The ground gave a monsterous groan rocking I’m sure the whole Kingdom. The careful order Travis had been doing to lower the bookshelves was lost, as they crumbled and collapsed sending books and paper everywhere. Dust clouded and filled the air as another groan rumbled again.

Looking down a large crack ran through the floor. Oh Spirits! The floor!

There was a shout from my left. “Simon? Cast?” I coughed still backing away. “Guys-”

“Maki! Get away from the center!” Simon shouted.

Struggling to my feet I dodged falling books, maps and artifacts that were raining down. I couldn’t tell where in the library I was anymore and one wrong step would be my last-

“Maki! Where are you?”

“Simon?” To my left footsteps came running my way then out of the dust came a bloodied Simon. “Simon!” I stumbled forward and he did the same leaning against me.

“Thank the Spirits you're alive.”

I hugged him tight looking around him. “Where’s Cast?”

He shook his head and my world stopped. No… no that was two people.

“Maki we can’t stay here, we have to keep moving.” He took my hand towing me after him.

I pulled him to a stop. “Do you even know where you're going?”

Instead of answering, he stood completely still covering my mouth when I went to ask and that’s when I heard it.

The clicking.

Suddenly Simon grabbed the front of my robe and shoved me away, my back meeting the solidness of a wall just as the head Demi swooped down and grabbed Simon.

“Simon!”

Simon grabbed the Demi's foot, his gemstones glowing as falling bits of earth swarmed to him, weighing him and the Demi down. The head Demi beat its wings frantically but earth quickly stiffened them and they were lost to the yawning hole.

Another rumble shook the library and the bookshelves that were made from the Primordial Trees roots broke off falling over the hole- filling it.

With one last rumble the ground around the collapsed shelves sealed close with a hiss only leaving a small crack where everyone and the Demi's had just vanished.

I shook my head crawling forward, my sight blurred with overflowing tears. I pounded my fist against the floor, clawed hopelessly at the break in the floor till my fingers bled. I sat back staring around me blankly.

Everything in the archives was gone, every book, every shelf even most of the Primordial Trees roots were gone leaving an ugly seeping wound where they broke off. Everything was gone; it was now just a wide expanse of space as if nothing had ever stood here.

Slowly I backed away from the spot to the closest wall.

Why? Why was this happening to me?

“What a show.”

I turned at the voice but couldn't see through the tears or the vast darkness and dust. Sharp pain erupted from the back of my head as something slammed into me. I fell forward and crashed to the floor with a thud.

The last thing I remembered seeing were two large off blinking yellow eyes.

***

Slowly my eyes fluttered open to stare confused at the high ceiling. Shooting pain exploding on the back of my head.

I tried to focus on what had happened but nothing made sense. The ceiling moved, drawing my attention- no not the ceiling- I was moving.

Slowly I lifted my head and stared blurry eyed at the person dragging me.

“Hey... What's going on?” I called weakly but they didn't reply. “Let me go! Release me-”

They turned sharply, cutting me short as my head smacked into the wall.

“Silence!” The guard yelled as he roughly dragged me faster down the hall. I blinked and the guard's face started making sense to my cloudy thoughts. It was Glase, why was he dragging me?

Confused it took me a moment to understand my situation, to remember what had happened. I pulled back my free leg and kicked out hard.

The guard cursed, dropping my other leg, not missing a beat I rolled and ran down the hall.

“Hey!” The guard yelled, running after me. “He's escaping!” His voice echoing in the halls.

I rounded the corner and ran faster only to skid to a stop as a shadow stepped out from the dark hall and took shape. And there it stood another winged Demi.

I tried to turn around only to have a cold taloned hand grab the back of my vest pulling me back.

I turned and faced it.

Wide yellow eyes stared unblinking at my face, its beak opened and a raspy voice spoke.

“Ah child King, you shouldn't run in the hallway.” it's breath wafted in my face with the stench of rotting meat, my eyes watered. “You're going to have to come with me.”

I struggled against it but it's grip was too strong. “What do you want with me?”

It's eyes slowly moved as it watched my face, then it blinked. “That's not for me to say-”

As it was talking I took my chance and bit into its feathery hand.

It screeched loudly as its hold weakened, I pulled back, it's talons ripping my vest but I was free. Turning to flee, Demi materialized in front of me, those yellow eyes blazing.

I froze. “How-?”

“You shouldn't have done that...” The Demi hissed as it's hand shot forward and wrapped around my face.

I screamed, thrashing about, clawing at its hand. Wherever it touched my skin it was burning it from the cold.

Then the monster began walking, bragging me by my face as I yelled and kicked out.

I was pulled into my mother's old study and thrown onto the ground, finally free of the monster’s touch.

Hugging myself I looked around and jumped as the door slammed closed a bunch of Knights walked in hard distant looks on their faces.

I stared at them with concern. “What's going on? What are you doing with that monster? That Demi?”

“How rude, didn’t my sister teach you not to discriminate against others?” A sweetly familiar voice stated.

I glanced forward then reeled back in stunned horror.

There dressed in billowing white robes of grey- white was my aunt, and wielded in her delicate hand was a blade glowing with dark tendrils. She walked forward from behind the desk and kneeled in front of me.

She looked me over then turned to those present. “I thought I said not to harm him.”

I stared at her face and she smiled.

“My little King, you must be scared. Confused?” Her other hand, the one that had held that Demi, came up and cradled my cheek. “Don't worry, I'm here now. Everything is fine. Everything is safe...”

I sat shaking, she seemed the same as normal. She appeared to be the aunt I loved... but the feeling that something was wrong lingered. My mark began to burn.

She was too calm talking to me, calm with a Demi in the room, okay with how the Knights treated me, their weapons drawn.

She smiled then and I saw it. Her normally dark grey eyes were completely black, the white of her eyes gone.

I flinched out of her touch causing her smile to falter.

“You're one of them aren't you?” Then it hit me and I spoke before I could comprehend what I had discovered. “You… did it- didn’t you? You summoned the Demi's for the attack.” Tears blurred as they fell. “You killed her...” My voice wobbled in disbelief as I silently begged to be wrong.

She stood to her full height, head tilted to the side a confused look flashed and her normal grey eyes came back before the black took over again and she smiled, clapping she leaned in close to me and I saw myself reflected in her blank gaze.

As she spoke the stench of rotting flesh washed over me. The stink of Demi's.

“Yes. Yes I killed her.” But as she spoke half her face twisted as if in pain while the other half stared calmly at me. “I killed your darling mother.” She laughed as tears poured down the left side of her face.

The Knights at the door stood dazed as the oldest stepped forward holding his sword in front of him.

“Lady Zolona... You killed Queen Eolande?” His hands shook as he roared. “YOU KILLED THE QUEEN!” The other guards stepped up next to him.

Again Zolona laughed as if she had told a joke. “Yes you fools! I killed your Queen, this boy's mother, my own sister!”

Her hand grabbed her head as her laughter bubbled out of her, her tears streamed down her cheeks.

“I walked into that wannabe safe room after she was led in. I waited for her guard to close the door. I moved from my hiding spot moving in behind her, covering her mouth- stopping her surprised screams.” She hiccupped in between giggling as she went on as if reliving it.

“What are you doing here Zolona? She asked me when I released her to the ground, her honorable guard drawing his weapon. I want the Kingdom. I told her. I need it to fulfill a promise. A promise to who? She asked. I told her who and she screamed. No, never! Then your nice ever loving Queen attacked me. And that- that was when I stabbed her. But her guard moved in calling for the Knights to aid him.”

 Zolona laughed with a sad shake of her head. “Stupid fools didn’t know what they were up against. I killed them instantly with my power. I disposed of her guard and then it was only us. She tried to fight back but she was weak and I made my move. I stabbed her once, twice, again and again and again and AGAIN! Till she stopped fighting. Her blood was everywhere. On the floor, on the walls, on me. I remember laughing- screaming. The joy- sadness this brought was overpowering.” She turned to us a broken grin spread across her face. “It was so- satisfying.” She cackled.

The Knights yelled tears pouring down their faces as they charged her.

I watched in slow motion as the tendrils flew off the sword and the Knights froze mid stride.

Zolona bowed her head in silence the eerie purple glow surrounding her. “THE LAWS OF MAN ARE POWERLESS TO STOP ME! THE POWER OF DARKNESS FLOWS THROUGH MY VEINS!” Zolona waved the sword and the Knights shot back dropping around me like flies.

I crawled backwards away from them, their lifeless eyes staring.

Zolona kicked a guard. “Always hated guards.” She mumbled then she turned her head to face me, a look of concern as her eyes returned to normal. “Maki? What's going on?” She looked around confused then saw the Knights and cried out in shock. “Maki what- what happened?” She turned around looking at the bodies. “Did you?”

Following her line of sight I spotted my dagger- where the guard must have dropped it- in a puddle of his blood.

What? Confused tears streamed down my cheeks. “What- but I- didn’t-”

“Don't worry Maki, we'll get you help,” She turned back to look at my face. “the stress must have gotten to you. Yes, yes, that must be it.”

I found my voice- yelling. “I didn’t do this- you did!” She paused, spotting the Demi and smiled at it. “You summoned a sword- and killed them- and you-” Tears fell anew. “You killed my mother!”

Her eyes landed on me, one the all consuming black, the other her familiar grey. “Oh I see what happened. I’m not sorry, she was in the way.”

“She… she was in the way?”

“She normally was. Always so helpful and caring. That’s what really killed her. She was dead when she turned my people away.”

What was even going on?

She came over to me. “Now child King. I offer you the same we did for her. Join us.”

“N-n-no! You work with them-” I said pointing at the Demi. “They’re murderers!”

She tutted, shaking her head. “So closed minded just like them.” She cupped my cheek, tipping my head to look at her. “But I can still use you- have been. But for right now I must restrain you.”

She stroked my cheek then slid her hand upwards, taking hold of my crown and ripped it off my head.

“What- hey give that back!”

She stood caressing the crown’s smooth surface. “What will people think? When they learn you-” She waved her hand wiggling her fingers. “Poof!”

“What do you mean? What are you even talking about? I said I wouldn’t help you. So get out of my Kingdom!”

She turned sharply and so fast I didn’t have time to react, slamming the crown down on my head.

The world faded as the Demi stepped up behind her, wings fanning open to close around her shoulders. Her face came in and out of focus as she broke into a wide toothy smile, her eyes returning fully to black.

“Sweet dreams, child King.” She turned into the wings of the Demi. “Everything will make sense in due time.”

And that was all.

***

My eyes struggled open only to see trees then nothing….

***

I woke once again to a grunting voice and the sound of rushing water….

***

Eyes open yet unfocused as voices and shadows stood over me.

“He’s waking, give him more.” A voice hissed above me.

Frowning I was roughly grabbed and a sharp pain traveled up my arm and within seconds my mind was full of smoke.

“Nighty night, child King.” Another voice cooed.

My eyes struggled to stay open. The shadows moved closer standing over me then nothing….