"This world is nothing. An illusion. Death is the release."

-Jack Abbott

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Adeline

My soft footsteps are barely heard as I pass my dad's room and enter Isabella's. She's just waking up as I enter, rubbing her eyes as she reads the time on her clock, it was a habit of hers to wake up at five in the morning. She would wake up, make coffee and then go back to sleep.

She finally sees me, fully dressed at her door, all the worry etched into her face. The bruises have healed but small scars remain, "Adeline, where have you been? I had to convince Dad that you weren't feeling well and you were in your room all day. I've been worried sick, I even went to James house and he said he hasn't seen you and that you've been acting weird. You can trust me you know with anything. Why can't you see that?" She was torn, I could see that. I just couldn't say anything, certain people can't handle the weird and the unknown. I would hurt her and Dad more telling them the truth.

"It's hard to explain but I only came back to tell you that I love you and Dad. If I don't come back Izzy you have to tell him that okay." The last part is short, my throat closes up causing fresh tears to pool in my eyes.

She leaves her bed, ready to grab my hands but I shield them from view, "I don't know what you're are saying Adeline. Why are you leaving again?" Her voice too is strained.

Gosh this was so hard, "Just please, promise me."

She shakes her head, "No, what ever this is we can fix it. I can help you, I can." She wipes away tears from my face and tucks a loose strand of hair from my braids behind my ear. It's the way Mom would handle any situation when her daughters were feeling distraught.

"I'm not sure this is fixable, that's why I have to go but if it can't Isabelle... I won't come back. You won't want me back." They will run just like James did, they'll see the monster I've become.

Her face scrunches up to my response, "Adeline, please." She takes a hold of my hand, practically prying open my fingers. I try to pull my hand back but she holds on tight, already seeing the long back claws, "What's happened to you?" She examines them with wide eyes.

"I'm a monster." I cry, ripping my hand from her grasp, only I end up taking skin. My claws tore into the palm of her hand, blood already trickles down her fingers onto the carpeted floor.

She hisses in pain, taking a step back to examine the damage.

"I'm sorry. I-" My back touches the door as I stumble backward, my hands fumble with the door knob before getting it open. Everything is hazy as I run down the steps to the front door. Then I run and run ignoring the passing cars, the people on their front porches drinking morning coffee, not worrying whether or not they see a blue fire in my eyes and the flaws at my sides. I finally stop and pace the sidewalk, at first I don't know where I am, all i see is the blood dripping onto the floor in her room. A sound comes from behind the thick brush and I instantly recognize the loud screech of a front door opening. I peer through the leaves and there he sits. Why did I come here? James yawns loudly, I can make out the dark circles around his eyes and the worry line that forms on his forehead. All I can think of is that he remembers, maybe Death's tricks have worn off and he remembers what I tried doing to him.

I shouldn't have come here.

I back away from his house, slowly walking past so I can reach the forest line. "Adeline!"

Glancing over my shoulder I see him immediately, the rocking chair he was sitting on launches back and hits the side of the house. He struggles for more words before, wanting to speak but can't. He remembers.

I panic, my foot catches on the sidewalk and I nearly fall into the street and I can just barely make out his slender frame running down his front porch steps. I gather myself and run across the street, trying to reach the forest.

"Addie, wait!"

I only run faster, knowing he won't catch me as I disappear into the forest reserve. I'm breathing heavy as I reach the lake where Ulisf will meet me, when I don't see him I lose all forms of control.

I break all walls of emotion and let myself cry, if this doesn't work I will lose them all. And even if it did I will still be a monster in their eyes, a girl who was supposed to die who killed someone and tries to kill everyone around her. Either way I don't win.

"Has something happened halfling? I told you not to bother coming if you did not retrieve the shard." His voice is unwelcoming, he thinks my blubbering tears are ones of failure.

"I have it." I argue.

"Then why the tears." He appears in front of me, still dressed in the same clothing, still not hiding what he is even in daylight.

"Because humans cry and when they cry it usually means they are in pain." I breath slowly to try and loosen the tight feeling in my chest.

"You are not bleeding or missing any limbs." He tries again but still doesn't get the damn point.

"Pain comes not only from being harmed physically. I didn't know demons could be so dense. Pain, Ulsif from hurting the ones we love, I hurt them and I will never be the same in their eyes that is causing me pain. Now do you see." I don't mention the things that happened with Bast and Death, he didn't need to know I was completely tore up inside.

He nods his head, "You should learn to control such emotion. In the eyes of your enemies you look weak and vulnerable. I say pain is a weapon and a shield it is up to you when to use it either together or separately. But it should never be used to turn you into a weak Halfling, embrace the pain or it will define you for the worse."

"You give the worst advice." His words did make some sense and it sort of made me feel better.

He shrugs, "I do not care. Now let me see it."

I reach behind me, the shard is still tucked in my back pocket, "Here." I hand it to him but he steps back. "What's wrong? Take it, it's what she needs isn't it?" Did I not get the right one?

"I...can't take it. Just keep it with you." His eyes haven't left the shard, they seem transfixed by the silver metal.

"Are you alright Ulsif?" He's acting strange, well stranger than usual. His eyes tear away from the object in my hand and they flow with the golden fire again leaking like tears from his eyes. He takes a step forward like he's going to attack me.

"Ulsif." I question. I slowly back away from him as he nears me his face twist into something dark and dangerous.

I quickly place the shard back into my pocket and watch as he fades into himself again.

"What just happened? You were scary looking even more than usual." I had to admit I wanted to run and get far away from him.

He rubs his face, his features normal now, "I do not know. My only guess is that the shards magic is so powerful so consuming that someone even as strong as it is easily swayed by it. I am simply a warlock but Lilith should be able to handle it she is older and more powerful. Do not worry let us go but keep it safe with you."

"Okay. Where do we go?" He breathes in slowly before nodding his head toward the direction we have to go.

I follow him staying a good foot away, I was still worried about how he acted just now.

"How do you know so much about her?" It would be nice to know where he fits in all of this.

"I have worKed for her many years ago, a warlock of my stature is needed for certain task. Now I act as a guide, if someone wishes to contact her they go through me. It is not a worrisome job so I am pleased with how she's treated me all these years." He sounds devoted to her, like Death's Reapers are as devoted to him.

"Bast has told me of why she's hidden, she said that she was ashamed of her appearance is that correct." To be punished to live in the dark for eternity must be tiresome, what she did so very long ago must have been terrible.

"She is still beautiful in my eyes." He stops speaking but quickly recovers. "Her story has been twisted in many different ways, no-one knows the real story but she alone."

I was curious, so I had to ask, "Do you know what happened to her?"

He glanced sideways at me, "It is best she tell you her own story. I was not there, therefore I will not repeat the tainted lies of others."

"I guess I understand. So where are we going exactly, back to the fey gate." I don't think the Elven guard will like it very much if we do go back.

He smiles, "No, she would never associate herself with the fey. I am afraid this time the way there will be much more complex. Of course I will be there every step of the way this time. The lake here, will act as our doorway. We aren't far now."

I don't know how he knew that there was no path to follow, the rising sun barely came through the thick brush above us. We climb over a fallen tree and just when I thought we were lost the trees disperse and the lake sits down the small incline. I'm careful when I walk down the hill, I stop just in time so I don't go for a swim. The water had to be cold this time of year, I was definitely not going in there.

"I will begin. Whatever you do Halfling, do not interrupt me if something goes astray I can rip a hole in this dimension. It will not end well for you or me." He walks forward stepping onto the water's surface as if there were glass suspended over it created something solid to stand on.

"Yeah, okay." I quickly say as he stops a few feet away.

With skilled hands he forms a small whirlpool in the water mixing it with the gold like dust from before. He recites in a hushed whisper as the whirlpool moves faster, it's hard not to look away. A breeze picks up blowing cold air to where I stand, it whips up my hair and stings my cheeks. I look around seeing leaves and twigs mix with the wind, a small storm forms around us moving in the same motion as his whirlpool. My leather jacket barely keeps the cold out and I find myself shivering from the sudden change of weather.

"Take my hand, Adeline!" He has to yell over the loud storm. I barely hear him.

I remove my hands from my pockets and run forward meeting his outstretched hand. He takes a hold of it and forces me into his arms, "Don't scream." He wraps his arms around me and I feel us fall. My first reaction is to grab ahold of something but there isn't anything so I cling to Ulsif's cloak but he falls with me and soon I feel the cold rush of water on my back. A scream is about to form in my throat but water gets there first, I inhale the lake water and it burns it's a way to my lungs. There's no oxygen to take in as I struggle for air. I kick and scratch but he forces me further down until my back hits solid ground. My throat burns as darkness surrounds us. When I think this will all end in one fast motion we are forced up by an invisible force. The water disappears and we are on solid ground with no water in sight.

Ulsif still holds me so I quickly push him off of me, still choking on water. Coughing up the contents from my lungs I take in gulps of air like I was starving.

"What...the hell?" I'm shivering now, my clothes are soaking wet and the burning in my chest won't go awAy neither will the coughing fits.

He doesn't reply and I get worried, I hope he hasn't died. I move my hair from my face turning to see if he's okay but I don't find him.

"Ulsif!" I yell. Where the heck is he, I don't need this right now.

This place is as dark as the fey world, there's no bright moon though to guide me. This one has a sun as red as blood unlike ours it's easier to look at but I find myself looking away. The red sun seems to pulsate, like it was alive and watching my every move. The sky is dark filled with grey clouds that distract you from the lively sun. It's as if a storm is inside them, small lightning strikes can be seen reflecting off the grey inky clouds.

With the slight glow of the sun I search the decaying and dying trees very unlike the lifely trees in Aettalar. The sky is dark with grey clouds that looks like a storm is inside them, small lightning strikes can be seen inside them. This place did not look safe for someone like me and I was starting to regret my decision to come here.

I stand from the dirt covered floor to better search the decaying tree line but he still was nowhere to be found.

"Ulsif, please where are you?" I felt like crying at this point. I've never felt so alone.

There is no sign of the water we came from so I begin walking toward where the red sun sits. I check my pocket for the metal shard, I breath a sigh of relief when I feel the small indention on my back pocket.

After walking a few hundred feet I hear the sound of footsteps behind me, I didn't know if I was simply being paranoid but i'm pretty sure I heard something. I glance behind me and see nothing so I continue and again I hear the soft sound of footsteps behind me. I try to dismiss the sound but the hairs on the back of my neck prickle and goosebumps raise on my arms. Forcing courage into my veins I glance back again and see a dark figure standing behind me. The sharp motion of their first shoots forward and they re too fast for me to stop. My head is thrown back and pain shoots up my temple and throughout my cheek bone. I stagger back and fall on the hard ground, my vision is strained and I see nothing but a blurry figure in front of me.

"No." I breathe out as their foot comes in contact with my face knocking my head back into the dirt.

I know I'm moving when I finally gain some consciousness, I feel arms around me carrying me closely to their chest. I wanted to believe I was home that my father found me asleep on my couch and he decides to carry me to my bed but I knew better than to fight reality.

"Open the gate, tell her I have the girl." My heart raises at the voice, it's Ulsif, he's the one who carries me the one who knocked me unconscious. I was wrong to trust him, the succubus was right all along.

As he walks I don't feel the dry air anymore and I know we must be inside. The sound of his boots hitting a flat smooth surface is evidence of that.

I had to make a decision right now, one I will most likely regret later but it's what I need to do to survive.

So, I call to her, I need you. I should have listened to you from before but I didn't. Right now you are the only one who can get me out of here. She didn't have to help me but she new if I died so did she.

The succubus buried herself deep in my subconcious so it take a few seconds for her to come back to me. The slight stink is my punishment for sending her away, I hear you Adeline but I must tell you if you accept me you will have all the power I possess. That means you will have what I need to survive, I will need to kill. To save yourself, you must sacrifice your humanity.

Everything I've done was to prevent me from becoming what she is, but I guess there's no getting rid of it. I have brought myself closer to what she is more than I thought. I accept you, fully, I said as a tear escapes and drips down my cheek.

Then it is done. My eyes open as I feel the electricity that seems to run through my veins, Ulsif didn't see me wake but when my back arches he drops me to the ground. I scream as a burning but cool sensation spreads through every ounce of blood and tissue.

"What have you done?" He tries to shout over my screams but they only get louder as I wither on the floor in pain.

The claws on my hands dig into my sides and cut through my shirt and skin, blood drips from them and onto the floor.

"Guards! Bring the changeling to her at once. I would hate to get blood on her floor, especially this one's." His words stung he's a completely different person.

I shook on the floor writhing in pain but I managed to look up at him. He watched me with a calm resolve even when I screamed and gave him my best I will kill you look. He briskly walks past me ignoring me entirely. Not long after two woman dressed in armor come to stand next to me.

"I would have thought she'd be prettier." The one on the right has pale grey skin with dark protruding horns on top of her head. Her hair is cut in one blunt stroke on the side of her face while the other side is cut short. She has fangs that stick out of her teeth as she laughs, her mouth gaping open. The other one is more red with a pink hue, she horns are as black as the other ones. Her teeth and long stature match the first ones. They would have terrified me from the beginning of all this but nothing amazes me anymore not even the small tales that sway behind them.

"Poor little girl. All alone in a demon's cave. You should be home like every other human but I've heard you've getting cozy with Death."

"Go..to hell." I manage to spit out those few words.

They both smile wickedly, "Oh honey this is hell." The grey looking one lifts me by my hair, I scream and try to fight her buts it's no use. She drags me along the black polished floor all the while the red pink demon laughs. 

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I'm so late and ashamed but here's the next chapter. I am currently on the last chapter for this book and hopefully it will be finished soon. 

Happy Holidays!

- Ash

xoxoxo