22 Chapter 22

(Charlotte's Section)

My own hands feel cold, The woman I deemed as Darkness glances at me, haunting my dreams and growing ever closer. One day I know, She will swoop me into her grasp and I will wake no more. Her dark eyes and empty soul make it all the more obvious that she is worse than death.

But what is death? but the eternal sleep and inevitable fate of man?

So I fight the cold embrace, wishing to see my beloved at least one more time. I know it will never happen, the place which I call my mind often taunts me with her voice, with whispered 'I Love You's and ghost touches reminding me of what once was.

these simple Tortures are unlike any other.

I opened my eyes blearily to see Orpheus carrying me, acting as If I was made of glass, they gently carry me to a balcony with an army waiting underneath. My army. My eyelids are so heavy as I can almost feel her cold arms ripping me from my body. Suddenly Vee grasps my hand, the cold flesh bringing me back from the brink and awakening my senses.

Orpheus frowns, her distaste is evident, she serves her Mistress...and it isn't me. I feel my mind waver for just a moment before I am escorted back to bed, back...to her. I closed my eyes and reopened them to see the Mistress holding chains. Her cold hand grasps my chin as she tries to pull me away from my body. I turn away my head, fear bubbling up.

Emmett sent a letter 5 days ago saying Robyn and Akira were missing, I couldn't surrender until I saw her beautiful face...just one more time. My mind looked past the boundaries of the possible and I saw her...Just a glimpse...

Akira was resting on a bed of flowers, her hands clasped around a bouquet of golden roses. The leather punk outfit she was wearing contrasted perfectly with her almost sleep-like trance. Her chest didn't move, her fingers had blood on them from the thorns. It took me a moment to realize.

Akira was dead.

Her perfect face was then caressed by a familiar hand, red hair filled my vision and white eyes glared into mine. Robyn. I felt anger and grief as he smiled widely at me. The vision faded as I saw The Dark Mistress holding a hand to my forehead, eager to take over.

"You...can't fool me like that! Akira isn't...DEAD!" I struggled to stand up on the wet ground, The Mistress stood back, I felt a surge of life reinvigorate my otherwise weak limbs. "Akira wouldn't die! she's not...that weak! she's gonna kill you! and..." I felt my words slipping as The Dark Mistress smiled. "She'll kill you too. To protect the universe she'll kill the only woman she's ever loved." A twisted smile sat on her face as fresh tears rolled down my cheeks.

I struggled away from her, laying on the ground in agony, the water simply moved around to create a dry spot. My mind always kept me in this place, A cove surrounded by blue cliffs with a floor made of still water that never moved. Stars litter the sky with brilliant colors and constellations, the water reflecting them perfectly.

The only sound in this place was the lilting sounds of a piano, it sat on the corner of the cove. Playing unrecognizable songs that echoed through the small space, I used to be alone here.

Now I sit with her, she's chained by the ankle so she can't move. A prisoner. I almost laugh at the prospect, hilarity weaved into this story. The Prisoner wants to be free and the free one is caged like a bird in her mind. I haven't left this dream in so long, how long has it been? days? weeks? maybe even months.

I almost go insane here, the water doesn't reflect my face, only hers. Yet sometimes I can see our silhouettes...hers is dark and misshaped while mine is getting darker but still perfectly defined. I almost laugh at how similar we look, our forms are the same except for our eyes. Her black eyes are empty orbs of inky darkness, occasionally the darkness leaks out like sludge, she blames it on how improper her current host is.

I asked her about her life and she smiled, happy about my curiosity. She told me stories of how she always thought Light got a better deal, he was always loved more with his hope. "His sickening optimism made people want him more! I was disappointment and failure personified...A disgrace to the precious humans Life loved so much." Darkness said, her perfectly lipsticked lips rubbing together as she tried to keep up her façade.

I asked about life and she told me the tale of how it all began, but she also added...

"Life made us beforehand, she hated her sister so she poured all that hate into me...there was so much...It Overflowed..." The Darkness said while as if on cue the dark sludge leaked again. "She put all her love into life and left me...full of hate to the brim! so I decided that I would take all of the monsters she hated and make them...GODS!" Darkness declared, and I instinctively shivered.

Her world would be full of hate...fear...and Death. But would it be any different than the current world? The packs have been fighting for centuries, children died from illness and many brave men and women lost their lives over checkerboard decisions made by powerful people. Akira even killed someone, she ripped off their head for simply doing their job.

The Darkness saw my thoughts and extended her hand, I thought for a moment.

"I'm sorry...but no," I replied, hoping she would simply go back to staring and sulking, instead the ground shook and the water clouded from sediment while the stars started falling from the sky in fiery bursts. The last thing I saw was The Mistress smiling as I opened my eyes to a battlefield.

I felt a knife in my hands and wondered why they gave it to me.

I glanced at the two other armies and realization hit me, It wasn't for me...It was for her. I held the knife close and decided what my final answer would be, I just needed to see her.

The Monster I love...

The only thing left for me in this Dark world.