I'm just going to say it.

I am scared as fuck.

There. That would be the first and the last time I ever admitted it. Just looking at the dark alley gave me the creeps.

He is in there.

The dark aura that the alley emitted was confirmation enough. I can feel his power, dark and malicious.

Suddenly, I knew in my gut that I was right. Yes, he wasn't dead. He never had been. I had known all along.

I wanted to track him down myself. I had taken it as a challenge, a way to prove myself better than what everyone thought of me. I wasn't sick, I wasn't weak.

I had found him. Alone.

I am not a Tracker, so it took time, obviously, to sharpen my senses and skills. Then I set out from my home, my world, leaving behind the safety it had offered. I had felt nothing, not even fear in my heart, when I left home; when I said goodbye to Portia, my best friend; or even when I left my world behind, knowing I will never return.

Until now.

Barely even breathing, I pull out my sword from the folds of my robe, and unsheath it. The gold sword glowed in the dark.Guided by the eerie light supplied by the sword, I step inside the dark alley.

I move forward slowly, a single foot at a time. I even try to observe my surroundings, to make note of something - anything - that might help me survive this. But it was so, so dark. All I can see is the faint glow of my sword.

Suddenly, I hear a heavy thud. The sound is too heavy to be human, to be him. My hands begin to sweat around the hilt of the sword, and my heart beats wildly.

This is suicide.

'Show yourself,' I say, hoping I sound confident.

A tall, massive shadow loomed over me. I can see it through the darkness that surrounded the alley. The silhouette is almost fifty feet tall, and large. It could easily crush my bones under it's feet. It is deadly, wicked and wild.

The hairs on the back of my neck rise.

I lower my sword, letting my guard down.

It is him.

'Ayden?' I feel my voice crack.

There is a moment of numbness and then, panic rushes in, lapping at my consciousness like waves on a beach.

Surely he couldn't have transformed by now, I think, trying to get a glance at the massive figure; there must be a chance to save him.

'Emily?' Ayden's voice is one of mock disbelief. 'Emi, darling. It is you. Missed me, moi amour?'

'Ayden,' I try again, catching my voice before it breaks, still squinting up to get a good look at his face. 'Why are you doing this again? It was wrong, it broke us. You must've learnt your lesson.'

He laughs, and there is nothing sweet about it. His laughter sends a shiver right through my soul, almost spearing it in half.

'Learnt my lesson? Emi, darling, look at me! Look at what I am forced to become! Portia destroyed my vessel and look, darling : I have no choice, but to transform.'

I try squinting again, but my neck hurts, and I still can't see a damn thing. I couldn't make out anything in the pitch-black darkness.

My throat goes dry when I realize that Ayden was somehow fifty feet tall. 'You are transforming into a beast,' I say, pained. I don't want him to feel that I still have feelings for him, but I just can't help the shudders that went through my body every time he spoke.

'No, No, No Emi.' Ayden chides. 'It's Atlas. I am turning into Atlas. Just like in Greek myths, you know? Atlas, the Unbeatable.'

I suppress another shudder, as Ayden continues. 'It's not a bad thing at all, darling. It makes one powerful. Powerful enough to destroy Acedon.'

A wild frenzy grips his voice, as if he wants to convince me.

'Stay with me, Emily. I can enhance your power. You and I, isn't that what you want? You and I can rule together. We shall have all the Realms in our control, we shall be the most powerful of all Elementals. You will be known as Emily Brethon, the most Powerful. The Queen.'

His voice took on a theatrical flourish. 'How long will you allow yourself to be looked upon? How long will you let the other unworthy rascals walk all over you? How long, my Queen? Wake up, Emily. Open your eyes and rise, darling. Rise with me. Let me show you the dawn. Let me show you how beautiful it can be.'

I feel my instincts waver.

Emily, the most powerful one.

Emily, the Queen.

He was right. How long? How much more could I take? I had always been better than them, better than Lynne, better than Portia. And what did they call me? Traitor. I wasn't a traitor. I am a Queen.

And, Ayden.

Ayden, my love.

My other half, my mate. We would rule, side by side, hand in hand. We would be together forever, together till the end of time. He would never leave me. He would never let me go. He would never, ever, betray me.

All I had to do was stand with him...

'No, Ayden.' I snap, breaking out of the spell Ayden had charmed me under. 'Don't you dare influence me! I listened to you once, and I almost destroyed my home. I won't fall for your words anymore.'

'Oh, Emi, really?' His voice is no longer playful, only irritated and angry. 'Are you going to kill me?'

It felt as if someone pulled out my guts and ran it through the shredder.

'You know, I won't. I can't, Ayden. I just can't.'

I give up on squinting, I am not sure I wanted to see what he even looked like now. Instead I picture Ayden's face the way I knew - cold and handsome - in my mind. It's easier to talk to him this way, because somehow, eventhough I don't want to accept it, a part of me still cares for that Ayden.

'Can't because you are too weak to kill me?' Ayden asks scornfully.

'Can't because I am not the one to do it,' I say, and all of a sudden, I feel brave.

'He will come, Ayden.' I close my eyes. 'He will come and he will destroy you.'

'Who are you talking about, darling?' Ayden asks, but I know it's a ploy. He wants to hear it from me. He wants to know whether I knew.

'You know him, Ayden,' I open my eyes and crane my head up at the darkness that looms before me. For the first time since I stepped into the alley, I wish I could see his face, so that I could see him react.

'Him. The one who is destined to save the world from your darkness.'

Ayden let out a cry of rage.

'You fool,' he shouts, angrily, 'I am indestructible!'

He steps forward threateningly and I, without thinking, lash out my sword.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

What did I do?

The sword isn't of any use after all, against a fifty-feet-turning-into-giant-person. And I just signed my death warrant.

Emily, you stupid, stupid fool.

'Oh, Emi, love. You brought me a toothpick!'

The darkness that is Aiden bends down and plucks the sword from my grasp with his large  fingers. Then he throws it over his head, and I watch the gold metal glint as it falls far out of reach and become part of the alley.

This is the end, I think vaguely.

'Oh, there goes your Enchanted-Gold-gift-from-mom-sword. Utter garbage, if you ask me.'

'I am not asking you.' I mutter, my hands twisting, trying to concentrate on the air around me.

'That was a stupid thing to do anyway, since that tiny action was connected to your lifeline! Well, behold, Emily, this is a real sword!'

I forget what I was doing. The air around me relaxes as I gape in astonishment.

I blink, as I watch a blue sword being conjured out of nowhere. Probably it was hidden under whatever Ayden is wearing. But the darkness around the sword makes me remember the endless magic shows I had visited in my childhood, with my sister. A really, really long time ago.

Why am I thinking about magic shows when I am supposed to be fighting?

But I just can't seem to look away.

Oh my God. I am really about to die.

The weird thing was that the sword seemed to go on and on. Ayden is still pulling out the sword and the tip of the sword is nowhere in sight.

Holy mother of all things holy.

That is one giant-ass sword. It is glinting too, like the poor sword of mine, but this one glowed a bright icy-blue.

I stagger back a step as Ayden points the sword at me.

'Don't worry, Emi,' Ayden says, the laziness in his tone prominent, 'You will soon join my collection.'

Collection? What collection?

Oh god. I know that sword. I'm so done for.

It hadn't been long before, but the last time I saw that sword, it wasn't Ayden's and was definitely smaller than --

I gasp. I look down to see Ayden's twenty-times-longer-and-sharper sword sticking through my heart. And it was so long that it pierced through me and simply protruded from my back.

Ayden had lunged and drove the sword straight through my chest, but I had been too busy thinking.

And then, everything is clear. It was like someone had flicked on a light switch. What I see first are giant legs in giant trousers and a robe that weirdly looked like someone's velvet curtain around a giant torso.

Then, I see Ayden's face. It has hardly changed, except for the fact that it is quite bigger now. He still had a handsome face and the fine features I had once fallen in love with, and those same dark red eyes that sparkled with secrets.

However, his eyes look hungry and at once, I am aware of blood trickling down my robes and forming a puddle on the floor.

He is hungry for blood, I think.

He is a beast.

I feel suddenly cold. A fierce kind of cold that I have never felt before. I don't even feel the sting of the sword being withdrawn. I am shocked and shaken to my core, rapidly growing weak from the blood loss.

I am turning into ice - a sheet of frost is originating from my wounds and enveloping me whole.

And then, I am falling, my eyes never leaving Ayden's sharp red ones. For a second, I almost see guilt flicker in his eyes. I think that he might have actually loved me.

But's it's only for a second.

Before I hit the ground, I conjure up all of my remaining strength. I'm drained, and exhausted, and my body is begging to let go. Just before my eyes lost focus, I conjure up enough power to send out a power message.

Danny........Danny........Danny

Then I hit the solid ground, the air around me cushioning my fall. I suddenly felt the deep difficulty to breathe. For someone who's life revolved around air, helplessness is a foreign feeling.

I am dying. I am dying.

Oh, heavenly powers, listen. Let my blood protect my world and my body be the sword, let my soul be the shield....

I took a deep, deep breath, and then it all went black, my last breath never exhaled.

***

Welcome to Acedon.