Liz screamed in pain as her skin was being burnt alive. The awful stench of flesh cooking poured violently through the air, making it heavy with the smell of death and fire.

   "Mom!" Snow screamed at the top of her lungs, she jumped up, scrambling to get to her. When suddenly, a forcefield divided the two between her mother and herself. The raging inferno became stronger and stronger, taking over the very cabinets and the island.

   Dairen scuttled backward. He waved his hand in the hopes of putting up a barrier. At first, the barrier flickered on and off until he tried it again. This time, he was able to keep himself safe from the raging black inferno that seemed to gobble up everything that it touched.

   With a wag of his finger, Poron shook his hand. "A simple exchange," Poron spoke, his hand outstretched, asking for Snow to give up the bracelet that she had in her hand. "I free your mother, and in return, you both are safe."

   Snow heart screamed in a fury, but she couldn't do anything. It was as if her magic was locked up, making it impossible to summon. She didn't know how Poron was able to do such a thing in her home. It didn't make sense, Liz had full control of the magic inside the house, but for someone so powerful to step in their home and break its connection made Snow scared.

   She needed to save her mother, who was burning in flames. Quickly, she slipped off her bracelet, ready to throw it over.

   Dairen shouted, "Don't give it to him!" The black fire magic started to flare around him in anger for his outburst.

   "Who are you to tell her what to do?" Poron snarled, disliking that he was being interrupted by a random person.

   "I'm her friend!" Darien replied, trying his best to keep the black fire back.

Snow was startled by Dairen's outburst. She had never had a friend named Dairen, but his words were like a sledgehammer that shook her very soul. The mother that was in front of her wasn't her real mother? This didn't make any sense, but her heart was telling her was the truth.  

   "Friend?" Poron looked at her with confusion, wondering what that word meant until it finally clicked in his mind.

   "So, you are the boy that came from the other side," Poron said with a hint of distaste. "You are too late, boy. This is not your world."

   Snow wasn't sure what was going on, especially the words that the two were saying. Everything felt surreal, but the hot flaring flames seemed to wake her up, telling her this wasn't a dream.

"Don't listen to him, Snow, that guy is trying to take over your body! This is all in your head, wake up!" Dairen was holding on from the lashes of the black flames that wanted to destroy him too.     

   "Give me the bracelet." Poron took a step forward with his hands outstretched. "I will kill your mother!"

   A chilling scream echoed outwards once again, making Snow shiver. She gripped her bracelet tightly, unsure what was happening.

   "Don't listen to him!" Dairen shouted again.

   "Shut up." Poron sent out a blast of magic towards Dairen. The dark magic hit his barrier, shattering it into pieces. A burst of energy hit him in the chest, throwing him back into the sofa. He groaned in pain.

   "Now, where were we." Poron wiped his hand as if he was taking out a dirty trash. He then started to walk closer and closer towards Snow. "The Bracelet."

   Snow wasn't sure what to do, her thoughts were screaming in two different directions: save her mother or keep the bracelet.

   "Don't Snow. You saved my life back at the dungeon." Dairen coughed, he pushed himself up. He was in pain, struggling to get back up. "This time, I came to save yours."

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

   Poron became enraged, "You imbecile of a human!" He sent out another powerful dark arrow, this time to Kill Dairen in one blow.

   Snow thought she heard something shatter in her mind as memories poured into her head. It was like a flood, completely devouring her mind and making everything clear. She remembered. The dungeon. Everything that she had been fighting for.

   Her eyes glowed golden, and the bracelet that she had on her wrist glowed with the exact same color. She felt a wash of light, covering her whole body. With a flash, she appeared in front of Dairen, blocking the dark energy in one fluid movement.

   Dairen sighed, pleased to see that Snow was back.

   "You owe me an explanation," said Snow. She could see the illusion around her started to shatter. The smell was quickly disappearing, and the voice turned into an animalistic growl. Her burning mother disappeared, and only Poron, Dairen, and her were floating in an endless void.

   "I'll tell you when we get out of here alive." Dairen weakly chuckled. Snow helped him up. "You save me again."

   "Yea, don't get too comfortable with it." Snow replied back, eyeing Poron with diligence. She wasn't going to let this criminal walk away freely.

   Poron clicked his tongue, annoyed that Snow was awake. "Fine, if you are going to be difficult, I'll just take it all away from you." A blazing inferno of dark energy swallowed both of them whole.

   Snow felt constrained almost as if her body was being squeezed to death to the point where she would pop. Her muscles and bones groaned in pain, telling her for it to stop.

   Dairen grunted, but he didn't back down. His hand quickly swirled up the dark energy around them, pushing it back as if it was his own. Slowly, but surely the black energy expanded backward, giving Snow and Dairen to breathe.

   "How were you able to do that?" Snow asked, taking a good look at him. She still felt the throbbing of pain as she was able to stand back up.

   "I don't know, but this is your world, Snow. Whatever goes on in your mind, you can make it possible."

   Enlightened by his words, Snow became excited. It didn't click to her that this world was her own until Dairen had said it. She closed her eyes, feeling around herself. The power of magic beckoned to her call, it was as if she was dancing in the magic river that listened to her touch. Different color lights fluctuated around her.

   Snow reached out, pulling the light and dark energy in the room, entwining hers and Dairen into a giant spear. Her heart palpitated with excitement, the power that came from the arrow excited her. With a dedication set, she looked at Poron.

   Poron froze in fear, he frantically scrambled away to get out of her range, but before he could escape, a sharp flash of black and white light shot through the darkness.

"Nooooo!" Poron screamed, bringing up his hand and any magic that he could conjure up to protect himself. But it was too late. In a matter of seconds, Poron burst into sparkles of dark flames, leaving nothing behind but the smell of burnt skin.

Darien started to laugh.

"Are you okay?" Snow asked, wondering if he hit his head too hard.

"Yea, just happy."

"Happy?"

"To see you alive." Dairen raised his hands for her to take. 

"Aren't I dead?" Snow wasn't sure how Dairen was able to come to her world, mostly because she remembered herself being shot by the BullRoc. After that, everything went blank.

"No, your body is alive, but you didn't come back," said Dairen. "I had to come for you."

Dairen motioned her to retake her hand.

Snow wasn't sure, wondering if Dairen was a dream-like Poron. Nothing made sense, she gazed at his hand and back at his face. She felt no hostility but warmth. Her gut was telling her that everything was going to be okay.

"Let's go." Dairen replied, "everyone's waiting."

Snow carefully grabbed his hand. The warmth spread from her fingers tips and spread throughout her body. He pulled her towards him as he gave her a hug.

Startled by his actions, she held up her hand, unable to figure out what to do. He breathed in and out, calming her down. Gently, she patted his shoulders.

"I'm glad you're alive," Dairen said, his head was in his hair. She thought she felt something wet in her hair.

"Yea." Snow replied.

The world around her started to crumble once again. She thought she heard the familiar cry of a dying beast, but she wasn't too sure. All she could do was enjoy the warmth of Dairen's hug, telling her that everything wasn't a dream.

 This time she was greeted by a blinding light that welcomed her once again.