Black.

I was sitting in the middle of the blackness, not quite sure what was holding me up, since I couldn't even tell a difference between whatever I was sitting on and the blackness to each side. I couldn't see anything, not even myself. But I knew, without a doubt, that I was completely alone in the darkness. There weren't any people near me, and there wouldn't be either, even if I called for them. I was the only person around.

Cold.

Shivering, I wrapped my arms around my legs and tried to curl up, to conserve warmth. And then I realized that not only was I alone in this cold blackness, but I was complete naked, without even my transformation pendant. I was so used to having it on that I hadn't even realized that it wasn't there like it normally was. And that left me defenseless if a monster decided to show up.

Powerless.

That thought bothered me, and caused me to try to curl up into an even tighter ball. I didn't like being defenseless there in the darkness, especially not after the thought that it was the perfect opportunity for a monster to come up and kill me without giving me a chance to fight back. But I liked the fact that I was alone while defenseless even less. Even without the ability to transform, I usually had people around me who could also fight, or who could call someone who could. But there in the darkness, it was just me, and when that thought finally sunk in, I wanted nothing more than to be away from there, somewhere where there were people. Somewhere where Kaze was.

And then I heard the sound of someone laughing. He was male, and sounded more than pleased with himself. But I still was sure that I was alone...it was something I had never really realized before, but since my transformation I had been able to feel at least the presence of others. And there was no one else nearby, even though I heard him laugh.

"Who's there?" I asked, trying not to let my fright and uneasiness make my voice shake.

No one answered.

"Kaze?" I asked, even though I knew that wasn't right. He didn't sound like Kaze, though he did sound familiar, like someone who I should be able to identify, but just couldn't.

Still, no one answered.

"This isn't funny!" I yelled. "Whoever you are, show yourself!"

"But you're alone," he answered, in Japanese.

"What about you?" I asked, also in Japanese, looking around, even though I couldn't find any differences in the blackness around me to tell me where he might be. His voice seemed to be coming from all around as well, but I needed to know where he was, since I couldn't feel it.

"I'm not really here," he said. "You should know that."

"Why won't you show yourself?"

"But I'm right in front of you," he said. "Can't you see me?" And with that I could see him, and only him.

He was standing in front of me, just as he had said. And he looked familiar...but I couldn't quite put my finger on who he was, just the same as it had been with the voice. He looked like he was about my age, with long black hair in a braid and dark purple eyes. He was smiling at me, but it was a smile that sent chills down my spine, a cold, cruel smile.

Then, as I watched him, he started moving, walking around behind me. He said he wasn't really there, but he certainly felt like he was as he knelt down behind me and put his arms around me. "You're mine," he whispered into my ear.

I wanted to pull away...but he wouldn't let me. When I tried, he tightened his arms, and I realized that he was strong. And the more I tried to pull away, the tighter he held me, until it started to hurt.

"Who are you?" I asked, as I finally gave up.

"I hate my name," he said softly, not loosening his arms around me. "But you can call me Umbra."

And then I woke up. As I sat up in bed, gasping, I could still feel his arms around me, not even slightly warm in the middle of that cold blackness. And I could still see his cold smile, in the middle of that oddly familiar face.