The thunder crackled through the sky, sending loud, thunderous booms and crashes through the sky. Even though it was only 6pm, the sky looked dark and lonely.

Wren stared out of her window, watching the rain trickle down the window aggressively.The wind howled outside, sending the trees spinning in slow circles.

There was a knock on her door. 'Door's open!' she called. The door opened and there stood her sister, frowning. She held up a note. 'Wren, I found this note on the table downstairs yesterday. Does this have something to do with the Faerie Queen?'

'No!' shouted Wren.

Odyssey held the note higher above her.

'What is it, then?'

'It's a - a trick note,' Wren s aid desperately. Her sister could not know about the Faerie Queen. 'I-I was bored last night. I thought I could stir things - I meant, make things more interesting with that trick note - but I understand that it's a deceitful thing to do, and as a princess, I -'

'Alright, Wren, alright,' Odyssey said crisply. She folded it up and pocketed it. 'But why the Faerie Queen, Wren? What do you know of her?'

'I came across her in a library book,' Wren said, tounge-tied.

Odyssey exhaled. 'You do understand the Faerie Queen is extremely dangerous. She's not someone you can put her in a play with. She's not a toy, Wren. That woman is wicked!' she tutted under her breath. 'Never,' she added on afterthought, 'repeat this behaviour ever again. Play tricks and pranks all you like, but don't bring the Faerie Queen into this.'

Wren felt stiff as she nodded.

'Good,' Odyssey said, and slid away gracefully. Wren exhaled inwardly. Let her sister think how disobedient she was - she didn't care. As long as Odyssey remained clueless and suspected nothing.

She threw her cloak on and slung her stachel across her shoulder. She'd planned on meeting Jake and Ladislaya in the school library to catch up on some homework. She put on her boots and strode out of the Palace.

She made her way to the Academy. Aurora had showed up to school that day - and, according to Wren's observation - she'd been avoiding she, Jake and Ladislaya completely. She hardly talked to anyone today - not even Kai, Duncan and Estella.

When Wren reached the South Wing, she turned to her left, where the South Wing library was. They'd arranged to meet in the South Wing library, for it was closest to the school entrance. She closed her hand upon the doorknob of the library, the coldness of the metal surging through her palm ... and then it wasn't metal.

It was a blade. Cutting into her skin deeply. It was hurting her, injuring her; the blade cut through uneasily. It seeped through her hand and took over her mind, consuming her thoughts with nothing but blank space. And then -

An invisible hand grasped her, causing her to scream inwardly. A blinding flash of light took over her, going away as fast as it came. A vision erupted - blackness, darkness filling her mind, images cutting through - from one scene to the other.

A rose with falling petals - shadowy figures cloaked in black robes, glinting in the darkness - a dagger - a crown -

Unconcious.

Dark.

Gone.

⋆‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙⋆

'Hello, Wren.'

Wren opened her eyes, feeling dizzy. Her mind was reeling - half-concious. She got up, finding herself on the floor. Resting herself on her arm, she looked up, blinking.

'It's been a while.'

Wren looked up, dazzled. A figure wobbled into her sight, swaying back and forth.

'What the hell?'

A soft laugh above her. She couldn't tell if it was man or woman. She forced herself to sit up straight, but her mind was hurting so much that she had to rest on her arm again.

'Stand up, Wren.'

'I-I can't,' she stammered. Her mind was cold ... as if someone had toppled a bucket of ice-cold water above her. 'Where am I?'

'In where I am.'

'Who are you?' Wren managed, swallowing.

'That's a very good question.'

'What - what is happening ...' her vision swayed to and fro, back and forth. She could hear her heavy breathing, her heart thumping in her chest ... her eyes glowered suddenly as they always did when she was excited or angry...

'I never thought that we'd meet,' the voice said, and Wren heard footsteps. 'Of course, I badly wanted to. But I never really expected that it would be today. Now.

The words echoed in her mind.

Now.

'I cannot tell you how delighted I am,' the voice said. Wren was beginning to suspect he was a male. 'Dear God, am I pleased to see you here with me. Right now! In this room. In this chamber. Alone.' The soft tone showed up again. Footsteps drew closer towards her. Wren blinked as her vision steadied, but it still wasn't that stable.

'My, my, my,' the figure said softly. 'You've grown, Wren.'

'W-we've n-ne-never m-m-met b-before,' Wren said croakily. Her voice was hoarse like she hadn't drank water in days.

The figure laughed his/her soft laugh again. 'How wrong you are Wren,' the figure crooned. 'You've never met me before. But I have met you.'

'Tha-that's not p-possible ...' Wren felt weak as she tried to stand up. She leaned against a solid object - probably a table. Her vision was alright now - it was just her mind racing. A cloaked figure was standing opposite her, a black hood drawn over his face so she couldn't see who he was.

'Who are you?' she asked wearily, steadying herself.

'Haven't you changed?' the figure said.

Wren felt her strength return. She felt normal. She felt okay. She was okay. She was okay. 'I'm alright,' she breathed. 'I'm good.' Slowly, she stood up on her own, letting go of the table. 'Who are you?' she repeated, louder. A shot of pain surged through her, and in less than a second - it was gone.

'I am the Perilous,' the figure whispered.

Chills shivered down Wren's spine. She'd never heard of anything called the Perilous. All she knew was that 'perilous' was an adjective, according to her memory from Drimton Prep School grammar classes.

'Why are you wearing a hood?' Wren managed shakily. 'Why don't you remove it?'

The figure scoffed, smiling. 'You don't want to see me, darling.'

Wren quailed. She was sure by now from the chuckle and voice it was a man. 'Reveal yourself.'

Instead, he spread his arms wide in front of him, his hands filled with ribbons of blackness, emanating an aura of darkness. The ribbons swirled around Wren, wrapping her in their clutch. His intention was clear - he wanted to harm her.

The ribbons bled into the air. 'What are you doing!' Wren yelled, eyes glowing, their colour saturating as she struggled to stay on the ground. The ribbons lifted her afloat. 'I don't even know you! Who the hell are you? I -'

There was a resounding crack - then she realised it came from her. Her brain felt soft and mushed up like mashed potatoes, for the Perilous, as he titled himself as - bashed her against one of the many walls.

They were in a chamber. Full of darkness and the Perilous.

'The hell -'

He sent her flying upwards and she screamed in agony, cursing under her breath. Her veins throttled against her skin, her bones rattling inside her, her heart thumping, demanding for blood flow. She gasped for breath, looking at the angry red bumps staring up at her as the ribbons wrapped around her body too tight.

'Let me down - now!' screamed Wren. 'Stop! Stop - please -'

Her body weakened, but she couldn't stop struggling. An invisible force grabbed her throat, sending her flying backward once again. A roar erupted from the Perilous. And suddenly, a flash of light erupted before her eyes; she blinked and thought she saw two figures emerging from behind the Perilous but she blinked again and in a flash, they were gone.

'Wha -'

The invisible force throttled her neck.

'What have I done - I-I don't understand -'

'Because there's nothing to understand!' the Perilous himself screamed. 'I wanted you, and because of you, I can't get what I want!'

'What do you -'

Her body was thrown against the wall again. Her spine cracked.

'Bloody hell - stop -'

Wren gasped for breath once again. She had to fight back. She had her own powers. If this guy had lethal powers and she was left defenseless - she was going to die.

The ribbons were killing her. Not only were they suffocating her - they were torturing her. Her arms turned red so badly it looked as if they were permanent scars. Wren closed her eyes and tried to focus - water, water, water ... summon water ...

A burst of energy ignited inside of her as she shot out a stream of water out of nowhere, with her mind. 'Are you crazy?' she screamed as the ribbons wrapped around her tighter. 'Would you stop -'

She struggled to breathe. Dammit, she had to breathe. She could feel all the oxygen pumping out of her, leaving her dead and lifeless. She directed another ball of water in the direction of the Perilous, making him stagger back. He laughed.

'That's what you can do, girl? That's the best you've got, huh? Nothing else but water?'

'Who are you?' yelled Wren again. At least she could breathe now. Had breathing always felt this good before?

She didn't have time to think. Swearing under her breath, she hurled a speeding stream of water towards the Perilous. She wasn't even doing anything with her hands - it was just all there - in her mind. It entered him - and then it disappeared - as if it was swallowed into his body. Had it been?

Wren felt the energy pulsing through her veins. She conjured up a water whip, lashing it towards the Perilous. He dodged, but the whip wrapped and curled around his ankle, yanking him off balance. It was as if the water was solid. She took advantage of the opening and summoned a wave of water to crash down on him. He tried to shield himself with his black ribbons, but the water pushed through, knocking him off his feet. Wren followed up with a barrage of water daggers, launching at them at the Perilous with precision. He twisted and turned, trying to doge them, and then he decided to use his black energy on her again.

Stupid ribbons, Wren cursed under her breath. She made a lunge at him, but he blocked with an invisible force.

'You really have to do that?' she yelled.

'Does it look like I'm joking around?' the Perilous shouted.

'Well, considering you just named yourself the Perilous, yes, it does look like you're joking around - hey!'

She found herself whammed into the wall again. Groaning, she staggered onto the ground. The figure towered over her.

'Do you give up, Wren?' he said softly. 'Do you want everything to end here? Are you willing to give your life away?'

Wren stood up, panting heavily. 'I have no idea what you're talking about. All I know is that you're some mad guy who desperately wants to kill me for some reason I don't know -'

'Speak more and be tortured!' he bellowed, making her float from the ground with his hand. An invisible force seemed to connect her throat and his hand through the air.

'Gah - okay, okay! I won't talk if you just put me down -'

She rose higher and higher. She tried igniting the energy that pulsed inside of her, anything to spark her power up again -

She shot. He ducked. She hurled. He shield. He attacked. She tried to do something new.

Something she'd never done before.

But she felt like she could do it now.

Water manipulation. If she could create water out of nowhere, surely, she could manipulate water with water.

She spread her hands in front of her, taking in a deep breath.

'What are you doing?' screamed the Perilous.

'Shutting you up.'

She felt the energy pumping back to her ... shapes and sizes formed in her mind. She pictured a shark made out of water, slowly shaping the form of it with her hands. She had to do it quickly. She didn't have much time. The Perilous would squish her like a gummy bear, and she would find out she was a very squishable person.

She didn't want that.

And then ... it came to life. Erupted. Out of nothing.

The water-manipulated shark flew into the air, moving and thundering about easily. It lunged towards the Perilous, who was growling menacingly and baring his teeth at Wren.

'You ...' he breathed, ragged breath.

Wren raised her hands above her head, ready to shoot her shark.

'Don't ...'

Wren narrowed her eyes.

'Always ...'

The shark above her growled as if challenging him.

'Get ... to ... WIN!'

Wren let go. He saw it coming, so he blocked it with his ribbons.

'Ribbons can't save you!' Wren hollered. 'Neither can darkness! It's stupid! They just creep into your soul, doing nothing that can save you!'

The Perilous hissed. He summoned more of his black ribbons, and with a quick flick of his wrist, they wrapped around the shark's body. It twisted and struggled. There was no way Wren could increase the shark's strength now. Wren made a hurling wave towards him, sending him flying back. With ragged breath, a hunched back, and threatening eyes, he drew a dagger from his cloak.

'Oh,' Wren said, trying not to get desperate. 'Oh hell, no -'

The shark extinguished into the air as the Perilous lunged Wren with his sharp dagger, his black ribbons reflected in the flickering blade. Wren swiftly dodged his attack and punched him in the middle.

Wren smiled, but there was no warmth in her smile. 'I took jujutsu when I was seven.'

However, the Perilous was not deterred. He tried to strike her again, but she cricked her head to the left smoothly.

'You're quite skilled for a sweet little girl,' he said with a smirk.

That did it.

'No one,' she breathed, 'calls me sweet little girl and survived to say it.'

'A great hero never cries out in pain. You may have silly water powers, but I have the power of the Black Ribbons.'

'Dude, seriously. Ribbons can't save you. I mean, if you wanted to give me a present, you could tie it up with ribbons - though I prefer red ribbons, not black ones.'

The Perilous let out a frustrated growl. 'How about this present?' he snarled, almost taking her eye out with his dagger.

'I really have to thank my uncle for sending me to those jujutsu classes,' Wren said, breathing heavily. Suddenly, she saw a tempting opportunity to strike, and quickly grabbed the Perilous wrist with both hands, ready to twist them both into her, but there were two problems.

One: she couldn't get hold of his wrists. She couldn't touch him. It was like he was unreal.

Two: there was an invisible force stopping her.

The Perilous had a wand out, directing it to Wren. Wren gulped.

'You have your way, Princess, and I'll have mine,' he laughed coldly.

'I -' Wren began throatily. She didn't see how a wand could save one, but if that was the choice of the Perilous, it must mean it was dangerous. She rolled on the ground hopelessly as the Perilous directed an igniting spark of green flame towards her, shooting her in her chest.

Wren felt like she was hallucinating - maybe she was - she'd just been dunked in a bucket of cold water and she was flailing through darkness slowly ... her eyes glowered, flickered in and out of saturation.

'Aha,' she thought. 'If this is how dying feels like, it's not so bad.'

But instead of rolling out of focus, her vision steadied, and things began to blur into focus once again ... or at least, she thought so. And ... and ...

And ...

                                                                              a nd ...

     Ev e r y

                         th in

                                                                             g ...

w ent ...

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                                                k ...