I leap through the barrier, squeezing my eyes shut and waiting to be incinerated.

The burning sensation I'm waiting for doesn't come, and I wonder if I'm already dead. Maybe it was so hot I didn't feel a thing, that would be a mercy.

But then I hear the song of the animals, and I frown in confusion. How am I able to hear things if I'm still dead?

I crack my eyes open.

The scene I had seen from before when standing outside of the barrier greets me, with lush green trees, and beautiful sky.

From where I'm crumpled in a heap on the soft soil beneath me I exhale loudly, not realizing I had been holding my breath.

I'm not dead......unless this is some weird form of Heaven. I'd hate to think of spending eternity in a jungle, no matter how magnificent. Does this mean I'm one of the Chosen?

I slowly rise to my feet, pushing myself up and feeling my head pound from my earlier connection with Zero.

His presence was in my mind, but it seemed like the moment I entered the barrier the bond between us was cut off, his presence leaving my mind. My chest constricts, and I wince.

Well the fake bond is till there, slowly killing me, but at least his voice isn't. That was causing me a great deal of pain.

I hear a commotion and whirl around, only to see Mrs. Clark and the group a few yards way in the mouth of the cave on the safe side of the barrier.

I freeze, watching as Mrs. Clark yells in frustration. If I concentrate, I can make out the words, but other times it sounds like they are speaking to me underwater.

"That idiot girl!" Mrs. Clark yells, throwing her hands up and pacing. "Now what will I do with both of them dead?"

Can they not see me? I can see them clearly and I'm standing right here. Maybe I've dissapeared to them, just like my father did when he entered.

"I don't know what you're going to do." Becky says lowly, her gaze deadly and intent on Mrs. Clark. "But I'm going to avenge my friend."

She moves to lunge at Mrs. Clark, but suddenly one of the guards who was holding her whips out a syringe and violently stabs her in the neck with it. Becky goes down a second later, muttering curses until she starts to snore.

Whatever was in that syringe must be powerful to take down a Halfling like that.

Suddenly, there'es a roar, and my gaze goes to Max, who is now in the form of an electric blue tiger. He too, is shot with a needle, that has him down in seconds.

Oh no. I can't let this happen to them. But my father...... .

"We'll make camp here." Mrs. Clark finally says once the commotion has died down. "I have a feeling that one of those idiots in The Core isn't dead yet."

She looks straight at the barrier, her eyes focused right on me, and I freeze, wondering if she can see me, but then her gaze slides past and I exhale in relief.

"Tie them up." She orders, motioning to Becky and Max, the tiger. "We'll use them as leverage in case one of Ashley's friends show up."

I don't like the sound of that, but I feel better knowing she won't kill them yet. Also, Zero will be on his way soon, maybe he'll be able to get them to safety. He may have betrayed my trust with the whole fake bond thing, but I doubt he would leave Becky and Max to die, no matter how ma y insults Becky threw at him the whole time we were together.

Time to find my father, I remind myself, and look around.

He was thrown in around the area I'm standing in, he should still be here.

I look at the ground and notice footsteps in the dirt leading off into the Core.

I curse inside my head, starting to follow the tracks. Maybe I can reach him quickly and we can get out of here as soon as possible before the Core has second thoughts and incinerates us, although I doubt it works that way.

Why did my father have to be so darn curious? Why couldn't he have just stayed put and waited for me to jump through? Although I can't deny that if I was in his position, I would do the same thing.

Like Father like Daughter or whatever.

I follow the tracks, keeping my eyes open and avid as I scan the jungle.

Although the song of wildlife still plays, filling the air with animal noises like you hear in a zoo, the place is empty of any life, which only makes me more cautious.

The tracks lead through the trees and past many different plants I have yet to see growing on this island. All my senses are being invaded by the magic of this place. It even smells amazing. Like fresh rain and earthy plants.

It could be so very easy, to lose myself in this paradise.

Focus.,Find your dad, Get out of here, Escape with your friends, I remind myself.

The tracks soon start to fade as the soil becomes more soggy, the area where my feet step almost immediately being replaced by watery soil. I'm approaching a clearing, and up ahead I can hear the roaring of water.

Why does this feel so familiar? I push that thought away and hope that my dad is in this clearing up ahead.

Finally I push a tree branch away and take in the scene before me, pausing as my mouth drops open.

Deja vu hits me like a sucker punch to the stomach.

There's a waterfall ahead, along with a clearing of green grass. It's the same exact place we were before, on our way to rescue my dad, when I saw Zero for the first time since he ran away.

The waterfall, the rocks, the clearing, it all looks the same. I don't notice one detail out of place. But, that can't be possible. The cave lead us in the opposite direction of where we came, and I'm pretty sure we weren't in the Core when walking there.

"Hello."

I scream, nearly falling on my face as I spin around.

A man stands there in a black suit, with black gelled black hair and a roundish face, making him look young, yet old, if that makes sense. His skin is pale, maybe even paler than mine and almost to the point of sickly looking, his sleek, black shoes shining in the sunlight.

"Who are you?" I demand more than ask, looking around wondering if maybe my father is with this stranger.

"Your father is not here." He says, startlingly me, and I look back to him, only to see he's not standing there anymore. "Over here." His voice calls, and I spin around again.

In the small clearing in front of the waterfall, two, small plush couches sit, a coffee table in between them. I stare at the furniture, wondering where the heck it came from. Sitting on one of the couches, looking very relaxed, is the man.

"But...," I look pointedly to the spot he was in before, then back at him. He shrugs as if disspearing and reappearing somewhere else is normal.

"Why don't you come sit? We have much to discuss." He says, and I take a few steps forward.

He doesn't seem to have ill intentions, and he doesn't sound hostile, but how can I trust him? For all I know, he's some guardian of the Core sent to kill me for trespassing, probably more scary than a Lyncher. But would someone who wanted to kill me really want to talk?

I take a few more steps forward, so that I'm only a few yards away.

"We can't talk if your that far away." The man says in an amused voice, straightening his suit lapels.

"I'm not coming closer until you tell me who you are." I try to sound confident, but my knees quake, giving me away.

He sighs, nodding his head in understanding. "I suppose that's reasonable, since I already know everything about you, Ashley Cartwright."

I'm taken aback by how this stranger knows my name, but remind myself to stay on my toes. I can't let him take me off my guard.

The man stands up, and soon bursts into mist, reappearing right in front of me and making me jump back. He ignores my reaction and sticks out a hand, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiles kindly.

"I'm Core. Core Dalton, at your service."

"Core Dalton." I say incredulously, not believing this strange man can have a name like that. "It's a mix of the Core, and the island Dalton.

The man lowers his hand when I don't move to shake it, but keeps his smile on, nodding. "Yes, an interesting name isn't it?"



"Look...Core, may I call you that? I'm sorry for my abrupt departure, but I really can't stay and chat, I have to find my father, and he's here in the Core somewhere."

The man sighs, and starts walking towards the couches, talking over his shoulder.

"Yes, I would prefer it if you would call me Core, and I hate when people call this place that."

"Call this place what?" I ask, hesitatingly following him. I know I should go after my father like I said, but something tells me this man has more answers than what meets the eyes.

""The Core". It's not a place, it's me. I am the one and only Core, this area is just my home."

"What? I don't understand." I say, confused, watching as he relaxes onto a couch, gesturing to the other couch in front. Cautiously, I sink down onto it, ignoring how tired I am and how comfortable it is.

"I guess it is a hard concept to understand." He admits, nodding to himself. "My existence itself is hard to explain, but I will try the best I can to make you understand. You see, For a long time, many of the inhabitants on Dalton, Lightlings, Darklings, and Kinlings combined, have thought that "The Core" is a place, one that decides who is The Chosen one, the person who gets to enter, but really "The Core" is just little old me. I'm the one who gets to decide who enters my domain or not. I can see every little thing that goes on in this island, adn I have powers that surpass that of all the three High Commanders combined. I think that sums it up. Do you understand better now?"

I can't respond, I'm too busy gaping like a fish.

"But you're not hear to learn about me." He laughs to himself, continuing. "You're here for your father., which is very self-less if you ask me. You risked death just to save your own old man, which is one of the reasons I decided to let you live and not burn you to a crisp."

I shiver at his words, the fact that I had come so close to dying finally starting to sink in.

"In fact," Core continues, oblivious to my building fear, "I could incinerate you anytime I wanted, as long as you were inside my domain."

"Wonderful." I say flatly, bile rising to my throat as I realize my life is in the hands of this magical man.

"Don't worry." He says, waving a hand nonchalantly. "I won't actually do it...not unless you upset me, but I doubt you will. It's very hard to anger me."

His words don't make me feel better.

"Do you know where my dad is?" I ask, changing the subject.

"Ah, the father. yes, when he was thrown in here and I saw you following after him, I swept him up and sent him somewhere in here for safekeeping so that you and I could talk."

"Safekeeping? Seriosuly?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

He shrugs, smiling. "He's being very well taken care of, so don't worry. Now let's cut to the chase."

"Alright." I nod, wanting this conversation to go by quickly and without a hitch so I can finally get my father back.

"You want something Ashley, and I can get you that something, very easily. Inf act so easily, all I have to do is just snap my fingers."

He demonstrated by snapping his finger and suddenly my dad was sitting on another couch right beside Core, looking dazed and confused.

"Dad!" I exclaim, moving to leap up from my couch, but Core snaps his fingers again and my dad dissapears. "Don't hurt him, please." I beg.

"Oh I have no intentions of hurting the man, Ashley. I have no ill will towards you or any of your friends, in fact, I quite like you. Some of them, like Max and Becky, I have been watching since they were in diapers, being that I'm immortal and can see everything that goes on in this island and all that. Every birth, every death, it's all recorded in here." He says, tapping his head.

"But that's off topic. Now I'm going to be very direct. You want your father back, and I'm sure you want some other things too, like Mrs. Clark and her merry band of scientists and soldiers to be sen toff this island. You may also want that disastrous bond with Zero gone too, as a bonus. I can help with all of that, but I want something in return."

Of course he wants something in return, this is, afterall, how all business negotiations work. My mouth dries at the image he conjures in my head. My dad back and safe, Mrs. Clark finally gone off this island and all the innocent people she dragged into it, and.......no longer dying, the bond between Zero and I gone most likely for good. I don't know how I feel about that last part.

"What do you want?" I finally ask, and the kind smile returns to his face.

"Well I can't tell you the exact details now, but the bargain is I will return your father and the other safely to Braun island, but you, Ashley, must remain here, on Dalton."

I take a moment to let that news sink in. Everything I want, right at my fingertips, but for a price. I would have to remain here, on an island filled with powerful beings and bloodthirsty Lynchers. How can I protect my dad if he's at Braun labs and I'm all the way here stuck on Dalton?

He can handle himself, A voice whispers inside my head, but I shake it off.

"I don't think I can do that." I say softly, waiting for him to get angry and threaten to kill my father. it's certainly something Mrs. Clark would have and has done before. But he doesn't he just nods his head in understanding.

"I know you're concerned for your father, but you don't need to be. He's been taking care of himself for a long time, and if it will make you feel better I can even grant him immunity from any harm that may come his way. It only lasts ten years, but if it'll appease you, I'll have it done."

I shake my head, imagining my dads reaction. He would go off on a rant, saying that doing that would put him at an unfair advantage from everyone else, and how he shouldn't be above anyone or more powerful than his own species. His morals are weird, but understandable.

"No, don't do that." I whisper, beginning to consider the huge decision I'm facing.

It wouldn't be all bad to stay here, especially when I think about what I would get in return. I wouldn't be alone. I would have Max, Becky, and Lager, all of who I'm realizing I would have been devastated to leave.

But there's also Zero and the unfinished business with him. Core might be able to end the fake bond, but could I really do that to Zero? I learned that Kinlings can only create a fake bond with someone else once in their life, and Zero chose to do it with me. By ending it, I could destroy his only chances to bond with someone else.

"Here are my terms." I take a deep breath, laying my demands out for Core to hear. "I want every human off this island and safely back on Braun island, and I want you to make sure that Mrs. Clark never messes with my father again. I want the bond between Zero and I to remain intact, but I want immunity against it, so that I won't die or feel like dying every time I think about him. I'll find some way to end the bond myself. I also wish to say goodbye to my father. Can you do all of this?"

Core seems to contemplate, crossing his leg over his knee languidly as he puts a hand on his chin and thinks.

I wait in silence as a minute goes by, before Core nods, standing up and I follow suit.

"Sounds like a done deal. And you will remain on the island?"

I take a deep breath, nodding. "Yes."

He holds out his hand like he had earlier, but this time it isn't to greet me.

I lift my shaking hand, before putting it in his, and he gives mine a firm handshake. Before he lets go I feel a tiny jolt go from my hand, up my arm, and to my chest, where I can feel the fake bond inside.

A second later the bond that had been constricting around my chest and heart seems to ease, and I breathe out an exhale, not realizing how much harder it was starting to get to breathe until the bond released its tight hold. I can still feel it there, but it's no longer life-threatening.

"Wow." I say, putting a hand up to my chest in awe.

"Oh that was nothing. "Core smiles, rubbing his hands together while smiling excitedly. "Are you ready for the real magic to begin now?"

"Do your best." I say, giving him a faint smile back, which makes him beam.

"I haven't used this much magic in years. Here goes nothing."

With those words, he snaps his fingers.



Dear readers, two updates in two days? Wow, I'm really spoiling you, but I guess it makes up for not updating for nearly an entire month. So I need some help. Originally, this book was Science fiction, which was why I put that as the genre, but recently as I kept writing, it's gone onto a different track, and I'm trying to figure out which genre it is now. So help me out and give me some ideas. Adventure, maybe? Fantasy? Or maybe still Science fiction. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed! Vote, comment, and tell me your favorite character. The character who is named the most will have their p.o.v. written when I do a bonus chapter for 500k views. Lots of Love,

Dangeroustoken