As Kevin touched my hand to lead me away, we heard the sound of bells tolling. Screams and shouts echoed the whole village as panic rose in their minds. Rushed footsteps caused the ground to shake as the whole world tried escaping what was to come.

  Kevin muttered something under his breath that I couldn’t hear, but then turned to me and said, “We have to hurry.” He started pulling onto my arm, urging me to move, but I wouldn't budge. I was frozen on the spot as I remembered about the prophecy. I was sure what to make of it. I don't think I'm ready for this! I mean, I didn't have a lot of time for training and yet, look what's happening.

  "Hyori! Let's go! We have to go to the village!" Kevin exclaimed and literally dragged me back inside the castle where the sounds echoed the loudest.
  The guests were exiting the castle, unarmed for they weren't ready for this siege at a time of a celebration. I was seaching for anyone I knew, especially Rima, but they were nowhere to be found. I turned to Kevin and muttered, "Rima."

  He knew what I meant and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know where she is. I haven't seen her the whole night, but maybe someone else has. We need to go. We don't have time looking for someone who might've been evacuated. We need to find my brothers and meet up with them." Again, Kevin dragged me out of the castle.

  I kept looking around, hoping I would catch a glimpse of Rima, but she was nowhere to be found.

  The moment we were outside, the village was darker than before. The lights were put out, shrill screams pierced my ears, and people were scattered all over the place. All around, Shadows swooped the air and some even stepped on the road. I watched as one grabbed a denizen by the throat, bringing him up to eye level. The Shadow literally the life out of him as the denizen's mouth opened wide and a gray fog breathed into the Shadow. His showed what was left of his life. His once deep blue eyes turned to a foggy gray and his body grew limp. Once the process was done, the Shadow discarded the body and left it there to rot.

  This was the first time I saw death happening. I gasped and felt my heart dropped to my stomach. I looked away and squeezed Kevin's hand.

  He placed his other hand gently on top of mine. "You can't be afraid here. There's more of these deaths yet to come," he paused, "Even the prophecy has foretold a death will occur between one of us, but we don't know who. Don't be afraid."

  I nodded my head and closed my eyes for a moment. Even though he said those words, I still was frightened by the idea.

  We ran pass many Shadows and dead bodies. The Shadows glanced at us, but they just watched as if they were ordered not to touch us. Judging from the direction we were heading to, I knew we were going to the Western Wall.

  Only one Shadow tried to attack us along the way. It swooped above us and reached out towards me. In an instant, Kevin picked me up on his back and transformed into a wolf, carrying me away from the Shadow. It didn't chase us; it only floated there, watching us go.

  When we neared the wall, I spotted Eli and Dongho fighting off the Shadows that were entering through a huge gash on the wall. One after another, they came in swarms. When one was gone, another took its place. It was a never ending battle.

  "Stay here." Kevin ordered through his wolf form.

  I only nodded and slipped off of Kevin's back. Just before he was reaching his brothers, he turned to me. "We don't want to lose you." With those words, he came to his brothers and attacked the Shadows.

  I didn't know what to do. I wanted to help, but fear and cowardice pulled me back.

  I took a step forward and a black mist flashed before my eyes. I fell back and felt my heart speeding in my chest. Suddenly, I felt a cool hand pressing against my back, followed by a sharp pain. My body started feeling weak as my energy was being drained. My eye drooped as my vision began to blur. I tried fighting it off, but it was too late; my body was already too weak to move.

   Just when I thought everything was over, a shrill cry pierced my ears and my energy came back. I looked up to see AJ standing before me.

  He had concern written all over his face. He held out a hand and helped me up.

  I stumbled into his arms and brought myself up.

  "You can't just stand here, Milady. I trained you on spells. You must use them now since time is running out." AJ pulled me behind a bar and held my shoulders. Looking straight into my eyes, he said, "No matter what happens today and the next, you cannot give in to the Shadows. They know how to manipulate your mind and cause you to do what you don't want to. I need you to promise me you won't give up."

  I didn't understand what he meant, but what he said made sense. Thinking about Dongho's ability, I knew the Shadows are much dangerous than I thought.

  He didn't wait for my reply as more Shadows entered the village. He stared at me for a moment; his eyes showed he wanted to say something, but he didn't have time to say it. Without a word, he left to aid the remaining people.

  I was alone, seeing and hearing gruesome sights and painful cries. But among those senses, I could hear a distinct laugh in the distance. It was the same laugh I heard in my dreams, only it felt real this time.

  "What are you doing, hiding here, Warrior?" The same voice from my dreams asked in a taunting manner. "Shouldn't a warrior be out there, protecting the ones they love?"

  The voice was much closer now as if it was right next to me…

  I turned to the wall and found the Shadows retreating but there was one that remained. It was so high up I couldn't make out what it appeared like. However, I did count four, hooved legs.

  Everyone in the area was confused as the Shadows left one by one without another fight. Dongho seemed to be the only one who noticed the last Shadow in the sky. His expression turned dark.

  The Shadow descended only low enough to reveal a rider on top of a black, smoky horse. The rider smirked at us which soon turned to a dark laugh. "What a beautiful sight! Here stands the future king and the rest of the royal family, but now where is your queen?" He didn't wait for anyone to answer. "No matter. She's not that important since she'll retire soon. We might as well have her dead the moment she steps off her throne." He chuckled. His eyes shifted toward me and his laughter came back. "And look who else we have here! The Warrior! Poor thing is still too weak to fight me or any of the Shadows here. In fact, I can't even see you as a warrior, Dear Girl." The rider made his final, hysterical laugh.

  Eli tried to shut him up by taking Kiseop's spear and throwing it straight to him.

  The rider glared with his dark brown eyes. "So this is how you treat your guests? Tsk tsk. And you're going to be the king one day. You should really fix that attitude of yours."

  "Shut up, Soohyun." This time it was Dongho who made his attempt.

  The rider, Soohyun, raised his eyebrows. "And for you, it's not nice to speak that way towards your older brother."

  Dongho flinched at those words as he muttered, "You're no longer considered as my brother."

  "Ah! That truly hurts right here!" Soohyun struck his chest and smiled. "Well it would if I had one still. I sold it to the true ruler of this kingdom."

  I couldn't understand what was going on. Who is this guy and what relationship does he have with Dongho and everyone here? I stepped forward and clenched my fist. I will not be weak today. I have to overcome these fears if I want to go home. Taking a deep breath, I exclaimed, "What do you want? Why are you doing this?"

  Soohyun grinned. "What else? I want this kingdom destroyed so the Shadows can rule! Humans are weak, but with them, we can become immortal. All you have to do is give up your soul to them.

  "You're crazy! Do you actually think they'll let us all live?" Kevin shouted.

  "No. I'll get to choose who lives and who doesn't, and I already know who's going to die first." In a blink of an eye, he disappeared.

  Dongho's eyes grew wide. "We need to find the Queen!" Without another wait, he ran towards the castle. Everyone followed until all that were left were the bodies that once had life in them.

  I was about to go, but a voice stopped me, "It would be best to search for your friend." I recognized the voice as being Soohyun's; one of the voices from my dream.

  "What did you do to her?" I yelled at nothing in particular.

  He chuckled. "You'll see."

  "Where is she?"

  "Where do you think?"

  I had to stop and think for a moment before knowing a place. I gasped. "The North Hall."

  "You better hurry."

  I did. I ran as fast as I could back inside the castle. I didn't know where exactly the hall was but my legs kept moving as if they knew. Please. Please be safe Rima. I can't lose you here and now. We need to go home together. My life won't be the same without you or Hyemi. Tears began streaming down my cheeks. Would all this have happened if I stayed at the party or would more people would be dragged in because of that hole? I can't afford losing someone.

  I ended up near the hall and felt a chill running up my spine. I could hear faint whispers that I could not comprehend and eyes watching my every move. No one was here but it was like millions of people gathered here. I stepped forward and the whispers got loud, but still sounded like gibberish to me. I soon learned it was in an ancient language of the people who used to reside in Neverland.

  Among the whispers, I heard the clanking of metal against metal and a loud grunt. This sound wasn't among the whispers but something more realistic. I rushed towards the sound and found Kiseop fighting with Soohyun. It was spear against sword and it seemed like neither of them were winning.

  Soohyun spotted me first. "Ah look who's here to join the party!"

  Kiseop attacked at that moment and managed to cut Soohyun's shoulder.

  He glared. "You stupid brat! I was talking!" He lunged forward and attacked Kiseop. His movements were quick compared to Kiseop and were more advanced. In one leg sweep, he brought Kiseop flat on his back. Soohyun took his sword and raised it right above his heart. Just as he was going to plunge it deep into his heart, I shouted, "No!"

  Soohyun grinned as if he had planned it all. He took the of his sword and jabbed it on Kiseop's head, knocking him out. He stood up and dropped his sword. Rubbing his hands together, he stepped towards me, ordering at no one in particular, "Take him away."

  A Shadow appeared, coming out of his own shadow and carried Kiseop. It flew passed me before I could get any reaction to it.

  I was about to chase after it, but my body froze like the first time I came to Neverland. "What are you going to do to him?"

  "Something special, but don't worry. I won't kill him... Yet." He chuckled. "You have a choice. In fact, I'm giving you a choice. I'll let you go home with your friend and leave you two alone for the rest of your lives or you can stay here and watch Neverland die out and be reborn as a Shadow Kingdom. Which one do you prefer? Life or death?" Another Shadow appeared beside him. This time, this Shadow was carrying an unconscious Rima in its hands.

  I looked at her and to Soohyun. This was a difficult decision. I wanted to go home so badly but I was the Warrior and everyone counted on me to save them. But I really wanted to go home. The something hit me. The guilt would kill me if I abandoned all the people who trusted me. "I-"

  He smirked. "You made your choice. I can see it in your eyes. It's time for me to go. Looks like Dongho and company are here." Soohyun saluted and winked before disappearing along with the Shadow and Rima.

  I couldn't move. How could this have happened to me? Why do I always freeze on such crucial times? If I had answered quicker, I could've saved her, but I hesitated.

  "Hyori!" The first voice I heard was Kevin. Suddenly, I felt his arms wrapped around me tightly and I couldn’t control myself any longer.

  I buried my face into his chest as I gripped the front of his shirt and cried. My body shook as sobs escaped my lips. The tears fell endlessly and stained Kevin’s shirt. All I could think about is why. Why was I so weak? Why couldn’t I do anything about this? Why did I have to be the warrior when there were other stronger people out there? Why did I have to see death like this?

  Kevin’s embrace tightened on me as he rubbed my back without words. He stayed silent as the rest of the people there spoke amongst each other.

  “Damn. I wasn’t expecting Soohyun to take Rima,” Dongho exclaimed as he slammed his fist on the wall. “I’m so stupid!”

  “It’s not your fault.” This time it was AJ who spoke. “We didn’t know what he was planning.”

  “He was stalling us! He sent those Shadows in the castle to distract us while he was in the North Hall this whole time! Now even Kiseop is gone!” Dongho stomped next to Kevin and me. “We saw Kiseop being carried away and knew immediately where you were since this was the first place Soohyun would be in.” He pointed at the door which was now unchained, the lock on the ground with the shackle unclipped. “This was where we kept him but someone freed him and my best bet was Rima.”

  “Stop!” I screamed. I didn’t want to hear it. I heard enough of all this nonsense. Rima couldn’t be the one who unchained Soohyun because… Because… What could I say? I didn’t see her for the whole night, so there was no proof that she did or did not do it.

  “I’m just saying!”

  “Dongho, stop,” Kevin sternly said. Tonight isn’t the time to be discussing who freed Soohyun.”

  “It’s the perfect time to discuss! I mean look at this! Innocent people died in the village today and the palace is destroyed. We lost Kiseop and that Rima girl. Most of our guests are probably injured or even dead and it’s all because someone freed Soohyun while we were all distracted! You people need to assess the damage!”

  “Calm down.”

  He spun towards Kevin and pointed a finger at him. “Don’t tell me to calm down,” he said through gritted teeth.

  Kevin held his anger as he just stared at Dongho with a blank expression.

  Dongho rolled his eyes and groaned. “We need to do something! We can’t just sit here and do nothing while all this is going on! Neverland will be destroyed if we don’t act quickly!”

  “We will do something!” Kevin’s eyes dilated like a cat’s as he was ready to pounce on him at any moment. He let me go and stood face to face with Dongho. They had a stare down, sending each other taunting messages.

  “Enough.” This time Eli stepped in. “The more you argue, the less time we have to produce a plan. If you want to get Kiseop or Rima back, we must head out to their kingdom.”

  “But that’s what he wants.” AJ stated.

  “And that’s what he’ll get.” Eli smirked while crossing his arms over his chest. “I’d rather have the battle outside of our kingdom than in it.”

  There was a long silence as everyone was thinking about this plan. I darted my gaze on every person in the room and noticed how beaten up they appeared. Their eyes were red, cuts and scrapes were all along their body, and their clothes were torn.

  Then AJ spoke. “Who will be coming?”

  Eli’s eyes shift around the room. “Everyone here.”