The full moon reflected brightly on the calm water. The sand sparkled like three miles of glitter. Sheer cliffs rose up on three sides of the beach with thick vines hanging over the edge.

Valerie walked up the beach bare foot at the edge of the water, the cold tide splashing against her skin. She held her boots in her hand as she waded slowly through the shallows.

She wore a knee-length white dress with no sleeves and a long black cape, clipped around her neck with the Endal family crest.

In the distance, birds chirped their last melodies before nestling into their nests for the night. It was peaceful.

A soft flash of light caught the corner of her vision and she turned to watch Tam glitter onto the beach.

As soon as he appeared she dashed across the sand, smiling as she kicked up droplets of water. "Tam!" She threw her arms around him.

He leaned into the hug. "Hey Valerie."

She pulled away, hiding her arms beneath her cape again. "So, how does the Neverseen like their new Shade?"

Tam smirked. "I think their less than satisfied. They can't make me do anything with out threatening Lihn." His smile faded and he stared at the sand.

Valerie placed a hand on his shoulder. "Lihn's fine. I promise, nothing will happen to her."

He gave her a sad smile. "I know. You're always there for us, for everyone really." He shifted awkwardly under his cape. "Which is why I'm really sorry about this." He raised a melder and, before Valerie could react, he shot her in the chest.

She screamed and collapsed into the sand, shaking.

Tam stood over her, staring shamefully at the ground.

A cloaked figure appeared out of the darkness. "Well done. You're a natural."

Tam flinched as the man touched his shoulder. From his voice, Valerie guessed it was Gethen.
Her suspicions were confirmed when the elf tossed back his hood to reveal blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. He smirked down at Valerie. "Grab her." He yelled into the dark.

As the soft waves splashed against Valerie's hand, it froze, frosting over her fingers.

As another cloaked figure reached for her, a pillar of ice erupted from the sand, throwing him back.

Valerie stood, a ring of spiked ice surrounding her. She glared at the figure rising from the sand and he collapsed, his leg bent at an unnatural angle. A sickening snap echoed off the cliffs surrounding them.

His hood fell back, revealing an elf with black hair and midnight blue eyes - Gren.

Valerie's head tilted and Gren's arm snapped backwards with a crack.

Gethen pushed into her mind.

Valerie felt his strange consciousness in her head.

She clenched her jaw, fighting him. "Get out." She hissed and Gethen dropped to the beach unconscious like he'd been punched in the face.
Valerie met Tam's sad gaze.

He quickly looked away. "I'm sorry. I didn't have a choice."

Valerie held up her home crystal, half expecting Tam to tackle her to the ground and wrestle it away from her. "There's always a choice." As she raised her crystal into the light, someone grabbed her from behind. Unclasping her cape, Valerie pulled her family crest free of the fabric and jumped away from yet another cloaked figure.

Now, her arms were fully exposed and Tam's eyes widened when he saw her scars.

The Neverseen member chuckled. "So, we did leave a mark." Valerie could almost hear the smirk in the woman's sinister voice.

Tam stared at her arms, his eyes pleading her for an explanation.

A stream of water spiraled around the cloaked woman. She was a Hydrokinetic.

Valerie grinned. She clenched her fist and the water froze. The ice spread towards the woman and up her cloaked body, stopping at her throat.

Valerie raised her crystal again. At the last minute, her eyes met Tam's. Was he crying? No, he never cried, but, in that moment, he looked pretty close.