Sadness glowed in the four dark pink eyes. Ghost...What happened to you?

Ghost felt tears run out of her eyes in heavy streams. "Shield…" She sniffed. "How did you find me?" Some of the mud began to harden on her clothes. She wanted to wipe them away, but she didn't want mud in her eyes. "I thought…"

Long story, The Silk Spitter said. We've got to get you outta here! That crazy Skeksis will be on us in a heartbeat if we don't move. He used his forelegs to cut away some of his hard silk. He gently helped Ghost onto his back as the duo moved farther away into the forest. It didn't take long before they were joined by the flash of grey seen earlier.

"Hello, friend Ghost!" The Bladewing chirped.

Ghost immediately recognized the bird. "Oh! You're one of the Bladewings."

His name's Razz. Spoke a tiny voice on his back. Before long, Orchid popped her head from the feathers and jumped into Ghost's hand. Her eyes glowed with sorrow. Ghooooosst! I'm soooo sorry! She sniffled. We should've looked for you after we got separated! It...must've been so hard. If we had just left before SkekSil- Her words were cut off by Ghost stroking her back.

"It wasn't your fault. I was the one who got careless. SkekSil had always hated me from the get-go. It was only a matter of time before he found an excuse to kill me. Though Hunter shouldn't be involved in that petty hate." Ghost gently nuzzled against the Threader. "Let's head to the Caves of Grot. I don't think he'll chase us there."

But we can't go back! Shield said. We're exiled. Remember?

We're already exiled from the Ascendency, Orchid said. We've got nothing left to lose.

A heavy silence hung in the air, save for the sound of scuttling legs. Then Shield sighed. He soon went into the direction of where the caves are.

-(Coast of Silver Sea, Brea)-

After going through all the books to understand the symbols, Brea consulted with the librarian. It wasn't too hard since her mother and sisters are currently facing concerns involving one of the lords missing and a traitor in the castle. He reluctantly gave the information about where and who to discuss the symbols with. It wasn't long until the librarian joined her on her journey to the dangerous Sifa clan.

The Vapran princess stepped into a tent where one of the elders lived. She looked around but could only find lavishly soft pillows and cushions. "Hello...Anyone here?" Brea listened to the silence. Then, she nearly jumped at an older Gelfling with traditional red, curly hair. She noticed that his eyes went cold at the sight of the librarian Standing next to him was none other than Onica.

"I've been expecting you. The name's Elder Cadia." He gestured his arm toward Onica. She bowed as he introduced her. "This is Onica. My apprentice."

"Pleased to meet you, Princess Brea." The soothsayer said. She walked over to a tray.

Brea looked at him curiously. "How did you know we were coming?"

"I'm a soothesayer, princess. I can see things ahead of time. I'm not one to forget these things." He glared at the librarian. "Either he goes, or I won't help you."

Brea was about protest when the librarian gently touched her arm. "Don't worry princess, I'll wait outside. You go find your answer." He looked firmly at Elder Cadia. "No tricks, Cadia." With that, he left.

Elder Cadia sat down in his chair. "Sit princess. You must have had a long journey."

"Thank you." Brea sat down. She readied her bag of glittery blue stones in her pocket. She knew the Sifas would never do service without being paid.

"So princess, what can I help you with?" Elder Cadia asked. "Need a potion to make a young Gelfling notice you? Or maybe an oil that will make your hair shine?"

"My hair is fine. Thank you." Brea said. She pulled out her notebook. Her fingers holding the pages of the symbols she drew. "Can you tell me what these symbols mean?" She stiffened when Onica gasped.

Elder Cadia looked hard at the image. "I see something special in those images. A grand fate awaits us in Thra." He gestured to Onica to bring over a tray. "Nullroot creates an easy entry to the dreamspace. The ethereal world that connects us to Thra." He poured tea into two cups. Then, grabbed the bag and poured the powdered Nullroot into her cup. "Drink this and you'll find the answers you seek."

Brea held up a hand. "Wait. Before I do that I must give you my payment."

"Payment?" Elder Cadia raised a brow.

"Of course. Sifas never work for free." Suddenly, Brea dropped her bag. Bright blue stones scattered on the table. "Oh! I'm so sorry!" She watched as Cadia and Onica bend down to pick them up. Then, carefully as she could, she swapped the drinks with ease. Once Elder Cadia got up, they performed a toast. Brea drunk her tea. She observed Cadia.

A weird sparkle appeared in his eyes. "So...um...What was it you needed help with?"

Brea repeated her question. "What do these symbols mean?"

"When I gaze upon them, I see the end." He ignored Brea's gasp. "Something dreadful is coming to Thra and it could end us all." He was silent for a moment. "Did you drink your tea?"

Brea shook her head. "No but you did." She couldn't help but feel smug at the elder's shocked face. "Guess prophets don't know everything. Nullroot doesn't help you with the Dreamspace. It makes you forget. Why did you want me to forget?"

Enraged, Elder Cadia lunged at Brea. He kept yelling at her to forget. His grip firm on her arm. His shouts were mixed with Brea's protest. It wasn't until Onica finally stepped in. He felt a sharp pain in the back of his skull. He passed out on the floor.

Onica leaned over him. "She said let go." The Sifa looked at Brea. "I'm sorry about that."

Brea looked at her confused. "Why did you help me?"

"What Elder Cadia saw as the end in those symbols, I saw the beginning. I saw the signs. Storms appearing. Sand where sea used to be. Thra is dying."

"Dying?" Brea gasped. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Life, Death, begin, end. There are all the same. Right now you are part of the change that is coming to Thra. A new clan will arise like one we've never seen." She placed her pot back down. "I'll help you. Before I move with the tides, you must find the treasure that your mother always keeps. Then, you'll find your answer."

"Thank you." Brea said. Suddenly, she heard a grunt. She looked to see Elder Cadia rise up. Brea prepared for the worst. Then, nothing happened. "Um...hello?"

"Hello!" Elder Cadia said cheerfully. "Who are you? Who am I?"

Onica stared in amazement. "It seems you've erased Elder Cadia's memory."

Brea groaned. Her hand touched her face. "I'm in sooo much trouble."

-(Caves of Grot, Ghost)-

Ghost was starting to feel a little better. Sitting on a rock, she took a moment to register what had happened. She munched on some bigger peach berries that Shield managed to grab while they were running. The white Gelfling listened once they arrived at the entrance to the caves. From Shield and Orchid's exile to the conversation SkekSil said about her. Her heart burned with sorrow and sadness. She swallowed the last of the peach berry and looked at her Aranthim friends. "I'm sorry that happened. The Ascendency had no right to banish you because all three of us were tossed into SkekSil's twisted game."

Razz raised his feathers. "How I like to smack'em. They don't know what good friends you are even if a tough buggy bit'em." He sniffed. His statement was soon agreed by Fearless and Grumble.

Ghost giggled. "Thank you Razz." She paused for a moment as a thought came to her. "So, how do you remember me? Forgive me if I don't recognize you."

"That ok." Razz said. "We Bladewings get that alot. You tackled me when Razz snatched glasses."

"Oh! You're the one that cut my hand when I tried to get it from the beak." Ghost bowed her head. Her cheeks turned red. Then, she felt something sitting on her lap. She picked it up to see it was a tooth woven with fur. "What's this?"

"Life charm." Razz said. "Will protect you."

Ghost then hugged him. She was soon shocked at how soft the feathers were. It was like hugging a cloud. Her arms could feel every bony dent in his body. She gently set him down. Ghost sighed. Her eyes looked up at the caves. I think I should use some of these tunnels. She thought. It should help me from being seen by SkekMal or anyone else. Suddenly, she heard some muttering further down the cave. Ghost got to her feet. Her ears twitched.

She stared at the darkness. Her eyes adjusted to the lighting. "Something's down there." She whispered. "I'm going to take a look." She took a few steps before she turned around to see everyone following her. "Wait! What if the ones who attacked Mira are here? They might kill you." Her arm tickled as Orchid crawled up to her shoulder.

Which is exactly why we're going with you. Orchid set herself down with a soft huff. Bracing against the mud.

Ghost sighed. "Alright. But stay close. If anything else happens, run." She watched as Grumble and Fearless hopped onto Shield's back. Then felt Razz perch on her shoulder. Her eyes continued to focus on the growing darkness as she continued further. With each step the muttering got louder. The voice was starting to become familiar. She started to see a bright, lavender purple light leaking into the tunnel. Her steps grew quiet as she saw a shape looming over the light. It was none other than the emperor, Skekso.

She turned back to the others. "Get down." Ghost leaped to the nearest rock she could hide behind before SkekSo looked up. After a moment, she peeked her head from behind. She sees SkekSo waving his staff around a purple and black aura that was leaking out of a crack. Her mind started to pick up a foggy memory of a dream that she had before. Where have I seen this? She thought. Was it some sort of vision? Suddenly, her head started to hurt. A gasp of pain escaped her throat. Her eyes vanished to dark places. Laughing Skeksis. SkekLach dead. SkekMal and SkekVar turned to dust. Gelflings dying left and right. SkekSo dead and decaying in his bed. Then, SkekEkt looming over her with a pained expression on his face. His body is riddled with deep cuts. Finally, Deet and Hup fight off a dangerous enemy. Ghost was soon back to reality. Razz, Fearless and Grumble laying on top of her arms and legs. Orchid on her head with a thin piece of silk over her mouth. It didn't take long for the Threader to realize this and immediately got it off of her.

Ghost slowly got up. Everyone backed away slightly to give her space. Her mouth felt raw. Then realized that she must have been screaming upon seeing those images. She looked over the rock. SkekSo was nowhere to be seen. Her heart sank. "We got to go!" Ghost hissed. "We're not safe here."

"Go? Whatever for? You've arrived at the most perfect time."

Ghost felt her heart sink. She slowly turned around in time to see SkekSo looming over her. Normally, she would be so happy to see this face. Now it just gave her a sense of dread and fear of what he would do to her friends. She tried to move her hand away to get them to move back. Ghost yelped as she felt claws clamp hard on her arm. She tossed Orchid away from her. "SkekSo...What are you doing here?"

SkekSo leaned closer to her. His silver beak cover inches to her face. "It's Emperor to you, traitor." He growled. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

Ghost swallowed hard. "Did you not get my letter? I'm going to find SkekEkt."

SkekSo let out a hollow laugh. "You think that you could win us over by retrieving Ornamentalist so you can take over my empire?!" He swung his staff hard.

Ghost fell hard. She could feel blood on her mouth. Her ears rang. Her vision spun for a moment. A burst of pain erupted on the right side of her face. She tried to raise her hand to stop everyone from attacking, but could see Razz screeching and shouting at the Emperor. The poor Bladewing was smacked to a wall. Shield and Fearless tackled him only to be tossed aside and narrowly avoided a fall into the Darkening. To her relief, they quickly crawled away from it. Ghost got back up on her feet to face SkekSo again. "Your Empire is dying! Don't you see the Darkening...Wait! The crystal...You knew about it didn't you? SkekTek told me that you claimed-'' She glared at him. Ghost quickly snatched the cover from his face before he would be able to stop her. She gasped so loudly that it echoed. Before her was a beak that was rotting away. This time the tears rained down her eyes. "You liar! You knew about this the whole time didn't you! You're going to cause the deaths to all your fellow Skeksis, the Podlings and the Gelfling! Everyone will die because of you! Don't you even care?!"

"No!" SkekSo roared. "I've never cared about your pathetic race, my men or even a pathetic whelp like you! Better yet, NONE of us care about you!"

At those words, Ghost felt her heart shatter like glass. Was it true? Did none of them care? SkekTek? SkekLach? Var? Ekty? Her whole body vibrated at those words. Suddenly, a strange sensation came over her. Something primal. Ancient. A blaze that was ready to fire. Instinctively, she grabbed SkekSo's staff.

"Let go!" SkekSo roared. "I'm the Emperor! I rule all of Thra!"

"If you've ruled for Thra for as long as you did," Ghost growled back. Her eyes brightened into a bright blaze that even surprised SkekSo. Her mind flashed back to the All Muadra. Her concern over her subjects as well as for Ghost despite her Grotten heritage. Muadra Fara who accepted Ghost as a member of her clan. Then to Maudra Argot who took the time to give her answers. "You would know by now that a leader does what best for Thra! I know that this-" She yanked the staff hard out of his grasp. "Is best for everyone!" With one swing, she hit it against a rock. The staff shattered into a million pieces.

Suddenly, the purple aura pulsated. It began to leak out. Shield immediately ran out, carrying on his back. Ghost turned to Grumble, Orchid and Razz who regained his breath. "Get out now!"

What about you?! Orchid protested. Before she could do anything, Ghost scooped her up and tossed her to Razz. She called out to Ghost as she was carried away. Her small voice deafened to the roar of the crumbling cave.

Ghost saw a wild lightning bolt heading straight for SkekSo. Without thinking, she pushed him away. It struck her heart. She could feel her skin wanting to rip away. Her mind is a whirlwind of angry and dangerous thoughts. Then, Ghost felt two beings next to her. She turned to protest but realized that she was surrounded by darkness. Two large creatures stood before her. The very same ones that bit her. "Who are you?!" Ghost grabbed her throat. Her voice sounded hollow and menacing. Nothing like her.

The blazing cat talked first. "We are the elemental spirits." His voice sounded wary as the first time she'd seen him. Yet, the breathing wasn't as shallow. "Forgive us for that assault but we didn't have much time. We can help you save Thra."

"Why should I trust you?" Ghost asked. "You appear out of the blue. Bite me. Gave me some weird power that is going to kill me. Now you want to help me with-this?!" She spread out her arms wide to prove a point.

"The Shadow Madness is only getting worse." The ice wolf said. He took note of Ghost's confused expression. "It's what you call The Darkening. Only you have that power. You have a strong will. We'll help you but in time you'll have to do our given power."

"What? What do you mean?" Ghost found herself more confused than ever. Everything is just a strange blur. The Darkening. The truth of the crystal's corruption. Her exile. If this would help this madness. "Tell me what to do."

"I can be of assistance with that." Spoke a familiar voice.

Ghost turned around. She gasped as a large shadow now loomed over her. "Elctor! What are you doing here?!" Then she remembered what Razz had told her about the life charm. "Are you here because of the life charm you gave me?"

"No time to explain." Elctor said. He looked at the two creatures. "I see that you two didn't make it."

The blazing cat nodded. Then, turned his golden gaze to Ghost. "Your soul is connected to all things. Including dark and light. They go hand in hand. You must not see the darkness as an entity you control."

"Think of it as a beast and you have the rope." Ice wolf said. "You can only control it for a certain amount of time before it decides to turn." He kneeled before her. His blue eyes took on a luminescence that belonged to the moon. "Design the cage and wait for a moment to release it." In that moment, he sat down and raised his paws. All three beasts raised their limbs and touched their claws. Rays of energy sparkled from them. A triangle formed. Their eyes glowed into three different colors. Gold, blue and orange.

Ghost found herself surrounded by a veil of colors. She reached out to them. Her hands tingled with it. She swished it left and right. It took a small image of the crystal. She shook herself. The crystal was in a lot of pain because of SkekSo. Her mind thought back to Thra. The Landstriders roaming the plains. The Aranthim crawled in the cavern along with the Nurloc. Vassa swimming in the ocean. Then, she had an idea. She could see the darkness leaking out and she began to form a shape. She made the darkness develop six legs. Long antennas that held a purple aura. Elegant wings sprouted out of its back. Moths have been part of Thra, but so have butterflies, Ghost thought. In her hand was now an enormous black butterfly. Its black wings pulsing with purple veins.

Outside the cave, SkekSo ran out of the entrance. He breathed heavily. The silver covering in his hand. A few feet away Razz and the others gathered to a rock. Orchid still shrieking Ghost's name. Suddenly, a weird pulse rippled through. It was strange. Gentle. Cleansing. Almost as if a wave of pure water washed over all of Thra. Then, silence hung over the air. For a while, everyone took a moment to notice that everything around them was brighter and greener. The air felt pure again.

Footsteps were then heard inside the cave. SkekSo growled. Then gasped. Shield and Orchid moved slightly closer. Razz perched on Shield's back along with the Fizzgigs. Ghost? Orchid said. Her tiny voice felt raw. Her flower-shaped body vibrated. Everyone back away slowly as a mud-covered Gelfling emerged from the cave. However, instead of her usual mismatched eyes, they were pure purple.

There we are ladies and gentlemen. The painful truth that we've all been waiting for. Also I included Brea's clever moment because it was both awesome and funny (to be fair, a political incident would've happened anyway.).