Becca's POV

Holding my arms tightly around myself, I paced back and forth across an empty hallway outside the Council room, alone, my eyes on the floor. I was sick with worry. My Austin was stranded in the woods of France, too close to Aurora for my tastes. Dangerously close. Everyone was doing their best to find him, but first he needed to find himself. And by that I mean he had to find a landmark of some kind. So we would know where to teleport to to pick him up from. I just hoped we could find him soon, before Aurora did.

"What a beautiful ring," came an unfamiliar voice.

I looked up to see a young girl standing there, around Vitani's age, maybe a little older. She had long dark brown, neatly braided in a long rope that fell over her shoulder. She had a witch tattoo on her forehead of a black angel that looked a little bit like the fairy tattoo Vitani had. She was tall, probably around my height, and lanky. She was dressed in a floor length black gown and had a diamond choker around her neck. Her braided hair was adorned with dark purple lillies. Dark purple lillies that matched her glowing purple eyes.

I'd seen those eyes before. Countless times. Every time I looked in the mirror, back when I was Aella, I'd seen those eyes. Every time I looked at my mother, I saw those eyes. Every time I looked at Vitani, I saw those eyes. This girl looked a lot like a lot of the women in my family. She had tattoos like Vitani, tan skin like me, and hair as dark as my mother's. And eyes identical to all of ours.

"Can I help you?" I asked warily. If it hadn't been for the eyes, I would've just assumed she was just some royal's child. The Council building was crawling with royals now. All sorts of mayors and lords and countesses were here. My father Zephorous had ordered a state of emergency after he'd found out Aurora and Austin had completed some Pentagram Ritual. I knew it was just some kind of vampiric promise ritual. The problem was we didn't know what he'd promised. Hence, the state of emergency.

"I was just admiring your ring," she said, "It's quite beautiful."
"Uh thanks. My boyfr- my fiancee got it for me," I corrected myself, still suspicious, as I took a moment to gaze at my engagement ring.

"It's lovely," she said.
"Do I . . . Do I know you?" I asked, struck with this sense of familiarity. Like I knew this girl. Maybe it was just the eyes.

"More or less," she said vaguely.
"Well um . . . who are you?" I asked.

"A relative of your's," she told me.
"Oh." I said, "I thought you looked familiar. Are you a . . . cousin of mine?"

"On your mother's side," was all she said. It could've been a confirmation but it sounded kind of like she was answering a different question.
"Well . . . it's nice to meet you," I said.

"Oh no. The pleasure is all mine Princess Aella," she said, doing a little curtsy.
"Uh . . . Thank you," I said.

"May I ask a favor of you princess?" she asked.
Uh oh. "Um sure," I mumbled.

"Listen to Vitani. Listen to Austeralgo," she said, "Listen to their warnings."
"Wait - what?" I stammered out, surprised by the sudden change of the mood of the conversation. It had been all casual about five seconds ago but now . . .

"Just listen to what Vitani and Austeralgo say to you," I said.
"How - how do you know them?" I demanded.

"Of course I know them. Everyone knows Princess Vitani and Prince Austeralgo," she said kindly.
Right . . . "But what are you talking about? Warnings?" I asked.

"I better get going," she said, "Vitani's going to be here any minute."
"Wait - how do you know that?" I demanded.

"Just take their warnings seriously," she said and then suddenly, she was gone. Seeing people evaporate was something I was pretty used to. And cryptic warnings weren't something I was unfamiliar with ether. But this chick had freaked me out a bit.

Especially since about two seconds later Vitani walked in, followed by Attis. It wasn't so weird that she'd found the hallway I was sulking in, but it was a little weird that that weird girl had predicted her arrival. There was Vitani right there, just as the girl had predicted. She was dressed in black ripped jeans and a black skull hoodie, something I'd never seen her dressed in at a Council. She was usually cloaked when she was here. Attis trailed behind her, dressed in simple jeans and a red hoodie, looking tired and pale. On his neck was a telltale vampire bite that made me gape. Vitani had bitten him! She'd finally bitten him!

"Becca!" she gasped out, rushing over to me and hugging me. I stood there, frozen. Vitani had never hugged me before. She wasn't a hugger. Just by nature.
"Vitani, what's wrong," I asked.

"Nothing. I'm just - I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for the way I acted and the things I said," she told me as she pulled back, "I was sick. But I'm better now."
I let my eyes wander back to Attis for a brief moment. "I'm glad," I said, "And I forgive you."

"Thank you," she said, smiling, "But that's not the only reason I'm here. I came to tell you more about what Aurora said to me."
"What? What did she say?" I demanded, intrigued. Especially since the strange girl's warnings.

"She has this whole plan. To overthrow the Azimons and take over the world. I know, world domination, what a cliche. But anyway, she plans to enslave the humans. There's this special date she told me about where this . . . phenomena is going to take place. It's not supposed to be possible. I still don't believe that it is possible. But I've heard legends about it before. Supposedly on this day, the sun and the moon will both be visible in the sky at the same time."

"That doesn't sound so insane," I said. "Ever heard of an eclipse?"
"Becca let me finsih!" she exclaimed, "This isn't an eclipse. On this day the sun will be visible in the sky at night. And so will the moon. Usually the sun outshines the moon and makes it light out. But not on this day. On this day the sun will be visible at night, and it won't illuminate anything."

"That's not possible," I dismissed. But then I thought of the girl's warning.
"I'm not sure if it is either. But I've heard legends . . ." she mumbled, "You've probably heard them too. You know, the one's about Hollow Sun."

Hollow Sun. I had heard of that. In the immortal world, Hollow Sun was doomsday, the apocalypse, Armageddon. The day the world could end. The day the Blue Flame had to battle some kind of unknown force and save the world from destruction. Whether it meant physical destruction, or just the end of life as we knew it, no one was sure. It could mean either.

"So what does any of this have to do with Aurora's plan?" I asked.
"On Hollow Sun Austin's powers will be stronger then they've ever been before," she explained, "At the moment, his powers aren't exactly of epic proportions. He's just kind of like a full vampire with witch powers. And although the blue fire can reach temperatures higher then any achieved by witch magic, it really isn't that destructive, in theory. But on Hollow Sun, his powers are supposed to be increased ten fold. Making him unstoppable."

I did not like the way this was sounding. "And this is all relevant to Aurora . . . how?" I asked.
"Somehow Aurora was able to predict the day of Hollow Sun. I don't know how she did it. But she did. And on that day . . . She's going to use Austin's powers to take over the world."

"Austin would never . . ." I trailed off.
"She forced him to do the Pentagram Ritual, didn't she? She told me she was going to," she said, "If he agreed . . . Then she could make him do anything."

"Oh God . . . Oh God . . ." I mumbled.
"It gets worse. Aurora's going after Kate too," she said.

"Wait Kate? Why would she want Kate?" I demanded. Aurora had never given any indication of wanting Kate. And besides, Kate couldn't even use her powers.
"Because Kate's the Dark Maiden. She's a big part of the Hollow Sun prophecy. Her powers will be enhanced that day too. Aurora needs her to help take over the world," she told me.

"Well then . . . We'll just have to keep Kate away from her until then," I said, "She's here. We can keep her safe."
Then Vitani began to cry. "No we can't. It's too late for that. Aurora . . . Aurora planned for everything. She knew Austin would give himself up for Luna. But she still needs Kate. Which is why . . . which is why Aurora poisoned her."

My mind blanked for a second before I processed everything at once. "AURORA POISONED LUNA!" I screamed at her, "AND YOU KNEW ABOUT IT! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME EARLIER!"
She began to sob harder and Attis came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Still, she cried on. "I wanted to! But - but you wouldn't believe me! I wouldn't told you everything! But Aurora was right! Nobody believed anything I said! Because I was crazy! That was the only reason Aurora told me all this stuff. Because she knew nobody would believe me if I told them anyway!"

"Kate - We have to tell Kate," I said, in panic mood, "We have to find a cure. We have to -"
"Becca wait!" she said, grabbing my wrist, "It's no use. We don't know what kind of poison Aurora gave her. All I know is that it will slowly kill her . . . Over a week's time. And the only person with the cure is Aurora. If Kate wants the cure to save Luna . . . She has to preform the Pentagram Ritual with Aurora. And agree to help her take over the world."

"Oh . . .Oh God," I half choked, tears leaking from my eyes as I sunk down to the floor. "Aurora's going to do it. She's going to win. She's too smart for us. She thought of everything."
"No Becca - don't give up," Vitani said, "I have a plan."

"A plan?" I repeated. I knew Vitani was clever . . . But what plan could possibly counter Aurora's fool proof plan.
"Yes. A plan," she said, crouching down in front of me, "Becca, you're the Lost Witch. You're the only person who can turn off Austin's powers. If you turn off his powers on Hollow Moon . . ."

"But I can't!" I exclaimed, "If I do . . . He won't be able to battle whatever forces he's supposed to battle. And we'll all die."
"Not necessarily. I thought about that too. What if this battle Austin's supposed to fight . . . what if it's against himself?" she suggested.

"What are you talking about?" I demanded.
"What if the forces that are supposed to destroy the world are Austin and Kate. I mean, on Hollow Moon, they'll have that kind of insane power. And Aurora will be controlling them. Maybe they're supposed to fight against themselves. Try and fight against the mind control Aurora will have over them."

"You mean like . . . an internal battle?" I asked.
"Exactly," she said.

"But . . . What if you're wrong. I . . . I can't take that chance," I said, "The whole world is at stake."
"But you have to Becca. If you don't . . . Aurora will win. She'll take over the world. She'll enslave the humans," she said, putting her hand on my knee and looking into my eyes, "Becca you have to do this."

I debated about it mentally for a minute. If I didn't do this . . . Aurora would rule the world, I'd never see Austin or Kate again, the human race would be enslaved, Azimons would most likely be persecuted. The only people who wouldn't be affected would be the Arthasians . . . And I could care less about them.

But if I did this and Vitani was wrong . . . Some force of evil crap could destroy the world. And we could all die. Either way, everyone I cared about would suffer. I made my choice then. I would turn off Austin's powers on Hollow Moon. I would take the chance.

"Okay. I'll do it," I said.
"Oh thank God," she sighed in relief as if she'd been expecting a different answer.

"So when is Hollow Moon?" I asked.
"October thirty-first," she told me.

"That's Austin and Kate's birthday," I mumbled.
"They're eighteenth birthday," she added.

"Oh my God . . . oh my God that's this Saturday!" I realized, springing to my feet.
"I know," she said, also getting up, "We have to act fast."

"Well where is Hollow Moon supposed to take place?" I asked, "Because it can't take place all over the world, can it?"
"Well . . . yes and no. It won't take place all over the world, but the whole world will be affected. It'll be pitch black everywhere - no sun or moon to illuminate the sky. Because both the moon and sun will be present over Europe."

"Europe . . . So we have to go to Europe," I mumbled, calculating.
"Yes. We'll have to be careful though. Of course Aurora knows you'll try to turn off Austin's powers. So she's going to be trying to kill you," she told me, "She'll be trying harder then ever."

I nodded. I'd expected as much. Aurora's plans to kill me had stopped surprising me long ago. "Let's get moving," I said, "We don't have much time."
"Agreed," she said.

"Almost every important figure in the Azimon is here today," I said, "We'll gather everybody, including the Council, in the assembly room." The assembly room was a large indoor amphitheater, used for occasions when a large amount of important people needed to be addressed.

"Alright," she said, "Good idea."
"We'll have to make sure everybody is there. Austin's parents, Domingo . . . Kate," I chocked out her name, tears leaking out of my eyes. Thinking of Kate made me think of Luna. Luna was dying, right now. And to get the cure, Kate would have to give herself up to Aurora. And I knew she would do it. I would do the same thing if I was in her place. But thinking of my best friend in the clutches of Aurora, the same woman who had taken my fiancee, made me sick.

Thinking of Aurora at all made me sick. I hated her. I hated her more then anything else in the entire world. Hatred for her burned so hot in my soul that it physically hurt her. I ached with anger and longing to make her suffer. I hated her that much. She was disgusting. She was barely a person. She used people and she killed people. She had killed me. She poisoned a baby, my god daughter. She was going to use my fiancee and my best friend for world domination. She'd ruined my life before, and I wasn't going to stand for it again.

When I found her, I was going to kill her.