He was in a cold darkness. He couldn't see he couldn't move. Was he dead? No…he couldn't picture death as so empty. ~she still needs you~ A woman's voice he did not recognize filled his head.
~Who's there~
~She still needs you…you will find the way~
Then within the cold darkness he started to feel a faint warmth. It was radiating from him…well more so something he had on. The Pendent was the source of the warmth, Not enough to burn to hurt him, but enough to shield the coldness. A faint glow also began to form around him. He knew why it was so dark there. He was in a void of sorts. He could begin to feel the ability to move, but there was nothing for him to move against. He tried to move but had no way to tell if he was getting anywhere & if he was, was it in the right direction? No clue how long it was till he saw a light forming in the distance. Focusing his movements he could tell he was getting closer & the light grew to the point the had to shield his eyes just hoping this wasn't the 'light' that many near death experiences talk about. He wasn't ready to meet his lord yet.

The light filled his view fully but then a new sensation of pain. He felt his body jerk, then he was laying on something. His vision cleared to show Krys standing there along with Jade's dad. Krys was standing closer her hand on his chest but she slowly backed up looking a little shaken. Jade's dad whispered something to Krys who lightly nodded walking from the room.

"What happened?"
"We were going to ask you the same thing Steven. I must admit you had us a little worried. You where out nearly the whole day. You had an ordeal from the sound of what Krys said she felt. Did you have any luck contacting Jade?" The last line sounding hopeful.
"Yeah I did…but…well there is a problem." Steven slowly began to move but he felt stiff and weak. Holding his head Jade's dad urged Steven to take it easy. "Something was in her mind with her. It attacked me. I thought the dream realm couldn't effect reality?"
"It depends of how it is trying to effect it, how strong the one doing it is & if there is a conection there."
"It was draining my energy."
"That could do it. You figure in the dreams thought it feels physical you are more of less your spirit, or soul. A being of energy. So if it was feeding off energy…"
"It was feeding from my soul?"
"More or less. What it look like?"
"I am not fully sure. I think I saw it right before I blacked out, but I had to be mistaken."
"Well what you think it was…it may give us an idea of what to do next."
"Ok…" He slowly sat up doing better that time. "It looked like Shadow…but a real one. Dark gray almost black head to toe but Solid."
"Did you notice it's eyes?"

Steven blinked as her dad said it so nonchalantly as though he expected him to say that…but then he had to think. Did he see any? "I don't believe so it was so fast."
"Good then it doesn't have full control yet."
"Yes, if it did…Well she begged for it not to kill me."
"You were not mistaken in what you saw if I am correct. The fight she had with the demons must of somehow, how do I word this…split her spirit."
"Demons?"
"You really were not told much were you?"
"I guess not."
"The problem Jade went to checkout in Massachusetts was that John was possessed & found out there was a demon gateway open there. Well she went to close it & seems she got in over her head. She succeeded we just don't know at what cost yet. Maybe what ever she fought tried to change her. It may of succeeded to a point hence the second form you found."
"Why would she still be knocked out though?"
"She may be doing it on purpose. When Jade performs as Shadow she almost is like another being. If that fight somehow separated the two she maybe worried that if she wakes up it may try separating itself from her."
"Which would weaken her."
"If I know my daughter as I do that is a minor point…it is more the havoc that type of creature could cause."
Steven sighed lowering his head "I don't wish to think of Jade in any way as some sort of creature."
"I know, but there is little other way to explain it. You were already taught by Jade that there are things not of this reality or world as some would say…or even things in it that are not purely human."
Steven offered a faint nod "Like Ian"
"A good example yes. To a point Jade also fits under the category of the can't fully be explained by standard logic."

Steven nods understanding even if he didn't want to. "Ok so what do we do about this current situation. It is already going on a week and a half roughly since she entered that state. Few would of even lasted a few days like that alone a week."
"We must find a way to get close enough to her to purge the added darkness from her. Now we can't purge all of it…no one is completely good. We just need to do enough to get her back in balance with herself. Find some way to allow herself to become one again in her mind."

Krys walked back in leaning by the door "So you two have any clue yet what's doing on?" She was filled in on all the details so far thinking. "Well he was attacked while in the dream realm, but only after he actually could get close to her."
"Correct."
"I believe I was attacked in a way when I got close to her in the grave yard I could actually see her. Rephrase almost touch her then a shortness of breath….almost like something had my be my throat."
Jade's dad offered a sigh "Then it seems it already has some ability in this world already even with her knocked out."
"Maybe it is limited to her immediate area?"
"Quite possible, that may be why she is keeping herself as she is so that it can't separate itself anymore."
"Ok so how do we rejoin the two?"

"That is the trick. If there is a demonic energy throwing her off balance we need to get close enough to block or drain it."
"How do we do either?"
Her dad looked at Krys "Did she give you one of the daggers she got a hold of?"
"Yes how did you know?"
"Let just say I am good friends with one of the shop owners & contacted me wondering what she would of needed with banishing blades. If you have one we may need it for part of the plan I have in mind. Where is the other?"

"Last I saw it was still in Massachusetts. It was next to Jade when she was passed out in the graveyard. It looked like it burned her hand."
"That is actually a good sign for us."
"How?"
"If someone can get close enough to her to touch the blade to the marks you saw on her chest…it may be the boost she needs to heal the rest."
"I can't believe you suggest someone stab her in the chest…five time at that!"
"Not stab…touch…actually maybe scratch…a minor cut. Let me do some checking for sure."
"Ok but if anyone gets too close to the body they will begin to be drained."
Steven then spoke up "How many people do you think could be affected at once?"
"I don't know, in the ring energy is drawn from the air a little from everyone that is putting energy cheering or even booing."
"Maybe if we came from two directions?"
"What you mean?"
"If we time it that you can get to her body here I can get to her in the dreams? If I can some how distract her mind…it's mind…maybe it won't be able to effect you in reality, maybe it won't even notice at first?"
"It is a chance."
"Ok how about you both get something to eat why I check more into this plan. You will need your strength."
Steven nodded he hated waiting, but did know it was best in this case. Shooing Krys & Jade's dad out so that he may get changed to go out.