The Decision

Illia laid her back against the marble corinthian column. She giggled as she peered around it to get a better view of Adeline.

"I hear you!" Adeline shouted, laughing. Illia let a quick giggle slip out before quickly hiding behind the column. Adeline saw a quick glimpse of Illia just before she went behind it. She smiled and jumped around the column in front of her.

"Found you!" she shouted, pointing a finger at Illia.

Illia huffed a frustrated sigh and she sluggishly came out from behind the column. She stomped her foot on the ground angrily.

"It's not fair! You always win!" she whined.

Adeline shrugged. "Not my fault that you're such a lousy hider!"

Illia's mouth gaped. She began laughing. "Oh, I'm going to get you for that!" She lunged for Adeline but she dodged her strike and ran the other way.

"Get back here!" Illia shouted, laughing.

Adeline panted as she looked back and continued running forward. She giggled, running down the long marble halls, and slipping on the floor. She removed her shoes and slid down the halls, guards watching her as Illia chased her.

She swung around a corner, holding onto the wall for balance. Adeline flattened herself against the wall and waited for Illia to turn the corner.

She could hear the quick steps of Illia coming her way and she pressed herself against the wall even more. She could hear the quick, panting breaths coming from Illia and she grinned.

Once Illia turned the corner, Adeline jumped out. "I got you!" she shouted as she grabbed Illia's shoulders. Illia yelped, trying to squirm from Adeline's grip. Adeline and Illia's laughs combined into one as they gasped for breath.

"Ladies!" a woman's voice called from down the hall. Adeline and Illia both shot up, their laughs halting. Adeline released Illia and they stood side by side, holding in their laughs.

Isa shook her head as she smiled. "Your lessons will begin shortly, get to your rooms."

They both nodded and walked past Isa with their heads down. After they passed their mother they both giggled silently. Isa looked back at them and snickered to herself. It filled her with so much joy to watch her daughters get along.

She wished she had been able to enjoy the same relationship with her sister. But she knew how that ended and did everything in her power to prevent that from happening with her daughters.

Adeline and Illia's rooms were right across from each other and they always had sleepovers or giggled over princes in their room. They rarely slept in different rooms, but when they did stay in separate rooms it was to take their lessons. Illia's favorite was math and Adeline's favorite was history. The history of her kingdom always interested her.

Once Illia and Adeline got back to their rooms they smiled at each other before closing their doors.

Illia soon heard a knock on the door and opened it to see the old woman in charge of her lessons.

"Good afternoon, Princess. These are your lessons for today," she plopped down a heap of books on Illia's desk. They were all English books. Illia sighed and slumped in her chair.

"Sit up, child, you are not an animal." the woman straightened her spine parallel to the chair. Illia groaned and dismissed the woman.

Once she was gone, she repositioned herself in a comfortable slouched posture. She slammed the first book open and began reading aloud to herself.

"Grammar is the most important part of being a princess, your pronunciation and grammar will represent your tongue and how well you will lead your future subjects blah blah blah. What is this garbage?" Illia groaned loudly and laid her head on the book and closed her eyes.

Adeline twiddled with her thumbs as she waited for her teacher. She heard a knock on the door and quickly straightened her posture.

"Come in!" she shouted from inside her room, straightening up her books and papers. A different old woman came in but her hands were empty.

"You will be spending today's lessons in the library, Adeline," the woman grinned, knowing how this would excite Adeline.

She grinned widely and immediately stood from her seat. "Sounds wonderful, thank you, Annie!"

Annie smiled and bowed as she exited the room. Adeline grabbed a satchel off of her bed so she could gather books from the library and bring them back to her room. Adeline adored history but she adored books even more. And history books were her favorite form of entertainment. Other than watching Illia try to mount her horse alone.

After she exited her room, she knocked on Illia's door across the hall. Illia opened the door, she looked annoyed and bored.

Adeline giggled. "Guess where I'm going," she taunted.

"I have no interest this afternoon, Adeline," Illia rubbed her forehead.

"Well, I'm going to the library, so have fun up here being bored and mean." Adeline pouted her lip and crossed her arms.

Illia rolled her eyes and slammed the door in Adeline's face. She scoffed and threw her hands up in the air.

"Jealousy is an ugly color on you, Illia!" she shouted at the closed door before storming off. Just before she turned around the hall she heard a frustrated grunt coming from Illia's room and snickered.

Adeline skipped down the halls, waving to the guards and smiling at the maids. They would smile and wave back. She continued skipping down the halls before reaching the large oak door that led to the library below the castle.

Adeline whistled as she opened the door and walked down the spiral staircase. Her boots clicked on the hard stone as the spiral stairs seemed to continue forever.

"Helloooo!" Adeline shouted, listening to the echo of her voice and her steps.

She finally reached the bottom of the stairs, grabbed the torch off the wall, and lit the lanterns around the room. She took a deep breath and sniffed the old, dusty air around her. She smiled as the lanterns lit up the rest of the room, revealing the old wooden bookshelves and the antique books.

She dragged her finger across the dusty spines, looking for a specific title. She continued going down the endless books before coming across a book with a dark red, leather cover.

"Ah!" Adeline exclaimed, pulling the book from the shelf. She traced the engraved letters with her finger, reading the title. 'The Complete History of Astrean' was her favorite book they owned.

Just as she began to turn for the chair to sit in and read, she noticed a golden book from her peripheral vision. She had never seen this book before. She wondered how she had missed it, because they never add books to these shelves, so she must have barely missed it all this time.

Adeline tilted her head and squinted her head.

"The Prophecy of the Twins of Astrean," she read the title out loud. She thought to herself for a brief moment. The Twins of Astrean? This has to be about Illia and me, but why would we have this book in the common library? Questions and thoughts that could not be answered ran through Adeline's mind as she tried to ponder a reason why this book would be in the library of History.

She slowly pulled the book out of the shelf. Adeline read the title once more to be sure that her eyes were not deceiving her. They were not.

She took both books over to the chair and decided she would read the golden book first, curious as to what the book said about her and her sister. She slowly opened the book. Its spine cracked and its pages laid flat on each other. This book had never been opened before.

She read the first page, taking in every sentence, and every word. She finally reached the chapter on her and her sister. In fact, it said their names. 'Chapter two: Illia and Adeline'

"Who wrote this and how did they know our names?" Adeline questioned herself.

She began reading the chapter.

Illia and Adeline are the future children of Queen Isa. The Queen was crowned yesterday and now wishes to have children to rule her kingdom. This prophecy states that the Queen's child, Adeline, will be chosen to rule over Astrean, while her sister is left behind with no throne to rule. But what the Queen does not know is that one of her children, Illia, is going to be sent by the greatest evil. She will be the offspring of evil and Hell itself. She is destined to be the destruction of Astrean and is destined to end the Astrean line and kingdom once and for all. The kingdom will lose its queen and Illia will take over out of revenge for her mother, after she did not choose her. Illia will try to take over the kingdom after she is crowned Queen of Veraxin, the land of the banished. Illia will be the end of Astrean and Queen Adeline will be the only one able to stop her.

Adeline stared at the paragraph, her eyes filled with tears. She blinked and one fell right onto the word 'evil'. She gasped and let out a deep exhale, not knowing what to think. The first thing she thought of was her mother. Her poor mother would be forced to watch her kingdom fall at the hands of her own child.

Adeline then knew exactly what she must do. She must tell her mother what she found. She thought it might be just a bit selfish to expose this secret that would take away her sister's chance of being queen. But she was not doing this for herself. She was doing it for her kingdom. This was only the first step to being queen.

She put the red book back on the shelf and hurriedly blew out all of the lanterns and took the torch at the entrance with her up the unlit stairs. She picked up her dress and threw the hood of her cloak over her head and ran as fast as she could up the stairs. Adeline breathed heavily as she reached the last set of stairs.

As she approached the large oak door, she heard soft footsteps advancing toward her.

"Adeline?" Annie shouted from atop the stairs. Adeline stopped briefly thinking of something to say. What if Annie knew about the book? What if she was curious as to why I was running?

"Yes, Annie?" Adeline slowed her breathing and tried to calm herself to not raise suspicion.

"Is everything alright? It sounded like you were running," Annie said, her voice growing worried.

Adeline walked the rest of the way up the stairs leisurely. When she reached the top she smiled sweetly. "Everything is fine, Annie! Just bringing some books up to show Mother,"

Annie pondered her words, searching her face and her body for any hint of a lie. She smiled tightly and moved aside so Adeline could exit the stairwell.

Adeline nodded as she walked past Annie and walked down the hall calmly. Once she turned the corner she peered around it and saw Annie walking the other way. As soon as Annie was out of sight she began running down the hall and to her mother's room.

She ran with great speed down the first hall, her cloak hood flying off of her head and her dress getting caught under her toe. She placed the book in the bag on her shoulder and carried her skirt scrunched up in her hands. She breathed heavily, tears streaking down her face. Her breaths were combined with sobs and her sweat with tears.

Adeline reached the grand staircase leading to the bedrooms and quickly ascended them. She turned the corner at the top of the stairs very sharply, almost falling, and ran down the endless hall with doors taking up all space on the walls.

She ran to the end of the hall and into her mother's room.

"Mother?!" she shouted, seeing no one. She ran into her mother's bathroom and they too were empty.

"Mother!" she yelled, her voice breaking.

She noticed a small piece of paper on her mother's vanity and unfolded it.

Elsa, I have gone to a meeting with the Queens of bordering Kingdoms, please fold my laundry while I am gone.

The note had been left for her maid. But Adeline knew where the meeting room was and ran out of the room, leaving the door wide open.

She ran down the stairs and the halls, turning sharp corners, her skirt still balled up in her hands. She panted and gasped as she slid down halls and multiple staircases.

When Adeline finally reached the entrance to the meeting hall, the book was buried in her bag. She sifted through the other books and papers in her bag before she came across the golden cover. She sighed with relief and snatched the book out of her bag.

Adeline didn't have a defined plan as to what she would say when she barged into a room full of queens, sweating and crying, but she knew this was not something that could wait.

She brushed her skirt before knocking quickly on the door.

A tall guard opened the door slowly. Once he recognized the Princess standing in front of him, he opened the door wider, revealing Adeline at the table of rulers.

"Adeline?" Isa said, her voice very clearly shocked and confused.

"What in heaven is a child doing here, Your Majesty?" one of the queens adjacent to Isa said rudely. She had long brown hair that flowed like a quiet river down her arm. Her purple dress was satin with lace trim that spilled onto the floor beneath her. The Queen of Zariya. The woman in front of her smiled gently. Her strawberry blond hair was braided down her back, her yellow crown resting atop her head. Queen of Enchantra.

Adeline glanced around the room, looking at all of the Queens together in one place. It was most certainly a sight to see. Adeline quickly pulled the book from behind her back before they could ask any more questions.

"Mother," she walked swiftly around the table to the head, where her mother sat.

"This book holds a prophecy," she tapped her finger on the cover of the book. "It's Illia she-"

"Child, can this not wait until our guests have returned home?" Isa cut off Adeline, in fear of what her daughter might say to the rulers of their neighboring kingdoms.

"I am afraid not," Adeline said quickly, trying to hurry this process so she could show her mother the reading. Queen Isa looked around the room apologetically and nodded at the guards to open the doors.

"My apologies, your Majesties, this will be quick,"

Adeline looked at her mother and back to the queens. She led her mother out of the door and into the hall where they spoke.

"This better be a good enough reason to drag me away from four Queens, Ady," her mother said, anger bubbling in her voice.

Adeline inhaled deeply. "Look here," she flipped open the book to the page with the passage on it. She watched as Isa slowly read through it, processing. She gasped as a hand flew to her mouth.

"No," she breathed, her voice shaking.

"Mother, I found it in the old library in the basement," Adeline added as she watched a single tear fall from Isa's eye.

"We mustn't tell the Queens. Do not tell anyone of this, do you understand?"

Adeline nodded slowly.

"I will find a solution but until then I will finish this meeting and we will both carry about our days as we normally would,"

Before Adeline could respond, Isa handed her the book and returned to the meeting hall. Once Isa was inside the guard closed the door in Adeline's face. She stood there for a long moment, staring at the door.

Adeline then decided she would return to her room and try to sleep. That was all she could do at this moment. She could not act, nor fix this, so she would do nothing. As much as she wished to tell Illia or to try and fix things, she would not.

After Isa finished her meeting she decided she would speak with the castle warlock and ask him what he knows of this prophecy.

She gathered her cloak and covered her head with her hood before reaching the great oak door that led to the library. She quickly walked down the stairs and grabbed a torch to light her way. She held the flame up against the spines of the book until she came across a dark blue spine. She pulled the top of the book with her finger and released the book back onto the shelf.

A hidden door slowly creaked open, revealing a long, dark hallway. Isa squinted as she held her torch up to her eye level. Not far ahead was one cell at the end of the large hall.

"Niklaus?" she shouted, keeping her distance from the dark unknown of the cell.

"Yes?" a low, raspy voice nearly hissed from the cell.

"My daughter has come across the golden book and I must know…" she hesitated briefly. "Will it work?"

"You have come…to ask me if my magnificent plan to banish Illia…will work?" Niklaus spoke with long breaks in between each word, his voice only used to scream for help all these years.

He took Isa's silence as a yes. "How insulting!" he shouted, banging against the rusted bars of the cell.

"What if she finds out?"

"If…she happens upon the information that you made that entire book up and planted it in the bookshelf…then I must applaud her! Only I could think of that and I am the smartest man who ever walked this earth!" Niklaus cackled and hollered.

"Not that," Isa said quietly.

Niklaus quieted. He clicked his tongue, realizing what she meant.

"Oh, I think that if your Adeline were to ever find out that piece of information you will be long dead, Your Majesty,"

Isa took little comfort in that. At least her secret would stay kept until she was gone.

She began slowly turning away to exit the hall before she heard Niklaus mutter something under his breath.

"That does depend on just how much longer you live, but I suppose you will cross that bridge when you get there, aye?"

Isa stopped and gazed at the man before turning her back to him. A man like that was meant to say such silly things simply to get inside the mind of his victim. That is exactly why Isa locked him away where no one could find him.

She walked out of the cell with her back facing him. She heard him giggling as she walked out of the hidden door. Isa pushed the blue book back into the shelf and watched as the door slowly creaked closed.

Isa knew what her next step was, but how she was going to go about it scared her. She didn't know just how she would tell her daughter that she would send her to the Land of the Banished. Isa knew that Illia had been an outcast all her life, always coming second to Adeline, and never getting what she wanted. However, Isa also knew if she didn't do this, that Illia was bound to destroy Astrean.

Isa went up the spiraling staircase and walked down the hall to the guard's quarters. She heard the distant chatter of guards that talked of the Queens' meeting and how Adeline burst through the doors.

Isa entered the quarter and cleared her throat. The guards immediately silenced and straightened.

"Our apologies, Your Majesty, we were only-"

"Nevermind that. I need a favor from you all," Isa looked around the room at all of the guards. Some nodded, and some just sat still, waiting for her command.

"You all need to take Princess Illia and do not stop or let her out of the cell carriage until you have crossed over the border, into Veraxin,"

The guards exchanged worried glances.

"But, Your Majesty-"

"I will hear nothing more. Do as I say if you do not wish to have your head in a basket by dusk," Isa turned and walked out of the room. She could hear the guards coming up with ideas and reasons as to why the Queen would have her own daughter banished. But they all thought it best not to ask any further questions and leave the Queen to her reasons.

"You heard her, men! Off with you!" the general shouted, gesturing for the guards to leave the room. They all scurried, gathering their swords and shields.

The men ran out of the room and down the hall. They trotted up the stairs and down the second hall that led to the princess's room.

Adeline heard the commotion from inside her room and stuck her head out to see a swarm of guards rushing into her sister's room. She grew worried as she watched them break down the door. She could hear Illia scream. Adeline did not wish to hear her own sister being taken from her home and she stuck her head back inside her room and covered her ears.

"Excuse me?!" Illia yelled as the men rushed in and grabbed her.

"Queen Isabelle has instructed us to carry you to the land of the banished! Any resistance will result in shackles and a gag,"

"What?!" Illia shouted as two men grabbed her arms and held them behind her back.

"You must be mistaken! Mother would never do this!" Illia continued to shout and protest. "Adeline! Mother! Annie!" She shouted name after name but nobody came. She was tied behind her back and carried by two men.

"No!" she shouted, kicking the guards.

"Gag her," the general ordered.

The guard that was given the command looked from Illia to his general. His eyebrows threaded together as he thought about his next move. He looked to be around Illia's age and was most likely drafted for war and kept in his position.

"Malaki!" the general shouted. "What has come over you boy? I said gag her!"

Malaki looked at Illia and nodded once. He then turned and struck the general in the face. Just as the general fell, Malaki swept the legs of the men carrying Illia. She fell to the floor and as she tried squirming free, Malaki took his sword and jabbed it into one of the guards. He screamed in pain, falling to the floor. Malaki pushed two other guards down the stairs and just as the general regained his strength, Malaki looked at Illia.

"Run, Princess!" he shouted as the general tackled him to the ground.

Illia grabbed a sword off the ground and cut herself loose and ran. She ran down the stairs, past the fallen guards, out of the foyer, and to the front door. She looked back for a brief moment before running. Standing just a few feet away was Adeline. She had come downstairs to get her mother after she saw guards going into Illia's room.

"Ady?" Illia sighed as she smiled. "I do not know what's going on. They said that mother was sending me away,"

Adeline remained silent, her hands behind her back as tears welled in her eyes.

"Ady?" Illia stepped closer and Adeline stepped back.

"They found the book, Illia,"

"What book? What are you talking about?"

Adeline swiped the tears off her face. "The prophecy. The prophecy that states you will destroy Astrean,"

Illia stumbled back. "What?" her mouth gaped and her hand flew to her mouth. Adeline looked away from her sister, feeling guilty.

"What did you do, Ady?" Illia's voice cracked.

Adeline sniffed. "I had to, I'm sorry,"

"You sold me out! We could have fixed it! They just tried to drag me out of my own home, Ady!" Illia threw a hand to the guards on the ground.

A tear slid down Adeline's cheek and she did not remove it.

"You did this so you could be Queen, didn't you? Does it really mean that much to you?" Illia's sadness faded from her voice and was replaced with anger.

"No, Illia, that's not it. I did it to protect the people!"

Illia scoffed and turned around. She was not done with this place yet. She wanted people to remember her name. She grabbed a sword from one of the unconscious guards.

"We could have ruled together," she said, accusingly, dragging the sword behind her. "We could have stayed sisters, best friends even. But after the betrayal you have shown me today, I do not think you should have the privilege of calling me your sister,"

Adeline stumbled back as she watched her sister progress with a sword scraping the stone floor, leaving a long scratch.

"Thank you, Ady. Because now, I know exactly what to do with my life. My only goal now is to destroy Astrean and all of its people until it is mine. That is my prophecy. I know you, so I know you will feel as though the downfall of your kingdom is your fault. And it is,"

Illia picked the sword off of the floor and held the hilt in both of her hands. She swung the sword over her shoulder and raised the sword to Adeline. The sword came down in a final strike. Illia closed her eyes but could feel the blade strike skin and bone.

She heard Adeline scream and smiled. "No! Mother!" Adeline shouted.

Illia's eyes shot open. The sword in her hand slipped from her grip and fell to the floor with a loud clang. Illia gasped, her hand shot up to her chest. For in front of her with a sword in her chest was not Adeline.

"Mother?" Illia whispered breathlessly. Her mother lay in front of her, her warm crimson blood splattered on Illia's boots. Isa lay at her daughter's feet as she gasped for breath, clutching Adeline's hand as she sobbed.

"What are you doing? Go, get help!" Adeline shouted in between sobs. Illia stood, stoic, staring as her mother lived her last moments of life with her murderer, her daughter, the future Queen of the Land of the Banished.

***

"You are not to stop until Illia's head is in a bag, men," Dreyden ordered as the line of warriors stood in front of him.

"She is not to get away with the display she made at the ball. She made a mockery of us. Our kingdom. And your Queen. Will we let her roam free!?" Dreyden shouted, trying to excite his soldiers.

"No sir!" they all shouted in perfect unison.

"Alright then! Go fetch me the devil's head,"

The soldiers chanted as they mounted their horses and made their way to the front gates of the castle.

Dreyden watched as his men stormed off, past the gates and into the woods. He mounted his horse and turned back to Adeline who was standing there, nervously fidgeting with her necklace.

"I will be back soon, love," Dreyden smiled as he leaned down to kiss Adeline. Her lips smiled in a thin line. He kissed Adeline's hand and waved goodbye before disappearing into the woods with the rest of his men.

Adeline sighed, standing there until Dreyden was no longer visible. She turned to walk back inside where the Queens of each kingdom were waiting in the meeting hall.

Adeline opened the door to the meeting room and the murmuring conversations slowly faded. Adeline nodded her head to each of the queens.

"So, what are we to do about Illia, Your Majesty?" the Queen of Enchantra asked before Adeline could even take her place.

"Well, my husband has his best men on it. They will bring me her head,"

The Queen of Nethermore scoffed. "So that's the solution? Killing her? What kind of example is that setting for our children? And she is still a queen, no matter how much she hurt you, she is royal and that would be seen by the court as assassination,"

Slow nods infected the room, the other Queens agreeing.

"I hadn't necessarily thought of that…"

The Queen sneered. "Of course not. Queen Adeline, I suggest you gather your men and your husband and discuss this option before you are all charged with the assassination of a Queen,"

The Queen of Nethermore stood and walked out of the meeting hall door. The other queens followed close behind.

Adeline slumped in her chair, unsure what her next move would be.

"Your Majesty!" a messenger ran into the room with a slip of paper. He was panting as he handed the paper to Adeline.

"What is this?"

"It came from the warlock's cell your Majesty," the messenger bowed and exited the room.

Adelin broke the wax seal with her finger and pulled out the paper. She unfolded it and read the words written on it.

'Your Majesty, I have found a piece of information that might be of use to you. I heard the rumors of the creature you keep in your dungeon. Illia wants this, yes? Well, I can tell you why. She wishes to have this beast because it is the only thing that can end her life. She is one of the most powerful Queens in history, this beast is the only thing that can kill her. She wants the advantage, but do not give it to her.

Sincerely, Niklaus

Adeline dropped the letter on the table. If the beast was the only thing that could kill her then that means Dreyden won't be able to kill her. Adeline gasped and quickly got up and exited the room. She ran down the stairs and out of the front door. She ran through the dirt, the end of her skirt covered in mud. She ran to the stables and quickly mounted a horse. It had no saddle but she needed to go and quickly. The wind blew in a vicious hurry, blowing her hair behind her. Her horse sprinted as fast as it could as she continued to kick its sides.

Adeline rode the horse to the front gates of the Palace of Veraxin. There, laid dozens of dead soldiers, dismembered and their blood spilling on the cobblestone. Adeline looked down in horror as blood from her army rushed between the cracks of the stone, running under her boots. She quickly stepped out of its way and watched it rush into the dirt.

She gasped as her eyes drifted upon Dreyden, lying motionless just a few feet ahead.

"Dreyden!" she screamed, running to his side and kneeling by him. He looked up at her, blinking slowly. His mouth opened slightly.

"You…are…Queen," his voice was raspy and dry as blood flooded his mouth. "You have magic," he exhaled a sharp breath, praying she would understand what he meant.

Adeline's mouth fell open. "Magic," she said to herself. She lifted her hands in front of her face and then placed them on Dreyden's open wound. He reached for her hands and moved them to his face.

"Dreyden? You have to let me heal you with my magic!" she said frantically, trying to pull her hands from under his.

"Ady, she used the sword of Damnation, none of us can be healed,"

Adeline scrambled her hands to his wound, pressing harder and closing her eyes. "No, no, no, it has to work!" she shouted, tears slipping from her eyes. She opened them and looked down at Dreyden. He smiled, blood coating his teeth and falling from his lips.

"Dreyden," Adeline said softly. Dreyden reached up to her face and held it in his bloody hands.

"Save our kingdom, have this child, and carry the kingdom to victory,"

"Not without you," Adeline's voice wavered and cracked as she held up Dreyden's head in her hands. She could feel the grip he held on her face loosen. His hands slowly slipped from her cheeks and fell to the ground. Adeline's eyes widened.

"Dreyden?" she whispered. "Dreyden!" her voice rising. "No, no, no," she whispered, pulling up his head in her hands. She brought him to her chest and combed his bloody hair. She rocked his corpse as she sobbed over her immense loss. This would be the fall of her kingdom. Illia had won. Adeline sat with her dead husband in her arms and her fallen kingdom surrounding her. Adeline screamed as she felt the empty pit of lost love in her heart. First her sister, then her mother, and now the father of the child that would one day rule her kingdom.

***

Illia hummed as she combed her hair with her golden brush. She twirled in her nightgown and danced her way through her bedroom and to her bed. She threw herself onto her bed and sprawled on the soft blanket as she stared at her ceiling. She knew that what she did had to be done. There was no other way.

Illia stared blankly at her ceiling, brushing her hair with her fingers. She got up off of her bed to extinguish the lantern across the room. As she stood and walked in front of her mirror, she saw a brief glimpse of a tall woman standing in the corner of her room. She quickly turned around to see nobody. She looked back to the mirror and saw that it too was empty.

Illia walked slowly back to her bed and pulled the covers to her chin. She closed her eyes and began drifting off to sleep. But she could hear something across the room. Something walking. Footsteps. Illia knew exactly where you had to step to avoid the creaky floorboards. And that was exactly what this person was trying to do. She pretended to be asleep until she heard the steps right next to her bed.

Illia shot up, throwing the covers off her head, and standing above her with a knife was her own mother.

"Mother?" Illia said, rubbing her eyes.

Isa clicked her tongue and tilted her head. "How did it come to this, child? I must rid this world of you once and for all,"

Isa swung her arms over her head and the blade came down. Straight into Illia's heart.