There's a broken world out here on Earth. The wars are never-ending, most of the human population decreasing ever since. Only the lucky ones survive, but your better off with everyone else, for at this state a few humans got much left to live for. I wonder why this happened? Something’s not right here. I can feel it.

Later, I go back inside, since the moon is being eerie as ever shining silver on the sky, and decide to empty my pockets. The only things I find are motorcycle keys for a Harley, apartment keys to a place called Carlyle, and an old letter from someone named Josh. His name is familiar, but I can't remember. Behind the letter is a taped picture of a shadow. I closed my eyes to hear a wolf howling. Suddenly, the picture of the shadow forms a demonic face. Instantly, I throw the letter and it catches on fire. The demon rises from the flames towering over me. It is like a scene from hell. Our eyes lock, so did our minds. My body falls to the floor no longer in control. It's mind enters mine showing flashbacks of Earth in the past and two forces of good and evil fighting. The flashbacks start to fade as the demon says, " Remember what you swore."

My mind is blank. For the passing days, I've sat and waited. For what?? I'm not even sure anymore, but maybe there's still hope. These past events have made me ravenous for answers. I feel like I'm in a nightmare dying to wake up, but I can't. Everything I've seen and heard now are my only memories. I don't even know my own name or what I'm supposed to do and where to start. " What am I supposed to do?" I yell in frustration. My voice echoes through the forest. It grows quiet and still for a while. I close my eyes trying to clear my head. In my head I hear a deep voice and a projection, " The balance of the worlds has fallen, causing the freedom of Sage, a powerful ex- apprentice of the Scripters, causing massive destruction, because of you, Josh. You are a demon created to destroy the Scripters, the protectors of the balance of the worlds, but your memory has been erased while fulfilling your destiny. You must find Stella; she knows how to find the Scripters." I open my eyes. " I need to find Stella, " I whispered to myself.

I find Stella at Cambridge University, so I apply and get accepted immediately. How I found her is part of the demon things I can do. I made sure we had the same classes so it would be easier to talk to her and get the location of the Scripters. What she looks like now is a mystery to me but I'll know when somehow and someway. Class is about to start and I begin to look for her. I leave an empty seat next to me as the room began to fill. Still no sight of her. 15 minutes before class starts she finally arrives, being the last one to get here. As she sits next to me I pretend not to notice and then stare at her once she is settled. She stares back at me once she notices me.

" Hi....You know it's not polite to stare at strangers," She replies. From her accent I can tell shes from America.

" I'm Josh, please excuse me, I'm not used to sitting next to beautiful women. " I say showing my British accent while extending my hand for a shake. Stella blushes and shakes my hand.

" I'm Stella, so where are you from, Josh? " She says stressing the syllable in my name.
" Vancouver, Canada but I moved to Dublin when I was 3 and then here just recently. Say, can you show me around the city?" I say staring deeper into her hazel eyes. Something about her makes me want her, but I don't know if I should. She is a human after all from the looks of it.

As she stares back into my emerald green eyes, she says, " Sure, no problem, how does tonight sound?" I read her face, which shows an unreadable expression. "Okay. " I say casually. It was enough to catch her last expression, which was blushing while smiling. Class started after our short conversation that seemed more like forever. I spend the rest of the day getting to know Stella.

After classes I wait for her at our meeting place wearing black converse, black pants, blue flannel shirt, and the usual spiked hair, which was casual. Then I see Stella. She wears red converse, jeans, a Rolling Stones band T-shirt, and a ponytail. Shes such a free spirit. That makes me want her even more. What's this feeling?

She smiles as we meet and says, " Hey, Josh."

I smile back inhaling her sweet scent of waterfall before replying with a wink, " Hey, Stella, you ready? I'm already 100." I laugh when she playfully punches my arm.

" Real mature...Ready when you are...Where to first...." She trails off.

" How about that bridge over there?" I suggest mischievously.

We get on my motorcycle driving there.

"Okay, that's Aerobridge, said to have been abandoned for the past century because of the spirits that haunt it." Stella says darkly as we get off my motorcycle. We sit on the edge of the bridge. I pretend to fake jump earning a laugh from Stella.
" Wow, this view is amazing." I say in shock, taking in the city view. We look out in silence, sitting closely together.

" It is....I go here when I want to be alone, it reminds me of home in San Francisco." She says grimacing.

" Are you afraid?" I ask quietly with no expression. This makes me stare at her again. She turns to face me.

"No.....Are you?" She replies playfully as if she never mentioned her pain.

I turn to her and reply, " No....Can I ask you something again?" We stare at each other locking hearts. I close my eyes leaning forward and we kiss, but pull away after a minute.

" I'm sorry, I have to go....Tonight was great, Josh." Stella says getting up to call a taxi. What did I do?

" Wait, Stella, are you busy the rest of the week? If not, can I take you out on more proper dates?" I ask before she gets in the taxi.
She hesitates and then says, " No, I'd love to. See you tomorrow." A rush of relief and emptiness runs through me as I watch her drive away. Tonight was great, but there's a problem. I'm a demon falling in love instead of fulfilling my destiny.

The next days turned to weeks and to months spending my time with her before it happens. We start holding hands, arm around the waist, kissing and serious business. The longer I am with her the more I want to forget my destiny and rebel. I can't hide from what I am; I have to tell her tonight. If I don't, I might lose her forever.

We are sitting at the rooftop of a skyscraper. This is it.

" Stella...." I say in barely a whisper looking away at the view.

" Yes, Josh?" She says leaning closer.

" Are you afraid?" I ask uneasy. My heart starts to pound so hard she might have heard it.

" No, because I have you to protect me....Why do you keep asking me that?" She whispers in my ear. I let go of our embrace and turn away, crossing my arms.

" You shouldn't trust me....What if I'm a killer?" I say my voice straining. Her heart beat doesn't change, it beats steady and her breathing is calm.

" I don't care." She replies stubbornly. We start walking around the roof as the wind blows.

" I'm not what you think....We shouldn't be together....I don't deserve you." I say painfully. I need to do this. She needs to be safe. I hope she understands.

" What do you mean, Josh?" Stella says trying to resist tears. I couldn't get myself to say it, but it's the only way. The only way to protect her from Sage. We stare at each other for the last time.

" I....I wish I could explain, Stella...But it's the only way you'll be safe....Good-bye." I say holding myself together. I look back at her sitting there expression pleading don't go.

" Stella, promise me you'll stay safe." I say intensely.

" I promise....I love you." She says hugging me tightly.

I whisper In her ear, " I love you too....I wish there was another way." I leave her at the roof watching me leave and drive my motorcycle home. When I get home I sit on the porch steps. I can't think straight, out of frustration I punched a tree making it crack. The birds fly up all at once. After a while I trace the crack on the tree I just made. Closing my eyes, my mind is on Stella, but that changed when that same deep voice talks to me again, " Have you destroyed the Scripters, Josh? Time is ticking, Sage is waiting." I have had enough with Sage. Sage is bad, why am I helping bad? What did the Scripters ever do to me? Nothing. I have to fix this and fight.

I build up strength and say, " No...But tell Sage that I won't destroy the Scripters....and to be ready to fight." My voice no longer shakes, but holds strength and confidence.

" Nobody defies Sage, Josh. You'll see the consequences of ones who choose to rebel against her." The deep voice says and then silence. At this point, I'm willing to fight Sage and protect the Scripters for what's right and Stella.

I won't let it end this way. Now I choose my own decisions so I decide to go back to Aerobridge. The view is amazing as it was the first time. After admiring the view for the last time, I begin concentrating on where the Scripters are and what I swore. I have some theories, but some seem off. Theory one: The Scripters saved me when I was dying and to return the debt, I swore to fight for them. Theory two: I rebelled against Sage before and found the Scripters, swearing to finish off Sage. Theory three: I found the Scripters while fulfilling my destiny, they showed me the aftermath of her reign and chose to swear to them I would fight her until the end, for the Scripters, for what's right, and for the innocent. Out of all of them the third theory makes sense.
fight Sage and protect the Scripters. First I have to find them. Where do I begin? I stare at the bottom of the bridge, it seems endless. I close my eyes to think. Stella is on my mind again. I wonder where she is right now, probably class. Keeping my eyes closed for a while, I hear her voice. Or was I just imagining it?

" You'll never find them up here, Josh.". Stella says holding my shoulder with her warm hand. She is real. She is here, with me.

I turn around and yell, " Stella!" We hug for a couple of seconds. Why is she here?

" How did you....I'm sorry I hurt you....I...." I stammered. Jeez, what has gotten into me?

" It's okay, Josh....I didn't exactly tell you either." She replies grimacing, crossing her arms. Its now or never.

" I am a demon created by an ex-apprentice of the Scripters, Sage, who is now as powerful as can be. My destiny is to destroy the Scripters, but I chose to rebel against her to protect the Scripters for what's right and you." I admit wincing at the truth. The weight lifts off my shoulders, figuratively speaking. She takes my confession very relaxed which was weird because I expected her to run away like most humans would. She just stood there for a while.

She turns away to hide tears and her voice cracks as she says, " I....I am a demon created by Sage. Created to...Created to kill you if all else fails and you turn your back to Sage, but instead of killing you, I fell in love with you, and I'm willing to quit on her and fight. There's something else but never mind." I turn to her and hug her wiping away her now showing tears. This moment I savored before I have to face the Scripters.

We fall asleep on the bridge. The air is chilly, but starting to warm up. I wake up just as the sun is rising and I am alone.

" It's about time sleepyhead." Stella says laughing like a wind chime. She's sitting on a tree braiding her hair.

I yawn, " What time is it?"

Stella shrugs her shoulders replying," It doesn't matter, you looked pretty peaceful asleep, didn't want to disturb you." She stares into my eyes deeply as if trying to say something, but holding back. *I love you* a voice says in my head telepathically. I know it's her. It's Stella. I nod with a small smile. She smiles at me before looking away.

" So, why are you up so early?" I ask freshening up.

Her smile changes to a worried expression and she says really calmly, " I needed time to think...."

" Are you okay, Stella?" I ask concerned, getting closer to her. She gets down from the tree. Her heartbeat hitches for a quick second.

" I'm fine; It's nothing....Are you ready?" She says more cheery. I notice her eyes glow amber for a mere second.

I wrap my arm around her and say," Not quite." She gives me a confused suspicious look. I pull her into a deep passionate kiss, which she kisses back to.

* I love you too. You are my life and I would fight for you with my last dying breath to keep you safe* I tell Stella telepathically. Her heartbeat hitches again, but with another late beat. That is strange. Deep inside, I have a feeling something bad is going to happen. I hope it doesn't.

Scripter. Who am I? Should I doubt everything I know?

The walk there is short. When I get there its almost sunset. The guards watch me as I walk in. I glance at the briefly and keep walking until I see 8 people levitating on separate thrones. They nod as Kole descends from his throne. " I've heard their innocent cries, but all I could do is watch helplessly. There's no turning back, but it's never too late. Can you please help me? Help me end this," I request walking closer.

Kole nods and replies," You've come here before to warn us, but you requested a favor as well. Now that you have returned, you know what you must do."

I look intently at him and then ask,"Kole, how am I your son?"

Kole sighs and answers," I knew you would ask that sometime,come...When you came here to warn us, you told me to kill you because you would rather die than take more lives for Sage. We decided to make you a Scripter, my son, and then erased your memory. Here you are now." They say the truth will set you free, but it didn't, I did. I found the real me. They let me stay here a while. I try to sleep for tomorrow awaits my fate.

Predicament
Stella tells me we have to jump off the bridge. I agree inside my head with a straight face, but my heart is racing. She grabs hold of my hand and laughs.

"What?" I ask curiously, completely oblivious. She laughs harder pointing at my hands; they are shaking. I laugh with her until something shoves me toward a tree separating us. I quickly jump back up recognizing who it was. It was another demon, most likely Sage's messenger. I try to attack the messenger, who is standing over Stella; she is on the floor unconscious in a fetal position. The messenger dodges me and scratches me. I feel the scratch burning and bleeding.

* Save us * Stella tells me telepathically. Falling to the ground, I start to lose my vision.

"No..." I say weakly. The last thing I remember is being immobilized and watching the messenger abduct Stella, leaving flames behind as it disappeared.

I wake up in an empty white room on a metal table. I check my scratch, it is gone as if I never got it. Immediately, I jump off the table and run for the door. The door opens to a lighted hollow cave. I walk through the cave to the other side that looks like outside, but instead it is s new world. "Where am I? Why did they take me?" I think looking at the towers watching over the world. I walk back into the cave and lean on the side in darkness. How could I let this happen? This is my fault; Stella might die because of me. I have to end this. "You cant do this alone, Josh," says a strong voice in my head. I look up. No one's there. I get up in a fighting stance. " Do not be alarmed, Joshua. I am a Scripter, Kole. I wish to lead you to us if you desire," Kole states wisely. I loosen to a normal stance. "Do I go to those towers?" I ask pointing outside the cave.

"Yes, see you there, son," Kole answers , his voice fading.

Stella tells me we have to jump off the bridge. I agree inside my head with a straight face, but my heart is racing. She grabs hold of my hand and laughs.

"What?" I ask curiously, completely oblivious. She laughs harder pointing at my hands; they are shaking. I laugh with her until something shoves me toward a tree separating us. I quickly jump back up recognizing who it was. It was another demon, most likely Sage's messenger. I try to attack the messenger, who is standing over Stella; she is on the floor unconscious in a fetal position. The messenger dodges me and scratches me. I feel the scratch burning and bleeding.

* Save us * Stella tells me telepathically. Falling to the ground, I start to lose my vision.

"No..." I say weakly. The last thing I remember is being immobilized and watching the messenger abduct Stella, leaving flames behind as it disappeared.

I wake up in an empty white room on a metal table. I check my scratch, it is gone as if I never got it. Immediately, I jump off the table and run for the door. The door opens to a lighted hollow cave. I walk through the cave to the other side that looks like outside, but instead it is s new world. "Where am I? Why did they take me?" I think looking at the towers watching over the world. I walk back into the cave and lean on the side in darkness. How could I let this happen? This is my fault; Stella might die because of me. I have to end this. "You cant do this alone, Josh," says a strong voice in my head. I look up. No one's there. I get up in a fighting stance. " Do not be alarmed, Joshua. I am a Scripter, Kole. I wish to lead you to us if you desire," Kole states wisely. I loosen to a normal stance. "Do I go to those towers?" I ask pointing outside the cave.
"Yes, see you there, son," Kole answers , his voice fading.

I wake up from nightmares of Sage. Every time I am too late to save Stella and wake up in cold sweat. Her voice echoes in my head, " Save us". This made my head throb in pain. I try to shake off these feelings and get ready to fight. Kole tells me I will have to fight Sage in my Scripter form which is an angel. Sage will be in demon form. Both forms seem iridescent and lethal to any normal mortal, from what I've seen in the Scripters Book of Souls.

When I am putting on armor with Kole helping me, I ask,"How was Sage an ex-apprentice of the Scripters?"

"Sage was good before, but dangerous with power because she couldn't control it and it controlled her," Kole says tightening my boots.

I interrupt, saying,"What was Sage's real name before, I mean if she had one."

"Sage used to be Stella Aquino, and she was MY apprentice. They didn't believe she was ready as I believed. As a result, she ran away and became Sage. If she had a choice is a mystery. She got the name Sage from what's controlling her when she 'gave in' and let go, but her death would truly let her go."

I wonder about Sage and Stella. Why do they have the same name? Somethings you can't even imagine. I am lost in the train of thought until Kole brings me back to reality by calling my name. "You know you tipped the balances causing it to fall? Things happen for a reason, like how you're here now. Maybe it's fate," Kole says under his breath. I would have never taken Kole as a fatalist. Surprised, I change the subject, replying,"Why did I send myself that letter?" We are standing outside the corridor balcony alone now. "You figured, huh. Well, you sent that letter as a warning," he finishes. After our conversation, he leaves me in the corridor alone. I begin to get lost in thought again, wondering if somehow the names are connected and if Stella is still alive. I still have hope.

I wonder what it feels like to die, but dying fighting for lives is better than dying and not trying. The end will come, I will bring it. Kole tells me this fight will be legendary and be told long after I am dead.

Sage's world is full of rocky terrain and dark clouds. When I see her, I stop abruptly. Her back is facing a clearing and blood all over her. "No." I mouth. I can't fight her. Falling apart, I pull through and tell her,"How could you do this, Stella? I used to know you, but this isn't you is it."

She stays silent for a long time until she pleads," Josh, I can't control it, please_______" Then Sage takes over and she turns into her demon form. I turn into an angel and tackle her to the ground. Instantly she gets up, wrestling me through the trees and off a cliff. As we fly up, I hear the petals fall and it begins to rain. "Kill me, Josh! Its the only way, save her_______" Stella says then Sage overcomes her, grabbing my shoulders and I grab hers, pushing us both forward. Lightning strikes as we clash, making thunder sound like a mouse squeaking to a lion. I hold her against the ground looking into her eyes. Her hazel eyes, starting to glow amber are fixed into my green eyes with the same look she gave me when we first met. "Hi...You know it's not polite to stare at strangers," Sage says with a smirk. Then she kicks me to the mountain top causing a massive avalanche. As I'm trying to stop the avalanche, I see her face straining. "NO!" Stella commands, trying to fight off Sage inside. She looks at me and I advise," Remember who you really are." The avalanche is massive enough to wipe out everything. I can't fly or stop it as it gets closer so I close my eyes, waiting to die, but Stella pushes me out of the way. She destroys the avalanche and falls to my arms. "Stella...No..." I mumble, unable to hold back tears. Suddenly, I feel an arm go around my back. Her eyes open, but it isn't her. A voice runs through my head repeating,"Josh are you afraid?" Sage grins and says,"Are you? Let her go." A wave of pain and anger hits me. This isn't over, it is just the start. I remember our memories together and built up all my strength left. " No, you let her go!" I yell and stab her chest with my arrow. She turns back into her human form; so do I. Stella's spirit stays with me for one last moment and she says," I love you, Josh."

"I love you too, Stella." I say finally letting her go. She leaves evanescent to the other side. From a distance, I hear a baby crying. I go over to her and pick her up.She's beautiful, but I don't know who and where her mother is. "It's okay, you're not alone anymore." I say softly, trying to sooth her by rocking her gently. She calms down in my arms and leans into my chest. "I'll protect you." I murmur when she gazes into my eyes and falls asleep.

I sit in the room the Scripters let use for time here with the baby girl I call Nina on my lap. She giggles at the funny faces I make and laugh myself, while waiting for Kole's arrival. Suddenly, the balcony doors open and a wind comes in and we stop laughing. I put Nina on my bed and walk over to the open balcony doors slowly. When I look no one is there. I scan the area cautiously and then close the balcony doors as I went inside. Kole startles me when he appears behind and asks, "Ready to take your place, Josh?"
I whip around in stance, but relax when I reply in question, "Actually, can I ask you for a favor?" Kole nods for me to continue after everything that has happened. "Take care of Nina for me when I return to Earth. If you ever need me again, call me." I say firmly. Kole thinks it over with his wise eyes closing. *If that is what you wish* Kole tells me telepathically. I walk over to Nina, taking in her powdery smell before giving her to Kole. When I step away, she stares at me understanding at what is going on right now. I blink and then I'm back in my apartment again. The sun streams in through the blinds. I pull the draw strings and open the window. The sound of cars and people can be heard, and this makes me smile. Maybe this can be a new beginning. Wind blows in and I feel a chill. *It's not over until I say it's over, Josh* Sage hisses telepathically in my head. I shake my head and decide to go outside. When I reach the door, I look back towards the open window. I'll be ready.