The light flickered and he felt a stab of cold rush through his body. Clenching his fists, he gritted his teeth.

The darkness pushed closer. It pressed in on him, trying to snuff out the small ray of light that he had created.

He cradled the precious beam of light in his hands, protecting it from the barrage of the shadows. The dark advanced ever closer to the spot of light.

He squeezed his eyes shut because that was somehow brighter than his surroundings. He thought about everything he had to fight for. Sophie's face filled his vision. Only Sophie, but it was enough. He clutched the light tighter and let it fuel him. "No!" He thrust the light above his head, letting it grow and disperse the darkness.

The shadows reeled back.

His hand shook with the effort it took to hold back the darkness.

With the light now exposed, the dark pressed in on it, hungry to destroy the meager ray.

He pulled back his hand, attempting to save the light, but the shadows had reached it. He closed his hands around it, but its warmth faded steadily until only the cold remained. He opened his hands as the final spark disappeared. He dropped to his knees. The light was gone. His hope was fading.

The shadows surged up, forming a silhouette of Everglen. The lawn was lit aflame with Everblaze, the yellow flames licking across the grass.

He couldn't see the house or any of the Vackers. Desperate, he dashed across the yard in search of anyone... anything. His foot splashed in a hot puddle.

A searing cold surged through his leg, contrary to what he expected.

He looked down.

Molten jewels encrusted his foot, spattered up to his knee.

His heart skipped a beat. He bolted forward his heart pounding out of his chest. "Please. Please. Please." He skidded to a stop as the house came into view.

The whole building was in flames and half melted. A pool of molten gems saturated the ground, spreading towards him.

His breath caught in his throat. He scanned the nightmare scene frantically. He thought he saw a figure move among the flames. His eyes widened. "No." He charged forward, heedless to the melted jewels sending waves of freezing cold up his legs. He waded through the liquid gems towards the house. "Della! Biana!" His legs ached and he choked on the sweet smoke. "Alden!" I coughed violently, his eyes watering. "Fitz!!!" He couldn't see through his tears and his voice was raspy and hoarse. He stumbled blindly forward, still shouting through his dry chapped lips. He tripped and fell forward. Catching himself with his hands, the cold stabbed his arms. He was shaking and hacking as he tried to crawl through the boiling jewels.

A soft noise broke through the crackling of the fire. It grew steadily louder. Soon, he could make out one word. The voice cried out over and over the same thing. "Keefe. Keefe! KEEFE!"

He lifted his head and scanned the smoky darkness. "Sophie?"