Hi everyone, and welcome to chapter eight! (throws confetti) Wow, we made it! And only one chapter left to go! It's been so much fun working on this... it's a pity it has to end ;;

AAAAAAHHH!!! IT"S SO SHORT! I'M SOOO SORRY!!!!!!! And, I apologize in advance for the cliffhanger. They are my specialty .-

Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the exciting finale! (Okay, maybe not so exciting, but it'll be a finale all the same. Just humor me . )

Broken Dreams: Chapter Eight

Eternity's Embrace

Ishtar walked through the castle in a trance. She didn't notice where her feet carried her- they were working on their own. Her mind was blank; she was numbed from remorse. She felt cut off, like a part of her had winked out of existence. Her eyes were dull and lifeless, a mirror of the empty shell that was her soul. She moved through the halls in a surreal stupor, her quiet footfalls the only source of noise. The deathly silence only served to make everything more dreamlike. Or rather, more nightmarelike.

It was only when she arrived at her destination did Ishtar finally realize where she was. She was standing on the balcony where she and Yuginn had been standing earlier that very same day, the balcony on the peak of the highest tower. It had been here that the princess had made that life-changing decision while staring into the setting sun. But now it was nighttime, and the world was blanketed in shadows. The wind noiselessly blew her hair back from her face. The full moon shone down and illuminated the geography, highlighting all the little bumps and ridges. All the lush greens, browns, and yellows in the landscape were washed out and replaced with a watery blue. The county looked just as peaceful as it had before, and once again as she gazed upon it, Ishtar felt the warm feeling rising inside of her. When I die, this is where it will be, she thought with finality.

In a pretense of nonchalance that she sported for the empty sky, she casually leaned against the railing and looked down. Whoa, she thought. That's a long drop. As if to taunt her, a sudden gust of wind pushed her out towards empty space, and she had to grasp the rail in a death grip to keep from falling.

She took a deep breath to clear her head, and for the second time that night felt tears brimming her eyes. She was scared, but still determined. She would not be deterred from her decision. It was the right choice, she knew. It was the only way to stop the pain, for herself and those around her. She placed a foot upon the barrier. She was prepared to fling herself into eternity, to float away free from all earthly bonds. She would envelop herself in the numbing bliss of nothingness. She wanted to be able to just fly, knowing that her last moments would be so carefree, so gentle and soft, that she would never feel the pain again. Escape. The railing was the only thing between her and forever.

Her ears pricked at the slight sound of footsteps, and she turned towards the door, mild surprise alighting on her face. But then she shook her head and turned back to the task at hand. No one would be up at a time like this, but even if they were, it was too late to change her mind. This is the way it was supposed to be. A second passed, and then, with a sudden movement, Ishtar placed her other foot on the rail and leapt into an icy, unknown abyss.