Like seeing someone come home from war, I felt excitement and happiness to see Nero standing in front of me. Truth be told she was the only one I trusted to tell me anything about this world I still wasn't used to. However, something was different about Nero. Her smile was more sinister than happy, her knuckles were bruised and bloody, she looked at me as if...as if she was upset that she was looking at me. I stepped forward, now standing only feet from her.

You're alive.

She laughed under her breath, her head hanging to the ground now. When she looked up, a dark smirk carried in the place of her smile. She looked down at her knuckles, bruised and broken, and then back up at me.

As alive as a dead woman can be.

The voice that rang from her lips caused me to question if this really was Nerobel. I had always heard annoyance in her voice, even anger at times, but not like this. As she spoke words it was like a warning. I was hoping this was just due to her being rose from the dead, but as she paced waiting for me to speak, she seemed to carry the same look of hate on her face.

I don't understand....

You don't understand? You don't understand what you did do you Mandii? Was this spell not supposed to work? Just a little flair in your life so that you could have some fun? Did you think I would remain dead and not come back? I knew you were ignorant to this new world you are apart of but, I didn't know you were stupid enough to not believe in a witches magic.

Her words rang with anger and her eyes showed every emotion she was feeling. I let out a sigh before backing up slightly, turning around to the door to allow Teakkin out so we could move onward to the car. If Nero was different, she would leave soon and not wish to see me.

Now you're going to leave? Don't you want to hear the stories I have? That has to be the only reason you wanted me back. I mean, I told you I wanted to die Mandii, you wouldn't want me back just so you could be happy right?

I stopped, my breathing stilled. She was blaming me for her being back? I turned to face her, confusion on my face as I moved to her again.

You said you wanted to die but death isn't something to be happy about.

Then why was I happy in death. I was at rest and I was able to forgive until you brought me back to hell. You didn't even bother to dig me out of my grave...I had to do that Mandi.

My eyes widened. I had thought that is what happened with the blood on her knuckles, I just wish it wasn't true. I let my head hang, my blood ran cold and I felt this knot in my belly. If this was hell then....

You were in heaven...

Does it matter if I say yes now? I can't go back and its all because of you. I was able to rest in death and forgive you and everyone else for the shit you put me through but now, now I know when I see death's dark shadow again I'll be stuck in hell.

I'm sorry...

You're sorry? You were getting sick of hearing that and I'm not going to get used to hearing it. You're Not sorry, you wanted me back for your sick family portrait. Why couldn't you just go find your damn brother and leave me be! Hell, you could even have found our dad and see what he had to say about his hero of a daughter and his little mistake.

I looked up to Nero, a sick smile painted on her face. I felt my body run cold and stiffen. I couldn't move, I was frozen in shock.

Wait, he's...

Alive? Ya, dads alive and he wants nothing to do with you or me. He didn't care about either of us, not that you cared, you never cared about who your real dad was. I just wanted to see his face once more, now, now I want to see you and him dead and I want to be the one to drag you both to hell!


Her words echoed in the air before I could feel her hand pushed against my neck. My back was tossed into the dirt as my breathing shallowed. I pushed up on Nero, her body not budging an inch. My eyes fluttered slightly before I felt fire rush into my veins and not soon after I felt my power kick in. I pushed Nero off me, forcing her back into the dirt.

Don't do this...

Why? You fucked up my life and death! Why should I pay you any mercy Mandii!? Because you are my sister?! If you cared anything about me, you souldn’t have brought me back just because it made you happy!

She shot for me, her body connecting to mine. I pushed her off before sending her into the air and bringing her down with my hand on her back. She hit the ground and I rolled away from her, looking up once I was far enough away to not allow her to hit me. She laughed, a small crooked smirk stained her face along with a small blood trail from a busted lip. She let a growl in the air before pushing to me with force. Once she reached me, she forced me into the side of the house, not hard enough to break it but hard enough where I could feel the jagged borders prying at my back.

I didn't want to come back!

Her hand wrapped around my throat once more cutting oxygen. I gasped for air, trying to pull away from Nero, but it was no use. I looked into her eyes as she held me up, how was she stronger than me? She smiled again before sending me into the dirt, my back slid across the rocks ripping the back of my shirt to pieces and skin with it. I struggled to stand, then I saw Teakkin come from the door. She put her hand over her lips before holding both her hands out. Nero stopped her approach to me, her body pushing itself back. Was Teakkin able to control Nero?

Mandii get her!

I darted for Nero, forcing her down to the ground. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my side and I was forced off Nero. My body was being pushed down by gravity, and as I fell back to earth, I watched a man cut through Teaching "Strings." A loud yell was sent into the air alone with cries of pain. Once I hit earth again, I saw the blood that ran down Trekking hands. Before I could get to my feet, the same man from before was pulling me up by my hair and tossing me down to the dirt. I looked up, his face clear now and a red pendant hanging from his neck. Who was he?



I don't think so.

Nero darted on top of me once more, this time however, I was able to push her into the man. This disoriented them for a few moments giving me the time to spear them both to the ground. I rushed to my feet before falling back slightly. I watched as Nero held her head and the man pushed her off him.

You're going to regret that bitch.

Just shut the fuck and get up.

His smiled showed a set of fangs and a split tongue, before I knew it, I was back on my back and being forced deeper and deeper into the ground. I struggled slightly, watching the expression on the mans face change to more of a playful look. I pushed him off once more and sent my foot between his legs. He fell to the ground, the funny thing, so did Nero. I pushed up from the ground and ran to Teakkin. Pulling her from her own puddle of blood, we ran to the car. Teakkin’s moans and screams echoed as the car started.

Mandii! Go!

I looked ahead of me, Nerobel stood there, her eyes fixed on mine. I bit my lip looking behind me, the man stood feet from the back of my car.

Mandii!

Hold on!

I put the car in reverse and started to back up. I reached the man and he didn't move causing my car to hit him and his body bouncing off the top of my car and onto my windshield. I stopped, my eyes shot open.

Is he dead?

He popped up, looking at me and letting out a hiss.

Nope!

I pulled back once more and this time forced his body to the ground as me and Teakkin drove down a gravel road to the main road.

Your hands ok?

They'll grow back, it just stings. What was that?

That is a pissed off zombie Siren and her snake friend. We have to keep going, I can't think about Nero right now, I need to get Jay back. Teakkin, I need you to kick the windshield out.

What?!

I can't see through it, start kicking!

With a look of concern, Teakkin leaned down in her seat, her eyes on the windshield. She pushed her feet back and sent them into the windshield. I pop sounded off in the car and she did it again, and again, and again until it popped out and glass shattered everywhere. I didn't have time to stop, I had to keep going because soon I would have Nerobel in bird form and if she was already as strong as me, her speed would be able be just the same.

-------------------------

My back was leaned against a single tree next to a rocky river. Teakkin stood next to the river washing her arms and hands off, watching as her fingertips healed after her "Strings" were cut though. I looked over at her before pushing myself away from the tree.

So who the hell was Norebel's friend?

Teakkin looked up at me, her eyes flashed over the my body looking at the only things that were left from our little war, blood and dirt. She stopped when she saw my arm, I expected her to notice, I didn't expect her expression of pain.

When did that happen, it looks, well it doesn't look like it feels nice.

I looked over my arm. When I was shot into the ground I wasn't landing on my back, it was my arm then my back. This caused a bone to break and it was sticking out under the skin.

It will heal.

Doesn't it hurt?

Teakkin, who was he?

I don't know, she wasn't even supposed to be alive. Mandii, I didn't die I don't even understand why Nerobel is back. I also don't understand why she is so...

Grumpy?

I rolled my eyes looking around at where we were.

We pulled her out of heaven...I pulled her out of heaven because I needed her here.

I felt sick, my body felt like it was going from pluto to the sun and back. I turned from Teakkin and looked over my car. The hood was bent in, the window of course bashed out, the hood looking like a hail ball hit it a million times, and the best part was now I had a flat.

Shadows is not going to be happy.

Who's Shadows?

Teakkin walked up behind me, still wiping the dirty water from her arms.

Someone I know from work. This is the third car I fucked up and now I have to go take to him.

A sigh left my lips as I walked to the trunk of my car. I didn't notice before but it was bent in as well. I rolled my eyes before opening my truck and pulling out my spare. I walked over to the front of my car before laying the wheel down along with a lug wrench.

Teakkin, you are going to learn how to take a car wheel off and replace it, get your ass over here.

Shouldn't you have...

I laid down on my back and pushed up on the bottom of my car. I lifted the wheel enough for Teakkin to be able to change the tire. Strength had its advantages, however, it also had the disadvantage of me being sore about a hour after lifting big things.

Never mind.

She Started to tighten the wheel before looking over at me, as if to see if I was ok.

Now I have fire fucks on my ass and my sister, not to mention the snake boy she has, oh and my brother is being held captive by a dreamer. I'd rather face every man on the roster than deal with this bull shit.

Speaking of "The Roster", you never really explained your job.

It's fighting, basically, just under controlled circumstances to a degree.

So you're fighting for fun?

Not this week, I'm fighting for a championship.

Championship?

A sigh left my mouth.

Can you focus on the wheel.

Ya, sorry. I was just wondering.

I rolled my eyes before closing them and focusing on keeping the car up. My match this week, ha, what match? A swaggot who is afraid of his own shadow, someone who has been MIA for weeks now, some mystery fucker, a man who already lost his shot at this championship. Let's not forget the champion himself hasn't had a real challenge.

Done.

I pushed out from under the car, letting it down slowly. Teakkin stood to her feet and began to dust off her hands. Once the car was on the ground, she sat in the passenger's seat and waited for me to get in. I walked around the car getting in on the driver's side.

Basically this week I will be in a chamber filled with idiots. We will fight each other, break each other, and in the end utterly humiliate each other in the hopes for a belt. Before you say how stupid that sounds, take into consideration that this marks who is the best. Considering how long I've been working there and I have this shot, I would say its a pretty big deal.

Then before that time comes, we will find your brother and a way to keep the dreamer away from him.

I looked over at Teakkin. Hope was flashing in her eyes, I hadn't seen this from her. I nodded slightly before pulling out of the grass and back onto a concrete road.

So, are there monsters in this chambers?

Just me.

You aren't a monster Mandii.

I am when it comes to getting what I want and having people people stand in my way.

-------------------------

My tires hit gravel as I turned into the front parking of a house. I stopped, hearing the spinning of gravel die done. Leaning back in my seat, I pulled out the ring from before and looked it over. There was one way to get Jason back and this was going to be it. I could feel a knot grow in my belly as I looked out of my side window, a house only footsteps away. I gripped the ring in my hand before tuning the car off and stepping out. Teakkin followed after me as I stepped up to the door. I knocked on the the door a few times before stepping back.

Who's house is this?

A Vampires.

Well I guessed that much.

One that should help.

And if they don't?

She will.

Teakkin rolled her eyes. I gripped the ring tighter, the longer I waited, the less hope I had.

Look's like she isn't here.

Just then, the door opened and standing in front of me was someone my brother had history with. She smiled, slightly, as I stepped forward. I held the ring out as if to say "This is my excuse to ask if I can come in."

I need your help....Micah.