Kiri: Phew! sorry that took so long, peoples! I had a nasty case of writters block, but I finally managed to get something done!

Ravan: Was that before or after you had to whine to your friend for ideas?

Kiri: ...Shut up. Anyways, enjoy the story!

Chapter Sixteen

Erik was having a field day with the fact that I'd fell on my face in front of mother. Every word that left his mouth was some kind of reference to my fall, and that I was clumsy. That, and he wouldn't wipe that stupid smirk off his face. Honestly, he was really starting to get on my nerves.

My meeting with mother had been brief. VERY brief. After she had asked if I was all right, she inquired as to how in the world I'd survived in the middle of a war zone for so long. I answered that I had a protector, then she'd simply wished me luck and left. That's when I grudgingly climbed back up to rejoin Erik, who couldn't get over the incident.

But despite his taunting, I think I'd found out something vital as to the time period I was in. When I had first met Hesam, he'd told me about the attack on Babylon by some mad vizier. My parents had never bothered to tell me about anything that had happened around that time. Hell, the only thing I did know about was the untimely death of my father's father. Well, this must be where I am, because it sure as I'm standing here isn't the attack I'd lived through.

"Honestly, Erik, I do not know why you insist on dwelling on it!" I finally shouted after loosing patience for his sarcastic remarks. "I fell! That's all! I'm not injured, so would you just shut up already!"

"Hmm, I seem to have struck a nerve," Erik replied smugly. I glared daggers at him. "Perhaps if you were not so clumsy…"

"…" I decided that arguing would be pointless from here, so I just turned on my heel and started walking again. We passed through an archway into a narrow ally. "If you aren't going to leave it be, then don't expect any conversation from me." A shallow threat, but it was all I could come up with. Erik only chuckled mockingly.

We rounded a corner, but as fate would have it, another battle awaited us. Sighing, I looked at Erik, who was already readying his blade, and I searched for the best hiding place. Since there was really nothing to conceal myself behind, or under, I decided to just stay around the corner and just peek around the corner every so often.

As always, Erik ran into battle and started his rampage while I watched quietly from a distance. I suppose so fight drew the attention of some solders I didn't notice because while I was watching, one of them snatched me by the shoulders. I started to yell for help, but before I knew what was happening, white hot pain shot into my skull and all I could see from there was an inky blackness…

While I was unconscious, I dreamt again. Since I told the last one, I might as well tell this one as well.

It started out simple, like the last one. I was back home, in the palace, sitting humbly on my father's throne. There was certain stillness about the atmosphere that calmed me, but at the same time, unnerved me. The room was empty. There were no guards, no servants, not even the advisors that were usually around when someone was occupying the throne for whatever reason. There was no one. Just me.

It was also very quiet. If a pin were dropped, it would probably echo. The silence was spooky in it's own way, which only served to make me more edgy. So I started humming. Nothing in particular at first, just some random notes, but soon I had a tune going.

With my mind on my song, everything less intimidating and I was a little calmer. Then I thought of something else. I'm not sure how the thought entered my mind, but I started thinking about when Erik had betrayed me. I remembered when the Dagger of Time had struck me, how much it had hurt and how I wanted nothing more than something to ease the pain.

I abruptly stopped humming and glanced around nervously. The thought should not have made me so nervous, but it did. I suddenly stood up from the throne and hurriedly walked down the steps and towards the door leading out. I don't know why, but I had the strange feeling that something didn't want me there and if I didn't get out of there fast, it would hurt me.

Halfway, I broke into a run. I ran as fast as I could, forcing myself to not look back. Something was it the room with me, but I didn't want to find out what it was. I just ran.

As I ran, the scenery changed. The walls of the palace seemed to melt away into blackness, but were soon replaced by Babylon. Except it wasn't the way it should've been. It was in flames once again. The streets were empty, but filled with a sense of chaos. Bodies, broken weapons and rubble littered the city.

I stopped running when I reached a small plaza and took another look around. A menacing black smoke filled the sky, blocking the sun, turning it all from brilliant blue to a horrible red. Every street that connected to the plaza seemed blacked in some way, weather it was a large rubble pile, a fire, or just the fact that it felt intimidating.

It was then that I felt eyes upon me. the hair on the back of my neck seemed to stand on end, shivers ran down my spine, and I had a feeling boiling in the bottom of my gut. The feeling of 'hey moron, there's danger right behind you. Get ready for it.' I swallowed nervously and slowly turned around to face whatever threat waited for me.

My eyes fell upon a man—or at least, it looked like a man at first. He stood on the rooftop of a nearby building, staring down at me with a cruel smirk stretched across his lips. His skin was the color of charcoal and was laced with gold patterns. A deadly whip-like weapon spiraled around one arm and coiled down onto the ground. But his eyes… his eyes were golden, the color of sand. They frightened me the most, I think.

I wanted to run. I wanted to turn back and run as fast as I could, but I didn't. I couldn't. My body seemed frozen in place. Then he spoke slowly, his voice deep and threatening.

"All that is yours is rightfully mine…" Terror gripped my heart more than before. He suddenly leapt high into the air, flipped, then landed in front of me only inches away. My heart seemed to stop. He gripped my neck, his cruel eyes boring harshly into mine, stripping me of all defenses. I felt bare, like his piercing gaze had drilled through and was staring right at my very soul. "And mine it will be."

He started choking me. I opened my mouth to scream, but all that came out was a tiny squeak. He simply laughed as my eyes widened. Then he shoved me backwards. I found myself falling… He kept laughing that terrible, wicked laugh. I fell and fell into an endless black abyss, further and further from where the man stood, but his awful laughing still echoed in my mind…

At that moment, I had no idea that that man would be the last thing I would ever see again.

Kiri: I've got a free Dark Prince plushie for whoever can guess what she meant by that last statement. It's actually pretty easy... but anyways... I actually liked writting that last part. Leave a comment and I'll get to work on chapter 17, ok?