(THIS IS A BACKSTORY NOT A CHAPTER TO THE ACTUAL PLOT JUST SOME BACKGROUND)

   The wind howled as I ran. I couldn't just slack off, especially since we have threats against attacks. Katelyn always said that my training was never over even after me being here for 2 years now. She pushes us so hard these days. I run faster, pushing myself to the edge. My knee buckled and I trip, tumbling over myself multiple times. I land on my back and my breath leaves my body.
  "Wow, super well done Anna." I hear laughing and I recognize it. Zane's older brother Garroth. I sit up in pain. "I would ask if you wanted to ya know pare. I see though that you are in such pain." I laugh and get up.
   "Never, lets do it." I grab my dual swords, the sound of them slipping out of their holsters giving me enough adrenaline to kill him. Garroth chuckles again and nods, cueing that I can come after him anytime now. I run after him and him and I do a dance of fighting and stances.
  He rolls and go after my feet and I jump, going into a roll and pinning him to the ground. "Fancy move there." He smirks and flips us over and places his sword on my neck. I use my knee and kick him, causing him to get off and double over in pain.  I place my feet on his hands and point my sword on his chest. He shakes his head in surrender and I furrow my brows. "Easy to give up today."
   "Well yeah you kicked me in my weak spot." His head goes back as I see his chest heave. I get off of him and help him up, his hand interlocking with mine. When he gets up, he uses the arm he has ahold of and pushes me against the wall of the Jury quarters. "We need to get inside." He seems worried now. "Did you hear that?" I listen closely and realize he was right. I hear a portal.
  "It's a portal. I have to get rid of it." I release myself from Garroth and go to the weapons and grab my armor and an axe. Garroth runs over to try to stop me.
  "You can't go alone. Let me come with you."
   "Fine. But I have to do the work." I can see he doesn't want me to go at all, he's worried. "I'll be fine."
  He grabs his stuff and we head out. The portal's screeching getting louder as we approach. Our horses stop suddenly not dating to get any closer, flipping us off of them.
   Garroth and I tumble to the ground, groaning in pain. "Irene...why." Garroth doubles over and I get up grabbing my sword in one hand and my axe in the other. I stop dead in my tracks when I hear dark laughing coming out as he emerges. The Shadow Lord, Shad. "What are you doing here sweetheart? You're too fragile to do this." My grip tightens as he runs up to me and I block him, and he chuckles. I get out of his par and go around to his feet and he falls to the ground. He rises to his feet as if he never fell and laughs at me.
  I go at him again but he pushes me down. I kick him in his stomach and get up. Garroth goes from behind but Shad throws him away like he's a piece of paper, no effort used. I scream and I go for his abdomen but he gets me first...
  I fall to the ground as I hear Garroth yelling. I see him running back as I'm bleeding out. Shad wraps his arms around mine and carries me into the Nether...the last thing I ever saw and heard was Garroth yelling and running to get me.

—

  I wake up hazy. "Where the hell am I?"
  "Welcome back to the Nether honey." Shad gallivants in front of me showing off the cell I'm in. I try to get up but I'm chained to the wall, and every part of my body hurts and aches. 
   "Why am I here, why do I hurt?"
   "Because I am saving you. Again. Without me taking you here you would've died in the moronic human world." He laughs, "and that pain is the Nether withering away your heart and soul, stripping you of life." His eyes gleam back at me with pure evil. I pull at the chains but there's no use, it only causes more harm than good. "Have fun hun, I'll check in when you are done, to see if you lived." Shad leaves with that wretched laugh.
   I sit here in pain, feeling the Nether rip everything out of me. It hurts, feels intrusive. I sit here, giving in. I can't do anything else than that anyway. Maybe this is how I die....
But then it hits me...these are the trials I never went through...