The patter of her feet on the tile was probably the first thing that alerted them of her presence three days later.

Ani was going on actual recon this time, but her ulterior motive was still in her mind. Leaving through the basement-library, she hopped the black fence this time. She had taken a bag, black and slung over her shoulder.

It was stuffed with a blanket, and some food she had snatched from the kitchen on her way out. She ran as far from the castle as she could on the alien path, finding a small winding road made from aged, indented horse prints in the grass.

Out of breath, her weakened legs collapsed and she fell back. Ani felt her heart in her throat and heard the monotonous beating in her ears. Mouth and throat dry, she knew her voice wouldn’t work at the moment.

I never knew all this was here... the grass seems healthier than the field... She ran her long, thin fingers through the grounds lush, green mane. No brown spots...

Refreshed, she sat up, pulling her knees to her chest and hugging them. Her eyes drifted to the sky. Far off it looked much darker then it was just above her. “...Weird.”

Ani stood, eyes closed, trying to calm her heart down. It was still beating loudly. She began walking again, her pace slow. Behind her, the castle was just a speck on the horizon.

The sky was beginning to turn pink, the blue mixing with it and steadily growing brighter as the minutes passed on- excruciatingly slow.

“Wonder if they think I’m dead...” She looked over her shoulder and saw nothing. The dot of a castle was calm as could be. “Maybe they stopped looking...” She shook her head.

If she was really the eighth sage, they wouldn’t just drop the search. Ani rolled her eyes and picked up her pace, though her mind was against it from sleep depravation. She stopped again after a few more minutes.

“Christ! It just goes on forever! Like the fucking Labyrinth!” Her voice drifted through the area, not echoing or reverberating on a single thing. “Goddammit.” She started walking again. “How much farther before something happens?!”

Hours passed without a thing happening. Cold and tired, Ani pulled the blanket from the bag, took out some food and nibbled on it. She curled up, using the bag as a pillow and closed her weary eyes, drifting into the black abyss that stopped time and made it go faster all at once.

...it's ironic considerate rarity patron of love higher knowledge engulfs me...

...'cause the blast of fate a lesson to my eyes concerned...

...and overwhelmed theirs were of fear and I am feeling so empty inside...

...and yet it burns so awkward this time it's something with my pride lies...

...I cannot hide my true side and maybe in distress I can still come out laughing...

...that's the way I am this little boy proud of helping those in need...

...but he's not me but just maybe he could be...

...I can see it now because I am a hero to his eyes...

...temporarily blind this immature kid a spirit as well an angel hiding by helping...

...and wanting to understand me tears a waterfall of acid...

...cries from his eyes I need to recognize it's meant to be...

...am I hard to recognize what do I need to realize...

...why can't I see with my own fucking eyes what do I need to see...

Why do you always do that? A voice, close and yet distant asked.

What? Ani opened her eyes, but saw only the darkness of sleep. Who’s there?

Those words... The voice came again. Ani was certain it was a woman’s, though it was hard to tell through the thick echoing. Words like that always play before you sleep...

It’s a song...

A song? She scoffed. Never have I heard a song like that until a week and three days ago...

That’s when I came... Who are you? How are you in my head?!

Ani... The sound of clicking heels was the only noise that echoed through her mind, save for her erratic breathing. I am you...

“Wha-?!” She reached out, blanket falling from her front. Her breaths were rapid, pupils shrunken. “...What? ...Who?” A new song was stuck in her head and she smacked herself to clear her thoughts.

“Woah... trippy.” A chill ran down her spine.

The sun was finally out, the sky bright. She had to have been asleep for nearly two hours before that dream started, and only God knew how long the dream had truly lasted.

Blanket back in the bag, Ani started walking again and nibbling a piece of toast that would serve as lunch until she returned to the castle.

That’s so freaky... fuckin’ crazy. What the hell was my idiotic brain trying to tell me? “Ani, sorry we never told you before, but you’re crazy. Have fun in the asylum! ... Bitch.”

She pinched at the ends of her eyes, getting the tired out. “This place is fucking barren. Not a Goddamn scrap of life, save for this bullshit grass and-“ A small white flower pedal glided past her ear, a few more following it from a hill. “...Flowers.”

She ran up the steep incline, tripping once, but caught herself and continued on. As she neared the top, pain erupted from her temple, growing with each step. She reached the top, the grass ending at the bottom of the hill after a never ending row of small white flowers that flowed in either direction.

Past the grass was not just dirt, but dried and twisted ash running down into a valley. A tall cathedral was in the center of the valley, dark and brooding save for the door and window panes; all a silvery white glowing pearly in the still rising sun.

The ebony stricture seemed familiar and yet...

Ani fell to her knees clutching her head as the pain elevated again. She felt warm liquid running down her leg, the cut must have reopened from the fall.

-Gain your power-Let me help you-I am you-Help yourself-You can do this-Regain control-

The same woman’s voice came, her words overlapping sending Ani into a swirling delirium.

Ani...

The last came loudest and most clear, destroying all the others.

She blinked. Her vision seemed far off, as if looking through another’s eyes. She tried to move her hand, but it remained stationary.

What? She tried again, but to no avail. She stood, however. ...Oookay! I didn’t want to stand yet...

Her eyes traveled along the area before lowering to her hands. Ani slowly flexed her long fingers even though she was not commanding her body to do so.

What the hell?!

“I am alive again...?”

I didn’t say that! What the fuck?!

Her head turned, looking back in the direction of the castle. “...I have returned.” A small smile crept onto her face.

What the hell is going on?!

“Ani.” She stated to herself, ‘causing Ani to stare.

Huh?

“Do not fear... I can help you. I am you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Confusing, no? This chapter started as a filler with no premise, but I decided to actually give it something and make it worth my time. No one will know what's happening! HAHA! -^^- Sucks for you. It better be confusing. I went around asking people all day if they didn't get it, people that knew what I was writing (duh) and they didn't understand the end at all. Purrrrrrrfect -dies from Cat Woman-
A note, the song is by Taproot: Mentobe