Author's Notes

Greetings and salutations! I'm here again and typing another chapter of Broken Destiny. YAY! I have no idea but I think that this might be the last chapter where they are in the village of Cline. It's been getting kind of boring being here but I haven't had them leave because of a few things.......1: I have no idea where I'm gonna send them first. 2: it's been a while since I've looked at my "map" so I kind of forget the places names. 3: I can't find my "planner" paper so I have no idea what events are going to happen when and I might get them mixed up. Ya, I know you're probably thinking "What the heck? Aren't you supposed to be the one writing it? Why do you need a planner or anything else? Just write it!" Well yeah, I thought about that but a: I'm an organization freak so I like having things down and in order before I do things, I'm not a 'wing-it' person and b: I worked really hard on that planner and it had a lot of good ideas on it for making a better story, so yeah. Okay, I'm done rambling, here's the next chapter :D

**Characters 'thoughts', flashbacks, and dreams

Chapter 6: Heartbreaking Question

"Wh-wh" Will began to sputter but Serenity cut him off.

"You want to know what that was?" she said calmly looking at his expression, which had come to and passed the state of shock a long time ago. Will just nodded for lack of being able to form any sort of coherent sentence. "That was the boundary spell that village children hear about so often but never really know what it looks like."

"B-boundary sp-spell?" he stuttered.

"Yes, it's the only reason that villages aren't attacked and destroyed by the creatures of the valley." She responded in the same level voice, still looking at the ground where the roots had emerged.

"Ok........" he said looking down. Then he looked back up and at her rather quickly. "But wait, what about Sine? Didn't you say that it was attacked and destroyed?" he seemed to have snapped out of his freeze and was looking at her questioningly.

"I was hoping that that bit of information would slip past you but if you remember about my tips on how to kill a Skrit while in a panic situation then I guess that one didn't have a chance of escaping." she said solemnly and looked to the sky. "I don't know what happened with Sine. From what I can remember, the creatures were huge with powerful arms and big jagged looking swords, so maybe they overpowered the spell or something, I don't know." She shook her head and got up to pace, frowning at the ground.

"Or....." he said, deep in thought with his arms crossed and trailing off.

"Or what?" She had stopped pacing and was looking at him intently.

"Or they weren't from the valley. You said yourself that the spell protects from creatures of the valley invading the villages; maybe it doesn't work on creatures from out of the valley. After all, no one knows if there are lands besides the Diqui Valley in this world but at the same time, no one can disprove it. The other lands might surround us on all sides and the Saku Mountains strengthen this fact with their impassibility. Or relative impassibility since those things got here, if they were from out of the valley." he said slowly, like he was checking his logic as he spoke.

"Not from the valley? That does seem to make sense because I've never seen one of those things again as well as the fact that the old scripts of the spell don't tell of protection from outside creatures." She began to pace again but the pace wasn't as fast and agitated as it had been, it was slower and her face contemplating. "But where could they have come from if not from the valley?" she asked off-handedly.

"I have no idea, what did they look like?" he looked over at her.

"Well they were really big, and they sort of looked like humans, but without a head, and-" she broke off and stopped pacing, her eyes glazing over slightly as she began to space out.

"Okay, and what?" he got up and walked over to her. "Hellooo? Serenity? You there?" He waved his hand in front of her face.

"Huh? What? Oh, sorry, what were we talking about?" she shook her head and looked at him in confusion.

"You were describing the creatures that attacked Sine when you were little." he reminded her.

"I was? Okay, well they- ohhhhhh......" she began but stopped and put her hand over her face. "I don't feel so good, my head hurts." She swayed slightly and fell into Will.

"Woah there! There has definitely got to be a block or something in that head of yours. Here, I'll carry you back into town, think of it as payback for carrying me through he forest when I couldn't walk all that well." and he pulled her up onto his back and started walking down the road towards town.

..........

"Are you sure you want to walk the rest of the way? We really went in there a ways and it's still a far bit till town." Will asked as he let Serenity slip down off his back.

"Yeah, I'm positive. It was really nice of you and all, but I have my pride to consider. What would everyone think if you came into town carrying me on your back?" she said pointedly and began to walk on while he stood there.

"I don't know, what do you think that they would think?" he asked and went to catch up with her staying close by her side incase she started to fall again.

"Well with how you were at our first run-in, they would think, 'Isn't Will such an amazing and kind young man to help that poor helpless girl' and that is the last thing I need people thinking because I am not even close to being helpless." she snarled and quickened her pace.

"I doubt they would think that but ok and yes, I do agree very strongly with you that you and the worst definition possible for helpless." he began to do a medium jog to keep up with her fast walking. "Hey, speaking of which, there's the village now." he pointed up ahead a ways. Serenity slowed down and they walked in silence the rest of the way there.

"Hey William!" a man called as they entered the village.

"Oh, hey Jessie." Will stopped and waved to him as he walked over to where he and Serenity were standing now.

"So who is your friend? I don't think I've ever seen her around here before." he asked smiling at her, she just stood where she was with a blank face showing no emotion whatsoever which in turn caused him to withdraw slightly.

"This is Ser-" but Serenity cut him off before he could finish.

"My name is not important, so if you will excuse us, we have somewhere that we need to be right now." she said in a hard tone and began to pull Will away but he stopped her.

"Chill out a second, I'm just having a quick chat and then we'll leave." he said and turned back to Jessie.

"Sorry about that Jess, she's ok once you get to know her." He laughed and slapped Jessie on the back.

"Sure, whatever you say." Jessie said and then pulled Will aside and whispered into his ear. "Where'd you find this one Will? Did you pull her out of the forest or something? I've never seen a girl look like that and act like that either." he said, looking at Serenity like she was some sort of freak show and then smiled. "Heh heh, usually they're swarming all over you and competing for your attention." He laughed and elbowed him in the side.

"I wouldn't say that if I were you Jessie, she has ears like a dog, the temper of a Boog, and could beat you with one hand tied behind her back." Will said to him in a sincere warning tone.

"Oh really? Ha! I don't believe that, no little girl could beat me, and especially not with only one hand." Jessie laughed out loud. As soon as he had said this, Serenity turned around and set her stone cold gaze on him.

"You want to say that again pretty boy?" she said coolly but with an underlying poisonous note. Jessie stopped laughing and turned to her and serious look on his face.

"What did you just say to me girl?" he asked.

"You heard me pretty boy." she said tauntingly with a smirk on her face.

"Nobody calls me pretty boy and especially not a useless little girl." he snapped back clenching his fists, his face becoming red.

"Well I just did. So what're you going to do about it?" she growled and began to walk towards him casually. A crowd had begun to form to see this stranger taunt Jessie.

"Jessie, calm down, she wants you to attack her so that she can fight you." Will said, trying to hold him back and reason with him.

"Move it Will, unless you want to get hurt." Jessie snarled at him dangerously. "I'm not going to just stand here and let that freak insult me."

"Oh, so now I'm a freak? I thought that I was just a little girl." She continued towards him, her stone cold stare melting into taunting, fiery, battle-ready one.

"Serenity, be quiet, you're not helping anything." Will snapped at her.

"So that's the freak's name? Hah! Well Serenity, you really think that you can beat me?" he said in the same snarling tone as before.

"Yes, and you won't even land one hit." She stopped in front of where Jessie was standing and continued to taunt him, smirking maliciously.

"That's it, I'll wipe that smirk off your face and teach you to insult me!" he yelled and lunged at her. She dodged easily just like when she was fighting Will.

"Be my guest, I invite you to try. However, you'll have to try a little harder than that." She laughed and nailed him with a roundhouse kick square in the face, knocking him to the ground, unconscious.

"Oh, and did I mention that I would beat you in one hit?" she asked his motionless form on the ground venomously. At this the crowd began to back away with looks of fear on their faces. Some of the other men ran forward to check on Jessie but Serenity took and step forward and leveled a chilling stare at them and they backed away slowly. She then went and kneeled by Jessie's unconscious body, rolled him over, and stuck a vile of something under his nose that she had taken from her jacket. Jessie immediately shot up, his hand covering his nose and began to cough.

"Pwah! What was that?! What a horrible smell!" he looked over at Serenity and his eyes narrowed. "You..." he growled.

"Yes, me. I knocked you out cold on the ground with a kick. But I'm sorry so chill out." She said flatly and got up, offering her hand to help him up.

"You what? Why you little.... I'm going to- wait what?" he began scathingly and then stopped and looked at her and the offered hand, startled.

"I said I'm sorry for taunting you and then hitting you so hard." she said this with audible difficulty and her face became a blank slate again.

"Is there something wrong with you or something? You just got finished probably mentally cursing my existence and beating me up and now you're apologizing for that." He continued to look at her in confusion but took her hand and she helped him up.

"No, I just hate guys who think that they are superior to all women so I had to teach you a lesson. I trust that you've learned it well enough and you won't be judging a woman to be inferior to you any time soon?" she said crushing his hand in hers, her rock hard gaze boring into his eyes.

"Ow, yes! Yes! I've learned it! Satisfied?" he said trying to pull his hand out of hers.

"Yes." she said and released his hand, he pulled it back quickly and clutched it in mild pain. "Come on Will, we should be getting back to your mom's house before she kills herself trying to come after you through the forest." She called over her shoulder to him and began to walk towards Darla's house, the crowd parting as she approached. Will hesitated for a moment but then sighed and began to follow her, he stopped by Jessie and apologized greatly and then ran after Serenity.

"Serenity! Slow down! Jeez! Where's the fire?" will panted, out of breath from running after her for most of the way since she had taken off after the fight. She just sighed and didn't look at him. "What's the matter Serri? You look depressed." he said in concern.

"This is becoming just the same as any other place I go. I want to get you back to your house as soon as possible so that I can leave this place." she said with a heavy sigh.

"But Serenity, this is your home, you can't leave. What about all the catching up we have to do yet?" he said in a pleading tone, grabbing her arm and stopping her.

"I have told you this already as well, my home is the valley and the faces I know are its creatures," she said pulling free of his grip and beginning to walk again, " and as for the catching up, there is none to be done because I would rather that you forget I was here once I leave."

"Well I don't plan to, just like I don't plan to let you leave alone if you do." he ran up to walk beside her again.

"Oh really, so you plan to follow me out into the valley with all its dangers?" she looked at him in a doubtful expression.

"Yes, really." he responded in a resolved tone, crossing his arms as if to challenge her to try and change his mind.

"There won't be any beds or protection from secure shelters and there certainly won't be any easy food, you have to basically do everything yourself. Does the spoiled prince think he can take that?" she smiled and looked at him, awaiting a response which would most likely be 'no'. But what he said next surprised her a little but not much since he had that 'I can take anything you can take' look on his face.

"Yes, this spoiled prince can take it." he said smiling at the lightening fast frown that crossed her face.

"Darla will never let you go, so don't kid yourself. She guards you like a Sevlow pack guards its favorite hunting grounds." She continued on towards the house more quickly and left him behind.

"So? That doesn't mean I can't find a way to go without her consent or knowledge." He said, running to catch up with her.

"Ha! You may find a way to go without her consent, but there is no way in hell you're gonna find a way to go without her knowledge. She's not stupid you know." Serenity said, laughing and slowing down slightly to let him catch up.

"I don't really care." He said indifferently. "I'm 19 you know, it's time I leave here and go someplace else or explore." He looked towards the east and just stared at the ominous black wall that rose to slice through the clouds above.

"I'm well aware of your lack of caring Will but being 17 is no better a reason than saying just because you want to. The people of this valley don't explore it or even travel outside of their own towns if they don't have to, heaven forbid wanting to. It's amazing that the townspeople even know that there are other towns in this valley, let alone roads!" she said in amazement, gesturing at the path they were walking on. "So saying that you're 17 means nothing."

"I guess I don't have a real reason then............but I'm still coming, whether you like it or not." He said with a tone of finality. "Hm, looks like we're back already. I vote that you go first; mom might not get you as badly as me for what we did." He said absently and then got behind Serenity.

"Ugh! You are hopeless, helpless, and a wuss, you know that? It's not like she's gonna rip your head off, and what do you mean what we did? You're the one who caused the whole thing and you are also the one who decided it would be a good idea to follow me you moron." She said, turning and smacking him upside the head.

"Ouch! Well apparently you've forgotten how she can be when she's mad." Will said while rubbing his head. "I didn't start it either, it was your fault for getting defensive and running off." he argued, frowning.

"Ai! Lets not start the blame game, it gets tiring." She sighed. "Well, whatever, lets go already." She grabbed him by the back of his collar and dragged him up to the house, ignoring his loud protests. They were almost to the house when the door slammed open and a red eyed, very ruffled looking Darla charged out and grabbed Will in a big, sobbing hug.

"Oh William, my sweet, sweet baby!! I'm so happy to see that you're okay! When I saw you run off into the forest after Serenity, I almost died of fear for your safety!!!" Darla said in between sobs into Will's shoulder while hugging him tight.

"Uh, mom, it's okay, really. As you can see, I'm absolutely fine, so you can let go now. Please?" Will said with a thoroughly startled look on his face at first, then changing to a worried expression. "You look terrible, have you been sitting in your chair by the window and just crying this whole time?" He managed to get out of her grip and hold her by her shoulders so he could look her in the face.

"No, I promised you after your father died that I would never do that again and I would never break a promise to you sweetheart." She was still sobbing but she made an attempt to stop and wipe them away when she looked her son in the eye and told him that. He looked back at her for a moment and then hugged her saying he was sorry he had worried her so badly and done almost the same thing that his father had done. While Will and Darla were hugging and talking, Serenity began to slowly and discretely sneak away towards the forest but Will noticed her before she could get very far.

"And where do you think you're going?" he said and walked over, putting a firm hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"I, uh, I was just going to take a walk and leave you two alone for a while." she said in the tone of someone who had been caught red-handed and was coming up with an excuse.

"'Riiiiight, and I can bet anyone anything that you would have never returned from that 'walk' of yours." he said sarcastically and doing quotation marks in the air when he said walk. "Me and mom are good now but thanks anyway for being so thoughtful." he said, smacking her on the back and pulling her back over to where Darla was standing and looking a little bewildered at this exchange.

"Aha-ha-ha, that's crazy, I would have come back and yeah, you know me Will, always trying to be considerate of others." she said in an equally sarcastic tone and slapping him in the back as well, causing him to take a few steps forward and then look back at her with narrowed eyes. "So, um, Darla?" Serenity said hesitantly.

"Yes Serenity?" Darla answered back in a strong but hoarse voice from all the crying.

"I, uh, I'm sorry about that whole running off thing and yelling at you and Will." she said with a little difficulty, she wasn't used to apologizing to people for anything mostly because she didn't know them enough to care or there wasn't anyone there to apologize to. But she knew Darla pretty well and she thought that she should at least make an effort to look like she was remorseful for her actions, even though she really didn't feel very sorry for what she did because all she did was try to leave this place.

"It's okay Serenity dear, I don't blame you and you don't have to apologize just because you think you should." She said, patting Serenity on the shoulder, smiling weakly and then turning towards the house. When Darla had turned away Serenity flinched quite visibly from being called 'dear' and then saw Will smirk slightly out of the corner of her eye. "Why don't you two come inside again, I have lunch made."

"Okay, thanks mom." Will said, following her to the house and then pausing and turning back to grab Serenity as she was trying to sneak away again and dragged her along with him.

"I told you already, you are not leaving here without me so just give up on the sneaking away because it won't work." he whispered in her ear, tightening his grip on her arm.

"I still don't care because you are not coming with me, not if I can help it. And no, I have no intention of giving up anytime soon pretty boy." she hissed back at him but didn't try to pull free of his grasp. They entered the house and walked into the kitchen where Darla had set the table and was dividing up the soup she had made. She looked up and smiled at them when they entered the kitchen and Serenity made a low whimpering sound.

"I hope that you like the soup Serenity, it's a recipe that I've had for a while but I got it after you and your parents moved away." She put the pot back on the stove and took a seat at the table.

"Thanks, I'm sure that I will." Serenity mumbled back and took the seat closest to the kitchen window, looking out it as Will took his seat by her and across from his mother.

"Mmm, looks fantastic mom, thanks so much." Will said enthusiastically and began to slurp down the soup.

"Ha ha, thank you William but I think that you should slow down a bit, it's hot and I don't want you burning yourself on it." she laughed and then began to eat her soup slowly, blowing on it before putting it into her mouth.

'I need to get out of here; this is torture being trapped in this darned house! I feel like I'm gonna be sick it's so stuffy and oppressing in here! I don't think that I ever liked being in houses when I was young, I can't quite remember, but I really don't like being in them now. I know where the door is; maybe I can make a dash for it and get out of here before Will can stop me. Well, actually, I know I can get out of here before Will even has chance to realize what I'm doing but he seemed so set on going with me and I have a good feeling that if I run, he'll follow me, just like last time. Ugh! I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place! What ever power there may be in the heavens above, please help me!! Wow, I can't believe I just thought that, I haven't asked for help from anyone of anything in ages let alone believed that there was any power above that would help any of us humans down here. Ha! If there were there would be no way that the world would be like this right now, either that or they just don't care enough to bother looking down and seeing what's happened down here. Morons........' Serenity thought to herself as her continued to look out the window and occasionally steel quick glances through the doorway into the living room and to the door.

'She keeps looking over at the door really quick and then back out the window with a calculating look in her eyes. That and the fact she keeps fidgeting in her chair, she really does look like a caged animal, I almost feel sorry for her but I have to keep a close eye on her in case she decides to bolt. I told her twice now that I'm going with her and I fully intend to make sure that happens, I refuse to let her have all the fun exploring the valley. I remember when I heard that she was moving, at first I was shocked so badly that I couldn't think strait, she was my best, best friend and she had always been there when I was bored, I couldn't even imagine her not being there, even in my wildest and worst dreams. Also, I didn't really have any other friends that I could talk to or play with because me and her were always doing and talking about things that none of the other kids would ever dare to say or even thing of doing, like sneaking out of the borders to play. But after the shock part, I just felt jealous and angry. Jealous that she was going to get to explore the valley a little more and even get to go to a new town and meet the people there. Angry at her parents for taking her away and at her for leaving without me, but I never told her that. I guess that's sort of what changed my attitude, having to adapt to a world without her and to find new friends. But she's back now and I have the chance that I had wished for, for what seemed like forever after she left: the chance to go with her and explore the valley. To see what she was seeing and feel the thrill of being outside the town boundaries and silently daring the creatures to come get us, just like when we would play together by the stream as kids.' Will thought, he had stopped eating momentarily and had begun staring into space but then he seemed to snap back and then got up to refill his bowl.

"Serenity, are you okay? You haven't touched your food and you're looking a little pale." Darla said, looking over at her with a concerned expression.

"Mm? Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm okay I guess, I just don't really feel like eating right now. Sorry." she replied absently, turning from the window to stare blankly at the bowl of soup in front of her.

"If you're absolutely sure but still-" she began but Serenity cut her off.

"Really. I'm fine Darla, think you." she said quickly, looking her in the eye.

"Okay then." Darla said and got up to begin cleaning her bowl in a tub of water. Serenity turned back to stare out the window again as Will sat back down beside her. He looked at his soup for a second and then looked at his mom with a conflicted expression.

"Mom?" he said after a short time.

"Yes?" she asked over her shoulder as she cleaned, he paused and took a deep breath

"?" he said, the words came tumbling out of his mouth in a big quick and jumbled mess. Serenity's gaze left the window and shot to his face with a look of surprise while Darla stopped what she was doing and turned to look at him.

"What? Can you say that a little slower please, you said it so fast that I didn't catch it." she said looking at him with a look of confusion.

"Um, can I, uh, maybe...." he said hesitantly and trailing off into a mumbled question.

"William, speak up and talk clearly. I don't see what could be so bad that you can't just ask it right away, you've never had any problems asking me things before." she chided him, standing and putting her hands on her hips.

"When Serenity leaves...." He paused and looked away from his mother's figure.

"Okay, what about when she leaves?" she asked, trying to coax the rest of the question out of him.

"Can I go with her?" he said after a short time, then looking his mother in the eye.

"There we go! See? That wasn't so hard to ask now was it? So you want to g-" she burst out happily but then cut off short and a look of horror crossed her face as it began to pale at the realization of what he had just asked. She grabbed onto the counter near her for support as she began to sway.

"Mom, I know that this is the exact question that has probably come out of my mouth in your absolute worst nightmares but I really want to go. I didn't want to ask it because of what happened to dad but I can't help it." he said very regretfully as he went over to his mother and help her stay upright. She shook her head and put a hand out to keep him away as huge tears began to stream down her face faster and faster.

"Serenity? Did you......." she began to ask but her voice broke and she stopped.

"No Darla, I never asked him to ask that and I would rather he stayed here in town for his own safety and for your sake." she said back quietly with her head held in a proud position and her usual hard expression on her face while staring strait at the wall opposite from where she was sitting, but then looking down.

"Mom, she didn't ask me to come, I swear. I'm really sorry, I didn't-" he began but she cut him off.

"Go." Darla said abruptly, tears still streaming silently down her face. Serenity breathed out suddenly and her hard mask shifted slightly but then regained its solid, controlled, and expressionless state.

"What?" Will asked, astonished and barely believing what he had just heard.

"I said go. You're old enough to make your own decisions now and even though I denied it over and over I knew that this day would come when you would want to leave here and explore the valley outside of here. I can't stop you so just go." she said in a resolved and controlled tone and then she turned to him and held his face in her hands, her tear filled and deeply sorrowful green eyes. "But I want you to promise me one thing, no, I want you to swear it to me." she said in a strong tone.

"What is it mom?" Will asked, taking her hands from his face and holding them in his hands.

"I want you to swear to me that you'll be safe and stay alive, if not for yourself, then for me and the memory of your father." she answered him. "Serenity, there is something that I want you to swear to me as well." she said, tearing her eyes away from her son's face and looking at the where Serenity was sitting as still as a statue who had remained motionless through the whole thing.

"Yes?" she said in a tone that matched her expression; hard and emotionless. She continued to remain motionless as Darla walked over to her. Darla took Serenity's face in her right hand and made her look at her.

"I want you to swear that you will both help keep my baby safe and teach him how to survive out there in the wild. Is that clear?" she asked her, holding her head firmly towards her as she gaze bored into Serenity's.

"Yes, I will swear to do as you ask, Darla. For your sake as well as his, your husband's, and my parents' sakes." she replied in the same tone as before.

"Good, then you leave tomorrow morning." she said and then released her head and turned to her son. "Will, you had best get your affairs in order and say your goodbyes."

Okay! So I'm done with the 6th chapter, yay! And it's really, really, REALLY long, not yay! I'm real sorry about them growing in length, I'm trying my best to cut it out but as you can see, I'm failing miserably because this is my longest one yet. Okay! Um, I got kind of stuck on this one (you would never be able to tell if I didn't tell you) but both you readers and I can thank my bestest buddy Cheyenne for getting me to finish it, thank you bunches!! Also, from the time that I wrote the author's notes part to the time I'm writing this part, I have found my planner thingy so I know where they're going first and the one after that, and the one after that, and, well, yeah, you get the point. I also know when my other characters are coming in as well so I'm in great shape. Yeah........ I'm still not sure how they're going to get over the mountains since I've been describing them as HUGE GIANT AND ENORMOUS walls of impassible rock...............but I've still got time so I'm good! Maybe.......... Oh well! There's always miracles.......... like a random hole in the mountains! Yeah............. Anyway, I'm done and I'll go now, please read and review (R&R) :D