Keita frowned when her eyes registered the scene in front of her.

For context, Max had described a rocky waterfall, with gushing streams of water cracking against rocks. A glitterling blue dancing against a cold but inviting grey. Magical is what he called it; nothing short of the ineffable beauty of nature.

However, in front of her was auburn brown grass. Dead and cold and uninviting. The mist danced against it, awakening the hairs on her arms as a shudder ran through her bones. Her frown deepened when she spotted the house hiding behind the all-consuming mist, calling her name subtly.

She knew that Max would never lead her astray. Not intentionally at least. So she continued walking, her eyes dancing across the sharp, harsh grass that seemed to growl at her presence. How unnerving, she thought to herself, before focusing her attention on the house. The jade green trees behind it swayed surreptitiously in tune to the howl of the mist, sending another cold gust of breeze upon her.

The door opened slowly and revealed her boyfriend leaning on the doorpane, his smile nothing short of amusement. Keita's eyes lit up automatically as she took in his casual attire and dark locs framing his face. "I knew you'd find it," he gleamed, opening his arms as a greeting. The hug sent a surge of warmth through Keita, who moved into the house as he ushered her into the warmth. "And the waterfall..." "Right behind you."

Keita had always detested goodbyes with her entire existence.

There was just something about them; something about the finality of them, how it felt like there was no return. The emotion sizzled in the air, weighing heavy, electrocuting those that felt it - those that were connected by it. She couldn't or wouldn't look Max in the eye even though his gaze burned a hole in the middle of both of her eyes.

Keita looked outside. The rain fell like pellets of bullets shot against the window and sliding down in defeat. The clouds mourned with her; heavy and grey - exactly how her heart felt deep inside of her chest. "I'll be back." Keita's statement was final and unwavering. She finally looked up at Max, his green eyes finding her's in an instant. Green mixed with brown; longing mixed with loss. Keita couldnt demarcate where it started and ended. "Promise me," Max spoke quietly. There was something about the aching pain that shot from his heart to his throat that meant he couldn't trust his voice. But his eyes - his eyes seemed to tell her everything he could not utter, and he had never appreciated their bond as much as he did then.

"I promise, Max. I'll visit. With lots of banana bread, cinnamon buns, and other baked goodies," She smiled. He did not return it.

Instead he sighed loudly, placing his hands on her shoulders, "Keita, there's something I've been meaning to tell you. Something I've known for a while but I haven't been able to accept."

"That was probably the worst idea you've ever had," Keita's eyes widened as she looked around before looking up at him, "And yet it worked."

The purple jewel was sat - ensconced in its pillow - almost peering up at them. The sunlight streaming through the window seemed to accentuate it as best as it could: the deep rays of purple, the glitters and gleams of the stone from the rays of light. It was nothing short of being breathtaking. The room fell to a heavy silence as I realised the gravitas of the situation that had unfolded. The purple jewel was real, and here - but the most scary fact of it all was how it had listened to my command. Somehow and through some way, it was connected to me.

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as I found the burning gaze that was on me. Max's eyes were unreadable; a mist of sorts clouding over his brown eyes. It unsettled me, being unable to read him. I expected a hint of a smile, some upturning of the edges of his lips, perhaps even a hug. But I couldn't read anything whilst he stared at me. So I tore my gaze away and looked forward at the jewel - the lifesaving stone.

"So, what now?" I questioned, taking a step towards it. Max shrugged as he looked around, his eyes falling on the tall granite walls and the encasings of glass lining the perimeter of the room. I moved to make another step, but the hardness of his arm collided with my stomach. I frowned. "What's the-" With one swift movement, a metal knife was clutched in his palm. One that I didn't even know he had on him, since the command clearly stated for us to weapon-less. I watched as he placed a finger to his lips. His hand was firm and guiding on my lower back, moving me away from the jewel slowly; his gaze shifting between the environments. Max clearly saw something that I didn't, that I couldn't.

I willed another knife to my hand. It would be unwise for me to wait for his lead; no - I had to be pragmatic. I connected to the Lana planted in my mind for the first time in a long time, asking her to switch to the mode that had worked on the jewel. It all became clear at that moment; his tenseness, the way his body seized with attention, his surreptitious movements. A red marking surrounded the jewel, joined to a cage above it.

It had all been a trap.

I cursed within my mind. I was seconds away from breeching those barriers and ending up locked in that cage; seconds away from being subjected to whatever loophole they had found in our agreement. The glass walls, which had once been stuck to the edges of the spacious room, seemed to be closing in.