Okay, here's a little note: I was so excited to write this chapter because it's one of the most exciting ones! I'm sure you'll just love it! It's is a little short, though. On with the show…

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Nevermore

Chapter 3:

A Gentle Haze

The commander struggled to his feet, raising the visor on his helmet. His eyes were steady and fearless. He smiled gently at Holly. A smile that laid no blame. For once, there wasn't even a touch of feverish temper on his checks.

"Be well," he said, and then an orange flame blossomed in the center of his chest.

The commander stood there, for what seemed like forever. Is this what it's like to die? Was his first thought. He opened his eyes and saw pitch black. He wasn't standing. He was floating. He was floating toward a great light. Anything behind him was black. He tried to make out what he was floating to. At one moment, it seemed so far away. In the next, his toes were barely touching the edge.

He was lofting on a cloudy mist. What surrounded him was a colourful haze. What this heaven? He felt so calm and relaxed. The haze seemed to clear. He was out in the open. For miles around, there were misty clouds. He was standing on clouds. This must have been heaven.

Commander Root turned around. He was standing on the edge of the cloud. On the other side was black darkness. Like half and half. Was it always like this? Maybe it just went on and on and never stopped.

"You've done a lot of good things for people, Julius." A voice said. He turned back to the light and saw a man standing in front of him. He was in white robes, tied with a white lace. He had a placid expression on his face and had a long white beard that just formed from his chin. He's teeth were even sparkling white but the beard that reached his toes took the some of the gory, because it was sparkling too. He was just a sparkling man with light tanned skin and a beautiful charm about him.

"Who are you?" Commander Root asked. It was the only thing he could think of to say.

"It doesn't matter, Julius." The man said. "You matter. It may have not seemed long that you have been here, but in your universe, weeks have already pasted. This is the way things are around here."

The commander was speechless. He looked down in thought. When he looked back up at him, he asked, "Is Holly alive? Is she okay? And Artemis…"

"They're alive." The man said. Root breathed a sigh of relief. They were okay. "You shouldn't be here," the man said, "it's not your time just yet." He began walking and Root followed. There was something in the distance. With each step they took, it seemed as if they were going at the speed of light. Soon, the commander was face to face with the object.

"What is this?" Commander Root asked. It looked like a big bubble. An image was in it. He peered closely to see. It was Holly. She was crying. Artemis was lying unconscious beside her. Red soaked though part of his shirt. Then there was an image of Kobi. She was smiling; Artemis and Holly were before her.

"Do you remember the sweet spot on the bomb I strapped to Julius?"

Holly's eyes seemed to lose their normal sparkle. "I remember." She said softly.

"Well, there wasn't one." Holly jumped out to grab her gun but someone charged her.

Another picture held the bubble now, Holly had her head in her hands and tears were leaking out of her eyes. Artemis placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Julius would have been proud of you. Haven is here today because of what you did."

The bubble then disappeared. The man turned to him. Root was distraught. The picture of Holly crying was fresh in his mind. He hated to see her is such a state. She was like a daughter to him. She meant so much to him, and it occurred to him that maybe he should have said that.

"They wouldn't let her go to your commitment ceremony. She watched you on a screen while everyone mourned, after everything she did for them."

A solemn tear rolled down the commander's cheek. He had never displayed such an emotion since he was a baby. No matter what Holly did, she would always be given the third degree. For once, Root didn't know why. The man put a finger under Julius' chin to raise his head up.

"It's not time for you Julius."

"What do you mean?"

Suddenly, Commander Root was sucked backwards from the man who was waving. Into the darkness. He smiled. "I will see you soon enough."

Then everything went black.

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Oooooh, how exciting! Commander Root was dead and now he's back? How? Who did this I wonder… Until next time!

Your Evil Authoress,

Shannon