I walked through the forest, power radiating around me. The branches quivered and the ground quaked with each step. I saw a few of my people cowering outside the wall, near the gate. Most were tending to men and women that were injured during the fire.

I saw Qia beyond the crowd, trying to use her magic to heal as many people as she could. She stood by, causing eyes to fall in my direction. Qia's eyes widened.

"Mara?" she whispered.

I did not answer. I continued forth, drawing into the walls. I felt the heat on my flesh when I saw him and the flames. They crackled, loud and powerful, but I was distracted by the sight before me.

In the middle of the chaos and havoc was Hona's unconscious body. Dari was sitting next to it, using his blouse to soak up the blood, but most of it was under him like a glinting pool.

"Mara?" Qia called from beside me. She gasped, seeing what I was.

"He's dead," I whispered. "Because of me."

"I can try and heal him," Qia said, running ahead. She fell to her knees, trying to use her powers to heal him. The puddle of blood was telling them it was already too late.

My stomach twisted. I walked forward, trying to use my powers to extinguish the flames, but they appeared to be everlasting. I wasn't sure if they were enchanted or not, but my Power would not even stop them from burning. Udan was gone, turning into ash; forever to burn.

I fell to my knees as a green aura illuminated from around Qia. She took in a deep breath, and pulled a green mist from her breath. She pushed it to his chest, hoping that it would breathe life back into him, but there was no luck.

My vision blurred. I gathered his hand into mine and sobbed. My heart was breaking, tearing apart. At the moment, I didn't know what was real or not. It felt like I was trapped in a terrible dream, unable to wake up.

"I can't get a pulse," Qia whispered, breathing once more the green mist. She balled it into her hands and pushed down his chest once more. "I can't." I noticed the defeat on Qia's tired face.

I held out a hand. "It's okay," I whispered, even though inside everything was telling me it wasn't. "We have to let him go."

Qia's hands fell, her fingers shaking. "I have to save him," she whispered, taking in another deep breath. "Even if it kills me, I have to."

Dari reached out, grabbed her hands before she could use the mist and turn it into a ball. "You'll kill yourself if you keep giving him your life."

"I have to, he saved me, I have to save him," she whimpered, tears falling down her cheeks.

Dari did what Rodi taught him. He reached around, pulling her into an embrace. "It's okay," he whispered. "It's going to be okay."

My lip trembled as I picked up Hona's head. I placed it on my lap, wishing I could see him smile once more. My heart pounded, the blood still dripping from my wound. I traced his body, finding the fatal wound. A stab wound. Jonga had stabbed him.

A few feet away was the murder weapon drenched in the blood of its victim. An obsidian dagger similar to the one from my dream. Lost in the sand. Now it was found.

My blood dripped on his wound. I gasped, wondering if it was just my eyes playing with my mind, but the wound was healing, fizzling.

"My blood," I whispered. "It's healing him."

Qia and Dari looked to see what I was talking about. "Oh my gosh, there was one person who could do that."

"Baria," Dari whispered.

"Mara, you have the blood of the Guardian inside of you."

I knew what I needed to do. "Dari, grab that dagger."

Dari released Qia from his grip, stood, and retrieved the dagger. He grasped it in his hand, hovering over Hona's body. "What are you going to do?"

I took it from him without giving an explanation and pressed the tip of the blade to my arm, deepening the wound. I gasped, feeling the shock wave of pain as my arm numbed. I remembered the last time I had looked like this, when Jonga had tied me up and tortured me.

"You are going to lose too much blood," Qia said, trying to intervene.

I leaned in, using my fingers, and opened Hona's mouth. Pressing my wound to his lips, I raised his head. I hoped this would work. If the Guardian's blood had healing properties, perhaps, it could bring him back to life.

"Check his pulse," I breathed, feeling my heart slow as I lost my blood.

Qia reached out, pressing a hand to his wrist. She shook her head. "Nothing yet."

"I can give more," I breathed desperately. "As much as it takes."

"If I'm not allowed to kill myself to bring him back, you aren't either," Qia hissed. "You need to stop. You are losing too much blood!"

"I have to save him."

"Wait," Qia said, surprising them. A smile overtook her face, her eyes overwhelming with tears. His chest started to move. "He's alive!"

I released my arm, feeling it burn. I looked at it, watching as it began to mend itself. If I knew I had possessed this power, I would have tried harder to save Arawn and Rodi. I would have fought for them, the way I had for Hona.

"Why isn't he waking up?" Dari breathed.

A flash of worry overtook Qia's face. "I don't know," she whispered. "Maybe he needs rest."

"The wound is gone," I said, staring at the flesh that had mended itself. "He should be."

"He still isn't waking up," Qia whispered.

"Why isn't he?" I said, my body numbing. The itch was burrowing its way through me once more, trying to heal me from inside. My eyes fluttered, I was too weak. I wouldn't be able to hold it off this time. The call to carnage had never been stronger. Chaos took its hold.

"Mara?" I wasn't sure who said my name, everything was a blur.

"Mara?"

"Someone has to pay for this," I whispered, my voice not belonging to me.

"There's been enough death," Qia whispered. "Please, no more."

"I will soak in the blood of our enemies," I hissed. "Kaija will pay for humiliating me, the Rabaka will burn like the fires in our kingdom."

"Mara," Dari whispered. "Calm down."

"Lenox will die for betraying me," I whispered. "I will go to him. I will kill him."

I stood, the ground rumbling once more. The air rushed around us, the flames burning like a halo in the sky. I walked toward the iron portcullis, hearing Dari behind me but I couldn't remember who he was.

I was blinded by the itch of power growing within. The rush and desire for chaos to reign.