Cold droplets tickled Ava’s fingers. She floated in nothingness. Sometimes she was lost in a void of emptiness. There was no light, no way out, and yet, there was no fear. It was nice and safe, peaceful, drifting without a destination in mind.

A bright sun slowly dimmed in the distance. Its warmth pulled Ava in with its own gravitational force. Her bones cooked under a beautiful hue of oranges, reds, violets, and all the shades of blues, creating both a breathtaking sunrise and sunset. She reached out.

The paint shot out and grabbed her arms. One after the other, it slithered up her skin, turned into hands. They dragged Ava in. The sun turned into a dark haven, into a neverending nightmare.

She felt numb. She felt fear. She felt everything at once. A chilly breath on the night. The calm before a storm. Her body froze stiff. No. This can’t be happening. I can’t be dead!

The hands pulled her into a black hole.

I don’t want to die!

“Ava, Ava, Ava,” they chanted. “Doku, Doku, Doku.”

Stop! No!

The Reaper grasped her waist. He squeezed unmercifully with those impeccable black gloves. The hands desperately clung to her but it was no match against this new strength. He placed one foot on the hole and ripped Ava free, relief flooded her for only a brief moment.

Ava drifted close to the Reaper and his chilling eyes. Through space they traveled alone, his hair floating in tangent with hers. He really did save her. He upheld his end of the contract. A part of her wished he didn’t, now she’d have to uphold hers.

With a smile, he tossed Ava back into the sea of stars, and was instantly pulled into a new current. It was so fast there was no time to take a breath or utter a single word. The universe ran by, zipped her past planets and space rocks. She was going too fast. She had no idea how much time passed, the direction, or what solar system she was in.

Her body hit an invisible wall of stars. New hands tugged on her, pulled at all parts of her body, until she finally broke through the elastic exterior. The hands let her go.

And she dropped.

The sky turned from night into day as she whipped around. Wind threatened to force her into never-ending somersaults until she reached the plush clouds. She stretched her arms out. White mist feathered her skin. When she broke through the clouds, islands floated nearby. Spider-like equipment plowed through fields full of luscious rainbow colored plants and what looked like wheat.

Birds flew by in the distance, grew larger the closer they came. Their wings soared through the sky the size of a two-person spacecraft. Ava ducked before getting her head nipped off. The wind flipped her over and over until she stared at the sky. There was a giant blue planet above the clouds.

Another gust of wind flipped her back and forth. This time, she looked down towards her demise and found a planet full of thriving trees closing in quick. Ava braced for impact, covered her face with both arms and prayed to the stars.

No pain came. No branches broke her fall. Just silence and the soft rise of a forest's music, songs being sung by wildlife she hoped were minuscule.

She took a chance and opened her eyes. There was plush green grass everywhere and enormous trees higher than any skyscraper she’d seen. Some narrow, others were thick and full of slick bark with huge round crowns. They were so high, clouds blanketed the tops. She could barely see the sky itself. This place was a dream come true.

A child’s giggle caught her attention. They giggled again from behind a tree, followed by a melody of laughter and excited screams. She was about to rush over when a bush rustled behind her. Ava jumped. She wasn’t alone on this foreign planet with spacecraft-sized birds and giant trees. Who knew what creatures lurked in the shadows.

As she leaned in, it was a child talking to someone else, but she couldn’t make out the other voice. Maybe they had an imaginary friend. Curious, Ava crawled through the bushes and found a small boy. He played with a patch of wild berries, humming to himself.

He was completely covered from head to toe in blue and black starry material. His pants flared out over his slip-ons as he tried to fix his wrinkled sleeves. Ava recognized that Prussian blue crown immediately. This had to be Mika.

“Will it hurt?” he asked, poking the dirt. He shook his head as he looked to the side. “But you promised it wouldn’t,” he whined. “I’m scared… you’ll be there. Won't you?”

“Mika!” Another young boy called out. “Mika! Where are you?”

Mika hopped up and ran past Ava into the many trees. His black hair flew wild in the breeze while his small hand kept the crown on his head. Ava followed after him and caught up quick. I’ll admit, Mika’s a cute little kid.

The children's laughter grew louder as they entered a cluster of bushes. She slowed to a stop and took in the amazing sight. There were walls built around the trees, some used the trunks as passageways inside the beautiful architecture, while others displayed glass windows to peer out into the wilderness.

But what caught her attention the most was the smooth platform circling a small golden tree. Perched in the center were decorations and chimes—easily mimicking the crest the royal family wore. For sure, she knew now, this was Amaranthine.

Groups of children ran about in all shapes and sizes with different clothes. Some covered their entire little bodies in one sequence, while others wore layers of silky gowns. Mika’s clothes blended into the crowd of colors, but with that crown, he stood out amongst them. It was an easy target for any sniper.

He ran onto the platform where other children played. They blew bubbles into the air with their hands and shot tiny fireworks just overhead. They drew out the koto characters for such magic, some spells worked, others didn’t. They were learning, which meant this was an academy of some sorts.

A firework zipped past Ava’s face. A child ran straight through her like a ghost. First little Mika, then falling through the clouds to Amaranthine—this had to be a memory.

As a teacher lectured the children on the importance of safety, Mika’s little head rolled back like he was bored out of his mind. Suddenly, someone called his name. He perked up and smiled as Sam waved his hands in the air. They were identical, from head to toe.

Children gawked at Sam, two whispered under their breath and called him strange. Mika ran towards him, wearing a toothy grin. He was almost to Sam when he tripped over a stick and wiped out on the ground, so hard, his crown flew off his head.

Sam quickly swiped the crown up, then helped his clumsy brother back on his feet. “Mika, you need to be careful or grandmother will be mad, again.” He brushed off the dust and fixed Mika’s clothes.

Mika pouted. “You’re the one waving your arms around like an apa.” He then put his arms up to tease Sam, mimicking what looked like a monkey.

“I don’t care.” Sam turned up his nose.

“But you’ll make poppa and moma sad,” Mika said. “Why do they always look sad when you do strange things?”

Sam had a dismal smile, while placing the blue crown back on his head. “I’ll tell you when we’re older.”

Still sulking, Mika stuck out his index finger. “Promise.”

Grinning, a cheesy smile, Sam wrapped his finger around Mika’s. “I promise.”

“Samyr. Mikaela. Your moma is here!” A teacher cheerfully called.

The boys' faces lit. They grabbed each other’s hand and took off running, side by side, down a wooden tunnel with orbs of light floating above. Ava followed closely behind. Her fingertips passed through the carvings in the post. She really was just like a ghost.

Once they cleared the long pathway, the boys ran into a woman’s arms. She held them close for a long time, not caring if they dirtied her clothes. The twins looked just like her. They both had her upturned eyes, pink lips, and off-tanned skin. As she stood, luscious black hair fell beneath a mahogany crown—a crown Ava only saw on Marc.

This woman was the Crown Princess, and the crown fit her perfectly. Unlike Marc, she was born to rule. She stood with abounding confidence, held her back straight, and she had her father’s stern eyes, yet she was different. Ava wasn’t afraid of her.

She ushered the boys into an oval shaped vehicle, the Ama royal crest etched into the side. They quickly boarded and the driver drove off down the paved road. Ava didn’t have time to climb in. So what am I supposed to do? Chase after them?

Like a harsh yank, she was ripped forward and landed with a thud on a leather seat. The twins sat in front of her as they faced each other. Dark tinted windows covered the top half, but when gazing outside, it was as clear as day.

They passed by more buildings and houses wrapped around trees, some stood firm on the ground, others were so high up she’d be afraid of falling over the edge. Sturdy bridges connected the homes, lanterns hung off limbs, and everyone was out, mingling. If Ava remembered correctly, the Ama were known for their giving and sharing.

Once they left the forest wall, the vehicle rose higher into the clouds. A city could be seen below, stretching for miles out. Rooftops intermingled with the never-ending trees. They led to a huge building, crafted carefully through the branches and roots of a massive tree, its leaves fluttered in gold. Is that the royal palace?

Their mother stiffened in her seat. Her eyes narrowed in caution on the trees outside.

“Moma? Moma, what’s wrong?” Mika cocked his head to the side like a curious little pup. Sam soon followed.

Their mother smiled and ruffled his hair. “I’m fine, sweetpea,” she said. “Now, tell me about school. What did you do today?”

Mika opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by Sam. “Today we got to draw a picture of anyone we wanted to, so I chose Marc.”

He held up a sketch of a sulking young Marc. It was so detailed from the wrinkles in his eyes to the pout of his lips. Sam was a real prodigy. But just seeing a drawing of Marc’s face pissed Ava off. She’d be happy to burn this piece of paper.

Their mother stifled a laugh. “I’m sure he’ll love it, dear. And what about you, Mikaela? Who did you draw today?”

“My friend,” he mumbled, wrinkling a folded piece of paper on his lap.

Sam exploded. “You’re always drawing him! Can’t you draw someone else!”

“But you’re always drawing Marc! Why won’t you draw me!” Mika shot back.

Their mother’s eyes became very stern, yet filled with worry. “Samyr, be nice to your younger brother. You need to set an example as the next Crown Prince. These outbursts are not acceptable. You are an Ama prince in this life, so everything else must come second—”

She stopped talking and focused on the window behind them. When Mika touched her hand, her mouth quivered before she continued, “You both need to be good to each other. Trust one another. And never forget you are family. Do you understand?”

“Moma, you’re scaring me,” they both whined.

She held their hands as tears filled her eyes. “I love you so—”

They were plowed from the side.

The vehicle flipped over. They were tossed into the ceiling, across windows. They smacked into a solid object and rolled to a stop against a tree. Ava could hardly breathe. Her head spun. It took more than a few minutes to refocus.

A dark figure emerged from the smoke and shattered windows, cloaked from head to toe. The twins’ mother raised her right arm. Dark vines snapped out and covered the assassin’s body, squeezed them without mercy. There was a sickening snap, blood oozed from their body like freshly squeezed tomato. But the first assassin was only a decoy. A second appeared out of thin air.

They sliced her arm off without hesitation.

She bit her bottom lip to muffle her screams, and squeezed her wound as blood gushed onto the floor. Sam cried out her name, he held Mika tight against his small body. But she could barely focus on him, her gaze grew weary, distant. This was it. This was when their parents died. Oh, god.

The next couple of seconds went by so fast.

Her black vines evaporated into thin air. She told the twins to run. The assassin’s mangled body dropped to the ground. The other assassin cut off her head.

It only took seconds for her to be dead.

Shock filled Ava to the core. She kept her eyes trained on the assassin as he leered his head like a wild beast. He sniffed the air. Blood dripped off his crystal sword—the exact same sword the Black Rabbit used. But that's not possible.

Sam trembled and held Mika tighter, the fear prominent in his gaze, waiting for his death. Blood splattered his clothes. There was a rustling noise outside the car and a familiar voice calling through the smoke. The assassin vanished in an instant.

Darious’ snow white hair appeared in the doorway first and then his face. He looked so much younger, closer to Ava’s age. His hair fell past his shoulders, but he still wore a golden mask—this one a little plain with no designs. His clothes were dark and gray and full of stars, opposite of how he dressed today.

Horrified, he held a shaking hand to his mouth, and cautiously climbed in after their mother's severed head. Her head shook in his palms, tears ran off his cheeks. He collapsed to the broken floor. Knots of hair fell from her royal style as if what life remained left in this elegant move. It made him cry harder and had Ava tearing up, too. She stretched a shaky hand towards him, yet it still passed through.

Sam dragged Mika out of the vehicle by his arms and laid him on a patch of grass outside. Blood oozed from Mika’s stomach. He was severely wounded, more than a few cuts and bruises—nothing like the stories at all.

Sam pressed on the wound, but it caused more blood to pool out from his palms. His hands were too small. “Darious! I need your help with Mika!” he yelled. “I’m not that advanced in koto, yet. I can’t heal him!”

With tears streaming off his cheeks, Darious carefully set their mother’s head on the seat, and brushed through her hair. He grasped a hidden braid from her long mess of strands, swiftly untied a gold band from the end, and stuffed it in his pocket. It looked exactly like the band he wore in his braid. But what does this mean?

Darious took one last look at her before climbing out. He pressed a palm on Mika’s wound. Blood soaked his glove. The other hand drew out a koto character in the air for heal until it glowed, ready for him to wash his hands through. It was exactly what Mika did to Ava when they were kidnapped.

“Save him! You have to save him!” Sam screamed at Darious.

“You know I can’t do that.” Darious trembled. “You know what will happen if I do.”

Ava backed away as if putting distance between them would ease her mind. But it didn’t. This was different. He wasn’t supposed to die.

Mika grabbed Sam's hand. “Make the pain go away. Make it stop. Please, big brother.”

Sam rubbed his tears away with his sleeve and set out his hand. In a flash, a black starry Bō appeared in his palm. It dropped to the grass as he held both it and Mika’s hand.

Ava couldn’t believe what she saw, but the Bō was right there in front of her, changing colors like a mood ring. It finally settled on a soft, calming blue. And yet, she still couldn’t believe it. Sam was a god. What other clues have I missed?

Mika’s painful cries disappeared under a tranquil smile, eyes slowly drooped. “Mika!” Sam leaned over him, shaking his shoulders with everything he had. “Stay awake. You can’t die. You can’t leave me alone!”

Sam cried out for Mika over and over, the more he did, the further they got. The scenery changed, darkened with a calm beating heart… until it gently seized. They vanished and left Ava alone once more.

It was dark. She couldn’t see. She couldn’t hear anything. She took easy breaths one at a time, but it was hard to in this stifling silence.

Crunch. Another crunch nearby.

Ava stumbled back as the sound got closer and closer.

Crunch. Crunch.

Her palms landed in a pile of wet goo, drenched to her elbows. Black ink covered her skin, dripped off the sleeves of her uniform onto her pants. She was on a different planet, one she didn’t recognize. Is this another memory?

There were vines everywhere, green luscious hills filled with plants and spectacularly sculpted buildings. They interwove one another like they were made to embody both architecture and nature as they thrived in cohesion.

It was like Amaranthine, how their castle connected with the trees, but this was different. These buildings were made to absorb the astonishing life created by this planet's nature. It was all so alive, from the flowers to the trees. Their leaves swayed in the breeze with pure energy flowing through their stems. It tasted like mountain water.

The longer Ava took in this planet, the more it felt so real. This wasn’t a simple dream, or a fantasy made up in her head. Yet it felt so familiar like she’d been here before. When she thought about it, it was exactly how Zephyrus described his home world—a place where one couldn't walk two feet without admiring its beauty.

This had to be Doku.

The breeze picked up, lifting Ava’s hair into this planet’s atmosphere. Her strands felt weightless as if it were part of space itself. She touched the ends, catching black ink on her hands once more.

Crunch. A slice cut through the air behind her. Another crunch.

What life before her died every time there was a swish of a blade, a crunch, an agonizing scream. When Ava whipped around, every bone in her body froze.

A lone woman stood, gazing at the starry lit sky. Long, straight black hair swayed over her curves like a waterfall of stars. Like the universe was painted with her in mind. The dress did little to cover her skin, easily exposed her long legs and bare feet. It was inhumane how anyone could be so stunning.

Black ink dripped off her long sword—the same sword that was in Mika’s hand once before. Its blade was just as dark as the ink if not darker against her moonlight skin. And it was just as somber as the corpses scattered for miles across the planet.

Everything Ava learned until now came back into clear focus. This was the woman the gods had been searching for. This was Mika—the original god of death.

The starry sky changed overhead before she noticed a man off in the distance. He wore an armor cloth gear, and weaved his hands through the atmosphere. Dark clouds formed unique circular patterns, protecting him from all sides. His lips moved, speaking in a whispered tongue, so quickly, Ava shouldn’t be able to hear him. But she did. The hairs on her arms rose from the intensity of such a sight.

Sadness grew in the woman’s gaze when a ball of blue light appeared in the man's palms. He slammed it into the ground as the woman sliced through the air. He was cut down from just the mere impact of her blade. And he didn't get back up. He added to the black ink pool covering this planet’s dirt.

Ava’s gaze dropped to her trembling hands. This wasn’t ink, but blood. There was black blood all over her palms and clothes. She rubbed at it, but it only smeared further. This can’t be happening. This isn't happening.

Shock waves rippled through the crust when a crack broke the planet’s surface. Molten heat boiled beneath. Ava stumbled back. Large cracks shot towards her. There was no place to run, no place to hide. The entire planet ripped itself apart.

Is this how the world will end?

She heard a scream, but the Reaper’s gloves covered her sight.

Everything went still and quiet. Dark.

The planet’s shattering quakes seized and the thick ink covering her arms and legs disappeared. She was somewhere else entirely. Not Amaranthine or Earth. This place brought fear and calamity. It didn’t ease her chaotic heart.

“Tragic, isn’t it? How a god could end a life so easily,” the Reaper said.

Ava pushed him away, but he caught her wrist and pulled her close. They were a hair length away. “You can’t deny what’s in front of you. Don’t be foolish.”

“Stop it.” Ava yanked her arm free.

He caught her waist, squeezed without mercy. She was stuck in darkness and alone with him once more. “There’s no running away from this one. You saw how he swiftly cut down the Doku without mercy. How much blood covered him. It must have felt amazing to take life into his own hands. And destroy it.”

“I said stop it!”

“Mika killed the Doku,” he stated as if it were that simple. “You married the man who killed your entire race. Now you must live with the consequences of your choices. What those are, you will soon find out.”

When Ava tried freeing herself this time, he surprisingly let go. She refused to meet his gaze. A part of her wanted to run, but there was nowhere left to run. There never had been. He’d always been beside her, hiding in the shadows. For all she knew he’d been there the entire time since before Mika arrived.

Ava took a steady breath. “You’re right. I won’t deny what I saw. But there has to be a reason for it. I refuse to believe he’d just slaughter the Doku without a reason.”

The Reaper’s coal eyes narrowed, he circled Ava with delicate movements like a shark watching its prey. “Why do you think Mika so willingly entered into a contract with me? It wasn’t out of grief. It’s his sole duty to finish what he started.”

He acted like Mika started this. That he was the instigator. And she didn’t believe it. She refused to believe it. What about the other gods? What part did they play?

The Reaper stopped directly in front of her, a low growl hummed from deep within his throat. He stood so close, her body shook in fear. When she looked away, he took her chin. “It doesn’t matter to me what you believe. I’ve fulfilled my part of the contract. And now you must fulfill yours.”

In a blink, he disappeared.

The area was so dark and dead it consumed Ava’s soul, shadowed her until what light shined on her body disappeared. The surrounding area no longer had this fearful anxiety. They were somewhere else entirely. Water covered the surface, and rose to her ankles. It was nice. This place held a calm sensation. It took over her heart, and gave her a sense of déjà vu. I’ve been here before.

There was a soft chime.

Its subtle ring echoed through her heart, filled her body with this undying need—the one she’d been pushing away since she lost control. Instead of fear and hesitation, this sound brought forth acceptance. It told her it was okay. It told her to take what rightfully belonged to her. That she didn’t need to be afraid anymore.

She was drawn to it. Her body moved on its own.

There was a soft glow in the distance, floating in pure air, and as she steadily approached, ripples waved from it, shifting the starry water but not her footsteps.

Ava walked across the surface, she left it all behind. She forgot the Reaper. She forgot her purpose, her drive. She forgot everyone and everything she held dear. Her mind clouded over entirely, but her heart would not give in.

A louder chime rang through the empty space, dispersing all her thoughts. Her sole focus was that soft glowing orb of light, calling her, speaking in ways she couldn’t understand until now. Everything became so clear.

Yet the closer she got, the less she wanted to accept it.

Her feelings swirled like a typhoon, telling her this wasn’t right, she didn’t want this. She’d lose something precious. She’d lose a part of her if she accepted this power.

But as the light grew brighter, it reminded her of the anger, the fear, the hatred she had towards Marc and Zephyrus. The darkness in Mika. The answers that would be lost forever. And for unknown reasons, Darious appeared in her mind.

It then showed her the future she’d have if she chose to die.

And with that last push, Ava took it.