With a heart that raced at a speed of a hundred miles per hour, Skylar slowly took a deep breath and released it out from her mouth. With a shuddering self, wondering what else might she have to fight, Skylar took a brave step, and went forwards. As Skylar had expected, nothing came to kill her as soon as she stepped inside the frame. But, by experience, Skylar knew that it would not be long until she would have a peaceful time, and trying to overcome her shuddering, she lifted her face up bravely, and walked forwards.

It was not long before Skylar felt as though she was being followed. She looked over her shoulder at every second, but she was not able to find anything behind her. She heard a soft shuffling pair of feet, but she did not know from where it was. Shaking her head, Skylar went inside, thinking that it would not be long before she fought something else.

Skylar passed the deserted lane in darkness, and she stood in front of a very short door that was fixed to a tall building. The wonderful thing about this was that the door did not even reach her shoulders and the building was built with old wooden palettes. Skylar thought that if she wanted to bring the building down, she would have to just snap her fingers and that would do the trick with the undying power of her everlasting flames.

With her heart loud in her ears, Skylar lifted her fist up, trying to knock on the door. But the door opened automatically, as she placed her hand near it, ready to knock louder. Shrugging her shoulders at the mysterious door, Skylar bent her head, afraid that she would knock herself, and took a step inside. As it had happened to her for so long, the door closed behind Skylar. She turned towards the door, just to make sure that it was definitely closed and shrugging her shoulders once more, she turned to her front. Skylar released a long breath from out of her mouth.

For the first time in her life, Skylar realized how wrong her judgment was. If she had thought that this building was made with dried and old wooden palettes, so that it would be easier to take down, she could not be more wrong. The building inside looked majestic and the walls were two times as thick as a normal wall. Skylar turned around her and stared at the rich interior. All of the walls were carved in, and it looked as though it was carved by actual labor work, and not by any machines. She lifted her head up and saw the gold and red mixed painting that looked just perfect. Not even a strand of a brush remained and not even a stroke looked wrong. She turned her head and stared around her once more. She remembered the words she had read on the frame she had seen at the entrance to the building.

Kingdom of the Powerful Gertrude - the Spear of Strength...

It was an actual kingdom. She was sure of that part.

"Hello Skylar..."

Skylar jerked and she lost the balance of her foot. She scrunched up her eyes in pain and bit her lips as she once again landed on her broken ankle, damaging it even more. The sudden voice, which she had even heard in the pentagon room, echoed around her once more. The room echoed the same words a thousand times in her brain, and shaking her head while trying to erase the sound, Skylar stood up painfully, thinking that she should not fall on her same foot once more.

Standing straight and looking up bravely, Skylar raised her voice. She raised her chin up, and looking nowhere in particular, Skylar greeted back.

"Hello!"

Skylar waited where she was. The voice did not reply her back. She waited a few more minutes and she thought that that would be the final form of greeting for now. She nodded at herself and stepped forwards.

The clearing led way into a wide corridor, and Skylar looked around her, as she noticed the gold plated windows. The lacy curtains ruffled in the breezy air, and Skylar saw that this corridor led another part into the left. Wondering what she should do, Skylar turned to her left and stood by the door frame. The ornate glass door was just closer to Skylar's height, and she bowed her head in fear of damaging her head. She looked at her feet and saw that she was standing on a soft red carpet. Skylar felt her insides rise into her throat as she saw that it was actually a carpet made with the insides of - she did not want to guess 'what's'.

Twitching her neck in disgust, Skylar followed her eyes through the carpet, and saw that it actually ran along an even longer corridor. Here too, the windows were the same, but here the distance between the windows was much longer. Breaking her knuckles in worry mixed with anxiety Skylar took a step inside.

As her feet echoed loudly behind her, Skylar took careful steps so as to not disturb anything. She felt herself shiver in the cold interior, and not because of the cold evening. Rubbing her palms up and down along her upper arms, Skylar kept on walking. She wanted to turn back and see what she had passed, and to make sure that she was not being followed, but she did not want to try anything new and get caught in a tight situation. Releasing her warm breath from out of her mouth, Skylar walked further deep into the corridor.

Skylar stopped dead as she saw a tall box lying to the right of the carpet. Looking around her to make sure that there was not anyone beside her, watching her, Skylar deviated from the direction of the carpet and she stepped to her right. She neared the box.

Surprise greeted Skylar, and she was taken aback. Once more, she lost her balance, but remembering her already broken ankle, she balanced herself soon, so that she would not damage it even more. After balancing herself, Skylar came towards the oak wooden box, and stared at it. It was actually a coffin, and its lid was opened.

With fear creeping through her mind, Skylar looked at the beautiful woman who looked as though she was sleeping inside. By a small guesswork, she was able to recognize who it was, but she did not want to fall into wrong conclusions once more. So, not trying to recognize the more prominent similarities, Skylar stared at the woman. Her thin eyebrows were shaped like a kukri knife, and her nose was like a sharp dagger. Skylar knew that she would cut her fingers if she touched her nose. Her eyes were shaped like two small leaves, and Skylar noticed that her lips were too dark and full. The woman's cheeks were pulled back inside, and it looked just like her skin was pasted over her skull to look like she was a human. Skylar saw that both of the sisters had the same skin tone, but what surprised Skylar was how long her body was preserved.

Skylar saw that the woman was shrouded in a rich white lacy frock, and its many layers made the woman look bulky. She noticed her white gloved hands resting over her abdomen and Skylar scrunched up her eyebrows as she noticed a wedding ring on her finger.

Was she married?

Skylar looked at the woman's face once more. She looked just like she was sleeping and she noticed something that she had not seen before. She saw a golden chain going around the woman's neck and it had a locket resting just over her chest. Without thinking twice, Skylar thought that the locket should have the photo of her husband. Biting the insides of her cheek in curiosity, Skylar raised her arms, and without disturbing the dead body, she put her hand inside, and reached the locket.

Suddenly, when her hand was just an inch away from the locket, Skylar looked at her arms as she felt someone hold her hand, stopping her. With an ear splitting scream, she saw that it was the same hand of the dead body.

"Aaaargh!!"

Skylar screamed and she fell back on her broken ankle once more. Noticing the dead hand over her hand, she had turned to look at the face of the dead body. It had opened its eyes, and the surprise had made Skylar's heart about to burst, and she had fallen back once more.

Skylar waited on the floor, because her ankle was too painful to be standing, and half expecting the body to stand up and get out of the box. But nothing happened. Skylar remained where she was. All the guts and courage she had was lost at the moment she had seen those green eyes stare back at her. Skylar patted her chest, asking it to slow down. It was alright now. Almost alright now.

"I see you have seen my body already, Skylar."

Skylar turned fast, and she heard her neck crack. Massaging it in pain, Skylar saw a small stage over the end of the carpet. A tall golden throne sat on the stage and to the woman who was sitting on it, it looked smaller. She was staring unblinkingly at Skylar, and Skylar's eyebrows scrunched up in worry, as she wondered whether she was dead or whether she was alive. She recognized the same spitting image of the lifeless form in the box, sitting before her. She was the exact copy of her sister, whereas her sister's smile was kind, but this woman's was not.

"Gertrude"

*

The name slipped through Skylar's lips as she stared at her sneakers. The woman smiled.

"I see," she hissed in her horrible voice. She was trying to sound casual but she failed in it. Skylar turned and looked up at her. "You recognize me already." she smirked.

Skylar looked up at the woman once more. She was sitting gracefully on the throne, looking maliciously at Skylar, and here she was sprawling on the floor. Rage came to Skylar's heart, and gritting her teeth, trying not to shout out in pain, Skylar dragged her feet and she stood up slowly. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the woman's green eyeballs follow her every action.

Skylar came to the carpet once more and took a few steps forwards. She thought that the throne might have been invisible and just because she had leaned in to have a closer look at the locket, had made it visible to her. Skylar wondered whether the throne was visible only to her, but as she was the only one inside the room, except for the living and dead form of the same woman, it did not matter to her.

Skylar raised her head, and looked up at the woman on the throne. She smiled ruefully at Skylar.

"I always liked bravery." she hissed, a hint of a smile playing over her lips. Skylar did not look as though she had come for small talks.

"How do you know me?" Skylar asked. She tried to not to flinch as her own voice echoed around the room. The woman chuckled.

"Haven't you read the words over the frame you might have seen on the way here?" she asked. Skylar shook her head in anger.

"I need an answer." Skylar said, raising her voice. The woman's false smile left her lips. Her cheeks darkened to an ugly shade of red, and put her face in shadow.

"I," the woman said loudly. "am Gertrude." she looked at Skylar's eyes. "The most powerful and the most brave." she finished, puffing out her chest in pride.

Skylar chuckled and shook her head as though she was listening to a kindergarten child.

"You don't need to introduce yourself once more." Skylar replied sarcastically. She smirked looking at the woman's face, and she was able to see anger rise in her. "I asked how do you know my name?" Skylar hissed, and the woman looked at her. If looks could kill, that one definitely would have killed Skylar.

"Of course I know you." the woman said. Skylar's eyes formed a line and she looked at the woman. "You look just like her." the woman spitted out with venom in her voice, and Skylar felt her confusion increase.

Who did she look like?

Skylar looked at the woman once more. She did not want to ask like whom, as she knew that the woman was having a good time tormenting her.

"Why are you here?" the woman asked, as Skylar did not reply.

Skylar raised her eyebrows looking at her. She had not come here willingly. She was pulled down through a pressurized chute. But looking at the woman, Skylar knew the purpose of her being pulled back. She was not going to let it go to waste, after she had come so far.

"I killed your guardians." Skylar said, jerking her head behind her, and pulling up her lips in the corner. The woman looked coldly at her.

"I don't need a guardian Skylar." she said, trying not to raise her even voice. "They are creatures who were rejected from your world, and I have just given them," she thought, finding a better word. "shelter." she added hurriedly.

Skylar felt that the woman might have felt inferior as Skylar had almost insulted her. Skylar chuckled.

"Whoever." she said without any interest. The woman closed her eyes to slits and looked at Skylar.

"You didn't answer me yet." she said. Skylar looked up.

"Were you married?" the question left Skylar's mouth before she could stop herself.

The woman chuckled. "Unlike our traitorous sister," she spitted the word out, shooting daggers at Skylar. "We never preferred to have our hands dirty." she said, proudly raising her head up.

Skylar looked at her, raising her eyebrows.

"What about the ring on your finger then?" she asked, knowing that curiosity would kill her, if she did not receive an answer. For the first time ever since Skylar had met the woman, she looked uncomfortable. The woman's eyes darted towards the coffin once more, and without getting an answer, Skylar suddenly understood what she was trying to hide.

"You just wanted to be married!" Skylar shouted, and the woman looked surprised at her. Skylar looked at her dark eyes and realized that she had gone too far.

"IT DOESN'T MATTER NOW." the woman screamed and a loud bang echoed around the room. Skylar shut her eyes in fear and bent down. Remaining how she was, Skylar slowly raised up her head and looked at the woman. She was looking angrily at Skylar and she knew that the woman had powers, she did not even have any idea about.

Shuddering in fear, Skylar stood up once more. She knew she was afraid, but she did not want to show it to anyone.

"I came here to get your heart."

Skylar said at once, and even she was surprised at her sudden choice of words. Skylar felt as though someone else had made her talk, and she tried to hide the surprise in her eyes. She looked at the woman.

Her green eyes had turned an ugly black. She looked at Skylar, raising her chin up, as though she would remove Skylar's head than give Skylar her heart.

The woman smirked. "Why don't you take it from me then?" she asked.

Skylar's eyebrows raised up. Was she trying to test Skylar, or did she want to do this in the hard way?

Skylar composed herself once more, getting ready to face whatever was put in her way. She stretched her arms to her sides, and closed her eyes. As Skylar opened her eyes once more, there was the red tongue of flame, dancing in her eyes, illuminating her face with a fiery glow. The woman's eyes squinted looking at Skylar. She smirked.

As though she was able to read the woman's mind, Skylar swirled her hands through the air and black flames issued from her hands. In perfect synchronization, Skylar aimed it at the big red ball of fire that was thrown her way. Skylar did not know how, but her everlasting fire ate the red ball of fire. She stared surprised at her hands.

Was she more powerful than the woman?

Skylar saw the woman's eyes narrow in anger. She might have been thinking the same question as Skylar, and without any prior notice, Skylar jumped back, as a giant serpent issued out of thin air. Skylar snapped her fingers and the serpent vanished into thin air. The woman looked ruefully at her. She turned her head to the side, and Skylar rose gracefully up to her feet. She raised herself up into the air, and waited until the woman was ready. Her eyes followed Skylar's and with a split second, fire rounded her.

Skylar's eyes scanned the circle of fire that had rounded her. She looked back at the woman once more. She was smirking at her, and Skylar knew that she was trapped. With an angry screech, Skylar raised her hands up, and a shining silver dagger was in her hands. She brought it down and forcefully, Skylar flew towards the woman, stretching her hands. Skylar was afraid whether the fire would stop her, but without any resistance, she was able to fly past it.

Skylar narrowed her eyes as she saw that the woman did not even flinch as she neared her. With anger clouding her eyes, Skylar screamed and she stopped a feet away from the woman, and looked at her hand, where the dagger in it had pierced the woman's heart. Skylar was surprised. The dagger looked as though it was cutting through thin air, and there was not even a hint of the blood on her chest. Skylar looked at the woman's face, and saw that she was smirking at Skylar.

She raised her hand and slowly touched Skylar's hands. With an angry screech, Skylar pulled out the dagger, and jerked her hand away from the woman's hold. She smirked at Skylar once more and Skylar fell back as a sudden force hit her. Skylar felt the dagger fly out of her hand. She looked at it and turned to stare at the woman once more. She did not look disturbed at all, and with a sudden lightening of thoughts, Skylar knew that she had aimed wrong. Scrambling back up to her feet, Skylar ran towards the coffin, and stood beside it, looking at the face of the sleeping woman inside. She turned towards the woman on the throne and smiled maliciously at her. For the first time ever since she had seen the woman, she looked troubled. Skylar's eyes glinted in vengeance and she raised her hand up, pointing the end of the dagger over the sleeping woman's chest. Skylar looked at the woman from the corner of her eyes.

"No!" the woman shouted warning Skylar. She just smirked at her, and turned towards the sleeping body once more. With a snap of her fingers, Skylar created an everlasting cage of white flame around the woman who was staring madly at her, and she hissed angrily, as she realized that she had no way out. Skylar smirked.

"Not so powerful now, are you, Gertrude?" Skylar asked, chuckling and turned towards the dagger's end. With an ear splitting scream echoing from the woman, Skylar pressed the tip of the dagger over her chest. Skylar stared at it, a mad glint in her eyes, as black blood issued from out of the tip.

"NOOOOOO!!"

*

The woman screamed, but it did not stop Skylar. She pressed the dagger further and only after the hilt was visible, she stopped. She turned towards the cage and saw that the woman was lifeless inside. She turned towards the dead body. There was an ugly black blotch over her chest, and Skylar took the dagger out. She cut the golden chain with the blood soaked dagger, and pulled the locket out. She pulled the latch from the side and opened it. She coughed as green smoke issued out from it. Skylar looked at the opened locket. There was the image of the woman and the left portrait looked burnt. Skylar looked at the woman on the throne. She did not know what made her do it, but Skylar tore the photo from the locket and she looked at the throne as the woman changed. Her face darkened and her skin started to pull around her face. Her eyes scrunched up and the wrinkles around her eyes increased. The woman screamed and white smoke came out of its mouth. A tongue that looked like overcooked meat, protruded from out of her mouth. Her eyes bulged and the veins in her eyes shuddered, shivering as the blood inside increased its pressure. Her lips shrunk and her face turned pure white. The woman's hair started to turn gray and an ear splitting screech was heard as she tripped her foot, while she was trying to stop her changes. Her hands thinned and the lacy dress looked too big for her. She lifted her head and looked up at Skylar, and she gritted her rotten teeth in anger. Without wasting time, Skylar snapped her fingers and the woman started to fade away into nothing. A powerful beam went around her, pushing back Skylar towards the coffin, and she looked back, afraid that she had knocked the body down. Skylar stumbled and held onto the coffin as the beam wavered and it slowed down, leaving only the smell of burnt smoke in its wake.

Skylar shook her head and looked at the woman in the box. She was ready. She just had to take out her heart now.

Closing her eyes and concentrating hard, Skylar pulled up courage into her heart. She opened her eyes and looked at the sleeping woman. The beautiful blue shade in Skylar's eyes was missing. Instead, the red flame grew intense, and without any hesitation, Skylar put her hand inside the coffin and groped over the wound she had created with the dagger. She stretched her fingers, and opened the wound more, as though the skin was made with cotton wool. Groping her fingers deeper, Skylar hissed in disgust as she felt the woman's veins and lungs touch her fingers. She did not want to hesitate, and with one sweeping motion, her fingers touched the skin of the woman's heart and she rounded the heart with her fingers. She held it tightly as the heart started to throb and shiver in vain.

With a sound as though a giant plug was being pulled off, Skylar pulled the woman's heart out. Blood spattered over Skylar's face and body. She saw the woman's body turn black and she turned her head to look at the throbbing muscle of the heart in her hand. A victorious smirk kissed Skylar's lips and she turned her head to the side, admiring her handy work.

Skylar was surprised at herself. She was sad and afraid when she had taken out Ethel's heart. But even when she had pulled out Gertrude's heart, and was staring right at it in her hand, she did not even feel a drop of remorse towards her. Skylar shook her head and looking at the throbbing heart, she snapped her fingers. The heart disappeared, joining Ethel's in her hide out.

Skylar felt the blood drip along her face but she did not wipe it. She felt as though she was a knight who was returning back from the war ridden field. Skylar did not want to linger anymore in the building, and with hurried steps she left the building and passed the tall frame.

"Goodbye Gertrude." she hissed with a smirk on her face as she passed it, and ran over the dead Night Shadows. She found the ornate glass door, and once more stood in the pentagon room. She looked up, and raised back on her feet, sliding through the air, and she closed her eyes.

Skylar felt the air change around her, and she smelled the dark night's cold wind kiss her cheeks. She pulled her jacket closer to herself and slowly opened her eyes. With a jolt in her heart, Skylar recognized where she was. She was exactly where she was standing before she was pulled back into the pressurized chute, and only the evening had gotten colder.

"SKY!"

Jumping up in surprise, she turned to look where she had caged Ed. He was still struggling but he looked unscathed.

"Eddie"

Skylar hurriedly went towards him, and snapped her fingers as the cage lost around him. Ed fell back, relaxing, and he stood up. Skylar gave him some time, and after he had stood up, he looked up at Skylar, his eyes pained in worry.

"Darling..." the soft whisper escaped his lips as he opened his arms and came towards Skylar. His eyebrows scrunched up as he saw all the blood on Skylar's body. Skylar took a step back as he came closer, leaning onto her undamaged foot.

"Don't Eddie," she said. Ed stopped and looked at her. His eyes were hurt because of her rejection. Skylar started to explain in a soft voice, noticing his worried eyes. "I am stinking and I have all these bl-" before Skylar had completed her sentence, Ed shook his head and he covered the distance between them. He put his arms around Skylar's waist and pulled her into a crushing hug, as Skylar too put her arms around his neck, and she melted in his arms. They remained together, their hearts racing with each other. After a long time, Skylar slowly loosened her arms, but Ed did not. He held her still, keeping her safe, as she slowly got released and stared into his eyes, remaining inside his protective arms.

"I was worried darling." Ed said softly. He pressed his lips onto her forehead and Skylar closed her eyes, drinking in its warmth that spread around her. She looked up at Ed. He sighed and hugged her once more. Skylar pressed her cheek to his chest and listened to his heart beat.

Ed had been angry at Skylar for what she had done to him. No one had passed him for all the time he was caged, but he knew that she had done what she had done only to protect him from any harm, because both Skylar and Ed perfectly knew that he would not wait back, looking at Skylar, while she was in trouble. So, the anger in his heart had been overcome by love, and as the time had wore on, Ed had lost hope in Skylar. His heart had been thumping madly, and even though how hard he had tried, the cage had not even moved an inch. So, when he was just on the verge of giving up, he had noticed Skylar once more as she had appeared back from where she had disappeared.

Taking one glance at Skylar was enough to make Ed forget all the bad feelings he had towards her. He did not know how he would cope in the future, if one look at her made him forget all of his feelings. But chuckling to himself, thinking that he had more time to worry about that in the future, Ed gave a light kiss onto her head, drinking in her sweet smelling hair. He wanted to ask where she had gone and what had made her have such a lot of blood in her hands and all over her, but he knew that all of it could wait. She was there with him. And that mattered the most for him and was his main priority.

Skylar sighed and she slowly released Ed. She got back from his hold, and Ed let her, but did not leave her completely. He kept on holding onto her shoulders, afraid that she would disappear right in front of his eyes, if he left his contact holding her.

"I am so sorry, Eddie." Skylar whispered in a soft voice. She did not look like the girl who had just pulled out a heart from a powerful woman, just moments ago. She slowly looked up at Ed.

"I was worried about you, you know." she said. Ed nodded his head, closing his eyes.

"I know darling," he said, but Skylar shook her head, asking him not to interrupt her. Ed chuckled, but obliged and listened.

"I knew that something bad was going to happen." Skylar started once more. "And I also knew that you will not let me do whatever the thing alone. But I was afraid, afraid that something very very bad might happen to you." she closed her eyes and sighed. She was feeling her emotions build up inside her. "I don't want to repeat what happened last time Eddie." she said slowly, and looked up at him. Ed saw the tears shine in her eyes. He felt his emotions start to come up, and smiling at her, he bit his lips trying not to spill them out. He chuckled at Skylar, and pulled her towards him once more. He leaned his head on her shoulder, as she hugged him close. Ed smoothed her hair down, and Skylar closed her eyes enjoying being in his warmth.

After all the action packed evening she had, she needed him to soothe down her racing heart. Skylar sighed as she realized that she was at the right place. As long as she was with Ed, she knew she was home.