Snow Miser looked at her, perplexed. "Why did you do that?"

Nina glared at him. "Where is Snow Miser?"

"What are you talking about? I'M Snow Miser."

Nina kept her angry gaze on him, her eyes seeming to pierce right through his body. He stared back, and soon, his confused look turned into a sly smile. With a voice not his own, the being said, "So, you've figured it out."

"Who are you, and where is my family?"

Snow Miser, or rather the form that looked like him, twisted and changed shape. All the features familiar to her disappeared, and in its place was a stranger.

This stranger before her was sheet-white with no physical features, slightly translucent, and almost looked like Melvin did when he was the Shapeshifter, though this being was taller, and he wore a small medallion around his neck. He smiled a horrible smile and spoke in a deep, masculine voice that rang out like a church bell. "I am Pravus," he said, standing a couple of feet away from her. "And you...are a worthless pest."

"Where is my family?" Nina repeated, firm in her stance.

"Why would I tell you? They mean nothing to me, anyway."

"Then, why did you kidnap them?"

"I suppose you'd want to know, though it doesn't matter. You'll be dead soon."

Nina's blood ran cold. If this man intended on killing her, maybe her loved ones were already gone.

She couldn't dwell on that right now. She needed answers. "Answer my question," she told him, aggressively.

Pravus sighed, annoyed. "Very well. I have time. That is one of the many things I have."

He walked to Snow Miser's throne and sat on it once again, while Nina never took her eyes off him. He took his time to speak and was in no hurry. "I am a being who thrives on fear. It is my life, my energy source, and this world is abundant with it. I have discovered during my time here that its inhabitants are easily frightened, and I used that to my advantage."

"Explain."

"The greatest thing about fear is that you can use it to manipulate people to do your will. People become puppets when they are afraid and even welcome the strings if they think that will save them. Your friend was easy to control."

"You turned Melvin into a shapeshifter."

"Yes, the lanky one. His energy was, may I say, almost divine. He is full of great fear. It wasn't hard to convince him to do my bidding. He wanted the power to change the world, and I told him becoming a creature like me would make him do that." He chuckled, darkly.

"You deceived him!" Nina cried out, angrily.

Pravus shrugged. "He was but a pawn. I used him to spread more discord throughout the world, but I also used him to see how I could capture the queen." He lifted his head, facing Nina.

"What do I have to do with your plan?"

"I intend to stay on this miserable planet," he answered. "I've made myself quite at home here, but it isn't exactly the way I want it. In order for it to be truly mine, I need complete control over the humans. I need them to be hopelessly despondent, and to do that, misery and decay need to be more widespread."

Nina stared at him, processing his words with horror. She couldn't believe such a being existed who wanted to cause so much harm. Could he be reasoned with?

"Why would you want to hurt people? What do you gain from being so cruel? People aren't chess pieces to bend to your will; they have feelings and hopes and dreams! Why would you want to destroy them?"

"I don't care about humans. They are insignificant. They only things they are good for are their fear and despair. Once I have this world in my grasp, I will have an endless supply of those. You are the only obstacle in my way."

"Me?"

He nodded, slowly. "I foresaw that you would be the greatest threat to my plan. So, I went to work to decrease your strength. I took away your loved ones and fed on their terror, which was especially satisfying." He grinned, evilly. "Once they realized they were in danger, I had a feast! Now you are alone...despondent...afraid. And you ARE afraid, Nina Alvar. You spent so much time alone, and your greatest fear is being alone again. Now that you are, there is no one left to defend you. There is no reason for you to go on."

Nina's eyes widened. She couldn't bear to think of her friends and family being in pain. Her tough shield broke, and a tear fell down her cheek. It was true; everyone she loved was gone, and Pravus had taken everything from her. What was the point of fighting back if there was nothing to fight for?

Then, like a small light shining in the dark, a thought appeared in her mind that told her not to lose hope. She couldn't give up yet, not when there was a chance her family could still be alive. Besides, this being planned to hurt the entire WORLD and throw it into chaos, and she was the only one standing in his way. She had no choice; this was not someone who could be reasoned with, nor could he be convinced to not do harm.

"The storm will quiet soon enough." Tingler's words echoed in her head. He had been right, and she had to be the one to quiet the storm. This ended now. For her family. For her friends. For everyone in the entire world.

Clawing herself out of the pit of despair Pravus had thrown her into, Nina said, gritting her teeth, "I am NOT alone. I am never alone. No matter what happens, I will always hold onto the memories and love my friends and family have had for me. You can't take that from me."

Pravus frowned. "What poetic words, but they mean nothing. What matters is that everyone you love is gone. Sorrow and death will follow you around forever. You can't escape it."

Pravus rose from the throne and began walking towards her. Nina pulled a rock out of her pocket. Pravus stopped and laughed. "What do you plan on doing with that? Even if you could destroy me, your family is still gone. My legacy will always live on. Pain and fear will still exist."

Nina threw the rock at the chandelier. Pravus looked up and laughed as it made a sound when it hit the icy light fixture. At that moment, Nina ran up to Pravus while he was distracted and stabbed him in the chest with a knife she carried around in her jacket.

Pravus collapsed to his knees while Nina still clutched the knife in her hand. His mouth was wide open with shock. He gasped out, "You've...killed me...I foresaw it, but...I didn't think you...actually..."

Nina held the knife in her hand, shaky, still clasping the handle. "Where are they?"

"I'll...never...tell you..." He fell backwards and disappeared in a flash of light. The only thing left behind was the medallion.

Nina stared at the spot where Pravus had met his end and dropped the knife in disbelief. She began processing what had just happened. Time had gone by so quickly, yet so slowly at the same time.

Then, the realization hit her.

Nina fell to her knees on the floor and sobbed. She thought she should have been relieved now that Pravus, the one who had caused so much trouble and pain, was dead, but she had felt no joy taking his life. On top of that, everyone she ever loved was gone. What was she going to do now that she had nothing left?

She didn't know if she'd be able to get up. Somehow, she found the strength to slowly pick herself up off the floor and stand up. Seeing the medallion, she picked it up and examined it. It may have been the only clue to what Pravus had done to her loved ones and where he had taken them. For a brief second, she saw a vision, a group of creatures handing the medallion to Pravus. She didn't know what the creatures were or where they were, but they may have had a connection to her family's disappearance. No matter what she would find, she needed to discover what had happened to them.

How would she find this out, though? Everyone she could have asked was gone. Unless...

Nina took the medallion and went outside and climbed back into her airplane. She flew miles and miles until she reached the Forest of Burzee. Getting out, frantically, she hoped against hope that she would find the Great Ak there, unharmed by Pravus. She called for the Master Woodsman, running through the trees with tears in her eyes.

Suddenly, she knocked into something, a person who held her in their arms. She looked up and saw the Great Ak, and she cried on him while she told him what had happened, feeling the first bit of comfort since this nightmare had begun.

After Nina finished talking, the Master Woodsman told her, "You did well. Pravus was a formidable foe, and you were fortunate that you got away from him alive."

"But what about my family?"

"We will find them. You must prepare yourself for the worst, however."

Nina nodded and pulled away, then held out the medallion. When the Great Ak examined it, his face had a mixture of shock and confusion on it. "This...This is a symbol of the Awgwas. But that's impossible! They perished ages ago!"

"Pravus was wearing this."

"He must have associated with them. This medallion is a teleportation device."

Nina drew in a sharp breath. "Maybe it will take me to my family. I have to go."

"Not alone," he warned. "Let the Council go with you. The Awgwas are terrible beings, and you cannot face them by yourself. There may be too many of them."

The Great Ak summoned the Council of Immortals and briefed them on the situation, then, they gathered weapons. The Master Woodsman handed Nina an ax. "I pray you will not have to use this, but you may need to."

Nina took it, reluctantly. When everyone was ready, the medallion was activated, and the group teleported out of the Forest of Burzee.