Aurora sprang into a panic run. With quick thinking, she zigzagged through alleyways, using her knowledge of the area to escape her stalker. The neighborhood was mostly abandoned. Damn it! It was her fault. She knew hardly any people walked these streets. There was no help coming.

Another thought assailed her and she became even more frightened. Had her stalker seen her use her power earlier? Was her secret out? Only Lily knew and she would never reveal it. The rain began to pelt down hard as she increased her speed.

As she sloshed through black puddles, she lost speed, and her stalker crept closer with every stride. Another dark figure emerged before her out of the shadows like purple smoke.

Help, she thought. Just a few more steps. It was a woman smiling at her. "Help me! He's chasing me!" Aurora begged.

The woman laughed at her, but Aurora didn't understand. Aurora glanced back and saw the man slow down.

"So am I." The woman's musical voice could not hide her wicked intent.

Confusion clouded Aurora's vision and stopped her in her tracks for a moment.

Aurora's heart pounded against her ribs painfully. The bridge was within sight. Just a few more blocks. Labored breaths escaped with coughs as her legs began to feel sluggish. The cold from the rain sipped through her clothes hampering her progress.

She was close to the bridge, finally. Darkness had fallen unnoticed like a silent thief and the street lights flashed into life as she headed down the slope of the bridge to hide. The rain had turned the ground into a muddy slide and caused Aurora to slip and fall into the rushing creek water. With no way of stopping, she was quickly submerged.

It was a blessing in disguise.

"Where'd she go? Do you see her?" The woman's voice cut through the darkness.

"She must be nearby. Damn it! Find her. Split up." The man commanded in an abrupt tone. The rain and blanket of darkness had allowed her to escape for the moment.

Quietly, Aurora slithered out of the murky water and huddled in a corner, sheltered by the bridge from rain and foe. That was when she heard a shuffle of feet and breathing. Someone was with her. Turning, she made out the familiar figure in the darkness.

"Lily," she hissed as loud as she dared.

"Aurora? Where have you been? What's going on?" Lily replied.

A rustling noise was heard nearby. Aurora immediately cupped her hand over Lily's mouth to silence her. Lily's light green eyes widened and she grabbed at Aurora's hand trying to pry it away. Aurora glared at her and shook her head severely, hoping to impart the gravity of the situation with her eyes. She brought her index finger to her lips.

Aurora's mind continued to race. What could she do? She could use her power somehow, but she couldn't get Lily involved. Whatever it was she had gotten herself into. Lily was her only hope. Aurora looked at the mud and began cutting into it with her finger.

GET HELP

With no plan other than to draw them away from Lily, Aurora took off her backpack, and shot out from the shelter of the bridge. She cautiously stepped into the darkened alleys trying to ignore the small shivers of fear and cold that raced through her. Her wet clothes clung heavily against her body.

There was no need to hide anymore. Lily would soon get help. She only had to figure out how to activate her power and everything would be fine. 

Aurora's focus now was to draw out her hunters and lead them away from Lily. Perhaps what she was doing was not smart and it wasn't bravery that had her running out to meet the hunters. It was simply the right thing to do.

However, just because she wanted to be found, didn't mean she wanted to be taken by surprise either. She moved as quietly as possible considering her shoes created a sloshing, squishing sound with each step. Using the buildings' shadows to conceal her, she glanced in all directions before she'd make some noise.

Aurora sprinted farther from Lily through alleyways, pass dumpsters, and shadows wishing her legs could run as fast as her beating heart. Between the angry thunderclaps, footsteps scraped a metal grate and she dodged and crouched behind a pile of beaten cardboard boxes stuffed with dubious content she'd rather not think about.

"It's no use hiding, you know." A musical female voice sounded from somewhere above. "I see you." Aurora's gaze flew upward, her mouth gaping. She got a better view of the woman chasing her. Then a small puff of light floated toward her and illuminated her surroundings and giving away her position.

To Aurora the woman's features were slender and delicate, almost elflike. Elflike?! The woman leaned over the rail of the fire escape and jumped, landing gracefully with a smirk. She had the same knowing expression Aurora had witnessed earlier.

"Wh-who...what are you?" She'd never seen anyone so ethereally beautiful. Aurora took in her corseted figure in dark mauve robes that parted at her waist revealing long boots and leather pants.

"I am Mimika, and you will soon learn to fear my name," she stood a short distance from her. "And you are--"

"Coming with us." A masculine voice finished before the man appeared from the left and sauntered over to join them. Aurora slowly rose, fingers splayed against the slick brick wall; she felt the slithering trickles of water racing down against the grainy surface.

As Mimika stepped closer to her, everything in her shouted to move beyond her touch but there was nowhere to retreat. For an instant, lightning flickered illuminating the alley. She was an elf! Aurora turned toward the man, she looked closer, --- another elf.

He tossed back his cinnamon hair with a simple, calm grace, oblivious to the rain. His ankle length coat concealed his other movements and possible weapons, thought Aurora. "What do you want from me?" Thunder rumbled low overhead.

He ignored her question as he ignored the rain. "We saw what you did. Impressive. For someone from this realm." He motioned at Mimika with a jerk of his head.

"Thank you, Lord Fennaris." She stepped even closer to Aurora, her arm outstretched, palm spread wide. "Hold still now. This will hurt." A sinister gleam radiated from her violet eyes.

"You've got to be kidding." Aurora snatched the outstretched hand and tried to shove the female elf aside, but Lord Fennaris was quick to stop her. If she focused, she could call out her shield, but she doubted she had enough strength after what had happened.

A faint whirling sound sliced the air, and Lord Fennaris turned to move out of the way a fraction before it swirled past him. A deep voice followed the whirling, "Run!"

Mimika cried out in pain struggling on the ground to get free from a tight cable ensnaring her body. Aurora began to run out of the way, but curiosity to know whom her rescuer was held her back. Instead, she hid in a nearby alley behind trash bins to steal a glimpse of her savior.

Lord Fennaris drew out a sword from behind his shoulder, assuming a fighting stance with eagerness. He edged along the sleek walls, sword ready, his black clothing enabling him to blend with the shadows nearly as one. Aurora noted that her savior, like the male elf, avoided the light provided by nearby flickering streetlamps.

"Leave her alone, Fennaris." The man snarled with a tone that left no room for doubt that the consequences would be great if his command was not obeyed.

"I thought I recognized that insolent tone. Tezaro? Is it? Something or other?" He bared his teeth; his elegant face a scowl. "Tell me, rogue knight, are you not tired of protecting an empty throne? You should have joined me when I gave you the chance."

"And miss the opportunity to defeat you in battle? Unlikely." Tezaro stepped into the cone shaped light of the streetlamp. His tone mocking. Aurora was caught by his gaze and felt more trapped than being caged. Above the pounding of the rain, Aurora discerned the unsheathing of a sword to emphasize his meaning.

She noticed Tezaro was nearly as tall as the elf, but with a sturdier built, and his gait spoke of self-assurance in his ability as he raised his sword.

"Not all the battles are fought in the field, rogue knight. You should remember that." Lord Fennaris dashed at Tezaro aggressively slicing the air with his sword.

Tezaro quickly evaded the attack by sidestepping and went on the offensive. His powerful strike crashed down against his opponent's sword. Lord Fennaris thrust back the blow and straightened his weapon, aiming for Tezaro's chest. It was an easy strike to defend, but it left him open. Closing the gap, the elvin lord lunged forward, but Tezaro managed to snatch his arm and heaved him against the wall. The glint of steel reflected the spidery lightning across the sky.

The Sorceress Mimika continued to thrash about violently in an effort to free herself from her bindings and out of the way of the battle. With a spin and a slash, Aurora noticed that Tezaro had drawn first blood which enraged Lord Fennaris further.

Neither wore armor, making their duel all the more deadly. Spinning from Fennaris' unrelenting attacks, Tezaro continued to deflect each deadly strike and matched them with astounding speed. The fierceness of their combat thundered with the storm.

Tezaro's voice was calm. "You cannot defeat me." Their blades hissed. Fennaris' arms wavered while the rogue knight remained steady.

"I do not have to." Elvin eyes narrowed and stared past him. A rustle broke her attention from the duel and Aurora saw a large obscure mass to her right. The indistinguishable form was a giant, another opponent. Although she wasn't sure if it was a man or elf, she had to do something to help. A scream in warning would not be enough.

Despite its mass, it moved stealthily and as it approached she saw the giant was a man made of mud. She summoned her courage once more and ran into the alley directly in the path of the new attacker.

"No!" She yelled as she placed her hands on the giant's broad chest. It was obvious she had no chance of overpowering him with brute strength. Nature was clearly on his side. She called upon all of her unearthly powers to stop the mud giant. She thought, Stop. Freeze, as her face strained with visible effort.

Her hands became embedded into the giant's chest, locking her to him just as his hands clasped tight on her wrists. His grip tightened fiercely like manacles crushing her wrists. Blocking out the pain, she concentrated on letting her energy blast out in waves, holding nothing back.

The drops of rain became suspended around them, frozen in time and space, while the air seemed to be sucked into a vacuum. A crackling noise broke through the eerie silence. Her touch was the culprit.

Aurora's scream had distracted Lord Fennaris enough to fully give Tezaro the advantage he had been waiting for. In a swift kick to his stomach, Tezaro disarmed the elf and knocked him to the ground. He then turned to the girl and back, but already Lord Fennaris had slithered away. He would have gladly finished him, but the girl was more important.

Hammering waves of extreme cold radiated through her, locking the giant in place, reaching the inner core and freezing, solidifying. Tiny crystals of ice dotted the creature's surface, spreading rapidly like a fine mist. She breathed in the cold, and exhaled a hot breath forming a cloud puff as it passed her lips.

Aurora ripped her hands from the frozen juggernaut. The tearing of delicate flesh broke the stilled air, though she felt none of it.

The insistent rain continued to fall once more.