I nervously told Mianite what had happened in my dream. "What do you think I should do?"

"Not get scared, for one," he said firmly. "It's just a dream. It can't actually hurt you, and you need to remember that. Dianite can't get to you."

I shuddered as I recalled how vivid the dream was. "It felt too real to ignore. I don't think I can just, I don't know, block it out like that."

"I believe in you," he said. "You're stronger than that. You can't let Dianite's trickery get to your head, understand?"

I wanted to protest, but there was no way I could win. Mianite didn't understand. "Yeah, I won't."

Mianite nodded, apparently satisfied. "Run along, then. No need to get all caught up over this. Oh, and Alyssa," he added as I was leaving, "Happy birthday. You turned thirteen during your vacation, didn't you?"

"Yeah... yeah, I did." I thanked him and left as quickly as I could. It was incredibly awkward for me. I felt awkward everywhere, actually. This place didn't feel like home. Not that I had any other home.

It began to rain, which was annoying. My hair and clothes immediately became soaked, and puddles started to form all over the ground. I needed to find shelter, but where to go? I didn't want to go home, not yet. I didn't feel as satisfied with the outcome as Mianite did, and I was itching to do something.

I finally decided to head to Aethoria. It doesn't rain in the End, after all. There was a row of small ships that Redbeard and Jeriah had set up, one for each person. Mine was at the far end, and it had nice gold plating around the sign reading "Alyssa". I hadn't bothered to furnish it yet, but it already came with a hot tub and a row of chests. I dumped unnecessary items from my inventory into one of them, and sailed through the portal.

I was greeted right away with Redbeard. "Why hello there, Alyssa. I was just going to head out to find someone, but if you're going to stay here, then maybe I will too." The poor guy sounded insanely lonely. He must be going through what the rest of us are. "You look a bit wet, though."

"I wouldn't go through the portal right now, if I were you," I warned him as I squeezed the water out of my long hair. "It's pouring, and nobody's around but Mianite and I."

"I see," he said, watching at the puddles I was making grew and grew. "Well, why did you come to Aethoria? Ianite's not around here. I think she's in the overworld with Spark."

I shrugged. "Same reason that you were about to leave Aethoria. I wanted to talk to someone, I guess. I don't really know. Just wandering."

"Well, I can understand that." He noticed that I was shaking slightly. "Are you shivering? Come inside, I have some towels laying around somewhere."

I nodded with gratitude, and followed him into the nearest purple tower. He disappeared into the bathroom for a second, and came out with a couple of towels. I took one and wrapped it around myself, sitting on the sofa opposite him.

"Actually," I said, remembering something. "There is something I wanted to ask you."

He looked surprised. "Ask away, I guess." He clearly hadn't been asked anything in a while. I guess that's what you get when you're a former pirate who's constantly drunk.

"Do you remember someone named Bella?" I asked hesitantly. His eyes widened at the name, and his mouth hung open slightly.

"Yeah... I do, if we're thinking of the same person. There was a lovely girl who lived across the street from me back when I was little. Poor girl got killed when Dianite attacked. Why do you ask?"

I shrank into the towel. "She... appeared in my dream. When she died, I think Dianite took control of her. He used her to terrorize me. She was my age when she died, and I think he was trying to trick me into thinking everything was safe. I had said earlier that day that what I wanted was a friend my age."

He sighed. "Sounds like something that devil would do. Although he couldn't have heard you say that you wanted a friend your age. Must have been a coincidence. What else did Bella-Dianite tell you?"

I was almost dry now, but I continued to wrap the towel around me. "Dianite said that Bella believed she was safe back in Ianarea. He said that I was a lot like her, and that I believe I'm safe here. He said... I don't remember exactly. Something like me and everyone I love will meet the same fate as her."

"That's bs," the pirate replied in a harsh tone. "You know it is, Alyssa. He can't get to you. We know this for a fact. When we were kids, it was believed that kids under 15 shouldn't know anything about the evils of the world. That they were too young and innocent to know of such things. It was stupid, but I can't change the past. Bella thought she was safe because that's what she had to think. You aren't like Bella. You know the truth, and you know that he's gone. Alyssa, you know that Dianite exaggerates the truth. You can't believe a word he says until you know the full story, okay?"

Now this had made me feel better. "Okay, Redbeard. Umm... thank you, I guess."

"No problem. Come to me anytime you have a problem with this, okay? I suppose I'm the second youngest next to you, and I remember clearly what it was like to be thirteen. Betrayed and lied to by the adults. It gets better, I promise you."

I crawled into my bed that night, feeling much more relaxed than I did earlier. "Are you going to be okay tonight?" Mot asked, poking his head in.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. It's just a dream, Dad. It can't get to me," I replied, pulling the covers over me.

"Okay. Goodnight, then." He left me alone. I closed my eyes, and fell asleep pretty quickly.

I was standing in front of Bella, in Ianarea, as I had been before. But this time, Ianarea was aflame, and a raging wind ripped through the fragile buildings. Ghasts howled in the distance, and explosions appeared all around us. Bella's face was streaked with blood and tears, and she was clutching her stomach.

"We need to run!" she screamed at me. "Run before we die!"

"You are dead," I answered, not understanding when this was taking place. I had thought that Bella died instantly, the second Dianite attacked.

"You're not," she pointed out. "And I'm bleeding, and dying slowly. I need to get out of here. To a place in your world, where Ianite now resides."

"Aethoria, you mean?" I asked.

"Yes!" she cried, blood soaking her shirt. "We have to go now!"

Suddenly, the two of us flew off our feet, and plummeted into a void forming below us. We fell for about five seconds, and then collapsed onto Aethoria's colorful ground.

"Where's Ianite?" I asked, looking around. "We should get her help!"

"No." When I turned back around, the sight that greeted me caused me to jump away in terror. Bella was completely covered in blood, and her eyes were gouged out. Her voice was low and raspy, and she was hunched over as if her back was paining her.

"What's wrong with you?" I shrieked, forgetting everything I had been told. This felt way too real.

"You were right, Alyssa," she hissed in her terrible voice. "I am dead. And so is Ianite. Everyone you love is dead."

"Then what do I do?" I feared that it was too late.

She smiled, a sight even more horrible than her glare. "You escape this land. It brings you nothing but fear and pain. Escape."

Everything went black as I squeezed my eyes shut. When I opened them, I was back in my room.

"Oh my gods," I whispered, sweat dripping down my face. I climbed out of my bed and looked out the window. It was still nighttime, and the sun wasn't anywhere close to rising.

I knew what I had to do.

I climbed down the ladder as quickly as I could, although quietly so as not to wake Mot. I ran out of the castle, and forgot about taking the horse. It was no longer rainy, just windy, so the cool air smacked my face as I ran all the way to the row of ships again.

I needed to enter Aethoria.

Everything was quiet when I went through the portal, just as I had wanted it to be. Everyone was asleep. I couldn't have anyone witnessing what I was about to do. As far as they would know, I had died or disappeared. Never to be found again. I would be free and make my own life, in the only place I could call home.

I gripped the edge of the island and looked down into the void, where our alternates had jumped in. The portal must be active still. If I jump in, I could go back to Ruxomar.

I held my breath, stood up, closed my eyes, and fell.