Chapter Seven

Amber lay on the soft, green grass. She was facing the night sky. She almost looked peaceful, though she wasn't. In truth she was in a panic. She couldn't move, she could barely speak, and she couldn't breathe. The only thing she could do was think, and remember.

All the things I've done, she thought, trying not to cry, All of the people I've hurt. I can't change the past, and I feel that I won't have a future. She let out a small sob.

I never wanted to do any of this, she continued, I never wanted to fight, or kill...or die.

Her sobs became cries of pain, physical, mental, and emotional.

"I'm sorry Dark," she managed to say through her tears, "I've failed you." Amber's head fell back onto the grass. Her tears stopped. Her pain was gone. Amber had died.

Or had she?

I'm sorry Dark. I've failed you.

The thought echoed in Dark's mind. "Oh no. Amber!" Before anyone knew what was going on, Dark had shot out the door, and was running towards a long field of grass.

"What's he doing?" Will pondered aloud.

"He's running."

"Who said that?" Irma demanded. She spun around to see a woman in her late 30's with lavender hair and gray eyes. She was wearing a light blue dress and matching shoes.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Flash Orrico," she told her, "I'm Dark's parental guardian."

Meanwhile Dark was running to a particular spot in the field. He didn't know why, he just was. He could feel his clothes weighing him down. He took off his cape, then his shoes and socks. His shirt was last. Panting, running as fast as he could, he could hear cries, as if the whole field was crying, pleading him to hurry.

"I don't know why, or how, but I've gotta go faster!"

As he said this, he felt enormous power begin to surge through him. The Heart of Phoenix was giving him more strength and speed! He raced to reach that one spot he'd seen in his mind.

"Whoo! This is a long field!" he panted. He would have thought it, but no one was there to hear him, and he needed all of his mind focused on finding that one spot.

While Dark was running and the Guardians were making new friends, Phobos was watching something else. He was watching Cedric and Scales.

Why must they be happy and not I? the former prince thought. Cedric was evil too. Why does he get happiness and I get sorrow?

He looked at his hands. "I want to be good," he sighed, "but it's so hard. I wish it were easier."

"It will get easier."

Phobos whirled around to find himself face to face with Tibor.

"Just give it some time."

"How much time?"

"It depends."

"On what?"

"What you did before you changed."

Phobos knew he couldn't argue. He had done horrible things and shamed his name. The only one he could blame for his wrong doings was himself.

"I-" Phobos began. He looked down at his feet. "I want to be like Dark," he forced out, "I want to be cared for, respected, loved. He has everything I want...and some things I don't."

Phobos began to realize something. Dark had one big thing he didn't want: power. He was rich and getting richer. I would abuse this power, he thought to himself, So would anyone else. Except him. He uses his money to help people who are less fortunate than himself. Then Phobos realized something else. He's fighting his emotions, he thought, He keeps them bottled up inside of him. I wonder why...

Irma watched as Flash walked up to her. She put her hands on Irma's shoulders. "You miss her don't you?"

"Who?" Irma said, shaking free of Flash's grip.

"Your birth mother."

Dark finally found the spot he was looking for. "Okay," he said, continuing to run, "It's about 300-250 yards-200 out. Hold on, Amber! I'm-a comin' for ya!"

Phobos was still trapped in thought. "How?" he finally said to Tibor, "How can I change?" He fell to his knees. "Tibor, please help me change!"

"First get up."

Phobos obeyed, and stood up.

"Good. Never humble yourself. Stand tall and proud. Next you'll have to go to Metamoor."

"I can't go back in there! They'll kill me!"

"Then you will die knowing that you made a change."

"I wanted help, not an execution!"

"They won't kill you. Especially if they don't know you're there."

"Who should I apologize to first?"

"Your sister."

"How?"

"You must bow."

He bowed. Tibor felt a burning desire to kick him in the teeth.

"Not to me! To HER!"

Phobos stood back up. "Why?"

"To show that you are humble."

"But you just said that-"

"Not to be humble to me, or any man, but a queen or king. Only a queen or king. And your sister is the queen of Metamoor. Come. We must find a way to open a portal to Metamoor so you can clear your conscience."

"How do you know about my mom?" Irma inquired Flash.

"Well you see," North said, "Dark trained her."

"She's alive?"

"Yes."

"And you didn't tell me?!"

"Well we didn't know until now."

"How did you not know until now?!"

"Because Dark needs you more than you need your mother."

Dark paced across the dark field. "A little farther," he pleaded to himself. He was almost able to see Amber's face. "Just a little farther." His hearts were weak. He wouldn't be able to keep this up for much longer. "I think I can. I think I can. I think I...can't." He fell down. He tried to force himself to stand up, but he couldn't."I'm sorry, Amber," he cried, "I couldn't save you then, and I guess I can't save you now."

Suddenly there was a flash of light. Dark felt a new source of power surging through him. But could this be? He looked at his chest. His heart was...glowing?

"I have three hearts," Dark realized, "I'll use my last one to get Amber back to my house, where she can be taken care of." He ran over to his dying friend. Scooping her up in his arms, Dark began to run back to his home.

"I'm sorry Dark," Amber cried as he ran up the steps to his house, "I've failed you." She heard a thud! and suddenly she found herself lying in a bed with beautiful silk sheets.

"You ain't dead yet," she heard Dark say. She saw him, standing in the doorway. He looked rather tired.

"Thank you, Dark," Amber whispered, "I don't know how I can repay you."

"I do," he said with a smile, "Give me the one thing I asked you for when we first met."

"Your riddle."

"Yes. Have you figured it out yet?"

"Yes."

"What do I want?"She paused. She knew he was testing her. She gave a warm smile and whispered the answer in his ear.

"You," he said, "have just completed your training."

He walked out of her room."Yes," she said to herself, "I have." She slowly closed her eyes and fell into her dreams.