The bright colors of the forest faded to black as Ben lost himself in his thoughts. One minute, he would force himself to relieve the moments in Riverglade, seeing the bodies, the broken howls of the destroyed lives and the utter hopelessness echoed in the coming night. The next, he would distract himself by attempting to judge the distance between his solitary cliff and the forest floor far below, wondering what the exact extent of his newfound healing ability was.

Ben shakily stood to his feet, taking a step toward the cliff. The gentle wind blew against him, as if to push him back. His mind raced as darkness crept into his vision, almost as if it were urging him to keep moving. While he tried, his body fought him by locking up against his will.

Come on, Ben thought. Just one more step and nobody else will have to get hurt.

Finally, his body eased, his mind blanked. He was ready. All he would have to do now is take a step and lean forward into the empty air.

Ben inhaled sharply and lifted his foot just as a soft voice called from behind him.

“Hey. You okay?”

He froze, quickly putting his foot back down as his vision returned. Ben spun to see Ariana, her eyes bright and alive in the light of the fading sun, her hand with the burnt wrist crossing her chest and gripping her opposite forearm.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Ben pursed his lips, staring off the cliff, which was just a foot in front of him. “Just uh…thinking, is all. Got a lot going through my mind.”

Ariana frowned. “Thinking about Riverglade?”

“Yeah.” Ben avoided her pleading stare by turning his gaze out to the distant, smoking scenery. He frowned.

Why did this have to happen?

A sudden, cool feeling on his hand snapped him out of his thoughts. Ariana gripped it with both of hers as her azure eyes bore into his. The striking light of the setting sun made her gaze brighter, as her lips stretched into a small, yet tender, smile. His stomach briefly fluttered as his breath left his body. She said nothing, and yet, Ben knew what she was telling him, just with her expression. She reached out with her burnt hand and gripped his.

The moment was interrupted by the rustling of leaves behind them. They spun to face the noise and found a small, dark bird. It flew down from the top of the tree and landed on one of the broken branches.

“Aw, look!” Ariana said, smiling.

For a moment, Ben thought back to the moment he first met her, back in Leanoir forest. The small, feathered creature in front of them seemed eerily like the first one that had perched in her hair.

“Think he wants to be friends?”

Ben leaned in closer to get a better look at it. The bird turned its head to stare directly at him. “I’m not sure. I don’t even know if he’s gonna stick around.”

Ariana giggled as she held her hand out gently to it. The bird hopped down onto her finger. He half expected her to burst out in song and have her arms covered in a half-dozen more like a fantasy princess.

“Guess I’m gonna keep him, then.” Ariana turned to Ben. “What are we gonna name him?”

Ben scratched his head, unsure. A smirk crept onto his face.

“Eren,” he declared.

Ariana arched an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Because he is free.” Ben met her confused gaze, realizing the joke was lost on her. The bird tilted its head at Ben as he sighed. “Just…never mind. You name him.”

The bird and Ariana exchanged looks. She smiled. “I like ‘Birdy’ better.”

Birdy chirped, seemingly in agreement. Ben rolled his eyes. With a swift motion, it launched off her arm and soared back up to the branch.It pecked at the silver birch, erratically at first, until the pulsing of the wood slowed into a steady rhythm. It ceased the thumping, hopping to the edge of the branch as it shrilled a tune, one that sounded familiar. In the back of his mind, he could hear the grinding of strings from Ariana’s violin, the nameless song that she had dedicated to him.

“Ari?” Ben asked as he looked at Ariana. “Isn’t this…?”

Ariana didn’t answer. Instead, she took his arm and wrapped it around her waist and elevated the other. She led him as they swayed back and forth. The shrill of the song quieted and slowed.

Before he knew it, Ariana had drawn him into her embrace, her arms wrapped tightly around him. For a minute, Ben stood in silence until he finally returned her hug. Warmth flowed back into his body, forcing the coldness in his soul out through his icy breath. The accusing voices in his mind were muffled, replaced instead with the peace he found being in Ariana’s embrace.

After a long moment in each other’s arms, they slowly, reluctantly pulled away. Ariana brushed her hair behind her ear as Kira’s call rang out at the village entrance. She spun to see the angel waving at her.

“I think she needs help with the refugees,” Ariana said. “So, I should probably go.”

“Right.” Ben nodded, his cheeks warm. “Of course.”

Ariana slowly turned and ran to the entrance, toward Kira. Before she got too far, Ben reached out and called her.

“Hey, Ari?”

She met his gaze, her azure eyes blinking.

“Thanks. For everything.” Ben smiled. “I really needed that.”

Ariana blushed as she sheepishly waved to him, running up to Kira and nearly tripping. She and the angel soon disappeared into the crowd, leaving Ben alone once more. He walked back over to the tree and leaned on it, staring into the night sky which had shrouded the fading smoke in darkness, focusing his attention on the shining stars and waning moon above. He appreciated the sight. To him, the moonlight felt like a beacon of hope. Despite the disastrous consequences of his presence in New Eden, that maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay.

That light, to him, was Ariana Winters.

Without warning, another high-pitched voice cried out. He spun to see the young boy from Riverglade that he had saved. Ginger, curly hair sprang from his head and whipped in the light evening wind. He waved eagerly with a smile on his face as he ran toward him.

“Billy?” Ben asked as the kid latched onto him.

Billy beamed as he released his grip from Ben’s leg. His young, yet somehow unnerving, eyes bore into him.

“You made it out!” Ben knelt and ruffled Billy’s hair. “Glad to see you in one piece.”

“Yep!” Billy said with a smile. “Thanks to you!”

“What are you doing here? Why aren’t you back in the village?”

“I saw you!” Billy’s voice elevated even higher, as if he were Ben’s biggest fan. “I just wanted to say hi and thank you for saving me the other day.”

“Just glad you survived, bud.” Ben smiled. “So, I guess you found your parents, huh? The demons didn’t get them?”

The kid studied his shoes, his smile fading. Ben stared suspiciously. “You didn’t lose them again, did you?”

“We got separated after the village got blown up.” Billy frowned as he sat back against the tree. “I’m worried. I don’t want them to die like the others.”

Ben froze. As soon as Billy had said the words, the images of the ruined village that were previously purged had returned. The billowing smoke, bodies trapped and crushed by debris, a horrifying sight that would never leave him. How many of those people had been parents or children, just like Billy? How many families did he destroy with his recklessness?

“I’m sorry.” Ben broke the silence, his voice rasped as he knelt next to him.

Billy blinked in confusion. “Sorry for…what?”

“I’m the reason you got separated from your parents both times. The first time, with the demons, they were after me. You and your family were just caught in the crossfire.”

“But…” The child’s brows furrowed. “Why would they be after you?”

“I can do things nobody else can,” Ben explained, though he hesitated with his words. “Sort of—”

“—like a superpower?”

“Yeah, exactly.” Ben nodded. “Only with me, people get hurt a lot.” The image of Ariana’s burnt wrist flashed into his brain. “People I care about.”

The kid frowned. “I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault.” Ben sighed. “Anyway, ready to go back to the village? More refugees are coming in. Maybe we’ll find your parents.”

“Aw, right now?” Billy asked, his voice brimming with disappointment.

Ben spun, arched an eyebrow. “Did you have an idea in that little brain of yours?”

“Actually.” Billy blushed sheepishly. “I was wondering if you could show me your powers.”

Ben’s first instinct was to agree to his request without a second thought. Instead, he remembered what happened to Riverglade and hesitated.

“I don’t know about that. I’m not supposed to use it.”

“Why not?”

Ben tilted his head and scratched it as he struggled to find the words to explain it to a six-year-old. “Basically, I’m sick. The more I use it, the worse I get.”

“You seem fine to me.” The kid quickly inspected Ben from head to toe, doubt crossing his chubby face. “Come on, please? Just one?”

Ben sighed and rolled his eyes. He figured he may as well, if only for a second or two. It was like a golden rule with children: entertain them or prepare to face perpetual whining.

“Fine, but stay back. I don’t want you getting burned, too.”

Billy beamed and clapped his hands in excitement as Ben knelt in front of him. He closed his eyes and wiggled his fingers over his palm, then held it out and let fire spew from it. The embers danced around the main flame, like satyrs around a campfire. The kid’s eyes nearly popped out of his oversized head.

“Whoa!” Billy grinned. “That’s so cool!”

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Ben chuckled. He may not have had Ariana’s magic touch, but he sure was good at keeping this munchkin entertained. It was also a welcome distraction.

“What else can you do?” the kid asked excitedly.

Ben extinguished the flame. “A few other things, I think. It’s probably not a good idea, though.” He glanced nervously at the nearby village. “I don’t wanna spook anybody, considering…well, you know.”

“Aw, come on!” Billy pouted. “We’re far out enough! People won’t know!”

Ben turned, looked at the village once more, making his best estimate for distance. He guessed he was about three-hundred feet from the entrance to the village, plenty out of sight and earshot.

Maybe if I keep it small, Ben thought as he shrugged. I guess just a little more won’t hurt. Infection shouldn’t spread too much if I don’t go overboard with it.

“Alright.” Ben turned to Billy and grinned. “What else were you hoping to see?”

“Um…” Billy touched his chin in deep thought, “Maybe you can shoot it?”

Ben really didn’t want to catch anything on fire, but the kid had a point. It really would be interesting if he could shoot flames, even better if he could control them after. Perhaps something small to test his little idea?

He turned, pointed his fist at a small tree at the edge of the walkway. He focused his will on roasting it. Nothing happened. Ben sighed heavily. “Sorry kid. I tried.”

“Aww.” Billy frowned. “You’re trying too hard. Try relaxing or jolting your hand out or something.”

Turning back toward the tree, Ben shrugged, looking at his hand. Worth a shot, I guess.

Ben took a sharp breath, drew his arm back, and slung it forward. The flame balled up in his palm and barreled toward the small tree, reducing it to ashes. He grinned.

The two turned to each other in unison and gave each other a high five as they chuckled. An old couple making their way into the town heard their obnoxious laughter and greeted them with a stern, judgmental look.

Ben hid the flaming hand behind his back. “Ah…sorry! My bad! Didn’t mean to bother you guys.”

The couple went back to minding their own business, though it surprised him it was the laugh and not the burning tree that caught their attention. The husband rolled his eyes and pulled his elderly wife along. Ben faced Billy. “That was pretty cool, huh?”

Billy nodded ecstatically. “That was awesome!”

Ben smiled and chuckled at Billy’s excitement. He was having fun entertaining the kid, although he wondered what else he could do. He remembered his fight with Raziel, how he had jumped high into the air.

Can I propel myself with fire, too?

Back then, when he let the infection control him, it seemed almost instinctual, like his body was on autopilot. What would it take to make it happen at will? Would it be like shooting it?

Only one way to find out, Ben thought.

He turned to Billy, squatted down, and said, “Hey Billy, time for a piggyback ride!”

Billy’s eyes lit up as he got on Ben’s back, his tiny hands gripped the front of his shirt.

“Alright, Billy. Hold on!” He took a deep breath and then launched himself using the flames from his hands. After he was about twenty feet into the air, he extinguished them and fell close to the entrance to Kira’s village.

“Whoa!” Billy shouted as Ben landed perfectly. The flames in his hands blazed to the ground like a rocket ship.

“You can super-jump! Do it again!”

Ben grinned and rocketed himself into the air once more, this time going about ten feet higher than before. Billy hung on for dear life as they descended, squealing at the top of his lungs in sheer, utter delight. Ben landed on a roof in the village, his feet cracked the wood as he skidded to a halt.

The kid snorted as he laughed uncontrollably. “That was awesome, dude!”

Ben chuckled too, pleased that he was mastering his new abilities. Ariana wouldn’t have to worry about him losing control anymore, because soon—Ben clenched his fists as he extinguished the flames—he would be in control, not the creature she witnessed before.

His chest pulsated as he felt the infection spread, its shadowy roots burying into his body. He cursed.

Damn it. I probably overdid it. Ben looked back at Billy, whose eyes were wide, mouth gaped open in pure joy. It seemed a shame to ruin his fun, but he couldn’t risk the infection spreading further. Ben’s shoulders sagged as he sighed.

“I think that’s enough for now, kiddo. Are you ready to get off this roof and find your parents?”

Billy was focused on something else. A large blot of what looked like locusts headed toward the village. A sinking feeling in Ben’s gut suggested that they were also coming toward him.

“Demons!” Billy shouted shakily in fear. Ben grit his teeth.

More demons? he thought. Why the hell do they want me so badly?

People in the village noticed, grabbed their children, and ran to safety. Some screamed in fear, others grabbed tools and prepared to fight. But with what happened at Riverglade, especially after Raziel and the Giant, they needed protection. No matter what, he was determined not to let Kira’s village fall. As he went to light another flame, Ariana’s voice rang in his mind.

Promise me.

Staring at the flame, Ben grudgingly let it extinguish. He turned, looking for an easy exit from the roof. He felt Billy quake with fear on his back. “Ben? They’re coming!”

Ben patted his hand to calm him down, although he noted that his skin felt cold and clammy. “Hey kid, it’s alright. We’ll go get Kira and she’ll take care of them.”

“They’re coming too fast! Use your powers!” Billy exclaimed.

Sure enough, a demon dive-bombed toward them. Ben avoided the attack by sliding off the roof on his belly. The wood splintered and tore into his chest until the roof caved in completely. He grunted as he landed hard on the ground, just as the demon barreled through the wall of the home.

Ben spun and came face to face with the demon, its wicked smile only inches from him. It was smaller, skinnier than the ones he had fought at Riverglade. He grit his teeth. One by itself wasn’t an issue, but the real problem was the innumerable horde of others just like it waiting outside.

It lunged; Ben instinctively summoned a shield made of solidified fire. It clawed, flapping its wings and attempting to reach over. He concentrated and commanded the shield to become a blade, which he then used to cut through the demon effortlessly.

Damn it, Ben thought. No choice now.

With a sharp intake of breath, Ben summoned a full set of ethereal armor, feeling its weight settle on his body. Billy was still on his back. Ben sprang back into the air, landing on a roof and continuing to sprint along. As the demon horde screeched toward him, he maneuvered and vaporized them whenever he could.

As he battled, exhaustion and dread crept into him like a parasite. For every demon he killed, it seemed like two more took its place. He knew couldn’t hold out forever. He looked back at Billy, whose hands were desperately gripping Ben’s bloodied chest.

“Hey, do me a favor, okay?” Ben said as he vaporized another demon. “I need you to get off and go to Kira. You know who that is, right?”

“I feel safer with you!” Billy protested, screaming as another demon launched at them. Ben ducked and stabbed it in the chest.

“Well trust me, it’s a lot safer with her than it is with me right now!” Ben said, “Look, it was fun hanging with you, alright? But you need to be safe, and I have all that extra weight off my back. Deal?”

Billy nodded sadly. “Deal…” he said as he loosened his grip.

“Alright, on the count of three, I’m going to open my armor and you are going to run in between those buildings, hide, and find Kira once the coast is clear. You with me?”

“Alright.” Billy reluctantly climbed down his back and prepared to run. “I’m ready!”

As Ben opened the armor and let Billy dash through, he couldn't help but notice the frustration in the kid’s voice. He ran fast for a kid his age; his little legs sprang across the village like a rat crossing a kitchen. Before he disappeared behind the corner, Billy smiled and gave Ben a quick thumbs up.

Ben returned it and continued to battle the hordes upon hordes of demons. They attacked viciously, endlessly, slamming into his ethereal armor with seemingly no end. He punched one, smashed another, and fried a third. Their pattern of attack was relentless, leaving him with no respite. One of them had cracked his armor enough to land a scratch on his face, though Ben had avoided further damage by leaping back. He desperately hoped that Kira was nearby, that Ariana was safe.

Even if I go down here, he thought, at least she can find her dad again.

Ben panted heavily, his vision twisted and blurred as his chest bled. His armor flickered, threatening to let one of the demon’s attacks land and kill him. He was losing.

Come on, keep fighting, damn it! Ben told himself, Just don’t…

His body froze against his will, his muscles tightened and locked into place by some unknown, invasive force. A demon struck and his armor shattered. The blow knocked him into a nearby wall. He tried to run, but his body seized up again.

What the hell is this? A large demon, horns like a ram with black, twisted skin, one Ben assumed was a leader, landed in front of him. It dramatically walked up to him, held his clawed hand out and grabbed him by the shirt, lifting him up. The demon muttered something to his lieutenant next to him.

We have him. Let Aka Manah Know!

The demon released Ben abruptly. Through his bony chest pierced twin daggers, which spread apart and cleaved it in half. In its dusty stead stood Kira, her blades held in reverse grip, her knees bent, wings held back. A battle stance.

Ben grinned as he regained control of his body. Little Billy had come through.

“Ariana,” Kira said. “Grab Ben and get out of here. You’ll have to go to the Pool of Eden without me.”

Ariana emerged and knelt next to Ben, grabbing his arm. She yanked him to his feet, quickly embraced him.

“Where were you?” Ariana demanded. “I leave you alone for five minutes…”

Kira shouted over her shoulder at them as she decapitated three oncoming demons. “You both need to go now. And Ariana?”

“Yeah?”

“Remember what I told you.” Kira frowned. “Above all, stay safe. I love you.”

Tears welled up in Ariana's eyes. She briefly broke her grip on Ben to latch onto Kira, who tightly hugged her back with one arm, as if it would be the last time. The angel then pushed Ariana away. “Go!”

Securing her violin case to her back, Ariana grabbed his arm and ran sideways away from the battle, toward a path that led deeper into the mountains. They bolted out of the town, running as fast as their teenage bodies would allow. Suddenly, Ben remembered Billy.

“Wait Ari! Back at the village, there was a...”

“It can wait! We have to get away!”

“But…”

Ariana looked back with a tear-filled, desperate eye. “Don’t you get it? We have to run. We can’t let them take you!”

Ben grimaced. It seemed like they were always running, but then again, what good did fighting do? He looked back at the battle. Kira was vanquishing the demons efficiently, skillfully. But like his battle, more demons attacked, overwhelming her. With each passing moment, her defense faltered. One demon finally landed a scratch; the angel rebounded and split it in two with one of her blades.

Ben grit his teeth. Kira was an amazing fighter, but she couldn’t hold out forever. She needed his help.

“Ari, stop!” Ben demanded. “We need to go help Kira!”

“Kira can handle herself!” Ariana rasped between her labored breaths. “We need to get out of here and get somewhere safe, okay?”

“I’m not gonna let her die!” Ben threw off her hand and tried to run back, but Ariana had tackled him to the ground. Ben felt his skin grow hot, his brain and chest pulsed as the infection clawed into him, his armor formed.

Kill.

“Ben, stop!”

He broke free from her grip and held up his flaming hand threateningly. Ariana's mouth fell open, and her eyes grew wide with surprise. Ben looked down at her burnt wrist, his jaw clenched. He let the flame extinguish and rose to his feet.

Ariana continued to stare, her eyes quivering. She shook it off and dragged him along, her face now hidden in her hair. Ben complied, jogging with her as their shoes churned the dirt path.

They broke into a run as they entered the darkness of the forest. Flashes of moonlight that broke through the black canopy dashed by them for hours until they were too exhausted to run any further. They found a spot by a large tree with roots as thick as the dark oak itself.

Ariana broke away from Ben and sat on one of the nearby roots, facing away as she gripped her forearm. He sank against the trunk and stared up at the night sky. The surrounding air was silent, save for the swaying of the dark trees in the icy wind.

“Ben,” Ariana began, breaking the quiet. “I know you wanted to help her, but right now, the most important thing for us is to get you to that pool. The infection is getting worse.”

Ben bit his lip. She was right; he had slipped and almost fried her out of sheer frustration, fueled by the demon bite. He wouldn’t ever forgive himself if he had hurt her. And yet, Kira’s chances at the village looked slim. Nobody else should have to die because of him.

“But what if Kira doesn’t make it?” Ben asked.

“And what if you don’t make it?” Ariana snapped. “What am I supposed to do? Just let you get taken over by demons? Or die?”

“Ari…”

“Do you know what it would do to me, Ben? If I lost you?”

Ben grit his teeth, turned around, and gripped her shoulders. “I’ve already cost you everything! Damn it, I’m a cancer in your life, Ari. Why can’t you see that? How much more will you lose before you realize that I’m not worth saving?”

Ariana froze, taken aback by his words. Ben loosened his grip and dipped his head, his voice softening. “You’ve lost so much. Everywhere I go, death follows. I never wanted this. I never wanted you to lose any of that, your life, your dad, Kira.”

Ariana’s eyes glistened. “Ben, don’t—”

“This is all my fault.” His throat tightened as he choked. “I’m sorry.”

Ariana grabbed him and drew him in for a tight hug. Ben tried to pull away, but she latched onto him and held him in place. Gently taking his left hand, she felt his trembling fingers and looked into his eyes, now filled with tears.

“It’s done, Ben. I can’t feel anything about that right now because if I cry, I’m not gonna stop. Whether it’s your fault doesn’t matter, because you’re all I have left right now,” Ariana said as a gentle, forgiving smile stretched across her face. “So, let’s go forward to that pool together, so we can make all of this worth it, ya hear?”

Ben blinked as she gripped his wrist and led him further down the path until the canopy opened far into the full night sky, the waning moon now out in its full glory, accompanied by the stars. The stiff wind picked up, chilling him down to the soul. He looked at Ariana, who shivered and inched closer to him. It blew his mind that despite everything that had happened, here she was, by his side. Deep down, he was glad. He didn’t want to be alone.

The trees shook, taking Ben out of his thoughts. A flock of birds took off from the city of leaves high in the forest, dashing across the moonlight. The way they flew was erratic, yet…organized. Powerful. He thought back to the day he first saw Ariana dance, the day she had stolen his heart. His brows furrowed as an idea suddenly came to him.

“Hey, Ari?”

Ariana faced him, her violin case slung over her shoulder, the gentle light from the night sky illuminating her face.

“You know that song you played? From the festival?”

“Of course.” Ariana nodded. “What about it?”

Ben stared back up, seeing the last of the flock fade into the distance. The moon shone brightly once more. The insignificant shadows that blotted it out were now gone, and the comforting light had returned.

“Sky of Shadows,” Ben said.

Ariana blinked, touching her chin as she pondered it. She looked up and nodded; her smile as bright as the night sky itself.

“I like it,” she said. “So, it’s settled then. That’s the name of the song. Our song.”

And Sky of Shadows, it was.