• Through the door came a scream that echoed throughout the whole castle. I heard it every hour, on the hour. I didn’t want it to come out of that door though… whatever was screaming.
    “You won’t get out of there you beast!!!” called the man that lived in the castle with me,” You haven’t for forty years!!! I won’t let you out now!!!”
    He was a strange man. I never talked to him… or even looked at him hardly anymore for that matter… When I first came to the castle, lost… and alone, I saw him sitting by that door… I stared at him from across the hall for at least four hours… listening to the screams.
    “You can stand there and stare at me all you want,” he said to me,” I ain’t movein.”
    I jumped when he first spoke… I had almost thought he was dead…
    “Uh… I wasn’t waiting for you to…” I replied,” I only wanted to know where I was and if I could stay here…”
    “Huh??? Where are your parents? They’re probably lookin for ya!”
    “I haven’t any parents, for a long time now mister… that’s why I wanna stay here…”
    “Well this is Trodain castle… and you can stay if ya want… I’m the only one here now…”
    “Kay… thank you…”
    That was the last thing we said to each other. I only bring him food and water now… the monsters that live there seem to be afraid of the screams like I am… for a while they thought I was one of the things that scream… I don’t think that man ever moves from that spot though. It scares me to think why… or… maybe he protects that thing that screams from the outside. I wish I knew… I wish I knew what happened to that thing that can’t come out… I wish I knew what it is… Today… I think I’ll sit with that man… yea… I think I’ll keep him company tonight… ok… that sounds good.
    “What’d ya want???” asked the man by the door as I sat on the other side of the hall.
    “Nothin…”
    “Then what’re ya doin?!”
    “Nothin…”
    “Listen… I said you could stay here… I didn’t say you could bug me!”
    “I’m not gonna… I just wanted to see what it’s like to sit here… with the screams all night.”
    “Why would you want to know that?!”
    “Cuz… I feel like knowing…”
    “You really are a nuisance… ya know that?!”
    “Yup.”
    Then we sat there… and when night fell… I slept… and awoke to beautiful singing… the man was asleep… and I walked to the door… and I knocked on it. The singing stopped… and the man woke up… he looked at me for a moment… then, I knocked on the door again… the thing on the other side knocked back… but it talked in Morse code…
    HWO IS IT… that’s what it said.
    “Hello… I’m Mina… and who are you?”
    I AM LONELY.
    “Oh… well I’m sorry… I don’t know what you did… but this man says you can’t come out…”
    I CAN’T???
    “I’m sorry… but no…”
    …
    “Could I ask you to do something for me?”
    WHAT?
    “Could you please not scream any more…?”
    WHY?
    “It scares a lot of us out here… I’m sorry to ask it of you… but if you wouldn’t mind…”
    NOT AT ALL… MINA.
    “Thank you… very much… I like your singing though…”
    THANK YOU.
    “Could you do that instead…?”
    NO… I CAN ONLY SING AT NIGHT.
    “Oh… well that’s alright… it’s still very pretty…”
    THANK YOU.
    “So… what are you?”
    I AM A SIREN.
    “Huh??? But then is that why you have to stay in there???”
    YES.
    “Well that isn’t very fair…”
    NO… IT ISN’T.
    “I wish I could help…”
    YOU CAN.
    “How?”
    OPEN THE DOOR.
    “No!”
    WHY?
    “No!!”
    WHY?!
    “I don’t want to upset the man at the door…”
    WHY DO YOU CARE ABOUT THAT OLD GEYZER?!
    “He let me stay here…”
    SO… I WOULD’VE TOO.
    “But you didn’t…”
    I HAD NO CHOICE… I’M STUCK HERE.
    “I don’t care… you didn’t… he did… you might say you’re a siren… but I know you’re not… Sirens can talk… and Sirens don’t scream… they only sing and screech.”
    “What a smart little girl you are…” said a deep raspy voice from behind the door.
    “You aren’t even a very good actor… I can tell that you’re also the man at the door… he’s you’re clone… that’s why he doesn’t move… he can’t… he can’t be far away from you.”
    “Such a smart sweet child… you bring me food… you come to keep me company… now why not be a darling and open the door so I can thank you?”
    “No!”
    “Why not?!”
    “Fine”
    “Good girl.”
    I opened the door… but what I knew and the man at the door didn’t… that made all the difference… as soon as the man ran for the door… the doorway was filled with thorned vines… by the screams of pain I heard… it was obvious that he had run right into them.
    “I just knew that would happen…” I replied to the screams.
    “You mindless clone!!! KILL HER!!!”
    And as he said that… the man at the door grabbed my leg… I looked down at him… sitting there… and at once I saw that he had been trying to tell me something… but no words could exit his mouth. I started to struggle… I started to beg and plead for him to let go of my leg. After a while he did though…he let go and I ran… I ran as fast as I could… knowing he couldn’t follow me.
    Not long after I ran from the castle gates, I could hear the yelling of the man I had locked in the room. Then I looked back for a moment and I saw an army of thorned vines coming after me. I tripped. When I awoke, I saw a man standing over me, watching my reaction to seeing someone so strange. He wore clothes like an old priest would have… I could have only assumed that he was a priest and react in a calm manner… if I had panicked… he would have asked where I had come from and what I had been doing out in the woods.
    “Oh… so the young one is awake then Marco?” asked an older man in robes.
    “Uh… yes… she just did,” replied the man standing over me.
    I sat up and got out of the bed, “How long have I been asleep?”
    “It’s been a day now… and a few hours,” replied the older man.
    “You gave us quite a scare there little one,” added the man named Marco.
    “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to cause trouble… where is this?”
    “The old Trodain church.”
    “So I’m in Trodain huh?”
    “Yes… but if you do not want to be then I guess you could go and find a place to stay in another church… or with family or friends.”
    “Sorry… but I have no family… and my only friends are trapped at the castle.”
    “Trapped??? At the castle??? Couldn’t be… no one’s been there in over a hundred years.”
    “I didn’t say they were human… I’ve lived in that castle for years now… the monsters are my friends… they aren’t vicious… just scared. And with a good reason to be!”
    “Well whatever the case… you should go to the Mallea abbey if you’re headed out… or if you’re going the other way… I guess Marta would let you stay with her…”
    “No… the abbey will do… I only can’t stay near the castle… that’s all…”
    “Well alright… Marco… you go with her!” commanded the older man.
    “Uh… yes sir,” Marco replied, and led me out of the church and across the road.
    We passed the castle and two others on the way. But soon, we came to the large, magnificent stone building, which sat in the river, on stilts. We crossed its bridge, and were greeted kindly. The room in which we sat in was not too small… it wasn’t large either… but on the other side of the room, was a large statue of the goddess. I avoided all conversation with anyone and everyone. I took a vow of silence to myself right then and there! We sat until a man in more regal robes walked in and Marco stood up and bowed to him. I stood too but didn’t bow… I never had parents so I never learned respect.
    “Marco,” the odd man bowed.
    “Hello Marcello… I’ve brought the girl, just like I said,” Marco replied, gesturing to me.
    “Oh… well hello there,” said Marcello to me.
    I didn’t reply. We all stood there… I walked away and I didn’t feel like going back. But I didn’t really have a choice… I couldn’t go back to the castle… and going back to the place where I was before I had gone to the castle didn’t seem right anymore… I didn’t remember it anyway… I had been at the castle for 20 years and yet I didn’t ever seem to age, just growing… Then I stumbled upon something interesting… A town.
    I went through it and I kept walking. I walked and walked… for more then seven hours… I found a rough town that seemed familiar… I knew where it was… the place I was born… the one I didn’t remember. I walked in and looked around.
    “Mom and Dad…” I whispered to myself.
    “What?” asked a man who had been walking by. He had real bookworm glasses.
    “Huh??? Oh… uh nothing… do you know someone who wears crimson witches robes???”
    “Huh??? No… no, I don’t think I do… not since the incident twenty three years ago… why?”
    “Oh… I was just hoping you knew… that was all… she must be dead then… huh?”
    “Yes’m”
    “Oh… I see… I’m sorry to have wasted your time…”
    “Well… I’ve got old photos… come on.”
    He grabbed my wrist gently, and pulled it. I followed him to his home. It was filled with books. He left me at the doorway. He went through the bookshelf’s books, there must have been at least ten bookcases in the small room, and books still were unorganized. I walked in, grabbed books that were closed on the floor and put them away using the system I saw in his few filing attempts. By the time he found the right book, I had finished the shelving, and the books he had open, I put on the table in the middle of the room.
    “What the???”
    “Sorry… I thought it might help find the book you were looking for… I guess it didn’t…”
    “Thank you… well this book was her’s… her name was Rei… very kind woman… how do you know her???”
    “She was my mom…”
    “WHA-?!?!?!?!”
    “Yes… my name’s Mina… Rei was my mother… the robes were the only thing I remembered about her…”
    “Oh my… I’m very sorry then…”
    “It’s okay… you’ve helped me more then you know… but can I ask you to do me one more favor...???”
    “What?”
    “Tell me where I am…”
    “Why?”
    “I don’t know… don’t remember much… just wanna know where I can’t come back to…”
    “Can’t come back?!?!?!”
    “I reckon that’s right…”
    “Why???!!!”
    “Don’t reckon I see it right that I come back…”
    “But why?!”
    “I was only here for one day before my mother took me away from here… she didn’t want me here…”
    “And what do you want???”
    “… Don’t really know myself… I just don’t know anything anymore…”
    “Well… I know I want you to stay…”
    “What?! But you just met me… you can say that when you’ve only just met me???”
    “Reckon I can…”
    “No… afraid I have too much to do elsewhere…”
    “Where???”
    “Can’t tell… it’s a secret…”
    I sort of laughed under my breath as I turned, book in hand, waved over my shoulder and walked away. Is was nightfall… and I saw a building in the woods… the second one I had seen.
    It was large, much larger then the other one, I went inside and saw the strangest man… he wore a jesterish suit, no hat…I ignored him and went to sit at the bar there, I read the book until the man came up to me…
    “Bonjour Mon’ Cheri… “
    “Hello…”I said getting up, I had nearly finished the book, but I could read it later, I walked back outside and was almost knocked down be four people who came running at me, I was lucky they stopped when they did…
    “Excuse me…I must be going…” I said, bowing my head…
    “Sorry…” Said a tall man with silver hair…he looked faintly familiar to me…but I couldn’t remember…
    “It’s alright…”
    I kept going until I found the ocean…I looked up and down the shore, I kept going and looked, soon, to see it…
    “Home…Trodain…I want to go…” I said to myself, I had actually been traveling for days.
    I walked to the castle and I saw the man again, and I heard the screaming…and I screamed along for once…and fell to my knees, the man at the door looked at me…
    “You came back?!” he looked surprised, but I smiled at him.
    “I did… It’s my home too you know…”
    “Stupid girl…” The voice of the man in the room, I went over and sat in front of him…
    “Tell me…Who are you???”
    “You want to know?!”
    “Yes… I want to know…I might be willing to help…”
    “My name is Rhapthorne… if you must know…”
    “The lord of darkness…no…I can’t help you get out…” I put my hand up, and the vines didn’t attack me, I gently put my hand on his face…”But I can go in and out all I want…”
    “Why did they not attack???”
    “My mother put them here…Rei…the witch who sealed you here…I could take them away…but I won’t…you’ll attack too many people…”
    He sighed…”So righteous…”
    “I’m afraid I am…”
    “I’m sorry to hear that…”
    “It was a surprise to me as well…there was a time when I would have helped you destroy this world…”
    “Yes…you had such a beautiful black aura…”
    “Well…things happened to me…I grew up…I met someone who changed me…”
    “Who?!”
    I looked at the man by the door…”I guess I should say you…but it was him…you two are so different…but you are the same…” I stared into the eyes of the man by the door…”If your eyes weren’t the same…I would never believe you were…”
    “Wha-?!”
    I smiled at him kindly…I walked into the room, he backed away. I kept walking toward him… he kept backing away, but the room was small, he looked at me with fear, I don’t think he thought I was human…he was worried about me…he was worried that I was sent there to kill him…
    “You fear me…you back away…I am nothing but a young girl… I…” I held my hand to his without grabbing it,” I want to help…If you’d let me…”
    “Why???” he asked looking at my hand.
    “Because…You were kind to me…”I said smiling.
    He looked at me, it was obviously a surprise to him… but he took my hand anyway. I walked to the entrance and walked through…he was free to walk out as well, he and the man by the door fused into one body again and I grabbed his hand again…
    “You can’t go around with the same name you know… too many people fear it…”
    “Hm… you are right…” he looked at the bright blue sky thinking.
    “You have to make one…or else no one will want to meet you!” I laughed a bit.
    “Hm…Well…I don’t know…”
    “Would you like me to make a list of names I know for you???”
    “Yes…thank you… that might be helpful…”
    “We can stop in my hometown if you want… We can’t stay for long though…I don’t actually live there… but I was born near here…”
    “Alright…” he nodded and so did I...
    I brought him to the town and we got a room for the night… we sat in our room and I started to list names…
    Names List:
    Alan
    Alex
    Arnold
    Bayne
    Bryan
    Cale
    Cole
    Coby
    …
    Hokaru
    …
    Jack
    …
    I finished the list and put it in alphabetical order for him.
    “Some of these are very strange.”
    “Well I don’t know very many normal names really…I’m sorry…”
    “It’s alright…”
    “Well…any you like???”
    He sighed a bit, he looked it over once or twice, he grabbed a pen and began to cross out names and re-spell names for a while, and he thought more…
    “I’m not sure…Well I do like a few…but none of them are really me…”
    “Well of coarse not!!!”
    “I know… I meant that none of them work…”
    “I’m sorry…”
    “It’s alright…well I guess you can call me Kane…”
    “Kane??? How interesting… ok then… Kane…”
    “Alright…but I won’t get used to it for a while…”
    “I know…but you needed a new name…do you think we could stop somewhere really quick tomorrow???”
    “Sure…” He nodded…”Get some sleep for now…”
    I nodded and laid down on my bed, I was sure he had done the same when he had turned the light out. We both slept well… Or I did…I don’t know if he slept… at all…
    “Sleep well???” He asked, sitting at the window.
    “I did…” I smiled at him as I sat up.
    “Ready to go?”
    “Yea…Kane???”
    “Hm??? What?”
    “Do you think we really have anyplace to go??? I’m not sure…”
    “No…I don’t believe we do…”
    “I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have brought you out…”
    “But I’m glad you did…”
    “Really???”
    “Well…I did not like it in there…”
    “Oh…” I stood and went into the bathroom to get changed; I walked out…”come on…”
    We both walked out the door.
    We came to the Mallea Abbey and I walked in… I went looking for Marcello.
    “Hello???” I said, walking into the Abbots home.
    Marcello was sitting in a chair by the fire reading.
    “Hm?” He said, looking at the two of us.
    “Hello Marcello… nice to see you are doing well…”
    “Hm??? Have we met???”
    “Mina…Ki’iru…I came with Marco here a while ago…I left…remember???”
    “Oh yes…Can I help you???”
    “Well…maybe… do you know where Marco is???”
    “No…I’m sorry…but you should check the Trodain Church…that is where you met him…”
    “Alright… thank you…”
    I left and Rhapthorne followed closely, I thought I could see a bit of regret in his eyes for a moment…must have been imagining it… But I went back to that church…
    “Hello???”
    “Hello…welcome to our humble-… oh!!! Little one…you came back here???”
    “Oh!!! Marco?!”
    “Yes…hello…”
    “I almost didn’t recognize… What happened???”
    “Father Mercy died a few days ago…I’m the new priest here…”
    “Wow…congratulations Marco…well I just came to offer my apologies to you…”
    “Apologies??? There is nothing to apologize for…”
    “But I want to apologise for acting badly…”
    “Oh that…it’s alright little one…I see you’ve made a friend…”
    I looked at Rhapthorne, “I guess you could say that…”
    “Well it was nice seeing you…I’m sure you have much to do…”
    “Yes…I’m sorry I can’t stay…but…before I go…” I walked over to him and kissed his cheek,” Thank you for everything Marco…”
    I smiled brightly at his blushing face…and I left with Rhapthorne… we walked for a little until I saw those four people again…
    “Hm???” said the man with silver hair…
    “Oh…hello again…” I replied…
    “Hello…you were that girl coming out of The Monster arena…”
    “Oh yea…” said a boy with a red bandana.
    “Yes I was…you almost ran into me…”
    “Sorry about that…”
    “It’s alright…nice to see you again…”
    “Yes Angelo…it is nice to see you again… and Laurien, Jessica and Yangus too…” hissed Rhapthorne from behind me…
    “You know them???” I asked.
    “Have we met???” said Angelo.
    “We fought… a few hundred years ago… but I am surprised to see you all so young…”
    “Rhapthorne?!?!?!”
    “Actually…I go by a new name now…I’m Kane…”
    “What the???”
    “Mina helped me…and I’m trying to change my ways now…”he put a hand on my shoulder.
    “Mina??? So that’s your name?”
    I nodded and kept walking past them, Rhapthorne waved to them as he followed.
    Unfortunately, they followed me closely as well," May I help you?"
    "Why would you want to help him???" Angelo asked, whispering gently in my ear.
    "He was kind to me. So I think he can be changed," I replied emotionlessly.
    "Oh, well that's a stupid reason, wait...have we met? Your name sounds fammiliar."
    "Yea, I was thinking the same thing the first time I saw you."
    "Hm. You don't seem like the type to know the templars, you are so innocent."
    "Me? Innocent? Not at all. I was Taken away from my hometown, hated my own mother, befriended thousands of deadly, man-eating monsters, set free a god-gone-mad and helped him escape death, ran away from a preist and Abbot Marcello. Have I left anything out?" I said, giving him a smile.
    "Marcello?! You know my brother?!"
    "Only just. About three months ago I was brought to him by a man named Marco and then went back in search of Marco about two weeks ago."
    "Aah, so you aren't his biggest fan ever I gather?"
    "Not at all."
    "Good, I was beginning to think I was the only person in the world who didn't love him."
    "Yea well that's the only thing we have in common, I hate all the Templars right now...and no, it isn't your fault..."
    "Alright then, what if I said I was an Ex-templar, and I wanted to help you?"
    "I'd say good, I need a few more to beat who I'm after."
    "Who're you after?"
    "A young man, he's familiar to you...he's your brother, I'm gonna kill him."
    "Oh really?! Well maybe you and Rhapthorne are meant to be together."
    "On the contrary, for one thing I have no romantic interest in him whatsoever and also his name is now Kane."
    "Right, and you really are single? But you're so young and pretty."
    "Yes, well. I haven't met many men in my time that weren't monsters. It's so far, Kane here, Marco, Marcello, or you or your friends...or that guy back in my hometown, the bookworm..."
    "Bookworm??? From where?"
    "I dunno, I don't actually know the name of that little run-down town."
    "Pickham, Yangus was born there too."
    "Yea, well I'm never goin back, I have no right. My mother, Rei, didn't even want me there."
    "DID YOU SAY REI?!?!?!" the man named Yangus yelled.
    "Yea, Rei, a witch with crimson robes, she was my mother."
    "Oh wow! Lady Mina! It's so good to see you again!" he exclaimed stepping infront of me and kissing my hand.
    "You know me?"
    "We actually were friends when you were little."
    "Really?!"
    He told me about it, we all stopped at the beach and sat, he told me everything, all about my mother and father, and about how I was when I was that young. He had known me as far back as my birth, he was my god-father, though he didn't look too much older then myself. He also told me the reason my mother had left with me. Turned out someone wanted me dead. They had come to take me, and my parents wouldn't give me up, so my father fought and my mother had to leave with me. Rhapthorne swore to stay with me no matter what I chose to do. I chose to stay my path and then go back home. So we arrived at the abbey.
    "Marcello?" I called.
    "Yes m'dear?" he asked, comeing out of a room and looking at all of us.
    I held my sword to his neck," You don't deserve your title!" And there I killed him.
    Then after a night in the nearby town, we went back to my home, when the man saw me and them comeing on the horses, he ran up to the gates and waved to us happily. We went right up to him and I got off the horse.
    "I'm comeing to stay, my mother had to get me away from here. So I'll claim what I own and kill whoever gets in my way, I own this city, but everyone that is here can stay, but this town is so bad, I'll make it better then ever!" I smiled at him.
    His eyes lighted up and filled with tears, hugging me tight. His name was Brains, or we all called him that, I did reclaim my land and soon gathered everyone from town.
    "Hi everyone, my name's Mina, I'm the daughter of Rei and I now own this town and I'm gonna need your help to make it better, I'm gonna bring in some friends of mine for some extra muscle and I already bought the supplies, I want everyone to help out if it's phyically possible to make this work, we'll have alot more homes and things for everyone and all who don't wanna help that can't live here, and we'll judge all who can and can't work, and the housing will not cost anything for all of you." I announced.
    So everyone lined up and we counted, about 90% could work and all of them would. We worked with them and the monsters to get the city up and running. Now, the small, rundown town, was a beautiful city. I smiled, looking around proudly, then, I just stopped smiling, memories of my parents came back...and I walked out of the town, Rhapthorne looked after me worriedly. But, when I heard footsteps after me, it wasnt him, but the book man.
    He hugged me tightly," I'm so glad you came back, you did well, you made Pickham a better place for all of us..."
    I smiled and hugged back, "I guess, but, that was for you...enjoy it!"
    "I'm sure we all will, you're a very kind woman, just like your mother."
    "Thank you, but I have to go...I'm sorry, but there's alot I still need to find out, about myself and about my parents."
    "Well then, I hope you find everything you're looking for." He hugged me close, and I hugged back, walking to grab the small pack of supplies, to notice that Kane was waiting for me.
    "Where're we going this time?" He asked.
    "You, nowhere, me, anywhere but here."I repsonded morbidly.
    "But I want to go with you, I hate it here, especially with those brats...don't make me stay...please?"
    I smiled, he was learning to be normal, but could never let the past go, I grabbed my bag from him, he gave no fight or challange at my slow, gentle actions, but there was something that he didn't know about me too. I placed a hand gently on his cheek, and kissed the other one gently," Thank you Kane...you've done so much...but it looks like I have to leave here alone."
    He actually blushed, and nodded, I hadn't seen that comeing, Rhapthorne, blushing? Did he really care? Was he finally falling in love? In love with me? DID he have a softer side to him? I guess only he knew the real answer to that, and I'm guessing this was the first time it had occured to him that he might have feelings for someone, let alone a human girl.
    I smiled and turned to leave, looking around one last time, I left the town where I was born, I didn't know if I'd ever go back, or if I'd ever see my dear friend Kane again, or if any of this was even real, but I did know this, if I ever went back, I hoped that Kane would be in love with someone who would love him more then I ever could, I hoped that I had finally given him peace in his heart for the final time. I never thought in a million years that he and I would be together, but, things sometimes happen, for now, only time could tell if he and I would fall in love. For the next few days I merely stayed in the kingdom nearby, meeting the king and buying supplies, my own job and way in the world, but I knew that there was something more I could do, so I followed the beach past Pickham and found the Monster Arena, I talked with the owner and became a waitress for him, that, unfortunately, entailed wearing a bunny suit, I luckily had the curves to fit one well. Soon after I bayed him farewell, tearful and sad, longing for the family I never knew, but I had something to find, someone to look for, maybe even a goddess to disrupt, maybe I wasn't smart, looking alone for who I was, but I was looking my hardest, my heart calling for the family I left in Pickham, the man I left in Trodain, the love I found in Rhapthorne, the friends I found in his enemies, but how could I return now? I had to greet that damn bird...and crush her... but where to look?
    After months of searching I was sitting in a small little town when I heard my name being called!
    "MINA!!! MINA!!! IS IT REALLY YOU?!?!?!" I heard a boys voice call.
    I looked, to see none other then little bandana boy.
    "Laurien, hello! How good to see you!" I smiled, standing.
    "You look great, I've been looking for you, take this, it'll bring you to who you're looking for."
    He handed me a map, and on it, a small glowing spot, the place you enter to find the island I was looking for, the place where SHE was.
    "Laurien...I don't know what to say, thank you so much!" I hugged him gently.
    He hugged back and went to travel back to the place my heart called for, the place I felt at home, Pickham...oh pickham...why did I ever leave? But then again, how could I loose sight of what she did, of how she's taken away everything... I took the map, and went to look for a boat, I searched, and I searched, and it took at least a year for me to finally give up, I was now at Trodain, once again, the place where my adventures had started. I walked through my old home, looking around, I looked for the man, hopeful and I ran...I ran through the halls of the grand thorned castle, I wanted to see him, so badly, I wanted to run crying to him and cry in his arms, and I was already crying, but I dropped to the floor where he had once been, knowing the truth, I just lie there and cried, no where else to turn, no reason to move on anyway, no reason...at all. And I could almost see him there, the man, almost feel his strange gaze, I knew, he had once been there, and then, I looked into the room silently, walking into it and tears dropped onto the floors, now realizeing my own fear, I cried, and I cried, but I had no other way of showing, how was I to know? My tears cleared the rooms thorns, all the creatures looked at me, some of them cupping their hands to catch the tears, and so I walked out of the room, crying and crying, but I did as I knew they wanted, I walked through the whole castle, untill, where Rhapthorne's story had started, I looked up at the large doors, the wood as dark as ebony, I pushed them open, but there it actually was, the staff that he had been trapped in, I walked over, and fell to my knees grasping the staff, not knowing, not feeling the presence.
    " I'm sorry I left...I miss you so much...please...please...I'm sorry I didn't say it, I love you so much Rhapthorne, you aren't an evil monster...you're," I lost my words through my deep hard sobs, they didn't even sound like I made them, it was like I has been possesed by something, I looked up, at the crystal of the staff.
    "Why?! Why did I have to be so noble?! I couldn't have just stayed with you?! Damn you Empyria!!! THiS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!!" I stood in one, fast motion, and then, the chains broke, my tears, dissappeared, the staff came into my hands so naturally, but then, it began to morph and change, it's crystal came loose, and came up onto my forehead, forgeing with the wood to create a circlet, and then, I looked around, I left, and then, as I would have fallen down the cliff, stairs appeard, dark, clear stairs, what this was, even I didn't know, but I could now walk on water, I was in control for once and I liked it. I went to the island, and when I saw the shadow of Empyria, a dark staff appeared in my hands and I stabbed it into the ground, the shadow wavered, as if she had been stabbed by something this was it, I could get revenge, so I started my attack on the shadow, soon, it fell, Empyria appeared, and all movement in the world, all but my breathing, ceased to be, not a sound could be heard by me, nothing moved, I just stood still, breathing heavily, when the circlet melted off of me and went into my bag, I fell to the ground, not remembering much about what had happened, and not knowing how I was to live after it. It seemed like only moments as I woke in the morning light, the blood of Empyria now on my hair and everywhere, it had spread and gotten onto me, and it made me feel like I was immortal, in fact I thought I was for a few moments, and then, I went towards the cliffs.
    "It's done... Mother...father...it's done." I called weakly, falling onto the ground, I stared at the horizon," but I might die in the process...I love you both and...Rhapthorne...I love you..."
    My conciousness faded again, and the next thing I knew, I awakened on the back of a golden bird.
    "You killed Empyria? Was that your case?" I was asked.
    "Yes it was Angelo... but...I think i might be dying."
    "I know, that's why I'm bringing you home."
    "Home? but no one's there..."
    "I meant Pickham..."
    I smiled, oh Pickham...I want to go home! "Ok."
    "And another-...wait ok?"
    "Yea, I missed it...Empyrea's gone for good...so she can't hurt anyone ever again..."
    "Hurt?"
    "She was the real person who killed my parents, and no, Rhapthorne didn't tell me that, my mother's diary did, before I even knew he was Rhapthorne..."
    "Wow, who knew?"
    "She's the reason my mother put me with Rhapthorne, and he protected me...it's like you guys but opposite."
    "Yea, Here we are, just relax and hold on to yout life ok?"
    "Ok. I promise nothing's gonna kill me untill I tell someone I care..."
    He smiled, picking me up we landed, and he carried me into the city, I closed my eyes to lean on him, smiling and cuddling into his chest sleepily, he didn't mind, maybe he wanted to know wat this felt like, but who knows, he brought me to Rhapthorne.
    "Oh god! What happened to Mina?!?!?!" Rhapthorne called.
    At the sound of his voice I looked at him and smiled," KANE!!!" I called out happily, holding my side in pain after.
    "Mina!" He took me from Angelo and set me on the bed, covered me in a blanked, and, then, after all the secrecy, he kissed my forehead, I blused hard and smiled.
    " I'm ok, I killed Empyrea and everything...this is minimal damage, I guess the staff still had some of your powers in it." I got closer to him gently and cutely, like a puppy who just got home.
    "Staff?"
    I explained the whole thing, the traveling, the friends, the battle, but, oops, I said how much I loved and missed him.
    When I stopped, was only when I had fallen asleep, and Kane's cheeks were red, bigtime. Even in my sleep I mumbled things like,
    "Kane...I'm sorry, I love you."
    or
    "Rhapthorne please understand...my mom."
    Though I always smiled, so it doesn't mater..
    He held me close, all night, he held me close, and I smiled. In the morning, I woke up in his arms, him asleep next to me, and as I stared up at his sleeping figure, I could feel myself longing for him to say he loved me...I loved him more and more. But, I couldn't wait, I kissed him quickly and gently. Then, laid down again, leaning into him, and closeing my eyes, looseing myself in thoughts of him. But soon, I relized that he was wakeing up, a mumble could be heard, his grip tightened on me, and then he yawned and streched, on instinct, my eyes shut, pretending to be asleep, or trying to pretend. It worked though, he just looked at me, smileing down, holding me in his arms again.
    "I had no idea Mina...I mean...you feel the same as I do...I love you so much." he quietly confessed.
    I smiled, but then remembered, and I mumbled, beginning to get up. He looked at me with a smile, watching my eyes open sleepily, beggining to look up at him. He held me close even still, protectively.
    "Yes, I heard everything you said," I replied to his silent question with a smile.
    A slight blush enveloped his cheeks, kissing my forehead gently.
    I smiled, leaning my head on his chest, not ever wanting him to let go. He smiled, holding me closer, but, all things come to an end, Angelo walked in after knocking, and looked in at our figures lying in bed," Still asleep?! What? Did you two do things to eachother all night?!"
    "No Angelo, We just woke up." I replied, sitting up and slipping out of Kane's grip.
    He sat up with me, glareing at Angelo with a strong hatred. And I smiled at this, knowing this would only worsen their eternity long battle.
    "Well I see you two had a nice night, man, I wish I could be like you and have so few worries that you can just cuddle with someone all night, then again I'd have to find someone to cuddle WITH first."
    I laughed and the fake look of thoughtfullness that came over his face, he smiled at me and then looked at Kane," Don't worry I won't steal her from you, she's just become like the sister I always wished Marcello had been!"
    I laughed again, this time even Kane chuckled a little, makeing Angelo burst into laughter, to think, the three of us were finally connecting, and now, I felt loved, felt wanted. Then I walked into the closet, changeing my clothes and comeing out in lovely, crimson robes, and a thin, golden circlet with a crimson red gem, my hair was down and curled in loose waves, and I wore golden arm-bands, and red shoes that has a small gold emblem on each of them. As I walked out of the room, everyone stared at me in awe, I opened my eyes to show the dense, light brown, and smiled, with my blood-red lips. And before I knew it, Brains stepped up to me and examined me closely;
    "Rei?" he asked me in awe.
    And I answered;
    "No, but I'm the next best thing."