DISCLAIMER I do not own 'Bring me to Life' or AvAlon. They belong respectfully to Rachel Roberts and Evanescence.
Adriane Charday's eyes flipped open. "Ah!" She yelled. She threw her arm in front of her eyes to block out the sunlight that was streaming through her window. She blindly shut the window and opened her eyes again. She decided to go for a run, since she was now wide awake. She slipped into dark navy blue jeans, a black shirt, and black hiking boots.
She raced out the door. Dreamer was still asleep, which suited Adriane just fine. He needed his sleep. The birds whistled, and the tree's swayed to the rhythm of the wind. Adriane inhaled deeply, and the morning air was fresh on her face. Nothing could ruin this day. Nothing at all.
Adriane ran off the trail, lost her own mind. She flew off the trail, and wondered. She let her mind soar. Just then, her foot caught onto a root, and she was soaring. Soaring head-first into mud! She coughed and sputtered and thought of the Ravenswood forest. She and her friends, Kara Davies and Emily Fletcher protected the forest.
As soon as Adriane stood, the birds stop whistling. The tree's abruptly stopped singing the song of the forest. Adriane looked around her and sniffed the air. Something was wrong. Something evil. And it was here. It was back.
A rumbling shook the Earth. Adriane turned and scrubbed the mud off her face. A scream made Adriane look behind her.
Something big and black fell from the sky.
"HEY!" Adriane called. It reared its big head, a big rumble shuddering the ground. It shoved its huge paw at Adriane and swiped. Adriane fell backwards, knocking into a tree. "HEY!" she screamed again.
The thing looked at her, its deadly eyes threatening to rip her to pieces. Adriane felt herself begin to fall. She caught herself, and looked up at the beast. It wasn't here to fight. It was there, to look for something. Adriane rolled into a fighting stance, fingers rolled into a fist.
"Hey! Ugly! Whatcha doing!" Adriane called. The thing smashed a fist and it cut through the air. Adriane gasped and ducked. Then, as the fist retreated, she jumped onto it. She sent an arc of magic at the beast. It roared in pain, and clawed at Adriane. She jumped and began to run again. This time, at the monster. She turned in a somersault in the air, and through out her arms. Before she landed, a magical wind lifted her higher. She thought about what the monster wanted.
"Witch! Let me go!!" It roared.
"Huh?" Adriane asked. Then, the wind ceased, and Adriane fell to the ground. A sharp rock cut through Adriane wrist, and she howled in pain. She grabbed her wrist, and felt the blood run down her arm. A soft, and sickly sweet smile split the monster's lips.
"The blood of a warrior...the blood of HER!" It screamed. A thrashing wind carried the writhing monster away, leaving Adriane alone, with her bleeding hand. She collapsed, knowing nothing could hurt her now. She was safe, inside her dreams. Inside her thoughts. Inside her own screaming, nothing could hurt her.
Kara heard a huge THUMP in her head, and looked up from her pink Powerbook. A wicked screaming filled her ears, and she yelled out in pain. "What's going on?!" She thought. The screaming ceased and Adriane's voice filled her head.
"HEY! Ugly! Whatcha doing!" Adriane cried. Kara heard a whipping of wind. She heard a crunch! then a howl. Adriane was hurt.
"Witch! Let go of me!" A monster called. Kara gasped. Nightmares when she was awake? She would have to call Emily.
"The blood of the warrior...the blood of HER!" Came the ominous screaming of the monster. Kara screamed as the monster flew from the air, leaving Adriane behind, broken, bleeding. The vision stopped, and Kara threw herself into her pillow. The tears were falling. Were was Adriane? It was just a nightmare, right?
Kara decided to call Emily. Kara picked up her pink StarTac, and dialed Emily's number.
"Fletcher residence. Emily speaking."
"Hey, Em! You sound a little out of breath, whats up?" Kara said.
"Well. your not going to believe this, but I just had a vision, kind of like a nightmare. But it was when I was awake."
"Me too!" Kara was nodding vigorously in agreement. "Was yours about Adriane?"
"Yeah! I'm really worried about her...should we go to Ravenswood?"
"Meet me there!" Kara said.
Knock! Knock! Knock! Kara banged on the door to Adriane's house. Gran answered the door.
"Yes girls?" Gran asked.
"Do you know where Adriane is?" Emily asked shyly.
"She went out for a run this morning, but she is still out," Gran smiled warmly at them. "Would you like to come in? The little woodland spirit is here, and if you would like to join us..."
"Sorry, Gran. But we NEED to talk to Adriane. Are you positive she's not here?" Kara asked skeptically.
"Yes."
"Thank-you Gran. We'll be right back." Emily waved as Kara pulled her away.
"We have to find Adriane!" Kara hissed in Emily's ear.
The two mages walked along the trail they had seen in their nightmares. "Wait!" Emily said. "Wasn't Adriane on plants and leaves?"
"She was..." Kara trailed off. "Look over here. This has the print of where the monster flew. See these leaves? Their leaves are pushed aside, but not laid down. Strong wings pushed these down."
"And look, Kara! Adriane's footprints!" Emily shouted.
Kara ran over to where Emily was standing. "Hiking boots, Kara! Adriane always where hiking boots!" Emily exclaimed. "Lets follow them."
"They lead over their." Kara traced the prints, and ran to the mud pot.
"Look at this mud splattered over here? Adriane must have fell in here...on this root." Kara pointed.
Emily sat down, and dug in her pocket. She pulled out her pocket knife and sawed the root off of the tree."So she won't fall anymore."
Kara rolled her eyes, and began to run again. She heard moaning coming from further out. She signaled Emily, and Emily came running over.
"Hear that?" Kara whispered.
"Yeah, sounds like Adriane," Emily nodded in agreement.
"We have to be careful though. Her arm might be broken, or the bones could be shattered. So be careful," Kara said.
Kara and Emily slowly approached the mourning sound that came from the shadows. The girls moved some branches, and saw Adriane.
Adriane was propped up on a rock, with a shadow crouched over her. They shadow was fingering the wound, and wrapping it up in leaves. The shadow looked up at Kara and Emily and bolted. It raced down the slope, and disappeared. Kara looked at Emily and shrugged. Kara called Balthazar.
"Yes, Blazing Star? Healer?" Came the reply.
"Adriane is hurt, we need someone to carry her." Emily said. Kara nodded.
"On my way," Balthazar replied.
"Alright, work your magic," Kara said to Emily.
Emily focused on healing magic. "Kara, I need more magic."
"On it," replied Kara. She blasted diamond magic into Emily's jewel, making Adriane tense. She shifted her weight to the other side of the cot.
"She's coming back." Emily stopped sending magic. Adriane sat up and rubbed her head. She winced when she moved her other hand.
"K...Kara? E...Em..Emily?" Adriane asked. Emily was bandaging Adriane's hand when she spoke. Emily looked up sharply.
"Whats wrong, Emily?" Kara asked, curiously.
"Adriane did you leave your stereo on..." Emily trailed off.
'How can you see through my eyes? Like open doors.
Leading you down into my core, will I become so numb?
Without a soul, my spirit sleeping somewhere cold.
Until you find it there in me. Bring it back home.'
"What's that sound?" Kara yelled over the blaring music. Adriane was humming along with the thumping chorus.
'Wake me up! (Wake me up inside)
Can't wake up! (Wake me up inside)
Save me! (Call my name and save me from the dark)
Wake me up! (Bid my blood to run)
Can't wake up! (Before I come undone)
Save me! (Save me from the nothing I've become)'
Kara called out in pain, covering her ears, shaking in horror. Emily crouched in the corner whimpering. This had happened before. When she had met the harpie, years ago. Lorlei had been unsteady with her magic, so she had sang horribly. Adriane was the only one who wasn't in pain. In fact, she looked like she was...in peace. Again, she sang the words of the song.
'Now that I know what I'm without, you can't just leave me.
Breath into me and make me real.
Bring me to life.'
'Wake me up! (Wake me up inside!)
Can't wake up! (Wake me up inside!)
Save me! (Call my name and save me from the dark!)
Wake me up! (Bid my blood to run!)
Can't wake up! (Before I come undone!)
Save me! (Save me from the nothing I've become!)
Bring me to life.'
Adriane was lifted into the air, becoming one with the song.
'I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside.
Bring me to life.'
'Frozen inside without your touch, without your love, darling.
And only you are the life among the dead.'
Just then, a swirling mass came forward from the gathering mist. It sang with Adriane.
'All of this time, I can't believe I couldn't see.
Kept in the dark, but you were there in front of me.'
'I've been sleeping a thousand years, it seems, got to open my eyes to everything.'
'Without a thought, without a life, without a soul. (Don't let me die here!)
There must be something more! Bring me to life!'
'Wake me up! (Wake me up inside!)
Can't wake up! (Wake me up inside!)
Save me! (Call my name and save me from the dark!)
Wake me up! (Bid my blood to run!)
Can't wake up! (Before I come undone!)
Save me! (Save me from the nothing I've become!)
Bring me to life! (I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside!)'
'Bring me to life!'
The song ended, and Adriane was sleeping peacefully on her cot. Emily and Kara were crouched in a corner. Sure they've heard that song before, but they didn't like the 'Gothic metal' sound. In fact, Kara preferred Broadway music, and pop artists, like BeTween. Same with Emily.
But the song had never been sung with such a burning intensity. Emily stood up, and helped Kara stand. All Kara wanted to do was go sleep, forever. She never wanted to do anything else. But, she and Emily walked over to Adriane's cot. She wasn't there.
"Excellent," A hooded figure said, as the black figure retreated back into the shadows. The hood was pulled back, and the woman fingered the boxes beautiful preservation. She tried to open the box, but couldn't succeed.
"My Queen," groveled the black beast that had attacked Adriane. "Only she can open it. The descendant of Night Blossom."
"Of course, Roklin. Of course." The Queen gave one last tug at the box, and she gave the chest back to Roklin. "Get her to open it," she spat.
"My Queen, you want her to have the things inside? If she gets her hand on whats inside.." Roklin shuddered. "She'll give light and life back to Aldenmor."
"I know. That's why, you'll get her to open it, then give the box to me. You and I both know that only the descendant of Night Blossom can open this box."
"Right." bowed Roklin.
"So, we need the direct descendant to have whats inside."
"You, My Queen."
"Exactly," hissed the evil one. "Get me the girl."
"How do we know if she's the daughter?" Roklin asked.
"She resembles the chiefs daughter. Now go!" The Queen whispered. "I want her by next week. For then, the moon will be at it's best. Keep an eye on her, Roklin."
"As you wish," said Roklin, retreating into the shadows. He took flight, and left the Queen alone in the dusky cellar.
'As soon as I have her, and the jewel, nothing will stop me!' she thought.
Dreamer and the rest of the animals at Ravenswood awoke to a wicked cackling of a creature, an evil creature.