Jayden could never sleep the day before a big game. The excitement of what was to come made it impossible for him to slow down and relax. He would go through plays in his head, imagine what the team was going to play like, and what he would do to counter their defense.

Tonight was like one of those nights, but it was a different excitement.

Instead of plays, home runs, and fly balls, Jayden found himself thinking of monsters. What horrible monsters were beneath the surface of Coventry? What spells and curses did Gedeon have that would have to fight?

What would happen if they were captured?

There was more at stake tomorrow morning that just a random basketball game. Tomorrow morning, four realms march out acting as one to overthrow an evil wizard.  Four, Jayden thought to himself. Not five.

Jayden hadn't forgiven himself for what happened back in Enflad. King Gowen of the Elves was all too excited to deny safety and help the other realms against Gedeon. Would they face them in battle tomorrow as well?

A shudder went down his spine. He sat up in his bed. Jayden and the others had to go back to the human world and tell their parents they were sleeping over at different places. Jayden, Asher, and Judah would all be at the other's houses and Elle would be attending to Selena's sister.

In reality, they were in Bregslin. Preparing for war.

What would happen if he never came home?

Hagar had accommodated each of the guardians with their room. It wasn't a huge luxury like he saw at Halayah's castle. There was a mirrored vanity on the wall farthest from the door and a dresser on the wall next to the door. The only other thing that was in the room was the bed that he sat on. Normally, this would have excited Jayden, but tonight he wanted to be around people. He wanted to remember that he wasn't alone, but every time he closed his eyes he was surrounded by darkness. Darkness that held unknown dangers and turmoil.

"Snap out of it, J," he said to himself. He put his hands on his cheek and lightly tapped his palms against his face. "Just another day," he told himself. "Tomorrow is just another day."

But it wasn't another day. It was a war. A war where there would be death and destruction and someone would come out of it victorious. Panic started to rise in his body. He clutched at his chest and began to hyperventilate. The world around him seemed to be completely swallowed in darkness. Jayden couldn't see anything through the tears that blurred his vision. It didn't feel like a single breath was enough oxygen for him to carry on. Everything was getting blurry. He fell off his bed and curled his body into a ball on the floor.

"You're okay."

A hand touched his head and began to run its fingers through his tight curls. Jayden didn't even know someone had entered the room. How long had they been there? His panic started to increase as did his embarrassment, but with each stroke, Jayden felt a bit of his anxiety turn away. He had no idea who it was touching him. His vision was still out of sorts. He was just grateful to not be alone.

"Focus on my voice and try to follow along with what I say," the voice said. It sounded familiar but Jayden couldn't bring himself to remember who it was. Everything in his mind felt chaotic. "Breathe in, 2, 3, 4, good Jayden, now breathe out, 2, 3, 4."

They repeated this breathing exercise several times before Jayden felt like he had returned to normal. He looked up at the person who helped him and saw Elora's sympathetic face staring down at him. She extended her hand to help him up.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Jayden said. He took her hand and stood up. His head rushed and he took a breath and closed his eyes to steady himself.

"Don't be," Elora said. "I checked on all of you," she crossed over to the vanity and leaned her body against it. Jayden was used to seeing Elora decked out in nice ballgowns and royal jewelry. It was weird seeing her stand before him in borrowed sweat shorts and an oversized t-shirt.

It was all the minotaurs had to offer for sleepwear.

"I remember what my first battle felt like," she continued. "I wanted to make sure that you all were holding up okay. It's a lot to take in."

"And I'm the only one freaking out?" Jayden asked her. "Great."

Elora chuckled. "No," she said. "Everyone is still awake as well. I had just got done talking with Judah when I heard something fall in here."

She crossed her arms and leaned her head against the wall. "I can lie to you and tell you that everything will be fine. That we will arrive and Gedeon will surrender, but I don't think that's going to happen. Lives are going to be lost tomorrow regardless of how bad we want to prevent them."

Jayden sat down on his bed and cradled his head in his hands. "I can't help but think what happens if I don't come home," his voice cracked when he said it. Jayden didn't have a good relationship with his father, but despite all of the bad things his father has put him through he still loved him. He did have a good relationship with his mom and was worried about how she would carry on if something happened to him.

He remembered seeing Selena's parents for the first time after she initially went missing. Her mother was a wreck. Her eyes were puffy and red. It looked like she hadn't slept in days. Her father was in a much worse state. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to not know what happened to someone you loved.

Was he going to be the reason his mom was on the news talking about finding their son? It's not like whoever survives tomorrow can go up to their parents and explain what happened. They'll forever be lost to their families with only the magical realm to know what happened.

It would crush him to see it play out.

"I just can't stop thinking about what would happen to my parents."

"That's a valid concern," Elora said. She walked over to Jayden and knelt before him. "I know you don't have the best relationship with them, but your parents will be proud of the person you were regardless of if they know what truly happened," Elora said. "I know that because every day, even when I had no idea where you guys were I was proud of you. I know I haven't shown it well, but I love you guys. This was all so complicated."

She smiled softly. "I'm going to do everything in my power to get you kids home safely."

Jayden smiled softly and he reached out to hug Elora. It was instant, almost like some sort of muscle memory from his past life. Like Brennan was using this moment to interact with Elora how they used to. She took the hug willingly. The embrace left Jayden feeling comforted.

"You better go to sleep," Elora said. "Even with adrenaline, tomorrow is going to be rough."

She stood and walked to the door. "I'm proud of you guys," Elora said. "Regardless of if we win or lose, know that it was a pleasure to watch you come back into your powers."

She closed the door behind her as she walked out.

Jayden leaned back against his pillow and sighed. Sleep wouldn't come to him. He knew that. His head was still swimming with doubts and fears about tomorrow. He closed his eyes, and he felt the world slip away. When he opened them seconds later he was in a field of wildflowers. A beautiful stream ran through the middle of the field.

"I figured I would see you tonight," his grandpa's voice sounded behind him.

Jayden collapsed as his grandfather wrapped his strong arms around him. He cried into his chest and squeezed until he felt like he couldn't squeeze anymore. His grandfather just stood there and squeezed back. He allowed Jayden to cry until he felt like he had cried out all the tears in his body.

"Jayden," his grandpa said when Jayden stopped crying. They hadn't let go of their hug. "I'm so proud of you. Know that no matter what happens, I am always with you."

Jayden looked up at him confused. Everyone talking to him sounded like they were saying goodbye. He knew that it was probably customary. One of those things where you said what you needed to say because you might not get the chance to say it later, but Jayden didn't want to think about the bad things. He wanted to hear that everything would be okay. That they were all going to make it out and he and his friends would survive.

"Your face is telling me everything you're thinking," his grandpa said. He let go of the hug and sat down in the meadow. Jayden sat next to him. He watched as the flowers gently waved in the breeze of the meadow. His heart pounded as his grandfather placed his hand on his shoulder. "Death isn't so bad, Jayden."

"You think I'm going to die?" Jayden asked accusingly. He jerked his shoulder away and looked at his grandfather with hurt in his eyes. "Aren't you supposed to be the pep talk? The one that gets me through this time?"

"I'm not saying you're going to die," his grandpa assured him. "With all my heart I hope that you get to grow older than me, find someone you love, and raise a family. I'm telling you though, that in my lifetime and afterlife, there are worse things than death."

Jayden frowned. He shook his head. Death was the scariest thing that he could think of. The possibility of ceasing to exist in a single moment filled his heart with dread. It was permanent. There was no turning back, there were no do-overs. Once you died, you were gone.

He should know, he held dominion over death.

"I died a man that was loved by many. I watched people cry at my funeral, and remember old times with me. I watched my family mourn for me. In a way, death made me feel more appreciated than I had ever felt."

"That's not a good reason to die, Grandpa."

"No, you're right," his grandpa chuckled. "But it showed me that I made an impact. That I was on Earth for whatever reason, and I somehow completed pieces of my puzzle even though I was the conductor of the mess express." His grandpa laughed his deep throaty laugh. That was his favorite joke to tell anyone who would listen when he was alive. Jayden used to roll his eyes when he would say it, but now he finds himself missing it. "I think that you have a destiny that's been unfulfilled. I think that you're going to live, and not only live but thrive. You'll get your friend back," his grandpa muttered. "Trust yourself, Jay."

His grandfather began to drift away from him, and Jayden reached out and called his name. The meadow disappeared around him and a haze of colors evaporated into the air. He fell backward and closed his eyes, and when he opened them again he was in his room in Bregslin. Asher stood over him. He shook him violently and called out his name.

"Jesus, dude," Asher said when Jayden's eyes finally opened. "I thought you were dead."

Jayden wanted to laugh at the irony of the joke but didn't have it in him. He knew that if Asher was in here, that could only mean one thing. It was time to go. "Is everyone here?" Jayden asked.

"They're just arriving," Asher said. "They're just magically falling out of the sky, bro, you gotta see this!" Asher took off in a run down the hall and Jayden slowly followed. Asher stopped at a large circular window in the middle of the hall. Asher wasn't kidding when he said they were falling out of the sky. All around the streets of Bregslin were Fairies, Aquins, Dwarves, and Minotaurs. They all beat their chest or sharpened weapons.

The Fairies were clothed in the most beautiful of golden armor. Their wings were surrounded by a gold metal that Jayden assumed protected them from being injured. The Minotaurs looked as if they were getting hyped up before the championship game of a high school football league. They beat their chest and playfully slapped each other in the rears as they prepared for war. The dwarves were calm and reserved. Each quietly whispered to one another as they sharpened their weapons and waxed their shields, and the Aquins just stood in a uniform position waiting for instructions. All of them sat in the middle of the town.

"Come on," Asher said as he grabbed Jayden's arm. He sounded like a kid on Christmas and Jayden couldn't help but feel wary as he watched his friend lead him to the army they created. How could he remain so calm at this moment? Did Asher truly not understand what was at stake? Jayden did his best to not get resentful as Asher drug him through the door and weaved in and out of the crowd in search of Judah and Elle.

"You think that Selena is going to be okay when she hears about Elle and Judah?" Asher asked. "When we get her back are we supposed to tell her?"

Jayden hadn't even considered the fact that Selena would find out about Judah and Elle. It was just another thing to worry about as they went on the most dangerous mission of their lives. He shook his head matter of fact at Asher. Jayden didn't sign up to become the relationship counselor. He knew that if they started to fight he would inevitably become that.

"I think that's none of our business," Jayden said. "I don't want anything to get in the way of the bond our magic has. Without it, we're screwed. Not to mention, we don't need to get involved. It doesn't include us. Their screw-ups are not our own."

Asher nodded. "I guess dude."

They continued to weave their way through the crowd when Asher finally took off in a dead-hard sprint toward the center of the town where a stage tall in length but small in width stood. Judah and Elle stood at the bottom of the stairs, while Elora and Halayah stood on the platform itself. Queen Elisandre floated on a geyser of water that was shooting up from the ground underneath her. King Aldur and Queen Paras floated in the air beside Halayah and Elora.

"Citizens of the light," Halayah called. Her voice was magically elevated to project to the crowd. "We have come together to finally vanquish the evil wizard Gedeon and the fear that he has plagued our world with for so long!"

The crowd of magical creatures cheered and Jayden felt a surge of confidence when the roar of the people sounded. How could Gedeon and one realm fight off four realms? Including dragons? He didn't stand a chance. You're an idiot for worrying.

"When we go to battle today, we are fighting for the future of our world. Think of your children! Think of your descendants and how they will live for many years to come in a peaceful world due to the sacrifice that we give today!"

The crowd hollered even louder than the previous time. Elora turned to Jayden and the others and leaned down. "In a few moments, we are about to hum. You need to match the pitch we are humming. It will transport us to Coventry right at the border."

Jayden raised an eyebrow at that. How would a hum make them appear at Coventry? He nodded as Elora stood back up on the platform and Halayah raised her arms. "Brothers and Sisters of the light! Join me in unison as we go to war!" She screamed the word war with a triumphant battle. She began to hum a monotone note. As the crowd began to join it sounded as if a bunch of mosquitos was gathering around the area. Jayden joined the hum. Nerves filled his belly that he wasn't matching the pitch, but Bregslin soon started to shred like paper before him.

The army fell into one giant portal that appeared on the ground. Jayden continued to hum as Coventry's border stood before him. It looked desolate and dead. The castle that sat in the middle of the realm was the only sight of beauty in this dark realm. Dead trees were scattered around the vast wasteland that led to the city. Small patches of land looked as if for farming with minimal crops growing in the field.

The air in Coventry was thick. Like with each breath Jayden took in a gulp of water. Sweat instantly appeared on his brow. As his eyes focused on the city before them and the black marble castle he and his friends would soon be breaking into, Jayden heard the hum of the army stopped.

The silence deafened him as he waited for some sort of signal from Halayah or Elora. No one moved as they looked on from the border. What were they waiting for? Was there something that Jayden couldn't see?

Something flew by his face quickly. He barely managed to get out of the way in time before a gasp and a thud fell behind him. Jayden saw a dwarf, eyes wide, with an arrow directly in his chest. There was no life in his body as he lay on the ground. A pool of his blood surrounded him.

The first blood of the battle.

And it was almost him.

Then he heard the sound of a strong wind. He turned around just in time to see a tsunami of arrows flying through the air toward the army. Judah threw up a forcefield into the air as far as it would go, but Jayden still heard screams from magical creatures as the arrows hit their skin.

"Attack!" screamed Halayah and Elora together. "Dragons, fly!"

Jayden watched as the dwarves on the dragons took off into the sky. The blues, reds, and greens, of their scales shined beautifully in the light of the sun rise. Fire burst from their mouth as they approached the middle of the field. Fairies maneuvered in and out of the arrows as they flew through the sky, burst of light shot from their hands and swords flung in every direction.

The crowd behind him roared a ferocious scream as Jayden and the others ran into the battle of their lives.