Author's Audible: The story continues! Yeah, I know, two years for a blessed update. Life has been in major upheavals between work, life and everything. I hope you all understand. But I'm not done with the story, and I will continue until it is finished.

This chapter is very dialogue heavy. But I think it is very important to what happens next.

Pumpkin-love33: Thank you for staying with me this whole time! I hope you like this new update.

SGJBMCfan98: You'll have to wait until the following chapter to know why Bella is afraid of Max, but there is definitely a reason and cause for it.

Guest: Thanks! Here's what happens next...or rather, what happened before...

Wolfgirl2013: Yep, who knew Max had it in him, eh?

Flamelily274: Yes, and I will work on remaining more steady. I never realized how long this story has stayed with me, and I feel bad I couldn't do it justice, or to the people who have come to follow it...

Funky Funny Disclaimer: Is there any doubt that I am the undisputed owner of Disney and all related products? If there is, banish it now. I am.

Chapter 25: What Lies Within

"Hello?!" Alex shouted into the darkness, only to hear her echo returning to her noisily. "Where am I?!"

There were times when the young wizard heard voices, like distant thunders, muffled, and almost distorted, but just on the edge of being comprehensible. It was the only time she didn't feel isolated or scared. But those moments became fewer and further as time went on. She had no concept of time here, but everything felt like an eternity. As for where here was, of that, she was no closer to knowing that than when she first appeared here. It was terrifying when she thought she had gone blind, but after a while, maybe hours, maybe days or weeks, but she started to note distinct shapes. For one, she wasn't standing on nothing, though it looked it initially. But there were dark purple stormclouds in the distance overhead, and on rare occasions, there were arcs of lightning, and even a faint rumble of thunder.

It all started when she was experiencing a heart attack. Mason and Justin were practically screaming, but the more she tried to hear them, the worse her vision swam, and the more muffled their voices became. And then that voice, of that girl, who looked like her, but with pointy ears. She was asking why she suddenly couldn't see, and why she felt cold. Alex remembered trying to frown then, why would a ghost of a girl be feeling cold? And why were they both losing vision. That was when she ended up here, in some sort of dream.

"An eternal dream," a girl said, in a voice almost the same as Alex's, but different. All of a sudden, Alex was able to see more. There were features; rocks, outcroppings, grey-blue and iridescent, like it was made of gemstones, polished gold and silver. The ground looked like they were tiled, but stars, galaxies and the universe moved beneath the girl's feet. It was a little disorienting to watch, and to realize that she was standing on solid ground. It was like standing on water and watching all the fish swimming by. Seated on the rocks comfortably, was the girl, whom Alex had formed an odd friendship with. It was like being possessed, but you kind of shared a mutual ownership of the body. She looked at Alex and smiled, "Hello, Alex. Welcome to my home."

"Who are you?" Alex asked, "How long have I been here?"

The elfin girl rose with suitable grace and an ethereal presence, and Alex realized the girl was taller, and looked significantly more commanding, "I am Ithilwen Elf-kin, late of the house of Aérùen, daughter of the moon."

"That's a lot for a name," Alex said dryly, "got a short version?"

Ithilwen smiled, "I am your ancestor, Alex."

The wizard's eyebrow arched, but she didn't argue it. After all, aside from the ears and the height difference, they had the exact same face. They were related somehow. The elf added, "Our resemblance is no accident, or even a gift of our family blood. It was meant to be. Everything that happens now, is a result of things set in motion from the time I died, to now."

"What do you mean?" Alex asked, "And you said home. You mean you live here? Where is here?"

Ithilwen gestured around her, "I mean that there are events now happening to you that was preordained long before you were even born. For that, I am sorry. As for here, elves do not die when their physical form is destroyed. They continue to exist, most will be reborn in a new form. I have been prevented this..."

"Why?"

"Because of my father, Alex. The malignant being whose pendant you wear; that which has been killing you slowly, and clouding the eyes of your family."

Alex glanced down, and noticed for the first time the pendant that she'd bought years ago, was still comfortably around her neck. She lifted it up and looked at Ithilwen, "This? All this that's happening now? Is because of this thing?"

"My old love, the Sojourner, failed to destroy the pendant after the war." The raven-haired elf explained, "it is why we are where we are now."

Sighing, she turned away from Alex and the wizard stumbled when the landscape shifted, and they now stood on a grassy plain, with snow-capped mountains in the distance, the purplish stormclouds surrounded the region, but overhead, there was clear blue skies and puffy white clouds. Moments ago, it looked like this locale had been rushing towards her, and she nearly collapsed from the shock of the approach. "It is what was changing you, warping you from the person that you are. Because the pendant, in its nature, enforces its will upon the wearer, and even those close to it or the wearer."

She smiled at Alex, "Though it has trouble with werewolves, as we have learnt."

Alex gasped, "Mason."

Ithilwen nodded, "Yes, Mason Greyback. A particularly resilient one. The magic found resistance in him. Not only because he is a werewolf, but because of true love."

"True love?" Alex smiled.

"Dark magic can be overcome by true love, Alex. It is how I defeated my father before. How the Sojourner found the strength to become all that he could be."

"Your father...is Aérùen?" Alex looked at odds.

Ithilwen nodded again, "Yes. which makes him your ancestor before me. Ironic, isn't it? That he now seeks to destroy his own kin, because it was the Russos that defeated him. Or at least, the family that would become the Russos in later times."

"Yeah?" Alex folded her arms over her chest, and said, "So who's Tristan in all of this?"

Ithilwen looked caught for a moment, then she smiled, "He is the Sojourner."

Alex looked like she wanted to throw up, "I was dating an old man?"

Ithilwen laughed, her voice musical, an aspect that Alex was beginning to inherit, "Actually, in some ways, he's younger than you, and at the same time, far older. He is not yet even born in your time, but he is as old as I am. I too had trouble understanding this for a long time."

"It's okay," Alex said, "I don't think I want to know. But is he...?"

"Your ancestor? No. He is not."

Alex looked relieved, "Okay, good, because this is already kinda gross."

Ithilwen raised a hand, "I understand. Your ancestor was a close friend of mine for a long time, as was Tristan. Together, we learnt magic, and how to wield it to help our people. Little did I realize then, that my father was behind the growing atrocities that befell us and our kind. My love for Tristan grew, but he knew of my father before the rest of us, and it hurt him more that none of us believed him then. He eventually distanced himself from us, and I turned for comfort in with another. You must understand, Alex, it was a strange and difficult time for all of us. I had children with Gideon, when we finally realized the truth about my father, and we finally stood against him."

"Then what happened?" Alex asked, curious.

"Then Gideon opposed my father, and galvanized the people against him. As one, we rose." Ithilwen sat down on a large tree log, "So many people died in that first war. We did things nobody is proud of, or would care to remember. But that was where I left my mortal frame. A necessary act to end what should have ended so much sooner."

Alex's lips quirked downwards, guessing at what was done. "And Gideon and Tristan?"

"Without their leader, darkness retreated," Ithilwen replied, "Gideon lived to watch his children have children of their own, and their children have children, before he was laid to rest. And Tristan...he...lingered, a punishment inflicted by himself for what he believes was his own fault."

"Was it?" Alex asked.

"Of course it wasn't. But the mind has ways of deceiving itself. And he couldn't help his attraction to you, even though he knew it could never be, try as he might."

"He sensed you in me." Alex realized. "The pendant."

"Yes," Ithilwen said with a wan smile, "the pendant. A receptacle of my father's power, and a prison for me, which is why I was never reborn."

"Does this mean I'm dead?" Alex's voice trembled, as a wrenching sensation in her heart began. "Am I dead?"

"Oh..." Ithilwen got up and embraced the girl, "...no, child...no."

"But...why can't I leave here? How did I end up here?"

"You came close to it." Ithilwen answered, "But you are a stronger fighter than even me. Though you bent easily enough to it's will, the Pendant cannot change who you are at the core."

Alex lifted her head and looked up at the woman, "The way I've become over the last few years...they all found it strange. Because...?"

"...because that was who I am." Ithilwen said, "Similar, but different. We are all unique individuals. We all define what we will be."

"So who...no...what am I?" Alex looked bewildered. "Am I you, now? Am I my own person? Will I even get out of here ever again?"

"You're Alex Russo, my descendant," Ithilwen said firmly, and held her by the shoulders, "don't let the pendant frighten you. It will do this."

"No!" Alex yanked herself free, "I've had enough! I...I need to know, what am I?!"

She turned her head to look up to the skies, to the stars and the universe. "WHAT AM I!?"

Suddenly, she felt horribly weak, parched, and wearied, and she realized she was no longer standing, but lying, on a bed, her own bed, by the feel of it. And her mother was crying over her, her father was beside her, crying and saying "My baby, my baby!" over and over again, and Justin looked horrible, and...there was a lot of weird people, wizards by the looks of them, all around her. But she only had one question for them all.

"What...am I?"