Arabella was in a dark place.
It was pitch black. Not a single ray of light could pierce the immense darkness.
"Hello?" called out Arabella. She took a step forward. Her footsteps emitted absolutely no sound. She continued to walk through this void-like place, unbeknownst to any dangers lurking around.
Arabella knew what was going on, but she didn't dare try anything. She kept walking.
Eventually, a raspy, bone-chilling voice started laughing. The fact that it was familiar made it all the worse.
Your life has already fallen in misery, it whispered, the words cutting through Arabella like a knife. It would have been so much easier if you just gave in.
Arabella wasn't going to respond. She wasn't going to repeat this every time. She just kept walking.
Toying with you like a worthless rag-doll is not going to get further than this, it continued, but do not think you are safe. You will give in. You already are, but you have not realised it yet, have you?
Arabella didn't know what the voice meant by that. She walked on.
Blood will spill on your hands. It already has, has it not?
Arabella walked.
It will be your fault.
Walk.
It was already your fault.
Just keep walking.
The voice laughed humourlessly once more. This was the last chance I gave you. Alas, I will not come back again. I will not force you to kill against your will. You will do that yourself.
Arabella's eyes fluttered open.
She was too used to those dreams, but it looked like that was the last. Hopefully the last.
She was back in that village house; back in that room again. She was back in reality. She turned her head to the right and saw a pair of crutches leaning against the wall. She looked to the left and found a familiar figure standing next to the bed.
"Hey, beautiful," said Travis with a husky voice.
Arabella screamed and kicked him in the crotch. Unfortunately, she did that with her broken leg, and that sent both of them writhing in pain.
After getting over her initial shock, Arabella grabbed ahold of her crutches and got up from the bed. Travis, however, was still groaning in agony. "Why do you kick that hard?" he screeched.
"Why are you in my room?" inquired Arabella harshly. She stopped herself from adding 'creep' to the end of her sentence.
"Good point," said Travis, getting up and dusting himself, "but I'm going to leave and go try Katelyn."
Before Arabella could ask anymore questions, he ran off.
Not her ideal way to start the day, but she rolled with it.
She decided to make her way to where Aphmau probably was. Arabella was still getting used to the crutches, and it was not easy. Or fast. On her way, she heard a loud slapping noise coming from Katelyn's room followed by Travis's expected cry of pain.
As Arabella neared Aphmau's room, she could hear voices thanks to her Shadow Knight senses.
"Hey, I wouldn't be talking if I were you, Mr. Casanova of Meteli," Aphmau was taunting.
"What? Hey!" Laurance retorted. "Yeah, I flirted with girls in the past, but you were my first kiss."
Just a casual punch to the gut, Arabella.
"Uh," continued Aphmau, obviously uncomfortable, "I'm going to go wash up."
"Should I surprise you in the washroom?" asked Laurance sleazily.
Arabella opened the door in time to see Aphmau knock Laurance out.
"Wow, you sure pack a punch," observed Arabella.
"I guess." Aphmau smiled sheepishly. "Anyway, how are you with your..." She gestured to the crutches, the bandages and the broken leg.
"I'm better, I think," answered Arabella, although she wasn't sure herself. "I'm guessing Laurance told you what happened?"
Aphmau nodded. "Yeah. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to actually go wash up." Aphmau left the room.
Arabella looked at Laurance's unconscious body. For some reason, that made her feel a little bit better.
Arabella decided to go out and get some fresh air; maybe try to get used to her new crutches. After all, she was going to have to keep using them for a long time.
The scenic view was breathtaking. The sun was shining in spite of the coldness of winter. Snow littered the ground like a white blanket. It seemed as if the entire area was asleep in a tranquil silence.
This would be the last time Arabella would see something like this for a long time. It was finally time to board the ship and return to Phoenix Drop for a short stay. After that, the crew would be sailing off into the unknown.
~•~
The whole crew was nearly back to Phoenix Drop. Dmitri and Nekoette were playing together on the deck. Travis was steering the ship to their destination. Aphmau and Laurance were chatting about Aphmau's past which, oddly enough, was a big mystery. Aaron was in the cargo bay, and Katelyn was staring off into the distant horizon. Arabella was seated on the deck, absentmindedly twirling one of her crutches as time flew by.
Arabella wondered how much longer it would take for them to get back to Phoenix Drop.
Out of the blue, Travis shouted, "Land ho!" as if to answer her question.
It seemed as if everyone looked to see where they were. Arabella could see a village off in the horizon. They were definitely back at Phoenix Drop.
As the ship docked, Dante was waiting there as everyone got off. He immediately pulled Nekoette and Dmitri into a tight embrace and began scolding them/being happy that they were back.
"Your mothers went to Scaleswind to launch a full-blown search for you two," explained Dante. "I'm in charge of you two until they get back, which reminds me, I have to send a crow out to tell them you're back here safe. Now, go!"
"Yes, Papa!" Nekoette squeaked.
"Fine, but you can't order me around like you're my dad," spat Dmitri before running off with Nekoette.
Yikes.
Aphmau laughed sheepishly. Dante dragged Aphmau away to his house for further explanations.
"Okay," commented Travis, "I've been in this village for five minutes and I'm already confused."
"I've been here for over fifteen years and I still have no idea what's going on," muttered Arabella under her breath.
~•~
A/N: 'Sup. Anyway, I feel like the next two chapters will kind of be fillers like this one, but oh, well. I'm trying to make it so that every ten chapters has a dRAMATIC!!! event that occurs, and it's unfortunately too soon for two actual chapters. Bah, we'll see.
Also, my updates have really been out of whack lately. I'm trying to get back into my old schedule of one-update-a-day, but I'm not sure if it'll work out. Oh, well. It's worth a shot.
Oh, and I have ideas for a new book soon! The cover artist made me an amazing cover for it. It's a high-school AU about a certain, not-really-spoken-much-about character. It's not a ship book (I'm really not a fan of writing ship stuff), but it's... well, I don't know. It'll be published after I've caught up with Shadow Knight's Revenge and at least at Chapter X for Estranged.
Man, I need to make shorter author's notes.
--(Gr)ace
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SHADOW KNIGHT'S REVENGE: A Minecraft Diaries Fan-Fiction
Fanfiction"They betrayed you," Sasha had said. "They left you for dead." After the tragedy that took place in Lady Irene's dimension, the people of Phoenix Drop thought they had seen the last of Arabella. They even held a funeral for her. They certainly didn'...
