As Mile walked through the woods, the sun broke through the clouds and smiled down on him, filling him with a warm comfort.

"I miss Mei," he thought to himself. "She was my best friend. And she made the best cookies. I never should have let my anger get between us." He let out a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping. "I just wish I knew how to apologize."

Suddenly someone knocked him down from behind, pinning him to the forest floor and starting to punch him.

"Let me go!" Mile gasped, trying to fight back, but the figure had him pinned.

"You're not going anywhere," it hissed.

Mile tried to see who it was, but all he could see was black. The figure kept punching him, its fists making contact with his face and body over and over again. He felt a sharp pain in his side and knew that he had to do something. Summoning all his strength, he rolled out from under the figure and scrambled away, getting to his feet and backing against a tree.

"What do you want?" Mile yelled, ignoring the pain that screamed for attention.

"You," the figure in black hissed, stalking toward him. "I want you."

"What do you mean?" Mile asked, fear paralyzing him.

"You have so much potential, and I'm going to help you achieve it," the figure answered with a sickening grin. "You're going to be my apprentice, my servant. And together, we're going to rule this realm."

"Who are you?!" Mile shouted.

"I am your darkness," the figure replied, stepping closer. "And you will be mine."

Then everything went black.