Wow didn't think I'd get another chapter up so soon. Even though it's another fairly short chapter, it's better than nothing. I had a slight burst of inspiration and needed to get it written before I lost it. I really hope you will all read and review. It's great to get a little feedback from the readers. Well enough rambling on, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 9

Serena was thankful that her mother wasn't around when she ran into her house and up to her room. She quickly shut the door and threw herself onto her bed and hugged the nearest pillow to her chest. After taking a deep breath she sat up and looked around her room. It was a good thing that Luna wasn't home; otherwise she would have to once again put on an act to push her away for trying to be concerned for her.

"I don't know how long I can keep this up…" Serena said sadly hugging the pillow tighter. "I don't want anything to happen to them but hurting them is tearing me apart."

She looked to her night stand and saw a picture of happier times with her and Darien holding each other under the sun, smiling lovingly. She could almost remember that exact day and how happy she was to be with him. She felt so safe and warm in his arms and now that was being taken away from her. She sighed and let her eyes linger over Darien's face and how she longed to him smile at her. It all ended so quickly, I just can't believe how things turned out so wrong. We were all so happy and then my friends started to act differently towards me. I thought they would all be happy if I started to change for the better, after all it was all the things they nagged me about. I was actually early to our meetings, getting good grades, and making a few more friends. Darien was starting to be proud of me, and then…then… Her eyes drifted to her right arm. The bracelet twinkled in response to her attention. Then those strange men just came out of nowhere and things got worse. The dream…more like a nightmare. And then my bracelet-wait my bracelet.

Serena held up her arm and looked intently at her shinning bracelet. "It talked to me before, but then again it could have been just my imagination. I was a little stressed that day. Could everything I've done to push away my friends been for nothing?" She turned her wrist to find the catch to the bracelet and was a bit baffled to find there was none.

She brought up her left hand and began to feel along the band to find any way of removing it. After a few minutes of searching she began to feel the slight edge of panic and began to tug on the bracelet in hopes it might just slide off her arm with enough force. But to no avail it wouldn't come off.

Meanwhile back into the deep dark caverns of the Earth, Lord Akio felt his senses tingle. Something was amiss, and it had to do with his precious bracelet. He quickly teleported to the outside of Serena's window and peered inside only to see the girl frantically trying to pry the bracelet off her arm. He cursed under his breath this wasn't something he had prepared for. He never thought she might suspect his bracelet as the cause of all her problems; after all it was crafted to be an item that attracted the least suspicion. He knew things wouldn't go well, if she panicked and ran back to her friends for assistance. He once more tapped into the bracelet's power and attempted to communicate with her.

Serena was starting to reach a conclusion that maybe this bracelet was the true source of all her problems and needed to rid herself of it once and for all. She knew her efforts weren't getting her anywhere, maybe she could find a tool in her father's tool box that could help her pry it off or something. Just as she was about to leave her room to sneak into the garage her bracelet let off an eerie glow.

"Serena, do not be afraid. I am only here to ensure your safety and keep you on the right path."

Serena was surprised to hear her bracelet speak to her for the second time in what seemed like ages. "How do I know you're telling me the truth? So many negative things have come about since I saw you at the amulet shop. I never wanted any of this I just want you to leave me alone so I can get my life back."

"I understand your sorrows, but I am only here to prevent you from making the mistake of losing all you know and love forever. This trial that has come upon you will make you stronger and you will see that only I can bring you this power."

Serena shook her head as tears fell from her eyes. "I don't want power; I don't anything but my friends! I don't care about being stronger, that's not what matters to me the most."

"Power is the only thing can save you and your loved ones from an untimely end. Would you be so selfish as to give up their lives to ease your own loneliness?"

Serena felt her resolve weakening, could she really take a chance and just ignore these warnings knowing that her friend's lives were on the line if she was wrong? Could she really be that selfish?

Lord Akio knew he had struck a chord with her. Foolish humans, especially human females were so gullible when it came to their emotions. He knew she wouldn't last very long; already she was beginning to doubt her own instincts in favor of his parlor tricks. Perhaps this would be easier than he had surmised.

"Would you really forsake the greater good for a mere moment of self satisfaction? You may not grasp the severity of this situation, but the future is not something to take lightly, my dear."

She once again began to doubt herself; this was the future she was dealing with. She needed to make the right choice or it would be all her fault for daring to go against fate. "I don't know…I just don't know what to do anymore! Nothing seems right, and either way I'm losing everything I love. Isn't there another way?"

"I'm afraid not. Fate has determined that you will heed my warning or be doomed to a life of perpetual loneliness. Which will it be? Temporary happiness with your loved ones only to end in their deaths, or suffer through this trial and gain the ultimate power that was meant for you and you alone?"

Serena bit her bottom lip trying to piece together both choices. The hands of fate had not been kind to her, but then again when was fate ever on her side? Could she really trust in this trinket on her wrist if only to save to the ones she loved? It seemed there was really no other choice. How could she gamble on the lives of the ones she loved to fulfill her own needs? If this was what fate had planned out for her, then she wouldn't give in and lose everything. She would continue on this path of segregation and push away her loved ones to save them from the demise that fate had in store for them. "I don't know what else I can do…I will stay away from them and protect them from fate."

"Good girl, it is for the best after all. And you will not be alone. I will remain by your side and guide you to the path that will unleash your hidden potential. You will bear the ultimate power and bring the world a new beginning." A beginning that heralded Lord Akio the supreme ruler of all worlds.

Serena sighed as another wave of tears began to take hold of her. Fate was cruel indeed. She fell back onto her bed letting the cushion of the mattress take the burden of her weight. She felt mentally exhausted and was in dire need of rest. As sad thoughts revolved in her mind, she let slumber slowly take her to a world of quiet darkness where her troubles would temporarily vanish in a void of complete silence.

Lord Akio let his mental connection slowly fade and turned his back from the sleeping form of the human girl. "This foolish girl is beginning to break and soon she will lose all her spirit. I just need a little more time to get her guard down and take control. Even now she has allowed the bracelet to begin the process of tapping into her power. This world will soon be mine." With that said he vanished back into the dark realms of the Earth.

Well, that's it for now, don't know when I'll get another chapter in, but I'll try to make it sooner than later. Please review!