Yes, I know I said I'd update on Tuesday (My birthday! Wheee!) but my parents wouldn't let me get on my computer - they said I had to study for finals (Bleh!) So, a day late, here is the next chapter of my most awesome story ever! Read it and you know what's coming next: REVIEW!

Summary: Kurt is a Fallen, an indescribably beautiful race of demon–angels. Kitty is a fledgling priestess with a hidden power. Kitty knows that Kurt isn't her enemy, but can she prove it?

Fallen Angel

19. Secrets Revealed

Kitty kept her eyes shut tightly, waiting for the spots to vanish; then she slowly peeked open one eye, the other quickly following suit as she stared in utter disbelief.

She was aware of Kurt and Sparks, sitting up beside her, and of Fervior, just beyond the circle of light, lying in a heap. But what really captivated her attention was what had appeared within the circle of dull, gray light, stretched out on the tiny table-like structure.

She crept slowly closer, as if daring her eyes to be playing tricks on her. She blinked rapidly and looked again. No, no tricks. This was reality, surely.

There in the center of the light, was what appeared to be a clone of Kitty. Maybe not…

Kitty remembered…her mind drifting back to the Spirit arrow's vision. Was it possible…? She was supposed to be dead, right?

She heard Kurt creep up behind her, staring also in shock. And when she heard Sparks speak, her suspicions were confirmed.

"Karma…?"

Kurt muttered, "Wasn't she dead…?"

Sparks shrugged. "That is what everyone assumed. There wasn't a body. Everyone figured she'd been destroyed, but now I think she was consumed by the Darkness, and because she was a Spirit user, that bound her to Fervior—we restored Fervior's soul, and she was freed."

Kitty narrowed her eyes. "But is she dead?" That, she sensed, was the real question here.

Sparks gave another shrug. "Who knows…?"

Kitty nodded warily, and wasn't quite as surprised when Karma stirred, then the eyes opened—just as the Spirit arrow had shown Kitty, crystalline blue so like her own, yet clear as glass.

The almost-clone of Kitty sat up slowly, eyes darting around in surprise. She stood, and as if drawn to the action, Kitty, Sparks, and Kurt did as well.

First the all-elements user turned to Sparks. "Guardian…" she spoke quietly (obviously she could tell what Sparks truly was) and Kitty listened—the voice was the same as she had heard in the vision as well. This was Karma.

"Guardian, I am sorry I did not heed your advice. By seeking out Darkness, I was in turn consumed by it." Sparks's red gaze was impassive, but she nodded once, and Karma turned to Kitty.

"You…"

Kitty jumped at being directly addressed. "Me?"

A faint smile flickered across Karma's face. "Yes. You are the one I saw within the ever-lasting Darkness, the only light within that dark expanse. You are an all-elements wielder as well, I take it."

Kitty nodded slowly, not sure what to make of this.

Karma's gaze swept across the room, eyes alighting on Fervior. She picked up the bow from where it had fallen from Kitty's hands after the explosion of light, and crossed the circle of light to kneel beside Fervior. Kitty became aware of the fact that his eyes were open, and had probably been watching them for a while. Karma whispered something in his ear, and after a long pause, he nodded reluctantly. Karma got up and walked back to Kitty, Kurt and Sparks; Fervior trailed behind her.

They all sat in a circle, and waited. Karma began speaking. "I am sure you are curious about this change of events, are you not?"

Kitty, Kurt, and Sparks nodded in unison, not daring to speak.

Karma stood. "This was during the first attack on Treehaven…"

Kitty let herself be swept away be the words.

I could see the sun beginning its descent, to bring on the night. Treehaven was burning; and I knew exactly who had led the attack. I move now, or else lose the advantage of sunlight.

Luckily, or maybe unluckily enough for me, I knew him better than perhaps even he knew himself, and caught up to him on the bridge just outside the Fallen village. I remembered this place—where I had first passed judgement on him. Would I be forced to do it again? The gods seemed to be mocking me; the sun's dying rays highlighted the bridge and both of us, making my memories of this place grow; for a moment, I was lost in the past—but I shook myself and forced myself to face him.

"Why?"

That single word nearly took all I had to speak, but I made myself go on. "Why have you done this?"

He turned to face me; and I was surprised to see his eyes. No longer the ones I had known all my life, they were cold black orbs flecked with spinning red dots. What had happened to him?

A memory swept across my mind—my using the Spirit arrow in an attempt to break him free of the darkness. Now I knew the truth—my arrow had shattered all that was good in him, leaving a void to be filled by the Darkness. I bowed my head. I had done this!

I realized he still hadn't spoken. "Why?" I screamed; my hand finding the bow strung over my shoulder. In very deliberate motions, I drew it from my shoulder, and allowed the element Spirit to flood over me. When I opened my eyes, a gleaming, bright Spirit arrow sat waiting on the bow. Trying not to let the old memories take over, I aimed, and for a moment, I could see his eyes flash, changing back to their old color, but just as quickly, they were cold and black again.

"Please…" I found myself saying, pleading for I don't know what, but he didn't move. And as my arrow leapt from the bow, strands of darkness swirled around him, and the light, stained orange by the setting sun, was vanishing, replaced by utter blackness.

I knew this feeling—it was being consumed by the Darkness. I tried to use my elements to save me, but as my physical body vanished within the blackness, I could still feel that my spirit had remained intact. However much that I could have done was gone now, as I slipped into the deep void of black, fading, falling…

Silence reigned at the end of her story. Kitty noticed that the walls of the chamber no longer seemed as threatening, or even as black as before. She said, almost timidly, "Where did all the darkness go?"

Karma looked around, eyes widening. "The Darkness was banished by the Light, and has now moved on to find a new host…"

"A new host?" Kurt repeated, looking weirded out.

"Yes." Karma's gaze raked past them. "Who among you that you know of is most susceptible to the Darkness? Those with the dark/light element would be most prominent, but there are those with dark hearts as well. So I ask you again: who among you is most controllable by the Darkness?"

Kitty thought, her eyes flicking back and forth between Fervior (who had yet to say a word) and Karma (who seemed to be doing all the talking), a question evident in her eyes. Finally she asked, "What about you two?"

Karma blinked, and then slowly nodded. "We were in contact with the Darkness most out of everyone here, but the Darkness did not remain here; it has fled somewhere else. And your arrow of Light, Dark, and Spirit purged the Darkness from both us and this room. Now, the only problem is that there is more Darkness out there, looking to find a new person to control. How many do you know that have the dark/light element, and live in Treehaven?"

Kitty could think of one right off the top of her head, but she looked to Kurt. He shrugged. "I know of about three or four."

"And which of these, let's say four, is the closest to using the dark part of the element the most?"

Kurt thought slowly, muttering under his breath. "…uses light too much….again, uses light too much….that one's pretty much equal…" His eyes widened, not listing off the last of the four's description of their use of the dark/light element. He looked up at Karma. "What if they have another element?"

Karma's blue eyes narrowed. "What element?"

Kitty felt as though she knew what was coming next. Another element…also with the dark/light element… Kurt wasn't going to say what she thought he was, right?

For a moment Kurt didn't say anything, as if debating over something. Finally he said, "Lightning."

Kitty very nearly stopped breathing.

She knew of only one person that had dark/light anyways, but to have lightning as well, with only two lightning-born users in Treehaven…she looked across at Kurt, locking eyes with him, and realized he knew too.

Shade.

Yup. The plot thickens, eh? What will happen next? *dramatic music* Any-ways, I'm celebrating my 15th birthday! Whooo! Everyone gets chocalate-chip cookies in honor of my birthday (and I'm one year away from becoming 16! Scary thought) Review peeps, you know you want to! It is irresistable! Muahahahahaha!

~ Shadey