Our Dove touched down in Ultrona the next morning, a grey fog clothing the field under the city when we stepped out into the tall grass. I kept my cloak wrapped tight around my body, the chill making me shiver.

Cybele and Raphael walked beside me, pulling their hoods up over their faces as we moved through the field. The demons and pixies could be anywhere around us, and from what Cybele had told me, pixies weren't a fun fight either.

We moved in silence, the three of us weaving through the rocks as a team. Cybele and Raphael had given commands to their teams which were stationing themselves around Ultrona for the impending attack. The two guardians were to escort me to find my sister and get the people I loved into a dove.

Maybe Matilda would see Gabrian after all.

We rushed into the city with the rising sun at our backs, maneuvering through city streets with the smell of morning dew rising in the air. The city was just getting back on its feet, the framework of new buildings hanging in the air and newly paved streets to bury the old destruction. New markets and grocery stores were in construction, the kingdom funded along with the few banks, libraries, schools, career centers, and homeless shelters we passed.

The old streets bathed in overflowing sewage and caked in mud were scrubbed clean, the cracked cement full of potholes smoothed over and the rotten boards of every house refurbished and new. The air smelt better, trees planted in a new grassy park in the center of East Sector as flowers overflowed on the fronts of new shops and townhomes.

This place was already changing so quickly, and even though I knew the alterations would be for the best, it made my chest ache that I wasn't here to live through it. Ultrona would always be my home no matter how much it would change whenever I came back to visit, and I wanted to protect it with all my heart since Fate had decided that I wasn't allowed to stay.

Now the demons and Noxia wanted to tear this place apart, and an instinct almost motherly raged inside me at the potential threat of harm to my little city. We'd struggled through too much, and Ultrona couldn't afford another attack.

Something inside my gut was telling me that we wouldn't be so lucky. The damages wouldn't be as worse as the fire, but I couldn't stop the avalanche that was approaching. A tingle danced through my chest and down my arms, a second sense that told me to keep my eyes open. It was ready for a challenge, prepared for a fight, and that side of myself was starting to scare me.

It was instinctual and growing in strength with every second, nearly making me feel nauseous. I'd never experienced anything like it before, and I wondered if my meraki's development had anything to do with it. Had I pushed myself too hard? Was I already spiraling? But Secta has approved of me. It didn't make sense.

Nothing about my current situation made any particular sense. I was running into Ultrona blind, ready to save my sister from a demonic attack while being led by the daughter of the Goddess of Evil and God of Light, who was ready to give into death at any moment while handing me his crown.

Before I knew it, the familiar smell of East Sector that somehow managed to linger even though it had been smoothed over filled my nose as we slid through alleyways. Though this part of the city was almost unrecognizable to me, I could feel that it was home. The street signs Harper and Scott shone in the distance as I followed behind Raphael. I could see Cybele's cloak fluttering out behind her as she led us like a guide dog with her ears pricked at the ready for any sign of danger.

The new Benton house sat in front of us, Raphael hurrying up the staircase. In a matter of seconds, he picked the lock, pushing open the door and letting us in without making a sound like a thief in the night. We stepped into the house which was bathed in a soft darkness like sleep. Cybele and Raphael rushed to close curtains, shutting off any potential eyes on the street as they went around turning on the lights. I hurried up the stairs, throwing open the first door.

A lone figure was laid on their side, breathing in at a rhythmic pace. Walking over, I pulled back the covers from their face, watching as Leighton's eyes shot open in shock.

"What the hell!" He roared as he nearly leapt out of his skin.

"Stop being such a baby!" I snapped in reply, his eyes lethal as he stared at me. In a few seconds he realized now who I was, and he looked less than thrilled to see me yet also amazed by my sudden appearance.

"What the hell? Stratton? When...?"

"Get the others up. We have a problem," I said, "a demonic problem. The city is going to be under attack in hours and I'm getting you all out now."

I didn't give him much more time to think over my words as I walked out, flipping his lights on for good measure. Walking from bedroom to bedroom, I turned on overhead lights and commanded each sleeping Benton awake. Surprisingly, I realized that all seven were still together, and it made my heart happy.

Finding Matilda was a surprise especially when I walked into the last room to find that she and Malaki shared a bed. It made heat rise to my cheeks as I turned their light on, making them both hiss and cover their eyes with their pillows.

"Morning." I said, "you better get ready and get decent quickly."

"Kate?" Matilda said as she looked at me, eyes widening. She jumped up, flying towards me. I was enveloped in her arms, and it made me suck in a breath of relief. Just being with her made all the tension leave my shoulders. "What are you doing here?"

"Demons are coming. Raphael, Cybele, and I are here to get you out now. We don't have a lot of time."

"I'll round the boys up." Malaki responded, ruffling my hair. "Good to see you, Little Stratton."

"Get your ass moving before you get..." I paused, thinking for a moment. I realized that I didn't quite know what a demon could do to a person.

"Before you get your soul sucked straight out of your chest to become serpent chow." Raphael's voice sounded from behind me, his heavy footsteps echoing down the hall.

Both Matilda and Malaki's faces paled, and I was sure that my own turned a bright shade of ivory as well.

The city's evacuation went slowly, steadfast yet nail biting. People were guided from their homes past the train tracks and through the woods towards the neighboring city which had agreed to house them. After hearing about the guardians and their role in defeating Tron, the neighboring governor was quick to offer his services.

I walked with Cybele and Raphael back towards our dove, the Bentons and Matilda in tow behind us. The city was drying up, the heat of emergency sucking all the citizens out to safe territory. Ultrona was looking more and more like a ghost town with each passing second, the once friendly town I'd walked into looking more ominous the longer I walked its streets.

Matilda stepped beside me, giving my hand a squeeze. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." I said in reply. "You all will be safe soon, I promise."

"What about you?"

"I guess I'll be here."

She watched me, "you can't come with us?"

"I think that I can do some damage here." I said, looking to Matilda. "I've been getting stronger."

She bit her lip, "where's Finn?"

My stomach sank like an anchor in a full pool, "he's around here somewhere, working as usual."

"Oh, I thought he'd be with you."

Sucking in a breath, I managed to say, "it's complicated. Secta isn't a fan of us."

"Well, Secta sounds like an ass."

Matilda and I exchanged a small smile, her green eyes shimmering. She looked happy, much happier than I remembered her being before. "How are you and Malaki?"

"So good." She let out a sigh. "I can't believe I never saw him sooner."

I snorted, "he was there for you from day one."

"Don't remind me." Matilda shook her head, "I feel like such an idiot, but I'm so happy that we finally are on the same page. He's just so... amazing, Kate. Intelligent, witty, and kind. So good-looking too, and this is coming from me, the girl who once swore off gingers."

Her comment made me laugh, "he's more strawberry blonde so you're safe." I glanced over my shoulder, catching sight of Malaki's light hair towards the back of the procession. "I'm glad that he makes you happy, Matilda. So, so glad."

"I'm in love with him." She said, her eyes glancing to me. "Really in love with him."

"I'm in love with Finn." I said, looking forward. If I met her gaze, there was a high risk of me breaking down. She'd opened up to me, and I desperately wanted to do the same even if it stung.

"You're in love with him?" A smug smile rose on her lips. "I had a feeling that wouldn't take long."

I felt a blush rise on my cheeks. "With him, everything feels so... right."

She thought for a moment before opening her mouth to reply, but a loud screech turned my blood to ice. Hands shot up to cover ears as Raphael's wings spread. He shot up into the air, landing on his feet at the back of the group with his weapons drawn as Cybele held her bow up in the front.

The guardians circled our group slowly, eyes trained at every bend in the street and shadow around corners. Malaki appeared beside us, hovering by Matilda with his own bow drawn. Tingles were running down my skin, a charge dancing through my body from my meraki. My veins began to glow as I looked around us, a shock of electricity buzzing around us. I recognized it, stepping forward to touch Cybele's shoulder.

"Nocen," I breathed close to her ear, her body stiffening. The energy appeared to come to a halt as though it had heard me, making the hair rise on the back of my neck as I looked down one alleyway in particular. Moving through the Bentons, I stood by the dark-haired guardian's side. "Raphael, to the left."

His eyes focused in the direction I was watching as three figures walked emerged from the fog and shadow. They were all dressed in grey, the central man's cloak edged in purple and gold. He was shorter than Nocen who stood to his left as well as the red-haired vixen on his right.

They paused at the mouth of the street, eyes flickering as they took us all in. Nocen gave me a smile, eyes black as hell itself. The woman watched me as well, pursing her lips as she looked to the man beside her.

He was dark-haired like Raphael, skinny and long-necked with his head raised. Black wings fanned out on either side, smaller than the guardians but just as strong. He let out a loud cackle before waving his hand. "Cybele, have you missed me?"

"Rot in hell, Felix." She hissed in return, making Nocen chuckle under his breath.

"I'm wounded." Felix said with a shrug. "You better run your little villagers out before the rest of the demons arrive to feed. If you give me what I want, you can avoid the battle."

"You know we can't do that." Raphael snapped in return. He used the back of his shoulder blade to push me further behind him, all three pairs of black eyes jumping to me.

"Kate Stratton," Felix gave me a small nod, "what a pleasure to finally meet you for myself. Noxia has spoken highly of you."

I felt Matilda's hand clench my own, her warmth making the tension in my shoulders ease. Opening my mouth, I replied, "I don't know you."

"Crown Prince Felix de Ater at your service." He winked, "the Pixies are my people, and quite unfortunately, the army knocking at your door. We don't bite, not too often anyways." He flashed his long teeth just for show.

"We aren't afraid of you, Felix." Cybele countered, "we've won enough battles with your people over the years to see how little of a threat you truly are."

"I have friends in high places now, dearest." Felix turned to the red-head, "Maven, alert the troops to prepare for battle. We march at my command."

The woman disappeared in a blaze of flames, evaporating into thin air. She was like Nocen, I realized, with the ability to teleport.

Felix turned to face us, though his eyes focussed on me. "My first gift to you, Kate, is to let your friends go this one time. If I meet them on the battlefield, they won't be as lucky. When you come to know me better, you'll see that I have many more gifts to give."

"I don't want them." I replied, making the pixie laugh.

"We'll see about that, won't we?" With that, he and Nocen evaporated into a storm of silver.