"I pledge to keep you safe."

-Kimberly Derting

Adira's belly was full, but it felt more and more hollow as the clock neared the time for the matches. She had spent the past hour practicing with Ryder, holding his hands, channeling his immunity, as she tired to reach for Obsidian and Taliyah. It took a while until she could tap into them, but once she could grasp onto their powers, they were hers to control.

Obsidian's shadows were hers. She watched them slither up the walls and follow her internal commands as they cast the room into darkness. Taliyah's transporting was hers. With one simple thought, her and Ryder appeared in Adira's cell, still cross-legged on the ground and holding hands.

The amount of power that coursed through her each time she tapped into one of them was almost overwhelming. But it felt nice. She didn't feel hopeless anymore - she could face the world, face anyone, with this power. Each time the power spread through her veins, she wasn't the pitiful orphan anymore. She wasn't just powerful - she was power. And in those moments, she was infinite.

"You're getting the hang of channeling really quick," Ryder said, making Adira's eyes lift to find his. The cerulean of his irises turned liquid as he gazed at her as he gave her hands a squeeze. "You were meant for this."

"No," Adira argued, giving her head a shake. She tried to smother the sense of power that she still felt even though it had vanished from her veins. She could easily imagine how the sheer brilliance of it could get to her head. "I'm just a girl."

"A girl who can save us," Taliyah corrected. "Think about it. Ryder is immune to kraenite. If you can channel him, and then channel some others - boom, we're out of this shit-hole."

"Then why don't we just leave now?" Obsidian said, still perched on the end of Wren's bed. "We can all join hands while Adira works her magic on you two. In a few seconds, we can transport to anywhere we want."

"And leave everyone else behind? No. We're stuck down here together, we leave together."

"We can come back. We have to get out soon, remember Wren's vision?"

"Would you abandon me, Obsidian?"

"No, you're different. We've been here together for a long time. You're my best friend, Tali."

"If you wouldn't leave me, then we can't leave them."

"Taliyah is right," Ryder agreed. He dropped Adira's hands and stood from their spot on the floor. "Everyone deserves freedom - not just us because we have a way out. We can think of something..."

Adira nodded, agreeing with Ryder. But then the room swayed. She tried to straighten her head. Even then, her friends were a blur. It was Wren who noticed first as Adira's eyes suddenly felt heavy.

"Adira," her little voice said. "Are you okay?"

Ryder spun around, his movement causing Adira's stomach to feel like mush. Did she strain her mind too much when channeling? Did she eat something bad at breakfast? She blinked her eyes and all she could see was Ryder there in front of her leaning down to scoop her up in his arms.

Then everything went white.

~

Adira.

The voice in her mind sounded familiar.

Adira, open your eyes.

She tried, but the lids were so heavy. If she could just sleep a little longer...

ADIRA!

Her eyes flew open, wincing from the brightness of her surroundings. She sat up from the ground and shielded herself, trying to peek out from under her arm. Where was she? What happened? The last thing she remembered she was -

"It's me," the familiar voice said aloud this time. "It's Soren."

"Soren?" she asked as she lowered her arm, her eyes adjusting to the white surrounding her. "What is going on?"

"You're dreaming," he said. Her eyes followed his voice to find him standing to her left. "I forced you to sleep, but this is vital - I had to do it."

He was such a stark contrast to the white with his black clothes and his ebony hair which looked a little messier than the last few times she had seen him. His eyes weren't scared or dark as she had remembered. Now they were wide and terrified.

"I don't have long," he said, closing the distance between them. He crouched down in front of her. "But I need you to listen very carefully."

"Why?" she asked. The look in his eyes sent a shiver down her back. "What's happening?"

"We're coming," he said. His hand reached out to place it on her arm, but he quickly retracted it back to his side. "Some friends of mine are going to be in the audience today at the matches. You and the Wielders don't need to fight each other today. Instead you need to fight the enemy and get out. My friends will be there to help you."

"Who? I don't understand."

Soren sighed, shaking his head. He ran his fingers through his hair, frustration rattling his features. "Just fight. Tell the other Wielders to fight. And when you get out, get to the Wall."

"The Wall? Why?"

"I will be there waiting for you. The real me. But this is the most important thing so please listen and try your best to understand."

"I'm here. I'm listening."

He took a deep breath. "I'm not a good person, Adira. I'm a real piece of shit who runs with a crew that's even worse. My leader, Grimm, wants you dead."

"Grimm... I know that name. He is the other Channel."

"Yes, that's him. And he wants you dead because you share powers with him. Stealing another Channel's powers will make him practically invincible. Do not trust him."

"Of course not! Why would I?"

"He's very... appealing at times. He might say things to mess with your mind, make you believe that he's on the good side. But I swear to you, Adira, he is not. The things I have seen him do... the things he's made me do." He shook his head as if he were clearing his brain of something that was haunting him.

Adira followed his gaze as he glanced down at his hands. They were trembling. He balled them into fists, but they still shook. He took a deep breath and reached for her, latching onto her hands like they were the only thing holding him there in the dream.

"Promise me," he pleaded, his eyes burning into hers. "Promise me that you will walk away. I've seen into your head, into your heart." He sighed. "Oh Stars, I see you. When I'm asleep, when I'm awake, you're there. When the night is its darkest, and its shadows slip into my mind, you're the one that has pulled me back."

Adira cocked her head to the side, trying to understand. She'd only met him a few times in her dreams, how did she have that affect on him?

"I know you probably think I am crazy, but we've been connected for years, even if you never realized it. Every night you spent alone, your heart breaking a little more each time," he said quietly, his hand releasing hers and gripping at his chest. "I felt it. When you looked up at the sky and felt free as a bird, I soared with you. When you were scared, happy, sad, I was there, feeling it all right along with you."

"How?" Adira managed to ask, still not quite understanding. "How is that possible?"

The tiny light that flickered in his eyes when he spoke a moment ago, extinguished. His gaze fell from hers, and his features fell dark once again.

"It shouldn't be," Soren admitted. "Something happened, years ago, and even though you don't remember it, I helped you."

Adira's eyes widened, the pieces of the past clicking together in her mind. It was him. Now she realized why his silver eyes were so familiar, why looking at his scar sent shivers down her spine.

"You were there," she whispered, almost inaudible. "The only memory I have of my past was waking up surrounded by dead people. And you... you were there."

Soren was silent. Dead silent. Adira wasn't even sure he was breathing.

"And you walked away," she continued. "You left me there alone."

Silence.

"Did you kill all those people?" Adira asked. When he still didn't answer, she raised her voice, whether in fear or anger she didn't know. "Did you kill them?"

The white room suddenly shifted with her words. Deep crimson ran down the walls like blood, smothering the brilliance that had blinded her. Soren noticed the change, his eyes darting around the room. Had she done it or had he? Was she channeling him through whatever connection they had?

"I didn't kill them," he answered. "But I might as well should of. I stood there and did nothing. I always do nothing. I'm a coward. No, I'm worse. I'm his shadow - Grimm's shadow."

"You were a boy," Adira corrected. "A boy who was scared. I remember the look in your eyes as you walked away from me. What were you supposed to do against a man with a power you've never known?"

"I wish he never would have found me. I wish I would have starved on the streets all those years ago."

Adira gripped his hand again in hers. "Don't say that. Don't let him win. Come with us. When we make it out, leave him. Come with us."

He gazed at her with something different, something new in his eyes. The side of his mouth curled up into a smirk. He parted his lips to say something, but the words never came.

A shadow loomed in the room, sweeping over the two of them like a vulture. Adira tilted her head back, trying to spot what it was that was casting the shadow, but there was nothing.

"What is it?" she whispered, afraid to draw more attention.

"I don't know," he whispered back. "But it shouldn't be here. I'm in control of the dream."

The shadow stopped and slithered behind Soren, making Adira's breath catch in her throat. Neither of them moved. Neither of them breathed.

It was like a snake, winding itself around Soren's torso, his arms, his throat. His eyes stayed connected with Adira's the whole time, as they waited and waited.

Adira couldn't wait anymore.

She lashed out, sweeping the shadows off of him with her hands. "Leave him alone!" she screamed, grabbing his arms and pulling him closer to her.

The shadows disappeared for a brief moment. Then they were back, wrapping themselves even tighter around Soren and yanking him backwards.

"Adira!" he yelled, fear filling his voice. "Wake up! WAKE UP!"

"I'm not leaving you!" she protested. She gripped his hands as if her life depended on it and pulled. But the shadows pulled back and Soren was suspended in the air. "Don't let go!" she yelled as the shadows tugged even harder. Only his fingertips remained in her grasp.

"Promise me!" he pleaded once more. Then he was flying across the room, the outline of his body getting smaller and smaller.

"I promise," she whispered, meaning every syllable.

Then he was gone.

A/N: Not gonna lie, I got a little emotional when writing this chapter. Soren is very near and dear to me and writing the first true emotions he has felt in a long time got to me.

Playlist ~ Sonic Librarian - Firefly Mist  

Who or what was the shadow in the dream? What has happened to Soren?

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING AND ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT!