NEILLA'S POVAt first, I strained to see through the thick blanket of darkness blotting out any form of light.There I stood, clueless and vulnerable, waiting on some miracle to spring up from nowhere.No sounds, no smell. I knew I was being transported somewhere, but there was no air around me to at least tell in what direction. I waited in the darkness, praying for a flicker of hope or light to drive away the hopelessness I was feeling inside. "Why did the book bother taking me only to drop me at the edge of nothing?" I whispered to myself, blindly reaching out and withdrawing my hands in the same dejection.Just as I began to let the frustrations hit, I imagined a fickle light. It went off as soon as I tried to focus on it in the distance. That was new. It was something at least. I waited again with bated breath, hoping for it to happen even if by sheer luck so I could fumble my way out of this empty void.The silence that re-echoed was deafening. It enabled me hear my heartbea

NEILLA'S POVLooking around the room with a matching wicked gleam in their gazes, they stepped over the bodies in a crumbled heap in the doorway as they left the room.I stared at Napthena and in the fraction of a second, made up my mind to follow them."Neilla!"I heard her call out in a panicked voice from behind me. I skidded to a halt, throwing her an impatient look. "What?""Did you hear that?"I waited, listened for it, heard nothing. "There's no time for games, Thena. If we delay for too long, they'll be too far gone to catch up with them.""You have to put your ears to the ground, dammit!" She swore so vehemently, I flinched."B-But, there's no one else here. They killed every single person. We should see where else they are headed. Perhaps we could--"I continued on my way but she was quick to intercept, her footfalls too light for me to even notice her move."Listen, you dumbo, whatever is happening now has happened in the past. The book is doing us both a favor by letting

NEILLA'S POV"This baby is you!" Napthena exclaimed, taking it upon herself to spell out the obvious. We watched Mana Sylveon crouch low, doing her best to make no noise that would stir the baby awake. It was right there on her face; the look of adoration she had for the baby, like a mother who just put to bed of a baby after several hours of labor. She was proud to have me in her arms. Even though she barely let her emotions cross her face, she never failed to tell me how much she loved me.I felt the telltale burn in the back of my eyes as I watched the scene before me. With the back of my hand, I wiped the tears before they were fully formed."Shh, shh. I'm here now. The goddess did well to bring me to you." Mana Sylveon cooed in a soothing tone. "Neilla!" I turned to Napthena, blinking quickly to keep back more tears threatening to spill over from my eyelids. My lips trembled slightly in sadness.She was quietly observing Mana Sylveon hold the baby close to her with a croon i