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Vie got ready for bed while Gabriel studied the paintings. He helped her into bed and told her to get some sleep. He kissed her on the forehead and watched as she drifted off. Gabriel walked back over to the easel and stared into the canvas, trying to figure out what message was hidden beneath the layers of paint that Vivian needed someone to find. “What do you need us to see Vivian?” Gabriel thought to himself. He decided since Vie was sleeping like a baby, he would meet up with Raphael and the others and see if they had anything new to offer. He left through the bedroom window in the same way he came, as an eagle, but this time on the hunt.

Gradually, Vie was drifting further and further into a deep sound sleep. She was completely relaxed knowing that Gabriel was by her side. Her fears of the darkness were limited with him close to her. She was sitting on the edge of the cliff again feeling the warm sun on her face. There was a gentle breeze that swept through her hair and a peaceful calm had taken over her anxiety about the paintings. Off in the distance she could see a huge rock like formation that seemed to reach up to the sky. It was surrounded by trees and had deep set grooves that ran vertically down its sides. Vie felt relaxed by the beautiful scenery and was able to let
herself
sail off into the abyss of her dreams.

Then out of the clear blue, she saw her.  It was Vivian standing at the base of the giant rock off in the distance looking at her. It felt so real to Vie. It was as if she had separated from her vessel to join her in their dream. Vie watched her counterpart turn to walk away as she called out to her. “Vivian?” The girl stopped and turned back, waving her hand to
Vie
directing her to come toward her. Vie was certain that Vivian was trying to tell her something, to give her some kind of a clue.  She was trying to communicate with her in some way that could shed some light on the mystery surrounding her life. Vie decided to follow her, but before she could take a step in Vivian’s direction, something happened.

The wind changed. It had quickly picked up speed and began blowing harshly against the cliff. He hair whipped across her face, stinging as it hit her cheeks. Black clouds filled the sky and she could feel the rumbling of the thunder in the distance as she stood on the edge of the cliff. Vie did not feel calm any longer, she began to feel tense like she was at the hospital when she found herself in the middle of this very same dream. She wondered why she was in the exact same place her sleep had taken her before.  It couldn’t be a coincidence. Vie was beginning to think that this wasn’t a dream at all, but rather Vivian reaching out to her just like she did with her paintings. She stood tall and fierce wanting to know where the dream would take her this time. Vie still felt like she was in control. While she was sleeping she seemed to be aware of her surroundings and was actually taking part in the dream instead of it controlling her. She tested her theory of participation by moving her feet off the edge of the cliff. To her surprise, they moved, unlike before when she was stuck like glue and unable to move. This gave her confidence to remain in the darkness for a little while longer.

Vie watched the sky grow darker and darker and the thunder roared louder and louder. There was a storm rapidly approaching and there was nowhere for her to take cover. She was at the mercy
of whatever Mother Nature was sending her way, but took comfort in the fact that it was only just a dream. It seemed like her very presence angered the sky like it was alive, like it wanted her to be afraid, to run, to hide, to give it back its power, but she refused to let it break her.

Then all of the sudden everything went pitch black and there was no sound in the sky at all. Vie could not see her hand in front of her face and her fear was quickly returning as her adrenaline rushed quickly through her vessel. She crouched down on the ground and wrapped her hands around her legs waiting for what was to come next, fearing the unknown. Her chest felt heavy and constricting as she strained to see beyond the seemingly solid black space in front of her. Vie closed her eyes. This was her way to control the darkness, instead of it controlling her.

Then out of the darkness Vie saw two tiny red specks of light that were growing in size as they neared. She watched as they came closer, zeroing in on her as she sat crouched in her fear. Vie could feel something evil hovering above in the darkness and she knew she had to fight against it. She mustered up the strength to rise up against her fears and face whatever monster lurked in the darkness. Vie stood up pushing against the wind and moved toward the edge of the cliff to face the demonic force headed right for her. She put her hands out to the side and said,

“If you want me….come and get me! I am not afraid of you!”

The tiny red lights suddenly stopped moving. Vie could feel an energy present and it was an extremely wicked and negative energy. She called out to darkness. “Show
yourself
,” she spoke in a fierce commanding voice. Just then a figure appeared, a dark sinister looking body glided toward her. At first Vie could not make out what or who was coming her way but as it neared it was unmistakable. It was the same face of the man Vivian had painted, it was Lucian. The tiny red lights were not lights at all by the evil fire that were Lucian’s eyes. Vie could feel the sheer power of his presence and she knew why Gabriel was concerned. They stood staring at each other in a standoff.  Vie decided to try to speak to Lucian and see if maybe he would tell her what he wanted from her vessel and the Guardians.

“I know who you are,” she said but there was no response. Vie decided to have another go at it.

“What do you want with Vivian?” she asked hoping for an answer, but again nothing.

“Why are you here? You obviously want something from us or you wouldn’t be invading my dreams? Why won’t you speak to me? Are you afraid?” she yelled out angry by the silence from Lucian.

Lucian flew like a flash of lightening up to
Vie’s
face, smoldering with anger by her suggestion of fear. She could feel the fire in his soul expressed outward onto her. Vie couldn’t help but notice that while his very presence provoked an instant fear, it also exuded something tempting and alluring to her in a strange and bothersome way.  She found herself both terrified and tempted by him all at the same time. 

She waited and then asked again, “What do you want from the girl?”  He finally answered in a loud, thundering voice that echoed through the darkness.

“I already have what I need from the girl!” he said.

“And what is that?” Vie answered back.

“Her soul!”
Lucian replied with an evil grin.

“If that is true, then why do you enter her dreams? What more do you hope to gain if you already own her soul?” Vie said not believing him for one moment. Gabriel told her how deceitful and manipulative Lucian can be and to never ever trust anything he says. Vie thought if he really had her soul he would have no reason to be here invading her dreams. But she still needed more information. She needed to know what it was that brought him here.

Lucian reached into his dark hooded cloak and pulled out a scroll. He opened it up and rolled it out in front of Vie. It was a contract, a bargain made between Vivian and Lucian and it was signed unmistakably in her blood. It appeared that Lucian wasn’t lying about the deal between Vivian and him. Vie took a deep breath knowing that this deal, whatever it entailed, was binding and Vivian was in eternal danger. Lucian seemed to take pleasure in the pain that viewing the contract was causing the beautiful Guardian, and that angered Vie very much.

“So you are a cheater,” Vie said as she ripped the scroll and threw it back in his face.

“A bold move my dear but I can assure you, it is eternally binding.” Lucian pointed his trident to the shredded scroll at his feet and Vie watched his staff glow, repairing the scroll as it rose up from the ground. 

“Gabriel was right about you. He said you prey on those weaker than you and then you lie and steal what does not belong to you.” She tried a little reverse psychology to see if he would bite. Vie really needed to know why he was coming to her in her dreams and what purpose it would suit him in this plan to get to Carter. No one understood the connection, but Vie knew deep down there was a link between the two and figuring it out would help piece together the puzzle.

“Gabriel? Ha, ha, ha!” he laughed.

“You think I am a cheater and a liar because he has brainwashed you into believing him. Your Vivian willingly gave me her soul in exchange for more time in her godforsaken world. I simply granted her wish. I am no different than you, able to grant a true wish,” he explained.

“Oh, you are very different than me! Did Vivian read the fine print? Did you disclose to her how much time you were granting her here? I am sure she believed it was much longer than the one year written in this contract… in Latin. CHEATER!” she yelled in fury!!!!!!

“Silence!” he roared at Vie.

It is the people in your world who seek to interfere in the choices of the souls or rather their “free will”.  Be very careful where you cast your stones Violet, you may break the windows of your own glass house. Your Gabriel is the thief and the liar and it is he who has stolen from me, but I can assure you I will have my revenge,” he said. Vie was not tolerating the accusations he was throwing out against Gabriel and she was about to let him know it.

“There is nothing you can say against Gabriel that I would ever believe. He is a man of great virtue and honor, unlike
yourself
. He is the most divine soul ever created and whatever game you are playing, I can assure you he will win!”  She spoke Gabriel’s praises.

Vie could see Lucians blood boiling as she defended Gabriel’s honor. He became dangerously displeased by her words. Vie looked off into the distance where Vivian last stood, but she was gone now.  She no doubt retreated back into her vessels subconscious to escape the fear of Lucian. The sky above was closing in on them, slowly changing from black to a fiery orange blaze rolling overhead. The sky seemed to reflect Lucian’s emotions in the nightmare and Vie thought that was something notable. She tried hard to focus on every word he spoke and every action he took during their meeting, hoping there would be something valuable to uncover when she awoke. Vie did not feel fear any longer. She believed if Lucian wanted to hurt her, he would have done so already. She decided to push him harder, hopeful that her theory was right.

“Since you claim to be truthful, then why are you here and what do you want from us?” Vie asked again.

“It is simple, I want back what belongs to me,” he said sneering at Vie.

“If you can tell me what that is maybe I can help you?” she said naively. Lucian just stared at her, wondering how this creature could be so foolish to believe she alone could resolve an eternal war.

“Ha
ha
ha
!” he laughed again amused by her words. Lucian said, “Do you really want to know?” he asked. Then he motioned to her to come closer to him.
Vie‘s
alarm was going off and she feared getting any closer to the evil Lucian. It was strange to her that while she did not trust him at all, she found herself intrigued by his mysterious demeanor. Vie thought for a moment and then moved one step closer to Lucian. He grinned at her compliance and then called her closer to him, luring her with the secrets he dangled in the air. She went to take another step closer and then stopped.

“Did you really think it would be that easy?” she said taking back control.

“Touché my dear,” Lucian said, almost proudly. Then he surprised Vie by actually moving toward her with a slow committed pace. Vie was frozen by his unexpected movement towards her and was thinking this was a really bad idea. All she could think about was how Gabriel had warned her how dangerous Lucian was, but did she listen? No, as usual and now she was going
to perish at the hands of Lucian. She closed her eyes waiting for the end to come, hoping and praying it would be swift. Flashes of Carter entered her mind and she wept inside knowing that she would never be able to see his sweet face again. Then Lucian leaned in so close to her that his fiery hot breath caused her to forehead to perspire
.

“
Ephemeris,
” he whispered in her ear.
Vie
opened her eyes to look back at the demonic monster, confused by the word he spoke profoundly in her ear, but found herself awake and back in Vivian’s room.

She looked around checking to see if Lucian had returned along with her, but she appeared to be alone. She called out for Gabriel wondering where he had gone off to. Just then she heard something at the window. She jumped up off the bed and ran to the side hiding behind the curtains. Vie was ready this time to confront any evil that dared to enter her room. She
peered
her head out slowly around the sheers that moved wispily about from the push of the gentle night breeze. Someone was there, she could feel the energy. She slowly stepped out from behind the sheers and then jumped out and struck the intruder in the head with great force.

“
Thunk
!”
He went down. It only took a moment for Vie to see that she had just clobbered Gabriel.

“Gabriel, are you okay?” she raced to his side to check.

“Good one Vie,” he said rubbing his head, still dazed from the blow.