"OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW," I groaned as I clutched my pounding head. It felt like stones were being thrown at my head. I opened my eyes, finding myself in the same darkness as before. I rocked back and forth, clutching my head willing for it to stop.

"This isn't real," I whispered, on instinct.

Suddenly, the pain subsided and I could think clearly again. My energy seemed to have replenished as well. With a sigh of relief, I sat up outstretching my wings instead of rising up like I had tried before. The chains made it impossible for me to rise more than a couple inches. I felt myself shoot up into the air quickly, stopping when I was about an inch from smashing my head on the ceiling. I closed my eyes, tapping into my werewolf strength and focusing it into my hands and my ankles. Before long, I felt the magic course through me slowly. It felt weird, almost like walking for the first time. Before long I got used to it, embracing the rush. It was like a drug high, except it was good for my body. I brought my hands and ankles apart at the same time as hard as I could, snapping the chains. I sunk down to the ground, jumping back onto the ground on my now, unbound feet. I reached down, pulling the chain off of each foot then doing the same with my hands before throwing the broken chains to the far end of the room.

At the breaking of the last chain, a door appeared in the steel foundation, providing a way out.

"Finally," I muttered, making my way towards it. I placed my hand on the knob, turning it as I stepped out.

I winced as I looked out into the bright, sunny sky. I squinted, not prepared for the brightness as my eyes had gotten accustomed to the darkness. Once I adapted, I looked out and scanned the vast meadow with summer flowers blossoming and tall, richly green grass. I walked through the field, hearing the crunch of the crisp plants beneath me as I admired the beautiful view before me. The winds whispered around me, providing me with rushes of fresh air. I could hear the chirps of insects and tweets of birds interacting in their natural habitat. The meadow was covered in lilies, daisies, orchids, sunflowers, and all sorts of colorful flowers. I felt at peace, kneeling in the grass to embrace the Earth as I looked out past the hills into the bright, blue sky.

As I touched the flowers, blackness began to spread across the meadow. Flowers began withering and plants died all around me. The sky began to darken as well. I shot up, confused frantically looking around. My touch had brought death to the beautiful meadow, turning life into death. I spread my wings, leaping into the air as I flew up. I looked down to see the once rich, grassy meadow now black with weeds and dust.

"SARON!" I heard a voice scream out in anguish.

I flew towards the sound of the voice, tapping into my speed to shoot me forward. Edward hovered in the air, surrounded by darkness, his head peeking out from the flood of blackness.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I screamed, flying towards him. I flew straight at him, going through him. I turned around, confused and he was gone. Had I imagined him?

I screamed as the memories started rushing back to me. I gasped, remembering the battle I had fought with the dark magic. I narrowed my eyes in confusion. I thought I had destroyed the dark magic. Was Edward still alive? Was I?

I looked around, seeing nothing but desert around me. The beautiful meadow was now a dusty desert filled with weeds and stones. My mind raced trying to understand what was going on. Was this another illusion?

"THIS ISN'T REAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I screamed, desperate to be free of this empty place.

"That's not going to work this time," whispered a soft voice.

I looked down to find my mother standing down in the middle of the barren land, hair flying in the wind.

"MOTHER!" I screamed, letting myself plummet down to the ground before releasing my wings at the last second to stop me as I jumped down onto the ground. Tears streamed down my face as I ran into her outstretched arms, hugging her tightly.

"I missed you," I whispered, sniffling.

She released me to get a good look at me, wiping my tears before planting a kiss on my left cheek.

"Oh, how I've missed you," she said, clutching my hands.

"How are you here? Where am I?"

"You are lost my dear. You have to find your way back."

"But how? I don't even know where I am."

"You have to start from the beginning."

She let go of my hands, slowly backing away. I reached forward, grabbing her not allowing her to go.

"DON'T LEAVE ME, PLEASE!" I begged, pulling her towards me.

"I have to go Sar. My time has come."

"Don't leave me alone here."

She cupped my cheek before replying, "You're never alone."

She smiled, withering away with the wind before I could say another word.

I stood there, in the middle of the field staring out into the dark sky. Now what? I had no idea how to get out of here. How was I supposed to find my way back when I didn't even know where I was?

I walked forward, stepping over occasional weeds as my mind raced back to Zion and my friends. Where were they? I wondered what they were doing now.

I noticed a hint of movement from the corner of my eye. I tapped into my vision, looking over the blueprint of this barren land I was stuck in. It was a rabbit, a few feet away from me. My stomach roared at the realization. I ran quickly over to it, gaining speed as I reached it. I snatched it off the ground, whispering an apology as my fangs emerged from my mouth. I sank my fangs into it, draining it of it's blood before placing the dead rabbit down to the ground. I spit out the fur that had made it's way into my mouth before continuing on ahead.

I recollected the last memory I had before I woke up. I was falling to the ground after the dark magic disappeared. I woke up chained, then I went into the meadow. I touched the meadow and all the plants died and now I was here. Wait. If I was inside of Edward's head, maybe I never made it out. No. That couldn't be it because Edward wasn't here.  Or was he?

Scowling, I trudged on, knowing there was no way out of this. It had to be an illusion. I was grasping at air trying to form a solid. I had no idea where I was and no way to get out. An idea popped into my head. I crouched down, placing my hand on the dusty ground beneath my feet calling out into the Earth.

My ears perked up at the hushed murmurs that were beginning to get louder from underneath the ground. I couldn't hear clearly what was being said so I bent down, placing my ear on the dust. After focusing for a few minutes, I was able to make out a Latin phrase I understood.

"Semper perge pugnare."

Always keep fighting? I spun around, prepared for an attack but couldn't sense anything in my vicinity. I sat on the ground, hopeless as I thought about what I just heard. Keep fighting what? I was in the middle of nowhere all alone with no idea where I was and all I had to help me were riddles.

I screamed in confusion, causing the ground to rumble beneath me. I waited for the rumbling to die down, but it became more powerful, creating cracks in the ground beneath me. I flew up to keep myself from falling as I watched the ground give way, opening up revealing a rather large hole beneath the ground. I retracted my wings, allowing myself to fall into the hole deciding nothing could get worse than this.

I fell for what seemed like hours through the dark. I silently stared into the blackness waiting to hit ground. Waiting for a landing that never came, I closed my eyes letting myself sink into a darkness of my choice.

With a splash I was awoken from my brief slumber. I treaded the waters as I fought to stay afloat. I looked around to find myself in a sea of water that stretched out for miles. I released my wings underwater, letting them lift me up out of the water. I spun in the air, letting droplets of water fly off my wings and my body. I coughed, drenched from the water as I tapped into my vision to find my way out. I spotted a forest at the edge of the vast waters and started flying there. I soared through the air quickly, looking around for any signs of life. I found nothing but the sea of water beneath me.

After a few minutes, I arrived at the forest. I slowly lowered myself on the ground, my wings returning to their place in my back as I explored the forest.

I placed my hand on a nearby tree, feeling a jolt of magic as I watched a path reveal itself before me. The trees leaned to the left and right, clearing a narrow path that I followed leading me to a small, brick house. I turned around to see the trees returning to their former positions as I stepped onto the porch, the door opening itself to let me in. I stepped in and the door slammed shut behind me. Green velvet couches, a narrow kitchen, three rooms, plants scattered about. I groaned at the realization.

I was back in my old house.

I walked into the kitchen, running my hands over the familiar, pink china. I walked over to the plant perched on the counter top, watching it bloom to a deeper green at my touch. I exited the kitchen, walking past Mrs. Gerbin's king sized bed covered in pillows of all sizes. I strode past Amy and Bea's rooms, both exploding in pink down to their queen sized beds. I finally walked over to my cramped room, peeking in to find my room exactly as I had left it. A thin, faded blanket on a frail, lopsided bed threatening to break. My tiny table with pills strewn about. My few clothes hanging out of my closet and my torn up shoes. I looked down at my shiny, black high-top converse I had on, courtesy of Edgewood Academy.

My mother's words echoed in my mind. In order to find my way back, I had to start where I came from. This shabby, little house was where I came from. I now had to find my back. I walked over to my bed, plopping down on it as I thought. My mind took me through the journey that was my life. Running from the Five with my mother. Coming here to live with the Gerbins. The helpless girl who spent her life in bed was now Arogen, the last of her kind and the most powerful creature in the Academy.

I gasped at the realization. I was fighting to get back to myself. How had I not realized it before? I was inside of my own mind. The sea was for my fear of water. I was trapped in the small room chained up to resemble how I had been stuck in bed, drugged and weak for 7 years. The meadow was the special place my mother used to take me as a child before we started running. Now, I was back in the house I hated and tried to forget. I had to overcome my fears and leave behind my past life to continue with my new life. At the realization, I could feel my skin pulse with magic. I smiled, realizing that I was right from the start. This wasn't real. A glowing, white portal opened up out of my door, wide enough for me to walk through. I stood up, taking a deep breath before I walked through it.