Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of any of the characters or other elements (pun intended) portrayed in this story.

"Unmaking the World"

By: Starwin

Episode 7: Eternities End

Part 2: Remaking the World

The rolling hum of the shimmering blue portal was suppressed by the cold, stagnate, air. The sound should have echoed in the vacant halls but it simply faded away instead. And save for the dull light of the magic portal, the fortress of Rakadin was cloaked in shadowy, eternal, night.

The surface of the portal rippled like water and a glowing body emerged, disturbing the desolate world. The light quickly faded away, revealing Cornelia. She had been the first to step through the portal but she had not been the only one.

Clutching Cornelia's hand tightly was Taranee, she looked blankly ahead. Had she been able to see, things would not have looked much different. The light of the portal illuminated only a small area of what seemed to be a massive room.

Hayden and the rest of the Dragon Knights came through next, followed closely by Irma and Hay Lin. Irma's arm was slung over Hay Lin's shoulder. Although Irma was able to walk on her own she seemed distant and her eyes were glazed over.

The group stood in silence for a moment. Irma's whispers were the first sound any of them heard, though only Hay Lin understood.

"Irma needs to rest," announced Hay Lin as she readjusted her grip on Irma. There was a long moment of silence as Hay Lin helped Irma to sit on a nearby pillar that had toppled over.

Once Irma was off her feet Cornelia spoke. "So where do we go now?" Her eyes scanned the darkness before them looking for some indication of direction or even location. But for all she could tell they had stepped into absolute nothingness.

"Now we go deeper into Rakadin. We just have to hope there is a way to Kandrakar," replied Hayden. Taranee spun on Hayden, her eyes unable to see him, but looking right at him all the same.

"WHAT?" Taranee shouted angrily. "You said there was a way to Kandrakar here! Not that there might be!"

"I said Kandrakar and Rakadin are connected," retorted Hayden. "This is still our best chance. If we start looking now we might…"

"Start looking!" Taranee cried in shock. "You don't even have any idea that there is a way to Kandrakar, do you!"

"Stop it!" shouted Hay Lin, catching everyone by surprise. All eyes turned on her. "Arguing isn't getting us anywhere. If we work together we have a better chance!"

"Actually," said Cornelia calmly, her eyes looking at Irma for a moment before glancing around at the other people in the dim light. "I think it's better if we split up. We can cover more ground that way."

"Agreed," said Hayden. "There are eight of us, if we each look in a different place…"

"I'm not leaving Irma," cried Hay Lin, gripping the vacant eyed Irma.

"Okay, that's still seven of us…" Hayden said.

"Um, hello, I'm still blind," said Taranee pointing at her murky eyes. "I won't exactly be able to search very well."

"Fine," Hayden said sharply. "Dante, Alex and Owin. You three start searching; East, West and North Rakadin." The boys hesitated for a moment as though unsure if they wanted to take Hayden's orders.

Finally Owin shrugged and walked off without a word. Dante and Alex cast each other sideways looks before vanishing into the darkness as well.

"And the three of us will head south," said Hayden indicating Cornelia and Taranee. Hayden made to take the lead but paused and looked back over his shoulder. "Despite what you might think, I …" Hayden's voice trailed off, "I never hated you… and I'm… I'm sorry for what we… what I did…" Cornelia wasn't sure how to respond to this so she just stayed silent. "Come on, I know the first place we should look."

-- ∞∞∞∞∞ Ω ∞∞∞∞∞ --

Hay Lin watched uneasily as Taranee and Cornelia vanished into the darkness. The faint pool of light from the portal struggled to keep the shadows at bay as everlasting night of Rakadin pressed in upon Irma and Hay Lin.

Hay Lin shivered. There was no breeze but this place was cold. Terrible memories of Rakadin danced through Hay Lin's mind. Hay Lin didn't recall it being this dark the last time she had been here but the chill was something she remembered all too well.

A small voice made Hay Lin jump. She had been so lost in her own thoughts that she had almost forgotten that Irma was still there. Irma sat motionless beside her. The brown haired girl still leaned against Hay Lin for support.

"What?" Hay Lin asked. Irma has spoken so softly that even Hay Lin's sensitive ears had been unable to make out her words. Hay Lin turned her head as Irma spoke again.

"Dead," said Irma quietly. "I'm dead, Hay Lin."

Hay Lin felt her eyes widen in surprise and fear at these words. How could Irma say such a thing? Why would she say such a thing?

"No," said Hay Lin reflexively. "No, Cornelia and Owin saved you. They used their magic to heal you!"

"Didn't heal," said Irma, her voice flat. "Brought my body back, but not my soul."

Hay Lin shook her head furiously.

"No, you're fine!" said Hay Lin, tears starting down her cheeks. "You're fine, you're fine…" Hay Lin sobbed.

Irma's eyes wandered slowly across the floor, trying to make their way to Hay Lin, but they didn't.

"I don't feel sad," said Irma. "I don't feel anything but emptiness."

-- ∞∞∞∞∞ Ω ∞∞∞∞∞ --

Deep in the darkness of Rakadin, Hayden led the way. In Kandrakar the walls seemed to glow with everlasting light but not in Rakadin—in Rakadin, the walls stole the light away.

Taranee held a bright flame in the palm of her hand. It should have illuminated the entire hallway but it did not. Only a small patch of light lit their way.

"Here," said Hayden. He came to a stop at a door. It looked like every other door they had passed. Cornelia prepped herself for an ambush. She had a sudden feeling that it would be Serenity who popped out from behind the door to attack them.

But when Hayden pushed open the door, the room on the other side appeared empty. Taranee's fire lit only a portion of the room, not enough to see the far walls. Hayden moved in cautiously, his head looking side-to-side, searching. Then he stopped and looked away.

Cornelia moved forward, trying to see what Hayden had found. Taranee followed Cornelia, still grasping her hand. The fire came with them casting its light on what Hayden had seen. Cornelia felt bile rise in her throat and for a moment she wished she was blind like Taranee.

Sitting on the floor rocking back and forth with his arms wrapped around his knees, was Matt Olsen. There were bloody cuts all over his arms and streams of red tears ran down from his eyes.

"Oh my god…" Cornelia said feeling sick. "Matt…"

Matt stopped rocking back and forth and looked up at the Guardian, his eyes pained. Then he looked away again and resumed his rocking.

"I can't forget," Matt said not looking or speaking to anyone in particular. "I won't forget…"

"Forget what?" asked Taranee as she stared blankly ahead. Matt's eyes flicked up to her but he didn't say anything.

"What happened to him?" Cornelia demanded as she looked at Hayden.

"Serenity," Hayden whispered. "She broke him, then locked him up here so that he couldn't interfere anymore."

"You should have stopped her!" Taranee said angrily. Hayden looked away ashamed. Cornelia let go of Taranee for a moment and knelt next to Matt.

"Matt, what can't you forget," Cornelia asked kindly. She moved to touch him, but froze. Carved into Matt's flesh were strange gouges that looked like letters; Cornelia couldn't make them out. Matt continued to rock back and forth.

"I have to remember, I can't forget," Matt repeated. With a shaking hand he held up his cell phone. It was flipped open and typed on the screen were the words "NEVER FORGET WILL VANDOM".

"You left yourself a message," Cornelia said smiling at the words.

"A lot of messages," whispered Hayden, he was pointing at the walls. Cornelia looked to where Hayden was pointing and felt herself go pale. Words were written all over the walls and floor, in blood. One message repeated over and over: 'Never forget Will Vandom.'

-- ∞∞∞∞∞ Ω ∞∞∞∞∞ --

Will walked uneasily behind Serenity. This place, it frightened her. It looked like Rakadin, like the home she knew, but it was… different somehow; distantly familiar and yet, completely alien.

"I don't like it here," whispered Will taking Serenity's arm like a scared child.

Serenity tried to smile at the redhead but she could not. "I don't much care for it yet either, but all that is about to change. This place will become as I remember it…" Will looked at Serenity, not understanding what she meant. "…as we remember it."

"But I don't remember it," whispered Will as she grasped the Heart of Kandrakar tighter in her hand.

"Soon Will, everything you have lost will be given back to you," said Serenity confidently. "Together we will set right what was made wrong. There will be no more darkness and no more light. There will be no more pain and no more suffering." Serenity looked Will in the eyes and this time she had no trouble smiling. "Together we will unmake the world of lies created by the Oracle."

Will still felt confused and troubled but she nodded but did not protest again.

The two girls didn't even pause at the doorway into the consul chambers. The room was filled with black crystals, like the inside of some bizarre geode. Moving with purpose Serenity led them deep into the crystal maze.

At last they stopped when the path went no further. Will gasped, for there was the face of a man protruding from the large gem that blocked their path. His troubled blue eyes looked upon the girls but the gem was so tight around his head that he could no longer open his mouth to speak.

There was fear in his eyes and rightly so for he knew what was coming. Serenity pulled out the Soul of Rakadin, it glowed with blue energy. The stone was eager, Serenity could feel the longing in the gem.

Serenity looked up at the Oracle, there was no trace of a smile on her face. "Are you happy now Oracle? For this is your doing." The Oracle said nothing because he could not.

Serenity turned to Will and spoke softly but stared at her intently. "Are you ready?" Serenity asked. But Will looked away.

"I'm afraid," Will admitted. She clutched the Heart of Kandrakar closer to her chest. "I don't think I can do this…"

"This has always been our destiny," said Serenity, the tremble in her voice betrayed her worry. Will continued to look away. "Will… you're my soul… You might have forgotten me but every day we've been apart I've felt your absence. Without you I've been lost; I've been empty…"

At last Will eyes found Serenity and for the first time Will could see true sadness in the silver haired girl's black eyes; a sadness that Will finally felt herself. Will looked up at the Oracle who stared back at her pleadingly. But Will did not feel pity. She felt anger and hatred for what the Oracle had done; for the lies he had told.

"I do this to defy you," said Will harshly. Will held out the Heart of Kandrakar. Sparks of lightning jumped between the Heart and Soul as both began to glow. From Serenity's feet a black shadow crept out slowly behind her. It changed the floor and walls and ceiling of all of Kandrakar, changing it to Rakadin.

"It is time…" shouted Serenity over the roar of magic that had filled the air. "… to remake Indrakin!"

-- ∞∞∞∞∞ Ω ∞∞∞∞∞ --

Owin ran his hand along the wall of the throne room. He had been sure that if there was a way to Kandrakar it would have been here. But there was nothing, just cold black stone.

"Everyone regroup at the portal," came Taranee's voice in Owin's head. It was an unsettling sensation for Owin, too many people had been inside his head as of late. Owin pushed the feeling aside and turned to leave. But, before he could, a rush of magic crashed into him, pinning Owin against the wall.

Two ghost like figures shimmered into existence in the middle of the circular room. One was Serenity and the other was Will. They looked like they were holding a ball of white fire between them.

The ground around Will's feet began to burn, turning the black marble to white stone. However, this odd transformation that was quickly consuming the chamber, only burned the half of the room behind Will. It did not move towards Serenity. The fire stopped in a perfect line at her feet, so that half the room remained black stone while the other half turned white.

Owin noticed that the white flame was quickly rushing towards him. With all his willpower Owin pulled himself off the wall and staggered out of the room before running as fast as he could back towards the portal.

-- ∞∞∞∞∞ Ω ∞∞∞∞∞ --

Alex and Dante were the first to arrive back at the portal, finding Hay Lin and Irma right where they had left them. Hay Lin looked distressed but none of them spoke.

A whispering voice that came from the darkness made everyone but Irma's head turn in the direction of the sound. Cornelia and Taranee were walking in the lead, Taranee still held the orb of fire. Hayden was following them and… there was someone else with them.

"Matt!" cried Hay Lin. Excitement and surprise on her face. But her expression quickly turned pale as the group got closer and she could clearly see Matt. Although he was still whispering incoherently to himself, Cornelia was fairly sure she knew what he was saying.

"What happened to him?" asked Hay Lin, her voice distressed.

"We don't know but whatever Serenity did to him it was far worse than what she did to us," Taranee said.

Matt's suddenly screamed and clasped his hands to his ears.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" shouted Dante, covering his own ears.

"Matt, Matt, it's ok!" Cornelia shouted taking hold of him and trying to sound reassuring. "Calm down, it's ok!"

"Don't forget!" Matt shouted. "Can't forget!" Suddenly he grabbed Cornelia painfully by her shoulders. "It's hidden away but not forgotten!"

"What?" Cornelia cried hysterically. Matt released Cornelia then clutched his own chest painfully, digging into his skin before pulling his hand away.

In his palm was a glowing light. Everyone stood transfixed with surprise. Matt held the metal frame of the Heart of Kandrakar in his outstretched hand. No one moved to take it.

Matt dropped the small silver frame. It tumbled in slow motion towards the floor. The girls watched, unable to move fast enough to catch it. But before it could hit the ground a hand caught it.

Everyone gasped in shock. Kneeling next to Matt, was Will Vandom.

"Hey guys, did you miss me?" Will asked with a smile.

-- ∞∞∞∞∞ Ω ∞∞∞∞∞ --

"No," said the redheaded girl who had appeared before the Guardians and Dragon Knights. "I am not the real Will. I am her astral drop."

"Then you're the one who deceived us!" said Taranee stepping forward threateningly. Cornelia put out a hand to hold the Fire Guardian back.

"Yes," answered the astral drop of Will. "And I'm sorry that I did! Serenity used me, just like she used the Dragon Knights, just like she is using the real Will! If it hadn't been for me she would have been able to merge Kandrakar and Rakadin a long time ago!"

"What do you mean, 'if it hadn't been for you'?" Hay Lin asked.

"When Will re-absorbed me I didn't return to her, I didn't give her my memories back. I'm not really sure why but I just kind of floated there, sealed up inside her, unable to do anything but watch," the astral drop explained.

"That is, until Serenity tried to invade Kandrakar. The Altermere's attacked them and when the Altermere of Energy grabbed Will it was in that moment the Heart realized that its Keeper was no longer the person she used to be, and it found me inside her instead.

"I had become the Heart's Keeper because, well, I was Will, I was everything that she once was. I commanded the Heart to flee, to hide, and the Altermere let me escape," the astral drop held up the metal frame of the Heart of Kandrakar. "One piece went to each of you so that Will would have trouble finding the Heart.

"And the last part, the frame, was hidden inside Matt," the astral drop blushed. "He was the only other person I could think about where it might be safe."

"Alright," said Cornelia. "So if you have part of the Heart, transform us and take us to Kandrakar!"

The astral drop shook her head. "I can't, this is only a small piece of the Heart. I don't think it has the power to do such a thing."

"Well, then how are we going to get to Kandrakar and stop Serenity?" Taranee asked.

"I don't know," replied the astral drop. The group fell into silence, except for Matt's whisperings.

"What's going to happen to him," Hay Lin asked, concerned, as she looked at Matt.

"If Serenity tampered with his mind, like she did with us, the effect should fade with time," Alex said. "He should be his old self in a few days."

"Maybe we should take him home?" said Taranee as they held Matt before the portal. "He is in no shape to be wandering around Heatherfield."

"There isn't time," answered Cornelia. "We have to find a way to get to Kandrakar. Matt?" Cornelia asked looking Matt in the eyes. His pupils twitched and he tried to look anywhere but at Cornelia. "You have to go straight home, can you do that?"

"Can't forget," Matt muttered. "Have to remember."

"Yes," Cornelia said. "Remember that you have to go home."

"Have to remember Will," Matt said shaking his head. Cornelia's mouth twitched.

"Can you make it home for Will?" the astral drop interjected. "Can you remember to be safe for her?" For the first time since they had found him in Rakadin, Matt seemed focused for a moment. He looked at the girl who looked so much like Will and puzzled over her words. He nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on her as though longing to remember her.

"For you, I can remember, have to remember," Matt said and without hesitation he vanished through the portal back to Heatherfield.

"So what do we do now uhh…" Hay Lin said looking at the astral drop. "What's your name by the way? It feels a little strange to call you Will or Astral Drop."

The astral drop looked surprised by the question. "Well I have always liked the name Elizabeth, how about you call me Beth?"

Hay Lin looked pensive for a moment before saying, "But wouldn't that make our name B.I.T…" Hay Lin started to say. Cornelia slapped a hand over Hay Lin's mouth.

"Don't say it Hay Lin, I don't think the readers could take another horrible acronym joke." Cornelia said shaking her head.

"What?" Dante whispered to Alex, who shrugged, clearly having no idea what the girls were talking about.

"Maybe we should go with Liz instead?" Cornelia suggested. The astral drop shrugged indicating that the name was fine.

"Litch?" Hay Lin muttered to herself. "That doesn't mean anything… but I guess it's better than 'itch'…"

"Okay then, we should…" Hayden started to say giving Hay Lin a strange look. "Hey, where is Owin?"

-- ∞∞∞∞∞ Ω ∞∞∞∞∞ --

With a crash louder than thunder the Soul and Heart snapped together as though they were powerful magnets. The two gems begun to merge into each other, becoming one single, magical, object. And as the gems twisted and turned in the air, so too did the worlds of black and white begin to mix like paint.

Serenity and Will watched as the single white gem spun faster and faster between them. It's light bright as the sun. With incredible force the two girls were suddenly pulled forward into each other, the gem crushed between their bodies. They too began to glow like the gem itself, becoming a burning star that shook with incredible power.

-- ∞∞∞∞∞ Ω ∞∞∞∞∞ --

"Were too late!" shouted Owin as he emerged out of the darkness. No one had time to fully realize Owin's warning. An explosion of light erupted from the hallway behind him, knocking him to the ground.

The walls flashed white and for a moment there seemed to be two Rakadins. Then everything snapped together and with one last powerful shutter the shaking stopped.

-- ∞∞∞∞∞ Ω ∞∞∞∞∞ --

The brightness that burned around Serenity and Will receded. In its place a single person stood. Long red hair flowed down her back and her reflectionless black eyes opened slowly, taking in the new world.

The black gems begun to melt away, releasing those trapped within. However, they were no longer the weak ancient elders of Kandrakar but armored warriors. They all looked confused, except for one man. One man stood tall above the others, a silver swrod clasped in his hand. He head had long top knot of white, almost silver hair, coming out of the back and his calm blue eyes hid rage behind them.

"At last," whispered the man, his voice powerful. "I am whole once more!"

"Welcome back, Ori Kull," whispered the girl with long red hair. Her black eyes fixed on the ancient leader of Indrakin. Ori Kull turned to the young girl, his own eye searching her face as though trying to recognize her.

"It has been far too long time since anyone spoke that name," said Ori Kull. "Who are you, child?"

"We are the Harbinger," said the girl. Her voice was a mix of many voices and around her neck a white gem filled with many colors. "And we have a task for you."

End of Part 2: To Be Continued!

Authors Notes:

Thank you everyone who left a review for last chapter: DayDreamer9, XV-Dragon, Dai Makai, Taeniaea, Darev, lost prince and Powerloth.

Thank you everyone who read last chapter!

Thank you person who did the stuff and the things last chapter!

This week went fast for me. It seems like only a couple days ago I was putting up the last chapter and now BAM! Here I am with the next one. Seriously it's wearing me down. Running out of energy. But almost there.

Anyhow… so yeah… that's this chapter. Can't honestly say I like it. Don't hate-hate it, but don't like-like it either. Maybe if my brain wasn't soooo tired I could do better but this month has just been a power drain for me. I can hardly think and it's been hard for me to want to do much of anything.

The plus side is that Spore (seriously, look it up if you don't know what it is) comes out today, and I've really been looking forward to that, so by the time you read this I will already be playing it… and if this is posted on Monday for some reason its because of Spore… sorry if that's the case…

Starwin out.