Schaffel and Willa looked at each other in fear, the cold air of the night blowing in their faces, and rustling their hair.

"Were those Imods?" Willa asked. "How did they find us?!"

Schaffel looked down, and his face suddenly shifted to dark. "They must have it, and tracked us with it."

"What's "it"? How?" Willa asked.

Schaffel's eyes suddenly changed to purple, and his face changed to calm and serene, almost as if he was sleeping with his eyes open. 

Willa waved her hand in front of him to wake him. "Schaffel? Schaffel!"

He couldn't hear her. 

Instead he entered a strange dark room, where he saw the Imods gathered around the table, the map resting in the middle. "The map has become of use to us." The Imod's low voice echoed in Schaffel's head. "The humans will be gone." As the vision faded, so did the voice, as Schaffel began to hear Willa's voice calling his name.

"Schaffel!" She shouted.

Schaffel blinked, and his eyes changed back to normal.

"What happened?" Willa said. "Your eyes went purple. It was weird."

"I don't know. It felt like one big dream..." Schaffel mumbled. "I saw something though..." Schaffel looked down. "It was the Imods—with the map."

"What?" Willa crossed her arms.

Schaffel's face changed to frustration. He knew this would happen. If they wanted the humans gone, this map was the key.

It's my fault they have it.

Schaffel's face fell into his hands, and he began to cry, "the Imods—they're using the map to find the humans—and kill them all!" He heard an irritated sigh come from Willa. 

"What do we do then?" She said sternly.

"I don't know..." Schaffel looked down.

Out of nowhere, he heard an echoey voice. "It connects to the different species on whatever planet it lies on." Schaffel recognized the voice, and turned to face the Emperor, who was already facing him, his eyes flashing purple. "That's how the Imods found you. But it also does something else..." The bird continued. "It makes an extremely strong connection to the Cadmusian who wields it. You can find it, but they can find you too."

The bird's eyes remained still, and focused on Schaffel's not even daring to blink. "The vision you had is your connection to it." Then, the Emperor's eyes shifted back to its normal colour, and his head turned back to the front, gaze focused on the sky ahead.

"What just happened?" Willa said, her eyes wide with confusion. "Why was the bird's eyes purple and weird?" 

"I'm connected to the map, Willa." Schaffel replied ignoring both of her questions. 

Willa's face immediately shifted, and she looked at him in shock. "That explains your vision." she breathed. "But can they still find you?" 

Schaffel nodded. "They'll be back."

When Schaffel and Willa awoke then next morning, they woke up on a patch of grass. 

Willa sat up, confused as to why she was on the grass, but she was even more confused to see the large purple bird taking down trees, and stacking them on each other.

"What is it doing?" Willa asked bluntly.

"I think it's for protection." Schaffel said, running through the grass towards the bird.

Willa pursed her lips to hold back her snort of laughter, and raised her eyebrow. "What'll sticks of wood do exactly?"

"Obviously something, why else would he be doing it?"

"He?" Willa crossed her arms.

Schaffel laughed, as he caressed its back. "You are in fact standing in the presence of the Emperor of Universe 314, which happens to be a he."
Willa raised an eyebrow. "You're trying to convince me that this is an Emperor? I thought it was some strange large purple bird thing."

"Have you ever seen some strange large purple bird thing walk the face of this planet? Or talk?" Schaffel pouted then placed his hands on his hips.

Willa's eyes widened. "He talks?"

"That's how I found out I was connected to the map." Schaffel replied.

"Cool reincarnation exists." Willa nodded her head, with a mix of sarcasm and fascination.

Willa face shifted to concerned. "Why is he a bird?"

"When the Imods took over Cadmus, he was the leader of it." Schaffel sighed, "so he was there, and died there too." He stroked his fur.

Willa nodded, and apologized respectfully. "Have you had any more of your visions?" she crossed her arms.

"No, not yet." Schaffel said in disappointment. "I thought of where it might be, but I'm not sure."

"So, all we have to do is wait. While green monsters kill thousands of more lives." She sat on the grass in frustration.

Suddenly, Willa felt a sharp pinch of pain go deep into her skull. She held her head in her hands, as they trembled. Her body collapsed until she was on her side, curled up into a ball of pure pain and agony.

"Willa? Willa!" Schaffel ran over, and tried to help her, but Willa was stuck in one position until she raised her head to look at Schaffel. The whites of her eyes were bloodshot, and her iris' were a dark red. Veins began to bulge blue and purple hues from the sides of her head, and she turned away, letting out a cry of pain.

Willa felt as if her brain was being torn apart, and she couldn't stop it. Traumatizing memories rushed in, as tears filled her bloodshot eyes. She had no recall of these memories, but they were all of her when she was in the lab. The tests, experiments, the horrible feeling of mustard gas surrounding her.

Finally it stopped, and Willa breathed heavily, her heart pounding against her chest. She turned to Schaffel who sobbed in his hands.

Willa reached for his hand, and he let her take it.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know how to help you." He mumbled. 

"I'm fine now okay?" Willa replied, her voice dry and crackly.

Schaffel continued to sob, "I thought you were going to die."

For the rest of the day, Willa's thoughts drifted off, thinking about the file she found, as it was definitely connected to what happened earlier. Clearly, the memories Jan removed are coming back. Every single one. The painful ones especially.

But why now?

What is happening to me?

I've had occasional headaches, but never this severe.

Suddenly the thought hit her. She remembered the file, saying she had a brain disease, and what Jan told her—it was deadly, and that there's no cure.

I'm going to die.

Willa remained in an uncomfortable silence, and gazed out into the sky deep in thought. Willa didn't want to accept this fate. But she had to. Death is inevitable, and she can't control it like she can with objects. 

"What's wrong?" Schaffel asked. "Do you wanna talk about earlier?"

"No, I don't, and I'm fine." Willa creplied sternly.

Schaffel sighed then turned away.

Willa glanced over at him, deciding whether or not to tell him.  

But how would he respond? 

Willa groaned in irritation, then shifted to face Schaffel. "Actually I do."

Schaffel turned to face her.

"When we were in the lab, I found a file." She swallowed hard. "It had my name on it, so I took it. When I read it, it told me about all the experiments done on me. Yet, I didn't even remember them." She clenched her fists, "because...they removed my memories."

"Now—suddenly—I just started remembering them." Willa looked down, knowing she only told half the story, leaving out probably the most important part. But she couldn't bring herself to tell him.

It would only hurt Schaffel more. Besides, we've got other pressing concerns right now.

"That's why you were in pain." Schaffel mumbled. "Why now?"

"I don't know..." she lied, looking down at her hands.

Schaffel looked at her with doe eyes. "Me neither."

Willa randomly awoke to the sound of planes flying overhead, and Schaffel grabbing her forearm and pulling her away. 

Willa sat up, her ears ringing, her sight blurry.

What happened?

She felt a throbbing pain in her nose, so she touched it, as blood touched the tip of her fingers. "Crap." she mumbled.

She turned and saw Schaffel sitting beside her, watching her innocently.

Willa looked at him, trying to recall the events that just happened, until a black fabric was thrown over her head.

Y'all I frickin' love Willa. But I also feel terrible for her.

Please comment and vote THANKS! 

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