Flashback 212: Adjusting Part 2 -Christina-

"A county is in mourning since early today when a school bus of forty-three children disappeared in thin air only to be found 2 hours later across state lines. The children were found dead inside and the bus driver had vanished. But that's not all of the unusual news today, as a you-" The radio was shut off and he pulled it from my grasp.

"You've been listening to that broadcast on repeat for the last hour." He flopped down on the bed next to me, "It's time for you to put it down and return to reality."

I watched him for a few moments and then smiled, "I guess I got distracted. Was there something planned today?"

He stared at me for a few moments before speaking. He did that a lot and at first it made me very uncomfortable, but lately I'd come to expect it. When it didn't happen I would feel weird and end up moving into his line of sight.

I guess he paused to think out his words beforehand because his questions always surprised me, "So, when are you going to start using my name?"

"I . . . I can't." I was an unsigned God but even they never called humans by their names, they usually came up with a nickname or just called them "you". Calling someone by their name signified equality, maybe even intimacy, and was very much frowned upon with humans, "It's not proper."

"We've been dating for two months." He rolled to look at the ceiling.

Dating was a very foreign word to me, even after I'd heard him using it so much lately. I knew what it meant and thinking about it made me feel flushed. Although we didn't talk about what we did when we were alone often, I always knew that he was thinking about it by the look in his eye or the way he smiles when he's deep in thought. I didn't understand why it was so important that I use his name, or why the fact that we're dating has anything to do with it. I reached over and pushed him off the bed.

A loud thump was heard followed by an exclamation of surprise and then silence. I waited for him to get back up but heard nothing. My heart leaped into my throat. Had I hurt him?

"Are you okay?" I leaned over, trying to see over the side of the bed to make sure he wasn't injured, "Say som-"

"HAH!" He sprung up at me, making me jump back in surprise and fall off the bed. As I untangled my limbs and pulled myself off the floor, he was laughing so hard that his eyes were watering. I grasped a pillow off the bed and smiled.

He looked surprised and ran for the door. He didn't make it, my pillow snagged him on the foot causing him to tumble into the living room. I went after him, snatching the other pillow off the bed. I turned into the living room and was met with a couch cushion in the face. My bottom hit the floor and he jumped at me, pushing my wrists down.

"Gotcha." He said breathing heavily.

He didn't have me. I could easily have thrown him off anytime I wanted, but that was the problem.

I laughed lightly, "Yeah, I guess you do."

"So, now I get one request and you have to comply." He grinned.

I bit my lower lip, thinking about all the things he could ask, "What is your request?"

"I want you to tell me about your past. I want to know why you were wearing armor and didn't know what a trash can was."

It wasn't what I had expected. I looked to the left, my eyes resting on a controller that had been kicked under the couch. I didn't want to tell him, because then he might go away. How many people have I killed? How many times have I done horrible things in the name of my academy? How could he stay around someone as horrible as me? I'm not worth his affection, and I don't even know what affection meant.

"Hey," He let go of my wrist and swiped a piece of hair away from my eyes.

I turned to look at him, but didn't say a thing.

"You have nothing to worry about. What ever you tell me, I'll stay right here. Then after you're done telling me, I'm going to take you to your favorite place to eat."

Looking at his eyes I could see sincerity, and for some reason I trusted him, "Okay. I'll tell you," He was about to move when I stopped him, "but don't go until I'm done."

"I'm not going anywhere."

204: Her Scent -Sara-

"Nick, did you see her face? I've never seen her like that." The shorter one pulled himself from the floor.

"What do you expect? That bastard Patrick killed her father. When I get my hands on him . . . " The tall one was already standing. I could feel energy flowing off him, massive amounts not normal for a human.

"We can't worry about that right now. We have to find Crystal before she does something that will get her killed. We don't know how long we've been out, so she could be any-", he stopped talking as he stared at the television behind the counter.

"We interrupt our scheduled programming for an important announcement," The television blared, "Millionaire Patrick Bernauw was killed about an hour ago in a horrible terrorist attack that left 2 guards injured and 7 in a coma. A small explosive was detonated in the bathroom while Patrick was showering, and as of right now the police have no leads."

"Ben, why do I get the feeling this has something to do with Crystal?" The tall one was very pale.

"Shit. We have to get to her now." Ben thought for a second and then pointed up, "You go get Will and Kelly. We'll need the Taxi. I'm going to keep watching to see if they turn up anything. Once you get back down, we'll find her."

The tall one ran for the stairs and I stepped forward. The closer I got to these people, the stronger her scent. It was the smell of completion and I wanted it more than anything. I stepped up to the short one called Ben.

"Uh, Sir?" I tugged at his shirt, "Sir, do you know a Crystal Ferguson?"

He looked down at me surprised, "Yes, have you seen her?"

I smiled my sweetest smile, "No sir, but I want to really bad. I miss her so much."

He watched me cautiously. What had this person been through that made it difficult for him to trust a child? It didn't matter. If he got in the way then he'd die like the others.

"How do you know her?"

I grasped the corners of my dress and curtsied, "I'm her sister. Nice to meet you." I had said it just as several people, including the tall one, came down the stairs. All of the people around wore shocked faces as I looked into Ben's face.

"She . . . uhm . . . " Ben glanced at the tall one as if asking for help, "She never told us about you. She's . . . not here right now, but we're going to get her. Would you mind waiting for us in our hotel room? Where're your parents?"

"My parents went to get me lunch. They told me to find her room and wait there."

Ben turned toward one of the other people; the one with the beard, "Will, take her up to the room. We'll be waiting for you in the car."

"Ben her story doesn't add u-"

"Leave her with Saba to keep an eye on her. We don't have a lot of time." I couldn't help but notice the way he emphasized Saba. I hadn't fooled them, but I would see Crystal eventually and if this Saba person was any trouble, then I'd have no trouble killing her.

"Hey, there. My name is Will, please come with me." I took his hand and we headed up the stairs together. I could tell he was tense. He didn't trust me at all. In fact, by the way he kept glancing at me, I could tell he was trying to figure out what was going on.

We passed a soda machine as we traveled down the hallway and he looked at me, "Would you like a drink?"

"No thank you, mister. I just want to be complete again."

202: Black Baggers -Alice-

The grass beneath my feet felt cool and comfortable as the world around me came to focus. I found myself standing in a grove of trees outside of a massive building that looked like something out of ancient lore.

Ben had tried to explain everything and had told me how important it was that I find Alex, but now that I was in the Other Lands, everything seemed vibrant and interesting. Every sight tugged on my curiosity and filled me with awe.

The Other Lands seemed like Earth before humans covered most of the globe; natural and filled with a beauty not seen in many years. The large building I was next to didn't stick out against the natural beauty, instead it was built specifically to emphasize the world around it. I stared at the massive structure, my eyes following the flowing terraces and the columns that lined the walkway to the entrance.

The more I stood there looking, the more I noticed the silence of the place. The more I noticed the silence, the more unsettling it became. There were no noises from within this giant building. The air of abandonment was very evident as I stepped up to the entrance and read the words above it aloud, "The Academy." My voice echoed off the walls of the building.

I pushed on the heavy oaken doors and was surprised that I didn't flow straight through them. For the first time since I'd gotten here, I noticed that most of my ghostly properties were gone. I was still slightly translucent, but I couldn't travel through solid objects like I could on Earth. Here, I could feel my mortality, while on Earth I lacked the feeling of being alive. I knew as if by instinct that I could die here and I shuddered to think of what happened then.

The doors opened easy, swinging wide and slamming loudly against the walls. Stepping into the hallway, the first thing I noticed was the mess. It looked as though a battle had taken place inside this building, complete with broken furniture and dark brown bloodstains splattered on the walls. The place became intensely more creepy on the inside, but I was still led by my curiosity.

The door opened into a hallway and that hallway opened into a large courtyard. The plants of the courtyard had become overgrown, making it difficult to see across to the other side. The paths had survived the overgrowth, leaving natural hallways with walls of dense plant life. The sight was as breathtaking as it was disturbing. No one had been through these halls in many years. No one had been here to take care of the garden or clean up the place.

I climbed over a fallen archway and made my way down the path behind it. After a few minutes, I found myself staring at a tall, naked man standing in the middle of the walkway. The man was very pale and thin; skin hanging on his bones like clothes on a clothesline. His face was completely covered with what looked like a black, plastic bag tied tight around his neck. Even as I approached, the man didn't move. He just stood there, his arms slack at his sides and his head tilted as though looking at the floor.

I was terrified by the sight of him. He stood there still and silent, his chest not even moving to draw a breath. I pushed myself against the walls of green as I squeezed past, never taking my eyes off his thin frame. Who ever and what ever it was had left me utterly shaken, forcing me to increase the distance between me and it. I quickly turned my back to it and continued down the pathway.

I had made it about ten feet when a noise behind me made me freeze. I felt the blood drain from my face and my heart leap into my throat. I stood quietly listening for any sounds of movement. Hearing nothing I slowly turned around, and found myself staring at the black-bagged man. He stood three feet behind me unmoving again. He was facing in my direction, his head tilted like a curious child, though it was anything but endearing. The shock of him being so close nearly made me scream, but I grabbed my mouth. I fought to keep it in, fearful that if I did scream, what ever this thing was would hear me. The silence of the courtyard filled my ears as I sat there staring at the naked man.

Then it moved.

Slowly it stepped forward, so slowly that at first glance you would have never noticed. Even though the black bag kept me from seeing its face, I could tell it was staring at me. I began to crawl backwards, desperate to get away from the horror of its presence.

The further I moved away, the faster the black-bagged man moved. I spun to my feet and began to run, no longer trying to be silent. Fear filled me as I heard its heavy footfalls behind me. It was running too. I didn't glance behind me knowing that it was only a few feet away.

To the right near the ground I spotted an opening in the plants and dived through it. I pressed myself against the opposite wall as the man's arms stretched through the opening toward me. It tried to pull itself through the small opening, but soon quit trying when it realized it was too big. I breathed a sigh of relief. The relief didn't last long.

An ear-splitting scream, like something from the depths of Hell exploded from the pathway the creature was on. The sheer volume of the sound caused the sudden onset of a painful headache. When the sound had faded away another sound took its place. From all directions, the sounds of distant muffled screams slowly filled the silence.

This place was infested with these black-bagged people, and now they were all looking for me.

176: Abhorian War -Christina-

Ahead I watched a lone human trying to fight against a beast that was once known to level cities in a single night. The Abhorians had been known for their swift and unrelenting attacks on human settlements in the Other Lands.

If you had told me that in a few thousand years, that I'd be seeing a human dodge an Abhorian's attacks, I'd have thought you were mad. Humans had changed since I'd slept. They'd grown stronger and gained more fighting prowess in such a short time. The rest of my kind was dead, but I wasn't sure that humans needed our protection anymore.

I shook my head. No, I was wrong. Humans would always need my kind. Carl was fighting well, but losing fast. I'd severed the hold Melissa had on him and it wasn't helping. I grabbed my weapon off the floor and ran forward.

The world exploded. Intense white light flowed from the door stopping everyone in their tracks, except the Abhorian whose arm caught Carl in the side. Carl was lifted from the ground and the force of the hit sent him flying in to the wall. He wouldn't be getting up from that, not with out a miracle.

I turned to protect Carl from the Abhorian, but the world faded as the Abhorian shambled toward his limp body. The bright white faded to blackness, and then the world around me came in to focus.

I was standing atop the scaly back of a jet black dragon flying high above the battle happening below. Below me, my people were storming the last standing Abhorian stronghold, but had been ambushed from behind by some Elite Abhorian Vanguards. I swooped down, raining fire on their back lines and picking off a few heads if I was close enough.

By the looks of it the Abhorians were going to win this battle, several of our own elite had fallen under the ever growing fear our enemies caused in living beings. I knelt down on my trusted dragon's back as we flew low over the battlefield, dodging attacks and knocking the legs out from under the taller Abhorians, so they could easily be killed by our ground troops.

The tallest Abhorian I've ever seen was the size of a small mountain, and the smallest the size of a young child. Abhorian elites stood at about two times the size of a normal human and could move faster than most signed Gods, so when one jumped on to the back of my dragon I didn't hesitate. A step back and a simple flip over my shoulder gave my dragon a mid-battle snack. I urged my steed in to the skies again to survey the battle. That was when I saw them, a new type of Abhorian.

They could fly, and very fast. They were on me in minutes and I spun in an attempt to shake them off but they held tight. I swung a foot out and made one lose their grip by inserting my foot in to their gut. I heard the dragon scream as we lost control, plummeting to the tall Abhorian building.

To my surprise the Abhorians held on and flapped to force us to fall at a faster speed. I saw the building getting closer and shut my eyes as the Abhorians finally let us go. My dragon and I smashed in to that wall and darkness surrounded me again.

166: Other Land Survivor -Christina-

I shook my head as a voice from my past faded into nothing. The world was so different now, something new; where humans could stand against Gods in one on one battle and survive.

The door had spit out another creature from the Other Lands, but I was surprised when I found it to be a human male. Since when did humans gain control of the outer realms? The guy I was fighting before moved to attack this man from the door, who easily side kicked the attacker to the side.

"Pathetic. I've seen rodents make better attacks." He laughed.

My mind raced, remembering what me and Patrick had been looking for before he locked me away. I remember what we'd found out.

"Christina! We have to find these anomalies, one of them could be his!" Patrick's voice echoed through my mind.

Soon that voice was replaced with horror and disgust as we found out the truth, "Oh God Christina . . . we have to stop him. We have to find the anomaly before he does, everything depends on us."

This person in front of me now had come from the Other Lands, just like the anomaly would have. He's fearless, just like what is predicted from the anomaly, but something was off. There was no good coming from him. What had happened while I was sleeping?

As he stepped away from the door I realized that I was in a room full of anomalies: A fairy that survived the great war, a walking toy, a man with enough strength to stand against a God, and me, a God with the ability to see things others could not. What had Patrick done while I was sleeping?

The man turned toward me, "You. Are you planning on attacking me too? A wee little girl like you should just stay back and watch me work."

Ah, rage. It washes away thought and rationality and replaces it with raw power, the kind of power I now used to bash this man's disrespectful mouth in.

My fist collided with his face and I felt bones break. His face resembled a crushed grape as he fell, and I closed my eyes so I didn't see blood. A sudden pain in my side opened my eyes, revealing a light from behind me slowly fading away and the man's body disintegrating. Looking down I saw a sword sticking out of my chest.

"So, you've got moves," somehow the man was back from the dead again, "but you can still die. Now just lie still like a good dog while you bleed out."

I grunted as I pulled away, yanking the sword from my body. Breathing heavy I spun around to deliver a kick to his stomach. He stepped back to avoid it.

"Surprised I'm alive? As long as this door exists, I'll just keep coming back. Do you know why?" He sneered.

"Why?" I was bleeding out, this wasn't good.

"Someone up here fears me." He attacked.

The world sure has changed.

Flashback Entry 164: Things Before -Andrew-

The whip tore into the skin of my back as the hooded man laughed at my silent screams. When I finally got my voice back I tugged at the binds and yelled at him.

"Please! Just let me go! I didn't mean it. It wasn't my fault! Oh God, I'm so sorry Vincent. So sorry."

The hooded man knelt down in front of me and I could tell he was sneering at me as he spoke, "He can't hear you. No one can. You're stuck with me for eternity, and no amount of screams is going to change that. It's not like he cares about you anyway, you're a monster. A blackened pit of sick that deserved what you got."

My head fell and I felt tears flow down my face. The soothing wet was soon replaced by searing pain as they rolled over the hundreds of cuts and bruises all over my face, "Please."

The snap of the whip reminded me of what my words meant. Nothing. As the torture continued, I fell back into that part of my mind that keeps me safe. The part of what things were before.

My thoughts faded to a darkened bedroom. I was watching her sleeping peacefully, happy that my life had gotten this far. Everything had fallen into place, and I'd just gotten a great job working with a good friend. I leaned down to brush a lock of hair from her forehead, and laid a kiss on her beautiful, pale skin. She was going on 7 and was the most important thing in my life since her mother died.

I walked to the door and took one last look before closing the door. I made my way into the living room where Vincent sat ready to kick my ass in Soul Calibur.

"She's sleeping?" He handed me the controller.

"Yeah, she took it hard when her mother died, but I think she's finally moving forward. Stephanie would have been proud."

Vincent smiled a sad smile and nodded toward the video game screen.

"Wake up, you stupid piece of worthless air!" Hooded man's voice came flooding through my thoughts, tearing me away from a time when I was completely happy. I looked up at him feeling the rage in me grow.

"You need to stay awake while we tear off your skin."

I knew I belonged here. My sins had been too great.

Hell hath fury.

162: Instant Inverse -Crystal-

Even though it was still the middle of the day, the skies above the museum were so overcast that the street below was covered in dark. As the cab approached I could see the clouds flowing outward from the sky above the ancient building.

The short female driver turned and looked at us as she pulled up, "Are you sure you want to stop here?"

"This is the place, Kelly. Thanks."

"I've heard some weird stuff over the waves, Will.", Kelly motioned toward the radio, "Don't get over your head."

"Already am." We all slid out of the cab.

"Well, I'll be out here as long I can. I owe you for that thing." Kelly smiled a cute smile and then pulled her head back inside.

Nick walked up to the doors and gave them a yank, with out any success, "Something is very wrong here . . . I can feel it in the air."

"Of course you would." I muttered, hoping Will wouldn't hear.

Nick turned toward me in anger, "Is it that hard for you to see that I'm only trying to help?!?"

"You are a sneaky, deceitful bastard! How am I supposed to know that you didn't cause all this?!? You just appear out of no where and expect us all to welcome you in, but I know what you did!"

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Will shake his head as he went off to look for another way in.

"You think it's easy?!? I can't remember who I was before only a week ago! I don't know what I did, who I hurt, or sins I committed! Living with out really knowing who you are is something you'll never understand!"

I felt the rage build up and I swung my hand out; connecting with his cheek, "My life was completely stolen from me! Every single thing I've known is gone and the only thing I have now are my friends!", I walked up to the door and slammed my fist against it, "You were the cause of everything, my life ripped away in an instant just so you could show off your power!"

Nick was speechless.

"Every time you speak. Every time you look at me. Every time I see you.", I emphasized my sentences with a pound on the door, "I know that deep inside you're full of lies and darkness; I know that one day you'll turn on us and tear us all to shre-"

At that moment the door behind me shattered. I was thrown violently forward, only to feel something catch me at my midriff and yank me backward. I flew back in to the darkness, the only visible thing being the rectangle of light with Nick’s silhouette. I couldn't see his face but I knew it was one of triumph. The pest was gone, nothing stood in the way of his plans.

A light flared behind me revealing anger on Nick’s face as he jumped in after me. Anger surprised me, I had just humiliated him and he was coming in after me. I watched as fireballs flew from his hands, landing far behind me.

Was I wrong? Was my distrust unfounded? I smelled the hot stink of rotten meat grow as I got closer to what ever it was that held me captive. The further I got, the more determined Nick looked, and the more ashamed I felt for making him out to be a monster. I watched myself fly past the teeth inside the gaping maw of the beast and as they closed all I could think was . . .

I'm sorry.

Entry 159: Truth About Lies -Crystal-

Will stood and looked out the doors, "They aren't going anywhere. Come on, I have an idea."

We followed Will as he traveled to the front desk. He grabbed the phone from a very surprised desk clerk and dialed a number.

"Hello, Kelly? Yeah, it's me, Will."

Nick turned to me, "I don't know what I did that scared you so much. Why don't you just tell me so we can get this over with?"

I hesitated, "Back when I was a child, you were not a very nice person. What kind of guy would threaten a child in to fighting? You told me to fight or I would never see Vincent again."

"Why don't I remember that?! How can you say I've done something I've never did? You treat me like an enemy for something I didn't do!" I could see the fear in his eyes as he said that to me. It was the same fear I have because of my resurrection.

"Because you did it!"

"Would you two just shut-up?!?!", Will interrupted our argument.

Out of surprise we both went quiet.

"I can't stand people like you two! Right now, people are in serious danger and the only thing you two can talk about is how much lack of trust is between you two. Suck it up and move on. Crystal, he clearly doesn't remember. Nick, she was hurt by someone who she thought was you. Apologize and move on, or get the fuck out of my way!"

Will went toward the back of the hotel, "I've called a friend at Hartman’s Taxies, she's meeting us at the back. I'm not waiting for you two."

We followed behind him in silence.

Flashback Entry 157: Janitors -Christina-

"You'd be surprised at how frail you actually are. Your kind sits above everything, looking down at all the humans below as if you're better."

Mardockt knelt and grabbed some grass. He twirled it in his fingers and its green turned to brown as the plant died instantly.

"You aren't though. You can die just like any other mortal, it just takes a little more force. You call yourselves Gods! You cannot even FATHOM what a God really is!"

Patrick stood up, "Christina, you tell me what you see. I'll be the sword and you be the mind."

We'd done this before in the past to fend off wild animals. This wasn't the same. This was us fighting for our lives against something we didn't understand. Maybe the adults felt it. Maybe they were headed here to help us right now. The Highest Tier would know what to do.

"Christina! Concentrate!", Patrick ran forward.

Mardockt stood and continued walking as Patrick closed in. The dark tentacle flew from Mardockt again.

"Left!"

Patrick veered left, straight in to Mardockt's waiting arm. Patrick's feet left the ground and he flipped in the air behind Mardockt. I could hear the pain as Patrick pulled himself to his feet again.

"This is fun. I haven't done this in years! A few thousand years of imprisonment makes this more enjoyable than it normally would be. Come on, don't give up. I want this to last!", Mardockt's eyes had a lust that made me shiver.

At my cues Patrick dived left and right to avoid the tendrils of death as they swung out to do their horrible job. Mardockt didn't move, nor did he stop staring at me. Even though his eyes watched me, it was all I could do to keep Patrick from being hit.

"You're interesting. You can see things you shouldn't. Skills like that are reserved for certain humans, not your kind."

Mardockt smiled evilly and then a tendril shot out toward me. I rolled to the side to avoid it but it kept coming. I jumped to my feet and ran.

"Christina! Where are they?!?!", Patrick was still, looking left and right as though he'd be able to see what I could.

"Left!" I jumped to the side to avoid the tendril that was after me.

I heard a thump and Patrick’s groan of pain. Glancing back I saw Mardockt standing over him staring at his face. The tendrils had faded to nothing.

"See, you were doing so well and just one mistake is the end. I'd tell you to learn from your mistakes, but I have the feeling that you don't have time. You should have left your young friend up here and ran."

"You talk too much." Patrick glared at Mardockt with a resolve I hadn't seen in a long time. He swung his feet up, spinning his body to get momentum. A loud crack was heard as Patrick's foot made Mardockt's neck collapse.

Mardockt stepped back, his neck inflating as a laugh escaped, "Such disrespect. I'll show yo-"

A spear suddenly appeared through Mardockt's chest. A light emanated from it, surrounding him. From his feet the sacred Circle of Ghat formed. Patrick jumped back away from the circle. Hundreds of smaller circles burned in to Mardockt's skin, causing him to scream with pain.

A massive white tentacle erupted from the clouds above and stabbed in to Mardockt. Judging by Patrick's reactions, he couldn't see it like I could. He couldn't see the radiating white aura that stretched across the sky.

"AGAIN?!? You think I can be contained the same way twice?!? I'll be back, sooner this time and when I am, I'll wipe your miserable race off the Earth. Arrrgh! No matter how long you live, no matter how much you forget, I will always be in the back of your heads; and when all the Highest Tier have died I will come back. Who will stop me then?!?"

With those last words Mardockt vanished. As the skies cleared several adults floated to the ground. I recognized half of them as people on the Highest Tier.

"We can not kill the children, but they must learn a lesson. They must stay away from areas that are restricted."

"We didn-" Patrick pleaded.

"Shush child!"

Patrick fell silent.

"You will forevermore be unsigned. Never will you have a chance to sit with the Highest Tier, and all your jobs shall be janitorial."

All of my goals dissolved in front of me as my future was stripped away.

Flashback Entry 149: Awakened -Christina-

My blade cut through his neck cleanly. Its magical red, hot blade searing the cut closed to keep it from bleeding. I hate blood. Five more warriors leaped at me, but they were too slow and my blade made each of them legless eunuchs before they knew I'd moved. I glanced back at the door and then at the crowd of warriors flowing in to the room.

The amount of people didn't scare me, I'd faced many more in other raids. People had always attempted to get to the door, and just because this time it was Egyptians didn't mean I couldn't take every man in that room with my eyes closed.

So I closed them and jumped. I could smell the steel as a blade nearly took off my nose, and decided that it'd gotten too close.

The wielder never swung again.

I felt their confidence turn to fear as one after another fell with out screaming out. I heard the young ones run when they realized that fighting like a beast while blind wasn't something they could deal with. I didn't follow, my job isn't to kill; it's to protect.

"It's just a girl. Stab her all rea-" Don't scream next to a blind warrior.

When they stopped fighting I stood and sheathed my sword. The room's feeling had changed from a group of desperate men, to something that I had never felt before. Someone new was here.

"Christina." I knew who that was.

"Patrick." Now my confidence wavered. I had to fight to keep my face from showing the growing uneasiness.

"So, you were set as the guardian of the door? The warrior who fights better with her eyes closed?", I heard him laugh. He'd gotten closer with out me realizing it.

"It's much more noble than what you're in charge of. Waste duty, is it?", I felt his annoyance and smiled.

My blade was out to deflect his fist in seconds. I heard the men at the sides gasp as though I'd done something unheard of. Patrick's next attack came from below and connected cleanly with my ribs. I was lifted off the floor and felt the wind as he spun to put a leg in to my side. I flew toward the wall and at the last second was able to right myself by dragging my blade along the ground.

"I need the door Christina. Just stop fighting."

"You stopped your job and now look where you are. You'll have to kill me before I stop." I stood up and picked up my weapon. Patrick attacked again but I was ready. I knocked his fist away with my blade and laughed I heard him cry out as it cut in to his flesh. He was too powerful to lose a limb, but it stalled him enough.

I leaped into the air and introduced his face to my foot. He grunted as he was knocked back on the defensive. I swung at him knowing they'd be blocked by his wrists, but I wanted him to stay on the defensive. When his concentration was only on my blade, I swung my foot forward and connected where no man wants to be hit.

A collective gasp from the male warriors nearly made me laugh, but I kept it in as I looked down at him. I couldn't see him. I was mainly doing it for effect. Nothing more belittling than being looked down upon for real.

"Christina, I urge you to stop. I don't want to kill you. I'm not a bad guy."

"If you are trying to put this door in human hands . . . then you are a bad guy, and I have to stop you."

His feet swung up and I dodged backwards. I felt the blade enter me from behind. A lone soldier had gotten up the nerve to step forward and was in the right place at the right time. The wound was nothing, but it made me too weak to stop Patrick from round-housing me in the face.

"Bring it in! Bring in the urn!" I heard the dragging of stone against stone and opened my eyes to see Patrick kneel next to me.

"I'm not going to kill you Christina, but I need your help. He's coming back and we have to stop him. All the others don't believe it, which is why I'm stuck doing the job I'm doing. I'm going to keep you in that urn until you're needed, and then you will be released. I'm sorry, but it has to be done this way."

I saw the urgency in his face, "Are you sure he's coming back? I can't feel anything at all."

My strength was getting lower as I lost blood, so I didn't bother fighting back as he lifted me up and slipped me in to the jar.

"I'm sure, Christina. If you can't feel him when you come out then you can kill me."

"I look forward to it." My vision faded.

The darkness of the urn and the screams of people outside startled me as I woke up, but what startled me more was the feeling I got.

He was coming, and very soon.

Entry 148: What Fear Is . . . -Andrew-

"Are you scared?"

She was huddled with her arms wrapped around her knees. She was only fourteen by the looks of it ,and the fear in her face was a kind of beauty you can't appreciate unless you've been where I have. Her eyes were so close to overflowing with tears as she looked up at me.

"I want to go home, but the doors won't open. We're trapped."

I knelt and laid a comforting hand on her back. A properly faked smile looked to have helped her fear fade a little.

"Being trapped isn't something you need to be scared of. You'll get out of here. I promise."

She sniffled and looked to the doors and back at me.

"Really? You promise?"

"Yes. Besides, there are so many other things worse then being trapped."

Like a flower blooming, her apprehension opened across her face.

"Like what?"

I sat next to her and pointed to a dark corner, "You see those shadows?"

"Yeah?"

"What you don't know is that within every dark shadow, a creature awaits. It sits behind the veil of darkness watching the people walk past, its stomach growling. See, the creatures diet consists of human meat, so it sits there staring at us, waiting for its moment to escape."

I felt her shiver next to me and edge away from the nearest dark shadow.

"If they were to escape, I am confident that they would keep to the shadows because their eyes aren't adjusted to the harsh lights. From what I know of them, they'd first drag their victim in to the shadows to hinder its sight. Then, they'd take their large club-like feet and stomp on the person’s rib cage until they'd broken them and punctured their lungs."

She was staring at me, her face having gone from trusting to horrified in an instant.

"Then, they'd take their razor sharp cup-like hands and proceed to scoop up the flesh and muscle of the victim’s limbs. All this time, the person is alive and screaming, only their punctured lungs turn it in to a soundless breath. The creatures then open the shattered ribcage, which usually kills them."

She sat for a while not speaking, then she breathed deeply, her eyes never leaving the shadow, "I don't believe you."

"Oh really?", I stood up and held out my hand which she took like a stupid puppy. I led her closer to the shadows and pointed.

"If you look inside really hard, then you can just make out them moving. They're real. Very, very real."

I heard her gasp and grab my arm. Her breathing became sobs as she tried to drag me away from the darkness.

"My greatest fear, is of them escaping their holds and being released on humanity."

I grasped her shirt and lifted her off the ground. She began to scream wildly as I moved her closer to the shadows.

"Are you scared now?", I laughed as she tried to fight back.

She screamed for help again, but no one would hear her; she had broken away from the group a while back. She shook her head as I inched her closer and closer.

"Yes, I’m scared! Stop! Please, stop!"

"No."

And I tossed her in the darkness.

Entry 144: Merlin's Power -Nick-

"How could you have someone check my background?!" Yeah, I guess I was yelling, but I felt betrayed.

"I don't trust you!", Crystal stood up and pointed to the door.

"Everything that's happened since I was a zombie has somehow had something to do with you. You threatened me, brought me back to life, and killed a man in cold blood. You don't explain to us why. You just do!"

Will raised his hand in the air, "Okay, maybe it's because I'm new to this; but in the realm of sanity it's impossible to bring someone back from the dead, and it's often well accepted that being a zombie is permanent."

"This is of no concern to y-", I felt something hit my chest and I was lifted off my feet. The world around me grew dark and a very old man was standing there looking down at me. Pulling myself to my feet I looked around for Crystal and Will, only to find no one except me and this old man.

"It's been quite a long time, and you haven't aged a bit my friend." The old man bowed his head.

"Who are you? What did you do to the people I was with?", I pulled myself to my feet.

The old man looked confused for a moment and then smiled wildly, "You unbelievable child! You did it. You really did it!"

He walked over to me and began squinting at me and tilting his head to angles that would normally be impossible.

"Did what? What are you going on about?", I stepped away from him.

"Right, you wouldn't know. Maybe I can explain it to you, because it's rather simple. See, I am a very old man and I am also a powerful wizard much like yourself."

"I wouldn't say powerful."

He rapped me on the head with more force than would be expected from someone so frail. "Don't put your magic down, not many people can battle me and survive. Now, while I am very powerful, my magic has been slowly degrading over time. I used to be able to change the Earth’s rotation around the sun, and now all I can do is rotate the Earth on its own axis."

It slowly dawned on me that I was on a completely different level of power than this old man; moving planets through space was something I hadn't even conceived yet. "That's not what I would call losing power."

The old man smiled, "You used to think so. You promised me that one day, you'd find a way to live long with out losing power and you've done it. You've found a way to bring yourself back to when you were at your peak."

"I am not following you."

"I don't have anymore time to explain except to say that you are one of the most unique wizards I'd ever met, so I have decided to give you a gift. I am going to transfer my magical energy to you. Maybe you can find a better use for it."

"Why would you do that?"

"A young girl has murdered me, though I admit she was very bad at it. Anyway, it gave me an excuse to go and do some exploring in other realms. While I'm gone, I need someone to hold on to my abilities and you are as good a candidate as any."

"Umm . . . if she murdered yo-", I was shut up by another smack across the head.

"You know as well as I do that death can be a difficult achievement even for a wizard with very little knowledge. I need you to listen, I don't have much more time. My magic is going to conflict with yours, so you may find yourself having memories that were supposed to be erased."

The space around me began to brighten.

"Wait, who are you?"

"Merlin, of course. Kids these days!" He raised his hands above his head and I was laying on the floor, looking at the faces of Will and Crystal.

Bits and pieces of long forgotten memory came flying back at me, but only one small part stood out from among the rest.

I sat straight up, "We have to go help Ben!"

Christmas Special: Future -Ben-

(Well, I haven't posted anything in a while but I was busy with a few other things. Until a couple of days ago when I realized what day was fast approaching. So, in honor of Christmas I am going to give everyone a little sneak peek into the future of all the characters in the blog. So I present what could happen . . . if . . .)

"I miss John."

Crystal looked out from my porch at the snow covered lawn. Nick stood behind her, his arms protecting her from the cold. Nick smiled gently and kissed the back of her head.

"I do too. He was a great man. He gave a lot for us all. So did Ben."

Crystal smiled and turned, "You did too. I'm just glad you weren't taken away from me like they were."

She leaned in and just as they were about to kiss, a light flashed over them. Turning, Crystal and Nick looked out at the approaching car.

"Patrick is here!"

Crystal slipped out of Nick’s arms and smiled widely as she bounded down the steps.

"Patrick! You made it!"

The car slowly came to a stop. Nick turned to the door and called in, "Johnathon! Benjamin! Patrick is here!"

Down the steps the children leaped, running out to the car and in to the arms of Patrick as he got out of the car. Behind them came Saba, who stopped in the door and smiled at Nick, "You interrupted our game of Soul Caliber. I was winning."

"I guess you'll have to win another time.", Patrick said as he carried the two boys over his shoulders in to the house. In all the time that had past Patrick hadn't aged, not at all. He still had this presence about him, except it had long since become more benevolent.

Patrick set the children down and looked at Nick, "Are you ready?"

Crystal walked up to Nick and grasped his hand, "Do you have to? You go every Christmas."

Nick smiled and leaned in to kiss her, "I have to. One day he'll come out of it. I just know it."

Crystal returned the kiss and then pulled away, "Patrick, have you heard from Carl or Vincent?"

"They said they would be here for dinner, so I'd expect them to be here very soon."

"And Will?"

"What about me?" Through the door he walked, a large smile on his face and two massive presents under his arms. He set the presents down and hugged both Saba and Crystal.

"Boy, do I have tales for you guys."

That was Will, always telling tales and catching every one’s attention. He and Patrick had decided to bury the hatchet, especially after he found out the truth.

Will turned to Patrick and shook his hand, "Have a good drive. Give him my regards."

And with that, Patrick and Nick slipped in to the car and drove off.

A few hours had passed when they finally pulled in to the driveway of The Bernauw Mental Institution. Nick and Patrick walked up to the doors, waving at an orderly as they passed. The two didn't talk much, this was very hard for both of them. No one enjoyed seeing John like this.

Possessed, only his will holding it inside. Protecting us all.

They could hear John's rants as they approached the door. The door they never opened, just listened through.

After seven years, the rants hadn't changed.

"They tell me things, then I eat them. O' Dorothy, Dorothy!"

"Merry Christmas, John.", Nick whispered.

I looked through the window at him and wished I'd taken his place. He'd have been better dead. Like me.

133: Concrete Horror -Saba-

I was floating in the dark, listening to the continuously grating sound of that horrible laughter. Any attempts to move proved ineffective and only made it harder to do so.

"Where are you going?" My blood ran cold as I recognized the voice, though I couldn't put a face to it.

Slowly my surroundings flooded in to focus. An elegant hall of hardwood lined with many paintings and photos. A smaller me stood a few feet away from a much taller man. The laughter faded away.

"Saba, where are you going?"

The smaller me started to cry, "I can't do it."

I watched as the man knelt down and looked in to my face, a look of caring in his eyes, "Life is never going to be easy, Saba. It's going to be hard, and sometimes the only thing you can do to get by is try as hard as you can to do what you need to do."

My fear subsided as little me ran to the taller man and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Just as I thought that this scene wasn't so scary, I heard that low laughter again and the fear returned.

"Thanks, Patrick."

The man stood and reached his hand out to little me, "Anything for my little sister."

A smile found my face for a few moments before the laughter came again. The smaller me took his hand as we walked toward large, oaken doors.

The man put his hand on the door, "Now Saba, you go in there and make sure they're all dead."

He pushed the door open and screams flooded out. Screams of help and horror that filled my ears and saturated my mind with a deepening horror. The scene that seemed so pleasant before changed shape, instantly becoming something of a deeper evil. My breath caught in my chest, I tried to close my eyes and forget I was there. It was like a tootsie pop with a razor in the middle; sweet on the outside, but it just hides the horror beneath.

"Can we have ice cream after?", the smaller me smiled up to Patrick.

"Sure."

Through the door I could see deep red splatters on the floor and hear the clinking of chains.

The littler me stepped through and turned toward where the sounds were coming from.

"Saba! Please, God no!" They were begging for their life. Begging me to let them go, "Saba, your brother is crazy. Please honey, just let us go! You can't do this to us."

As Patrick slowly closed the door I watched as my smaller counterpart smiled sweetly, with all the caring of a child and said, "Daddy, life is never going to be easy . . ."

Her voice was cut off as the door shut completely. The laughter returned and this time I welcomed it, something known in a world of concrete horror. The laughter grew in intensity as I hung there in darkness, watching Patrick looking away from me at the closed door.

"That's not me."

"Yes, it is you." The laughter had spoken.

"No, I wouldn't do something like that." I was lying. I knew I was lying, I just didn't want it to be the truth.

"Not only did you kill your family, but you did more than that.", the laughter came again, "You killed a person every day for two years after."

In my head, I saw flashes of blood soaked bodies and glinting knives. In my head I heard their screams for help and mercy. The more I watched, the more I felt the innocence I'd witnessed before slowly fade away. I desperately clung to any piece of that innocence that I could.

"All for power."

I knew what he was meaning. I felt it in my bones now, maybe I'd always knew that my hands were unclean. A person isn't born a spirit persuader, they're grown. So many lives had been ended by me, so many people never got to live their lives because of my blade. All in the pursuit of power over spirits.

"It's too late for you.", Patrick had turned and was staring directly at me, "There's no way to clean your hands. You are a monster, and you'll always be a monster."

Every time he said monster I saw something odd flash beneath the illusion I knew to be his face. A darker and more evil face, something not human and older than the world. Patrick started walking closer and the scene behind him faded away.

"You killed so many.", Patrick's face blinked away for an instant and the horror of the face beneath made me catch my breath, "You are more of a monster than I am."

His face was inches from mine and he smiled, his mouth full of sharp pointy teeth with a smile that was all too wide. "Not only did you kill them . . ."

As I felt myself yanked backwards into the darkness, I knew what he was going to say; not only did I kill them . . .

But I loved it.

130: Uncertain Knowledge -Crystal-

My job was to stop Nick from casting the spell as soon as they had the cockpit, but I couldn't. To be honest the guy scared me. Here was the guy who fought the Snake Goddess' control of me when I was a zombie and had brought me back to life. He could do things no other human could, and being in the same room with him left me with a sick feeling. I had no idea what he would do next.

Somehow, this one was different; less menacing and certainly not as mean. If this was the same man, then something very serious happened to him. This new him was filled with a sort of youth and really didn't exhibit any of the abilities the one I'd met had.

As I reached to shake his shoulder I decided to give him another chance. See if he turned out to have the same ruthless style.

He lifted his head and looked at me, "Oh, hey Crystal. Are they done?"

"It seems so.", I was scared but I forced a smile through.

Nick tipped his head sideways and looked at me, "You look scared. Don't worry, we'll get through. I'm sure."

I had trouble deciding whether he knew it'd be okay, or he if was just reassuring me.

Nick stood and walked toward the cockpit. I watched him leave and slowly stood. I took a quick look around and followed.

As I stepped in to the cockpit it seemed oddly familiar. On a whim I sat down and began checking all the gauges and fuel. My finger flicked the plane off auto-pilot and I turned it to the left slightly, keeping it level with the horizon.

"This isn't so hard."

I glanced back to see everyone there staring at me in surprise. Slowly it dawned on me. I wasn't supposed to know this. For a few seconds I almost lost control, but I forced the large vehicle on to the right track.

"Crystal?" It was Ben.

"Yeah?"

"How are you doing this?"

"I'm not sure. Truthfully, I'm kinda scared. I've never done this before. What if I let it down too hard? What if I miss the landing? What if I misread the altimeter and lower the wing flaps too late?"

"Crystal, I don't even know what wing flaps are used for."

There was no denying it.

I could fly a plane.

Flashback 127: Stone Cold Dead -Carl-

"Push harder, boy! I didn't raise a weakling!"

I was a ten year old trying to carry a fridge up the stairs; two flights of stairs. John was off hiding somewhere like he always did; trying to keep himself away from our Father’s wrath. John knew that if I let the refrigerator fall down the stairs that Dad wouldn't check for broken bones. He'd just start beating on me until he got scared of killing me.

He was like that, a rough man with too much anger to hold in. So when things didn't go right, or he had a bad day, or the rain got too loud for him to tolerate; he'd turn to John and I as an outlet. I got the most of it mainly because I talked back and got in his face. Anything to keep him from beating on John.

Mom never tried to stop him, because she was busy watching soaps on the television and complaining about how many bills needed to be paid. She used to be beautiful but since we could understand what she was saying, all we heard was how if she hadn't had us then she'd be thin and beautiful. Bitch.

Bitch: I'd just learned that word the other day at school. Overheard Joshua Washington say that about one of the teachers and thought that it suited my Mother well.

As the fridge slid over the last step, I fell to the floor exhausted. I could barely feel my arms and what I did feel didn't feel good.

"Why are you laying down on the job? That's gotta go in the kitchen, you lazy brat! Where's that brother of yours? We could just let him do it. How old is he? Six? Seven?"

My brother was four and certainly couldn't handle a fridge like this.

"No, that's all right. I've got it."

I got to my feet and began pushing the large refrigerator toward the kitchen. As my Father walked away, I spotted John looking around the corner of our bedroom door.

Three weeks later, our Father was dead. The fridge fell on him, crushing his throat. The police said that it was misaligned and off balance. They said that he must have laid there unable to breathe for his last moments. That was my first run-in with death and taught me exactly what it was. I would never see my Father again.

I didn't know if I cared.

Entry 125: Give Up, or Go On? -Saba-

"I can't.", my mind felt like it was being torn apart and thrown to opposite sides of the world.

"Well, then stop." Merlin's small voice was hard to hear over my ears ringing.

I relaxed and felt the world slowly pull back together and come in to focus.

"I'm sorry. I guess I'll just live out the rest of my days in peace." I pulled myself to my feet.

"You tried, I guess that counts for something, even if you didn't finish.", Merlin was extra distant and sharper with his words than usual, "Still, if you aren't going to try anymore then get out. I won't teach quitters and I can't stand your whining."

I glanced at the clock, "Master, it's almost two in the morning and I have no idea where I am. You can't make me go out there."

"How can a person who doesn't care about themselves expect others to care about them? You want to give up on life then so be it, I'm not going to have a corpse rotting up my home."

I felt the anger build up, "What do you mean I don't care? I'm here and I gave it my best shot! I'm not good enough!"

Merlin swooped toward me faster than a decrepit, old man should be able to move. His eyes filled with anger and his face hard and cold, "You don't care! If you cared even a little more than you would, sit down and endure the pain! 'I can't.' 'I won't.' These are words that shouldn't even enter your mind, because if you leave this house with out learning to do this, then you will DIE!"

"MAYBE I'M MEANT TO!", and with that I turned and walked out the door.

I stood there in the street, thinking about what Merlin had said. He was right, I was giving up. I didn't want to die, but the pain of entering the Soulscape was excruciating.

The Soulscape was the place within a person where their soul resides; somewhere between memory and reality. If one wanted to get rid of their soul, or find souls that were lost in The Void, they had to go there. Only a few people could. Merlin had said that only Warlocks and Spirit Persuaders could enter, and that warlocks needed powerful and ancient magic to make the journey. Magic that he didn't even have access to. The Soulscape is directly linked to The Void, or Limbo, and all I had to do to save myself was get all the souls that had made their home in my body in one place. Then expel the useless one.

I turned to go back in to the store and give it one more try, only to find a brick wall where the store had been. I ran to it and pounded with all my might, but it was very real and very solid brick. Merlin had left me. The guys had left me. My souls had left me. I was alone, completely alone.

And I was going to die.

124: Too Much, Too Little; Just Enough. -Ben-

"Ben . . . what do we do?", Crystal could barely speak.

"Shit. Shit. Shit.", Nick was pacing up and down the aisles while the passengers whimpered loudly.

"Ben, just let me bust in and I'll show him exactly how I feel about what he just did." Carl growled, his eyes on the loudspeaker.

I couldn't think. I just kept running the situation over and over in my head, trying to see what I could have done differently to keep those innocent people from dieing. Instead, I kept rehearing that evil man’s voice and the sudden claps as Bob and Jim's lives were taken right out from underneath them. Too many noises filled my thought. People were crying, my own team was unsure of where to go next. Thoughts in my head betrayed me by assaulting me non-stop with; “What-ifs?” and, “How could yous?” If only I'd stopped Carl from boasting. If we'd just taken a different flight. If only I'd never found that book.

"Hey."

At the sound of that voice my mind cleared. I turned to look and found a kind looking, middle-aged man smiling at me. A young girl lay in his lap contently, sleeping as though the horrors around us weren't happening.

"My name is Gilfred Odephius Doorstop, and you seem to be the only person who can get us out of this mess."

"I just killed two people. I believe your faith may just be a little mistaken. You should probably start praying now."

The man chuckled as if enjoying a joke that only he understood, "I'm not mistaken, you're just distracted. So many people around you needing your help, and all you can think of is your mistakes."

I could feel the anger welling up, "Thank you for revealing my shortcomings."

"Shortcomings? No, no, knowing your mistakes is important. Letting them control you is not."

"This isn't helping at all and I know that's all you're trying to do, but you're rooting for the wrong team."

"Ben . . . you didn't kill those men. That evil bastard in the cockpit did. There was nothing you could do, they were going to die either way. Save these people, I know you can do it."

The world suddenly flooded back, the voices, the crying and my thoughts. I forced the thoughts of failure aside and looked at Nick.

"Nick, I need your magic."

"Why?"

"We're going to crash the plane."

123: Bob -Ben-

A plan falling in to place is so exhilarating that sometimes it takes the opposing force to do just the thing that reveals the true depth of the situation, and humbles you in seconds. After Carl's big display on the radio, I could tell that who ever was on the other line was pissed. I knew he would retaliate but I guess I didn't understand in what way. I should have realized.

The loud speaker made a beep, "I apologize passengers, but someone made a huge mistake and has decided that he was going to kill a very large amount of innocent people. I'm willing to give you all another chance, but I first must STAMP out these rebels so that it doesn't happen again. So, I'd like you to meet someone."

A shuffling over the loudspeaker and a different voice came on the line, "H-Hello?"

"Tell them who you are."

"Hi, my name is Bob Koontz and I'm your captain."

"Not just that Bob, tell them more. Any kids, Bob?'

Bob's voice stuttered, "I have 4 children, all of them under twelve. I have 3 girls and a boy."

"COME ON BOB! You need to tell them more. I WANT THEM TO KNOW YOU!"

"Just last week my youngest was born. I haven't even seen her yet. This flight was a homeward flight so that I could see her for the fir-"

A loud bang flooded the plane causing everyone to jump. Several people started crying and Carl went completely pale.

"Do you understand yet? I'm a very serious man, and while I don't like to ruin my shoes, I'm willing to do what ever it takes to ensure that my mission is carried out. I hope the rebels understand and stop their useless actions, but in case they didn't get the picture the first time . . ."

More shuffling, and the sound of sobbing came over the speaker.

"Tell them who you are . . ."

No sound except louder sobbing.

"I SAID TELL THEM WHO YOU ARE!"

A voice quaking with fear and barely keeping itself together through sobs came over the line.

"Hello. My name is Jim Salec and I'm your co-pil-"

BANG!

120: The Build Up -Nick-

I'd love to say that we all got off that plane alive. I'd love to tell you a fairy tale and make his memory go on forever; to keep fabricating lies of valiant adventures with him at our side.

I was yelling to him to come with me, to get off while he could. I can still remember the face he gave me. He knew. He knew that the people wouldn't survive if he came with us. I had to leave him, leave him to be consumed by the flames.

If only I had a bit more experience behind me, then I could have helped him. What kind of person does that? What kind of person gives everything to help a few people?

By now you are wondering who did this act of heroism. Who helped us all survive unscathed? You're running the names of the only people it could be, using the clues that I've littered through out my words.

But he's a hero. He will never be forgotten. He fought to save the world from Gods, only to die at the hands of man. Who am I speaking about? It's useless to hide it.

This is the final tale of Carl Miller.