"Together, we have enough power to reignite the Cave and this time I will finally be able to use it the way I have always intended."

"By taking people's magic? You're as sickly as you look."

"I don't think you have any business speaking about the sick, Zaria. Look at yourself. You're about to fall over at any moment."

"You've been trying to create your own magic, and it's starting another depression. Starting with the Crystal Cave. You're repeating history."

"There's no need for me to explain myself to you when you have no interest in joining me."

I cough and this time I can't catch my breath. "You – won't – touch – them."

"The royal family?" She laughs and slaps her knee. The hollow sounds reverberate through the cave and sends a chill to my core. "Since the moment you entered the cave, I've had them in my hands. It doesn't matter what you decide. Either way, I'm going to get your magic, the cave will become mine, and the royal family will fall. After all. It's just one big game."

Her last few words ring in my head bouncing all around. I feel my knees give out and I fall hitting the ground. The cold surrounds me for a few moments before even the snowy ground feels too warm. I look up and see little specks of black getting closer and closer until the specks kiss my face. They sprinkle from above and I don't even know where they are coming from and I quite frankly don't care.

The slight gasps of confusion coming from Eden are satisfying enough.

There's a flash of light and I believe it must be the end. Painless, I think to myself. What a blessing. The specks fall harder and harder until it looks like it's raining ashes.

Ashes...

I hear an audible gasp. One, unlike all the others. What is happening?

And for once Eden and I agree on something. "What is the meaning of all of this?!" she yells.

There are footsteps. Or, at least I think they're footsteps. Multiple footsteps.

"Zaria," I hear, and the voice is low enough for me to know it's a male. But the voice is too distorted for me to recognize who it's from.

The footsteps get closer, the ground shaking with every step. "Zaria," the voice says again and this time I can feel massive hands wrap around my arms, shaking me.

"Lucy!" the voice calls out and my stomach flips.

Lucy!?

"I remember you." Eden's voice is distinct with its velvety smoothness. "The little lamb with pointy ears."

"What did you do to her?" Lucy says and even I shake at her voice.

"Zaria," I hear softly right by my ear. Looking up all I can see is a whole bunch of white, but this white has a little more shape to it and as I blink, I see the pale blue of Tyrian's eyes.

"What are you guys doing?" I'm able to barely whisper.

"The Ash Bond, remember? It called us. Where do you hurt?"

I don't even know what to tell him. Everywhere? And if it hurts everywhere is there really pain anywhere? It doesn't matter. There's nothing he can do to help my pain. Just Eden's presence here is speeding up the process of poison the more I refuse her command.

"An Ash Bond," Eden says. "How lovely." She raises her voice and it echoes over to me. "Zaria, it seems you do have faithful friends." Her voice goes quiet, but it's loud enough I can hear her say. "Are you here to fulfill the prophecy, sweetie? The maiden's truth, pure as ice, a heroine's delight. Come to save us, little lamb. Courage, love and strength. Make our inner demons scram. Deliver us at length."

How would Eden even know about that song?

"The whole town believed that song was about Zaria. The dragon slayer who saved Lumbridge. But I think they were wrong. And I think you've known it this whole time."

"Your addiction to power is unbelievable. Look at what you you've done!"

She laughs. "You should know all about power, little lamb. Unlike you, I don't keep mine a secret."

"We're going to get you out of here," Tyrian whispers comfortingly. He squeezes me closer to him and the gesture makes me jump more awake.

No. We're not going to make it out of here.

"It's funny," Lucy says in a voice that almost matches Eden's. "I always wondered how you had eyes and ears all over the palace. I just can't believe it took me this long to find it."

My heart races and everything seems like it's going too fast.

"What could you possibly mean?"

"You know," Lucy says and just by the tone in her voice I can only imagine the snarky face she must be giving Eden.

Tyrian pulls me up to sit and my spine doesn't feel right. My bones feel like they will snap at any moment. I've never felt weaker in my whole life. Ahhhh!

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Tyrian says over and over again. Putting his leg against my back he allows me to lean against him.

There's a glimmer that comes from Lucy's hand. She stands close to Eden, unafraid. And just like Lucy always is, she towers over Eden and I swear I can see her flinch. Her aura starts to darken and I can smell fear coming from her. What could Lucy possibly have to make Eden so frightened?

She opens her hand and I can see the color as bright as day compared to the white all around us. Two gemstones both different shades of blue. One is as deep as the night sky, the other as pale as both Lucy and Tyrian's eyes.

"Don't!"

And it all happens in a flash.

I fall back to the ground and quickly prop myself back up to see Tyrian already at the other side of the cave. Tackling Eden to the ground Lucy holds her fist high in the air.

"No!" Eden screams, caught off guard. But there is no time for her to use any of her magic with Tyrian on top of her pinning her to the ground.

Lucy throws the stones down with unbelievable strength and fragments of the stones fly across the ground as they shatter.

An ear-piercing scream echoes like bloody murder through the cave and along with the ashes, the cave fills with smoke. The smoke swirls from under Tyrian and shoots up to the top of the cave. I cover my ears and squint my eyes. There's not much to see other than a big looming cloud above me and the screaming gets even more intense.

All of a sudden, the billowing smoke plummets towards me like a rocket and pierces right into the slave mark.

I scream.

And I don't know where Eden's screams stopped and mine began but they sound the exact same.

"It's terrifying to see just how much destruction love can cause," she hisses before I lose all sense of who I am.

***

"Where did the crystals come from?"

"The eyes of the doll. I always wondered why they were different colors. So, I did a bit more digging."

"Quite literally."

"So, what do we do?"

"I don't know how much we can do."

"I think we were wrong in ever thinking that Eden was human. That's not human."

I always wondered what death would be like. But of all the times I imagined it, I never thought I would hear the voices of my friends arguing about Eden.

I didn't get to her. I let her win. She's... what is she? What happened? And that's when I remember it. The ashes. Lucy and Tyrian. The smoke. The smoke...

Choosing to keep my eyes closed, I listen in.

"We can't just let fate take its course. There has to be something else we're missing," Lucy says and her voice is raspy.

"I already asked Father if he could make a rune."

"And?" Tyrian says.

"And, he wouldn't even let me in. He heard what happened and is now refusing to talk."

I hear a sigh and it perks my ears.

"All of this... I—It's my fault. I never should have fallen for anything she said."

John. What is he doing out? I told him only to come out if there was an emergency.

Against my better judgment, I open my eyes and just like last time everyone notices at once.

I take a deep breath and the left side of my back sears with pain. I wince and hands and arms rush over to me like they're there to catch and piece me back together if I fall apart.

I look around. "Where's Axil?" I ask, hoarsely.

Crista, John, Lucy, and Tyrian look back and forth between each other until Lucy finally speaks up and says, "He had some business to attend to... after... everything."

"What happened?" I ask feeling like I already know what happened. But I need to hear to hear it to know it's real.

"She's gone," John says keeping a blank face and I furrow my brow. Out of all things... that is not what I expected.

"Her attack knocked you out for quite some time, but she dissipated into the air. I don't know where she went." Tyrian keeps his hands in his pocket as he speaks, but his eyes are gentle. Crista and Lucy nod along somberly.

"So, we... don't know where she is?" I clarify.

"If she even is," John intercepts.

I remember her voice in my head right before everything went dark. "It's terrifying to see just how much destruction love can cause."

"But for now, you rest," says Crista. Flashing her crystal-white smile, I'm reminded of the ice and shiver.

"What about the Crystal Cave? It's still frozen?"

"That's a worry for a different time," Lucy says strolling towards me and gently pushing me back. She grabs the covers of my bed and throws them over my still very warm body, tucking me in. Lightly kissing me on the forehead she walks away and opens the door. "Get some sleep," she says before leaving, Tyrian following right after her.

John comes forward. "It's good to see you out of jail," I joke with him. He smiles softly and holds my hand squeezing it.

"You and your stupid decisions," he says shaking his head in disappointment scanning my still body.

"I'm sorry, you must be looking in a mirror."

Before he walks away, I swallow the arrogance Eden claims I have too much of. "John?"

He turns around and raises his eyebrows. "Yes."

I press my lips together and smile. "I forgive you," I tell him.

For a while he just stares, his hand frozen on the doorknob. He blinks, nods tightly, and walks out.

Crista puts her palm against my forehead and leans over me. "Get some rest. I'll come back later and get you some soup."

"Crista," I say boldly grabbing her arm, keeping her here. "I'm still burning up. The poison is still spreading. Eden is still here. I know it."

"Zaria, you didn't see what Tyrian and Lucy saw after you had passed out. They say she disappeared."

"You and I both know dead and disappeared are two separate things."

Her eyes go soft just like John's.

"Get some sleep, Zaria."

Closing the door behind her, I let my tears burn their way down my face. Pressing my lips together I refuse to make a sound.

If this is over... why do I feel like everything is falling apart?