"T-Take me out?" I asked shakily as Bella's unusually dark eyes focused on me.

"Yeah. It's about time."

She was really starting to scare me.

Then Michael blew the tension - at least, the tension I was feeling - into bits as he laughed a little. "She thinks you're going to kill her, Bella."

Bella's eyebrows raised, and she gave me a little smirk. "That's interesting. But also not what I mean. What I mean is that you're finally going to fight a real battle."

"A real one?" I glanced at Aarti for help, but he just gave me an uninterested look.

"Yes. A battle where you're actually killing someone - or rather, something." She smiled again, though this time, it was less kind and more on edge and serious.

"Bella."

I cursed as Leon's tiny figure popped up in front of us.

He noticed me and my wounded leg, frowning. "The fuck?"

My mouth opened into a shocked gape, and he ignored it. Turning to Bella, he said,"Julie's keeping up. Wesley's a bit useless, seeing as they're fears, but he's using Ariane. Travis is doing well, but I left Austin to sub for him. I'm afraid he might not affect them as much. Snow's up and running again. She managed to kill Myra, but it might not be long before she's back too." He finished this with a tip of his head to the side.

"What about you?" Chrissy asked. Her voice was loud next to my ear, and she mumbled,"Sorry," when I flinched.

Leon rolled his eyes. "Don't worry. Since we have the same fear, Julie's handling them. They don't seem to be the same as before. Maybe a bit weakened?"

Bella grimaced. "Shirley isn't there, is she? Lot isn't here, so she shouldn't be able to completely manifest."

"She's a pride, not a fear. These are all fears. Austin's pride is here, but she's not having any problems."

"Well, duh. She can manifest without a problem. She's a fucking hellcat, damn it." Bella seemed to be bothered by whatever the "pride" thing they were talking about.

"Don't be jealous, Bell. Besides, it's not like we can pull out Shirley just anywhere." Michael patted his sister's shoulder.

"Whatever."

"W-wait. What are fears, and prides? A-and why are we fighting?"

"Fears as in capital F Fears, and prides as in capital P Prides. Uh..." Chrissy looked at Bella.

Bella mumbled something and said,"Liz, can... I mean, can you handle killing something?" She looked impatient as she gestured to Aarti and Leon, who both turned away and left, disappearing into thin air.

"I think? But did you guys really not see my sister? And why the complete personality change on them?"

"What sister? Are you feeling okay, Liz? As for the change, they're always like that. But are you sure you're okay?" Chrissy put her hand against my forehead.

I thought about her explanation for Aarti and Leon, but decided to store it away for later. "Yeah. But my sister was here...Strawberry blonde? Light green eyes?"

"As compared to your white blonde and dark blue?" Bella asked. "That doesn't sound like a relative at all. Or anyone I've seen."

"Bella, we really should go back now," Michael said with concern. "Except for the family, nobody really knows how to defeat them. There are so many minions out there that it's almost impossible to think of driving all of them out. And the city..."

Silver was at the very beginning of the city boundaries of Avanti. We were considered almost like a first line of defense for the city. Jackson would be considered the second.

"Yes. First, Liz, go pick up y - the scythe behind you." Bella flicked her eyes towards the area behind me, and I slowly turned around with Chrissy's help.

My scythe lay on the floor, and our kitchen table had half of it crumbling away on top of my scythe. I carefully limped towards it and dug it out, ignoring the splinters in my skin as I finally held my weapon again.

"Nine Lives Scythe, I am Elizabeth Leandro. Please heed my commands once more." I softly whispered this to my scythe, and it built up a soft, warm glow before it grew into cold metal again.

I took a deep breath, and turned back to face my friends. Bella was looking at me, her face blank, but her movements saying something different as she gently tapped her foot. She was impatient. Chrissy and Michael were waiting, their gazes expectant. A strange, knowing silence drifted over the room and settled down: a silence that knew something was about to change.

"Let's go," I said, breaking the still air as I straightened. I was finally reunited with my past, and it was about time I came to terms with it.

Today would be the day I started my battle, not only to reclaim my place, but also to create my future.

A/N: Short but efficient chapter, don't you think?

Bella will be speaking next.