the ground. Naros stepped over her and tilted his head as he studied one of her delicate, broken wings.

"It is too easy.." he mused. "Do you remember, Haviers? We were once so fragile. Graves had us under his whims... he was poison to the world. all humans are poison.. how generous of that stupid, gullible Fritz to tell us where the stone is.

Will it work?

Of course it will. Now that Graves is dead I follow my own orders. By this time next year the humans will be in ruin.. shambles. We'll never have to worry about their treachery again!"

He took in a breath and felt the power of the stone course through him. It was lovely, it was shiny.. how could it be that at one time, not long ago, he had doubted its worth?

Naros is the crow to send when it's time to make the humans end. He'll take the stone, the tree of lore and humans will be-

"Nevermore."

Naros took the stone in his talons and spread his wings, stretching them to their inky, full expanse of triumph. Then, with a last flex of his feathers he took off into the morning, leaving behind a cloud of smoke and a feather.

a/n: This is just a brief, final scene I've added to encourage you all to read the sequel. The first chapter of The Cursed Crown will pop up some time in the near future. Thanks for reading and all the support, thank you KPadraic for your review and high praise.