I used to live in a land called Ruxomar. Mot, who had adopted me, lived in a town called Urulu. It was a quiet, pleasant town. There was no real government of the town, it was more like a place for people to live, work, and socialize. Its laws were that of a nearby town called Dagrun, which was ruled by three gods and a king.

For the entire time I had lived there, everything was at peace. There had been trouble in the land before I arrived, but nobody had told me that. I was only four when I had moved into it, after all. How much could you tell a little kid, especially after what had happened in her past?

That's beside the point, though. The king of Dagrun had two children, named Andor and Alva. They were my best friends, especially Andor. After moving into Urulu, I became much wiser than the average four year old. After all, knowledge comes from experience, especially negative experiences. I definitely had some bad memories.

A game we often played was of a prince saving a princess who had been captured. We liked the idea of love, and of happy endings, just like any other children. Andor constantly insisted that I would be the princess, and that he would rescue me. I would have to comply, since he was older, but I had always wanted to be the knight in shining armor saving him. I didn't want to sit back and watch everything happen. I wanted to make my future. I wasn't thinking this deeply at the time, but I now understand that this was the reason.

Perhaps if I had lived there for longer, I would have actually become a princess, with Andor as my prince. I'm pretty sure that everyone else in Ruxomar was expecting that too, including Andor.

If only it had worked out like that.

Mot, who had adopted me, was very kind, and a wonderful father. For one and a half years, we lived happily in our home in Urulu. I often visited the god Dianite, who Mot had told me to call Uncle Dianite. He was a bit moody at times, but had a soft spot for me and my father. As far as I was aware back then, Mot and Dianite were best friends who almost raised me together.

I lived in Ruxomar for two years. So what happened in the other half a year? Mot changed. I'm not sure when it started happening. I just remember the period of time when he was happy and carefree, and then it all disappearing later. He spent most of his time in his room, with his head in his hands. He rarely smiled, and when he did, it was forced. He no longer enjoyed spending time with me, and I could hear him crying from time to time. Another thing I noticed was that he had stopped talking to Dianite. I may have only been six, but I knew better than to ask him why. Something had happened between them, and it had sent my father into a deep depression.

The only person I confided in was Andor. I told him all about what was happening with Mot. He listened to me and took me seriously, even though he, like everyone else, was older. He was supportive, and he could always make me feel better. In return, I listened to his problems. I was horrified to find that they were even worse than mine. His father wasn't just upset, but he no longer loved Andor. The gods, one of them his grandmother, were fighting constantly. Our families were falling apart, and we didn't know what to do.

It was always like this for me. I liked to be in control, but I had no choice but to stand to the side and watch everything crumble over and over again.

I don't remember most of the last day, just bits and pieces. I remember talking to just Andor, since Alva was busy helping the family as always. I remember Mot running up to me, looking worried. He told me to follow him, and that everything was going to be okay. I remember the terrified look on Andor's face, and how he was hesitant to say goodbye. I wasn't nearly as scared as he was, but maybe I should've been.

How was I supposed to know what was about to happen?

Mot led me out of the town and into the woods. As we neared the trees, I could hear a voice calling me. It was raspy and scary-sounding, but I felt the need to follow it anyway.

"Why is the voice saying my name?" I asked Mot, shaking.

"It's saying mine too," he replied. "I'm not sure what it is, but I know I have to follow it. I just feel like I do."

As we reached the clearing that the voice was coming from, I saw a black hole in the center. On the other side stood spark, Andor's grandfather, and Sir Jeriah, a friend of Mot's.

"Hello!" I called. "Why are you guys here?"

Spark opened his mouth to reply, but he was cut off by the raspy voice.

"Jump," it hissed to us. "Alyssa. Alyssa, you need to jump. JUMP!" We edged closer and closer to the pit. The part of my mind that was still sane didn't want me to jump. But something about the voice made me trust it. Maybe it was interfering with my mind somehow.

But it doesn't really matter how it affected me. All that matters is that, holding hands, all four of us jumped in together.