This story is totally AU, set on another dimension based on Earth called Chyan, plus it's based on Zadien's original fantasy plot. The races of people have various magick and are guarded by sacred spirits.

Summary: Baron Voltaire has a plan to take over the world and make himself immortal by releasing the sacred spirit Black Dranzer. But he isn't powerful enough, nor pure enough to do it. Enter Amber Benson a young woman who has the power to release or destroy, depending on what she chooses. But all her life she's been manipulated by Voltaire, without knowing about it. He will use her to bring forth Black Dranzer, or so he thinks, until she is rescued from his clutches by the rebel leader, Tala. While on the run with the rebels, Tala, Kai and Johnny she falls in love, but will Voltaire come between that romance?

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Disclaimer:

{Spitfire_Sae} I don't own Beyblade.

{Amber} Hold up what's going on? Where's Z.D.?

{Kai}She's borrowing us for her story.

{Amber} *Looks excited* Really, hey I won't be paired with him again will I, cos Zadien has this little thing of putting me with Kai.

{Ruin} Don't pretend you don't enjoy it.

{Amber} Pssh, am I with Kai again.

{Sae}Fraid so, Z.D. says ya hafta stick with him.

{Kai} Che, my worst nightmare come true!

{Amber}Shut up, so let me get this straight, I'm with Kai, again? *Sae nods* Why must you do this to me?!

{Zadien} Because you two make a cute couple. Now be a good girl and get changed! Otherwise I will wipe you from existance.

{Ruin} *sniggers*

{ZD} Don't know what your laughing at, I can do the same to you should you raise a fight about Tala.

{Ruin} *blanches* You wouldn't?

{Tala} I'm guessing she would. Ha! See you can't exist without her.

{Ruin} Look at you Russia, your makers made you into a cyborg!

{Sae} Um, well as you can possibly guess as well as not owning Beyblade, I also don't own Ruin or Amber, they belong to Zadien who will be helping me out on this fic. *Glompies* Thank you!

{Zadien}No probs. Please review!

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Destroying my spirit, stealing my heart.

By Spitfire_Sae

Chapter one: Runaway

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He was running as fast as his legs could carry him, but it wasn't enough. They were gaining, surrounding him, cutting off his only chance of escape. He put on an extra spurt of speed but still it wasn't enough. Nothing was enough. He ducked down a narrow corridor and leaned back against the cold cobble stone wall, panting heavily. How was he supposed to keep running when his lungs were on fire, screaming for air, and the air was catching on his raw throat making it drier and provoking coughing fits.

Spider webs brushed his cheek making him start in the darkness. He despaired of ever escaping yet he had to. If he didn't, then his friends, his people would suffer. Where was Johnny, he wondered frustrated. Johnny, who never left his side, was gone. A small voice reminded him that Johnny had escaped already and was probably far away from this God Forsaken keep. Why hadn't he left when he had the chance? He should have fled his keep when he had the chance, when he had ordered his family to flee.

'Yes, but your family was killed when Biovolt attacked the convoy. You would have died too.', a voice in his mind reminded him.

He screwed his eyes closed as though that would enable him not to hear the tiny voice in his head, telling him everything he had managed to block out the last couple of days. He sighed, if only he had kept up the alliances instead of believing that everyone would come together when the dreaded day came to pass. This wasn't a fairy tale and everyone was out for themselves. Like he should have been.

His only hope now was to escape the keep and find the resistance. They were the only ones intent on uniting together to fight the Baron, all they were waiting for was the one. The one person on this planet who could destroy the dreaded book. With the spirit, Black Dranzer, destroyed the Baron would be reduced to nothing more that a sniveling mound of flesh. With no power he would be mortal in all senses of the word. Truly mortal. A cruel smile twisted his features. It would be interesting to see the great the Baron experience true mortality, but if he had any hope of seeing it he would have to escape the castle. He glanced behind him and noticed the faint warm glow of the torches the Biovolt soldiers were holding. So they had caught up with him and he grinned seeing that their numbers had suddenly decreased. They'd had trouble with the booby-traps. That was good. It meant the odds against him were less stacked. He reached down placing a reassuring hand on the dagger hilts under his cloak.

He listened to the footsteps close in on him but still he didn't strike. He felt a tug on his cloak and he whirled round to attack his assailant, but there was no one there, almost as though the shadows themselves were attacking him. He shook his head.

"Get a grip on yourself, Kai.", he muttered using one of Johnny's favorite phrases.

He waited and watched as the soldiers marched right past his hiding place before he sneaked out and made his way back down the corridor they had just come from. Before he had rounded his first corner a voice rang out.

"He's moving down the corridor you just came form you imbecile's!"

Kai faltered. Expecting to see the owner of the voice then shook himself. The voice was female, and all the soldiers in the Biovolt infantry were men. The women were members of the Sky battalion, because they had better hand eye co-ordination. So what was a woman doing here in this arrest and how come he couldn't see her? He didn't have time to ponder this as men raced down the corridor behind him. He sped up, and before his legs turned to jelly he lunged into another side corridor and immediately regretted it as he saw the flight of stairs ahead of him.

He felt like surrendering right there and then but still the tiny voice urged him on, warning him of what would happen if he turned himself in. He would be putting millions of lives at risk. He jogged slowly up the stairs taking two at a time and sagging as he couldn't get enough oxygen to his tired muscles. He couldn't go on anymore and finally he fell against the stone cold wall. He placed his back against the smooth expanse of the wall and began sliding himself up the stairs again. He stumbled and fell back but instead of his head slamming into the wall and knocking him out cold it fell into nothing.

He sat up and his head snapped round. There was no wall behind him. His shoulders slumped but he couldn't raise enough energy to examine the hole in the wall or even look up. His eyelids felt heavy and began to droop unceremoniously over his eyes, obstructing his view. He began to inch further down the wall to lie on the cold earthen floor, but he didn't care. He just wanted to sleep.

"Kai Hiwatari, wake up!", A crack resounded in the corridor.



A sharp sting spread through the left side of his cheek, jerking him out of his solitude. His eyes snapped open to find himself staring a something dull and black, but reflected a shine. He stared at it for what seemed like ages, then noticed it stir. He glanced up and followed the black thing, as it began to slim down and curve and suddenly form hands and a athame. He jerked his head back, smacking it on the wall. He let loose a volley of curses and looked up at the figure standing in front of him. More to the point, a figure clad in the dull black materiel, which he now realized was leather, and was a dress. It flowed out like a ball room gown near the bottom but the top clung to the figure's curves and the sleeves were of a thin black see through material which billowed out so that the hole for the hands were five times the size of her slender wrist and there was a train which was five times the length of the arm. The low neckline was trimmed with fur and showed of a nice amount of smooth porcelain skin unmarred by any blemish.

His gaze traveled up her skin to her face, and collided with startling brown eyes. Eyes like he'd never seen before, wide, heavily lashed and he was sure he could see the stars in them. They were watching him, so he shifted his gaze to take in her face. It was slender with a chipped chin and straight narrow nose and high forehead. Her lips were full and painted black, making the skin paler. Her face was framed by tendrils of long raven black hair. The rest of her hair was piled up high on her head, streaked with vibrant blue and red. She smiled gently. Leaning down she pressed her mouth to his and as soon as she did, Kai felt all the pain and exhaustion leave him, to be replaced by renewed strength and courage.



"Do not give up, you are so close.", she whispered in his ear.

He stared up at her. Her voice was gentle and feminine, not like the voice he had heard earlier. That voice had been cruel and had delighted in his pain. This woman was helping him. He could trust her.

"Come, you must hurry.", She glanced nervously down the corridor at the stairs. There were men just down there, but they weren't coming any closer.

"Why?", he asked.

"I've placed a seal around here, but hurry you must go. I will hold them off."

He struggled to his feet, inside he was struggling in an internal battle of whether to stay and help her or flee and live to fight another day with the resistance. Unfortunately he didn't get to see which side won, as seeing his inner turmoil, the woman smiled and spoke a simple word and suddenly she was gone. No she wasn't, he was. To an entire different part of the castle.

He stared back at the door he hadn't come through. Who the hell was she?, he wondered. A sorceress, there was no doubt about that, but what was she doing in his fortress and how did she get there? He kicked the wall angrily. It would be his fault if she died. All his fault. He pushed away from the wall and began to walk back through the maze of corridors leading to his secret hidey-hole. The one he had hid in all those many times that the castle had been attacked. It led to the forest outside the Castle walls and the forest led to the small village of Dynadale. If he got there he could contact Johnny and join with the resistance. But not if he stayed where he was, worrying about an idiotic sorceress who had....

'Saved you life?'

He sighed, if Johnny was here he'd be telling him to cop himself on, to get on with it. But then again, Johnny only really cared about himself. Although he did go out of his way to protect Kai, but only because that was his duty and because they had been child hood friends and also because Kai was the only real family Johnny ever had. His shoulders slumped as he remembered his best friend. He missed him. Johnny had been captured only weeks before. Kai had despaired of this news when it had been delivered to him. It had taken his mother to calm him down enough for him to order his people to evacuate the fortress. He had stayed on after most of his people had left to hear how his people had fared. Then he had been brought the news that Johnny had escaped and fled to the resistance. He had rejoiced at the news and had prepared to leave. Only then he had heard that his family had perished in an attack by the sky battalion.



He bunched up his hand into a fist and when he uncurled it, revealed a vibrant yellow flame which illuminated the corridor. His handsome face was made to seem eerie by the strange golden glow emanated by the flame . His two toned blue hair was tinted goldish. He followed the narrow dark corridor until the ceiling started to sink. He had to stoop to get through and after a short time he found himself on his hands and knees as he began to make his way towards his secret spot.

The floor rose and soon the corridor became cramped and he was forced to slither forward. This was ridiculous. He was going to get caught. Every so often his heart hitched as he heard the tramp of feet as the troops searched for him. They were getting closer and if the woman was still helping them then he would have hurry. He grinned triumphantly as he entered the spot in the corridor in which the ceiling and the floor were set nicely apart. The narrow passageway was just a deterrent to those who would seek him out when he was trying to hide from his parents and every other suitor his mother was trying to set him up.

He sighed and slumped against the rough wall. His mother would no longer be setting him up with ridiculously pretty, vain and shallow princesses and minor empresses for him to marry in an attempt to merge their territories. He had hated their visits. He had often fled to the river and in several days after they had returned home Johnny would fetch him. Johnny on the other hand hadn't minded entertaining the young ladies. In fact he had enjoyed it. But then Johnny was like that. Because of his race he attracted women easily, some kind of chemo-taxis he produced. Not his fault at all, it was just nature, but it meant that Johnny often had to visit brothels, something the Empress had frowned upon. She just believed that Johnny was a sex crazed male who had not self control. But because he was her sons comrade, confident and body guard, she had not exiled him from the Empire. But, Kai thought, on the other hand, Johnny was a decent and honorable man, although a bit egotistical.

There was a sound of scuffling behind him, and before waiting to see what the invading force was Kai pulled back a stone door hidden behind a statue of one of his ancestors and dove into the hole only pausing to close the door behind him. A smile played on his lips as he remembered his mothers argument for him meeting the princesses.

###FLASHBACK##

"You're an attractive young prince Kai, you have many wonderful qualities that the princesses would find incredible."

"Such as what, mother?", he had asked infuriated that his mother would not let this subject rest after he had expressed his hatred of the idea. Johnny had stood off to side knowing quite well that it was safer to stay out of the quarrels the Empress had with her son. She intended to get her way, whether Kai wanted it or not.

"Well, women like men who are sensitive...", she shot Johnny a sharp look as he guffawed at this statement, before continuing, "And they love men who are fearless, true, gallant, noble and who are skilled in armed combat. And you are a coming along well in your studies of magick."

For the first time ever he despised the fact that he had begged Johnny for lessons in combat and then he cursed his gift with magick, although it had come in handy. Like when he made himself invisible to Lady Melinda.

"It's terrible being a worthy and noble Emperor, isn't it, Kai?"

Kai had glared at his best friend who merely shrugged it off.

"Mother, I expressly wished not to be introduced to anymore princesses of foreign territories."

"Then do you wish to marry a Lady of the manors in Freya?"

"No, mother! I do not wish to marry. I am far too young and you and Father are far from dead."

"Do not tempt faith, Kai, and do not say such things as you do not wish to marry. You must or you will never be come Emperor. And besides, you are Twenty-two, not that young."

Kai had rolled his eyes before turning on his heels and leaving the room followed by Johnny who smiled softly at the Queen.

"He'll come round."

###END OF FLASHBACK###

Kai laughed shortly. He had told his mother that they were far from dead. How was he to know that Baron would attempt to take over the Freyan empire? Anger tore at his sole and devoured it. He reached subconsciously for his daggers and drew his right one, slashing it at the cold rough Jade walls, sparks shot of in every direction. He traveled along the dark tunnel only lit by the flame nestling in his open palm. The path way was smooth but cold. There was no longer any warmth in the Keep, due to the fact that he couldn't light all the hearths, in the fortress. At least most of the help had fled to secure places, though there weren't too many secure places in Chyan anymore. After all the Baron was now patrolling nearly every territory in Chyan, there were few places his enemies could flee. At least to his knowledge the most territories had fallen. Freya, Mescha, Nornia, Salafriel, and Darnatta. Harpride was still standing but only because the Jugons were to fierce to make enemies out of.

After traveling for what seemed like ages he saw a circle of light ahead of him. He let out a long breath, he hadn't realized he had been holding and hurried towards the exit. Extinguishing the flames in his palm he began to shove the stone out of the way. It took most of his already declining strength to move the boulder but finally it gave way and with muscles screaming he staggered out of the tunnel and collapsed on the grassy carpet of the forest.

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The mild hazy sun spilled through the break in the clouds to brighten up the countryside. A slight breeze blew through the graveyard carrying with it the heady scent of roses and other flowers to the young woman. She wandered by the unmarked and marked graves like she too was not of the living.

She skirted a grassy grave marked with a Spire gravestone and came to stand at a small area of grass marked with a plain slate stone with three names score on it. Jackson Benson and Maranda Benson - died 17/3678. She knelt by the stone and stifled a sigh.

"Blessed be Father, Mother. Things haven't changed much in town. The people are pretty much the same. Ruin sends her greetings.", she looked round to make sure no one was spying on her, before she poured out her thoughts and heart, "I think the graves have been multiplying recently. Because of the Baron's paranoia. The Baron is a paranoid muppet, though I don't voice that opinion to anyone, but I still think that, no I correct myself, I know that. He believes that people who do not worship him, are against him, so therefore he kills them. Well that's the simple version, it's actually a little more complex but he's still in the wrong. If he ever found out about me, then I'd be six feet under the earth, like the rest of these bones, like you are, where ever you are. But there's no reason for him to find out about me, it's not like I stand out from the rest in our bland town. Though they do look down on me; "Poor little orphan Amber; she has no family; she just tags along and takes whatever scraps people throw at her". I know they say this about me behind my back, when families are at home and they're discussing the day over dinner, my name will come up and that's what they say.

"I am not being paranoid, I really know this to be true. HE tells me. Do not ask me who he is, I am not really sure. But one minute I'll be standing on my own here or at the lake and the next minute a gust of wind will blow up and a male voice will say something. The thing is, there's no one there. I do not find this at all strange, maybe that's the strange part, but I have heard voices all my life, well ever since you guys died. I do not know why you died. There was some rumor about you being traitorous to the empire, and to the Baron. But this cannot be true. You may not have been the biggest supporters of the Baron, but you would not betray the Baron. You could not, you would not know how to. And that would not explain why they executed Mariam, she was only 4 at the time, she could not possibly be accused of betraying the Baron, for the goddesses sake, she did not know what the word betrayal meant. At least I do not think she did. After all I did not."

She stifled a sigh and blinked back the glaze of tears, as she stared down at the small stone memorial for her parents and sister, far away from the rest of the of the graves. Another reminder of their treachery. She had made the memorial herself, well, with the help of Tala. She was only 4 at the time. It had helped her realize what had happened and to grieve. She didn't know where their bones were. The Baron never told her, nor did Tala; probably because he didn't know. She still thought about them all the time, though she had little recollection of them really. It had been little over 15 years since it happened. But still she miss them greatly and she had nothing to remember them by either. Her old home was burnt down when she was three a couple of months before they died and everything of value perished with the flames.

She placed the bunch of wild flowers in the upturned cylinder plastic vase. She once had a painted glass vase, but the local vandals broke it on her when they desecrated her memorial. She took out a vial of spring water and poured it into the vase around the flowers. A friend of her moms once told her that she loved wild flowers. So Amber took her flowers every evening, while every one else was doing what ever they did at this time of evening, she was never around the town at this time of evening. She tended to come here to stand in the peace and quiet, to get away from the town and the people. She hated the people in this town.

She gazed at the sky to gauge what time it was. She estimated it to be thirty seven minutes past seven. She sighed and wiped her hands on her knee length fawn colored fur trimmed coat. A cool breeze flowed round her ankles. A row of goose bumps marched up her bare legs. She wrapped her coat around her tighter, and walked away from the grave. She had to get home soon. Boris would be finished work soon, so she should head home soon.

She walked out of the grave yard and down the hill shortcut to the road. The planet of Chyan, she mused, was a lot prettier than the first planet, Earth, on which Chyan had been based on. It had been a planet of peace but one man had changed it. Baron Voltaire. He made the world a dictatorship, very much like the dictator Adolf Hitler only without the suicide. Lord Voltaire executed many of his enemies and now lived quite happily in the town of Bakuten. He had his own army aswell who quelled revolutions, the Biovolt army, and his own private assassins and bounty hunters (who didn't get any bounty) called the Demolition boys. No one knew why he wanted to rule this planet so badly but some said it had to do with a spirit, a black phoenix, but that was way before Amber's time so she didn't know much about it.



Amber walked into her town via the large stone gate in the wall surrounding the entire town, it was a beautiful town, not many could boast of a town like this. There was a water fall behind the large mansion of the Baron and his temple, which was at the head of the town. There was a statue of him in the middle of the town square, made of onyx the most plentiful rock on this planet apart from Jade and rose quartz. The mountains were a must see, a great tourist attraction. Amber thought the statue was an eye sore, but she only mentioned that to Tala. He'd disliked the Baron as much as she did. His parents had been killed by the Barons run away Hover glider. But he'd been sent to the Balkov abbey to live there, like she had, with Boris. She had bonded quite quickly with him, but then he had took his chance and escaped a year ago. Life without him had been hell.

She sighed heavily and turned her attention to the architecture of the town. The homes were made of precious rocks which made the homes incredibly beautiful on the outside, but quite cold on the inside, but they did promote certain aspects in peoples personality. There was a river along one side, where people got their water, it was always clean never ever dirty, something to do with the wall of sieves at the top of the dam. In the town there was the post office; the hairdresser, Mariah, the black smith who now made all the swords for the Barons men. She had her own weapon, her staff which had been giver to her by Ruin and she'd been taught to use it by Tala. She was very skilled with it now.

She turned down a small street towards her home. Lining one wall outside a house was a group of people from her town. She had gone to school with most of them and had been bullied by all of them, if you could call it bullying. She could stick up for herself, but still they called her names and tried to pick fights with her. As she neared them, they started to make derogatory comments about her hair and her clothing. One of the girls stood up.

"Amber shouldn't you be home by now, your mother has probably got your dinner ready! Oops that's right, I am ever so sorry. I forgot your parents are dead and your twin sister. You killed them didn't you?"

Amber suppressed a groan and crossed to the other side of the street.

"Better be careful Clover, she might try to kill you too.", another girl yelled out.

Clover and the other girl cackled and sat down, while a boy threw a stone at Amber. A breeze blew up and the stone was blown of course. Amber pulled her jacket tighter and walked quicker down the street her ankle length boots slapping sharply on the concrete. She wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing her run from them. She'd dealt with these muppets since she was a child, and she could deal with them now.

"Blessed be, Amber, it's not like you to be out this late."

Amber jumped and whirled round ready to confront the person who spoke. A young woman a couple of years older that herself stood in front of her.

"Ruin!", Amber exclaimed throwing her arms round the woman.

Ruin had raven black hair, streaked with red and blue piled on her head. Her eyes were startling brown and sparked with light, and heavily outlined with black. Her complexion was like polished porcelain spread over a long straight nose, a chipped chin and jawbone and high cheekbones, sharp enough to cut. Her lips painted black, stood out against the skin. She wore one of her most impressive outfits yet. Ruin was well known for her outfits. A sleek midnight blue shimmering dress, with long billowing sleeves, which showed off the slenderness of her wrists and long delicate fingers.

Amber stepped back impressed. "Wow!"

"Blessed be Amber.", she repeated, "Are you well?"

"I am. And you?"

"Filled with the suns energy."

Amber smiled. It must have been nice to be that happy and free. Ruin lived where she wanted and went where she wanted. She didn't have to stay in this dingy town or put up with it's residents.

"Where did your travels take you this time?"

Ruin smiled wistfully. "To the corners of Chyan and back."

Amber cocked her head and sighed. "I wish I could do that, but Boris is here and everything."

Ruin grinned. "Maybe the next time I leave I'll ask Boris if I can take you with me."

Amber brightened. "Would you?"

"Yes, I believe I will. You cannot stay in this town forever. Not with your power and not with the Baron so close."

Amber expression dimmed. "My....power?"

Ruin nodded. "I noticed it in you along time ago.", Noticing Amber's fear, she quickly added, "Do not fear it Amber. It is yours, they will not harm you. You control them. They will help you."

Amber mustered up a smile. "If you say so."

"I do."

They were almost at Ambers home. What Ruin had said surprised her, she never thought of herself as incredibly different. Sure she had been a little different what with the stupid voice that kept popping up with the wind. But now Ruin was saying that she was different. She had some sort of power. Though Amber had yet to see it. She wondered if it was like Ruin's power. She had often gone out with Ruin when Ruin was doing a ritual, or when she was summoning some spirit or whatever.

"Well I've got to go, Amber. People to see, things to do.", Ruin spoke. "Think about what I said."

Amber nodded. "I will. Fare thee well, Ruin."

"Farewell Amber.", Ruin walked off down the street.

Amber walked up to the door and slid her key into the slot. After a sharp push the door shuddered then open noiselessly. Inside was dark because of the fading light. She reached blindly up to the shelf on the wall and lifted a small pouch off it. She opened the pouch and emptied a small lighter in to her palm. She flicked the lighter and watched as it sparkled and lit up the room with it's single flame. She held it to the wicks of the various candles the room was lit up by a warm glow. Simple things such as this had the power to lift the dark cloud hanging over her, just as seeing Bryan in the doorway had the power to bring it back thicker and darker than ever.

She sighed heavily and crossed to a chair and sat down. Bryan emerged from the shadows, into the light but still he looked menacing. As long as she had known Bryan she had yet to see him be nice and happy. He was evil. Yes that was what Amber believed, he was evil. Had he always been evil?, she wondered. Or had it just happened when she had arrived? He had always been jealous of her. But why? She couldn't remember and it made her head throb to think. The pressure was too much for her. It weighed her down, and seriously she believed if the weight became any heavier her legs would collapse underneath her.

As Bryan walked further into the kitchenette area, and sat down opposite her, she eyed him warily. He studied her out of those small cold lilac eyes . Another clear indication he was evil, she decided. When she thought about it, she'd be more likely to trust and fall for someone with large solid brown eyes. She had a fixation with people with brown eyes because they seemed trustworthy. Her father had brown eyes.

Finally as his gaze was becoming uncomfortable; she stood up and crossed to the tea pot stewing above the fire, which was licking up the chimney. But still she could feel the weight of his gaze. Eventually she turned round and as predicted he was staring at her.

"Why do you stare at me?"

His eyes glinted, whether it was because of the sparkle in the air or because of something else, she didn't know.

"You have changed much since I was last here."

He had been away for awhile, away with the Barons army. She hadn't forgotten but she hadn't missed him either. In fact she had rejoiced at his departure. Though Boris had informed her that he was coming back today, she had placed it to the back of her mind.

"It has only been a few months."

"Yes but in that time you celebrated the beginning of your nineteenth year."

She shrugged.

"Did you get my present?"

She smiled wryly. "No, couriers mustn't be as reliable as they once were."

"Hmm.", he got of the table and approached her.

She resisted the urge to back away though she knew that should she attempt to retreat she'd fail as she was quite sure her feet were planted to the floor.

"I made you a nice little doll's head carved out of marble."

"What was wrong with it?", she asked.

She knew how his little mind worked. When she was 10 he sent her a pretty little box with a nice little bow on it and inside the box was a doll who when squeezed it quoted 3 phrases: "Hello Amber! I hate you! When you're asleep I will kill you!" Amber didn't sleep for another couple of nights after receiving that doll. When she was 14 he sent her a lip tint, before she could even put it on, Tahnee Nichollby had claimed it and the instant she had smeared on her mouth she had collapsed. Only for the fact that Ruin had been there, Tahnee may have died, and she, Amber would have been accused as a murderer. As it was she had been exiled from the school for several weeks before Boris had demanded Amber be allowed to rejoin much to Ambers dismay. So as it was she began to become extremely wary of Bryan's presents.

"Nothing. It looked exactly like you, down to that scar on your chin. Oh and it even had Xcaliber sticking out of her forehead.", he leered at her.

Amber rolled her eyes. Xcaliber was his trusty sword. She had named it for him, unintentionally. So he had creepy dreams about killing her. Who knew? Well she did and Ruin did, but Boris didn't. He believed the sun rose and set in Bryan and Amber didn't want to shatter Boris's delusions though Ruin had threatened to do it several times. Something told Amber that Ruin didn't trust nor like Boris but that was ridiculous. Ruin had never said anything like that and there was no reason for her not to like him, except maybe because he was Bryan's father, but that wasn't Boris's fault. He couldn't help it if his son was the spawn of the Devil.

"Bryan give it a rest. I know you wish I was dead, but I'm not, so deal."

She set about laying the table for three, as he sat down. Just as she left an enamel mug by his place, his hand shot out and gripped her wrist.

"You don't belong here. You should be six feet under the terrain with your mommy and daddy."

Amber's ochre eyes darkened with anger. Then she smiled wryly. "If I was dead, your daddy would see you for the scum that you are and you'd be lying in a gutter somewhere ruing the day you were born."

He smiled disarmingly letting go of her arm. "My Father worships the ground I walk on."

"If he felt you were doing anything to harm me, you'd be out that door so fast your feet wouldn't touch the ground."

"My father would be elated if I managed to Kill you."

"Boris doesn't want me dead. He looks on me like the daughter he never had."

"Yeah you keep believing that.", and with that cryptic comment he stalked into the hall.

Amber followed him confused. "What do you mean?"

Bryan turned to her, his thin narrow face looked sickly pale in the dim light coming from the window. His features were pasty and sunken and his chin pointed. He looked ill, as usual. Maybe when your mind sick you begin to resemble your mental appearance. His eyes were sunken, surrounded by a circle of soft brownish green, or so it seemed. He had a thin almost pale purplish mouth, and hollowed cheek bones. And his hair was pale lavender and slick. He was tall, but gangly, far too slim. He had never really filled out, yet he was an incredible fighter. He was creepy and slimy, but could be incredibly charming, never to her but to others, others who weren't her friends. Ruin despised him, and Emily was scared of him.

Before he could answer the door disappeared and Boris was suddenly standing there where the door should have been. He was a tall, stocky man. His lavender hair slightly darker than Bryan's was windswept and stuffed under the hood of his black cloak. His purple eyes were hidden behind his mask which corrected his eye sight. His face was pale and drawn, his features were drawn and sunken, his pale lips were in a tight line with a cynical twist at the corners.

Boris regarded his two children, though Amber was not his, he looked on her as his own daughter ever since she'd been entrusted to him. He undid his gray cloak, took off his helmet, and tugged off his gloves, leaving them with his hammer in a small cupboard he'd made for such things. In there he could see Bryan's sword and black cloak, and Amber's staff. He glanced up and nodded. Amber's eyes grew suspicious.

"It's cold, I won't take my coat off till it warms up. Plus I may go out later. Ruin's back.", she defended.

"But sister dear, it's my first night back, you wouldn't begrudge me a night of your company. Would you?", Bryan peered at her intently.

Amber cast him a glance, then looked at Boris, who merely watched her. "I guess I must stay."

Bryan smiled triumphantly as Amber marched down the dark hall to her room. She didn't catch the look of suspicion mingled with anger in Boris's eyes or the look of bitter vengeance in Bryans.

***

Boris stoked the fire and poured Bryan another beaker of mead from the enamel jug. On the opposite side of the room Amber sat curled up in her chair opposite the fire, holding a mug of chamomile tea. Boris glanced at her, before sitting down with a heavy sigh. It had been a long time since the three of them had been in the house together. Either Bryan was away with his battalion or else, he himself had to work in the mines or else Amber was touring about the town with Ruin, though of course with Ruin being away that hadn't been much of an option for her. And now Ruin was the back the young girl wanted to spend some time with her. But, Boris told himself, family was more important. And he and Bryan were Amber's family.

He exhaled loudly and drew a glance from Amber. But as he didn't look at her she returned to her thoughts again, and he returned to his. Work was becoming more difficult with each day. The way the Baron kept on, the planet would so be out of it's most valuable resources. Some times the Baron could really exasperate him. The man seemed to have no clue how the mines worked. They should mine one cavern till it was bare then go to another one. Not mine several at one time, or so Boris believed. He tried to tell the Baron this and the proposal for more time off but the Baron had laughed at the ideas, saying he knew best.

Life was becoming harder with the Baron at the helm. He had taken over the country with promises of how good the country could be, but soon showed them the real Baron Voltaire, by enslaving the strong men, taking over all the territories, placing his soldiers everywhere and executing those who were different to him. He knew the Baron would execute Amber when the time came. Yet there was nothing to be done about it.

Boris eyes studied the slip of a young woman in front of him. Her hair was black and cut straight just above her shoulder blades. Her eyes were like clear amber, every so often they blazed with anger. Her skin along with her Mediterranean bone structure had been inherited form her mother, like gold cream marred only by a scar along the underside of her chin, which she'd gotten when she fell at the age of 5. And her cheek bones were finely sculpted, her mouth was small, and red. She was out spoken and opinionated, especially when she knew something was wrong. Her favorite subject to slag off was the Baron. She was incredibly intelligent though that had a lot to do with him demanding she be let back into school. And her tongue was sharp, she was never without a witty comment. She wasn't incredibly tall, only about 5ft 3", but she was fast and used her head when fighting, not her strength.

She sipped delicately at the piping hot liquid. She could feel Boris's gaze burning into her, but she didn't turn. She started intently at the fire, at the flames licking at the wooden blocks that she had chopped the earlier morning. She could feel the heat wafting towards her as though in visible waves. The element of Fire was her second favorite element though she loved all of them the same. Fire had the ability to keep life and take it away. It was strong and powerful, and in people it invoked passion. While Air was her favorite, it had the ability to preserve life and yet sometimes it had the strength to take life and to destroy. In people it made them sensible supposedly but imaginative. While Water was powerful enough to destroy and rejuvenate, in people they were passive but with an undercurrent of strength and rage. While Earth was strong and kept people grounded yet when it shook it could and would destroy all in it's path.

Ruin had brought out her love of the elements and spirits by teaching Amber all about them. So that she could understand them. Amber had never understood why until today. It made sense, she supposed, after all if she did have a power inside her then she should have some knowledge of what it was and have some love of it so that she wouldn't reject it. But still she wanted to know more and Bryan being here was nothing more than an inconvenience. Still if she hadn't said anything then Bryan wouldn't have mentioned anything about a family night in. How could she have been so idiotic.

She cast a glance at glance at Bryan. He was staring at her, mouth slack, eyes glazed over. When he realized she was watching him, he smiled and pressed his lips together, making her stomach churn. Without saying anything, she rose from her chair and went to her room.

She drew back the door into her room and stepped in making sure she hadn't been followed. She crossed to the sink made of rose quartz, and poured in some water from her enamel jug. It sloshed into the sink. She tied back her hair and then splashed the water onto her face, drying it roughly with her towel, noting vaguely that it wasn't in the position she had placed it that morning. When she was finished she put on her night gown and slipped into her bed. She fell asleep as soon as her head fell against the sheets.

She was standing by the river again. The one that smelled of honeysuckle and ginger. She had visited this river every night since she was 4. It was a place of comfort for her, a place of peace, a place she could come to, and know she wouldn't be harmed. Yet this time her staff was by her favorite stone. She had never needed her weapon here before and this worried her. Clutching her hands, she sat down on the stone. As soon as she did a figure appeared on the other side of the river as it always did. Yet this time it was different. The figure wasn't her usual figure, it was some one else. A young man or warrior, dressed in a tunic and armored plating. But she couldn't see his face, in fact he didn't seem to be real. Amber stared at him, awed by its beauty before finally plucking up the courage to ask what must be asked.

"Who are you?"

The man laughed. "Blessed be Amber, it is I, Saizo. Spirit guardian of the skies."

"Spirit?"

"Yes Amber. There are many spirits in this world. Each person has a sacred spirit that guards them. I am yours, but not many have the ability to see theirs. I have been watching you for a while now."

Though that sounded creepy to her, she felt something from him. Something reassuring, she could trust him.

"Why haven't you made yourself known to me? Why haven't you talked to me before?"

"I have."

"It's your voice in the wind.", Amber realized.

Saizo nodded. "But I cannot explain now. I am here to warn you. Those close to you are not what they seem. Trust no one, be wary of every one. Do not let yourself be sold. The enemy is closer than you think."

"Who? Bryan? I know all about him Saizo, I won't let him hurt me."

"That's not the only one child......", he trailed off looking fearfully behind him. "They are coming I must go. Heed my words, trust no one lest ye be.......", he trailed off again. His glowing eyes were large and fearful. He looked over his shoulder and let out a short yell, before a large black taloned hand reached for him and pulled him into the blue hue. Amber jumped to her feet, grabbing her staff she ran to her guardian, but the river disappeared and in it's place was a black hole. Amber looked down and began to fall into the unknown.

She cried out before jerking up in her bed. She sat there breathing shallow. What was that?, she wondered. And who couldn't she trust? She squeezed the bridge of her nose and blew out a lung full of air. Sighing heavily she threw of her quilt and swinging her legs off the bed went to get a shower.