SCEPTRE: I

Choices.

ELYON.

I looked at the scientists who was standing over my body, "Please, don't do this I beg you."

His blood stained white coat gave him a sinister look that was disturbing. "How else are we to unlock the secrets of death, if not by experiments on the living."

He brought his surgical blade down and I felt extreme pain. His coat was stained with more blood; Mine.

I woke up.

I couldn't sleep back and I went downstairs to get something to eat; it was still dark and the lights were mostly out. I entered the kitchen and walked to the fridge. When I opened it I was startled by a Savio's voice "You too huh?"

I turned and saw Savio on the table, a bowl of cereal in his front and Coco Pops by it. "Yeah." I said "Nightmares."

"Lucky." I said "I just couldn't sleep."

He got up and walked to me. "I have to tell you the truth." He said "considering all you've been through."

I looked at his brown eyes in the light from the fridge. "Well start talking then." I grabbed the box of orange juice and walked to the table."

"I need you to open your mind to the possibility." He said

"Mind already open." I said. Savio walked to me and held my hand. I felt a her and I realised that we were no longer in the kitchen but rather on the roof overlooking the city of Lagos.

"I wasn't born in this time. I came from a time before many things they teach you in history."

"Oh." I said

"I was born with certain abilities that were forbidden and my father had Kad mi-el bring me here, to the future."

"It all makes sense now." I said "Memphis is one of you?"

"Not really. Her father captured me to use as a template for people with abilities.  It worked." He said "But Memphis isn't like the rest of them. I don't know what she is yet."

"Okay." I said "Can we go inside now." Its really cold.

"Right." He said, and suddenly I was standing in front of the table again.

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you." He said "It wasn't until you were put at risk that I felt you had to know what was going on."

"I need to tell you something." I said, finally decided to tell someone. "I don't know what is happening, but I know it will happen in Paris. I also keep seeing this city in the desert with a dome being the only thing visible over the wall."

"That's home." He said

"Home."

"Charias.  How did it look."

"Bodies ever where on the outside, wrapped in white and about to be set ablaze like a massive pyre."

"When did these visions start?" He asked.

"After my time with Atila. I wasn't experimented on but I felt something in me snap." I said " Catch the glass."

"What glass?" He said and just then his arm hit the glass of juice I had poured for myself. The glass shattered on the ground.

"That glass." I said "sometimes they come quickly, other times they come as dreams."

"I see. We have to tell Lukas everything you told me today." Savio said.  "It is almost time."

"For what?" I said

"For us to end all this." He replied "I'll clean this up." He said, leaving me to wander what he meant."

DARIUS

Ater and I stares Plette as she sat up. "We need to stop them." She said 

Ater went to her side and held her "Easy there,  you're safe now."

"I know." She said "I've been looking at you all for a while."

"Told you." Ater said "Death trance."

"You were right." Plette said, she looked at me "Thank you for saving my life."

"It was nothing."

"I need to speak with the rulers." She said  "It is a matter of urgency."

Ater held her hand "it'll take you there, but you need to-" 

"Don't tell me what I need. Take me to them now. Lives can be saved."

"Yes. At once." Ater said, shocked that someone as calm as Plette was so fiery.

I moved to follow them and we ere already out of the tent when a hand I knew too well stopped me. "We need to talk."

Oh no.

I followed her and we went to Asena and Ater's tent. She looked at me and years came out of her eyes. "I hate tears." She said "They betray weakness."

"Its okay to cry."

" What I felt when you didn't get up in the battle field. It was like my heart was ripped out of my chest and fed to me. The pain was too much."

I tried to speak "I wan-"

"Let me finish." She wiped the tears

"I never want to be separated from you again. I would die if I ever lost you."

"You have been the reason I exist for a while now."

"I feel guilty for not noticing how you felt earlier." She said

"Don't." I said "I'm not one to openly show my emotions, unless I'm dying or something."

"Promise me one thing."

"What?"

"That you won't die on me yet."

"I promise, Asena Cavai,  that I will be with you till the very end."

I pulled her in for a hug, she was warm and kind, rather than the cold deadly warrior we all knew. Then, I kissed her; it was all I dreamt it would be like and even more.

We were still kissing and utterly oblivious to what was happening till I heard a loud cough, aimed to get our attention.  I turned and then I froze.

Standing at the front of the tent was Asena's father, Chethar Cavai, Ater and my father. Father then turned to Chethar and spoke "So, in-laws, where is the map we were sent to get.

Ater ran past me, holding his laughter and grabbed the map and they all left.

"Honestly," Asena said "I couldn't care less." She then smiled and walked away.