Sebastian was holding me tightly to his chest as we lay on the bed. I was slowly pulling myself out of a deep slumber when he noticed and moved away slightly. Without his warmth, I felt myself curl up in a ball under the blanket, suddenly cold. It felt so wrong, but I couldn't move as I tried desperately to wake up.

After a long moment, Sebastian seemed to sense what was happening. I felt his arms wrap around me again as he pulled me into a sitting position. I rubbed my eyes and managed to open them, then groggily looked around the room until my eyes landed on Sebastian.

"I'm alright," I told him when I saw his worried expression. "That vision was rough, and I didn't sleep very well."

"Well, you weren't asleep long. You were only asleep for a few minutes before Lisa and Evan started bickering, and only for about an hour once you finally settled down again."

I nodded my understanding. So I was still very low on energy, based on what he said. He probably wanted me to go back to sleep, but I knew I couldn't. I had to keep training. If I didn't…

I moved the covers from over me and began to move to the edge of the bed, but Sebastian caught my arm.

"Chrystal-"

"Sebastian, please. I need to train. I can't let that vision come true. I can't experience that twice…" My tears were returning, and my free hand went to my eyes. "I have to fight. I can't let either of us go through that…"

He was silent, and I turned to face him. He searched my eyes, but still seemed confused. "What did you see, My Love?"

I didn't want to tell him, but at the same time, I did. He surely already had his suspicions based on what I told him before I fell asleep, but I didn't want to see the pain in his eyes as I told him the story.

More tears welled in my eyes, and I looked away from him and took a deep breath, preparing myself.

But before I could speak, the door burst open, and I felt someone wrap their arms around my head.

"Now!" I heard Lisa shout.

I tried to fend her off for only a moment before my mind blanked and my tears stopped. Lisa released me, and I felt the hand on my arm tighten its grip. I turned toward it, but my head was once again grabbed by Lisa.

"Don't let her move. I only want her to be able to speak, do you understand?" she asked, her eyes never leaving mine.

There was silence as my body went limp. Lisa's hold held me up, and she gently pulled me against her to keep me as upright as possible.

"Now, dear, I'm sorry for this, but I truly think it will help," I heard Lisa say as she began to stroke my hair. "We need to know what you saw, and we cannot allow you to break this spell again. Be calm, and tell me everything."

I was silent for just a moment, then began to recount to them every detail of the vision. I told them of the cell, what it looked like, how long I had seemed to have been locked away for. But when I got to the part where Sebastian entered, something changed.

I felt immense pressure in my head as I thought of Sebastian knelt before me with tears in his eyes. The pressure mixed with pain, and I somehow managed to lift my arms and held my head in my hands.

I felt movement from Lisa as she turned her head. "What's happening?" she asked someone else in the room while she began to pet my hair comfortingly.

"She's fighting it again," Evan answered, his voice strained, "but I don't think she realizes she's doing it. Hurry up and have her finish."

Lisa turned back to me. "Tell me the rest, dear. I know you can do it."

After a long moment of fighting the pain in my head, I once again felt Sebastian squeeze my arm. I was able to think for only a second, but it was long enough for me to calm down and realize that I was not reliving the vision. I took a deep breath, and continued my story.

"I watched as Sebastian apologized profusely for not being able to save me, and then he fulfilled his promise. That was it," I said, wrapping up.

We all sat in silence as the three of them took in what I had told them.

"What was the promise you made with him, exactly?" Lisa asked me.

"I ordered him to take my soul, should I be captured and there was no way to save me." I felt myself smile. "He's going to do it. That's good." I felt the spell over me weaken for a moment, and I lifted my head to look at Lisa. "Oh yeah, you two were there. Thank you for trying to save me. I'm sorry it won't work out."

Lisa shook her head, and I could tell she was trying to fight tears. "No, don't say things like that. We have time. We'll fix this." She hugged me tightly. "You aren't going anywhere."

I couldn't respond as Evan's spell strengthened again. "Hurry this up, Lisa. I can't keep doing this much longer," he said.

"Then release her. You've done enough damage for one day."

At the sound of Sebastian's voice, the pain and pressure returned to my head, and I heard myself groan. Lisa tightened her hold on me, and a moment later, the spell was gone.

My body relaxed as the pain disappeared, and I sighed in relief.

"Her strength is increasing quickly," Evan commented. "Soon enough she'll be too strong to remain human."

"We'll worry about that when the time comes," Lisa told him, no doubt remembering her conversation with Sebastian a few days ago. "Right now she needs to rest. I'm sure that was a very taxing experience just now."

"Lisa, if her powers keep growing at this rate, she may be able to fight off a more powerful demon's spell soon."

"According to the vision she just told us about, it won't be soon enough."

I heard Evan sigh, and a moment later he left the room.

Lisa released her grip on me and let Sebastian pull me against him. "Again, I apologize for what we did, but we needed to know. I thought it would be easier to keep her from resisting in the state she's in." She leaned forward and tucked some loose hair behind my ear. "You're so strong, Chrystal. I swear to you, we'll get you through this."

I could do nothing but nod as I leaned against Sebastian. Lisa stood from her perch on the bed and left the room as Sebastian lay me down. I curled up against him, and was asleep again within seconds.