I follow Lager, always keeping at least one hallway between us.

Quieting my footsteps as much as possible, I try to focus on listening to his footsteps, which sound as resounding and confident as always. For a Darkling High Commander, who rules over the shadows, he sure does have all the characteristics opposite to a shadow itself.

Every time I turn a corner, I'm holding my breath while simultaneously wondering why Lager hasn't caught me yet. Surely with his abilities he should be able to detect a spy.....unless he's too far into his head to notice. But what would he be thinking about?

I bite my bottom lip, nibbling into it the more I worry. Now and then I pass a Lightling guard, and I always tense up but surprisingly they don't stop or question me, instead just giving a nod and going about their patrol.

Just how big is this Villa? I think after another minute or two of patiently following him. By now we've for sure passed the lounge room that Malia is always in.

What if he's going to her bedroom? A pang of fear hits my chest, and I shake my head out of that dark place it wandered off to. There's no way that's possible.....and yet I find my footsteps starting to quicken.

Every window we pass presents the moon, only a half-crescent but bright and illuminating. Slowly, I begin to realize the amount of guards I've passed has ebbed, along witht he amount of doors, until it seems like the sole purpose of the hallways we're walking down is to lead us to a specific destination.

I hear Lager's footsteps suddenly come to a stop up ahead, and I sneak up to the corner and peer around to see him standing in front of an open doorway, the hallway beyond it completely pitch black.

Oddly, no guards stand at this strange entrance, and I watch as Lager begins to move again, disappearing inside the darkness like he was never even there in the first place.

I wait a few moments, before inching out from the corner, tensed and ready to leap behind it again if he suddenly pops out.

Another few seconds later and nothing happens, so I decide to walk forward, until I'm standing at the edge of the doorway, squinting into the darkness.

A slight breeze softly brushes my face, and I inhale a breath, before taking a step forward.....and missing the ground.

My foot falls down where it should have touched floor, and before I know what's happening my body is careening forward, and I'm crashing into stone slabs, tumbling down a good few yards before my brain finally registers what's happening and my body kicks into action. My arms reach out and brace my body against the smooth stone walls that I cant see, only feel on either side of me, my breath coming out in pants.

"Ouch." I murmur as the adrenaline fades and the pain of hitting multiple body parts on solid stone appears.

I rub the side of my head, and one of my sides which directly hit a slab, cringing when it hurts. I'll be lucky if by tomorrow I'm not covered in bruises from head to toe.

I take a moment to get over the stinging pain, evening my breath and wondering how long before Lager comes zooming up the stairs after hearing that loud tumble.

Turns out I had to wait a long time, because nothing happens.

Sighing, I slowly climb to my feet, grunting and stretching my aching muscles. Great, now I sound like a grandmother.

For the home of the Lightling High Commander, it sure is dark down here. But at least now I know hat there's stairs, so I slowly start to edge my way down them, stinking out one foot and feeling the bottom stair before stepping forward.

The more I make my way down, the more I can tell different things, like how the stairs are in a spiral, and the farther down I get, the colder it turns.

I sneeze, stopping for a moment and wondering how much farther I have to go, before returning to making my way down.

I'm pretty sure this isn't Malia's bedroom, maybe a dungeon?

I start to notice that the walls are becoming more visible, and I can make out the grey stone instead of the pitch black before. I must be getting to the bottom, where there's light. With that in mind, I silence my footsteps, although not completely, and can't contain my excitement when I finally reach a doorway at the bottom.

I must be super deep underground in Mount Lux by now, seeing as how those stairs went on for what seemed like forever. I peer out into the opening, and see a dim hallway made out of the same stone the stairs were made out of, just like you'd expect from a medieval dungeon, except for the sources of light. Instead of torches, glowing orbs of light hung down, floating in the air.

I've seen these before, I think as I stare in wonder, walking slowly to the first one . That's right, Becky, with her Halfling abilities has summoned them before.

As I pass the first one, I brush my hand close to it, but these orbs don't seem to be giving off any heat.

I pause for a second, an idea popping into my head. I lift my necklace, the blue crystal slightly glowing in the light, and move it towards the orb. The second it touches, the light goes out, dousing this section of the hallway back into darkness.

I set my necklace back down to lay against my chest, shaking my head. At least I know now that the necklace truly does have the ability to nullify powers, but why on Earth would Core give it that ability/ What is he wanting me to do with it? Maybe as an extra protection?

Putting that aside for now, I start to walk again, passing by three more orbs of light before seeing two huge doors come into view at the end.

I approach them, noticing when I finally reach them that instead of regular oak wood, they're actually made out of a type of black rock, strange white symbols etched into them. Now this is getting supernaturally creepy.

I stand there for a second, wondering if I should open them. It's obvious that Lager has to be behind that door, since it's the only way he could have gone after entering the stairs.

I start to pace, pondering the pros and cons although it's a little too late to be doing this, but then against here's still a chance to turn around.

Just then there's a loud thump that sounds like something heavy hit the doors, and I hear a groan of pain. Without thinking, I place my hands against the door and push, but they're not moving, so I heave with all my strength, and slowly they start to open, moving a few inches, until I can slip in.

The door falls heavily shut behind me, and I stand, frozen in shock, as I see what's before me.

A huge, cavern-like room is the only thing behind the huge doors, and in the middle of the gigantic, stone-walled room, a transparent dome of light.

Inside the dome, a dark figure stays motionless on their knees, head bowed.

End.

My eyes snap out of the trance they were in, looking to my right to see a crumpled figure dressed in white robes laying against the door.

My eyes catch onto their white-blonde hair, and I'm instantly moving, kneeling by their side.

"Malia?!" I exclaim, lightly touching the woman on her shoulder.

They lift their head slightly, eyes slowly opening and I see that it really is Malia, her eyes widening when she sees it's me.

"Ashley?....What are you doing here?" She asks, worry evident in her tone.

"That's not important right now." I dodge the question, my eyes darting to the kneeling-figure in the dome and back to Malia. "What's happening?"

Malia starts to push herself up, and I keep my hands nearby in case I need to catch her, but she manages to sit up and then start climbing to her feet just fine herself.

I stand with her and watch as she faces End, her eyes narrowly set with determination on him.

"It's a very long explanation, but you don't need to worry about that now. What you do need to worry about, is leaving. Right now." She emphasizes.

"There's no way I'm leaving." I respond. "What if something happens again, like that." I say, gesturing to the place she was laying just a moment ago.

"I know I'm not at my strongest, but don't confuse me for weak." She says with much conviction.

Malia starts to walk towards the dome, her hands starting to slightly glow at the same time the dome glows brighter, and I watch in horror at End writhes in agony, his hands now falling to the ground.

"Wait, Malia-" I say, rushing forward.

She turns towards me, her eyes widening. "No don't come any closer!" She shouts, but it's too late.

I hadn't seen the white line etched into the ground, too focused on other things to pay much attention to it, until I'm stepping across it.

The second my foot hits the ground, End's head jerks up, his eyes like flame and glowing embers meeting mine, freezing all my movements.

"Ashley, step back NOW!" Malia shouts, a second before a beam of darkness erupts from End, shattering the dome, and sending a roaring wind through the cavern, pushing me back along with Malia.

Holy Mother of- My thoughts are cut off as I lean into the wind, my arms up to cover my face. Squinting, I can see End rise from his knees, standing, and slowly turning towards me.

Ah heck to the no.

I turn of my heel, feeling the wind push at my back as I attempt to do what Malia has been telling me this entire time and skedaddle. I make it a few yards before his shadow form materializes in front of me, my heels digging into the ground to stop myself.

Should've known by the many times I've watched horror films that running wouldn't work.

So what's next on the list of What to do When Your Friend Who's A Shadow Has Gone Berserk In the Middle of Some Dark Ritual Under a Mountain?

Maybe....talk?

I know before opening my mouth this probably isn't the best idea, but I still do it anyway.

"Hey End, long time, no see. Now I know the last time we met, you destroyed my room and trapped me in a blanket cocoon, but I promise I'm not mad. All of that is totally in the past. I say it's better to put aside that now and go back to the way things were, what do you say?" I finish my ramble, holding out my hand hesitantly.

Of course, End can't say anything because he's a shadow, but I guess that's what I deserve for making friends with living darkness.

The wind whips my hair in my face, and I part it with a hand, my eyes widening when I see End ominously raise a hand towards me. That doesn't look good.

I'm ready to shield my head or maybe try and duck, when a dome made of light similar to the one that had been surrounding End but smaller forms around me, making End lunge backwards.

I turn to see Malia standing a few yards away, another dome around her and her hand raised and outstretched towards me, her ice eyes focused and unyielding.

Malia straightens, composing herself, ebfore starting to walk towards me, the dome moving with her. When she's only two yards away, she stops, and I turn to look at End again, only to realize he's disappeared into the darkness of the room.

"Don't be scared, he hasn't left the room. Those doors prevent him from doing it." Malia speaks, her voice loud, but not so loud seeing as how the mysterious wind has died down.

"What kind of supernatural, dark ritual is this? It's like End is some demon or something." I say, hugging myself using my arms. I hadn't paid much attention to it before, but it really was cold down here.

"Demons?" Malia questions with a confused look, before waving her hand, "Doesn't matter. This "ritual" as you called it, is a very necessary and vital one that takes place every decade. I believe you said his name was End. Well End is generally calm and even friendly, wouldn't you agree?"

I remember when I first met End, and every moment he's been there since then, before nodding.

"End is not a monster. That's how he truly is, but every ten years, he tends to resort back to his....original state. He's a descendant of the first Darkling ever made, and with that lineage, comes a price. What you see of End right now is that price. He's only semi-conscious of everything that's happening right now, similar to being in a dream. Every thing to him right now that isn't dark or a destructive like the very nature of Darklings is the enemy. So every ten years we have this purification ceremony, which only purifies that specific darkness inside of him. Unfortunately, it only lasts ten years, hence the reason he started reverting back recently."

I stare at her blankly for a few more seconds. "So.......You're telling me you can turn him back to the way he was?"

"Yes." She smiles softly. "But we need to get him back to the center. I have already made a plan for that, but it involves a slight risk."

"Hit me with it." I say, eager to help End in any way.

"Perfect. Follow me." She turns and starts to walk,and I follow her, looking around cautiously like End will pop out from the darkness at any moment.

"Please stand here." Malia says, gesturing to a spot, and I quickly move to stand there, clenching and releasing my fists in excitement.

"Listen Ashley. What I'm about to do may seem scary, but I promise everything will be alright."

"Erm...wait what?" I say, watching Malia disappear in a flash of light and reappear ten yards away.

She raises her hand, and that's when I notice I'm in the dead center of the room. Everything in my brain clicks into the place the second she snaps her fingers, and the dome of light around me disappears, leaving me stranded in the darkness.

I don't even have time to run or scream before glowing, orange eyes are in front of me.

I close my eyes, throwing my hands up in a feeble defensive manner.......but nothing happens.

My eyes snap open when I hear a grunt of agony, and I look down to see End back on his knees, chest heaving in silent pants as we're once again surrounded by a dome of light.

Unlike before though his eyes are still open, and locked on me. I stare for another second before sprinting towards the edge of the dome and pounding my hand on it. How the hecking heck can light be so solid?

"Malia, let me out!" I yell, shivers running down my spine and refusing to look back at End,

"I'm truly sorry Ashley, but if the dome breaks, he'll escape again. Please just bear with it, I promise you're in no danger." She says in an apologetic tone.

I pound my fist against the wall feebly once more, before looking down at my necklace. I could always use the nullify powers, but if I do that....I glance backwards at End who has thankfully closed his eyes, hands balled into fists.

Slowly, I turn away from the dome, leaning my back against it and sliding down into a seating position.

"Malia." I say in a clam, light tone.

"....Yes?" She answers finally, her voice coming out a little disgruntled, and I can tell even though she said she was stronger than she appeared, this must be taking a toll.

"What's the next step in this purification ritual?"

"The hard part is capturing him. Now we just have to wait until the time is right to take the final step."

"When, exactly, will the time be right?" I ask, wondering how long I'll have to remain here.

"It differs everytime. Sometimes it's taken minutes, others it's taken hours."

"Greaaaaaaaaaat." I say sarcastically, before suddenly a light bulb goes off, and I'm jerking my head around to look at Malia. "Have you seen Lager?" I'm so worked up over the question I don't notice how loud and desperate the question comes off as.

There's a short pause, before. "Can't say I have, although if the reason why you're down here is because you followed him, that may have been End with an illusion."

"Oh." I say, turning back around, but something still nags at me. I followed Lager straight from the dining hall, so when could I have swapped the real Lager for End?

Just then I hear a low groan of pain, and my eyes fly to End, his shadow form tensed and shuddering every now and then.

"How painful is this for him?" I ask Malia softly.

"Very." Is all she says.

A few minutes pass in silence, and I don't strike up conversation with Malia in case her concentration breaks. I watch intently as End pants at some points, shakes at others.

Suddenly End throws his head back and keels over, hands back on the ground, and before I know what I'm doing I'm at his side, my head reaching towards his shuddering back.

My hand pauses briefly as another violent tremor wracks his body, before I make my decision and place it on his back, half-expecting it to go through, but no, my hand makes contact with something solid.

I keep my hand light, expecting him to snap at any moment, but he only shakes some more.

Suddenly a scene flashes into my mind, one that took place what seems like forever ago, but in actuality was only a few months ago.

It was after a near-death experience at the hands of the fake bond that was currently in me at the time, and I was lying in a bed back at Highclere, my head laying on the lap of the Darkling High Commander, Lager.

Swallowing, my throat suddenly dry, I slowly move, shuffling to End's side and sitting with my legs criss-crossed. Exhaling, I gently grab onto End's arms and lower him until he's on his side, his head resting on my thigh.

I breathe out when the transition is complete, and stare down at End's feature-less face, which, although feature-less, conveys agony so well at the moment.

My hand with a mind of it's own starts to run through his hair, the strands like silk darkness, and this may just be my runaway imagination, but it seems like End's tremors have calmed slightly.

Minutes, or hours, seem to pass, and my legs go numb in the position their in, but I don't dare move continuing to run my hands through End's hair, doing all I can to help.

Finally, after what seems like forever, Malia speaks.

"It's time." She croaks, clearing her weary voice with a cough.

"How do you know it's time?" I ask, looking up and seeing her through the Dome.

"It's a sense I have. This is the job the Lightling High Commander has always had. The Light always balances out the darkness, and the darkness balances the light. This is my duty to the Darklings, and they fulfill their duty to us."

I nod, although that has only made more questions into my head.

"I'm going to need you to leave him and go to the edge of the dome." Malia says, and I nod, looking down at End and brushing a hand slowly through his hair one last time, before slowly shifting him off my lap to lay on the floor. I stand up, the blood rushing down to my legs and making them feel numb and tingly at the same time.

I limp towards the edge of the dome, giving Malia a thumbs up.

"I recommend you close your eyes now. it's going to be over in a moment, but it's about to get very bright."

I nod once again, squeezing my eyes shut.

There's a burst of bright orange, red, and yellow behind my eyelids, and I come super close to opening my eyes when I hear a grunt and something similar to a roar of pain, but the light continues to shine, burning my eyes even though they're closed.

The light fades, and I hear Malia's voice faintly giving me the okay to open them.

My eyes open, but the spots in my vision block me from seeing much. There's no doubt if my eyes were really opened I would have been blind one hundred percent for the rest of my life.

Malia snaps her fingers and sends glowing orbs throughout the room, illuminating it, albeit dimly thoughtfully because of my eyes.

I see a dark figure laying on the ground, and stumble towards them, only to be stopped by two arms.

"Ashley, End doesn't want to be seen right now, and you need to recover your vision fully. It'd be best if you leave."

"How do you know what End wants?' I retort, still a little bitter from her locking me in the dome.

"I......just do. He's reverting back, but he still needs time. It's best if you don't see him until he's ready and goes to see you. Please, trust me, even if I don't deserve your trust anymore."

I pause, wishing the dark spots in my vision would just clear up already so I could see End and make sure he's fine, but it doesn't happen. Swallowing, I nod, backing up a step.

Malia lets out a little breath of relief, before guiding me towards the doors. She waves her hand, opening them without even touching them, and I hesitantly, and reluctantly start to make my way out.

I stop right outside them, hearing them start to close behind me.

Suddenly, my ears pick up the sounds of movement against stone, and I jerk around to see the doors only open a crack, but that crack's all I need.

Through the tiny sliver of an opening, I'm able to make out a slowly moving figure which is on the stone floor, and I gasp, inhaling air sharply through my nose and clenching my right hand.

The hand that had been running through End's hair.

End's hair, which as I glimpsed through the crack in the doors appeared to be a familiar shade of dark, navy blue, to the point where it was almost black. Almost, but not quite.

A shade of hair that only one person in my mind owns.

Lager.

The doors shut.



Dear readers, an update! Phew this was an intense chapter! I expect a bunch of theories now, although I can already guess what a bunch of the comment will be XD. Thanks for being the amazing, patient people you are. I hope you really enjoyed. This chapter is not edited, but it is pretty long, so I hope that makes up for it. Halloween is coming up! Should I do a bonus chapter like last year? We have all sorts of new characters who are just dying to wear Halloween costumes! Tell me your thoughts on that in the comments, and I'll see what I can do if a lot of you want it XD. Vote, comment, and Secret Spookay, which is basically Secret Santa, but for Halloween. Lots of Love,

Dangeroustoken

P.S. The title of the chapter scared you, didn't it? Bwahahahahahaha. Happy Halloween!