I was Curled up in a nice warm bed, and I felt completely safe; that is I did until the door flew open.

"Get up! Quickly, we must leave!"

I was ripped out of bed by a man in tights and an outfit that looked like it was made for Robyn Hood.

"What's going on? Where am I?"

"It has begun. Here take these."

He had thrust a bow and quiver of arrows at me as we ran out the door.

As I chased after him I screamed, "What has begun?"

He turned back and grasped my arm so we could move faster. We turned down a spiraling stone stair case lit by torches. Once we reached the break in the stairs we heard an explosion. It felt as though the entire building shook. He ran to the window and looked up. There was a gaping hole with flames coming out of where I had been previously sleeping.

He pointed down to a catapult which had just been fired, "There, you see? We haven't a moment to loose!"

He Jumped up onto the window sill. Then hoisted me up along side of him. I looked up and noticed a rope that was tied to a tree across the way. I looked at him as he gestured, "After you my Lady."

He took my bow and placed it over the rope, I held on tight and was pushed out the window. I felt like a bird soaring through the air. The wind whipped my braid straight back. I looked around me to find fire flying towards the tower. I faced forward to see the tree coming at me. I screamed and cringed as I crashed into it with my left side. I heard a crunch and took a sharp breath in. Suddenly Tights landed subtly on the branch beside me.

"Are you alright?"

"Perfectly, I'm used to people moving trees on me. Don't worry."

"But the tree never moved."

"Figure of speech; just forget about it."

Just then a fleet of arrows rained upon us. He grabbed me by the waist and swung over to the other side of the tree. We dashed through the tree tops.

"Whoa, Tights slow down! Where are we going?"

Suddenly another arrow came whizzing by and grazed the side of my left arm. I yelped and clasped the wound with my right hand. Tights spun around and fired an arrow directly at the shooter. It caught his arm leaving him unable to reciprocate.

"That is why we must hurry." We turned to run again, "If we go deeper into the woods we should be safe."

"Yeah about that I wouldn't say the woods are the safest place around. I learned that the hard way."

"I am aware of that but we are not in your woods. Our current location is at the edge of my woods. You will be safe where we are going."

Another group of arrows came down upon us. Tights seemed to hear them before he saw them and and managed to spin around the trunk of a tree and fired three arrows one after the other. They hit their marks on the calf, behind the knee, and through the hinge of the elbow. As we sprinted across the tree tops Tights took out another rope. He turned to me and asked if I could swim; I nodded and he replied good. We came to a slight break in the woods to see a lake. Tights threw up the rope and it wrapped around a branch of the last tree he pulled tight and then he pulled me in closer to him. He smiled and warned me to brace myself. Before I had time to think we jumped. I tried to breathe in but the wind had been knocked out of me. He landed on the grass as graceful as a jungle cat even with my extra weight added to him. I could breathe again but I could barely open my mouth before we were off and running again, this time up a slopping cliff. When we reached the top I looked back to find a flaming arrow flying at us. Tights flung himself off the cliff to avoid them and I followed.

I felt incredibly free. I Imagined I was Pocahontas when she dove off the cliff after we are first introduced to her in the Disney movie. I spread my arms out wide like a swan would before it glides onto the water. As the surface came closer I brought my arms and legs together into a dive. The fall ended too quickly but it was exhilarating. Once I hit the water I made a straight path to the other side of the lake as I kicked vigorously to the surface. The cool water was made of magic as it melted the pain away from my arm. Adrenalin pumped through my veins as I kicked and pulled through the water. Free style probably isn't the prettiest form but it seems to be the easiest and fastest stroke there is. I caught up to Tights rather quickly soon enough we emerged from the water and onto the shore line.

Tights shook his hair out like a dog while I rang the water out from my braid. He grabbed my hand and instructed, "Come, we are not safe until we are out of the open."

We followed a stream into the forest. Now that we weren't being chased I could enjoy the scenery properly. The stream was crystal clear and clean; I could see right down to the bottom. The pebbles were green, blue, and purple; even the brown colored ones seemed bright. If I didn't know any better I would say the white pebbles were pearls. The way the sunlight danced as it sparkled on the water was like magic. I wondered what it would be like to lay on the bottom of that stream and feel the water rush over me; for it to cleans and refresh me would be blissful. The grass was a vibrant green, and so soft; I could barely hear my own footsteps. If my feet were to stop moving and become rooted into the ground forever, I wouldn't have minded. To become one with nature; how soothing and relaxing. It would have been a gift to me. I took it all in as I smelt the fresh water caught on a breeze. The scent of the earth, how rich the dirt was, the grass freshly cut. I wish I could have bottled up that aroma so it could take me back to the moment whenever I wanted for the rest of my life. The birds were all singing and chirping as the darted back and forth amongst the trees and bushes to eat the berries and make nests. There were all kinds of birds, blue jays, mockingbirds, cardinals, sparrows, chickadees, and even hummingbirds. They all sang different notes creating a chorus of music and the laughing stream was their percussion. To sing forever of sweet nothings and have all the world be your audience; what a life that would be to have all of them love you. The feel of the sun warming my back was a golden brilliance. My clothes and hair were drying out beautifully. I pictured myself in that moment glowing from heart inside to all of me outwardly. It was as if God was looking down on me and the sun was his radiant smile. If I could bathe in that light forever I would know that I am always loved. The rushing water grew louder as the stream became wider as it opened up into a little cove. There in front of me was a magnificent waterfall. Mist raised up all around bending the light into a beautiful rainbow. Next to the falls was a weeping willow; I caught a glimpse of the leaves glittering as another breeze passed by. Looking back as I'm writing this I would be content to know that that is what heaven is like; so peaceful and calming, to forget everything and just take in all of your surroundings.

I heard a laugh and it startled me. I turned around to see Tights with an amused look on his face.

"Tights, you scared me. I forgot you were here."

He shook his head, "My apologise. I should have known better, you were completely absorbed by the surroundings. Let me introduce myself. My name is Tarren." He held out his hand to me to shake.

"Nice to meet you, Tarren. My name is Abaca, but I have a feeling you already know that."

He smiled, "You catch on rather quickly."

"I have my talents."

We walked under the willow and Tarren put his bow and quiver up against the tree. I did the same and saw that the imprint on his gear was the same as my pendent and Angel's ring. I went to ask him about it but he got to me first.

"Your arm, it is wounded."

"Oh yeah, I was grazed with an arrow up in the trees. I also think I broke my arm when I slid into that tree."

He reached up into the tree and broke off a rope of leaves. Then he tore off part of his shirt. He cleaned my wound with the moisture from the leaves then wrapped his torn shirt around the cut to bandage my arm. With a combination of is shirt and the rope left over from the leaves he fashioned a sling for my arm.

"Abaca, why are you not wearing your pendent?"

"Well it kind of freaked me out so I threw it back in my bag."

"Angel Lucifer did not explain to you what it is for?"

"It was a key. When I got it he said use it to open the door. But he wasn't very clear the whole time I was talking to him. I think his head my be screwed on a bit too tight if you ask me."

He brushed back his blond hair to reveal deeply concerned hazel eyes.

"That is just like him; always playing mind games. The Pendent is to protect you so that you do not become harmed. It is crucial that the second you awake you put that pendent on. I suggest you never remove it from your neck."

Without notice my surroundings began to melt into complete darkness. I turn to Tarren to ask what was happening but he had disappeared as well. I searched for some kind of an escape but there was none to be found. A deep and monstrous voice came from nowhere and echoed all around me as it screamed, "WAKE UP OR DIE!"