Dedicated to AdeleLuvsanime for being my eighty-second fan!! THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOU ARE AWESOME!!

I wake up to the sound of my name being called in desperation. My memory is a cloudy, misty swamp that repels me from trying to remember anything. But I remember.

How can I not?

It was the most horrible thing I have ever experienced; something straight out of a bad horror movie. And I feel sorry for the audience, but they didn't feel it like I did. They didn't go through the suffering like I did. I thought I was dead, I thought it was the end. Apparently not. Apparently, I have a lot more to live through, and even more people to live for.

Like, him. Rhys.

He looms over me, not threateningly, but cautiously, his beautiful features knitted together in concern. We're in some sort of tent and I can hear the battle still raging on despite my situation outside. I wonder how many more have died, how many ordinary people have lost their lives for two people they barely know. How can the world be so harsh?!

Trying to keep my focus here, I meet Rhys' gaze. He looks at me, his face draining buckets of relief. He lifts my head up and nestles it in the crook of his arm. He lifts a cup of water to my mouth, “Here, have some water.”

I drink obligingly, the cold water running down my dry throat, soothing it like a soft caress. When I've had enough, I pull my head back and lean it against Rhys' arm, gasping for breath. He strokes my cheek gently, “Oh, Donna. I'm so glad you're awake."

I smile up at him weakly, trying not to shiver from the cold, “So am I. What was that?”

“No one has had to suffer an attack so vicious from those guys before.” Rhys' eyes darken perceptibly, their beautiful blue going dark and stormy, “It was so hard for me to see you suffer, Donna. Every moment felt like death.”

“What do you mean?” I breathe, looking up at the beautiful boy leaning over me. The beautiful boy who I have grown to love in the past year, who has risked his life to save mine, who waited a hundred years to see me again, who would happily give everything up for me.

“When you were being attacked... psychologically, I chanced upon you. You were writhing on the ground, you looked as if you were in agony, you were mumbling all sorts of nonsense.” Rhys looks distant, as if the memories are still haunting him, “I'll never forgive the one who organised for this to happen to you. I'll kill him if it's the last thing I do.”

“Rhys...” I say, attempting to sit up. Rhys helps me to sit straight and then he positions his leg so it supports my back like a comfortable chair. The other leg is crossed under him. I look at him, out of breath by even that little movement. I reach across and touch his cheek with the palm of my hand.

Right now, my mind couldn't possibly process anything, I was still confused. The only thing that swam before me was the troubled faces of my parents, “Rhys. Please tell me I'll get home. Please promise me we'll go home after this. As soon as this is over. Promise me, Rhys. I don't want to stay here any longer. I really don't like this place. I hate it here. I'm sorry but I really do. Please promise me you'll do that, Rhys.”

Rhys nods, putting his hand over mine and pulling it down so he can hold it, “I promise. I'll take you away from here as soon as I can. I'm not going to let anything hurt you now.” I lean my heavy head against his chest, needing the warmth and the smell of home he so generously radiates. My hand curls into a fist, scrunching some of his shirt as I swallow back a sob, knowing me crying will hurt Rhys more than it will me and he's suffering enough as it is. It's like he senses my distress, because he holds me tighter to him and gently rocks and forth, mumbling a lilting tune into my hair. I listen to him for a while, my weakness ebbing and doziness setting in.

My eyes close and I feel Rhys slowly lower me to the ground. I sense him beginning to stand up. I clutch on to his hand, my heart clenched with sudden panic, stopping him. When he looks back panicked, I try to smile, “Stay with me just for a while. Just until I go to sleep."

Rhys nods and sits down, stroking my hair soothingly. He starts to hum a calm, lulling song (a different one to before) into my ear again, his breath tickling my cheek wonderfully.

Just as I'm about to go down into the still sea of tranquility, a hurricane of restlessness overcomes the tent and it goes flying, shamelessly exposing Rhys and I to the whole battlefield.

The ruler of Riré walks up to us and looks down at me. He is flanked by two angels who I have never encountered before. They do nothing but stare at the ground. The old man smiles down at me, “So you did survive the little show I had set up for you? How was it? Visually dramatic? Draining, I suppose.”

I glower at him. Rhys stands up, his face thunderous, his fists shaking by his sides, “I suggest you leave. There is nothing left for you here.”

“Oh, but there is, my dear subject.” Ignoring Rhys, He kneels down in front of me, “Donna, you challenged to kill me, remember?” I decide not to waste my energy by talking. I spit up at him and then as he reels back in shock, Rhys helps me up, a manic grin painted on his face going from ear to ear. He looks like he couldn't be more proud. Seeing him so excited, I can't help but giggle a little myself.

I look at the Master, who is now mortal-spit free. He looks less amused and more enraged, “Rhys, I would control her if I were you.”

I've tried.” Rhys mockingly shakes his head at me, “But she's wild, Master. Wilder than your wildest dream.”

Even the two angels flanking him snicker wildly at this. Their boss clicks his finger, obviously outraged and the two angels float sullenly away to rejoin the battle.

The Master looks at me steadily, his eyes blazing, “Donna Jade Morrison. Sixteen years of age. Home-town is LA. Parents are both models-turned-socialites; Rob and Lorraine Morrison. Do you know how easy it would be for me to erase your life? How simple it would be for me to just swipe your parents from the surface of this Earth?”

“But you won't do that.” Rhys predicts.

The Master smiles at him appreciatively, “No, I won't. You know why? Because I want to see you two doomed, star-crossed, forbidden lovers die first. I want to see you suffer.”

“I guess that wish is going to remain a wish. It's something you're never going to get.” Rhys tells his former Master, holding my hand and narrowing his eyes threateningly.

Then, all of a sudden, overcome by inexplicable rage, the Master has Rhys by the throat, throttling him savagely. Rhys looks at me, his eyes red, his hands scrabbling at the Masters'. Choking for breath, Rhys looks down at the Master and wheezes out, “Even if I die today, you won't be able to make people forget us. Our story will live on. We defeated you.”

“No, you didn't!” Master squeezes harder and my heart is the one that convulses. I look around, frantically panicking, looking for anything to use against this all-powerful, magic-wielding old guy. What can help me against someone so powerful, so deadly? I fight the urge to rip my hair out, trying in vain to block out Rhys' heart-wrenching choking sounds. I look around on the ground, dismissing the bricks as potential weapons.

They won't hurt Him at all, they'll just annoy him. I need something sharp, something pointy that can cause fatal injury or hopefully, a potential death. I need something that will be able to penetrate his skin, something long enough to go right through his back and through his chest. I need something that will be light enough for my aim to be accurate; if I miss, it will all be over. Rhys could be dead and I could be in serious trouble and my mom and dad would be in torture and Eve would blame for everything....

No, I have to get this right first time. I have to.

The only thing I can see is a large shard of glass on the ground.

But... will that be of any use?

Blinded by terror and fear, I pick it up and stagger towards the Master. Overcome by rage and a helpless desperation so fierce, without thinking if it will even affect him, I stick the shard of glass into the Masters' spine. The Master drops Rhys instantly, shrieking in anguish, his back arched as the shard protrudes from his chest, right where his heart would be.

My aim was right. And so was my weapon.

I watch in shuddering anticipation as the whole of the battlefield goes silent, staring at the enchanting yet  monstrous sight before their eyes. The Master turns to mist, and at the same time, our whole opposition does too.

I look at Rhys, my eyes wide, my mind still trying to work out what just happened. Someone shrieks out, “We did it! WE WON!!”

I look at Rhys, an ecstatic grin plastering my face. He grins back and runs over, lifting me into the air and spinning me around, his lips nipping all over my face in generous caresses. Then cheering and applause fill the air and I hear fireworks exploding around us.

Rhys lets me down and huge swarms of supernatural people surround us, kissing my cheeks and my hand and expressing their gratitude. The mist begins to roll away and the sun comes out, ready to smile down on us. Ruby and Elijah push through the throng of grateful beings.

Ruby throws her arms around me, “Donna!”

I stumble back from the impact, shocked.

Ruby... is hugging me??? I thought she hated me!

She pulls back, “Oh my god, are you okay?”

I nod in response, still a little dazed.

Elijah's looking around desperately, “Has anyone seen Serena?”

“Elijah...” I say. When he looks at me, I shake my head at him.

Elijah lets out a huge breath that is almost a sob and closes his eyes momentarily.

Rhys puts his hand on Elijah's shoulders in a consoling gesture, “I'm sorry, Elijah.”

“It had to happen.” Elijah says, but he doesn't look convinced of it. Then he looks at me and forcibly plants a smile on his grieving face, “Alright, Lavender! You killed the Master!” He scoops me up in his arms.

I laugh and then go stiff, “Did you just call me Lavender?”

Last summer, when he had invaded my room, Elijah tried to kiss me and in the motion of things, he had told me I smelled like 'pungent lavender'.

Elijah shrugs and then whines, “Oh, come on! I was under orders, Lavender!”

I remain stiff for a moment and then relax and grin at him. Maybe Elijah isn't so bad, after all.

Eve, Darren, Charlotte and Chloe all dash over to us. Eve ignores me and plants herself in Rhys' arms, sighing with relief and telling him how worried she was. Chloe runs over to me, her eyes wide, “You killed him!”

“I... I guess I did.” I try to smile down at her. Chloe hugs me and then goes to bask in Rhys' attention.

Charlotte throws her arms around me, “Thank god you're okay. Rhys was so worried.”

“You were there?” I ask.

“Yeah. I helped Rhys set the tent up. You were the one who was battered, but Rhys was the one who seemed... well, dead, to be brutally honest. He loves you. He really really does. And I know you love him too. I can see it when you both look at each other. It's the most amazingly romantic thing I've ever seen.”

I blush, “He's sacrificed so much for me. I can't help but to love him.”

“And the fact that he's easy on the eyes helps, doesn't it?”

I look at Charlotte and we both break out in chortles of laughter. “Go on.” I say to her, “Go and congratulate your most dashing brother.” Charlotte grins and squeezes my hand before moving on.

Darren is last in line. He simply says, "You have just saved a lot of lives. Probably my family's, too. We owe you a lot."

I smile, "Not a lot. Just your kindness. I'm sorry about your house."

"It was just a building." Darren shrugs, "The people in it made it special. They're still here now, because of you. So, thank you."

"Trust me, I would do it all over again, Darren." I smile breathlessly.

Darren nods, grinning ecstatically, "I know you would."

Rhys steps closer to me, putting his arm around me and kissing my forehead, "I love you."

Don't worry, it's not over just yet. We have quite a way to go yet. The sequel isn't just about this battle, it's about Rhys and Donna's personal battle and they have a quite a way to go with that yet, so I'm nowhere near finished.  I just wanted to get the battle over and done with so I can concentrate on their personal problems.

Love, Lightness xx