Peaceful. Serene. Calm.

A magnificent landscape of rocky mountains and rolling valleys, rushing rivers and still lakes, bustling cities and quiet villages were scattered across the space of the golden terrain. At a first glance some would say it was breathtaking, even beautiful; but what they didn't know was that it was dangerously so.

CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.

The ear-splitting sound of metal slamming against metal echoed around the valleys, bounced off the rocky mountain walls and vibrated through the streets of the villages.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you messing with my head? What did I ever do to you?" an outraged cry escaped from the lips of a slender, ginger-haired girl as she circled around to face her attacker. Her gloved hands clasped the sturdy handle of her sword and she raised it in front of her as protection against the onslaught of blows coming her way.

As the girl stepped back from the fight, her opponent paused for breath and glowered at her through a set of fiery green eyes. "Stop fighting me, Amberley," the woman hissed. "You can't defeat me. I saved you. I made you. I gave you life. And I can break it."

Amberley shook her head as she, once again, raised her sword. "No. You manipulated me. You used me. You tried to make me be someone I wasn't."

"And who was that?" the woman guffawed disbelievingly.

"You tried to make me believe that I was dangerous, that I was deadly, that I was a killer!" Amberley raged. "You're wrong!"

"No, no I'm not," the woman rebuffed. "You'll see it. One day, you'll see it. You have something in you that will eventually destroy you and everyone around you. Why do you refuse to believe? Why do you refuse to act while there is still time?"

"And what would you have me do?" Amberley scoffed. "Kill myself? Well, I have a better idea. Why don't I just kill you?"

Before Amberley could even register what was going on, she had lunged forward and thrust her sword through the woman's stomach. In horror, she stared down at her victim as she fell to her knees, desperately clinging to the last thread of life.

"I - I told you..." the woman hiccuped as a trickle of blood cascaded down her chin. "I told you so."

Then, her body careened to one side and slumped heavily to the ground.

Coming to her senses, Amberley swallowed hard and pressed her hands against her mouth. "Oh shit," she sobbed. "What have I done? What have I done? What have I done?"