The Twins • Book One • Wattys2017

Chapter 26- The Cold

Author's Note: I hope you like my story! Feel free to voice your opinion, ask any questions and point out any mistakes I make.

Saber's POV

Nia's cold, shut off. She rarely shows emotion, and when she does, it's barely there, and gone in a flash. Something has changed. She wakes up screaming and crying, if she sleeps at all, but will never tell me what is wrong. She closed her mind off from me, and it feels like one of my limbs was cut off. She will barely ever speak, and will ignore me or leave the room if I ask her questions about what's wrong. I don't know what to do.

"Hi." I say, sitting next to Nia on the couch. She is staring at the wall, totally zoned out. I grasp her hand in mine and start to draw circles on the back of her hand with my thumb. Nia comes out of her trance and looks at me.

"Oh, hi Saber. When did you get here?" She asks. I look up from our hands and put a small smile on my face.

"Just a couple minutes ago."

"Oh."

"What were you thinking so intently about?" I can't help but ask. I know what will happen, but I can't help it. Nia immediately tenses and wrenches her hand out of my grasp, standing up ad walking away from me. She looks out of the front window, her back to me. "Please Nia, talk to me. You've become so distant lately." I beg, wanting her to open up.

Her being like this hurts. I want to help, but she won't let me. I just want to help her.

Nia's POV

"You've been so distant lately." Those words make tears start to collect in my eyes, but I quickly banish them. I don't want Saber to see me cry. He knows something is wrong, since I have nightmares of the future if I sleep at night, and I wake up screaming and sobbing. I usually try not to sleep, because they are just so horrible. In each one I see Saber die, and it tears me apart.

I can't let that happen.

But, I know that if Saber knew everything that I know, he'd say that there has to be another way, that I don't have to choose. Both options don't have very good outcomes. In one I lose my memory and commit murder, but I kill my tyrant of an aunt who would, if I pick the other option, torture me and Ivy until we become ultimate tools for destruction, and that's worse. A lot worse. That is why I already know my choice.

I am going to become the next Dark Earth Queen on my birthday. It's the only way my family and friends will be safe. I may not remember them, but I would have at least had good times with them. Either way I'll lose them, but this way, they are still living and can continue on with their lives in peace.

I start to cry with the thought of the decision I have to go through with in a week's time, and Saber chooses this moment to turn me around.

"Nia..." He starts, then sees my tears. "Why are you crying?"

"I don't want to talk about it Saber, please leave me alone." I demand, feeling like I'm about to explode.

"No. You need to talk to someone about what has you so upset and frightened. You may have closed off our connection, but I am still your best friend, and I can tell there is something you are deathly afraid of, and it makes you upset. So just talk to me." Saber says.

"No!" I shout, shoving him away from me. What I don't realize until I am too late is that I added darkness into my push to make it stronger, and shoved some into Saber's heart...

He goes flying back, and doesn't get up, like I thought he would. I choke back a sob and immediately run over to him.

"Saber! Saber please, wake up!" I yell and shake him, with no response. I rip open his shirt, and see his veins turning black as the darkness is pumped out from his heart. "No..." I murmur. "What have I done?" I stand up and slowly back away from him, running out of the back door, unable to control my tears.

I hurt Saber. I hurt my connection mate, the one I love. I am a monster.

I run to the clearing where I first met Amaro, and he is there to greet me.

"What's wrong little queen?" He immediately asks, concerned. I simply shake my head, unable to talk about it. Amaro frowns, but nods his head and grabs my hand.

"W-where are you taking me?" I shakily ask as he starts to pull me along towards the dark forest.

"To my little pocket realm." Amaro states. I look at him, confused

"What's a pocket realm?" I ask.

"It's a very small realm that's usually about the size of a decently sized house. Only powerful people or rulers can make one, and only if they have the necessary ingredients and the spell."

"Oh, okay." Amaro waves his hand and a doorway appears in the shadows of the forest. He pulls me through and the second before I am fully through, I hear a voice shout

"No!"

Saber.

After I think his name and step through the portal, all I see is darkness as my eyelids flutter closed.

Cora's POV

"So? How are her powers progressing?" I impatiently ask my companion, the voice

"They steadily grow inside of her as she becomes more distant from her loved ones and needs something to turn to. For her, that is her new powers, that feel comforting to her. I'm worried about how powerful she is though." The voice replies

"What? Why, what makes you say that?" I question, eager to understand what he means.

"Just out of curiosity, can you make something by combining your two powers?" The voice asks, avoiding my questions. I huff, brushing it off, for now

"I don't know, I've never tried."

"Well, please do."

"What do you want me to make?"

"A rose."

"Alright." What a strange request.

I try to make the rose anyway, even though it is weird for him to ask for that, but no matter how many times I try, I can not get my two powers to connect together to make anything.

"What was the point of this anyway?" I ask bitterly.

"The day Nia discovered her powers, she accidentally combined them, making a black rose."

"What? How'd the little brat do that?"

"I have no idea."

"Hmmm... maybe she is too strong. I think we should eliminate her from the situation."

"Well, we don't have to. I can always manipulate her more, and try to have her think that her powers are controlling her, making her go insane and hurt the ones she loves. I could say that they are becoming wild, and you are the only one that can help. Then, she will come to you, you will apologize, saying you only wanted to help, but your powers took her over for a small time until you were able to get control back."

"Good thought, she might be easy to manipulate. Fine then, you try to do that. I'll be waiting." I feel the voice leave my head, and I decide to start planning ways that I will get my other niece. They are a package deal after all. Who knows, maybe once the voice manipulates little Nia, she can help us convince Ivy to join us. Yes, manipulating Nia into trusting me will be the wisest decision probably ever made in this little game.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Author's Note:

Wow! Nia is really going nuts from these nightmares that she's having. Poor Saber, he only wants to help.

Question:
What do you think about Amaro? Is he trustworthy, manipulative, sneaky, hiding something, actually a nice guy, misunderstood, giving off the wrong image, I don't know. I know my plans for him, but not what you guys think! So, what is he coming off as?