Elayne was sitting in bed impatiently. It was the usual morning but something was different, something didn't quite fit. She could hear everyone walk about to their daily routine as if nothing was wrong and so she gathered it was only her who sensed this. Surely if something was out the ordinary, the angels wouldn't just be walking about, they'd be frantically rushing to and fro right? Things wouldn't be so calm now would they? It would be hectic. Still something in the back of her mind told her not to be deceived.

Ian had not yet arrived for their daily outing or for any matter at that and she was quite concerned. Had something happened to him? She had seen him yesterday true, just like any other day but that didn't prove anything. You could be safe and enjoying life one minute and the next you could be turned to a pile of ash, like...Aylen. The thought was enough to make her sad to the point where she began to question whether she was cursed. All her loved ones died and left her to herself. Her parents died, followed by her older brother and now Aylen. Who was next? Was it Ayden? Amaranth? Ian perhaps? For all she knew Ayden could already be dead as would Amaranth. She hadn't heard news of them since the battle.

She got up and started pacing around the room. She had never had this strange feeling and it was certainly not pleasant. A few minutes went by and it all remained the same. She walked over to the door and leaned against it trying to listen to what was happening on the other side. She heard nothing but the shuffling of feet and talking from her captors. Was she making a big deal out of nothing? Maybe she was. She headed back to her bed when she thought back on something. The night the battle took place, she told Amaranth of a feeling she got and he reacted strange. He led her hurriedly back to the liar. He must have known there was something strange about it. Could she possibly feel when something is about to happen? Was that the reason why he acted that way?

Just as she laid herself in bed, she heard knocking. She didn't even say anything merely sprung out bed and hurried to the door. She opened it and there in front of her stood the man she had been she worried about. Ian was smiling down at her and she smiled back before she pursed her lips and hit him in his arm. His smiling face turned to shock and confusion and merely rubbed his arm. “Where were you?” she asked worriedly. “I went to pay someone a visit because I knew how worried you were but I think I should come back later instead.” he said, raising his head and turning to leave in mocking hurt. “Wait! What?” she asked interested, as she grabbed him by his arm, pulling him back inside the room with immense force they both didn't know she had, and hit him accidentally in his arm. “Ow, that one did hurt.” he said softly, rubbing his arm.

She chuckled, “what do you mean you paid a visit to someone? Who?” she asked curiously. “Come on, sit down.” he said, pulling her to the bed. “Well, since you hadn't had any news from your friends I decided to go and maybe do a little spying but I actually met up with their leader, Amaranth.” he said casually, as her eyes went wide in astonishment. “But isn't that dangerous? You were exposing yourself! What if he hurt you?” she said raising her voice. “Yes well, I know that their leader isn't such a bad vampire and I think he views me the same way because we sort of had a small conversation, secretly I might add. If my fellow angels ever found out, they would no doubt kill me within seconds because they would consider it betrayal.” he said, sighing deeply. Not that what he wasn't saying wasn't interesting but she had waited long enough to hear from her kind that she urged him to reveal what he found out. “So, what did he tell you?” she asked eagerly.

He sighed once again and looked down before he continued, “Elayne...Ayden, he just told me that he was close to you...well, he suffered a sort of accident that had left him in a sort of coma in a way.” he finished as Elayne looked to him in shock. She couldn't believe what he had just said. So that was what her feeling had been. Ayden was dying off miles away perhaps and she had been selfishly parading around the enemy's headquarters trying to forget about them all. “Amaranth is fine and he says Ayden is stable but still no sign of waking soon. Look Elayne this cases are much like a humans', it's not very predictable when they could awake.” he finished solemnly as though it his friend they were talking about. “I told Amaranth you were fine, he was worried about you.” he said softly.

“Elayne, there's...something else I want to tell you.” he added after a minute's thought. She looked up to meet his gaze and found him to be struggling with his next words. “I'm collaborating with him...Amaranth. I don't want to be a part of this, whatever it will end up being. I'm sick of it all and even though it could very well cost me my life if-when they find out, I'm willing to risk it.” he added softly, looking to the door as if expecting someone to be eavesdropping.

“You mean...you're in our side?” she asked slightly confused. The news of Ayden's illness had left her troubled. “Yes, I am.” Ian replied. She wasn't sure what was happening. Everything, her whole life, it all seemed much too hectic. “When is the final battle Ian?” she asked, looking in his direction but beyond. “I'm not sure Elayne. Once this plan the angels are concocting is done, they will fix a date just like they did when you were taken captive.”

“Well, I'll be sure to follow their plan very closely. If we plan on winning, we have to stick together and gather everything and anything we can that we can use against them.” she said her voice slightly rough.

“It won't be easy.” Ian added with a sigh.

“But we have to try. We'll go at them with everything we've got.” she said, her courage returning once again.

---

“Why am I here? Who are you? What do you want from me?” he shouted to the darkness around him. He was in a dark, stone place. That was all he could make out from sight and touch. He had woken up moments ago weakened, confused and alone. He expected the figure who had chased him to have brought him there although for what, he was left to find out. He had also called him Ayden. Was that his name?

He heard a door creak and was momentarily blinded by light. He closed his eyes in reflex and pulled his arm over them to protect his sight. He blinked a few times, waiting for his eyesight to become adjusted when he realized it was not a bright light at all. There was a hooded figure which he expected was the same one who chased him and behind him was a torch, glowing dimly in a dark stone, corridor.

The figure walked inside and ran his hand in the air as if running it over an invisible table. Instantly, the room was lighted dimly by torches located in it's four stone walls. He looked around and found a canopy bed behind him, draped in a deep burgundy and a small table at the side along with a black couch. “Come, we must talk.” the figure said in a soft, rough voice. He gestured for him to follow but he decided against it. The figure merely walked to the couch and sat. He was staring intently at him although he couldn't see him.

“Ayden I have-”

“Is that my name?” he asked the figure, interrupting him.

“Ayden? Yes it is. Have you...forgotten it?” he asked him. Ayden merely gazed at him. So he was called Ayden. Why couldn't he remember?

“Do not worry. It tends to happen. You will remember in due time. For now, we must talk of your future, your destiny.” the figure said softly.

“Yeah about that, you see...I don't get what you mean by that. Why were you chasing me back outside? What did you mean I was leader of the vampires? I don't-”

“You will be the future leader of the vampire race but not yet.”

“Why do you say that? How do you know that? Do you even know who I am?” he asked the figure a few feet away, raising his voice and uncertain.

“I say this because I know it will be so. You are Ayden Aberdeen. You are the oldest of the three children your parents begot. Your brother is Edward Aberdeen and has a destiny of his own he must fulfill. Your sister was Emma Aberdeen...beautiful girl she was. When-”

“Was? What do you mean was?” Ayden asked frantically. He didn't remember his past nor anything about it but he could sense something truthful about what the individual before him spoke. If indeed he had a family, which would be bizarre if he didn't, he needed to know what happened to his sister.

“I'm afraid she is no longer alive Ayden. She was...murdered.” he spoke softly.

“What?! What do you mean? By whom?!” Ayden demanded. Someone had murdered his unknown sister?

“A rival species Ayden. That at the moment is the least of your worries. There will be time for vengeance later but not now. We must focus on you fulfilling your destiny.” the hooded figure said.

“Wait, who are you? How do you know so much about me?” Ayden asked still frankly confused.

“I am the one who will prepare you and inform you of everything there is to know for the final battle. You shall return to your living soul when the time is ready. By then, you will be an unstoppable creature with powers beyond any who now walk the grounds of this earth. There will be only one individual who will have power to match your own if said being reaches his goal. For that, you must get to her before he does. You must find the girl Elayne and kill her before the transformation is complete. If you fail, the chances of you winning this war are slim.”

---

He'd been in Ayden's chamber once more as he had grown used to. He had been dozing off when he heard a knock on the door. Must be Aaron coming to feed him. He rose to stretch just in time to see the door open and a very eager Aaron walk in.

“Sir-Amaranth, there is someone who wants to speak with you.” he said, pointing towards the door.

“About what? Why don't you take care of it?” he told Aaron, he said gesturing to leave him alone.

“Amaranth, they're not from us. They're newcomers.” he insisted.

Amaranth stopped halfway to Ayden's bed. Newcomers? He turned back to face Aaron who nodded silently as if to reassure what he had just said. “Lead them to the Great Hall. I'll be there in just a moment.” he said.

Aaron nodded once more and headed out, leaving Amaranth alone with Ayden. Newcomers then...Just yesterday he had a conversation with one who belonged to his rival. Ian he had said was his name. He was Elayne's guardian angel. Good, at least she's okay. He could be lying but for some reason, the angel brought Amaranth confidence. He was in their side and would help them win this war. Now this newcomers' arrival brought Amaranth more hope and stronger reassurance of what he had so desperately tried to make himself believe. All was not lost.