The group of six gathered in Derek's loft after Elizabeth's first meeting with Alistair. "What do we do now?" Ethan asked.
"We keep her awake," Derek spoke in a harsh tone.
"But why?"
"If I sleep, I dream. If I dream, I see Alistair. When I see Alistair, he is more likely to take over. You cant let him near me. If any of you want to live to see the next day, you need to protect me."
"Liz, you can't not sleep. Eventually you will have to, it's human nature."
"Scott, last time I checked, I am certainly not human. I know, everyone needs sleep. But I know I can avoid it. My father did the same thing once."
"What do you mean?"
"My father was sick once and could never sleep. Well, at least I assumed it was sickness. He actually had been drinking this potion type thing once a week that kept him awake and healthy."
"And how do we acquire this potion?" Aiden asked.
"We make it." Liz's words seemed to fade, knowing exactly what was needed to make the drink.
Derek stood, ready to take action once and for all. "Okay, well lets gather supplies. What do we need?"
"Well, we need water. And wealsoneedwolfsbane," Liz said, jumbling her words together.
"What was that?" Derek asked.
"Water?"
The boys glared at her. "The second thing, Liz," Isaac said.
"Oh! Wealsoneedwolfsbane!"
"One more time, Liz."
She sighed in defeat. "We need water and wolfs bane."
"Liz! It'll kill you!" Isaac shouted. "Besides, water and flower? Doesn't sound too good."
"The flower dissolves into the water. I've seen it. And as it killing me goes, my Visionary side is more powerful. It shouldn't harm me. I've touched the plant before and nothing happened."
"Liz, inhaling the substance has nearly driven us to the brink of suicide before. We can't let you do this," Scott shouted.
Liz looked at the boys surrounding her. "I have to try. If I don't, you, me, and probably even more innocent lives will be taken."
After more convincing and pleading, the boys finally agreed to a test. If it worked, it worked. If it didn't, it didn't. Liz gathered as much wolfsbane as she could as the boys waited at Derek's house.
While walking back to the loft, she could hear two faint voices talking. Upon getting closer, she narrowed her hearing, realizing the two voices she had been hearing was Derek and Aiden.
"What happens if this doesn't work, Derek?"
"It's worth trying."
"It could kill her, Derek!!!" Aiden shouted.
"I know."
"Aren't you the least bit concerned?"
"Of course I am. But I cant tell her that. She thinks she is saving all of us from eternal doom by doing this. I know that if this works, yes, it could save us but that wont stop him. Alistair will continue to come for her until she kills him. It's in the nature of a Visionary. They track and steal. Once he is gone, another will just take his place. It's a never ending cycle, Aiden."
"So you're saying we can never win?"
"The only way to win is if she were to beat Alistair and give up all of her Pilae powers and become a Liwah, like her father was. But, I cant ask her to do that. She is powerful now and I wont take that away from her."
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"Are you sure?" Isaac asked as Liz lifted the serum to her mouth.
"I have to try."
With one swift movement, she gulped down the drink, it coating her throat as it went down. Her vision blurred and her knees wobbled back and forth. Liz fell to the floor as the five boys surrounded her.
"Liz! Stay with me! Don't sleep, Liz!" Derek said, shaking Liz lightly as her eyes slowly closed.
Liz felt the cold, hard ground underneath her as she woke up in a dazed state. "Lizzie?"
She lifted her head. "Elizabeth?"
"I missed you!" Elizabeth exclaimed, running towards her, wrapping her tiny arms around Liz.
"Elizabeth, are you okay? Are mommy and daddy okay?" She nodded her head with a smile.
"Can I see them?" Elizabeth guided her through corridor after corridor. The building looked nothing like her old school, but more like an abandoned theater. She brought Liz through what seemed like miles of basements hallways before leading her to a giant staircase that led straight to the stage. Elizabeth ran up them, dragging Liz behind her. She led her to a giant stage area, the light nearly blinding Liz.
Elizabeth ran off the stage giggling, so Liz chased after her. As she did, she saw Elizabeth standing with her parents. Well, technically, both of their parents. Her father looked straight at her as she approached him. Liz tried to focus her attention on her father but was still distracted by her mother, who she knew she would never be able to interact with again.
"Elizabeth, go watch the show with your mother," he said directing the family to a row of seats in the audience. He motioned Liz to follow him back down to the downstairs area and she kindly did so.
"Hello, Liz."
"Hi, dad."
"What are you doing here?"
"I drank a water and wolfsbane drink to help me stay awake. I guess my wolf side kicked in."
"Oh Elizabeth," he said, hitting his palm to his forehead.
"I needed to stay awake. Alistair is coming after me, dad. I don't know what I can do," she said in a panicked manner.
"Listen to me, Liz. You are so much stronger than him. He is weaker than I and look what you accomplished."
"Only because he was taking control of me to gain my powers. That's why I became ten times stronger."
"You didn't become stronger or weaker. That is all your strength. You just didn't know how to properly use it so it seemed as if you became stronger," he said.
"Can we just skip to the part when you tell me how I beat him?"
"Use that power. Find the will to use your inner strength."
"But how? How do I find the will?"
"Use something. Someone. An object. Anything you truly care about. They will help you find the will."
Liz nodded. She turned, trying to leave but turned back to him. "Thanks, dad." She ran over and wrapped her arms around him. His arms tightened around her and for once, Liz felt like he really was her dad.
"I am so proud of you, Elizabeth. Remember what you've been taught. It's my nature to want your powers. I never stopped loving you, I just couldn't express it because I never was able to. Nevertheless, I am so proud to call myself your dad."
"I love you, daddy," Liz whispered into his chest.
"I love you too, Lizzie." He kissed her forehead before releasing her. "Now go, go find him and kill him."
"What happens when I kill him? More will just come after me."
"I only know of one thing to stop that forever."
"I give up my powers," she said, lowering her gaze to the floor.
"It's the only sure fire way. But, Liz, do it for you. Not for anyone else. Be safe."
Liz nodded and smiled at him. She turned and began heading back down one of the hallways that she came from when Elizabeth first found her. "And Elizabeth!" her father called.
"Yeah?" she asked.
"Most of the time, finding the object or person to help you find the will is hard. It's usually the thing you want most in life. It's sometimes called the Forbidden Gift in our world."
The two words fit together perfectly. "I'll keep it in mind. Thanks, dad. Goodbye." She waved before walking out of his sight.