You again

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Wizards. They belong to Diane Duane.

WARNING; There is some violence and blood in this chapter (but not a lot.) You have been warned.

Thanks to my reviewers! I'm a bit nervous now though. You guys have all been so supportive, I don't want to end it with something that you guys will hate me for. O_O

"Firm and irrevocable is my doom" –Shakespeare

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The spell tightened around me, pulling me towards my final destination. My feet touched solid ground and I swayed, finding my balance. I was in a shadowed place, permanently stained by dusk. Standing across from me were two figures.

"I knew you would come," Gwen said. "You really didn't have a choice anyway did you?"

"What the hell do you mean by that?" I spat. I was in no mood for her games.

She stared at me. "I knew you were dumb, but I didn't think you were this stupid. You can't deny the darkness that's been building in your heart; fueling your rage and anger."

I felt suddenly ashamed because I couldn't deny that. "But what does Kit have to do with this?"

She just waved her hand. "At first he was just in the way. Then we realized he played too big a part in your life for us to risk letting him be. So we did something. You've noticed his headaches? And of course his sudden tendency to forget things?" She smirked. "His mind is slowly unraveling. Soon he'll start to forget bigger things. Where he lives, his name, even you."

"No," I whispered, horrified. "That can't be true! He's getting better."

Her smirk disappeared at this. "Yes, he has become, difficult, as of late. He is unconsciously fighting it, and sometimes when he sees you upset or particularly emotional, he resurfaces. But this wont be a problem for much longer. Soon the Kit you know will be completely gone." Her eyes narrowed in sly delight, "Unless you help him that is."

"How do I do that? What can I do to make this stop?!"

You can join us. A new voice spoke from the cloaked figure beside Gwen.

Gwen smiled. "Nita, I'd like you to meet my father.

The taller figure shrugged off its hood and I stared. The Lone One looked back at me with icy eyes. His Red-gold hair was combed back, the almost exact shade as Gwens. Everything seemed spin a little bit and I clenched my fists until my nails bit into my palms. This seemed to solidify the room.

As if reading my thoughts, the Lone One spoke. Of course I'm not her real father. I've just taken Gwen under my wing. And apprentice of sorts. She is now sort of a part of me, and has gained tremendous power in the process. And now I'm offering this to you.

I stared at the two of them bewildered before focusing my gaze on Gwen.

"But I had checked your mind! There was no trace of the Lone One!

She gave a small laugh. "I am neither a form of the Lone One, nor am I being controlled by him. That is why you found no taint. I posed no resistance so he never had any reason to tamper with my mind. I made my own decisions. And the marks made by our contact? Those can easily be erased, covered up, disguised. In your disoriented condition, it wasn't too hard to conceal."

Join us.The lone one held out a pale hand in my direction. It can be this simple for you too.

"No!" I cried. "I'd never join you!"

No? Not even to save him?Suddenly Kit was there, surrounded by a glowing green sphere barrier. The minute he saw me, he started pounding on the inside of his prison. Though I couldn't hear him, I saw his lips move.

"Nita! Nita!" he silently yelled through the barrier. The Lone One waved his hand and suddenly Kits eyes glazed over. He took a faltering step backwards, then slumped down, no longer making any sounds or movements.

This is what he will eventually become. Just a crippled shell. The sight broke my heart into a million pieces. It was exactly like my dream had shown me.

"How could you do something like this?!" I yelled. "Why me?!" I knew this was a selfish question but I had to know.

You have tremendous power. You could do so much more working with us. The Lone Power said. We just wove the net. You were the one to tangle yourself in it. Your dark power is already manifesting.

I looked down at my hands which were wreathed in green-black fire. I could feel the power it fed me, twisted and cruel.

"Nita," Gwen spoke again, her voice now soft and gentle. Her eyes were almost pleading. "If you join us, you could have the power to save Kit. He could return to being how he was before, living out his daily life. You could even make him forget you, and move on. Life his life out long and happy."

I looked at my hands again. Flipping my palm over, a ball of energy blossomed there and I bounced it up and down, testing out its power. I could feel the energy it possessed, more than I had in me all together. And this and more could be mine. I could save Kit. I could put things right.

I remembered when we first met, in the tree grove by the interstate. We had gone through so much together. I could remember every smile he flashed at me, his teasing comments, and the more serious moments when we just sat and thought about the world around us. This was the Kit I wanted to come back. This was the Kit I loved.

I lifted my hands, feeling the power grow around me, basking in its fiery heat.

"That's it," I could hear Gwen coax. "Just succumb to the power."

I took a deep breath as all this energy gathered around me. I was going to fix things. I was going to make them right.

Bringing my hands together in front of me, I shoved that evil power away from me, expelling it from where it had rooted in me, and forcing it back at Gwen. She was the problem here; this was her fault.

She was caught off guard at my attack and yelled as the force struck her. Her lips opened in a snarl.

"Oh, so that's how its going to be?" she said. Then she launched herself at me. Her power was amazing, but my emotions fed me strength. I hurled everything I had at her, and then some more, pleased each time I forced her back.

Distracted, she could no longer keep the spell on Kit and it slipped off. Kit sprang to his feet and tried to rush forward to help me. "Nita!" He cried.

The Lone Power had been calmly watching the face off between me and Gwen but now it blocked Kit. No interfering from you. It said, constructing another wall between me and Kit. This is not our fight.

I was too focused on Gwen to turn and help him. Spinning, I ducked as a ball of energy whistled above me, right where my head had been just seconds ago. Sweat ran down both of our faces as we circled each other. She gathered another dark sphere and hurled it at me. I brought my hand up just in time to stop it, shattering it into pieces with a blast of my own power.

I could feel exhaustion settle in on me. I was almost out of power. The dark power that had been feeding into me before, had dried up. The next spell I sent towards her was weak and Gwen realized it as she swatted it casually away.

"Oooh, almost out of power huh?" She flicked shards of darkness towards me, and I just barely got out of the way in time. One nicked my shoulder, slicing through skin.

"Too bad, I hoped you would last longer. I was having fun. Last chance Nita. I'm feeling generous enough to forgive your mental lapse in judgment."

"No." I said again, barely keeping my voice from trembling.

Raising and eyebrow at me, she manipulated another ball of black energy, stretching it until it the ends became cruel points. Then she lashed out at me with her other hand, causing me to swerve instinctively to avoid it. As I did that, she brought down the spear of darkness.

I gave a gasp of pain as it bit through my arm and I fell to my knees. The darkness burned where it had bitten through my flesh. With a quick movement, Gwen reached down and ripped the blade from my arm, causing me another gasp. I clasped my hand to the wound, and could feel my blood flow through my fingers; warm and sticky.

"Hmm, a little off target but still a rather good hit don't you think? It looks like the end of the game Nita," Gwen looked down on me from where I lay panting on the floor. She ran a hand through her red blond hair and gave a sigh. "Such power wasted. If you joined us, you could eliminate the problem. Don't you want that?"

"Yes," I barely whispered. "I want to take care of this problem,"

"Good," she crooned.

With on last valiant effort, I struggled to my feet. I was vaguely aware of Kit yelling from behind me. "And that problem is YOU!" I shouted. In my head, I recited the last word of the spell I had been building. My last resource. A spell that would turn my own life, my soul, into the ultimate weapon.

Energy swirled around me, but this wasn't the ugly, twisted energy that I had handled before. This kind was made of light and air. In an instant, it had stabilized into my hand, lengthening into a blade and I swung this deadly, beautiful weapon upward. With a final cry, I brought it swishing down and straight through Gwen's chest.

I could see her expression flit from surprise, to outrage, and then to shock.

"NOOOOOO!!" Both she and the Lone Power cried as the light bit through her. Out of the corner of my vision, I could see the Lone Power double over, as a mirror image of light bit through him. After all, he had said Gwen was a part of him. And by taking out Gwen, I had cut a piece out of him too. The barrier between me and Kit broke and the last thing I saw was him rushing forward to catch me as I fell and darkness closed in.

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One last chapter until the end!! Please review and tell me what you think! -Ivy