The moon seemed to cry as the wind blew even stronger. The few clouds that hung silently in the night sky began to grow and turn black. The filled with anger and anguish. The pained wind fought against them and with a final blow, the wind tore open the charcoal clouds. The clouds did bleed and hence the rain did fall.

A storm doth brew...

As I stood by Christian's side lost within the howling wind as it cried out in pain and feeling a few icy raindrops slid down my fingertips, I could here shouts floating on the solemn breeze.

Without a word I dashed to my horse and hopped upon it.

"Christian!" I cried as I began to race off.

After an eerily quiet moment, Christian was racing by my side. He did not speak for his eyes asked the questions. In but a moment he understood everything and we were racing back towards the cage.

These clouds doth bleed,

The brooding rain doth need.

It lusts for pain,

It cries out my name.

That voice calls to me.

We rode for about an hour as fast as we could; we did not take the path we had come on for the voice did beckon me elsewhere. The rain pained my skin as it fell in it suicidal attacks and the wind directed the attacks. First they attacked my hands until they were red, burning and sore. Then they went for my arms; the wind ripped my sleeves off of my gown so that the rain may attack.

The icy pain of the falling rain was near unbearable. It felt as though thousands of daggers were diving into my flesh and so incessant it was. I felt warm blood trickle down my bare arms as the rain turned to hail and began to dive bomb even harder upon my skin.

This is no ordinary storm and in this barren desert of all places... It seems as if... Oh no... The rain... The Voice... Christian... it makes no sense... It can not be... I did think wrong... And now the punishment is given.

The night did seem to tick away so slowly and the sun would have been such a blessing if it ever did rise... and it didn't.

My body was stinging in utter agony as the tone of the voice became deafening. I slowed my exhausted horse and fell from him. I felt so light as my body hit the ground, no pain did I feel. I only felt the agony of the cries that now flooded my weary mind.

"Mon Ange!" Christian cried as he jumped from his horse and knelt by my side, "Oh God."

His eyes began to fill with tears as he saw the blood sliding down my frail arms. He held up one of my burning hands and held it in his own.

"Christian." I breathed as an explosion echoed through the stormy night.

The wind howled and the hail pelted against the ground as the cries of dying souls melted within the rolling thunder. Christian's eyes averted from me and gazed at the inferno that was taking place behind us.

"We must go." I spoke as I painfully rose from the sand.

"What is happening?" Christian inquired as he helped me to my feet.

"A war..." I replied as he and I began to walk towards the blaze

We walked towards the burning building, Christian right at my side, watching my every move. I walked as if in a trance.

Is this my punishment? His pain!! His family's death?

My mind screamed this as I looked down at a charred slab of granite to see Adrianna lying unconscious; a note was grasped in her frail hands.

"MOTHER!!!" Christian cried as he saw his mother's frail body lying under the charred granite.

I knelt beside him as he fell to his knees next to her. My eyes were fixed on this little piece of parchment and slowly I reached and took it from her cool hands. Christian's sorrowful eyes were now fixed upon me as I stood and read the note.

It held:

You choose to love and yet you pained and I wait within the rain.

The Rain

"What does it say?" Christian inquired as he walked towards me.

"I shouldn't have let this happen. Oh this is all my fault." I spoke as I fell to my knees from fatigue and pain.

"What are you talking about?" he breathed as he knelt beside me.

"I am the one he was looking for. I am the reasons your parents are dead. I shouldn't have left the ship." I wept as I fell into his arms.

"Oh Mon ange! This is not your fault." He argued.

"An Angel's kiss may save!

By with it follows pain.

Like the pounding waves,

The Voice does call my name." I sang tears streamed from my red eyes.

"What do you...?" he began but stopped as he heard his mother's deep sighs.

"You can't save me." I breathed, "But you can save her."

"No my angel. Don't say these things." He pleaded his tears falling like the rain and hail around us.

The rain follows me,

For the storm am I.

It kills my love,

And echoes my cry.

An Angel's love

Saves that's true.

But the war it begins,

We kill all of you.

That solemn melody did float around in chaos and it brought tears to my pained eyes.

"Nicole, this isn't your fault. You didn't kill anyone." He spoke as he caressed my cheek with his fingertips.

I could not reply to his solemn pleas; the only words that passed my burning lips were "I love you."

With this, Christian bent his head and began to sob.

"Now go to her." I ordered as the hail began to melt and turn to icy rain once more.

"But..."

"GO!"

His eyes, filled with pain, began to release their tears once more.

"I love you too." He breathed as he left my side and went to his mother.

He then turned back to look upon where I lay and saw that I was gone.

I truly was gone...