AN: Happy Easter! This is my Easter present to you all! Enjoy.

Chapter 27: Annihilation

Dawn painted the pale blue morning sky with streaks of pink and red, illuminating CedarClan's camp with red hues of light. It seemed such a serene surrounding for a day that had been written to be stained with blood. No cat stirred so early in the morning but one. Her black fur streaked with flecks of red stuck out amongst the green grass, green trees and green bushes. She stood out in this camp that had once been her own and it hurt her more than any physical wound would. Tears threatened to slip from the corners of her eyes as she sat in the middle of the camp where she too had sat once and been given an apprentice name. Welcomed into the Clan life with open arms, she had begun a life of vigorous training and harsh laws. And then she had cast it all away to run off and join a stronger Clan, only to also flee from there to join a cat she had never met before.

None of it seemed fair. None of it seemed right.

She took a deep breath and was then plunged into darkness all of a sudden. All light faded before her and the camp disappeared from beneath her feet, plunging her into a void of black. The ground – or what Tornheart assumed as the ground – rushed up to meet her and she crashed into it with a thud, all the air leaving her chest in a rush. With a groan, Tornheart cracked open her eyes to see four glowing white figures standing before her. Each was the same as the other, neither was different in any way but yet they all seemed to radiate an air of difference in power. Their bodies weren't even whole, just tendrils of thick white mist wafting in a breeze that wasn't there.

"W-who are you?" Tornheart whispered in awe, stunned by the feeling of immense power that weighed on her chest.

Rushing wind was what blew into her ears in reply, but the wind seemed to form words, strange words, terrifying words. "We, four beings of eternal life, bring forward a warning and a solution. But only to the ears that listen will our warning be heard. Only to the heart that bleeds will our solution be revealed."

"Our words fall on deaf ears when we speak to those we once believed would help. Six cats were chosen to rebel against the leadership of blood now rising, but they are no more, lost in time and pulled from this world by bloody claws."

"So, with our warning and solution already lost to them, we chose another. And that other is you."

Tornheart flattened her ears. "Me!? I betrayed the Clans! Let Crimson in! I'm about to lure my Clan into a battle they cannot win, and you want me to be their saviour? I'm sorry, but I believe you have the wrong cat!"

"Our choices are always right, no matter how evil a heart may be. You have made decisions which you thought were right without knowing the consequences and we do not blame you. In fate was your destiny written and your destiny is to walk down this dark path that is only beginning. Today will be one more trial for you to overcome and one more lesson for you to learn."

"We cannot see far enough into the future anymore and we fear that we may be fading as time changes in different patterns. Crimson's presence in this world has cast a dark shadow upon our world. As we fade our powers will also fade and leave this world without Fate, Destiny, Time and Change. Such a world will be inhabitable and filled with dangers unlike anything seen before. You, Tornheart of Rogues, are to be the next Guardian."

"What!?" Tornheart squeaked, eyes going wide with shock. This was not what she had been expecting at all. "You want me to become a Guardian because you are fading away? How does any of this make any sense!? How do I even know you are real and that I am not just having an odd dream?"

Soft laughter filled her ears, laughter that was quiet distinctively female. "We are Blood of Fate, Wind of Change, Keeper of Time and Decider of Destiny and you have always seen us. From the moment you were born you saw slivers of us haunting the edges of your vision, lurking in the shadows of the forest, reflecting in the blue hues of the river. We were always there, Tornheart, always around you, always protecting."

Tornheart gasped as the memories washed back over her. She had seen them, the slivers of white haired cats drifting to and fro in her vision. They'd always been there when she'd been hunting, fighting, sleeping, drinking, eating, always there with their overwhelming presence of power. "Y-you were," she whispered. "I remember now. They called me crazy, you know? Tried to make me believe that you weren't real and that I was just being stupid. The other apprentices teased me, called me names, hurt me." She looked up at the misty beings with tearful eyes. "And I believed them. I stopped believing in you in the hope that they would accept me. But they didn't, so I left."

"We know the pain you have been through. We also felt it and we hurt just as much when you left. Your pain is our pain. Your hurt is our hurt. That is why we are here, telling you this. We are one, Tornheart. We are one inside you. A part of each of us dwells within your heart, waiting to be unlocked and used. But those parts of you cannot be unlocked until your destiny in completed and we fear that we will be long gone by then."

"You mustn't ever lose faith in us again, Tornheart. We are very much real and we can make you see this in the hardest way possible, with the loss of one you love. When the sun sets tonight you will know that we are real. Our proof will be in blood but will not be dealt by our claws. We are not the only ones that dwell inside of you. There is another who has laid claim to a part of your heart, the most important part of your heart. Your loyalty has been severed from the truth and turned black by the bloody claws of a cat with a crimson heart."

"And she remains mine to control," came a snarl that was laced with anger.

Tornheart flinched and shifted her paws as Crimson's red eyes glinted in the darkness. Her black fur materialised before Tornheart and the misty figures hissed at her. Power clashed against power in the air as Crimson raised herself to her full height. "You are too late. My blood mixes with hers and when the sun sets tonight you will know this. Her destiny no longer melds with your plans, Upholders. It remains mine to twist and turn when I want to. Leave her be and fade in peace or I will make sure you fade without another word to your precious kin."

"You will not win this war, Crimson. Fate has not decreed it."

Crimson pinned her ears to her skull and curled her lip in defiance, "I do not follow Fate's set path. I was never created to. My blood taints hers and soon she will be like Jinx. A perfectly trained killer loyal to me and me only."

The world began to fade out from beneath Tornheart's paws and her eyes shot up the disappearing Upholders as Crimson had called them. "Fulfil your destiny, Tornheart and then we can be one!" Then they were gone and Tornheart was back in the CedarClan camp, Crimson snarling beside her.

She twisted her head to stare into Crimson's smouldering eyes and flinched away. She was in for it this time for sure. "You will not remember a word they just said," Crimson hissed, slicing her paw with a sharp claw. "You will not ever think of the Upholders again. From now on your mind belongs to me as does your body. No more will you challenge me as you have before. Tornheart, you will only exist as a shell."

"Y-you're going to turn me into one of your soldiers?" Tornheart gasped. "After all I have done for you this is how you repay me!?"

Their raised voices drew the soldiers and Jinx out of their dens. Each cat stared at the quarrelling she-cats with wary eyes, each knowing that a battle could break out in an instant. Jinx eyed Tornheart with distrust in her eyes. She knew what Crimson was about to do, the black she-cat had discussed it with her the previous night. And she had agreed. Tornheart needed to be put in her place and soon. "Your pelt and eyes will remain the same. Only a sliver of your mind will remain yours, however. The rest you will have no access too. This is the way it has to be for the good of our future." Crimson raised her slit paw, blood dribbling from it, and forced the blood to drip into Tornheart's jaws. Tornheart squirmed and cried out as Crimson's claws sunk into her muzzle.

And then everything was over. Tornheart felt her mind numb over and her memories vanish. Her hatred for cats was heighted, her love for others vanished. She felt tendrils of numbness probe deeper into her mind as she was locked down and cast out of her own body.

Tornheart was no longer Tornheart. She remained alive in a tiny sliver of her mind, locked away beneath all of Crimson's power as it sucked at her and turned her evil. She raised her head to meet Crimson's gaze and watched as the she-cat smiled. "It is complete."

Jinx padded over and eyed Tornheart with approving eyes. She recognised the glint of red that occasionally flickered across the red flecked she-cats green eyes. Now, the cream she-cat grinned, we can really begin to terrorize these Clans!

"Loyal followers!" Crimson began, summoning her soldiers to her with a sweep of her tail. "Today we take down CedarClan and secure another Clan for us. After today only four Clans remain. The Games are yet to draw to a close and I believe that it will be a while until they do. However, we cannot have days of rest between attacks. One day will be all we can muster. When we have only three Clans left then we will attack the main island and bring down the final three leaders. We will reign over all!"

The gathered cats yowled their agreement and cheered Crimson's name as the black she-cat eyed her followers with proud eyes. She waited until the cheering had died down before she continued. "Now we launch our attack on CedarClan. Soldiers, I want you to hide in the dens until you hear my yowl. Then you can attack and kill whoever you please. Jinx and I will be hiding with the leaders den. Tornheart," Crimson stared at her with cold eyes, "you know what you have to do. Now go."

Without a second glance, Tornheart leapt to her paws and raced out of CedarClan camp, her tail streaming out behind her. She wove easily through the forest she had grown so accustomed to. Fallen logs still remained in the places they had fell, bramble bushes were still in the same places. All was so similar yet so different. Flowers no longer pleased her. Bright butterflies no longer tempted her to chase them. Falling leaves no longer amused her. Not even the prey that scampered before her paws fazed her. All she was concentrated on was reaching the island and bringing CedarClan home.

The run had seemed short and before Tornheart could really register anything, she was leaping across the stepping stones that lead to the large island. Water lapped at her paws, threatening to push her into the hungry jaws of the rushing river, but Tornheart had already reached the pebbly shore line. She launched herself quickly into the shadows of the forest and began to stalk silently through it, her ears pricked for the sounds of any approaching cats. None approached and Tornheart reached the side of the island where CedarClan had made their camp.

Now all she had to do was find her mother and the rest would play itself out. "Tornpaw?" The sudden voice made Tornheart jump and the shudder. That name had not been muttered by that voice for moons.

"Mother?" she whispered, turning to look into her mother's frightened eyes. "I'm glad you're alright. I've been worried about you."

Sageleaf swallowed and her fur settled slightly. Her distrust frayed Tornheart's nerves but she had to act and she had to act well. "Oh, Tornheart," Sageleaf murmured, burying her muzzle into her daughter's fur. "I always knew you would come home."

"Mother. Please. I need you to bring the Clan back to camp," Tornheart pleaded. "I-I have something to say to them that is only for their ears. None of the other Clans can here this." She paused and blinked painfully. "I know how to stop her, mother. But I need the Clan to hear me. I need them to accept me again. To forgive me."

Sageleaf's eyes softened and she licked Tornheart's muzzle. "I promise you that I will bring the Clan, no matter what. Thank you for coming home, my daughter. You have no idea how much we have missed you."

Then the she-cat was gone and Tornheart turned and fled. Some part of her had torn in two by her mother. She had been so trusting of a cat that had betrayed not one but all six Clans. Tears threatened to burst forth and then something clicked inside Tornheart. The tears vanished and so did the guilt. Her mind was once again focused on stepping on the stepping stones, leaping over fallen logs, dodging around bushes of brambles, avoiding tendrils of thorns and ignoring the temptations that scampered before her paws.

Her concentration broke when she pushed through the barrier and was confronted by Jinx's pale blue eyes. "Are they coming?" the cream she-cat hissed.

"My mother promised that she would bring the Clan here no matter what," Tornheart quipped back.

Jinx snorted, "And you believed her?"

"Yes. She will not back down unt-" the red flecked she-cat paused and strained her ears. Her eyes widened and she shoved Jinx towards the leaders den. "Move it! They are coming!" Within heartbeats Jinx had dove into the leaders den to tell Crimson what was happening.

Tornheart sat down in the middle of camp, facing away from the camp exit. She heard muted mumblings and hisses as CedarClan made their way through the tunnel and into camp. They streamed towards Tornheart with angry hisses and snarls, claws unsheathed. "Stop!" Shadestar yowled. "She has given herself up to us so that we may forgive her. Until we hear her apology we cannot judge her. Tornheart. Turn and face us. Speak up and beg for our forgiveness."

"Hello, old Clan mates. Kin. Friends. Enemies." Tornheart's voice was cold and emotionless, sending shivers down the spines of most gathered cats. She rose to her paws and turned to face her old Clan, not surprised when the gasped at her scar riddled face. "You came here because you wanted to hear me apologise to you." She stopped again as three soldiers stepped out of the shadows and blocked the exit. The plan was set. Now all Tornheart needed to do was give the signal. "But that is not why you are here."

Mews of shock and fear rippled across the gathered cats followed by shrieks as they turned and saw the three dull brown cats with sightless yellow eyes snarling at them. "Cats of CedarClan!" Crimson cried as she and Jinx appeared beside Tornheart. More shrieks sounded as CedarClan met Crimon's blood red eyes and realised that they had been drawn into a trap.

Sageleaf stepped out from the crowd, tears streaming from her eyes. "I trusted you!" she screeched at Tornheart. "I gave you my word that I would bring my Clan here so that you could ask for their forgiveness. You gave me hope and this is how you repay me?" The old warrior hung her head and mumbled the next words, but Tornheart heard them and they shattered her heart. "I hate you."

"Enough of this meaningless chitter-chatter," Crimson snapped, stepping in front of Tornheart as to sever the heart ache. She lashed her tail and the rest of her soldiers pulled themselves from the dens, surrounding CedarClan entirely. Tiny kits mewled in fear as their mothers pulled them closer, fear rimming their eyes. Mentors stood protectively in front of apprentices, trying to protect them from the horrors about to be unleashed. "Let our claws and teeth do the talking." She raised her head, pinned back her ears, unsheathed her claws and curled her lip. "Attack!"

Rogue soldiers leapt at Clan warriors and the camp exploded into a bloody battle. Crimson immediately leapt at Shadestar and the two rolled away in a shrieking ball of fur and blood. Jinx launched herself at a queen who was huddled around her kits, claws ready to tear into skin. And Tornheart was bowled over by a white she-cat with familiar ginger patches. "You are no sister of mine!"

-000-

Fields of tall brown grass danced in the wind, twirling in misshapen patterns. The long stalks of brown hid the many different colour pelts from wary eyes. They stalked silently through the seemingly never ending sea of brown, their ears pricked and searching for any sudden danger. The procession of stalking cats came to a sudden halt as their leaders – the three High Stars – stopped. No more grass lay before them. An ominous moon, nearly red in colour, sat on the very edge of the horizon. Half of it had already vanished as the sun rose on the other side of the world.

Iceshard narrowed her eyes as Redflame's rumbling mew reached her ears from where he sat atop a large tree stump, addressing all of StarClan that had gathered to hear him speak. The she-cat rolled her eyes as the red tom snarled lies about the Dark Forest. Eternity flicked her side with is tail and gestured towards the StarClanners. "Are we to just maim or can we kill?" he asked quietly.

His question caused Iceshard to purr in amusement. "We are the Dark Forest, Eternity. We fight to kill, never to just maim." Quiet murmurs of agreement and excitement filtered through the army of Dark Forest cats. Eternity dripped his head in agreement, a small smile curving at the edges of his muzzle. "Come now," she said to Settingsun and Eternity whilst holding her tail up to warn back the army behind her. "Let us greet our neighbours." She slunk gracefully out of the grass, the other High Stars trailing behind her. As their paws crunched dead leaves that littered the swooping meadow, all of StarClan turned their heads to stare at them. Moments of silence passed as fear rolled over the gathered 'perfect' cats and the High Stars stared back at them with cold eyes.

"Greetings, Iceshard," Redflame snarled as politely as he could. "What has StarClan done to receive such an unexpected visit?"

Settingsun draw a bright orange paw over one ear before she blinked her bright blue eyes up at Redflame. The vicious tom melted a little as his snarl faltered. "Do we need an excuse to converse with our neighbours?" she purred.

Most of the toms vigorously shook their heads, a dopey look on their faces. But it was a she-cat that answered. Her blue pelt was no longer streaked with gray but a long scar still ran down her shoulder. "You never descend from your throne to mingle with us," she hissed. "Now tell us the real reason you are here.

"Bluestar," Iceshard wrinkled her nose at the most hated StarClan cat of all. "You want to know the real reason we are here?"

As she spoke the army began to slink out of the long grass, claws glinting in the fading moonlight. Cries of fear ricocheted throughout the gathered cats. StarClan had not been expecting this. Bluestar raised her hackles ad snarled loudly, "Are you really that cowardly, Iceshard that you need to bring your army to fight your battles?"

"Fight my battles?" Iceshard purred, faking a shocked expression. "I fight my own battles, Bluestar. You of all cats should know this." The Highest Star tilted her head to one side, a mocking smile spreading across her muzzle. "Do you not remember that day a few seasons ago when I ripped the heart out of Mistystar's chest? I doubt you would have forgotten. She died because of you."

Bluestar's eyes widened in pain and her chest began to heave violently. A flame coloured tom jumped to her side, green eyes tender with sympathy. As Iceshard watched the pain she caused affect the cats of StarClan she felt a pelt brush against hers. She glanced sideways to see Tigerstar's broad body close to hers. "Now?" he growled, gaze firmly set on the flame coloured tom.

"Patience, Tigerstar," Eternity rumbled. "Your revenge will be dealt out tonight. Let Iceshard do what she does best."

Tigerstar grunted and rolled his eyes. "Afflicting others with words of pain is her specialty after all."

"Why have you brought an army onto my lands!?" Redflame roared from his seat upon the stump. He had obviously gotten over his sudden infatuation of Settingsun. So to had the rest of the toms throughout StarClan and they arched up, spitting and hissing in rage.

"For war," Iceshard replied simply. "Dark Forest! Attack!"

Waves of Dark Forest cats launched themselves on to the terrified StarClanners and the meadow exploded into battle. Blood already splattered the grass as did a few dead bodies. Claws clashed against claw and fangs tore into skin as cats danced a deadly dance of life and death. Mercy was not at play amongst this war. These cats were fighting to avoid fading away into nothingness. One side for good and the other for evil. Iceshard surveyed the battle with hungry eyes, only to be knocked down by a heavy force. She snarled in anger and kicked up at her attacker, claws biting into its skin. The cat howled in pain and shook red droplets from its blue fur. Bluestar! Iceshard curled her lip and launched upwards, teeth sinking into the leader's neck. Her claws sunk into her shoulders and held the writhing she-cat to stop her from struggling as her life began to dribble from her throat. Bluestar choked and spat blood from her mouth as she tried desperately to free herself from Iceshard's teeth but the Highest Star's jaws were clamped tight.

"Y-you wil-l never b-be hap-py un-til you kill u-s all, w-will you?" Bluestar choked out as her body grew limp.

Iceshard growled in answer and bit down harder, blood spraying into her mouth. The light began to die from Bluestar's eyes and her body grew even limper. Her breathing grew ragged and faint. And then she died. Iceshard dropped the already fading body and spat blood from her mouth, scrunching up her nose at the tangy taste. "Weakling," she spat at the blue she-cats bloody body. As she looked up her eyes were immediately drawn to the lifeless, bloody, fading form of Ivypool. Standing over her body, with blood dripping from his fangs, was Redflame. His pelt was ripped and bleeding in places and one eye was missing.

"Iceshard!" the red tom crowed. "Come and face me!"

His remaining eye searched the heaving mass of fighting cats with greed and he was obviously thinking that he would win against Iceshard. The Highest Star grinned and shot to the right, planning to avoid Redflame's gaze long enough to launch a surprise attack. But even she could not blend in with the bloody mass of cats and found herself pinned under Redflame's heavy paws. "Trying to sneak away, coward?" the overseer hissed.

"I'm surprise you managed to spot me," Iceshard hissed back, "seeing as you have only one eye. What happened to your other? Lose it?"

Redflame's lip curled and he ripped into Iceshard's shoulder with his bloody claws. The Highest Star screeched and kicked up at the overseer, purring in amusement as he collided with the ground a little way off. But the tom was back on his paws in moments, barrelling towards Iceshard with a vicious snarl on his face. Iceshard ducked to the left and raked her claws down his side as he raced past her. She was too slow to dodge his vicious swipe at her face and found herself blinded by a sudden waterfall of red. When she could see again, Iceshard found herself pinned to the side of the stump Redflame had addressed StarClan from. She groaned as her sides ached and blood oozed from them. She was getting too old for these sorts of battles. "Well, don't you look powerful pinned here?" Redflame purred.

"Yet you stand here as nothing but an overseer of a dead land and I'm still the Highest Star," Iceshard snarled back. "I do believe I am more powerful despite my current position."

Redflame blinked a couple of times, his snarl fading from his face, before he pinned his ears back and plunged his teeth deep into Iceshard's throat. She shrieked in pain and writhed around in his jaws, but couldn't pull herself free. That was until Redflame suddenly squeaked and was ripped away from Iceshard. She sunk to the ground, gasping in air as her lungs burned. Once her vision finally cleared itself of the dark spots she could see who had saved her and was more than surprised to see Eternity standing over Redflame's mangled body. He twisted her head to stare at her, eyes wide. "You are lucky that I happened to see your rather bad predicament with Redflame when I did," the big tom muttered. "Otherwise you would be dead and the Dark Forest would be left without their leader."

"I know, I know," Iceshard replied as she struggled to her paws. "How is the battle going?"

Eternity gave a small smile. "The battle has been won. All we are waiting for is your judgement on what to do next." He gestured towards the stump stained with Iceshard's blood. Iceshard arched her brow and then launched herself atop the stump, using her claws to haul herself into it. When she looked over the battle field she was surprised beyond words. Her Dark Forest warriors had the StarClanners corralled into a circle. The StarClanners looked terrified with many bodies as well as living cats surrounding them.

"Well. This is a pleasant surprise to say the least," Iceshard purred, eyes glinting in greed.

Eternity nodded and twitched his whiskers as Settingsun joined them, a look of delight on her face. Her pelt was torn in places and very bloody but she didn't seem bothered by it at all. "What do you want us to do?" Eternity asked.

"Kill them," Iceshard ordered coldly. "Kill them all."

And she watched in happiness as the Dark Forest cats launched themselves at the StarClanners and tore into them. Cries of fear and pain echoed through the clearing and Iceshard felt a presence behind her. "Well done, daughter. You have done well."

AN: Sorry if these updates start to get slower, I'm suffering really badly from depression right now. I will try and update quickly, but don't expect me to. Kay? :)

Don't forget that competition! Everything you need to know is on my profile!

This chapter = 4747 words.

Tornheart is really starting to surprise me. I never actually planned for her to be this important. I did plan for her to join RisingClan and recieve the name Tornshadow. But I am very happy that she is playing such an important part. I love little Tornheart and sometimes I forget that she is still an apprentice! I hope you guys love her to!