The kingdom of Agni was comprised of 2 major cities and 6 smaller districts. The royal castle, in which all royals - from the current king and queen to the descendants of previous royalty- lived, was situated in the beating heart of the biggest city of the kingdom known as "Ambustio". After spending that first day exploring the markets and food stalls, the night time showed me a whole different side to the city. From historical monuments decked with bright fairy lights and welcoming visitors until the early hours of the morning to arcades and fairs offering exciting rides and sweet treats, night life in Ambustio proved to be alive and well.

The next day, we drove to the second largest city in Agni, the city of "Inferna". Where Ambustio was bustling with tall buildings and crowded businesses and resembled New York in its fast paced lifestyle, Inferna was more of an exotic retreat. Instead of the busy highways, the concrete made place for hills and Meadows. Skyscrapers were replaced with fancy cottages and high end retreats where the people of Agni went to unwind and relax. Rivers of crystal clear water burst out of what I thought were mountains only to find out they were volcanoes. Magic and nature were in harmony as lava mixed with the water of the rivers to end up in natural hot springs. In theory, something like Inferna should not exist, but I was standing in the middle of a magical kingdom made of lava and Crystals and the sheer power of the elements. Who was I to say what should and should not exist?

I would have loved to visit the remaining districts of the kingdom, get a closer look at how the rest of the population lived and what other magical secrets were hidden within Agni's walls, but the trip around the cities took a toll on me. Chanyeol also insisted that we spend our last day resting before we had to go back to the academy and the throng of battle trials, stating that we could not possibly visit all the districts in one day and promising to bring me back once the battles finish. So we spent our last day of the break exploring the castle, from its secret passages to its well kept gardens. I never went back to the armory and I didn't tell Chanyeol or the girls about what happened that afternoon. I didn't want anyone to worry about it, especially since I was not even sure what 'it' was. I was an anxious and slightly paranoid person so I dreaded thinking that it was all a figment of my imagination, and therefore I did what I do best in these situations: I locked the memory away in a box in the deepest darkest part of my mind.

When night came, Chanyeol invited me to dinner out in the gardens. We had been keeping our distance from the royal family – despite Chanyeol's parents inviting him and his 'mysterious friend' to lunch and dinner practically every day- and when I stumbled upon a beautiful yet hidden part of the garden earlier that day, he set up our dinner table there.

The darkness of the night only enhanced the beauty of the space. Lit only by starlight and a couple of evenly placed torches, the trees cast shadows on the stone path that led to the table, giving it an eerie yet inviting atmosphere. Dinner was delicious, just like every meal I have had in Agni since I came here. Chanyeol and I talked about our trip, about what awaits us back at the academy and about my improvement. I was worried that this time I spent exploring the kingdom and not training was going to set me back, but he tired his best to assure me that a three day break was not going to hinder months worth of hard work and progress.

I was once again standing in the dark alley facing the girl I knew all too well. The darkness of the night only made the shadowy figures that advanced around me more ominous and threatening. The girl taunted me with her laughter, her silver blade glistening under the moonlight, the red ruby reflecting the light. I knew somewhere deep in my mind that this was only a nightmare but the pain that erupted into my chest as the girl drove  her blade into my heart felt all too real. Her sinister laughter only magnified the feeling of betrayal that coursed through my veins and as I lay there in the middle of a deserted alleyway bleeding to death I looked around me once more, willing my fire to protect me, willing for help to come for anyone to find me but as the shadows emerged from the darkness of the night and stood around me I knew that there was no hope for me, not as long as they were here.

The Grim Ones.

I gasped awak,e the pain in my chest feeling all too real. As I rubbed my hand over my heart I realized sadly that there was no going back to sleep for me. Whenever I had this nightmare the images refuse to leave my mind but this time, the flashbacks combined with the pain that erupted through me and the questions that bounced around in my head, I knew that sleep was long gone. I kicked the sheets away from me and stood up. Everything around me was dead silent which made sense since it was 2 a.m.  I pushed my feet through my sneakers and held a jacket around my shaking body. I had a feeling the tremors that went through me had nothing to do with the cold weather and everything to do with what I had just gone through again. Opening the door to my room I realized that the best thing I could do right now was take a walk and clear my head hoping that some fresh air would ease  my worries and my pain.

As I walked away from my room a rustling sound brought my attention to the room adjacent to mine. The huge white door creaked slightly as it was opened and the fast beating of my heart only slowed when I realized that it was Chanyeol making his way out of his room.

"Holy hell! You scared me!" I exclaimed in a loud whisper.

"I'm sorry". Chanyeol chuckled silently. "What are you doing up so late?"

"I could ask you the same thing." I arched my eyebrow questioningly.

"I heard your door open so I came to investigate. I'm a pretty light sleeper. Now it's your turn."

"I had a nightmare and I couldn't go back to sleep so I thought i'd take a walk."

"In that case do you mind if I join you?"

"Not at all."

We made our way through the quiet Castle, making sure not to make too much noise as to not wake up anyone. As we stepped out into the fresh night breeze I took a deep breath and let the worries seep out of my body. It wasn't that this nightmare was particularly gruesome or new in any way- except if you count the fact that I realized those shadows were actually the Grim ones from the underworld-, but something about it pulled at the strings of my lost memory. I could feel it in my bones that I knew exactly who that girl was but what scared me was the possibility of that nightmare being a reality. The pain I felt in my chest was way too real for me to count it as a coincidence which meant that some time before I woke up in my new house as Lilith Ignis I was stabbed and left to die in an alleyway.

That thought alone brought another bout of shivers down my spine.

"Are you all right?" Chanyeol's voice broke the silence of the night. " Was the nightmare that terrible that you can't stop shaking?"

"Nothing I'm not used to". I shrugged nonchalantly. "Where are you taking me anyway?"

We had made our way out of the gardens into a place I have never seen before and even though it was dark and my surroundings were unfamiliar I was not exactly worried ,merely curious.

"Somewhere beautiful."  He said as he separated the branches of two hugging trees and step