A world without chaos appeals to me for the very first time.

A place where evil does not exist and there is peace. Somewhere I can rest.

Once, long ago, I could say the opposite. Perhaps I was bored or simply out of touch. We existed as though nothing could burst our perfect bubble. Ruling a country off of what used to be but was not at the time Southern Greece.

Lindon's temple was a part of our vast property, with plenty of crops and people building small villages on the border.

They were gentle neighbors.

A land of his design, where the heart of peace beat happily and for some time war did not exist.

I was so bored then. Tending to small disputes and going out at night to tame riots.

Nothing horrifying ever happened.

And I would go back to that in a heartbeat now, all those years ago. So long ago Europe was hardly Europe and I couldn't taste the pollution.

I wonder now, laying here, if these companions would be assisting me if they knew my plan. If they knew I wanted to destroy this planet and start from scratch because there is just too much... There are simply too many things that need redoing.

Lindon will argue.

He will beg to try.

Unless he, himself is too far gone.

He is always filled with so much hope.

The ground shakes for a third time, dust and dirt falling from the ceiling and powdering the thick air. The particles linger and float around in streams of dim light.

I have to wonder if all these people are doing is helping me with their own demise. If I've gathered them all, bonded with them, just to kill them in the end. Not for any other reason than civilization as a whole cannot be rescued and their minds are too toxic to continue.

There is too much trauma in these bloodlines now.

Lindon might propose going back in time, but even then, many of those I love will cease to have ever existed.

Theron and Remi especially.

Then their love would be for nothing.

My spine tightens, mouth drying up at the thought of it.

My promise does not quite account for dimensional time, but my guess is Theron will want to kill me.

I feel my stomach sinking with every single thought.

A world without them doesn't feel right, somewhere in the universe their souls would be drifting around, waiting.

Perhaps they should leave me here.

Maybe I'm the true danger to their existence.

After a moment, I yank one more time at these cuffs and slump down. Yelling and screaming echo upstairs, fragile glass breaking follows shortly.

I didn't consider how long he would be gone or if he would be lost.

Or if Theron truly couldn't return.

I feel the mana slowly drifting away from me. The stores I had spent months building up were just fading away or being sucked out. This cursed spell stealing even my consciousness from me.

My eyes grow heavy and soon enough the walls could be collapsing and I wouldn't feel it. Everything now silently buzzing instead. Background noise.

Rest is a nice respite.

No more fighting or traveling or scheming.

No more dealing with the emotions of humans.

I feel sedated.

Drugged.

Sleep sounds lovely.

My heart jumps back at the thought of not waking up again then, eyes widening just enough to see the strange smoke pooling from under the door and filling the room. Its coloration is strange, dark blue and purple. The smell fuming with is awful, like molten rust and death.

I feel my lungs seize and threaten to cough but I don't want to.

Something about the situation feels dangerous, even risky.

Turning my head away, I have to find a way to not panic and get free from this hellscape.

Theron likely isn't coming back now.

I feel my soul pulsating, threatening to leave this vessel. The body I find myself constantly struggling to stay inside.

Voices echo outside the thick door. Multiple voices. The bickering muddles together and fades to the back of my mind. As the moments pass and mana fades, they could be sounds coming from anywhere.

Hallucinations or nightmares, spirits or imagination, anything is possible.

My eyes narrow, trying to close again as a figure meshes and blends through the door. His motions are timid, frightened of not having a physical form.

"Iridian? Iridian, people are coming. You've just got to hang on a few more minutes."

Theron's voice.

I smile despite the overwhelming exhaustion and fatigue washing over me.

His presence is peaceful, reassuring.

"They can't hear me... but they found you anyway, that's what's important."

A small huff of a laugh comes out but my eyes shut completely. The air is so heavy. The promises, the world, the truth. Remi and Daniel will be safe. Dan will take care of her and if nothing else, Meika will find Lindon eventually.

"Ira, you need to stay awake."

No, I don't.

There is no reason.

"There are toxins in the air, but-"

A loud smash sends the door flying off its hinges with a lot of cursing and coughs. It lands on the floor a few feet in front of them.

Theron says people as if there were others he didn't know. Perhaps Tamsin, even if that were impossible.

A few figures rise out of the smoke, but my eyes cannot focus long enough to analyze them.

"Theron..." I whisper softly. "You worry too much."

"Theron?" A male steps straight through the brooding ghost's figure. "Ira, it's us... Damn it."

My eyes force themselves open one more time to catch a glimpse of Daniel looking down at me with broken blue eyes. He is holding my stare immediately, speeding over to me when he catches a reaction.

Dan's hand touches mine, locking around it after a moment.

He's alive.

He's here.

"You're not dead..." I murmur.

Daniel gives me a confused look, brows furrowing. "Of course I'm not dead, Ira... I was going to do as you said, but there was just no way to find Lindon without you..."

While he speaks, I find myself checking every inch of his skin that I can see. Looking for wounds, looking for signs of pain and frustration. The only thing mildly different is the missing brown jacket, a soft black thermal shirt the only thing left. 

I smile a little bit. "You're alive..."

He looks concerned, but my eyes flash over Meika and Tamsin dusting themselves off and sharing a quiet conversation.

Even then I search for Theron, whose awkward and silent figure has been slowly drifting to the other side of my bed.

"You have them now, they will take care of you."

I shake my head. "No... No, you stay right here."

"Iridian, who are you talking to?" Dan asks, following my gaze in confusion.

I don't look back, eyes fixated on the lime green stare in front of me.

"You're not leaving me."

"Of course not, Ira," Theron agrees, nodding. "But you need to focus. I will be with you, whether you can see me or not, I'll be with you."

Meika is now edging closer and closer to the table with a vial in her hand.

I start thrashing back and forth, fighting. "No! I don't want that!"

"Iridian, we need to get you out of here," Meika says quickly.

Theron takes a few steps back and begins fading away.

"No! Theron no!"

I start screaming, headbutting Meika in the pelvis and nearly crushing Dan's hand. They both groan, but Daniel never lets go of me and Meika pulls the cork out.

"Theron!"

The lightbulb explodes in a burst of sparks overhead with a sudden flux of mana.

The release numbs my insides, veins burning and sizzling, crackling like a wildfire for only a moment.

My head smacks back down on the table, a dizzy blackness swallowing my vision again.

"She's delirious," Tamsin sighs, attempting to carve opening sigils onto my restraints. "You need to drink this potion, Iridian."

I clamp my lips and eyes tight.

No.

No.

No, I will not.

Daniel tries squeezing my hand one more time and he leans down, closer to my ear. "Remi is waiting for us outside the city gates, she's alone, Ira. We need to go now."

I freeze up, my chest aching.

Meika hands Tamsin the bottle and reaches forward, holding either side of my head and frowning slightly.

"I'm very sorry, Kali..." she says, prying open my jaw.

I taste spices and electricity.

Pain and sadness too.

I taste the ancient push and pull of her natural energy and earth's magic, the warmth of her blood, and the strength of her power. A deep well of mana sitting within her.

The weight of cement and lead holds my body down and consumes the rest of my consciousness.

"I'll carry her," Daniel speaks quietly, constantly concerned we'll all be under attack in minutes.

A faint hint of guilt still bleeds into his words.

It's impossible to know what they've done to pull off breaking into this awful labyrinth.

I shake my head again, weakly. "I'm not leaving Theron..."

"Theron's not here, Ira. He's gone... It's time to go now."

The elder witch's lips purse, her dark brown eyes fixing my limp body with a lethal stare. "We don't have time for this," Tamsin cuts in, raising two fingers glowing with light and pressing them into my temple. "Goodnight Iridian," she smiles.

I don't remember what happens next.

I don't feel my body move or my thoughts fail me.

But reality is finally ripped away from me.

Look Everyone! A quick Update! Hurray!

I hope everyone is having a lovely holiday season! We're entering the final stretch here for book one! I'm so excited. 

Don't forget to vote and comment if you enjoyed this chapter and hopefully I will be seeing you very soon.