Selene yelped as she was thrown into a dirty cell, still in her wolf form. A thin blanket lay bunched carelessly in the corner. Dirt and blood caked the floor and mildew covered the cracked walls. Similar styled cells lined the corridor, filled with silent prisoners. Few torches lit the damp and dark prison.

The guard snickered as Selene struggled to her feet. Selene swung her head to the guard and growled, her tail pinned between her legs. The guard smirked and walked away, making his way back to the entrance of the corridor.

Selene closed her eyes as she relaxed her muscles. She slowly curled into a ball in defeat and waited. The pained cries of the prisoners began to echo in the prison as the guard disappeared from view. Selene pinned her ears as she attempted to block out the terrifying sounds.

Hours passed. Guards passed her cell at intervals. Neither she nor the guards bothered to glance at the other. A guard brought a food bowl, filled to the brim with dog food. Selene barely gave the bowl a look, refusing to sink so low as to eat the kibble. The guard grunted as he snatched the bowl and briskly walked away.

Selene lifted her head as another individual entered her cell. The young guard shakily fit a choke leash around her neck. Selene growled as the guard tugged gently on the leash. She glared at the petrified guard.

"Pull harder, boy."

Both Selene and the guard jumped at the sudden outburst. An older guard stood impatiently outside the cell, arms crossed and a frown on his face.

"You gotta yank on the leash," the senior growled. "It won't listen to ya if you don't force it."

The younger guard gulped and jerked the leash. Selene yelped as the leash tightened around her neck, choking her. The guard forced her to her feet as she tried to get air back into her lungs.

The guards led Selene down the corridor and into the light. Scientists in white lab coats rushed by, yelling at their assistants to hand them files, clipboards, and pens.

Selene was led into a white room. A large table stood in the center, covered in medical equipment. Cabinets lined one of the walls and an examination table sat along the opposite wall. Cages were stacked in a pyramid formation below a long window. Scientists stood on the other side of the window, observing the new arrivals.

The younger guard suddenly picked up Selene and placed her on the examination table. He slowly removed the leash and patted Selene in apology. The senior guard led the younger away and left Selene alone in the room.

It was not long before a scientist entered the room. The scientist pulled her long hair into a ponytail, glancing over her newest test subject. Selene growled as the scientist pulled on latex gloves. The scientist approached Selene.

Selene snapped at the female's hands. The scientist frowned as she pulled away. The scientist reached out again and received the same response. On the third attempt, Selene successfully bite the hand of the scientist.

The female yelled as she nursed her hand. She whirled around at the sound of crashes. Selene had jumped of the table and was running toward the cages. Selene scaled the cages with ease and leapt toward the cabinets. She landed on the cabinets and scampered to a tight corner. Selene curled into a ball and refused to answer the furious scientist. The female eventually gave up and slammed the door on the way out.

Selene closed her eyes, snapping them open soon after. Her eyes fluttered close once again. This time they did not open.

Selene awoke to see several people standing in the middle of the room staring at her. Two scientists wore lab coats and the third wore a deep blue cloak. The cloak matched the brunette's curious eyes.

"Come here, girl," he said softly, stretching out his hands and beckoning Selene into his arms.

Selene growled and curled into a tighter ball.

The brunette frowned at the hybrid's response. He brought down his arms and tilted his head. Almost subconsciously, he touched his crystal necklace and murmured indistinctly. The necklace glowed briefly before returning to normal.

A black cloaked figure appeared at the far end of the room, unnoticed by the three individuals watching Selene. The figure lowered his hood, revealing a nearly identical face to the blue cloaked male. His white eyes glowed softly as he searched the room, stopping when he spotted Selene. He moved forward.

The sound of footsteps and the swish of a cloak caused the three to turn around. The two scientists screamed as they sprinted to the open door.

"It's Herobrine!"

Herobrine waved his hand and the door slammed shut. He snickered as the scientists frantically attempted to force open the magically locked door. The scientists on the other side of the viewing window panicked.

Herobrine's twin rolled his eyes. "Was that necessary, brother?"

Herobrine grinned, revealing sharp fangs. "No, but it sure is fun to watch the chaos that follows me." He summoned a bag of popcorn and sat on a chair, taking in the negative energy emitting from the panicking scientists.

The twin stalked over to Herobrine and swiped his popcorn. He popped a kernel into his mouth. "So, what are they seeing right now?"

Herobrine chuckled. "I believe they see me attacking you. However," he lowered his voice, glancing at the wolf hiding above him, "why did you call for me, Steve?"

Steve sighed and sat on the counter, watching the scientists now banging on the door. "It's rather strange, but she won't listen to me. I was hoping you could help...?" Steve pulled his famous puppy eyes on his older brother.

Herobrine looked away. "You didn't have to do that," he muttered. "I would have helped you anyway." He turned to the wolf, ignoring his beaming twin.

Herobrine studied the wolf before snapping his fingers. With a yelp, the wolf found herself sprawled on the floor before the Minecraftian Devil himself. Herobrine knelt down and grabbed the wolf's muzzle. The wolf violently shook her head, fighting to get those unnaturally hot hands off her, stilling only when claws began to dig into her flesh. Breathing heavily, the wolf raised her gaze to meet blazing white eyes.

Herobrine chuckled as he softened the glow in his eyes. "There, that wasn't so bad," he said softly. He tilted the wolf's muzzle up, raven claws still extended.

Steve approached his twin, cautious of the terrified hybrid Herobrine was restraining. Herobrine watched Steve, humor gleaming in his eyes. "She won't bite, not that she can," he jested.

Steve frowned. He ran his fingers through the wolf's thick black coat. The wolf had stopped her struggle to get free, now nervously watching the two brothers.

Herobrine clicked his tongue. "Move back, little brother." His hand glowed white with magic.

The wolf's yelp was muffled by the Devil's firm grip around her muzzle. She slumped to the ground.

Herobrine shrugged his cloak off his shoulders and draped it around the dazed young woman. He helped her to her feet, reluctantly allowing her to lean heavily against him for support.

Steve cooed in sympathy. "She can't be much older than twenty."

Herobrine glanced down at the hybrid. Her eyes were half-closed from the overload of magic forced into her system. "No, I suppose not," he murmured. He ran his fingers through her hair, further reassuring the hybrid.

"Herobrine."

"Yes?"

"What now?"

Herobrine looked at Steve, who was looking at him expectantly. "We take her to the Aether."

"What?"

"Kaida said she was going to talk to Notch after the others left. I don't know what it was about, but she said it was important." Herobrine threw his arm around the hybrid's waist. He grinned. "Coming?"

Steve cried out in surprise as Herobrine's illusion was taken down and Herobrine teleported away with the hybrid. The hybrid blinked when she saw the glowing yellow portal standing in front of her. With a small tug, Herobrine led her through the portal and into the Aether.

Selene's eyes widened in awe as she took in the alluring dimension. The sky was a pale azure in the early morning, a gentle breeze keeping the air in a cool and temperate state.. The emerald green grass glistened with dew and the clouds lay below the Aether's islands. A path led to the largest island where a magnificent castle made of carefully carved quartz reflected the sun's weak rays in the daylight. Angels flew through the air, rushing as though their lives depended on it.

Another gentle tug and Selene was led into the castle. Her awe was magnified at the wondrous sight. The plush carpet muffled their footsteps and extravagant paintings hung from the walls. The ceiling reached to the sky, Selene had to squint her eyes to see the details engraved on each block of quartz. With a closer look, Selene noted the hidden ledges near the ceiling, as though they were meant to allow one to hide in plain sight.

Selene dragged her eyes away from the ceiling as she and Herobrine rounded a corner and two figures came into view. One was a tall, bald male, a brown cloak resting gracefully on his shoulders. A crystal necklace not unlike Steve's hung around his neck. Selene glanced at Herobrine's chest where rested a similar pendant hung on a silver chain. The other, a female, had dragon wings and a tail. Her black wings were folded, hiding the delicate purple membrane on the underside of the wings.

The two individuals paused in their conversation as Herobrine and Selene approached. Herobrine finally let go of Selene, who immediately moved to the wall.

"Herobrine, why have you returned?" The male wondered aloud.

Herobrine snorted. "What, I can't visit my own brother?"

"No, not when you have brought a young hybrid with you," the tall male said with a glance in the direction of Selene. Selene averted her eyes, and the male returned his gaze to Herobrine with a frown.

The four jumped at the sound of a nearby crash. Soon after, Steve ran into the room, searching wildly. His eyes narrowed as his gaze fell onto his twin. "Herobrine!" he screeched.

The tall male laughed softly as Herobrine faced his incensed twin.

"Yes?" Herobrine asked innocently.

"You left me to deal with those guards alone!" Steve growled, stalking up to meet his twin. "I had to calm them down and lie by saying I would get the hybrid back from you."

"She doesn't belong to them, she belongs to the End."

"No, I don't."

Everyone in the room was caught off guard by the hybrid's soft words, even the hybrid herself. The dragon woman retracted her hand from Selene, as she had been comforting the hybrid while the twins yelled at each other.

The dragon woman narrowed her eyes. "What was that?" she growled.

"Kaida, calm yourself."

"No, I won't, Notch!" Kaida bellowed. "She is obviously an Ender."

Selene shook her head a fraction of an inch before stopping, but Notch had noticed. He slowly approached the terrified hybrid. He tilted her head in a way that forced her eyes to meet his.

"What is your name, child?"

Selene opened her mouth, closed it, then answered.

"And where are you from, Selene?" Notch asked lowly.

Selene closed her eyes.

"I'm from America."

Did you catch the two vocabulary words?