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It still hurt...Why did it still hurt so much...It wasn't even her heart that hurt. No, she'd long ago iced that foolish thing over. It was her soul. She hurt so deep down in the soul...Was it supposed to be this way?

It was so dark, and it felt like she was floating, floating on the water, and her hearing was muffled, so there was nothing but her own thoughts as she floated while her soul ached.

"...your eyes, Shadow Runner..." "...Open your eyes..." "...We understand your pain, young one..." "...Open yourself to us..." "...Open your mind..."She knew these voices, she thought briefly. They were the ones that had been constantly reminding her that she was to die one way or another in a few days time. Well, they couldn't hurt her anymore, could they?

So, though it hurt her, Danni opened her eyes, and found herself in a world of darkness. But there, floating in front of her, were several almost translucent forms, what looked like seven male figures staring at her, waiting. She recognized them immediately for what they were, and closed her eyes to the shame.

"I've failed you...It was my weakness, and my cross to bear. I'll accept any punishment." She murmured, knowing she'd never have peace before she was punished for her weaknesses. However, the Ancient in the middle held out a hand, placing it atop her head before drawing her closer, holding her against the cool length of his spirit.

"You are wrong, little one. We asked too much of one so young. We did not see what the strain was doing to you. A heart can handle only so many blows, child. Any weakness can be forgiven." He murmured, his old, wise eyes surrounded by yards of long black hair. His eyes and voice were gentle, and she felt weightless tears running down her face, though she couldn't see herself, even when she raised what she thought was her hand in front of her face.

"But I've let you down, Master. I gave my word, and I let my emotions get in the way. It's inexcusable. I just wanted...just wanted...forgive me my selfishness, Master." She pleaded, and found a strange, sort of ethereal comfort from the feel of his hands running down her back as the others bowed their heads in respect for both the Eldest Ancient and the Hero of Prophecy.

"There now, little one, you've a right to your own sanity. Extenuating circumstances drive the best of us to do things we'd never dream of otherwise. Life has been partiularly cruel to you, my little warrior. It's not selfish to want a bit of compassion every now and then. We've also made vows, to look over the one prophesized about, yet we let things come to this." He murmured, and thought to himself how badly they'd screwed up with their little human girl.

Just look at her soul, he thought to himself, for when she'd died, her body had been stripped down to the soul, leaving her as nothing but a slightly glowing mist that took her shape. And when you took away all but her soul, she was left with no facade or walls. Revealed now was what had hidden so deep down that no one had known to make the effort to reach in and force this pure heart to come out and face the world again.

So vulnerable, he mused, so fragile and lonely. And it was loneliness, he knew, that had driven her quietly insane. When no one had really understood, when no one could relate, that could lead to loneliness even when one was completely surrounded.

It was their fault, he thought, that she'd become like this, this pleading, trembling soul before him. Their fault that they'd literally placed the weight of the world on her shoulders days after day, starting from such a young age. Hadn't noticed when she'd started hearing their voices in her head, though they'd never meant for that to happen, hadn't noticed when she'd stopped sleeping, eating...caring. Her death had not been a painless one, that much was certain. But it had been quick, mercifully so.

They would make things right, he thought. After all, there was still much time to destroy Satan. True, only Shadow Runner could complete such a task, but she was in sad need of a complete reprieve at the moment.

"Tell me, my little one, what do you want? Your most selfish desire?" He asked, and this innocent soul was unable to lie. "I wish to be loved, Master. I wish to have a family. A normal family not stained by threats of the Underworld. I just want...to forget. To forget it all...It's weak, but my desire none the less." She said, and he sighed, patting her head again as she trembled under his hand.

"Then it shall be so." He said, and she looked up at him with wide, teary eyes that only he could see. "Truly, Master? But I've disgraced you so." She said, and he ran his hand down her hair, reassuring her. "Nonsense, my child. Now, close your eyes and let me take you away from all your troubles for a time. And when you return once more to your own reality, you will be ready to face the world once more." He promised, and eased her eyelids down with his fingertips. And as she let her self float once more, the world of dark began to dissolve as the Eldest worked his magic for his most beloved of little warriors...

It was so bright, was the first thought that came into her head. So bright and warm, with a breeze coming from somewhere to keep it from getting uncomfortably hot. Unwilling to let the comforting feeling pass, she kept her eyes closed. Then suddenly, a thought hit her. Where was she? Wait, no, there was a better question than that that came first. Who was she? It seemed kind of silly that she didn’t know, but for some reason she just couldn’t think of her name. Confused, and a little scared, she opened her eyes. The first thing she saw, something she’d remember for the rest of her life, was a kind, smiling face leaning over hers.

She merely blinked, then smiled. He had a friendly face, she decided, and a handsome one at that. It was all angles and dark flesh. “Good morning!” She said, content to stay like this for a bit, with him just smiling silently at her. She blushed a bit when the man’s hand reached up to run down her cheek, and she cocked her head to the side, putting a hand over his. “Hey, mister, do you know who I am?” She asked innocently, and saw the man’s eyes go gentle as he flipped his hand over and squeezed hers lightly.

“Poor little one, you don’t know anything, do you?” He asked, his voice tender, and she pouted a bit, not understanding. “Sure I do, mister. One plus one equals two. That’s something.” She argued, and he chuckled, patting her cheek. “I’m sorry, dear; I didn’t mean it that way. Yes, I know who you are.” He said, and she smiled in relief, and then waited expectantly. He obliged her, his gray eyes filled with understanding.

“You’re name is Addison Harper, but some people call you Addie.” He said, and she nodded, absorbing the information. “Oh…Ok. And…Mister? Who’re you?” She asked, and the man chuckled, running a hand down her hair. “Why, I’m your papa, little one. My name is Salem. Have you really gone and forgotten everything, then?” He asked, and she thought a moment, searching for something she could actually remember, and came up blank. Nodding, she pouted a bit, hating to be confused.

Her mind was completely pure, untainted by past memories, so she immediately accepted everything the man was telling her. Suddenly he turned, gesturing with his hand. Suddenly Addie realized that there were several people waiting just outside the door. She was in a bed, too, and the window was open, letting in a nice breeze. As she watched, an older fair haired woman and four men, varying in age but all probably in their early twenties, came piling into the room.

“Good morning! I should know you, right?” She asked, already having accepted the fact that she’d somehow lost her memories. The boys were all dark haired, she thought, and when her own auburn curls fell over her shoulder, she decided they must be related. She immediately paid attention when Salem began to speak, and he introduced the new arrivals.

“Addie, love, this is your mother, Abra. And these are your brothers, Edmund, Warren, Ryder, and Troy.” Salem explained, and Addie’s smile brightened at each name as he pointed out who was who. When her gaze fell upon a huge Rottweiler, whether than being alarmed, she was delighted, and Salem smiled when he followed her gaze. "That's Eli, our dog. You adore him, little one." He said, and she nodded, accepting it easily, before turning to study her 'brothers'.

They were all tall, well over six feet, with broad shoulders and big hands. Edmund was the one with the shy smile and the skinny build, his hair neatly trimmed and curling. Warren was the one with the big muscles and dragon tattoo, his hair almost completely shaved off. Ryder was the one with the easy grin and dark sunglasses, his hair shaggy and falling almost to his shoulders in a straight drop. Troy was the one with the scar over his left eye and the amused smirk, his hair spiky and sticking out all over the place, unwilling to lie flat.

Abra had an easy smile on her face, tenderness in her gaze. “Welcome back, darling. You’ve been sleeping for so long.” She crooned, and Addie felt at ease. “It’s…good to be back…I think. Where am I?” She asked easily, easing herself up so she was sitting and leaning against the soft pillows. “Well, darlin’, we’re at home. And right now, home is in Phillipsburg, Montana.” Ryder said, grinning at her, and for the first time she noticed a Stetson in his hand.

“Oh…Ok!” She said acceptingly, smiling winningly over at him. “Don’t you worry, sugar. We’ll have you back on a horse in no time.” Warren said, and Addie frowned for a moment, looking at him. “Do I like that?” She asked, and his smile was slow, but it came all the same. “You sure do, darlin’.” He said, and once more Addison Harper was at peace with the world.

Never would she have guessed that it was all a well thought out lie, that if someone had compared her to a picture of Isadora Rinaldi, they could’ve been twins. For Danni Rinaldi, at the moment, no longer existed. She was in fact locked away, deep inside this new identity, powers sealed up and unknown. And as Eldest, AKA Salem Harper, looked at his ‘daughter’, he could only hope that smile would stay even after this act came to an end…

((She is, actually. But don't worry. Here at MFHS we like to lay the drama down real thick. Ain't that right?))

((dame it, dame it, dame it, dame it, Every time i get caught up in school I log back on the get facerolled by a wall of text. Dame good wall of facerolling text at that Mitsuki. So yeah I'm going to post and pray i can actually keep up ))

Night had been separated from Danni for a long while. He couldn't feel her anywhere, nor could he contact her in anyway. He searched feverishly for her, Looking through the school the woods everywhere. He was busy walking in the forest when a sudden stab of pain hit his heart, Making her double over on the ground. He held his chest tightly unable to breath or move, as a piece of paper appeared infront of him.

Grasping the note he read the words scribbled in Danni's handwriting. His pain subsided to sorrow and anger. "The ancients, They did this to her ... They killed her ... No ... no... they wouldn't lose their prophesied Shadow runner. No not even in death will they let her go." With every word he muttered to himself the anger grew ten fold until he Let out a scream of agony and rage too match Cook.

He got up from his sorrow with a new resolve, to find her no matter what. Now that she was gone there was nothing keeping him bound to the world, But why was he still there? He hadn't realized it, but when Danni Died Night's human part of his soul was able to take over almost immediately. Now he was no longer some familiar bound to anyone's will. He was a human, A very pissed off human.

He walked too the school finding it hard since now he was unable to phase himself through the trees. He walked onto campus looking into one of the windows seeing his human form. He ignored the achievement, unable to feel joy at that moment. He walked away from the school noticing the crowd of people gathering around something. His heart sank knowing immediately who they were looking at.

He dashed over tossing aside anyone who got in his way until he reached the middle of the crowd; There he saw Cook holding Danni's limp body. He clenched his fists seeing cook grasping the corpse helplessly. The entire scene only strengthening the resolve to find Danni.

He walked up to cook kneeling over Danni's body. "Cook ... There's nothing anyone can do for her, Not even ophi can grab her from the grasp of the ancients like this." He looked up at the sobbing man's face then down too the body he was holding once more.

((So then I'm stuck, too...))

Cook shoke his head in furious denial, glaring with blurred vision at Night. "You shut yer trap, boy! You saw Ophi do it before, he can do it again! She's not leavin', not like this!" He said, then his face seemed to crumple as he bent over Danni's body again, as though protecting her from something. "We left her alone, boy, left her all alone. We knew it was getting worse, but we let her be...She was my little girl, Night, my baby girl...She can't be gone just like that..."

He froze suddenly, hearing another person pushing through the crowd, and raised his head to find Sylvester Rinaldi, chest panting and half dressed in sleep pants and a jacket. "Ah..." Not knowing what to say, Cook merely shook his head, ducking his head again, his fat tears fell upon what was left of Danni's hole-riddled body. And here, he thought briefly, was the biological daddy, while he'd always only been the honorary father...Oh, Lord...

"What. Did. You. Do?!!!!!" Sly's voice suddenly dominated the whole campus, and a powerful wave of white magic swept over the grounds. Sly stood there, fists clenched, body shaking, as he stared down at the daughter he'd once favored and then disowned.

"...She jumped, Mr. Rinaldi...and I couldn't stop her...She j-just smiled a-and went off the edge...Landed on the r-rocks. I don't know how to fix 'er up this time..." Cook managed to stutter out, not caring that blood stained his clothes and hands. Sly could only stare, then dropped to his knees, holding out shaky fingers and running them down his youngest daughter's cheek. He didn't say a word, just stared, and for just a moment, as a single tear slid down his cheek, rain came down from a clear sky for just a few moments, washing away the blood that was pooling on the ground...


"Addie, come on to dinner now!" The feminine voice had Addie looking up from a picture book-apparently a favorite from childhood that she couldn't remember-and cocking her head to the side. She knew the response for this, she did...Uh..."Coming, Ma'am...I mean, Mama!" She set down the book, trying to remember she'd left off saying good night to the bowl of mush. Goodnight Moon, she mused, such a sweet, simple book.

Swing her feet off the bed, she went out into the hallway, then faced her first dilemma. Where was the kitchen? Scratching her head, she was deliberating whether or not she should call out again when Edmund-No, he'd said to call him Eddy-came out of another room and saw her pacing a bit. "Is something wrong, Addie?" He asked quietly, hanging automatically towards the wall.

She turned to him, smiling sheepishly, though her eyes were full of confusion. "I...um..." She was slightly embarassed to be so confused, but her brother seemed to understand perfectly. "Let's go to dinner together. Come along, little sister." He murmured, holding out a hand, and there was no hesitation as she reached out to him, completely trusting. She flashed a smile at him, and he led her down a set of winding, polished wooden stairs, then through a living room and into a dining room that led off into the kitchen.

Everyone else was already waiting at the table, and Abra frowned a bit, putting a hand to her mouth. "Oh, I'm sorry, darling. I forgot you didn't know where the kitchen was." She said, but Addie was already over her little moment of confusion, and a natural smile found its way on her face. "That's all right, Mama." She said, and saw her father motion her over to the empty seat beside him. With a smile at Eddy, she took her seat, automatically scooting her chair closer to her father's.

"Papa, I like the book you gave me." She said as Abra dished salad, grilled chicken and corn onto her plate. "Thank you, Mama." She said absently, unaware that it had been years since she'd used such common courtesy. To her delight, her father set down his fork, patted her head.

"You always did love a good story. Tonight we'll light a fire and I'll tell a story or two." He said, and she smiled in delight. She couldn't remember anything before this morning, but so far she loved her life...she really did...