39

"What?" Seth said. His tone was still remarkably calm.

"We were somewhere dark. Underground maybe? I don't know it was all so fast. The cloaked man was there. He killed you all, and I couldn't stop it. I just stood there. Why was I just standing there!" I sobbed.

"Lexie shh, it's okay. You get these visions to warn you. You can change them." Seth said stroking soothing circles into my back. 

"But how? He's so strong. He has this power over me that I can't understand. I can't let him take you from me. I just can't" I said. Huffing between sobs.

"Come on, lets get you inside." Seth gingerly picked me up and carried me in. 

I laid on my bed and closed my eyes. 

"Try to get some sleep. I'll be in the other room if you need me" Seth said as he clicked off the light. He closed the door softly.

The vision played over and over in my head like a movie. The way the cloaked man tossed that ball, black as night, at all of the boys. The way Tyson, who was always so strong and sturdy, crumbled to the floor like nothing. It was all so horrifying. I couldn't let them die for me. 

It was then that I knew what I had to do. I quietly crept out of bed and found my back pack in the dark. I was trying to be as quiet as possible. I didn't want the boys to know I was awake. I tossed some random clothes from the drawer of our room into the bag. I didn't even know if they were mine. I stood up and walked to the sliding glass door in our room. I gingerly opened it just enough to get my body through. I stood out on the private balcony and climbed over the edge. It was a short drop to the ground. I leapt off and ran towards the woods. I let my legs carry me as fast as they could. The world blurred by me as I ran through the forrest. Narrowly missing each passing tree I glided through. When I felt I was far enough out of range, I let my pace slow. 

I sat down on the cool forrest floor and caught my breath. I heard a few cracks behind me and I took off. I couldn't risk any of the boys finding me. Their lives were already at risk enough having me around, I had to end this battle. Once and for all. I darted up a tree a few hundred yards in front of me and peered down at the ground. 

I was surprised to see two men dressed in all black. They seemed to be looking for something. I looked closer and realized that these were some of the cloaked mans men. I had seen them that night at Auds house. My heart raced in my chest. I knew that they would take me to him, but I was frozen. Everything inside me told me to just keep quiet and wait for them to leave, but I knew I'd never find the cloaked man without them. They wandered a few yards away and sat down. One was really chubby and short, the other was tall and burly, he had a thick black beard. He looked like he could toss a car across the room with ease.

"Where do you suppose she is" The chubby one said to the bearded one. 

"Hell if I know. But she's here, he saw her come into the woods. We'll find her." the bearded one replied.

I dug through my school bag. I grabbed a pen and paper. I knew that the boys would want an explanation for what I was doing and why I was doing it. I scribbled down a short note.

"I know you must be wondering why I left. Know that I just had to. I love you all so much and the thought of any one of you getting hurt because of me was too much to bear. I am going to finish this. It's me he wants. 

I love you all.

-Lexie"

I sealed the note and used the pen to stick it into the tree. I slid my finger quickly along the edge of the paper, giving myself a small paper cut. It stung. I squeezed my finger and a small drop of blood came out. I gently rubbed it on the tree. I knew that the boys would catch my scent, and find the note. 

I looked down at the two men, they had fallen asleep. I took a deep breath and quietly climbed down from the tree. I walked toward them and let an energy ball form in my hand, which I concealed behind my back. 

I coughed loudly. The men jumped to their feet. The chubby one stumbled a but, rubbing his eyes. The bearded one smirked at me.

"There you are" The bearded man said 

"I- I order you to take me to your master. A-at once" I said. Trying desperately not to let my voice crack. 

"Oh? You order us huh?" The bearded man said. The chubby man laughed. I quickly tossed an energy ball at him. He stumbled backwards into a tree and growled.

"You'll pay for that" The chubby man said

My gaze was hard on the bearded man. He raised an eyebrow.

"As you wish" He smirked and he held out his hand

I stared at it.

"What? Changed your mind?" He laughed

I took his hand reluctantly and the world turned black. Suddenly we were underground. The walls were damp and mossy. 

"Woah" I said catching myself "What happened?" I said

He rolled his eyes and grabbed my arm.

"We shimmered here, now lets go" The bearded man yanked me forward. The chubby man was close behind me. 

He pushed me forward into a room lit only by fire. At the end of the long room the cloaked man sat on a large chair. It looked like a throne. I took a deep breath and pulled my arm free.

"I can walk on my own, thanks." I said stepping forward.

"Ah, pet you've finally come" The cloaked man and his grainy voice spoke.

"Yes" I said softly

"You've changed your mind about me?" He said with an evil laugh

"Never. But I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of me. Now, I demand to know what you want from me" I said trying to keep my voice strong.

"We've been over this pet" he said in a sing song voice "I want nothing with you, or from you. I merely want you." He extended his hand toward me

"Why" I pressed "Why me!" 

"Because, you are the anointed one. And you were made just for me" He laughed and started walking toward me. 

He stopped a few feet in front of me. He sniffed the air.

"Ah, I see you are now a seer. How clever of Aud. If only that made any difference" He laughed. 

"I- I can hurt you now" I said trying to sound hard

"Why would you want to hurt me?" His voice sounded a little less grainy than usual. It was closer to human now.

"You keep trying to kill me!" I retorted

"Only one of us may exist at full power. I want my power!" He said. His voice was human now. I stared closely at the cloak, desperately trying to see his face. It was covered in blackness.

"Is that all you want? Power? Because I don't have any power. I just have Auds power." I said confused

"You have more power than anyone. You just haven't received it yet. Like I said, only one of us can exist at full power. Since I exist, you have no power" He said. His voice sounded so familiar.

"Who are you" I said

He laughed. 

"Oh? Still don't know who I am I see. Silly Lexie, I thought you were brighter than that" He said

"Enough of your games, you want me? Come and get me!" I said 

I jumped up and pushed off the wall hurling myself over him, when I landed I threw an energy ball at him. I was frustrated. I wanted a light ball. He turned and deflected it and sent a fireball at me. I ducked behind a pillar and felt the ball explode against the concrete. It shook. I threw another energy ball. This time it nicked his sleeve and arm. He stumbled a bit.

"That was rude" He said 

I felt hands go around my throat. The bearded man dragged me out from behind the pillar. The cloaked man formed a ball black as night in his other hand. He stared at me.

"Oh pet, I'm sure going to miss you" He said

"Stop!" A voice came from behind me. A voice I knew so well. It was Seths.

Startled the cloaked man looked over at Seth.

"Oh, a demon. Oh joy" He said half heartedly. While he was distracted by Seth, Tyson hurled out from the darkness and tackled the bearded man to the ground.

"Run Lexie!" He screamed at me. 

Stunned I pushed back away from the men. I looked over to see Kyle and Matt on top of the cloaked man. He threw them off and tossed a dark ball at Tyson. He narrowly missed. 

"Get out of here!" I screamed at the top of my lungs 

They ignored me. More of the cloaked mans men poured in to join the fight. In minutes they had all of the boys restrained. Aurora flew in and tossed a light ball at the cloaked man and missed. He threw a fireball at her and she flew into the wall. She was restrained by one of his men. 

"Come here Lexie!" The cloaked man said angrily

I stood up and walked out.

"Do it Lexie! You know what you have to do! Do it!" Aurora screamed. The man put his hand over her mouth.

The cloaked man laughed. I threw an energy ball at him. It hit him so hard he fell backwards. His cloak fell from his face. Then I saw him. He was standing there in front of me. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was Alec. 

"Alec?" I said stunned. 

He got to his feet.

"So, I guess the secret is out isn't it" He said laughing, wiping a bit of blood from his lips

"What? Why?" I was shocked 

"I've been after you for years. Finally I found you at that little school. I had you so many times but I had to be sure it was you. But then, when the Altair brothers protected you, I knew. I knew you were the one. And I was right. They led me right to you." He laughed " And now, they'll get to watch you die. But first..."

Alec formed a dark ball in his hand. He lifted it and tossed it over my shoulder. It missed me and I was pleased, until I realized he wasn't aiming for me. I turned around to see the ball hitting Seth square in the chest.

"No!" I screamed at the top of my lungs 

Seth fell to his knees, then to the floor. I ran to him.

"Seth, please no! Seth! You can't be gone, no no no" I yelled. I touched his cold face.

I turned toward Alec. Tears streaming down my face. He laughed.

"Oh no, did I get your little boyfriend? Whoops" he smiled. "If the pain of his loss is too much I'd be happy to end your life for you. Or should I kill more of your little friends first?" He said forming another dark ball in his hand.

"No!" I screamed. "No, you can have me" I said standing up. 

"Lexie No!" Tyson yelled

I bit my lip, forbidding myself to tremble. I walked toward him. We were face to face and inches apart. Alec grabbed my face in his hands.

"Its a pity, you really are a beauty" he smiled

I spit in his face. He wiped it angrily and slapped me. 

"Any last words before you die" He said smiling

"Yeah..." I took a deep breath "Go to hell" 

I reached up and smashed my hand onto his head. In the palm of my hand, glowing perfectly and brilliantly white, was a light ball. 

"No!" He screamed 

I stumbled back. Alecs body started shooting beams of white light out of it. His face cracked like pottery. He screamed a blood curdling scream as he burst into a million pieces. I turned and his men had fled. I did it. I had defeated him. I ran back to Seth. 

"Oh Seth" I said touching him. I rolled him over to see his beautiful face. He was dead and it was my fault. I started to sob into his chest. "Please no, you can't be gone" I touched his face. 

 I held him in my arms crying. 

A tall, blonde woman appeared in a flurry of light. I looked to her. 

"Who are you" I said

"Lexie, It is I, Aud. This is my true and final form. I am finally free" She said

"Oh Aud" I sobbed 

"You've defeated a great evil. And for that the heavens are ever in your debt. We are here to reward you with your powers" she said

"I don't want powers, I don't want anything! I want you to take me instead of Seth. He didn't deserve to die! You can have it all, everything, just please don't let him be dead!" I sobbed

"You would give up your eternal powers for this demon, to give him life? " Aud said surprised. 

"In a second" I choked

She touched my face. 

"You will forever baffle me child. There, It is done" She said and disappeared. 

"Aud? Aud!" I screamed

"Oh, what happened?" Seths voice broke the silence

I looked up

"Seth!" I yelled "You're alright!" I wrapped my arms around him

"Yeah, I guess I am" He laughed

"How?" I said looking to the others

"A selfless act will change it back" Aurora said 

"What?" I said

"I can't believe its true, its an old tale. That a selfless act can even turn back the clock on death" Aurora said. "You were willing to give up everything for him and the gods recognized that." She said

"I'm alive" Seth said shocked

"I'm so happy" I said, hot tears rolling down my cheeks. 

"No, I mean... I'm alive" He pulled my head to his chest gingerly. Thats when I heard it. The soft sounds of his heart beating in his chest. His body was warm against my face. 

"You're alive" I said shocked. I smiled. 

"Wait, you mean you're human?" James said astonished

"I guess so" Seth said

"Impossible!" Tyson said and walked over to him.

"I can smell him from here, he's human alright" Matt said

I laid my head on his chest and listened to his heart beat. It was perfect.