Author's notes: The first and probably only time I plan to do this. I've really enjoyed writing this story. If you can believe it, this is my first fan fiction, and I'm a mere 13 years old. I truly appreciate all the comments, praise, and advise I have gotten from this story alone. When I got that comment from bobbyneko and IsaacGaretMia, I felt a surge of…I don't know what. Happiness? Pride? Oh, who knows but it felt good. Thank you so much. This isn't the last chapter, so don't cry yet.

Alex looked back and forth from me to the group standing in the opening. I could almost feel the surprise in him. I was feeling pretty good about myself and the others until Alex jumped back behind me and calmly put a sword to my throat. I let out a sound like a strangled goose.

"I wouldn't try anything if I were you. Who knows what could happen to your precious little princess, right?"

"Let go of her Alex! She has nothing to do with this! You wanted all the power in the world and got half, I'm the other half!" Isaac said sharply.

"Oh, contraire. While Sheba doesn't have the other half of alchemy she does have and unimaginable power in her. She can dream seer to the extent of someone no knowing what is reality and what is a dream."

What is he talking about? I can just send messages and meet people in my dreams right?

"What does that have to with any of your plans?" Piers very calmly considering the situation I was in.

"Why, she could easily kill all you off right now if she wanted to. Too bad, though. She wouldn't be able to kill off the man she's in love with."

"Shut…up…!" I hissed. Why didn't I want them to know? What was wrong with me, caring more about them not knowing who I had feelings for? I trusted them after all.

"Oh?" Alex looked down at me and smiled wryly. "She really didn't say anything."

I squirmed in his grasp trying to wriggle away from the sword that was just too close to my throat for comfort. My eyes flicked toward Ivan, he was looking at me in a strange way. Kinds of worry, fear, and…hurt. Like someone had just broken his heart.

"Alex! Please, it doesn't have to be this way! You're part of the Mercury Clan, for Weyard's sake! We don't create conflict, we help stop it," Mia's voice was desperate; she collapsed to the ground in tears.

"Ah, dear Mia. As I told you on the Mercury Lighthouse aerie, I'm not the same Alex you once knew."

"I suppose that's the only time you really told the truth," Mia began in a whisper that became stronger with every word. "I was in love with the Alex you once were," She stood up using her staff as a support. "But just as you aren't the Alex I once knew… I'm not the Mia you once knew!"

Mia lifted up her staff slowly, then moved it in a graceful arch and pointed at Alex.

"This ends today, Alex. I'm tired of being the one left behind hurting." Huge jagged shards of ice were rotating around Alex and me. I could guess what was about to happen, and if I was still near Alex in the next two seconds, I was going to be mince meat with him.

I elbowed him in the stomach and his grip on me loosened. Using the last bit of energy I had left jumped away from him just as the ice converged on him like a pack of hungry wolves after a deer.

I thought I would land a few inches from Piers, but I misjudged the distance and ended up landing right on top of him. At the same time I could hear the fight beginning.

"Sorry." I apologized as I climbed off him.

"It's okay, as long as you are alright. But, why did you aim in this direction, I thought you would much rather be in this same situation with your dearly beloved over there," Piers pointed directly at Ivan and winked at me.

I blushed up a storm and attempted to stand up only to fall down out of exhaustion. Piers put his hand to my forehead to use Pure Ply on me.

"Careful. You must be quite tired."

"Yeah," I sighed feeling better already. I wish Jupiter Adepts had powers like these.

When he was finished I turned to look at the battle raging. I watched as Isaac used a Djinn and both he and Jenna attacked at once.

Mia was murmuring something to herself for a moment before a huge geyser appeared and sent Alex skyward. Ivan used Plasma and shocked him. It was too much for Alex to take. All the power in the world couldn't help you take a beating from seven (Piers had joined the fray) experienced adepts.

Might as well make it eight, I drew my bow and aimed at higher angle. I gauged the angle and the distance I was from Alex. A rain of thunder arrows would make him one unhappy man, but the blast radius was large. I ran the risk of injuring my friends if I didn't warn them.

"Move, everyone!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, and let the arrow fly.

The others looked up and seeing the single arrow split into about thirty, they jumped backwards. The arrows converged on him.

When the smoke and dust had cleared, I saw a sizzling body in the middle of burning hay. Alex still managed to sit up.

"If I'm going to go down," He said quietly, picking up his sword as if it was a throwing knife. "I'm taking someone down with me!" He threw the sword…right at Ivan.

I didn't even think about it. I lunged in front of Ivan screaming "NOOO!"

The sword went right through my back and came out my stomach. I felt it pierce my skin. I was looking into Ivan's beautiful amethyst eyes, wide with shock, as I smiled at him, for what I thought must be the final time. Now or never.

"I…love…you."

Then nothing but blood. So…much…blood.

"SHEBA!!"