Authors Notes: (I'll be quick)

New story for me, it's been in my head for a while, so getting it out of there and onto paper (and eventually the hard drive) has been interesting. I'm going to be going away on the 31st but I'll have limited internet access for the two weeks.

Disclaimer: The Characters within are more than likely copyright to Disney, unless stated by me. I'm not making any money out of this, simply doing it for my own perverted pleasures. Please don't sue me!

Summary: Set in an Alternate Universe and Alt. Setting. Kim is a highly successful, 24 year old version of herself, acting as a Vampire slayer. With Humanity on the brink of War with Vampires, she feels their only chance of success is taking down the most powerful before the war has begun. One of her targets is a certain plasma wielding queen of darkness. But, with her skill, nothing can go wrong...Or can it? KiGo, rating may change.

Journals will be indicated between - marks. Thoughts will be in italics.

Chapter One: The Flame

---

Nothing is better to me than writing pen to paper. Thoughts make more sense when time is taken to write them onto paper; it is almost therapeutic for me. Plus, it would be silly to carry a typewriter around with me!

Although I loathe admitting it, but here at least I can be honest with myself. My enemy is winning. I have completed every assignment given to me without delay, to the best of my ability. Yet, they are still winning.

I have tracked down two of their leaders as the armies gather, but still we are on the verge of battle. I am only one woman! Any leader I kill brings down all of his kin. This should work in my favour, but it does not! When I finally defeat them, one always takes their place afterwards, with greater numbers of kin and a higher level of skill. They only choose the highest to give their allegiance to because of this fact, but I am at a loss; they just keep breeding…there is no end to them at all.

I have killed two of the more…important members of their hidden society. Rolph Demitris was my first. He had over fifty followers and was considered a great threat. I was given this as my assignment. I followed it through and defeated him.

The second was Pablo Vengard; he only had around thirty followers, but he was still deadly. I destroyed him, and in turn, his followers.

That is around eighty two of these foul creatures, fallen at my hand….and they are still here! They do not go!

I need to make further impact before I can go back. I sit here, on the banks of the river Garthyr, looking over her kingdom.

Yes, it is a 'she' this time; she is known as their queen…her followers are into the hundreds. If I complete this mission, we may stand a chance in this war.

She is known as 'Nightmare', but my sources indicate that her true name is 'Sera Gordon'.

She is powerful…like nothing I have ever battled before. I have heard rumours about her abilities; I can only pray they are not truthful.

I know the dangers this may pose; not only physical, but emotional also. My….preferences – for lack of a better word – are well known in this world and she is no old hag. I shall have to be careful with this one. I only hope she will have no interest in me. Only time will tell.

If I am successful, maybe others will brush off the idiotic notion of my talents being based on luck; and actually respect me

I will protect the ones I love by stopping this war before it starts. First, I require some special items to take this beast down; for that, I must visit an old friend.

The light in the Darkness

Flame

---

Shamyre – 11:00 PM (2300 Hours) "The Load"

The Town of Shamyre sat, as it always did, near the edge of 'The Shade.'
It didn't sit here by choice; 'The Shade' was actually a forest that had a legendary status in the town; mainly because of its imposing shape and the stories told about it. The trees looked viscous and uninviting, their gnarled forms acted as a stationery threat to residents. The forest was a setting for horror stores told to children; mainly to get them to eat their vegetables – or any other 'icky' substance – or simply to scare friends with at campfires.

Very few people entered the wood, and even fewer returned.

Shamyre itself could hardly be called a town; it was more of a collection. It was started by an old man who 'Just wanted to be left alone'. He built his house somewhere where no fool would want to live, and lived happily for a number of years; before people decided to join him. The result was a rather humorous collection of odd folks, all strangely thrown together. The residents rarely argued with each other, but each was instilled with his or her own morals. Any traveller was immediately informed on each of these; just to make sure he was okay with them: Anybody who was not; usually ended up running from the town at high speeds.

It was the only town you could find a Vegetarian living on the same street to the Butcher and not cross a word with him. This was for two reasons; firstly, there was only one street in the town anyway, and secondly, whatever the hell anyone wanted to do in their own home was their business; as long as they didn't impose on others, they could be practicing necromancy for all the others cared.

The Buildings of the town matched their residents personalities and quirks, and as such, looked harmonious and completely messed up at the exact same time. Some of the buildings were in pristine shape while others had peeling paint and rusted nails. Some were only a single storey, while others were comprised of many storeys. Some were simply glorified tents and some resembled mansions. One house looked like nothing more than a Garden shed.

The town was obscure, in every sense of the word. For this reason; obscure sights were rarely noticed and made an issue of. Tonight would be no exception.

The town was deep in the glow of a vibrant full moon; the sky was void of clouds and the night was crisp; the only obstruction to the lighting came in the form of a light haze that had descended to the land. The fog was heavy and trickled into the various bumps and valleys of the ground.

The rhythmic drumming of hooves hitting the dirt echoed around the landscape, seeming louder in the deafening quiet. The sound of heavy breathing and the whither of a warhorse joined the noise and gave away the midnight visitor.

As the noises neared the misshaped town; a small silhouette played in the darkness. The shape kept to the shadows as it approached at high speed; its true form only hinted at by the soft rays of moonlight that slid around them.

They approached the town at breakneck speeds; finally forced into the glow of the moonlight. The lunar rays immediately gave their identity away.

They consisted of beast and rider and were an imposing sight. The beast was a strongly built warhorse; its inky mane reflected the light easily and hid itself well, while its white pelt drank in the lighting and almost seemed to glow with an ethereal feel. The animals hooves were hidden underneath the low fog; causing the mirage that the beast was somehow flying across the landscape. The fog was dragged from its resting place in the flurry of their movements and only laid to rest once their form had passed.

The rider was hunched low over their mount; eyes trained on the shape of a town ahead of them. Soft hands gripped the stallion's reigns with furious determination; the knuckles paled with the tight grip.
Flaming red hair whipped backwards with the wind and showed her gentle face; now forced into a deep scowl. Her olive eyes assessing the situation quickly; darting around quickly to spot any dangers. Her lips were in a thin line and void of any emotion. The cold night was apparent as her breath came out in smoky gasps; her ears flushed with the freezing temperature.

Her black cloak was forced tightly around her frame to keep the bitter chill from her skin; it hid her body from the night and whipped backwards; seeming more like a shadow than cloth.

The town remained quiet and still as her form shot through; the thunderous beating of her mounts hooves hitting the stone path resounded against the buildings, but appeared to be unheard. She spotted her destination ahead of her; it stood out easily against the other houses. She tugged sharply on the reigns; the beast rearing upwards sharply. The stallion took a few staggered steps before dropping its front legs back down to the ground. With a snort, it stilled.

As the beast stood still, she allowed herself a few moments to breathe: Taking long, uneven gasps of chilling air that caused her throat to sting; the willed her heart to stop racing and her mind to settle.

Her eyes wandered to the house she had stopped in front of; it was a glorious sight in the day and just as impressive at night. It had two floors that were finely built and an attic that sat at the very top; considerably smaller than the other levels.
It was made from the finest wood; kept in top form by the owners. Simply glancing at the woodwork told the viewer that the owners took very good care of their home. It was a beautiful home that had a lot of work put into it. A balcony hung above her; vacant at these hours and the front door was now closed. A sign hung down above her head; the letters painted on neatly in a soft green paint. It looked welcoming to her and caused a soft smile to part across her lips. She had fond memories here.
"Load and Co!"

She sighed deeply, brushing her memories to one side; if only for the moment. This was not a casual visit; she needed to speak to an old friend. She did not have time to dawdle; while she rested and daydreamed, they bred and grew stronger.

She swung her leg from its place in the stirrup and pulled it over her mounts form; leaping away from it in a swift jump. Her boots thudded on the cobbles and the faint jingle of coins sounded; muffled by her cloak. She ran her hand over the soft hide of her mount and checked her saddle bags contents. A black Stetson sat on the back of her saddle; forgotten with her quick escape. She picked it up and ran a gentle finger around its rim. It was scuffed and dirty; but it had been with her for a long time. She smiled once again and laid it gently on her brow; shielding her face in the night.

After giving her stallions mane a quick ruffle and quickly tying him to the post outside of the home; she turned to knock.

Her knuckles rapped gently on the wood; the sound produced sunk into the house beyond. She did not want to cause too much noise, but she hoped it would be enough to wake them from their slumber.

She waited outside for a few moments; shifting uncomfortably. The sensation of being watched was unwelcoming now and made her twitch. She divulged into an old habit and began biting her lip. She did not like feeling, but there was no way to avoid it.

The door finally opened to her; a very tired man opened it for her. He was dressed in a dirty vest and softly wrinkled shorts that did nothing to hide his hairy legs. He was bare footed and was obviously bothered by the cold air the door had let in.

His hair was grey and wiry; it sat messily on his head. He was starting to lose his hair. One hand was clasped over his mouth to stifle a yawn; the other holding tightly to an oil lantern. It gave off a soft yellow glow that bathed the two figures. His eyes were half lidded with tiredness. It was painfully obvious he had just woken up.

He did not say anything for a few moments; attempting to work out who his visitor was. She had remained silent; simply returning his gaze.

His eyes widened suddenly at the realisation and removed his hand to usher her quickly inside of his home.

She took in the familiar sights as she looked around; the stairs stood to her right and the corridor continued in front of her. Everything was clean and tidy; it was almost surreal to see it that way. Paintings of family members and beautiful landscapes hung on the walls and as she walked passed, she took the liberty to examine them.

He walked past her and led the way down the corridor to an exquisite set of double doors. She recognised them instantly. As he pulled them apart, she stepped inside and took in the room. He mumbled something and walked back down the corridor to fetch the person she was visiting; his son.

The room she now stood in was the dining room. As she took in the layout; her mind was suddenly saturated with memories; laughter and joy filled her mind. She finally took the time to revel in her past; she had been here many times as a child.

The room was quite impressive; beautifully painted floral plates hung on the wall; bouncing the light that hit them. They hung delicately above an ornamental marble fireplace. The fire had been extinguished now; the last of the embers had died and left a sooty mess at the bottom. It had been an intimidating view when lit and left to roar; it flooded the house with warmth.

She strolled further into the room; her fingers gliding along the expertly carved mahogany table. When in use, it would sit at least twenty. It spanned the room and filled it well; its woodwork well used and beautiful. She smiled fondly; remembering when she was first allowed to sit around it.

"Oh, how I have changed…" She muttered softly to herself, her voices unheard within the room.

Her eyes spotted a familiar chair within the room as memories flooded back. She could remember her mother sitting on the chair, holding her in front of the fire; rocking her as she slept…

She scrunched her eyes harshly, as if the memories would leave her. She slammed the door on them once more, her past fading away. They were a distraction, a weakness.

What was once her job, a goal…now had become an obsession. As her enemies fell, the distance grew between herself and those she loved. With each death, she felt an emptiness grow. She would write frequently, always ending in the same old line, reused and as empty as ever.

I'll return home to you all, once I have…

Part of her missed them all greatly, she just wanted to see them all again. She could not return to them now, however. She had a goal to achieve, it was quite ironic really. She had chased every single goal she had set and met it well; so the universe seemed to give her this new challenge. A new goal to meet, with a twist; she had no idea what the goal actually was. She could feel it, but she had no idea what it actually was.

Whatever it was, it was plaguing her, but she couldn't return without it.

"Just because pale demons are awake this late…"
The warm vocals brushed against her; the familiar feeling of safety rushing over her like the wind. She pivoted quickly; her hair spilling in its new direction and allowing her to see her host.

"It doesn't mean we all are…Flame."

Her host took the form of a young man; now slightly taller than her. His eyes gazed at her warmly and with understanding. His dark skin appeared paler in the moonlight that spilled into the room; he looked like a ghost. His black hair was ruffled and extremely messy; giving him the complete 'I just got out of bed' look. Added to his creased shirt and dirty jeans; he looked as scruffy as ever.

"Sometimes we need to imagine things from our enemy's viewpoint." She mused.

"Ah, but then we run the risk of becoming what we hunt!"

They drifted into silence once more, until steady smiles broke out on their faces.

The young man laughed warmly and went over to embrace his friend; the young woman welcomed it and returned it just as tightly. Her reasons for visiting may not have been joyful; but at least she was allowed to smile and joke with a friend again.

After a few moments, they separated, still holding onto their smiles. He held her at arms length and looked her over; examining the changes brought over the years.

The last time she had seen him, he had been little over sixteen. He had been shorter, scruffier (though that wasn't saying much) and slightly more confident. This present version was slightly neater, he had grown considerably, but he had become ever so closed off. He stood there with a hunch; his posture seemed almost defensive.

For him, his guest had changed very little. She seemed to have gained some responsibility; it shone through her eyes. Her young recklessness had almost disappeared. He did enjoy seeing her be reckless and carefree; but he also worried about her. He never voiced his concerns, fearing she may feel he was attacking her abilities.

"Going to see your parents?" He asked, suddenly forcing them out of their thoughts. He heard an irritated groan come from her and saw her eyes roll. He knew she would respond like that, but he wanted to try, at least.

"You know the answer, Tex! I'm after a big one this time." She replied, breaking eye contact to watch the fireplace again. Talks about her family always distanced her from those she was talking to; she was sensitive around the issue of her family.

He let out a soft sigh, looking towards the ground. He hated when she tried to put distance between them.

"Considering these….times….and the circumstances, maybe you could just call me Wade…" He mumbled, catching her eye. She held his gaze before he added with certainty "Kim."

She forced herself to look away again; almost ashamed of the name he had used. That girl was flawed; she had weaknesses, she felt emotion. She wasn't perfect.

"Fine, whatever…" She drifted off, a new edge to her voice now. "I need items for my next target; Grade One stuff only. Payment in cash…as usual."

She dropped a bag of coins onto the table from underneath her cloak; her voice becoming cold. Wade scowled at the obvious anger in her voice, but decided to let it pass for more pressing issues.

"Grade One huh?" He stated calmly; grabbing the bag of coins from the table. He weighed them in his hand before motioning her to follow him.

They left the room through a separate doorway and walked into a completely blank corridor. It held none of the warmth of the rest of the house and was decorated in simple grey hues. It seemed cold and dead. There were no exits along it; just a strong, reinforced steel door that matched the coldness of the corridor. A small lantern hung next to the door; the only colour in the corridor came from the flickering light it gave off. The room at the end was as unwelcoming as ever.

"Not after the King, are we?" He asked with an amused edge to his voice. 'Grade One' equipment was only used for the big leagues; it cost more and worked quicker. The only reason she would need it was for a particularly powerful foe. He hoped it wasn't the King; she would surely die from such a mission. He left the care out of his voice when he spoke, but on the inside, he was worried.

He grabbed the door and pushed hard; hammering the bolt backwards to free the door. It was a heavy door; she could see from his exertions on it. He grabbed the lantern from its place next to the door and pushed the steel fully backwards, showing a staircase made from more cold concrete that spiralled downwards into the inky darkness.

"No; the Queen actually." She replied, watching him as he stepped through the doorway. His footsteps echoed through the doorway and downwards; giving her an idea of how far downwards they stretched. She followed his silhouette in the warm glow; stepping down the stairs with careful precision. There were no windows as they were now under the earth; the only light came from the lantern held by her company. She kept close; making sure to eye her steps. A fall this high may have killed her.

As they reached the bottom, he managed to create distance between them as she took in the new room with awe. Her eyes drank in the little detail she could make out from the limited lighting; the shapes ghosted on the walls.

His genius lay everywhere within the large room. The sheer size of the room gave her an indication on how many devises were working down here. Many of them would be on sale in his fathers shop, but many never made it out of this chamber; his lab. Walls were lined with peculiar machines that she feared to ask about; chemicals cluttered a nearby desk in seemingly innocent experiments; she knew they were anything but innocent.

He led the way through the gloom to another door; this time it was wooden and much easier to get past. She was almost too engrossed in the items around her to see what he was doing.

"Another door? Completely necessary this time?" She asked; leaning against a nearby wall, her arms crossed around her waist. He was too busy unlocking the door to answer her question. The answer was granted anyway; it was probably necessary, or he wouldn't have bothered with it.

He finally pulled the door open and left it ajar; leaning against the nearby brickwork to allow her access. He hung the lantern on an embedded nail as she looked in; her jaw immediately dropping.

This was his hidden closet; all of his most top secret, expensive, and sometimes illegal goodies were stashed here. They were not made available to anybody; save for a few close contacts. Kim was one of those people.

She gazed around at the many gadgets and gizmos stacked and hidden in this small but important room. She eased her way inside and ran her hand over the first thing she came across. It was a small wristband; easily concealed underneath clothing.

"Solar powered, ironic right?" He laughed, motioning towards the band, "It's a miniature grapple; should hold all of your weight if you get a secure enough hold."

She looked over at him; her emerald eyes asking for approval. He nodded softly.

"Take anything you need."
She picked up the small devise and fastened it securely around her wrist. It was made of a strong thick material and looked more like a sweatband than a gadget. It was a dark blue, with two small buttons attached.

"The red one shoots it and reels it back in. The green one detaches it from the surface it's holding onto. I'd suggest writing that down." He smirked; watching her examine it. She seemed in awe at it, it was small and easily concealable; it was perfect for what she needed. He only hoped she wore it when she would eventually need it.

She looked up at him; her eyes showing the emotion she felt. Her lips bent gently into a smile.

"Thanks Wade."

He smiled warmly back, watching her continue to search around her.

"No problem, Kim."

-End of Chapter One-

Soon to be continued, check my Profile for up to date News