The moon was high in the sky, only patches of stars visible behind brewing rain clouds. It was a warm summer night, even in the usually cold hours before dawn. Usually Jesse spent those nights out under the stars, using the constellations above to distract her from the thoughts and emotions boiling inside her head and heart.

But the last few days, Jesse has been even more of an emotional mess than she's been the past months. After the horrible realisation that struck her one morning, she hadn't been able to think about anything else.

It's been an entire year since she ruined things with the rest of the Order.

Jesse didn't know how to feel. Was she horrified at how long it's been? Was she surprised it's only been that long? At times it felt like only yesterday they were all still friends, while it sometimes felt like it had been centuries.

Whatever she felt, Jesse did make the decision that she wanted to see her friends again. And not from afar.

Taking a deep breath, Jesse glanced back at the nether portal she had just stepped out of. It was the quickest and easiest way to Redstonia, and her fastest route to her oldest friend.

Pulling the grey hood low over her head to hide her face, Jesse slowly began walking across the bridge to the main island of Redstonia. Her heart pounded aggressively inside her chest, anxiety clawing at her spirit. She had to do it, she had to try and make things right.

Despite how quiet the town of Redstonia appeared at night, Jesse could feel the eyes of guards burning into her. Olivia had upped the security of the engineering town years ago, after some major invention thefts. She wouldn't get in easily, but sneaking in also wasn't the plan.

"State your business." One of the guards growled at Jesse as she stopped outside the large gates. "What brings you to Redstonia at this time of night, and with such obscure attire as well?"

"Your leader will know who I am." Jesse said softly, not lifting her hood and revealing her identity. "Tell Olivia, the Admin is here. I just want to talk." Her voice had begun trembling on the last words.

It was silent for a moment, before Jesse heard the familiar static of a redstone radio – Olivia almost always carried one on her. There were a few mumbles of apology from the guard, before Jesse heard him softly repeat her words.

Silence on the other end of the radio, only static. For a moment Jesse didn't know if Olivia was going to respond or not. But then her friend's familiar voice came through.

"Tell her to leave. If she refuses, make her leave. But be careful, while I doubt she'll attack, she's very capable of doing so."

It felt like Jesse's heart stopped beating inside her chest, her breath catching in her throat. No, no, she didn't think Olivia would turn her away!

"I insist, this is important!" Jesse begged the guard. "I have to talk to her!"

"I'm afraid Olivia isn't interested in hearing what you have to say. Now begone, unless you want to feel the power of a redstone taser."

Tears swam in Jesse's brown eyes, her heart throbbing with betrayal. But could she really blame Olivia? After being the one to leave, for almost a year?

"I said begone, intruder!" The guard growled, his tone growing more threatening. "No amount of begs or tears are going to get you through these gates!"

Jesse slowly stepped back from the gate, her movements slow and reluctant. Then, with a heavy heart, she turned away from Redstonia and began walking back across the bridge towards the portal. Her sobs were unheard, but there.

------------------------------

It was late evening, the forest outside the cabin dark and almost ominous looking. Petra's gaze was fixed on the window, watching distantly as silvery rays of moonlight danced through the branches of the trees as they swayed in the light summer breeze.

"Did you hear anything I just said?" Lukas asked, his voice pulling Petra back to reality.

"Huh? Sorry." Petra shook her head, directing her gaze back down to the untouched plate of dinner in front of her. "Got lost in thought."

"You've been saying that all day." Lukas said sympathetically, reaching a hand across the wooden surface of the table and resting it on Petra's arm. "Are you sure you're alright, Petra? I have a feeling the time of year is weighing on you a lot more than you're letting on."

"Isn't it bothering you?" Petra asked, looking up at Lukas.

"Of course it is." He said, smiling sadly. "But I've dedicated the last year to focusing on you and helping you get better. Pondering about what happened and where in the world Jesse is, isn't going to help in any way. She made her choice, and we have to let her go."

"I know." Petra said softly, looking down at her food again. "But it isn't easy."

"It isn't." Lukas nodded sadly. "It's going to get better though, I know it. You just have to deal with these feelings in your own way, and at your own pace."

"I never really thanked you." Petra said softly, looking up at Lukas once more. "For looking after me these past twelve months, letting me stay here... introducing me to Ray. You dealt with all my crap and helped me out of a really dark ditch."

"You don't have to thank me, Petra." Lukas said, smiling at her. "I would do anything for you. I'm just really, really happy that things turned out as well as they did."

It was silent between them for a moment. Petra returned to subtly poking at her food, unable to pull her mind away from the thoughts of Jesse and the accident.

"Not gonna eat?" Lukas asked, getting up with his empty plate.

"I'm not hungry." Petra said softly, pushing hers aside. "Sorry, I... I kind of just want to call it a day."

"That's fine." Lukas said, taking Petra's plate as well. "As long as you eat something tomorrow morning, otherwise you're going to start worrying me." The last bit had Petra chuckling lightly.

Using the table as a bit of a prop, Petra got to her feet. While she still walked with difficulty, she no longer needed any help to get around. She's healed as much as her body could, and had to live with what remained.

"Hey." Lukas stopped Petra by resting a hand on her shoulder. "What do you say we head out to the meadow again tomorrow? We haven't been there this week, and I think Ray's dying to graze on some fresh grass."

"That'd be nice." Petra said, smiling. "That's be really nice."

She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Lukas in a quick hug which he instantly returned. As Petra turned towards the hallway, Lukas simply took a seat again.

"Aren't you tired as well?" Petra asked.

"You know me, inspiration is at it's finest this late." Lukas said, grinning. "I just want to get a few paragraphs down."

"I still don't understand writers." Petra said with a chuckle, turning back to the hallway. "Goodnight then, write well."

Lukas called a laughing "Goodnight!" after Petra as she walked down the hallway, stepping into her room. She was tired and Petra had hoped she would fall asleep instantly. But hours later, she was still awake.

Sighing, Petra tried closing her eyes again. She wanted to get her mind off things, like Lukas said. But it bothered how long it's already been. It felt like just yesterday she was still laying in a hospital bed in Beacontown, unable to lift her head from the pillow.

It wasn't all bad living with Lukas at the cabin. Petra loved riding Ray, and she adored being all the way out there in the woods. To some extent, not being stuck in a concrete jungle quenched her thirst for adventure. Petra didn't know if she'd leave if she could.

But she hated how things ended back in Beacontown, wishing there was a way to fix what had been broken.

Lukas's ocelot rubbed his head against Petra affectionately, before curling up against her. Finally she could feel her eyelids beginning to grow heavier, as exhaustion finally settled over her. She just had to believe in what Lukas said. That everything was going to be okay, everything was going to be....

Petra lifted her head, frowning in the dark. Had she already started dreaming, or were those voices? Was it Lukas she was hearing? Who was he arguing with?

Slowly sitting up in bed, Petra tried to make out the sounds again. Then she shook her head to herself, reaching up and rubbing her sore forehead.

Your tired and imagining things. She scolded herself. Go back to sleep, or you won't have the energy for tomorrow's ride.

However Petra had barely rested her head down on the pillow again, when the silence was shattered with a scream that could only belong to Lukas. His voice cut off with a violent thud. Silence again.

"Lukas?" Petra called, her voice trembling audibly. "What's going on out there?"

No response.

Breath racing, Petra quickly threw back the covers on the bed and got to her feet. She pushed open her bedroom door, limping into the hallway. The light in the living room was still on, a sign that Lukas had probably still been writing. The front door hung wide open, wind gusting inside. And there was Lukas, unconscious against the wall, blood trailing down the side of his face.

It felt like Petra's heart stopped beating as she immediately limped to her friend's side, dropping to her knees and grasping Lukas's arm with trembling hands. He was alive, he was breathing, but what happened to him?

Petra's head shot up, immediately looking around for who or what could have hurt her friend. Only to lock eyes with two glowing red orbs in the dark forest.

Jesse.

The moment their gazes met, the eyes disappeared as her old friend fled deeper into the forest. While Petra wanted to leap up and run after Jesse, she turned her attention back to Lukas. Questions raced through her mind.

What the hell happened?

___

A slightly shorter chapter, but I did not want to drag this out!

So this is where the story really begins - yes, this the prologue! We've finally filled in the gaps before that fateful night Jesse turned up at the cabin, now it's time to carry on with the story for real. And I couldn't be more excited for it!

Since I'm bulk editing these it doesn't feel like I have a whole lot to say, but I'd LOVE to hear your theories for where things will go from here, especially with how uncertain the future is now! Share your thoughts!

On that note, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and you're as excited for chapter 12 as I am!