 
**The Awakening**

Tales of Aria (Book #2)

_By: Carl Russ, III_

**Previous titles in the 'Tales of Aria' series:**

*Book #1: The Legend of Damiano's Disk
Joseph Daniluk

Copyright 2014 © Carl Russ, III

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except in the case of a reviewer, who may quote brief passages embodied in critical articles or in a review.

The information in this book is distributed on an "as is" basis, without warranty. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this work, neither the author nor the publisher shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
TO:

" _Conor Voss, my good buddy from across the pond and a highly respected expert in the field of DOGS."_

– _Carl Russ, III_

### **Website/Facebook/Twitter**

### Visit the Tales of Aria official website at:

### <http://talesofaria.com>

### 'Like' Tales of Aria on Facebook to receive the latest news and updates regarding the series:

### <https://www.facebook.com/talesofaria>

### Also, I'm on Twitter now:

### <http://www.twitter.com/Carlruss3>

###  **Contents**

Introduction/About The Author

Prologue

Chapter 1: A Broken Alliance

Chapter 2: The Journey To Ivyvyne Village

Chapter 3: Admission Night

Chapter 4: One Man's Trash

Chapter 5: Gaining Credence

Chapter 6: The Fugitive

Chapter 7: A Horrifying Loss

Chapter 8: The Girl Beneath The Veil

Chapter 9: An Unanticipated Turn Of Events

Chapter 10: Unmasking Kathy

Chapter 11: Hell Hath No Fury

Chapter 12: Loose Ends

Chapter 13: The Aveleys' Ace Card

Chapter 14: Behind Blue Eyes

Chapter 15: Monsters, a Cave, and a Gateway

Chapter 16: A New Alliance

Chapter 17: Lucas's Visit/The News

Chapter 18: The Chance Confrontation

Chapter 19: A Friend In The Shadows/The Altercation

Chapter 20: The Plan

Chapter 21: Destination, Quinn Manor

Chapter 22: Veronica's Revenge

Chapter 23: Monster Hunting In Ivyvyne Woods

Chapter 24: The Unforeseen Arrival

Chapter 25: Revealed

Chapter 26: Stalemate

Chapter 27: Defiance

Chapter 28: Twisted Truth

Chapter 29: Showdown

Chapter 30: A Dreadful Turnaround

Chapter 31: The Pursuit

Chapter 32: Setting Off/The Big Brutal Botanical Blockade

Chapter 33: Knowms And Everything In Between

Chapter 34: Nazareno Island

Chapter 35: Welcome To The Jungle

Chapter 36: Hail To The Chief

Chapter 37: An Enemy Of My Enemy

Chapter 38: The Party

Chapter 39: In Wait

Chapter 40: The Awakening

Postscript/Special Thanks

###  Introduction/About The Author

" _I have to write another one of these bio things? But I already did...! Oh, I see – we need a new one for this book. That's a bit odd considering that, if you're reading this, you've probably read the first installment of the series,_ _The Legend of Damiano's Disk_ _. If you haven't for some strange reason, you're going to be pretty confused. I suggest grabbing a copy before proceeding with this book. (Visit<http://talesofaria.com/books.html#1> for more information. Did I mention the first book's available for free? Well... it's available for free.)_

_Okay, back to the bio. My name is still Carl, I still live in a small apartment in Bartow, my caffeine addiction has spiraled to ridiculous new levels, and yes, you've guessed it – I still spend a lot of time writing. I suppose I could take this opportunity to comment on the book itself, and so I shall._ _The Awakening_ _was a ton of fun to write. It wasn't easy, and there were times where I found myself nearly banging my head against the keyboard, but, overall, I'm very happy with how this book turned out and certainly hope you'll be too._

_Oh, and I apologize in advance for leaving off at another cliffhanger."_

– _Carl Russ, III_

###  Prologue

Three wooden crosses were planted beneath the oak tree near a small house in a vast field just west of Cymbeline. Even after all he had been through in the previous weeks, burying his grandfather was one of the most difficult tasks Lucas Bardsson had ever faced.

Lucas stood silently, staring at the crosses as the breeze calmly caressed his skin. _They're all gone. Mom... Dad... Grandpa._ He wiped away his tears and turned to his companions, who were standing nearby in silence. "All this time, I fought so hard just to be with him again. I wanted to tell him that this was all going to come to an end – that I'd discovered a way to free us from our struggles. When I found him... I...." He turned back toward the oak tree.

"I'm sorry Lucas," Iris said softly, desperately hoping to comfort her friend, yet knowing that no words were capable of alleviating his anguish.

"We'll make Quinn pay for this," Hagan assured him.

Lucas remained unresponsive to his allies' remarks. There wasn't a sound, save that of the light wind sweeping across the field. He walked closer to the cross. _He died alone and scared... I told him I would protect him, and I wasn't there. He never even knew where I'd gone. He must have been heartbroken...._ Unable to contain his grief any longer, he broke down. He dropped to his knees, hugging his grandfather's cross as he sobbed uncontrollably.

"Marvin Bardsson was a brilliant poet," Iris began without warning. "His work touched the hearts of numerous people, consistently inspiring hope of a better tomorrow, even in the face of the unforgiving shadow which continues to loom over Aria. But most importantly, he was a loving grandfather who deeply adored his grandson. I'm certain, wherever he is, that Marvin Bardsson has merely one request. He wishes Lucas happiness, peace of mind, and predominately, the strength to move forward."

"He loved you Lucas," Hagan added. "If he were here to see what you're doing for Aria, you'd better believe he'd be proud. He'd want you to stay strong."

Aiden nodded in silent agreement. "Ya still got us, buddy."

"Thank you," Lucas replied quietly, struggling to suppress his tears. _They're right. The last thing Grandpa would want is for me to feel like this. I'm lucky to have found such supportive friends. As hard as it's going to be, I have to stay focused on the goal. It's too late for my family, but maybe I can save someone else's life from being torn apart._

When at last his tears had subsided, Lucas slowly got to his feet and faced his companions. "Let's ride back to Cymbeline. We can stay there for the night and leave for Ivyvyne Village in the morning." He walked toward his horse. "I can't stay here any longer. This is just an empty house now."

###  Chapter 1: A Broken Alliance

"We refuse to participate any longer until we've received some form of payment," Veronica demanded. "We've been assisting your efforts for weeks now, and I insist on compensation."

Lord Quinn calmly lowered a glass of wine from his lips and gently placed it on the meeting room's table. "Yes, and yet you have failed to retrieve the fragment. Is that not what you were hired to do? Are you honestly demanding that I pay for unsatisfactory service?"

Veronica trembled with rage. "My abilities are the very reason the Spades have been eradicated! Without me, you would have never known that they were positioned on Nazareno Island! I'm the one who discovered the location of the bloody base in the first place – and you dare refer to my work as unsatisfactory?!"

Lord Quinn sipped his wine. "I admit, the look of sheer terror on Tarren Haden's face as I at last had my revenge was most delightful. However, I did not hire you for that purpose. Therefore, I shall not pay."

"I told ya, Ma!" Laverick shouted. "He's no good!"

"Hush!" Veronica snapped, quickly returning her attention to Lord Quinn. "You're playing with fire, Quinn. If the knowledge I possess were to travel to King Ashraf's ear, all your work goes out the window. I demand payment."

Lord Quinn's lips formed a smirk. "Very well. Go right ahead. I hadn't the slightest clue you were fond of prison." He paused, taking a moment to observe the masked apprehension in Veronica's eyes. "What reason would King Ashraf have to regard the word of a deranged old shrew as unquestionable truth?" He sipped his wine. "If you're feeling audacious, then I urge you to proceed. Slander the king's loyal, cherished friend and adviser. You'll undoubtedly be met with great success." There was a brief pause before he added, "Keep in mind that my Knowms hold the fabric of our civilization together. In the event they are removed from the equation, Aria will resume its state of indefinite chaos. I'm certain such an occurrence would influence the good king to reevaluate his position on the matter."

Consumed with animosity, Veronica jumped out of her chair. "Mark my words, Quinn, you'll live to regret this day!!" She stormed toward the meeting room's double doors. All the while, Lord Quinn remained seated, casually finishing his wine without paying even the slightest regard to her menacing threat. He cut his eyes to Laverick, who scowled back at him before darting to catch up with his mother.

The pair exited the room, slamming the door shut behind them. _How disappointing,_ Lord Quinn thought to himself. _No matter. I knew this was inevitable. I have no need for those bumbling imbeciles._ He got out of his chair and approached a window nearby, gazing into the distance. _As for you, Zoe, you can't run forever. Sooner or later, they will find you._

*** * * ***

Veronica stomped down the hallway. "Backstabbing bastard!!"

"Does this mean we're not gonna be rich and famous, Ma?" Laverick asked worriedly, trying his best to keep up with her. His mother was unresponsive, angrily mumbling to herself as she continued to make her way out of the mansion. Thinking she hadn't heard him, he followed up with, "Whadda we gonna do, Ma?"

"I don't know!!" Veronica suddenly snapped, sending shivers down Laverick's spine. "All of our work has been for nothing!" She made eye contact with an astonished servant passing by. "Javan Quinn is a backstabbing pig!!" she bellowed, causing the man to jump.

"I'm very sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy your stay at Quinn Manor," he stammered.

Her lips trembling, Veronica proceeded to march indignantly toward the mansion's exit without another word. Laverick meekly followed behind.

The servant watched as they disappeared down the corridor. "My goodness, Master Quinn certainly has a bad habit of upsetting the women in his life."

*** * * ***

Laverick sat quietly beside his mother on a bench, marveling the surrounding buildings as the citizens of Cymbeline bustled throughout the streets. He glanced at Veronica's hardened face, her eyes fixed directly forward. Quickly turning his attention back to the sights of the city, he bit his lip, contemplating whether or not it would be wise to address his distressed mother.

A minute or two had passed when Veronica's eyes suddenly widened. She snapped her head to Laverick, the unexpected movement startling him. "I've got it!" she proclaimed, her rage diminished.

"What is it, Ma?!" Laverick excitedly replied, relieved by her cheerful demeanor.

Veronica smiled. Lowering her voice, she elaborated, "We have no use for that fool Javan Quinn or his gold. We'll simply complete Damiano's Disk for ourselves!"

A large grin formed on Laverick's face. "That's a great idea!!" he shouted happily.

"Shhhh!! Keep it down, Son!" Her head darted around the area. "Cymbeline's streets are plagued by Knowms. We cannot afford to have one of them overhear us." Laverick hastily slapped his hand over his mouth, nodding while forming a thumbs up with his other hand.

Veronica placed her index and middle fingers on her temples. "Sit quietly. I'll establish a link and explain telepathically." She shut her eyes and focused her attention to him. "Lumen intellectualis connexus."

A few seconds had passed when Laverick heard her voice echo from within his mind. "Can you hear me, darling?" He nodded. "Marvelous! It's quite simple, really. If we can manage to attain both fragments, I can unlock The Temple of Damiano and rule Aria myself. We know that Quinn has one of the fragments hidden somewhere, likely within his mansion. With the aid of your emerald, we can search his home undetected and take it for ourselves. Then, all we must do is find Zoe and confiscate her fragment before Quinn's men can do the same."

"Yeah, yeah!" Laverick exclaimed, bouncing with joy. "Let's geddit!"

Veronica got to her feet, continuing to communicate telepathically. "Unfortunately, Lord Quinn has witnessed your ability before. After our little exchange, he's likely on guard. In order to be successful, we will need to carry out our infiltration flawlessly. He mustn't suspect a thing." She began to walk. "Come. Let's find an inn and begin devising our strategy in private. That fool Javan will soon learn that Veronica Aveley is not to be trifled with."

###  Chapter 2: The Journey To Ivyvyne Village

As the sun rose on the following morning, Lucas, Iris, Hagan, and Aiden set out on horseback for Ivyvyne Village, sporting a restocked supply of goods and freshly washed clothing. Despite this, Hagan decided to remain shirtless, having grown accustomed to the feeling following his close call in Hravart Desert.

"Ever since Sezuni ripped it off, I've gotten used to it," Hagan explained as the group rode through the dew soaked grass in the field north of Cymbeline. "Azure was always too cold to go shirtless. But, you know, it's kind of liberating in a way."

Aiden raised an eyebrow. "Sezuni ripped your shirt off?"

Hagan smirked. "I'm irresistible."

Iris rolled her eyes. "He had been recently poisoned by a scorpion. She needed to discard his shirt in order to properly treat his wound."

Hagan looked at Aiden and shook his head.

The group had only ridden a little farther when Iris spoke again. "If we're able to achieve an adequately consistent pace throughout our journey, I'm presuming we'll arrive in Ivyvyne Village well before sunset."

"It's too early for big words," Aiden griped.

"Seriously," Hagan agreed, "everything you say sounds like it came out of a science book."

Iris's expression became flat. She cut her eyes to Hagan. "I apologize for my inadmissible diction."

"See?!" Hagan argued. "'Inadmissible diction.' I mean, really, those are your first choice of words?"

"Silence, Hagan," Aiden said in a tone resembling a crude imitation of Iris's voice, "we must proceed at an adequate pace."

Hagan laughed hysterically at the mocking impression, quickly receiving a sharp glare from Iris. "Whoa, whoa!" He attempted to quell his laughter as he spoke. "We're just messing around, relax!"

While his friends squabbled, Lucas rode in silence. Despite his outward composure, the grief of his grandfather's death continued to dwell inside of him. No matter how he tried, Lucas couldn't stop thinking about him, his final moments, and how he must have felt. Rationally, he knew his grandfather's untimely passing was through no fault of his own. Still, he couldn't help feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt. _If I had been there to protect him, this never would have happened._

Lucas was nearly unable to stifle his tears any longer when his reticent mourning was unexpectedly interrupted by Hagan asking, "Did they do a good job on your sword yesterday, Lucas? I didn't see you much after you got back from the blacksmith."

Suddenly snapped back into the present moment, Lucas glanced over at him. "Oh, yeah, it's good as new."

"Ya feelin' alright, buddy?" Aiden inquired.

"I'm fine," Lucas quickly replied.

Keen to his unusual behavior, Iris added, "Are you certain? We're not far from Cymbeline. I completely understand if you'd prefer to rest a few more days befor–"

"No," Lucas interrupted. "We can't afford to lose any more time. Training with Master Bonham is going to take long enough."

There was a pause. "Lucas," Iris began hesitantly, "you must understand that while Master Bonham is a highly influential and competent mage, he's often rather derogatory toward his students. Are you positive you're mentally prepared to handle his training at this time?"

"I'll deal with it," Lucas answered sharply, riding straight forward without turning his head.

The group proceeded onward. Much like they had done during their journey to Cymbeline, they attempted to avoid confrontations with monsters whenever possible, combatting the threats at a distance from horseback when an encounter was inevitable. Nearly nine hours passed before they finally reached the edge of Ivyvyne Woods.

As the four heroes entered the forest, Aiden marveled the lush trees and plant life surrounding them. "This is Ivyvyne Woods, eh? How much longer until we get to town?"

"I'm estimating another hour of travel," Iris responded.

Aiden winced. "I dunno if I'm gonna make it that long."

"Need to piss?" Hagan queried, screwing the cap onto his flask before returning it to his belt.

"Yep," Aiden answered, biting his lip.

The group halted. "Make it quick," said Hagan.

Aiden dismounted his horse as hastily as possible and darted into the brush. All was quiet for a few seconds, then Aiden spoke. "Uh... can you guys make some noise?"

Hagan raised an eyebrow. "What?! Just go!"

"I can't do it if I know a lady's listenin'!" Aiden shouted.

"Then how the hell did you go when we stopped before?!" Hagan bellowed.

"I didn't," Aiden said. "I ain't went since we left Cymbeline! It's embarrassin' okay?! I can't help it!"

Iris sighed. She called back to him, "The audible manifestation of your micturition is far from the center of my attention."

Following another short pause, Aiden replied, "I dunno what the heck ya just said, but it didn't help. Ya gotta make noise."

Hagan grunted. "Push until the pee comes out."

"I can't!!" Aiden yelled, frustrated by the predicament. "This is just as annoyin' for me as it is for you! I feel like my bladder's gonna explode here!"

"LA LA LA LA~!!" Hagan loudly and non-melodically sang. "LA LA LA LA LA LA LAAA~! Aiden's peeing, because no one can hear him~! LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LAAA~!" He crossed his arms. "There."

"Keep going!" Aiden shouted.

Hagan's eyebrows lowered. "LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LAAA~!! Aiden's taking forever to pee~! LA LA LA LA LA LAAA~!! Hurry the hell up Aiden~! LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LAAA~!!"

"Okay, I'm good," Aiden informed the group.

"About freaking time," Hagan muttered. He turned his head to see Aiden emerging from the brush wearing a grin.

"Much better," Aiden proclaimed. "Thanks, buddy."

Hagan was about to speak when his eyes caught sight of two human-sized skeletons approaching from behind Aiden. "Trouble!" he exclaimed, reaching for his bow. Lucas and Iris hastily turned their attention to the brush.

The moment Lucas saw the oncoming threat, he gasped. Remembering his encounter with this type of monster in Hravart Desert, he quickly looked away. "Don't look into their eyes!"

Unfortunately, at the same time he was delivering his warning, the skeletons' empty eye sockets emitted a lime-green glow just as Aiden turned to see what the fuss was about. Hagan and Aiden froze, trembling as they were paralyzed by a sudden surge of irrational fear.

"Lumen orbis!" Lucas conjured a light orb. He glanced at Hagan. _Dammit, too late. It's up to me then. I have to make sure I don't look at their eyes while I'm aim_ –

"Glacies crystallos discus!" Iris shouted, conjuring a large snowflake in her right hand. She hurled the icy discus, which speedily whizzed through the air, shooting between the two skeletons before hooking around like a boomerang and eliminating the monsters. After slicing through the targets, the snowflake shattered. Bones lay scattered around the spot in which the skeletons had stood, the foes successfully exterminated before moving in proximity to attack Aiden or frighten the group's horses.

Immediately, Hagan and Aiden snapped out of their trance, initially unable to comprehend exactly what had taken place.

Lucas turned to see the beasts' remains. Shocked at the sight, he looked at Iris. "How did you do it without getting paralyzed?" he asked as his orb vanished.

She pointed to one of the sapphire earrings she had been wearing since the day Lucas had met her. "They're enchanted," she explained. "The charm protects me from effect magic. Apparently, the same goes for the peculiar ability of those skeletons."

Realizing what had happened, Hagan put his bow away. "As soon as I remembered what those things could do, it was too late. Guess we should leave them to Iris from now on."

Once Aiden had remounted his horse, the group proceeded onward through the forest. Due to the hostile beasts occupying the area, two grueling hours had passed by the time they arrived in Ivyvyne Village.

With the faint light of the setting sun almost completely omitted by the thick trees, the peaceful village was illuminated by the glow of torches. The buildings resembled log cabins. Beautiful flowers and other lush vegetation decorated the roadside. The sound of a rushing river was barely audible in the distance, masked by the voices of the small outdoor marketplace's occupants, preparing to close for the night.

Lucas noted the sign which read: Welcome to Ivyvyne Village – Proud Home of Master Bonham. He observed the scenery as they rode through the town. "So this is where you're from?" he asked, looking at Iris.

"Indeed, it is," she replied. "It's been five years since I departed from my home. It appears not much has changed." She cut her eyes to a Knowm standing in front of a building to the group's right. Its eyes were fixed directly on the heroes as they rode by, though it didn't turn its head or move a single inch. She looked back at Lucas. "Excluding their presence."

"Where does Bone-ham live?" Aiden queried.

"Bonham," Iris corrected. "He lives in and works from the rather sizeable building on the north side of town. We'll reach it by proceeding along this road. Once Lucas has been enrolled in his program, we'll need to visit my parents."

"Alright," said Hagan. "You know, I've always wondered what Mr. and Mrs. Ivaska are like."

It wasn't long until they found themselves in front of a large house with an equally huge front yard. It too was constructed of logs, decorated with elegant window frames and a massive sign which read: Master Bonham's School of Elemental Conjuring.

The group dismounted their horses and tied them to some nearby posts. Iris looked at Lucas as she adjusted the satchel across her shoulder. "Are you ready?" she asked. He nodded, though the look on his face made it apparent that he was feeling a bit nervous. She softly smiled. "You'll do wonderfully."

###  Chapter 3: Admission Night

The four heroes entered the main lobby of Master Bonham's School of Elemental Conjuring. The room was extremely spacious. The wooden floor was graced with three exquisite rugs: one at the bottom of each of the two stairways, and another in front of the desk which was perfectly centered between them. Stylish couches, chairs, and tables furnished the lobby's center. Atop the stairs was a gallery which ran across the entire back wall. Potted plants were placed beside many of the room's several doors.

Once Lucas had put his belongings near the furniture in the room's center, they approached the desk. A petite old woman with curly, gray hair and blue eyes was barely visible behind it. Noticing the group, she got out of her chair and greeted them. "Welcome to Master Bonham's Scho–" Her eyes widened as a smile swept across her face. "Iris!"

"Mrs. Bonham," Iris replied, smiling back at her.

Despite the old woman's attempt to move as quickly as she could, she gradually inched around the desk and embraced Iris. "Dear, you've grown!" the woman commented. "Look at you – you're gorgeous!"

"Thank you," Iris responded warmly. "Yes, it's been quite some time, hasn't it?" She turned to her companions. "This is Mrs. Bonham. She's responsible for admissions to Master Bonham's course." She looked back at the old woman. "Mrs. Bonham, these are my friends. Hagan Caine, Aiden Kerbs, and Lucas Bardsson."

"How do you do?" Mrs. Bonham greeted, slowly taking each of their hands.

"Nice place ya got here," Aiden remarked as she shook his hand.

"Why, thank you young man," Mrs. Bonham responded. "It's taken years of hard work for us to build it into what it is today." She approached Hagan. "Oh my," she looked at Iris, "you went out and landed yourself a real stud muffin!" Hagan's eyes met Iris's. He wiggled his eyebrows.

"We're friends," Iris asserted. She quickly glanced at Lucas.

"Oh," Mrs. Bonham said as she shook Hagan's hand. She looked up at him. "If I were single and a little younger...." She laughed. Hagan smiled awkwardly at her. As she walked over to Lucas, Hagan snapped his head to Aiden, who was clearly trying with all of his might to suppress his laughter. Hagan's eyes widened; he shook his head.

Mrs. Bonham shook hands with Lucas. "And you're Lucas, yes?"

Lucas smiled. "Yes ma'am."

"Ma'am," Mrs. Bonham delightfully repeated. "What a nice young man." She looked at Iris. "So, what brings you here today, dear?"

"Lucas is interested in enrolling in Master Bonham's course," Iris answered.

"Oh, good!" Mrs. Bonham said cheerfully, slowly making her way back around the desk. "I'll fetch all the paperwork you'll need to fill out. Is anyone else interested in enrolling today?"

"Just me," Lucas answered.

"Alright then," said Mrs. Bonham, "find somewhere to sit, and I'll have that paperwork to you in just a minute."

Iris turned to Lucas. "Would you like for us to remain here until you're officially admitted?"

Lucas shook his head. "No, go ahead and visit your parents. I'm sure they miss you."

"You're not going already, are you, dear?" Mrs. Bonham asked as she assembled various papers from her desk. "Aalok would love to see you again."

"Oh," Iris answered, "I suppose I should stay long enough to see Master Bonham."

The four seated themselves on the comfortable furniture in the middle of the lobby. Aiden chose an armchair, while Lucas sat down on the center of the couch with a coffee table in front of it. Across from him, Hagan seated himself next to Iris on the other couch.

"Didn't you say Bonham hates being called by his first name?" Hagan softly queried.

"Yes," Iris answered. "Mrs. Bonham is an exception, of course. Though it tends to irritate him when she refers to him as Aalok while students are present. I always found those occurrences to be rather humorous."

Mrs. Bonham gradually approached Lucas and placed the paperwork on the coffee table in front of him, along with a pen and ink. "I'll be right back in just a minute; I'm going to go tell Aalok that Iris is here. If you have any questions, let me know as soon as I get back."

Lucas smiled at her, removing the pen from the ink container. "Thank you." She nodded and slowly proceeded to the door near the eastern staircase as Lucas began filling out the admission form.

After a few minutes had passed, Hagan looked over at Aiden. "Whatever happened to that eye patch you got off of Kuraikaji?"

Aiden thought for a moment. "I put it in the saddlebag when we left Valletal. Should be there, I'm guessin'."

"No, you got it out at Cymbeline," Hagan asserted. "Remember? You got drunk and kept telling everyone to call you 'Captain Kerbs?'"

Aiden's mouth dropped. "Ah, crap! I never got it outta the night stand!"

Hagan was silent for a few seconds. "So you mean any old joker that gets that room next is gonna find an enchanted eye patch that makes them into an unstoppable fighting machine that can see their opponent's next move before they make it?"

"Uh... yep." Aiden replied.

"Good going, man," Hagan remarked.

Lucas looked up at them. "It should be fine. I doubt anyone would know it was enchanted just by looking at it. The inn's staff will probably throw it away when they find it."

At that moment, the door by the eastern staircase swung open. The group turned their heads to see a 5'5" old man with curly, gray, shoulder-length hair enter the room. He was dressed in a black, short-sleeved, button up shirt, with dark gray pants and a black belt. He wore a pair of thick-framed, square-lensed glasses over his brown eyes. On his feet were a pair of sandals. The old man was followed by Mrs. Bonham, who shut the door behind them as he approached the group. His expression was stone.

Lucas returned the pen to the ink container and watched as he walked toward them. _That must be him._

"Iris Ivaska," the old man said.

Iris quickly got to her feet. She smiled. "Master Bonham."

He stopped in front of her. "Your parents told me you got your degree."

"Yes sir," she replied. "I currently work from my home in Azure as an alchemist."

"You still talk like a damn encyclopedia too," he remarked. "What're you doing way over here? Don't you have work to do?"

"It's a complicated story," she responded. "Hopefully I'll be able to resume my work soon." Master Bonham raised an eyebrow. "Nonetheless," Iris went on, "that information is irrelevant. I'm here today due to my friend Lucas's interest in your program."

Lucas got out of his seat and approached Master Bonham, extending his hand. "Lucas Bardsson."

Master Bonham stared blankly at Lucas for a few seconds. He turned to Iris. "I've read trees with more power than this kid."

Lucas was simultaneously surprised and slightly offended.

"He's only a beginner right now," said Iris, "but he's an incredibly gifted learner. I taught him the basics of elemental conjuring myself. He wishes to excel to the advanced level."

"Ha!" Master Bonham scoffed. "He'll be lucky if he makes it to intermediate. Look at you, Iris. You've been at it since you were a little girl. I read you when I walked into this room, and this is the first time I've ever seen you at a point capable of advanced conjuring. Granted, you're barely in that tier...."

Smiling, Aiden looked over at Hagan. "I like this guy."

"Oh, you like me, huh?" Master Bonham asked. "Well isn't that peachy? I've got the approval of a fire breathing ant."

Aiden got out of his chair, "I ain't no ant, buddy. Check this out." Suddenly, Aiden's hands ignited. "I don't need any chants to work my stuff."

Master Bonham raised his eyebrows. "Ah... a disirjurer, hm?"

Aiden cocked his head. "Dis-what now?"

Master Bonham chuckled. "You don't even know. I'd put out those flames and accept my place as a tiny speck if I were you. You're not impressing me, that's for damn sure."

Aiden bit his lip, struggling to calm himself. His hands extinguished.

"Disirjurer?" Iris repeated. "Could you please elaborate, Master Bonham? I've never heard this term before."

"Well, I guess you don't know everything after all, do you?" Master Bonham replied. "A disirjurer is what we call mages born with active centers that can conjure without chants. Their powers usually start working sometime during childhood and most of them don't understand it at first. It's very, very rare. Kind of a crappy condition to have, if you ask me. They might get started easier than the rest of us, but they'll never be capable of learning new techniques. Their centers don't work like ours. They're basically a highly disorganized breed of conjurers." He turned to Aiden. "If you want my advice, start throwing as many fireballs per day as you can to increase your conjuring power and limit. That's about all you can do, really."

Master Bonham looked at Hagan for a few seconds before turning back to Iris. "So it's just the blond kid, right?"

"Yes," she answered. "He's currently in the process of completing the admission forms."

Master Bonham glanced at Lucas, then back to Iris. "Looks like he's just standing there not doing a damn thing to me." He looked at Lucas. "Go on, hurry up. They don't fill themselves out, you know."

Lucas nodded and returned to his seat. He grabbed the pen and tried to find where he'd left off on the admission forms. _Iris wasn't kidding. This guy's a real jerk._

"So what're you doing with these losers anyway?" Master Bonham queried. Aiden and Hagan cast a glare at him as the words left his lips.

"Be nice, Aalok," Mrs. Bonham asserted.

Master Bonham bit his lip and lowered his eyebrows.

"I would appreciate it if you would not refer to my friends as 'losers,'" Iris replied sternly, a bit offended herself.

"Well they are," Master Bonham argued. "Don't get me wrong now, I'm sure they're fine young men, but magically, they're a bunch of pansies. You've got more power in your pinky than any of these dweebs." He turned to Hagan. "Muscles here isn't too shabby, but overall he's just another mid-level mediocre intermediate."

Hagan was silent. _Mediocre?! Please, I'd snap you in half, old man._

Master Bonham glanced at Lucas, then turned back to Iris. "Has he paid yet?"

Iris shook her head. "No sir. I have brought sufficient funding for the first day of lessons. I was hoping that perhaps we could pay–"

"You're paying for him?!" Master Bonham interrupted. "I take it back, kid's a full blown loser."

In a display of great restraint, Hagan, Iris and Aiden all refrained from reacting to the remark. Still, Aiden's rage caused his hands to go up in flames. "Sorry," he muttered, seething. He closed his eyes and relaxed himself, returning his hands to their normal state.

"I believe I'm going to visit my parents now," Iris said firmly. She removed a bag of gold from her pocket and handed it to Mrs. Bonham. "This will cover his first day of training. We will pay for his lessons on a daily basis if that's acceptable."

Mrs. Bonham nodded, "Of course, dear."

Iris turned back to Master Bonham. "I appreciate everything you've done for me, Master Bonham, and I certainly hope your sessions with Lucas are beneficial."

She quickly walked toward the front door, obviously frustrated despite her attempt to mask it. Hagan and Aiden followed her outside.

*** * * ***

"What an ass!" Hagan remarked as they walked behind Iris toward their horses. "I always thought you were exaggerating a bit, but that guy's a total jerk. How the hell did you put up with that for so long?"

"If it were me," Aiden added, "I'd-a pelted him in the face with a fireball on day one."

"It's simply who he is," she responded.

"I kind of feel bad leaving Lucas there," said Hagan. "Especially after what all he's been through. You think maybe you can teach him instead?"

Iris shook her head. "Unfortunately, our centers are far too different. Master Bonham may lack charisma, but his ability and knowledge in the field of elemental conjuring is unmatched. Lucas will not be able to benefit from my guidance nearly to the extent he will with Master Bonham."

"How the hell are we supposed to pay for his lessons anyway?" Hagan asked. "We're running low on gold already."

"I'll brew potions at my parent's home and sell them for a profit," Iris replied. "As we witnessed during his battle with Kuraikaji, Lucas is an incredibly gifted mage. I feel that if his true potential is unlocked, his skill will be essential in obtaining the disk fragment being held by Lord Quinn. Not to mention the incredible tactical advantage we will gain once he has unlocked his dormant telepathic abilities."

"I gotta question too," Aiden chimed in. "What the heck are we supposed to do while we're waitin' on him?"

"Maybe we can look around town and see if we can find any clues about the Spades," Hagan suggested. "If we're lucky, we might be able to get a jump on the other fragment."

As they were mounting their horses, Mrs. Bonham emerged from the school. The group turned their heads to see her slowly walking toward them.

"Iris!" Mrs. Bonham called. "Wait!" The three rode closer to her. "Please forgive Aalok's rudeness," she pleaded.

"There's no need to apologize for Master Bonham," Iris responded. "I'm aware that he's a good man underneath his exterior. I'm still immensely thankful for the scholarship he provided me."

Mrs. Bonham smiled. "Well, I just wanted to let you know that ever since you've been away, he's always talking about how none of his students add up to Iris." Iris was a bit surprised. "He doesn't like to play favorites with his students," Mrs. Bonham went on, "but you've secretly been his most cherished pupil since he met you. I'm sure he'll take very good care of your friend."

Iris smiled. "Thank you Mrs. Bonham, that means a lot."

*** * * ***

Once Lucas had completed the admission forms, Mrs. Bonham inspected them thoroughly before stamping them 'approved.' Not long after that, Master Bonham reentered the lobby.

"Come with me," Master Bonham ordered. "Leave your crap here for now. I'm gonna give you the tour."

Lucas followed him down a hallway and into a massive room. It was mostly empty, with the exception of some wooden barrels in the corner. "This is the training room," Master Bonham explained. "This is where you'll learn new techniques and how to control your conjurations. We occasionally spar in here, so you'd better not be afraid of getting hurt."

Next, he took Lucas to a room containing several tables and bookshelves. A young man around Lucas's age with short jet black hair and green eyes was seated at one of the tables reading a book. He was wearing a red short-sleeved shirt with brown pants. On his feet were a pair of black loafers. He glanced up at them as they entered the room before quickly turning his attention back to the book.

"This is the library," Master Bonham said. "We've got books on all four centers – from beginner to advanced. Even a few for masters on perfecting the art." He glanced at Lucas. "Trust me, son, you won't be needing those."

Lucas turned his head. _He's not much of a confidence booster...._

Master Bonham pointed to the young man seated at the table. "That good-for-nothing with his fat nose buried in a book is Ian, one of your new peers."

Ian looked up at Lucas and gave a single nod before resuming his place in the book.

"When you're good and ready," Master Bonham continued as they reentered the hallway, "you'll be taking on some monsters in Ivyvyne Woods. It's something new I threw into the mix after they showed up. The little bastards make for great practice. Keep in mind that in that phase of training you'll be facing real life dangers. If you get killed, it's your own damn fault. With Aria's situation as it is, I feel like my students should know a thing or two about fighting monsters."

"I've actually fought countless monsters already," Lucas told him.

Master Bonham stopped walking. Lucas halted beside him. Slowly Master Bonham turned his head to Lucas. "So, you're an expert, hm?"

Lucas shook his head. "No, no. I didn't mean it like that at all. I–"

"Conjure an orb," Master Bonham interrupted.

Lucas was confused by the unexpected request but complied. "Lumen orbis!" The light orb flashed into materialization in his right hand.

"Stay here." Master Bonham proceeded to walk down the hallway. Once he'd put a fair amount of distance between the two of them, he stopped. Turning back to Lucas, he put his hands behind his back and ordered, "Throw it at me."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? I don't want t–"

"Hit me," Master Bonham barked.

Aiming carefully, Lucas hurled the orb directly at Master Bonham's chest. However, the moment the orb flew from his hand, Master Bonham shouted, "Lumen repercutio!"

The orb was a mere inch from impacting Bonham's chest when there was a bright flash of light. Lucas's eyes widened as he realized that the orb had bounced off of Master Bonham and was now speeding toward his own chest. Without enough time to react, it exploded into Lucas, sending him flying backward. He landed on the hard wooden floor with a thud, writhing in pain.

Master Bonham slowly approached him. "I don't care what you've done. Until you've proven yourself to me, you're nothing here." He kneeled down and placed his hand on Lucas. "Lumen expletus sana." Almost instantly, Lucas felt as though nothing had ever happened. "Get to your feet and follow me," Master Bonham commanded, rising back to his feet and continuing down the hallway.

Lucas got up and followed him, simultaneously embarrassed and impressed. _I can't stand this guy. But those spells were incredible. He hit me with my own attack before I ever knew what had happened. And his healing power... it was way more effective than the spell I've been using. I've got to make sure I learn that one._

"The dining room is in there," Master Bonham said as they walked past another doorway. "Your peers can show you the rest of the place, but that's all you need to know about for now." They proceeded through the door at the end of the hallway.

"This is the dormitory," Master Bonham explained as they entered a small room. In front of them was a wall decorated by a bizarre painting, which depicted swirls of yellow, blue, red, and purple. To their left, was a door labeled Girls. To their right, a door labeled Boys. Master Bonham opened the door on the right.

The room was lengthy despite its relatively few occupants. A row of five beds lined each of the walls, each bed accompanied by a nightstand, a mirror, and a small dresser. All three of the young men in the room focused their attention on Lucas as he entered.

"The washroom is through that door on the end at the right," Master Bonham elaborated. "Any questions?"

Lucas shook his head. "No sir."

"Students," Master Bonham proclaimed, "meet your new peer. His name is Lucas. He'll be starting tomorrow." They all waved at Lucas, who returned the gesture. Master Bonham leaned close to Lucas. "Get all your things put away and have a good night's rest. You'd better be ready for tomorrow." He exited the room.

###  Chapter 4: One Man's Trash

Laverick stared at the ceiling, awaiting his mother's return as he lay quietly on the bed, daydreaming about his future life of luxury. He and Veronica had spent the majority of their day in a small room in Cymbeline's inn. Regardless of their cunning ideas, they had been unable to devise a flawless method to successfully infiltrate Quinn Manor.

He snapped his head to the door as it creaked open. Veronica entered the room carrying a sizeable plate of ham, mashed potatoes, and bread. Catching sight of the delectable meal, Laverick quickly jumped out of bed and scampered to the small table. "Food!" he cheered. "Yummy, yummy! I'm starved, Ma!"

Veronica smiled. "I'm returning with far more than food, Son." She sat the plate on the table, prompting Laverick to hurriedly snatch a piece of ham. She smacked his hand, causing him to drop it back onto the plate. "We're not savages!" she barked. "You can wait until I've prepared our utensils."

Laverick nodded and made a sad face. "Yes, Mommy."

Veronica approached a cabinet and opened it, collecting two small plates. "I overheard some marvelous news as I was fetching our meal from the kitchen. It seems that several nobles from across Aria have been flooding into Cymbeline in order to attend the annual royal ball being held at the castle tomorrow night." She placed one of the plates on Laverick's side of the table and another on her side. "Do you know what this means, darling?"

"Nope," Laverick replied, his focus stolen by the tantalizing food.

"Javan Quinn is the king's adviser," she elaborated, grabbing two forks and two knives from a drawer. "Given that, we can be absolutely certain that he will be in attendance."

"Uh-huh," Laverick murmured, gazing at the ham.

"Laverick!" Veronica snapped. "Pay attention! This news is of utmost importance!"

"I'm listening," Laverick protested.

Veronica scowled. "Repeat what I just said."

Laverick stared blankly at her.

"Javan Quinn isn't going to be at Quinn Manor tomorrow night!!" she bellowed.

"Shhh!" Laverick shushed worriedly. "We can't let anyone hear our plan, Ma!"

"I know that!!" she screamed before promptly biting her lip. Taking a few seconds to calm herself, she continued. "To repeat... Javan Quinn will likely be attending the royal ball being held tomorrow night at the castle. This will leave us with a phenomenal opportunity to infiltrate and search Quinn Manor for the disk fragment with minimal risk of discovery."

She placed a fork and knife on Laverick's plate. By the time she had sat down across from him, he'd already begun viciously stabbing slabs of ham with his fork and dropping them onto his plate. Veronica glared at him.

"All we need now," she continued, ignoring his horrific table manners, "is a disguise. As we've discussed before, making use of your emerald would be ideal. But in order to use its power, we'll need a victim for you to shape-shift into. They'll need to be alive, yet unable to rat us out before you're able to make off with the fragment."

"I dunno, Ma," Laverick replied with a mouthful of ham and mashed potatoes. "This sounds like it's gonna be super hard."

"If it were easy, the temple would have been unlocked by now," Veronica argued, stocking her plate with food. "And stop talking with your mouth full!"

Upon the completion of their meal, Veronica placed the dishes in the sink and pumped water to rinse them. Laverick got out of his chair. "I'm still hungry."

"You've had plenty," Veronica protested. "Stop whining and help me devise a solution to our problem."

"But, Ma," Laverick moaned, "I can't think when I'm hungry!"

"Ugh," Veronica grunted. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small brown sack. She threw it at him, pegging him in the face. "Go buy something from downstairs, but make it quick! I want a plan by tomorrow morning."

*** * * ***

Laverick hurried up the stairs carrying an apple pie. He rushed down the hallway, nearly running into a wooden custodial cart containing a full bin of trash. He was about to run past it when something caught his eye. _Whoa! Neato!_

Laverick barged into the room, apple pie in tow. "Ma! Look at what I found!!"

Veronica turned to see that her son was wearing an eye patch over his left eye. "Where did you find that ridiculous thing?!"

"In the trash thingy outside," he answered. "They were gonna throw it away! Can you believe that?!"

Veronica's eyes widened. "Take that filthy thing off of your face at once!"

"But Ma, I don't think it's a normal one. I can see right throu–"

"Take it off and put it back where you found it!!" she shouted, ignoring him.

Reluctantly, Laverick obeyed, setting the apple pie and the remainder of the gold on the table and walking back into the hallway. He glanced over his shoulder. _Wait a minute... Ma won't know I didn't throw it away if I just put it in my pocket._ He grinned, stealthily tucking away his newfound treasure before hurrying back into the room.

###  Chapter 5: Gaining Credence

"I'm scared, Grandpa," Lucas confessed. "Everyone's counting on me, but I don't know if I've got what it takes. Master Bonham said that Iris has been practicing for years, and she's barely an advanced mage. How can they expect me to surpass that before it's too late? Lord Quinn is going to have the world crushed under his foot by the time I reach intermediate!"

Marvin smiled. "Believe in yourself."

"That's easier said than done, Grandpa. You don't understand – I struggled so hard just to conjure an orb, and I still haven't even mastered the basics!"

"Believe in yourself."

Lucas became frustrated. "Grandpa, that doesn't help! My victory over Kuraikaji was a fluke!! What if I think I'm ready when I end up facing Lord Quinn and wind up getting everyone killed?! I can't afford to screw this up. I need more than 'believe in yourself;' I need a miracle!"

"Everything you need is already there. Just use it."

"Wake up!!" Master Bonham screamed, instantly pulling Lucas from his slumber. His eyes snapped open. "Thirty minutes for breakfast, then I want everyone in the training room! We're having biscuits and scrambled eggs. If you want something else instead, you're gonna be pretty damn hungry until lunch." The door slammed shut as Master Bonham exited the room. Lucas sat up and stretched. He remained on the edge of his bed for a moment, still entranced by his all too realistic dream.

"You'd better start getting ready," Ian advised. "Master Bonham's strict about the schedule. Trust me, man, you don't want to skip breakfast."

*** * * ***

Lucas entered the dining room. As he walked to collect his food, he glanced over his peers seated at a long table. It appeared that he was likely the oldest student; the previous night he had learned that Ian was seventeen. The other three boys, Camron, Kevin, and Wally, were significantly younger at ages fourteen, thirteen, and twelve respectively.

Camron had dark-brown eyes, curly, black hair and was often the most well-dressed among the students. Kevin, in contrast, could always be seen in food-stained clothing and rarely took the time to brush his messy, blond hair. Wally, the youngest boy, had short silver hair and blue eyes. Lucas quickly noted his appearance as that of an Ice mage with an elemental center active from birth.

As he continued to scan the table, he noticed a female student seated near them with brunette hair, which was put up in pigtails with red ribbons. She had shining hazel eyes and was dressed in a yellow robe. She appeared to be younger than him, but older than the majority of the students.

Once he neared the end of the table, his eyes caught sight of a student seated alone, several chairs away from the remainder of the group. Their style of dress was most bizarre; they wore a red robe with a white hooded cloak. Their entire face was concealed by a white cloth, leaving only their deep-blue eyes visible, gazing at Lucas as he passed. One person in particular came to Lucas's mind as he observed the stranger.

Once he had collected his food, Lucas sat down beside the mysterious cloaked student. "Hello," Lucas greeted. The stranger glanced at him but didn't say a word. Lucas took a few bites of his food. _Not much of a talker, I guess._ He noticed that even though a full plate of food was resting on the table in front of the cloaked student, it looked as though they hadn't eaten a single bite. "What's your name?" Lucas finally asked.

Again, the stranger glanced at him. Following a short pause they quickly answered, "Kathy." The voice was feminine.

Lucas's eyebrows raised. _Wow, talk about déjà vu! I should read her emotions to see what's up._ He quietly activated his ability. _It's hard to tell with all of these people around, but I think I'm feeling nervousness from her. Maybe I should strike up a friendly conversation._ Deactivating his power, he did just that. "I'm Lucas. Today's my first day." The stranger was silent as Lucas continued eating his breakfast. _She must be shy._ "You should probably eat," Lucas suggested.

The stranger glared at him. "You should probably leave me alone."

_Eesh, I wasn't expecting that._ There was another short pause before Lucas spoke again. "You remind me of someone I met in Hravart Desert."

"Well, we've never met," she quickly snapped. "Now go away."

"You act like her too," Lucas added, deterred by her unreasonably hostile attitude. He collected his food and got up. _Not the friendliest person I've met. Then again, I can see how being around Bonham all day could do that to you._ He seated himself beside Ian.

Ian smirked. "You met Kathy, huh?" Lucas nodded. "Don't worry about it," Ian went on, "she doesn't seem to get along with anyone. Her and Master Bonham get into it all the time. It's pretty funny."

"I don't understand why he doesn't expel her," Camron added, seated across from Lucas.

"Because she's good," Ian replied. "I heard she was already at the advanced level when she showed up."

"Then why is she here?" Camron argued. "Why doesn't she go to college and get certified for a career?"

"I heard she wants to be a conjuring master," Kevin chimed in.

Ian chuckled. "Well, she's got the attitude down to a tee."

"Why is she hiding her face?" Lucas asked.

"She said it's disfigured," Ian answered. "I guess she's insecure about it."

"She's probably ugly," the pigtailed girl sitting nearby remarked. Lucas looked at her. She smiled. "I'm Janet. You're Lucas, right?"

"Yes," Lucas replied.

"Cool," she said with a toothy grin. "Which element do you have?"

"Light," Lucas answered.

Her eyes widened. "That is SO awesome! Totally jealous! I have Fire. So, are you a beginner?"

Lucas nodded. "I only know two spells right now. My friend Iris taught me the basics. I'm hoping Master Bonham will be able to help me go further."

"Cool," Janet responded. "Don't worry, I'm just a beginner too. Master Bonham's kind of a jerk, but he's a totally awesome teacher. He taught me how to unlock my center, conjure orbs, and a few other neat things."

Lucas was curious. "So, how does he teach all of the elements if he can only use Light?"

"He's a master," Ian answered.

"He asked me!!" Janet snapped.

Ian raised his eyebrows.

Janet's smile returned. She looked at Lucas. "He's a master."

The answer failed to suffice Lucas's curiosity. He turned to Ian. "What does that mean?"

"He knows his stuff," Ian elaborated. "He's spent his life studying all four elements. Light is his specialty, obviously. That'll benefit you pretty well, I'm guessing."

"So, how long is this going to take?" Lucas inquired.

Ian shrugged. "That depends on what you want to learn and how quickly you learn it. Master Bonham will give you as much time as you need, as long as you keep trying and are willing to learn. What did you put on the admission form?"

"I checked 'advanced,'" Lucas replied.

The surrounding group stared blankly at him for a second. "It's going to take a while," Ian finally remarked.

Lucas bit his lip. _Great. Ugh, I don't have time for this. Maybe we should just go for the disk fragment now before it's too late._

Once they had finished their meal, Lucas and the remaining students left the dining room. Kathy, however, remained seated. The moment the last student had exited the room, she darted her head left and right. Quickly removing the cloth concealing her nose and mouth, she scarfed the food down with incredible speed.

*** * * ***

Lucas stood patiently alongside his peers in the training room. In front of them, Master Bonham was standing quietly with his eyes fixed to a small pocket watch. Behind him were five barrels. Four of them were placed seven feet apart, forming a square with the fifth in the center.

The students turned their heads as the door opened and Kathy entered. Her face was concealed, as it had been when they saw her last. She quietly approached her peers and halted beside them.

"Twenty-nine minutes and thirty-five seconds since wake up call," Master Bonham commented. He looked at her. "Why do you always take so damn long to eat?"

She didn't reply.

The very second his pocket watch read that exactly thirty minutes had passed since he'd woken the students, Master Bonham tucked it into his pocket and addressed the group. "Alright, it's time to warm up. Everyone conjure an orb."

"Lumen orbis!" Lucas materialized a light orb. He glanced at the other students. Ian and Wally had conjured ice orbs while Janet, Camron, and Kevin had conjured fire. Kathy's orb, however, was of shadow. _She's a Shadow mage too?_ His eyes widened. _Could that be Sezuni's daughter? No. It can't be. She would be with Lord Quinn. It's got to be nothing more than a coincidence._

"Now," Master Bonham went on, "seems how we have a newbie in our ranks, I'll explain the exercise. Lumen orbis." Without moving his hands from his sides, he conjured a light orb. It gracefully floated beside him as he walked to where the students were standing. He turned and faced the barrels. "One by one, you will throw your orbs and guide them between the barrels, perfectly emulating this pattern." Master Bonham's orb shot flawlessly between the barrels toward the lone center one, hastily turning to complete a full circle around it before shooting out between the back two and disappearing.

"Don't hit any barrels, and dispel the conjuration once it has left the two rear barrels. If you don't mimic what I've just done exactly, you fail the exercise and need to spend more of your free time studying instead of lounging on your ass. The purpose of this activity is to perfect honing control over your conjurations. Any questions?" The room was silent. "Good! Kathy, you're up first."

The students stepped aside as Kathy positioned herself where Master Bonham had been standing. She stood there for a few seconds before hurling her shadow orb, which whizzed between the barrels, exquisitely imitating the pattern Master Bonham had established before darting between the rear barrels and dissipating. "There," she said, turning to Master Bonham. "I played your stupid kiddy game. Are you going to teach me something useful now?"

_That voice..._ Lucas thought. _There's definitely something familiar about her, and it's got nothing to do with Sezuni._

"Oh, you're above this, are you?" Master Bonham scoffed. "Alright then.... Students, dispel your orbs. We're gonna take a quick timeout so Kathy can perform an exercise that's more 'on her level.'" The students obeyed.

Ian leaned close to Lucas's ear. "This is going to be good."

Master Bonham proceeded to distance himself from Kathy, who stared intensely at him as he walked away. Without warning, he turned back toward her and quickly shouted, "Lumen divus aquila!" The room was blinded by a flash of light as, what appeared to be, a massive eagle of pure light quickly materialized and soared at extraordinary velocity toward Kathy. Her eyes widened, caught off guard. She attempted to dodge the colossal avian, but was unable to react swiftly. As the bird smashed into her, there was another stunning flash of light. Kathy was instantly hurled all the way across the large room, loudly smashing against the wall before falling facedown on the ground, unconscious.

Master Bonham smirked, casually strolling toward her body.

Lucas was shocked at what he'd just witnessed. He leaned closer to Ian. "Did he just kill her?!"

"Relax," Ian replied. "He knows the reviving spell. Only guy alive that's mastered it. As long as it's performed within two minutes, she'll get up without a scratch."

Once Master Bonham had reached Kathy, he kneeled down and placed his hand on her back. "Lumen revivisco!" Instantly, her injuries vanished. He stood up and watched her slowly get to her feet. "A master would've known how to block that," he said. "Since you're obviously not one, you should shut your damn mouth and do what I tell you." Kathy seethed but remained silent. "The warm-ups may seem like a cakewalk to an advanced mage, but their purpose is to fine-tune the essential skills needed for higher level conjuring," he elaborated. "I've taught you plenty during our one-on-one sessions. You haven't been able to perform them because they are extremely difficult and elaborate spells. You need time and practice. If it were simple, it wouldn't be 'advanced' conjuring. You should know that."

The pair rejoined the other students and the group resumed the barrel exercise. Kevin, Ian, Camron, and Wally performed the routine without a hitch. "Next is Janet," Master Bonham announced. "Lucas, you'll be last."

Grinning, Janet glanced at Lucas. "Wish me luck!"

"Good luck," Lucas awkwardly replied.

Ian chuckled. "Someone's got a little thing for you," he whispered as Janet conjured a fire orb.

"She's a little young for me," Lucas quietly responded.

Ian raised an eyebrow. "What? She's sixteen! How old are you, man?"

Janet threw her orb, which sped directly into the center barrel, blowing it to pieces. She gasped, placing her hand over her mouth as her cheeks swelled red with embarrassment.

"Absolutely awful," Master Bonham remarked. "During your one-on-one session today, we're gonna practice control." He turned back to the students as Janet quietly walked back to the group. "Ian!" Master Bonham shouted. "Do something useful for once and get another barrel for Lucas."

Complying, Ian fetched a wooden barrel from the corner of the room and rolled it back to the center of the other four, setting it upright. Master Bonham glanced at Lucas. "Alright, newbie. Show us what you've got."

Lucas gave a nod. He walked to the exact spot every student before him had stood while performing the exercise.

"You can do it, Lucas!" Janet cheered.

"Let him concentrate," Kathy ordered firmly. Lucas looked over his shoulder at her, wearing a puzzled expression. "The barrels are the other way, moron," Kathy snapped. Lucas lowered his eyebrows and turned his head back toward the barrels.

He trembled slightly. _I did it once before with Kuraikaji; here's hoping I can pull it off again. If I screw up, all of my one-on-one time with Master Bonham today is going to be wasted on practicing control. I've got to do this right so I can learn something new._

"Believe in yourself."

Lucas's head snapped around. _Grandpa?!_

"We don't have all day, newbie!" Master Bonham barked. "Throw the damn thing and screw up already!"

Lucas quickly turned his attention back to the barrels. _I can do this._ He threw the orb. Using his mind, he turned its trajectory just before it hit the center barrel, causing it to loop around the wooden obstacle before shooting out between the rear two. Immediately after it exited the barrel arrangement, Lucas dispelled it, successfully completing the exercise.

Master Bonham's eyebrows raised. "Not bad, for a newbie."

Lucas smiled. _I did it!_

"Now," Master Bonham said as Lucas rejoined his peers, "just a few more warm-ups and we'll start today's one-on-one lessons."

Janet smiled widely at Lucas, giving him a thumbs-up. He grinned and returned the gesture, causing her to giggle.

Ian leaned closer to Lucas. "Good job, man. 'Not bad for a newbie' is about the best compliment you can get from Master Bonham. I don't think he saw it coming."

###  Chapter 6: The Fugitive

Iris was wary of informing her parents of the truth behind her and her companions' visit to Ivyvyne Village. Remembering Lucas's account of the raid of Roshan's Café, she knew that by enlightening her mother and father on Damiano's Disk, she risked putting them both in danger. Thus, to explain her presence in the town, she told her parents that her friend Lucas had planned a journey to the village in order to enroll at Master Bonham's school, though she excluded that she was paying for his lessons. She further elaborated that she had decided to go along with him in order to visit them. To explain Hagan and Aiden's presence, she reluctantly introduced Hagan as her boyfriend and Aiden as his little brother, who they had brought along to assist in combating monsters along the way.

At the age of forty-eight, Iris's mother, Mrs. Ivaska, had brown eyes and shoulder length dirty-blond hair sprinkled with signs of graying. She rarely left her home, only for the occasional shopping trip, and mostly wore night robes. Her hermit style of living was possible due to the long-running success of Mr. Ivaska's bakery. Garrett, Iris's sixteen-year-old brother, was employed by their father and spent most of his day learning the family business.

*** * * ***

"Will you please hand me that beaker, Mother?" Iris requested as she carefully assembled the small alchemy kit she had purchased earlier that morning.

Mrs. Ivaska stared blankly at the hoses, glass containers, metallic stands, and various ingredients which lay scattered in front of her on the dining room table. "Which one's that?" she asked, bewildered by the assortment. Iris walked from the end of the table to where her mother was seated and collected a large glass beaker. "Oh."

"No worries," Iris said as she returned to the far side of the table to resume her work.

Mrs. Ivaska sipped her coffee. "You really shouldn't be working on your vacation, Iris."

There was a short pause before Iris answered, "I cannot afford to fall behind in production."

"Can't you take just a few days off?" Mrs. Ivaska inquired. "That's all you ever talk about in your letters: work, work, work, magic this, magic that. Have a little fun!" She gasped. A smile spread across her face. "Let's play a board game! I know how much you love chess! I mean, you'll probably win, bu–"

"I assure you that I find no greater joy or amusement than that bestowed by alchemy," Iris interrupted. The room fell silent. Dejected, Mrs. Ivaska turned away and quietly sipped her coffee. Immediately, Iris felt a surge of guilt. She knew that her parents were acting in sheer kindness by allowing her and her friends to lodge in their home. Her feelings were only amplified by the fact that she had told them that her primary reason for coming to town was to visit them. While she desperately wished to enlighten her mother on the logic behind her actions, she understood that the risk was not worth alleviating her own culpability. "I'm sorry, Mother. Perhaps we can enjoy lunch together in the afternoon."

Mrs. Ivaska smiled. "It's alright, Iris. You're a real go-getter, just like your father."

Suddenly, the pair heard the front door open. Shortly afterward, Hagan entered the room, now wearing a brown short-sleeved shirt due to Iris's previous demand that he refrain from entering her parents' home shirtless. There was an urgent expression upon his face. "Uh, Iris. Can I talk to you outside?"

Iris glanced at him. "I'm afraid I'm a bit engaged at the present moment. Could it possibly wait?"

Hagan shook his head. "No. We need to talk, now."

*** * * ***

"I certainly hope this is worth sacrificing the time I'll require to appropriately fund Lucas's training," Iris asserted as she quickly followed Hagan into the village's outdoor marketplace.

"Trust me," Hagan replied, "it's worth it." In the distance, Iris could see Aiden standing beside the town's news bulletin board. "Aiden and I were on our way to the woods to beef up our conjuring skills," Hagan explained as they neared the message board. "We were passing through the market when I noticed," he pointed to a poster pinned to the board, "this."

Iris was utterly flabbergasted by what she saw. The top of the parchment read: HAVE YOU SEEN ME? Below that was a highly detailed sketch of a girl with shaggy, black hair that fell just below her chin. Under the drawing was more text, which read:

MISSING: ZOE QUINN

AGE: 19

HAIR: BLACK

EYES: BLUE

HEIGHT: 5'3"

5,000,000 GOLD REWARD FOR SAFE RETURN OR INFORMATION LEADING TO DISCOVERY. PLEASE CONTACT QUINN MANOR WITH ANY INFORMATION YOU MAY HAVE.

It went on to list the address of Quinn Manor.

"Sezuni's kid," Hagan said as Iris continued to gaze in disbelief at the poster. "That's one answer for us," he went on, "but it only leaves us with more questions. If I remember things correctly, Lucas said that the Spade he met in the In Between was named Zoe."

"Yes, that's correct," Iris affirmed.

"So let me get this straight," Aiden chimed in. "Lord Quinn's kid is a Spade?!"

"That appears to be the case," Iris answered. "Still, we must consider the possibility of a coincidence."

"Coincidence?!" Aiden blurted. "It freakin' says 'Zoe Quinn!'"

"There's probably more than one person named 'Zoe' in Aria," Hagan argued.

"Indeed," Iris added, "and we haven't the slightest clue concerning the appearance of the Spade named Zoe. Thus, our hypothesis remains as such until Lucas has observed the sketch himself. I'll be certain to inform him of this recent development during my visit to Master Bonham's School this evening."

Hagan looked at the poster. "Quinn sure is offering an awful lot for her safe return." He turned to his companions. "It's kind of shocking, really. From what I know about him, I'd have thought he wouldn't even care."

Iris gave a nod. "This certainly is a fascinating circumstance."

Aiden shrugged. "Who knows? Come on Hagan, let's get practicin'. I'm gonna toast monsters 'til I pass out. I'll show Bone-ham I ain't no ant!"

"Damn straight," Hagan agreed, crossing his arms. He turned to Iris. "Bastard called me mediocre. I'd have liked to see him take on all those Cobras."

"You mustn't take Master Bonham's criticism so personally," Iris replied. "Though amplifying your abilities is an excellent use of time. That reminds me, have you uncovered any information regarding the whereabouts of the Spades?"

"Not yet," Hagan responded. "When we get done, we'll see if we can find any clues around here. But I can't promise much. The most we can hope for is to overhear something. It'd be a hell of a lot easier if we could just go up to folks and ask 'Hey, are you a Spade?'"

Aiden snapped his fingers. "I got it. Let's investigate the pub first." Iris glared at him. "What? Ya gotta be pretty stressed out runnin' from Knowms all day. I'm bettin' they spend lots of time there."

Hagan gave a nod. "That's solid logic, Iris. You can't deny it."

Iris walked back toward her parents' house.

Raising an eyebrow, Hagan turned to Aiden. "What crawled up her ass this morning?"

*** * * ***

Iris entered the dining room to find that her mother had remained seated at the table.

Mrs. Ivaska turned to her. "What's going on? Trouble in paradise?"

Iris was initially puzzled by the remark before remembering her fictitious relationship with Hagan. "No," she responded, walking to the end of the table to resume her work. "No need for concern. It was a minor issue which we've promptly resolved."

Mrs. Ivaska sipped her coffee. "Oh... was it about last night?"

Iris raised an eyebrow.

Her mother smiled. "It's alright dear, I understand. You don't have to sleep in separate beds just because you're visiting with us. Though, we'd appreciate it if you'd keep it dow–"

"We're perfectly content with the current sleeping arrangement," Iris quickly asserted.

Mrs. Ivaska was taken aback by the swift reaction. "Alright then," she finished the remainder of her coffee and stood up. "Well, I think I'm going to go read for a bit." She walked toward the hallway. "Have fun with your potions."

"I'll inform you when I cease for lunch," Iris replied. "I'm estimating it'll be a few hours. I love you, Mother." She looked up from her task to see that her mother had already left the room.

###  Chapter 7: A Horrifying Loss

"Good," said Master Bonham. "Now, do it again."

Lucas gave a single nod. He walked across the training room and placed his sword on the ground. Then, he returned to where he had been standing before. Outstretching his arm toward his weapon with his hand open, he shouted, "Lumen arma reditum!"

Immediately, his sword lifted off of the ground and flew through the air, hilt-first, returning to his hand. "So, there you have it," Master Bonham remarked. "Keep in mind, this spell is technically an enchantment, but it's something only us Light mages are capable of. Tomorrow, I'll have you perform everything you've learned today before going on to the new stuff. Remember to practice. I'll know if you've been screwing around in your spare time. For now, you're dismissed. We'll be meeting here again at three thirty."

"Yes sir," Lucas replied.

Master Bonham watched as he exited the room. _That kid scored perfectly on all the warm-ups and learned two new techniques in one session. I've got to keep a special eye on that one._

*** * * ***

Ian was seated at a table in the library when Lucas entered the room. Noticing him approaching, Ian sat down his book. "Hey, man. How'd it go?"

"Pretty good," Lucas replied. He seated himself across from Ian. "I learned two new spells."

Ian raised his eyebrows. "Nice! That's impressive for one day. You know, advanced Light mages can read people's thoughts and do all kinds of telepathic stuff. It's supposed to be pretty tough to master, from what I've read."

"Yeah," Lucas replied. "I heard that too." He paused. "So wait, does that mean Master Bonham knows everything we're thinking?"

Ian shook his head. "Apparently, you still have to do a chant and focus to read minds, so you'd know if he were reading you. Not that he would – Master Bonham is respectful of privacy."

"I see," Lucas responded. "It sounds interesting. Oh well, I've got a long way to go before I get there. So, what're you doing in here?"

"In my one-on-one time with Master Bonham, I'm learning how to conjure icicle missiles. But I can't seem to get them to materialize correctly. You'd better believe Master Bonham was throwing a fit." He picked up the book he had been reading. "I figured now would be a good time to do a little research. I heard we're going to be sparring when we go back at three thirty. Think you're ready?"

"That depends on who I'm sparring," Lucas answered. "I doubt I could beat Master Bonham."

Ian chuckled. "No crap, man. If anyone here could beat Bonham, they wouldn't be in school anymore. He'll probably set you up against another beginner. Maybe you'll fight your fan-girl, Janet." He laughed again. "Wouldn't that be something? 'Oh Lucas, I wouldn't dare to leave a mark on your beautiful face!'"

Smiling, Lucas shook his head.

*** * * ***

Master Bonham tucked away his pocket watch. "Alright students. I hope you've been practicing, because today we're sparring." Lucas looked over at Ian, who was smiling and subtly motioning toward Janet while fluttering his eyes. "I'll be selecting your opponents," Master Bonham went on. "I don't want any whining about who you get paired up against. I know you don't want to hurt your buddies, but when you're in this ring, they're your opponent and nothing else. If you don't put a hurting on them, they won't hesitate to smash your ass into next week. The rules are simple: defeat your opponent."

He gestured to the ground. "These markings on the floor indicate the arena. One person starts over on this side, and the other over there. You've got plenty of room to work with, and I suggest you use it. Just be sure not to attack anyone outside of the fight or I'll get involved, and you don't want that to happen. Physical strikes of any kind are not allowed. If you take a step outside of the arena, you're disqualified. Now, seeing how there're seven of you, one lucky student will get to spar twice. We'll find out exactly who in due time. Are we clear on everything?"

"Yes sir," the students replied.

"Good," said Master Bonham. "You'll notice several pairs of chain armor in the corner. It won't protect you from getting hurt as much as it'll help protect your clothing from the likes of orb-shaped holes from fire-conjuring opponents. There're helmets over there too, if you aren't in the mood for a free haircut. Now, let's get going. The first match will be Camron verses Wally."

The students dressed themselves in the chain armor and helmets, with the exception of Kathy, who claimed, "That crap's only going to slow me down."

Once Camron and Wally had moved to their starting locations in the arena, Master Bonham put his hand into the air. "Ready?" he shouted. "Three, two, one," He threw his arm down, "fight!"

Both duelists began by conjuring orbs – Camron's was of fire, and Wally's was of ice. At nearly the same time, they threw their orbs at each other, both missing. Making a sudden bold decision, Wally bolted toward Camron, materializing another ice orb. Camron stood in place as he approached, conjuring an orb of his own. Wally hurled his orb at Camron's face, who dodged by simply leaning to his right. Now defenseless and in close proximity to Camron, Wally's eyes widened as he hastily retreated back to the other side of the arena. Camron took advantage of the opportunity, throwing his orb but, unfortunately, missing yet again.

"You pansies!!" Master Bonham barked. "Get serious!! You can do better than orbs! This is a snooze fest!!"

Turning back toward Camron, Wally lowered his eyebrows and pointed his index finger into the air. "Glacies stiria telum!" A blue glow appeared above his finger, but quickly vanished.

Ian leaned into Lucas's ear. "Guess I'm not the only one having trouble with icicle missiles."

Camron smirked. "Ignis orbis!" He charged at Wally, hurling his fire orb. Wally yelped as the flame mercilessly shot directly into his chest, knocking him to the ground.

Camron was preparing to conjure another orb when Master Bonham shouted, "That's enough!!" Camron froze as Wally writhed in agony. Once Master Bonham had healed Wally's injuries, the two rejoined the other students. "What a pathetic match," Master Bonham commented. "Well, Camron won. If you call a single hit from an orb a victory, that is. Or if you call that a fight."

Lucas stood silently. _Geez, they're only twelve and fourteen! Give them a break, Bonham!_

The following match pinned Kevin against Ian. Despite his inability to master the icicle missile, Ian still managed to walk away victorious. Shortly after Lucas had congratulated him for his victory, Master Bonham announced that Janet would be sparring Wally.

"Huh, looks like you're not fighting her after all," Ian remarked. "This is Wally's second match. I guess that makes him the 'lucky one' who gets to go twice."

"Wait," said Lucas. "That means I won't be fighting you, Camron, Wally, Kevin, or Janet. Which means...." He turned his head toward Kathy, who was standing a good distance away with her arms crossed, watching as Janet and Wally prepared to begin. "Kathy."

"Whoa, you're right," Ian replied. "Damn, man. That sucks for you."

"You said she's advanced level, right?" Lucas inquired.

Ian nodded. "Master Bonham must be pretty impressed with you to put you up against Kathy."

"I don't think I'm ready to take on an advanced mage," Lucas admitted.

"Not to be a jerk or anything," Ian replied, "but you'll probably get your ass kicked. Roll with it – that's the best advice I can give you."

Janet managed to be triumphant over Wally, leaving him squirming in anguish on the arena floor once again. After he had been healed, the pair rejoined their peers.

"The final match for today," Master Bonham announced, "will be Lucas verses Kathy." Lucas looked over at Kathy, whose eyes seemed to slice into him.

"Good luck, man," said Ian. "Give it your best shot."

*** * * ***

Lucas stared at Kathy as they stood across from each other in the arena. _I can do this. Kuraikaji was a hell of a lot better than I am at conjuring, and I still managed to beat him._

"You'd better try your best," Kathy warned.

Before Lucas could reply, he was interrupted by Master Bonham yelling, "Ready? Three, two, one: fight!"

"Lumen orbis!" Without a second of hesitation, Lucas conjured a light orb.

As he did, Kathy performed her first spell. "Umbra mentior imito!" Much to Lucas's disbelief, Kathy proceeded to split into three uniform copies. They stood aligned in a perfect row, glaring at Lucas. "Hit me if you can," they all said in unison.

Lucas's eyes darted between the three Kathys. _This is a first. I guess I'll aim for the middle one. That's where she was standing when she did the spell, anyway._ He hurled his orb at the center Kathy.

As the ball of light soared through the air, the three Kathys shouted, "Umbra orbis!" Lucas's light orb flew directly into the middle Kathy, who disappeared at the moment of impact, causing his orb to speed into the wall behind her, well before Lucas was able to change its trajectory. Meanwhile, a shadow orb materialized in front of where the fake Kathy had been standing.

Lucas prepared himself. _I need to dodge and counter as quickly as possible._ The shadow orb shot in his direction, prompting Lucas to bolt out of its path. Simultaneously, the two remaining Kathys dashed side by side toward him. Unfortunately for Lucas, the orb curved to follow him, exploding into his back and sending him face-first to the ground.

While he was temporarily distracted with his predicament, the two Kathys halted near him, each one standing on a different side of his body. "Get up!" they both commanded sharply. Lucas slowly hoisted himself up, prompting the Kathys to softly whisper, "Umbra physica evanesces." The students watched as one of the Kathys vanished into thin air, leaving only one remaining on the field.

"Why did she do that?" Camron asked, puzzled. "Wouldn't it be easier to finish him off with two of her?"

"Shut up, Camron!" Janet shouted. She swiftly turned to Master Bonham. "She's a cheater! Disqualify her!!"

"Quiet!!" Master Bonham barked, sending a shiver down the students' spines.

Surprised that he had managed to get back to his feet before being attacked, Lucas turned to see that only a single Kathy remained, standing uncomfortably close to him. "Lumen orbis!" As quickly as he could, he jumped backward, conjuring a light orb. _She's not doing anything! Is she throwing the fight?!_ Lucas threw his orb at her, but was shocked when she suddenly disappeared, causing his orb to continue speeding onward, again smashing against the wall of the training room. _What th–_

Without warning, the Kathy who had vanished earlier reappeared. Lucas, oblivious to this, did not know she was there until he heard her shout, "Umbra sentis ampelos!" He snapped his head to the source of the voice, but by the time he could even begin to comprehend the situation, four black thorny vines shot up from the floor around him, growing well over his head within a split second. Panicked, Lucas then endured one of the most physically painful experiences of his life. The black vines swiftly wrapped around his arms, legs, and torso. Their razor-sharp thorns penetrated the chain armor, slicing into his skin as they tightened their grip.

"Aaaahhhh!!" he cried.

"End the match!!" Janet pleaded from the sidelines.

Speechless, Ian's mouth gaped in horror at the sight.

Precisely when it felt as though the vines were about to cut his body into pieces, they ceased tightening. Lucas was in such overwhelming agony that he had begun desperately hoping he would pass out. Kathy stretched her arms toward him with her fingers spread. "Umbra obscurum fulgur!" Dark purple bolts of lightning discharged from her palms, causing Lucas to convulse as he was struck. At that moment, Lucas fell unconscious.

*** * * ***

"Is he okay?!"

"He's fine, Janet!" Master Bonham's voice bellowed. "Go back with the others!"

Lucas's eyes slowly opened. The first thing he saw was Master Bonham kneeling over him. Also standing nearby, looking down at him, was Kathy.

Master Bonham smirked. "Now do you have a good idea of how much work you're gonna have to do in order to reach the level you want to achieve? Trust me kid, it's not gonna happen overnight." He walked away.

Still lying on the ground, Lucas turned his head toward Kathy. She extended her open hand to him without a word. He took her hand, and she slowly helped him to his feet. "Thanks," Lucas said meekly.

She coldly turned and walked away from him, muttering, "When am I going to get some real practice?"

Lucas inspected his clothing beneath the armor, which had countless punctures from the black vines' thorns. _That was beyond terrifying. I've got to be sure I stay on Kathy's good side. Well, the best side she has anyway...._ He took off his helmet and walked to rejoin the other students. _Now that I think about it, I remember Sezuni saying that Lord Quinn had mastery of Shadow magic. If that's what an advanced mage can do, I'd hate to see what someone with Master Bonham's level of experience is capable of. Ugh, I'm nowhere near ready to go after that fragment. There's no doubt about it – I've got a lot to learn._

###  Chapter 8: The Girl Beneath The Veil

Lucas blew out the lantern, causing the entire washroom to become dark. "Lumen illumino!" he shouted, materializing a ball of light which hovered over him, successfully lighting the entire room.

"That seems useful," Ian commented.

"It doesn't take much out of me either," Lucas replied. "Conjuring it uses less energy than an orb. Oh, and check this out." He pointed to the corner of the washroom. "Say I want to investigate something over there." The luminous sphere darted to where he had pointed and hovered in place.

"Nice," said Ian. "So it's like a lantern that doesn't burn out and carries itself. Pretty nifty."

"I can conjure a second or third one too," Lucas elaborated. "But that's not all I learned today."

Lucas retracted the lantern-like sphere. The pair exited the washroom into the dormitory. Unsheathing his sword, Lucas walked toward the door leading into the hallway and placed his weapon on the ground in front of it. Ian found this action to be a bit puzzling. "It involves your sword?"

Lucas gave a nod. "Master Bonham told me that it's technically an enchantment, though it's something only a Light mage can do." He and Ian walked back to the other side of the room and faced toward where the sword lay. Camron, who was silently studying a book on basic Fire magic at the foot of his bed, temporarily ceased his research to quietly observe Lucas's performance.

First taking a few seconds to focus, Lucas proceeded to stretch his opened hand in the sword's direction. "Lumen arma reditum!" Instantly, his weapon darted through the air, hilt-first, into his grasp. He gripped the sword. "I know this one is going to come in handy."

Camron's eyebrows lifted. "Impressive."

"Too bad you couldn't use that spell in your fight against Kathy," Ian added.

"Really," Lucas agreed. He sheathed his sword. "It's strange... Master Bonham didn't teach me any new offensive conjuring techniques, yet he expected me to take on his strongest student."

"Maybe he didn't want you to win," Camron remarked.

Lucas glanced at him, perplexed.

"He's probably right," Ian asserted. "You learned two new spells on your first day. That's a hell of a learning curve, man. I'd say Master Bonham doesn't want you to know just how skilled you really are, so he put you against Kathy to keep you from getting cocky."

"Ironic," Camron scoffed, "in order to keep you humble, he forces you to confront that arrogant–"

The three were startled by a knock at the door. "Lucas?" Mrs. Bonham called from the hallway.

"Yes?" Lucas replied. "Come in."

Mrs. Bonham slowly creaked the door open and poked her head into the dormitory. "I'm sorry, dear, I didn't mean to interrupt anything. Iris is waiting for you out in the lobby. She said she needs to talk to you."

*** * * ***

Lucas entered the lobby and saw Iris waiting patiently on one of the couches in the center of the room. She looked at him as he approached. "Lucas, there you are." She stood up. "Are you faring well so far?"

"Yeah," Lucas replied. "I learned two new spells today." He rubbed the back of his head. "We sparred some too, though I could've done better."

"It certainly sounds as though you're progressing," Iris remarked. "Acquiring two new spells in one day is an extraordinary accomplishment for beginners and advanced mages alike. Honestly, I never enjoyed sparring, myself. Simply allow yourself time to master the techniques you've learned and proceed to obtain new abilities. I'm positive you'll notice a massive improvement in mere weeks."

"I hope so," said Lucas. "The person I sparred against used advanced Shadow magic. It was incredible; I barely had time to do anything before I was knocked out."

Iris cocked her head. "You sparred an advanced mage on your first day?"

"Ian, one of the other students, seems to think Master Bonham did it because I'm learning so quickly," Lucas explained. "We're guessing he wants to keep me in check."

"Possibly," she responded.

"Whatever his reasons are," Lucas went on, "I did learn something important from the whole thing. I'm nowhere near ready to take on Lord Quinn." His eyes wandered around the empty lobby for a second. "Where're Hagan and Aiden?"

Iris crossed her arms; her expression became flat. "I believe they're toiling away on their endeavor to locate the Spades at the pub. Meanwhile, I've managed to gain a sufficient amount of gold to fund your lessons for another day by selling homebrewed potions. I came here to deposit the payment."

She paused as her arms returned to her side. "I've decided against informing my parents of our true intentions for visiting Ivyvyne Village. I feel that doing so would put them in unnecessary danger, not to mention the tremendous mental strain they would experience with the knowledge of my current aspirations. They were considerably anxious when I left for college, even more so following the monster invasion. I can't imagine how they would react to the current events in my life."

"Then what did you tell them?" Lucas asked.

"I'll explain the details later," Iris replied. "There's a more pressing matter at the moment which requires your immediate attention. Follow me."

*** * * ***

The pair stood in front of the news bulletin board in Ivyvyne Village's marketplace. Iris pointed to the posted piece of parchment containing the sketch and description of Zoe. "Is this person familiar to you?"

Lucas's jaw dropped as he rapidly read the poster's text. _I can't believe it! That's her!_ He turned to Iris. "Yes, that's Zoe. That's the girl I met in the In Between." He looked back at the sketch. "Zoe Quinn... Quinn Manor...." He looked back at Iris, completely flabbergasted. "So all along she was...."

Iris gave a nod. "Indeed. It's likely that Lord Quinn is unaware of her involvement in the Spades. Then again, there's an equal possibility that he's conscious of the matter and wishes to locate her in order to gain the second fragment. Regardless, it's safe to assume they're not allies. Otherwise, Lord Quinn would have assuredly accessed The Temple of Damiano by now."

Lucas was silent, continuing to stare at the poster in utter disbelief. _Zoe is Lord Quinn's daughter? Wait!_ His eyes widened – he snapped his head toward Iris. "Does that mean she's also Sezuni's daughter?"

"Your speculation is highly probable," Iris answered. "Hagan, Aiden, and I suspected the same." She glanced at the poster. "I hadn't previously heard of Lord Quinn having children or a spouse. Not only that, but I specifically remember Sezuni stating that her encounter with Lord Quinn took place roughly twenty years ago. Zoe's age matches perfectly. Therefore, based on our current knowledge, she must be."

Again, Lucas turned his attention to the parchment. As he stared at the sketch, memories of his encounter with Zoe resurfaced.

*** * * ***

A girl with blue eyes and thick, shaggy, black hair which didn't extend far past her chin suddenly dropped from the concealment of the branches above, landing on her feet in front of him. She was wearing all black, dressed in a longsleeved shirt accompanied by a skirt which went down below her knees. Her boots were similar to his, with the exception of their color. A brown sack was tied to the belt on her waist and a scythe strapped to her back. She was noticeably shorter than him and appeared to be around his age.

"Roshan sent you?" she queried with her arms crossed, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," Lucas replied, cautiously sheathing his sword. "I'm supposed to find someone named... uh...."

She stared blankly at him as he stammered.

"Zoe?" she asked, irritated.

"Yeah. That's it. You're her, right?"

She rolled her eyes and slumped her arms to her side. "Seriously? Is this a joke or something?"

Lucas shook his head. "I'm still, very... very confused about what's going on here. Where am I?"

Zoe looked puzzled. "You really don't know?"

Lucas shook his head again. "No. It all happened so fast."

Zoe paused for a moment. "So what you're telling me is that Roshan sent you here without explaining where you were going?" Lucas nodded as Zoe continued to stare at him in disbelief. Finally, she elaborated. "This is the In Between. It's a dimension between Aria and the Netherworld."

Lucas was shocked. "I'm in another dimension?!"

Zoe nodded. "Now that we have that cleared up, why did Roshan send you here?"

"Well, from what I understand," Lucas replied, "I'm supposed to give you this." He took the disk fragment out of his pocket and handed it to her.

Zoe's expression changed to a mixture of surprise and confusion as she snatched it out of his hands. "What the hell are you doing with the disk fragment?!"

Lucas's mind suddenly skipped ahead to a particular portion of their conversation:

"I'm serious!" Lucas protested. "I've always been able to sense other people's emotions. My grandpa is the same way. It's one of the main reasons we continued to live outside of the city when the monster invasion began. Spending too much time around all of those people can be torturous." Zoe didn't reply. After a short pause, Lucas asked, "So, what did you do?" She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. He explained, "To stop it, I mean, just a minute ago. How did you do it?"

"I didn't stop it. I possess Shadow magic. All I did was block my emotions from your dumb little 'feelers.'" She glared at him. "What I feel is none of your business."

*** * * ***

Lucas took a step back. _She uses Shadow magic, she's related to Sezuni, and she has one hell of a reason to keep her face hidden: Kathy._

"I suppose I should return to my parent's home for dinner," said Iris, interrupting his train of thought. "Unfortunately, I haven't had much time to visit with them. I'll be sure to keep you informed of any future developments." She walked away. "Goodnight."

Lucas looked at her. "Wait, Iris." She stopped and turned back toward him. "Thanks for everything. What you said about Grandpa the other day: I needed that. You've done so much for me since I met you. You're a great friend."

She smiled and kept walking. "Stay focused, Lucas. I believe in you. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Iris." Once she had disappeared, he made his way back toward the school.

###  Chapter 9: An Unanticipated Turn Of Events

Laverick walked alone through the crowd in downtown Cymbeline. Even though night had fallen, there were a surprising number of people populating the city due to the royal ball being held at the castle. Back at their room in the inn, Veronica monitored his progress using a telepathic link. "This is perfect," Laverick heard her voice proclaim from within his mind. "Not only will Javan Quinn be away from Quinn Manor for the majority of the night, but Regal Heights will be practically vacant. I have a feeling this is going to go even better than we had expected."

"You bet!" Laverick replied cheerfully. "Don't worry, Ma, I–"

"Stop speaking, you dolt!!" Veronica snapped. "Do you want to attract the entire city's attention?! They'll think you're absolutely mad!"

"Whoops," Laverick said quietly, "Sorr–"

"Shush!! You mustn't risk jeopardizing our success with your senseless babbling!"

Making his way through the excited rush of the city, Laverick soon neared the gated upper class community of Regal Heights. In the distance, atop a hill, his eyes caught sight of his destination: Quinn Manor. Reaching into his pocket, his fingers grazed a thin, dull blade. _Alrighty – game plan. All I gotta do is sneak up there and peek through the windows 'til I find an empty room. Then I'll slide the knife in, lift the latch, and bingo – I'm in! I just gotta hope I can find a servant to shape-shift into before I'm seen.... Who am I kidding? I got this! This is gonna be cake! CHOCOLATE cake!_

"What are you waiting for?!" Veronica chimed in. "Go – and you'd better not forget what we rehearsed for the gate guard!"

Quickly snapping himself away from his thoughts, Laverick approached the gate. As he neared, however, he was met with an unexpected hindrance. Someone grabbed his right arm. "Halt!" The stranger's voice powerfully commanded.

A chill shot down Laverick's spine. His apprehension only grew when he turned his head to view the mysterious man. Laverick's eyes widened; he immediately broke a sweat. The stranger who had ceased his effort wore a dark-green hooded cloak. Their face was firm and expressionless. Laverick's heart raced. _A Knowm!!_ _Yikes!!_

"Run!!" Veronica shouted, utterly frightened by the sight. "Abort the mission!!"

"Come with me," the Knowm ordered. "Do not resist."

Laverick let out a girlish, high-pitched squeal of terror, somewhat baffling the Knowm and drawing the attention of passersby. Noticing another Knowm approaching through his peripheral vision, Laverick wriggled free of the first Knowm's grip and bolted into the confused crowd.

Without hesitation, both Knowms gave chase. "Stop him!" they commanded the nearby citizens, losing sight of their fugitive as he speedily slipped through the mass of people.

"What do I do, Ma?!" Laverick worriedly inquired, ducking to avoid capture from concerned Arialites attempting to assist the Knowms' effort to ascertain him.

"Return to the inn immediately!" Veronica replied. "We'll use the Prijevoz Stone to escape back to Kieran Forest!"

Glancing over his shoulder, it appeared to Laverick as though he had temporarily escaped the Knowms' sight. He checked around him to be certain none of the surrounding citizens were paying attention and darted into a dark alleyway.

"What are you doing?!" Veronica snapped.

"I'm gonna hide here 'til the heat dies down," he softly whispered.

"No!!" Veronica screamed. "You must get back here as soon as possible! The Knowms are obviously aware of our plan! As long as we remain in Cymbeline, we're risking capture!! Do you want to go to jail?!"

"Jail?!" Laverick blurted worriedly.

"Now you've given your location away, you incompetent buffoon!!" his mother bellowed. "Go, go!! Run toward the inn and don't stop until you've reached this room!!"

Without hesitation, Laverick shot out of the alleyway and back onto the city streets.

"There he is!" he heard a Knowm shout.

Pushing and ducking his way through the city, Laverick glanced over his shoulder yet again to see that he was now being pursued by five Knowms. Returning his focus ahead of him, his fear only grew when he caught sight of two additional Knowms approaching rapidly. He speedily avoided capture by dashing down a side street.

"They're everywhere, Ma!!" Laverick shouted. "What do I do?!"

"Keep moving!!" Veronica angrily commanded. "Panicking isn't going to help anything!!"

With the aid of the crowded city streets, it wasn't long before he had lost the Knowms once more. Seizing the opportunity, Laverick hid behind a group of wealthy Arialites conversing near a closed shop, apparently oblivious to the situation.

"I SAID KEEP MOVING!!" his mother screamed.

"I can't," Laverick replied, gasping for breath. "I'm too tired! I need to stop for a sec or I'm gonna pass out!"

"We don't have time for this!!" Veronica bellowed. "For all we know, the Knowms could be on their way here as we speak! If you don't arrive first, you'll get us both arrested!"

Laverick darted his head around. He saw that the Knowms who had been chasing him had made their way into the area, but it seemed as though they hadn't spotted him. He also witnessed several additional Knowms joining the search.

Feeling completely trapped and hopeless, Laverick trembled. _Aw man, they're everywhere! How am I gonna get all the way back to the inn?! I gotta find some way to keep those Knowms from recognizing me!_ Suddenly, the emerald dangling from his necklace caught his attention. _Oh yeah...._

He placed his hands on the emerald and focused all of his attention on a man standing nearby. _Okay, I think I got it...._ "identitatis apparentia effingo," Laverick whispered. Instantly, his emerald illuminated. _No, no! They'll see me!_ Panicked, he turned toward the shop's wall and covered the emerald's glow with his hands. Unfortunately, his effort was made vain when his skin became liquid-like and partially transparent. Luckily, his clothing, which remained solid, blocked enough of the jewel's luminosity to prevent drawing the attention of the increasing number of Knowms. _Hurry up!!_

As his skin solidified in its new shape, Laverick let out a sigh of relief. He tucked his emerald necklace under his shirt, which now fit rather tightly.

"Marvelous thinking, Son," Veronica encouraged. "Hurry!"

"What the hell?!" someone exclaimed. Laverick turned his head. Several people were staring at him with bewildered expressions, apparently having witnessed his transformation.

"Did you see that?!"

"He looks just like that guy!"

"Move it!!" Veronica shouted in a fiery rage.

Laverick took off, leaving the onlookers scratching their heads in confusion and disbelief.

Once he had moved out of their sight, he slowed his pace to a brisk walk. It seemed as though every Knowm in the city was now searching for him. Fortunately, his disguise worked as planned. Several of the green-cloaked men walked directly past him on his trek back to the inn, paying him no attention whatsoever as they scoured the streets. _I just gotta stay calm. I'm almost there._

*** * * ***

Laverick burst into the room, prompting Veronica to disconnect the telepathic link. "Thank goodness," she remarked, reaching into her robe's pocket and pulling out a small oval-shaped rock.

"Identitatis apparentia authenticum!" Laverick resumed his normal appearance. "Let's scram, Ma!"

Veronica gnashed her teeth, staring down at the stone in her hand. "I just don't understand! How did they know?!"

"I dunno, but we better get outta here," Laverick replied. "Those Knowm guys are all over the place!"

"Damn," his mother grumbled. "We were so close. I suppose you win this round, Quinn. But I assure you, this is far from over." She snapped her head to Laverick. "Come on! Let's go home." He promptly obeyed, dashing over to his mother and grabbing her arm. Veronica wrapped her hand around the oval-shaped rock. "Itolapis!" With a bright flash of light, the pair vanished.

###  Chapter 10: Unmasking Kathy

Lucas lay in his bed that night for hours, staring at the ceiling, unable to rest. _Kathy is Zoe... and Zoe is Lord Quinn's daughter. What is she doing here? Why did she join the Spades? Should I just ask her...? Maybe not. She's obviously trying to conceal her identity_ _–_ _with good reason too. On the other hand, she knows a lot of information that could really help us out. This might be my only chance to find out where the Spades' fragment is located. If I don't take this opportunity, I could end up seriously regretting it later...._

_Alright, I'll try to get her alone, then I'll see what I can learn. But I've got to be careful what I tell her. She might not be on Lord Quinn's side, but I doubt the Spades are going to willingly give up their fragment, no matter the reason. Like Hagan said, we only know what we've been told. The Spades could be planning to do something just as destructive as Lord Quinn with Damiano's Disk._ At last reaching a conclusion, his mind was at rest, and he was able to fall asleep.

It seemed as though only a few seconds had passed when Master Bonham's voice thundered throughout the room, calling the students to breakfast. Lucas's eyes snapped open. _Morning already?_ He crawled out of bed and dressed himself.

Moments later, he entered the dining room, immediately focusing his attention to the students seated at the table. _Camron and Janet... no sign of Kathy yet._

"Hi, Lucas!" Janet energetically greeted, waving. He waved back to her. "Get your food and sit with us," she invited.

"Sure," Lucas replied. He walked to collect his breakfast when he heard the dining room door open behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to see Ian, closely followed by Wally.

"Lucas, wait up," Ian called as he caught up to him. "What's the rush, man? You got out of bed a lot faster than yesterday."

"I didn't sleep well," Lucas responded as the pair walked together.

"Why not?" Ian inquired. "Something on your mind?"

Lucas hesitated. "I guess you could say that."

"Well, what is it?"

Lucas was silent for a few seconds. _Ian's been a pretty good guy to me since I got here, and he seems trustworthy, but there's no reason to get him involved in this._ "Don't worry about it. It's nothing important."

"Ah, come on, man," Ian protested. "You can't tell me something's bothering you and then expect me not to want to know what's up."

"It's kind of personal," Lucas answered as the two received their breakfast from Mrs. Bonham.

"Is something troubling you, dear?" she asked, apparently overhearing their conversation.

Lucas shook his head. "It's nothing. Thank you, Mrs. Bonham." He proceeded toward the table. The dining room door opened again, causing Lucas to snap his head to see who would emerge. _Damn, just Kevin._ He sat down beside Camron.

"Good morning," said Janet, seated across from him.

"Hey," Lucas replied. "You guys got here pretty early."

"I'm always the first one awake," Janet informed him.

"Not today, you weren't," Camron argued as Ian sat down in an empty chair to Lucas's left. "I've been up since four-thirty this morning, studying. The next time Master Bonham makes us spar, I'm going to have an arsenal prepared for my unlucky opponent."

"You always say that," Janet rebutted.

Camron glared at her.

"Well, it's true," Ian added. "I've never seen you do much outside of conjuring orbs."

Camron's eyes cut to Ian. "It's unwise to apply spells you haven't yet mastered in the heat of combat." He took a bite of toast. "Just wait, next time you'll see what I can really do."

"What's that," Ian queried, "make two orbs?"

Janet giggled as Wally sat down nearby, wearing a suppressed smirk.

Camron redirected his intense gaze to Wally. "What are you laughing at? You lost to me and Janet."

"Ohhh, burn," Ian remarked.

Lucas chuckled to himself when he heard the dining room door open yet again. He instantly looked to see who had entered. _There she is._ His eyes were fixed to Kathy as she walked to receive her breakfast for the day.

"Don't worry, man," said Ian, "she can't hurt you outside the ring."

Lucas glanced at Ian, then proceeded to eat his food, periodically looking up to monitor Kathy.

"She cheated anyway," Janet chimed in.

Ian rolled his eyes. "She didn't cheat. She's a good mage."

"Whose side are you on?!" Janet barked, slamming her fist on the table.

The surrounding students, including Lucas, quickly turned their heads to her, each of them wearing bewildered expressions. Kevin sat down. "Did I miss something?"

"Just Janet being a psychotic fan-girl," Ian answered.

Janet blushed. "What?! What're you trying to say, huh?!"

Ian rolled his eyes and ignored her. He glanced over at Lucas, who had just taken another look at Kathy. "Is that what's bothering you?" Ian asked. Lucas quickly turned to him, surprised. Ian chuckled. "It's alright, I understand. I'd be pretty scared to see her after that too."

"Scared to see WHO?!" Janet screamed.

"I was talking about his fight with Kathy," Ian replied. "Mind your own business, geez!"

Lucas watched as Kathy seated herself at the end of the table, far away from the other students. Almost immediately, he got up. "Maybe I should go talk to her." The students were puzzled. "You know," he elaborated, "to make myself feel better." He grabbed his food.

"Whoa, man, hold on," Ian quickly interjected. "You sure that's a good idea?"

"I doubt a conversation with Kathy would elevate anyone's mood," Camron added.

"It's true," Janet hastily agreed. "She's a nasty bitch."

"I'm going to talk to her," Lucas affirmed. "I doubt she's that bad once you get to know her."

"Alright, good luck..." said Ian. Lucas walked over to Kathy. "Maybe that's what you need to do," Ian told Janet after Lucas had moved out of earshot, "kick his ass. Looks like he's into it."

"Shut up, jerk," Janet grumbled.

Lucas placed his food on the table and pulled out the chair beside Kathy. "Mind if I sit here?" he asked.

She glared at him. "Yes."

He lowered his eyebrows. "Too bad. I can sit where I want." He sat down.

Kathy didn't reply.

Lucas eyed the full plate of food resting in front of her before taking a few bites of his own breakfast. "Mrs. Bonham's cooking is really good. You should eat."

Kathy remained silent. She stared directly forward at the wall, as though he wasn't even sitting beside her.

"Why don't you eat?" Lucas asked.

"I'm not hungry," Kathy grumbled.

"You're lying," Lucas replied. "You did this same thing for every meal yesterday. You're a human being; I know you have to eat at some point. Which makes me suspect you're waiting until no one is around."

Kathy said nothing.

Lucas took another bite of his breakfast. _I knew I recognized that voice from somewhere; she's Zoe alright. But I'd better do a little more testing, just to be sure._ He silently scanned her emotions. _Got her. She's a nervous wreck. She knows I'm on to her._ "I'm guessing it has something to do with why you hide your face."

"My face is disfigured," she quietly answered. "I don't like showing people what I look like. Just... go away. Leave me alone."

Lucas could feel her apprehension steadily increasing as he lingered. _If I could read her mind, it would sure make this a hell of a lot easier. But I won't be able to do that until I'm an advanced mage. All I need to do is find out just enough about the Spades' fragment to give us a lead. Then I can get Hagan and Aiden on the trail. At least it'll give them something a little more worth-while to do with their time. If we can get our hands on just one fragment, Lord Quinn won't be able to open the temple – and that'll give me all the time I need to reach my full conjuring potential. But I doubt she'll be willing to spill anything useful with all of these people around._

"Are you deaf?" Kathy seethed, cutting into him with an intense glare. "Go away."

Lucas deactivated his power. "Sorry, I must've been distracted by my 'dumb little feelers.'" Her eyes widened. She quickly turned her head away from him. _Now there's no doubt._ He grabbed his food and got out of his seat. "We need to talk later," he said softly, "alone. Meet me behind the school at five thirty."

###  Chapter 11: Hell Hath No Fury

"Good morning," Iris said as Aiden slowly entered the room with messy hair and squinted eyes, carrying a plate of food.

"Good morning," Mr. Ivaska greeted.

"Mornin'," Aiden grumbled.

Hagan, who was seated next to Iris at the dining room table in the cozy Ivaska household, had just finished a mighty swig of orange juice. He sat the empty glass on the table with a noisy thud. Aiden winced. "Morning, bro!" Hagan loudly proclaimed.

Biting his lip, Aiden sat down between Hagan and Iris's brother, Garret. He quietly took his first bite of breakfast, gradually chewing his food and briefly making eye contact with Iris. She promptly returned a disapproving gaze.

"You alright?" Garret asked. "You don't look so good."

"He's fine," Hagan answered. "Just had a little more than he could handle last night, that's all."

Aiden swallowed his food. "My head hurts...."

"You have no one to blame but yourself," Iris quickly interjected.

Hagan turned his head to her. "Cut him some slack, baby. He did a lot of work helping us fight all those monsters on our way here. Let him live a little."

Iris was clearly irked by the remark but quickly diverted her attention to her food, noting that her father and brother were watching their interaction.

A few moments later, Mrs. Ivaska entered the dining room carrying a cup of fresh coffee and sat down at the table beside Mr. Ivaska, where her half-eaten breakfast rested. "Iris," she said, "I'm going to do a little shopping after breakfast. I thought that maybe you could go with me."

Iris hesitated to answer. She had planned to begin brewing potions upon the meal's conclusion. Though she was still feeling tremendously guilty for spending so much of her time on alchemy, she knew that, in order to accumulate enough gold to fund another day of schooling for Lucas, she would need to get an early start.

Iris opened her mouth to reply to her mother's invitation when Mrs. Ivaska quickly added, "Unless you and Hagan already had plans, of course."

"Actually," Hagan responded, cutting Iris off before she could speak, "Iris didn't want to say anything to you guys in case she doesn't win, but shortly before we left Azure, she was invited to take part in the Grand Alchemy Tournament in Cymbeline." He looked at Iris, who was obviously puzzled. Hagan widened his eyes, as if to say 'go along with it.'

"Yes, indeed." Iris said awkwardly, turning to see her parents' surprised expressions.

"It's a big all-day-long thing," Hagan elaborated, "and first prize is ten thousand gold."

"No way!" Garret blurted excitedly.

"Ten thousand?!" Mr. Ivaska exclaimed. "Wow! Iris, that's amazing, sweetheart!"

"Well, no wonder you've been making so many potions," Mrs. Ivaska commented with a smile. "Iris, why didn't you just tell me?"

"She didn't want you guys to be disappointed if she didn't win," Hagan explained. "I tried to tell her you'd be proud of her either way, but you know how she is. Always a perfectionist. But that's why we love her. Anyway, the point is that we won't have time to go back to Azure before it starts, so she'll need to get all the practice in that she can get while we're here."

"When's the tournament?" Mr. Ivaska asked.

"About a month from now," Hagan answered. "Alchemy is some pretty complicated stuff. She wants to do all she can to make sure she's totally up to par on the big day. Plus, she's making money while she's practicing. It's a win-win."

"That's fantastic!" Mr. Ivaska looked at his daughter. "I'm so proud of you! See? I told you all your hard work would pay off one day."

"Yeah, that's awesome," Garret added. "Way to go sis."

Iris smiled, though the lie had only amplified her guilt. "Thank you. I'm certainly hoping I'll manage to obtain first prize." The smile faded as she continued to eat.

"I'm surprised they're holding a big event like that with all those monsters still around," Mrs. Ivaska remarked. "How did they expect you to get there?"

"The invitation said something about her being able to request an escort to take her to and from Cymbeline," Hagan replied, "but we figured, since we'd all planned on coming here anyway, me and Aiden could take her."

Once they had finished eating, Mr. Ivaska and Garret left for work while Mrs. Ivaska collected the dishes and disappeared into the kitchen. The moment Iris's family were no longer present, she sharply whispered to Hagan. "Grand Alchemy Tournament? That's preposterous."

"Hey, I got you out of a bind and you know it," Hagan softly replied. "Now you'll be able to work without them being all over your back. You could show a little gratitude."

"Indeed, you did provide a substantial reason for my actions," Iris responded, "but you have also restrained us with an unnecessary time limit. I'm incredibly doubtful that Lucas will be able to achieve an adequate skill level in merely one month." She quickly glanced around the room to make sure her mother was still in the kitchen. "What are we going to tell my parents in the event he requires more time?"

"Relax, we'll cross that bridge when we get there," Hagan assured her. "Besides, we can't wait around forever. We don't even have one fragment. The longer we wait, the more likely it is that Quinn or the Spades will finish the disk first."

Iris glanced at Aiden. His head was down on the table, and it appeared that he had fallen asleep. She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "It's unbearably difficult for me to relax when you two are out getting drunk instead of making beneficial use of your time."

Hagan lowered his eyebrows. "We practiced conjuring for hours yesterday."

"Immediately followed by hours of drinking," Iris interjected.

Hagan threw his arms up, though he continued to speak quietly. "Well, what the hell else are we supposed to do?! We can only practice until we reach our limit, and we still haven't heard a damn thing about the Spades!"

"I'm not the only one who possesses a skill capable of providing funding for Lucas," Iris argued. "Perhaps you could apply your spare time to assisting our financial needs instead of wasting our remaining gold on alcohol."

Hagan thought for a moment. "Fair enough. Alright, Aiden and I will do a little hunting out in the forest today." He looked at Aiden, then back to Iris. "Okay, I'll do a little hunting out in the forest today and see what I can find. How much gold I'll get depends on the game in the area. I can't make any promises, but I should be able to get us something."

Iris gave a nod. "Thank you."

"Feel better?" Hagan asked.

"Yes," Iris replied, "a little."

Hagan smirked. "Good. How about a kiss for your boyfriend, huh?"

Iris's eyebrows lowered.

Hagan shrugged. "Hey now, it's your lie."

As though Iris didn't feel guilty enough for deceiving her parents, hearing the words 'it's your lie' only served to agitate her further. "Perhaps it would be a reality if you hadn't vomited on my favorite dress," she replied.

"I was kidding," Hagan grumbled, caught off guard by her cutting retaliation. "Sometimes I forget that humor is below you. You're a perfect genius after all. You're definitely too good for me."

"You arrived drunk on our first date," Iris quickly returned. "I apologize if I didn't feel that you were my soul mate. Honestly, Hagan, there's no reason to be bitter."

"I'm being bitter?!" Hagan barked, causing Aiden to wince and moan.

Iris shot him an angry shushing gesture.

Hagan lowered his voice, though his anger was still apparent. "All I did was make a joke and you hit me with a cheap shot! What's with you?! I saved your ass at breakfast! Why're you being such a sour bitch?!"

"Get out," Iris coldly demanded. "I need to work."

Hagan got up. "You're a snob." He shook Aiden's arm. "Get up. We need to clear off the table so the genius can work."

"What's goin' on...?" Aiden mumbled. Hagan grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the chair. "Ah! Okay, okay," Aiden said, "I'm goin'!"

Iris was visibly upset, but remained silent as Hagan left the room with Aiden.

*** * * ***

"We're going hunting," Hagan explained as he and Aiden started toward the woods.

Aiden rubbed his forehead. "My head's killin' me."

"Too damn bad," Hagan snapped, unsympathetically. "All I need you to do is look out for monsters. If any come around, fry them. I'll take care of the rest. Other than that, I need you to be as quiet as possible."

"Fine," Aiden agreed. There was a pause. "So... what were ya guys fightin' about?"

"Just forget about it," Hagan grumbled.

"Come on, I wanna know," Aiden insisted. "I already heard parts of it. If ya don't tell me, I'll find out anyway."

Hagan was quiet for a few seconds before responding. "Never agree to be 'just friends' with a woman. Ever."

###  Chapter 12: Loose Ends

"The Knowms searched all night, but were unable to find where he'd gone. We can only conclude that they've both fled Cymbeline."

Striking a match, Lord Quinn proceeded to light his pipe. "They've most likely returned to Kieran Forest," he speculated, exhaling smoke. "How disappointing." He stood up and gradually approached a window. The room was silent: the clumping of his shoes against the hardwood floor being the sole exception. He eventually halted, taking a moment to gaze at the morning sky as he puffed his pipe. "I had surmised that we were making a potentially calamitous mistake by recruiting external assistance." He turned back to the red-cloaked man he had been talking to. "Do you recall that, Khadim?"

"Yes sir," he answered.

Lord Quinn took several steps toward him. "Furthermore, I specifically remember your insistence to the contrary as being the primary reason I decided to approach the Aveleys." He puffed his pipe again. "And what have we now? Two outsiders who are fully knowledgeable of both our aspirations and our strategies."

"Sir, with all due respect," Khadim asserted, "I was almost certain that they couldn't possibly fail. I'd thought that, surely, we would have the dis–"

Lord Quinn made a 'stop' gesture with his hand, prompting Khadim to immediately cease speaking. "Khadim, my loyal comrade, our problem lies within that very statement – you were almost certain. 'Almost' implies a margin of error, yet you were clearly not prepared for this scenario. I had warned you of the possible outcome, and now we must face it."

Khadim was silent for a few seconds. A response was poised on his tongue: _Maybe if you had paid them, they'd still be on our side._ Nevertheless, his fear regarding the consequences of criticizing Lord Quinn tremendously outweighed his desire to verbalize his opinion. "You're right, sir. I apologize for my negligence."

"There is no need for apologies. What is done, is done." Lord Quinn turned back to the window, billowing smoke as he slowly stepped toward it. "Unfortunately, we are now left with the bothersome task of amending this minor lapse in judgment. As we have previously discussed, there is only one approach to ensure that the Aveleys remain silent on the matter. Therefore, you are to gather the men and depart for Kieran Forest immediately." He faced Khadim. "You have exactly one week to deliver the news of their deaths."

"Yes sir." Khadim started toward the door.

"Before you leave," Lord Quinn added. Khadim halted and turned around. "Have there been any significant leads regarding Zoe?"

"No sir," Khadim answered. "She seems to have disappeared from Aria altogether. We've hung posters in every city, town, and village. The Knowms have been made well aware that her case is a priority and have been carefully monitoring for any clues as to her whereabouts. Those stationed in the In Between are also diligently searching. We, ourselves, have been scouring Aria as well. So far, all of our combined efforts have been fruitless."

Lord Quinn said nothing. He faced toward the window once again, spewing puff after puff of smoke into the air. At last breaking the silence, he sternly commanded, "Go." Without a second of hesitation, Khadim obeyed.

###  Chapter 13: The Aveleys' Ace Card

"We almost had it," Veronica griped, still seated at the breakfast table in spite of the meal's completion. "If it weren't for those damn Knowms...." She let out a grunt of frustration. "How did they know?!"

"There's no telling, Ma," Laverick replied as his mother got out of her chair and walked into the other room. Noticing several splotches of syrup remaining on his plate, he grabbed the dish and proceeded to rapidly lick the sweet, sticky blots.

It wasn't long before Veronica returned, carrying an empty glass in one hand and a corked wine bottle in the other. "Laverick!" she barked, observing her son's incessant licking.

Laverick froze with his tongue pressed against the plate. His eyes darted to his mother. As she glared at him, he anticipated a harsh scolding for his poor etiquette. But much to his surprise, she merely rolled her eyes and sat the glass and bottle she was carrying on the table in front of her chair. He cheerfully finished cleaning the plate.

After collecting a corkscrew, Veronica seated herself. "Well, darling, it seems that fame and fortune have eluded our grasp yet again."

Laverick sat his dish on the table. "Don't say that, Ma! We can't give up! There's gotta be some way we can still win!"

"Oh, give it a rest, Son." She removed the cork and filled her glass with red wine. "As long as those blasted Knowms are afoot in every bloody town in Aria, we're, unfortunately, trapped. It pains me to admit it, but you were right from the start; we were, indeed, cheated." She took a drink.

"Aw, come on, Ma," Laverick pleaded. "We can still geddit, I know we can." Suddenly, a large grin swept across his face. "Oh, oh! I got it! Let's use the Prijevoz Stone to take us to Quinn Manor! Then we can beat him up and take it! He'll never-ever-ever see it coming!"

"Do you ever pay attention to anything I tell you?!" Veronica snapped. "The Prijevoz Stone can only transport us to the exact location in which it was enchanted."

Laverick stared blankly. "Oh yeah...."

"Besides," Veronica went on, "Lord Quinn is far too powerful. There would be no sense in such a confrontation unless I had some sort of ace up my sleeve."

The room was silent for a few minutes as Veronica stared down at her glass. She finally took another drink, glancing over at her son to see that he was marveling at a small object in his hand. "What's that?" she inquired.

Panicked, Laverick hastily shoved the object into his pocket. "Nothing."

"Don't lie to me, Son," Veronica warned. Laverick's lips trembled; his eyes darted about. "What's in your pocket?!" his mother demanded.

Knowing he was caught, Laverick reluctantly reached into his pocket and pulled out the eye patch he had found during their stay at the inn in Cymbeline.

Veronica was utterly disgusted at the sight. "It's that filthy eye patch you found in the garbage! Throw that repulsive thing away at once!"

"But, Ma, it's really neat!" Laverick argued.

"It's riddled with germs, Son! It has no place at the table and certainly not on your face!"

Laverick jumped out of his chair. "But I wanna keep it!"

"Throw it away!!" Veronica screamed.

Laverick was quiet for a few seconds. Unexpectedly, his face became tense. "No."

Veronica returned a similar expression. "What did you say?"

"I said no," Laverick affirmed. "You promised me we were gonna be rich and famous."

"Laverick!!"

"I almost got beat up in a girl's body and I didn't get nothing for it!"

Veronica stood up. "LAVERICK!!"

"I earned this eye patch and I'm gonna keep it!!" In an act of sheer defiance, Laverick put on the eye patch and stuck out his tongue.

Boiling with rage, Veronica stomped toward her son, who promptly walked backward in the opposite direction. "Take it off!!" she ordered.

"No!" Laverick snapped, "No one's gonna take away my prize, not even you!!"

He came to a sudden halt when his back slammed into a shelf, knocking several books onto the ground. Seizing the opportunity, Veronica swiftly reached for the eye patch. To her surprise, Laverick merely moved his head to the left, leaving her to grasp at air. Quickly ducking to avoid her other hand, Laverick then scurried a short distance and turned back to his mother wearing a look of astonishment. "Whoa!!"

Veronica growled. "If you don't give me that damn eye patch this instant–"

"No, wait, Ma!" Laverick interrupted, taking a few steps backward. "I think it's some kind of–"

Ignoring his words, Veronica lunged in an attempt to tackle him but was shocked when he promptly sidestepped, successfully evading her assault. She tumbled to the ground. "OUGH!" She quickly scrambled to her feet. "You despicable little brat, how dare you–"

"Ma," Laverick quickly spat out, "I saw ya do that before ya did it!"

"Stop babbling and give me that–" Veronica swiped at his face in yet another failed effort to confiscate the eye patch.

"Ah!!" Laverick bolted a short distance away from her as she bubbled in a blinding fury.

"You are in SERIOUS trouble, young man!!" Veronica bellowed.

"It's a magic eye patch!!" Laverick screamed, desperately hoping he would at last have a chance to elaborate what he was experiencing to his mother.

"Shut up and give me that damn thing right now!!" She ran toward him, madly swatting at his face. Gracefully dodging the onslaught, Laverick dashed to the opposite side of the table. Veronica's frustration reached new heights. "When in the hell did you get reflexes like that?!"

"The eye patch is magical!!" Laverick shouted at the top of his lungs. "I can see everything ya do before ya do it!!"

Veronica froze. The two stared at each other, their faces bearing expressions of contempt. Several seconds passed. Without warning, Veronica was suddenly wearing a blank look. Unsure of what to do, Laverick mimicked the expression in his own face. Slowly, his mother grinned. He smiled back at her. She began to laugh. He started to chuckle. Eventually, they were both laughing uncontrollably.

"It's enchanted!" Veronica proclaimed happily. "Laverick! Do you realize what this means?!"

Laverick stopped laughing. "It means I can keep it?!"

"Even better than that," she replied.

Laverick thought for a moment. "Oh, then... no."

Somewhat disappointed, yet not entirely surprised, by her son's inability to see the tactical advantage in such an item, Veronica proceeded to explain. "If the eye patch truly gives its wearer the ability to see what someone will do prior to the action itself, it would grant an incredible advantage in combat." It was apparent to her that Laverick still failed to see what she was alluding to. She elaborated further: "We now have an ace to tuck in our sleeve."

Laverick smiled widely. "We can cheat at poker and make a ton of money!"

"No, you twit," Veronica snapped. "With the aid of that eye patch, I could easily defeat Lord Quinn in combat and force him to surrender his fragment to us!"

Laverick bounced up and down, overwhelmed with joy. "Yeah, yeah! That's a great idea!" He stopped. "Wait, what about the Knowms?"

"To hell with the bloody Knowms!" she proclaimed. "It's more than obvious that they're already after us, and it's doubtful that Lord Quinn will call them off anytime soon. I say we make the most of our little predicament. Think about it, Son – if I can manage to snag the fragment from Lord Quinn, the only obstacle remaining between us and the power in that temple will be finding Zoe."

Laverick scratched his head. "But how the heck are we gonna do that?"

Veronica smirked. "Simple. We won't! Once we swipe Quinn's fragment, he'll become desperate to find the other first. We'll let his men do all the dirty work for us! As soon as he has it, we'll take that one from him too!" She giggled and rapidly clapped her hands. "It's absolutely brilliant! Why, I can't even fathom a more suitable revenge!" She suddenly stopped laughing. "Wait. There's still the matter of getting back to Cymbeline. Not only that, but we'll need to be able to make it to Quinn Manor without being arrested by Knowms...."

"Yeah," Laverick agreed. "That's what I was sayin–"

"Silence!" Veronica commanded. "I'm trying to think, Son!" She began pacing.

"Does this mean I have to give my prize to you?" Laverick asked.

"I said, shut up!!" Veronica barked. "Unless you have something meaningful to contribute, do not interrupt my train of thought any further!" She continued her pacing for a few minutes, eventually ceasing to announce, "I've got it!"

Laverick turned his head to her. "What is it, Ma?"

Veronica started toward the hallway. "Come with me, Son. We need to gather a few things before we set off."

###  Chapter 14: Behind Blue Eyes

Lucas glanced at the grandfather clock as he sat reading with Ian and Camron in the library. _Five twenty... I should probably go ahead and leave._ He shut his book and got up.

Camron looked up at him. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to go lay down," Lucas answered. He knew that the other students were already aware of his trouble sleeping on the night before; the excuse seemed applicable.

"It's still a little early, don't you think?" Ian remarked.

"I'm really tired," Lucas answered, returning the book he had been reading, Break On Through: Transitioning From Beginner To Intermediate (Light Edition), back to the shelf. "I don't think I can stay awake too much longer."

"Alright, but don't get mad at me when your sleeping pattern's all screwed up." Ian resumed reading as Lucas exited the room.

*** * * ***

Lucas quietly walked along the building's exterior. _Maybe she hasn't made it out here yet._ He halted, taking a moment to marvel at the lavish vegetation gracing the school's backyard. _I guess I should give her a few more minu_ –

"Over here," he suddenly heard, startling him so much that he nearly jumped.

He looked in the direction of the voice to see Kathy leaning against a large tree. "Oh," he remarked, walking toward her. "I didn't see you there at first."

"Good," she bluntly answered, "I was invisible."

"Invisible? Wow, Shadow mages get all the neat tricks, huh?"

"Flattering," she replied coldly. "Look, what the hell did you call me here for? I could be practicing right now."

Lucas lowered his eyebrows. "That's not going to work. You know exactly why we're here." Kathy turned her head away from him. "But first," he went on, "I need to be sure it's really you. Show me your face."

Kathy was silent for several seconds. "If you're implying what I think you are," she finally answered, looking back at him again, "you need to understand that I can't afford to take a risk like that."

"You have to trust me," Lucas replied.

Kathy's softened eyes quickly transformed into icy barricades. "Why should I do that?"

Lucas gazed at her for a few seconds. He inspected the surrounding area, ensuring that they were alone. Then, at last, he responded. "I saw the posters. If I were any threat to you, I would've already turned you in."

Unexpectedly, she shoved him to the ground. "I don't know what you're talking about," she growled, stomping toward the school. "Leave me alone, creep."

Lucas quickly got to his feet. "Wait!" She continued walking away, unabated. _Dammit!_ He ran to catch up with her. "Are you sure you want to do that? Five million gold's awfully tempting."

Kathy froze in her tracks. She snapped her head to him, beaming into him with a ferocious glare. "Listen to me you thick-headed moron; I don't know what the fuck you're talking about!!"

Lucas knew that he was running out of options. In a bold and daring act, he reached for her hood, hoping to uncover enough of her hair to confirm that the girl beneath was, in fact, Zoe.

Swiftly negating his effort, Kathy grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm behind his back. "I'll break it!" she threatened.

"Ah!" Lucas attempted to free himself, but to no avail. _Alright, so she wants to do it this way...._ He turned his head as far back toward her as he could get it. "Lumen caeco!"

Unexpectedly blinded by a magnificent flash of light, Kathy stumbled backward, loosening her grip on Lucas's arm long enough for him to escape.

Kathy furiously swatted the air around her with her eyes squinted. "UGH! Fucking Light magic!!"

_She'll only be blind for a few seconds,_ Lucas thought, watching as she tried to find where he had gone. _Now's my only chance to reach her._ "Listen to me," he said calmly. Kathy froze, quickly turning in his direction. "I only want to make sure it's you so I don't give information to the wrong person. I'm on your side in this – and you know what I'm talking about. I want to help you, but before I can do that, you need to trust me enough so I can verify you're the right person."

Kathy's eyes slowly opened as her vision returned. The two stared at each other in silence.

"So what's it going to be?" Lucas asked.

Kathy looked down at her feet, then back to Lucas. "Okay. But not here." She started toward the woods. "Follow me."

The pair ventured into the forest bordering the school's yard. Once they had walked for a short distance beneath the trees, Kathy stopped. "Here should be good. We're still close to town, so we shouldn't have to deal with any monsters." Her eyes fixed to Lucas's. "You'd better not make me regret this."

He gave a nod. "You have my word; your secret's safe with me."

Kathy looked around. Then, slowly, she removed her hood. The moment her thick, shaggy, black hair was visible, Lucas knew that he had the right person. This was only confirmed when she uncovered the remainder of her face. Kathy had been Zoe all along.

"There, happy?" Zoe muttered. "Now, before I answer any of your questions, you're going to answer mine. Why are you here?"

_I should keep my answers vague until I know everything I need to,_ Lucas thought. "Well, after you told me that I had the ability to use Light magic, I started looking into it. I learned how to conjure orbs and heal, and now I'm here to see what I'm fully capable of."

Zoe crossed her arms. "That's it?"

"Why I'm here is beside the point," Lucas replied. "I saw the poster of you in town yesterday. That's when I started putting the pieces together. I knew you seemed familiar."

Zoe rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you caught me. Aren't you smart?"

"So it's true?" Lucas queried. "The man your guild stands to oppose is your father?"

"He's NOT my father!" Zoe snapped.

The abrupt outburst sent a surge down Lucas's spine. _Eesh!_

Zoe quickly bit her lip, glancing around to make certain the two were still alone. "I'm adopted," she elaborated in a calmer manner.

_Adopted? Maybe she isn't Sezuni's daughter after all._

"Besides," Zoe went on, "I'm not with the Spades anymore. I'm here for the same reason as you. So, there. Now you know. Will you leave me alone already?"

"I'm not buying it," Lucas answered firmly. "If you aren't with the Spades anymore, why don't you go home?"

"Oh, yeah, like that's going to go well," Zoe said sarcastically. "'Hey Javan, I'm back from trying to thwart your efforts for world domination.' Are you stupid?"

"So he knows you were a Spade?" Lucas quickly interjected.

Zoe was silent, obviously frustrated with herself for unintentionally revealing the information to him.

"You have to trust me, Zoe. I want to help you, but I can't do that if you're going to hide the truth from me. Tell me what's really going on."

She remained quiet, contemplating whether or not she should divulge her story to him. _He already knows this much...._ "Fine," she finally said, looking around once again to be absolutely certain that no one else was nearby to overhear them. She put the cloak's hood back over her head. "Just remember, this stays between us."

"I promise you that," Lucas affirmed.

Following a short delay, Zoe began. "After I took you back to Aria, I returned to HQ with the fragment."

"HQ, I guess that's the Spade base?" Lucas inquired.

Zoe gave a nod. "I told Tarren, our leader, what all had happened, and we ended up having a big meeting. I proposed a rescue mission for Roshan, and that's when things got tense. The Knowms always take their captives to Valdis Prison, which is well known for being virtually impenetrable. As you might've guessed, the other Spades weren't on board with the idea, and Tarren ultimately denied the mission, saying it was too dangerous. But I knew he was more concerned with keeping the organization held together than he was with Roshan's life. So I started packing my things. I couldn't make them go, but no one was going to stop me."

She looked down at her feet. "Someone sure tried though.... His name was Alex Beauford. He kept telling me I was going to get myself killed. He wanted me to just let go of Roshan." She looked back at Lucas. "That wasn't what I wanted to hear. It just made me angrier. Roshan did a lot for me, and I wasn't going to let him rot in a cell."

She leaned back against a nearby tree. "I started to leave, but Alex stopped me again. He said he wasn't going to let me go alone, and he was going with me. I really didn't know what to think, but I knew some help was better than none. Luckily for us, the others were still in the meeting, and we were able to slip away from the base unnoticed."

"But wait," Lucas chimed in. "I thought the meeting was over."

"I walked out during the meeting," she replied, a bit frustrated for having to backtrack. "Alex came out after me a minute or two later." They stared at each other, apparently waiting for the other to speak. "Can I finish my story now?" Zoe requested impatiently.

"Oh, yes," Lucas said meekly. "Sorry."

"Anyway," Zoe went on, "it took us a while, but we finally reached the gateway near Belmont Village, the closest of ours to the prison."

"What do you mean the closest of yours?" Lucas asked.

Zoe's face made it more than apparent that she was annoyed by his interruption. "It was the closest gateway built by Spades. We try to avoid using the Knowm gateways. The last thing you want to do is emerge in Aria in a room full of enemies."

"That makes sense," Lucas remarked.

"Yes," Zoe responded blankly, "it made sense. That's why we did it."

Lucas crinkled his brow, a bit offended by the cold return. "Sorry, I'm not familiar with how the Spades or gateways really work."

"Well, the things you're asking aren't really essential to what I'm trying to tell you." She glanced back at the school. "If we're out here for too long playing twenty questions, the other students might come looking for us."

_She has a good point. I'm lucky I finally got her talking; I definitely don't want to screw this up._ "Right. Keep going."

"As I was saying," she continued, "we went through the gateway, and after fighting our way through a bunch of monsters, we decided to rest in Belmont Village for a few hours to re-energize our centers. By ten o' clock that night, we were on our way to the prison. We crossed the field and made it through the forest without too many problems. Well, except for when I got stuck in that giant spider web."

"Gross," Lucas remarked.

"Seriously," Zoe agreed. "Turned out it belonged to some freakishly huge spider monster... thing. No matter how hard I tried to escape, I couldn't budge. I've got to admit, it was pretty scary. But luckily, Alex was there to kill the spider and free me from the web with an enchantment."

"Good thing he came along," Lucas said.

Zoe nodded. "Yeah...." She paused. "You know, I probably would've died there if he hadn't went with me.... I'll be honest with you, I was never really that nice to Alex. I didn't even have a clue what compelled him to go with me in the first place." She shook her head. "But that's beside the point."

Zoe slouched to the ground, continuing to rest her back on the tree. "To reach Valdis Prison, we had to climb a mountain. It was pretty rough on both of us, so we decided to stop and rest on a cliff as we neared the top. While we were there, we got into a scuffle with some annoying bird creatures. We fought them all off, but the noise attracted the prison guards' attention. There really wasn't anywhere to hide, and I'd already reached my conjuring limit, so invisibility wasn't an option."

She stared off into the forest, causing another pause. "At first, we just stood there, hoping they wouldn't be able to see us in the night. But it wasn't long before they came looking for us. We started climbing back down to wait until they passed. We weren't very far when I looked over at him and saw his hand slip.... I tried to put out my arm so he could grab on, but he was already gone. He fell."

Zoe kept her head turned away from Lucas. "The guards heard me scream and I was arrested for trespassing. I tried to get away from them, but I was overpowered. They put me in cuffs, took my belongings, and started walking me to the prison. They kept asking me, 'who are you?' 'What are you doing here?' I was terrified. I just froze. I didn't know what to do next, so I didn't say anything.

"I sat in that prison cell for hours. I couldn't think straight; I kept telling myself Alex was going to come to free me and Roshan. I really believed that. I hadn't even comprehended the reality of the situation...." She looked at Lucas. "It's strange. The whole time I was on my way there, I remember thinking I'd be able to handle anything that came my way. But it's different when something like that actually happens." Her gaze returned to the depths of the forest. "I think part of me gave up for a little while there. I just sat. Being miserable. I'd failed, and things only got worse when I saw Javan walk past my cell. He didn't notice me, but... just knowing he was there....

"After I'd sat in my cell for a while, I finally saw Roshan. He was being taken to the same room Javan had gone into by two Knowms.... That's when I gave in to reality. Alex died because of me, and I'd done nothing to help Roshan. It was just like Tarren had tried to warn me. I should've listened.

"They started interrogating Roshan. I could hear his cries as they tortured him. I couldn't take it. I grabbed the prison bars and screamed for them to stop. All that did was attract the guards' attention. I hadn't said a single word since I got there, so you can imagine how they reacted. At that point, I knew I had to do something. So I took a risk. I told them who I was and said I needed to speak with my father immediately. Honestly, it was the last thing I wanted to do because I knew what it meant for me. But it was the only chance I had left to save Roshan.

"The guards took me to the interrogation room. The first person I saw was Roshan. They had him in a chair facing the opposite wall. Then I saw Javan. I could see it in his eyes: I was the last person he expected to walk through those doors. The moment he said my name, Roshan turned around. That's when I saw his face. His eye was blackened. There was so much blood...."

Though Zoe had been putting considerable effort into masking her sorrow from Lucas, her grief became increasingly obvious as she proceeded. "I felt a knot in my stomach. I couldn't stand seeing him like that. But I knew he needed me to be strong. So I smiled at him; the same way he smiled at me the day we met. That smile that said, 'you're not alone anymore.'

"I told Javan that Roshan was my friend and to let him go. I was hoping there was some fragment of a human being left in him, that maybe he'd take me instead. But when he found out I was a Spade, he called me a traitor, and I lost my temper. We argued. I got angrier and angrier. I finally snapped and tried to attack him with magic. I was so caught up in the heat of the moment that I forgot I'd reached my limit.

"He froze me with an effect spell. I couldn't speak. I couldn't move. I kept trying to do something. All I could do was watch.... He took out his sword.... and...." Zoe broke down. She sobbed uncontrollably.

Lucas sat down beside her. As she struggled to regain her composure, he quickly scanned her emotions. The heart dagger. That's what he'd come to call that feeling. The same feeling he got when his parents died. The same thing he felt when he discovered his grandfather. He deactivated his power to rid himself of the intolerable anguish. _I know this might upset her, but it's what she really needs right now._ "Zoe," he said softly. She slowly turned her head to him. "It's okay. Don't fight it. Just let it all out." He embraced her.

She cried on his shoulder, whispering an almost inaudible "Thank you."

*** * * ***

"Laverick. He walked right by without even noticing me. I couldn't believe it," Zoe explained as the pair sat side by side beneath the tree. "I knew if he was back in Cymbeline, it meant he had the fragment. I had to act fast; if he made it back to the mansion, it'd all be over. So I tackled him to the ground and shoved my hand into the bag on his waist, hoping the fragment would be inside."

"That must've caused a bit of a scene," Lucas remarked.

Zoe smirked. "That's putting it lightly. I managed to get the fragment and I took off running. Laverick started shouting and, before I knew it, every Knowm in the city was after me. A few concerned citizens tried to stop me, which didn't help. Luckily, I had my hood on the whole time, so I don't think anyone knew who I was. The Knowms stopped chasing me when I reached the border, which means they probably didn't realize I had the fragment. They must've thought I was nothing more than a common thief. But I know Laverick saw my face, which is probably why Javan's so eager to find me."

Lucas was stunned by the revelation. _Does this mean Zoe has the fragment right now?! I guess it's possible she lost it since then. I'd better get the full story before jumping to conclusions._ "Wow, so you really lucked out."

"Yeah." Zoe eyed a patch of yellow flowers beside her. "I was left with a pretty tough decision at that point: 'where do I go now?' Sure, I had the fragment. But I couldn't risk going back to HQ. There's no telling how they'd react. As far as the Spades know, I stole the fragment. I have no way to prove it was Laverick posing as me. So, I figured, since I had to see Master Bonham to get the jinx removed, I'd go ahead and make my way to Ivyvyne Village and go from there."

She picked one of the flowers. "Luckily, the jinx didn't take away my ability to see in darkness. Without it, and the scythe I'd bought in town, there's no way I would've survived. But I made it here. I knew it would only be a matter of time before Javan sent his men to find me, so the first thing I did was buy some cloth to hide my face. Then I found Bonham's School. I introduced myself to him as Kathy and told him my face was disfigured to explain my appearance. He didn't charge me too much to remove the jinx. After that, I enrolled using the gold I'd got from selling my jewelry."

_So she DOES have the fragment._ "Why'd you decide to do that?"

Zoe was quiet for a few seconds, staring down at the flower as she twirled it between her fingers. "Someone needs to make Javan pay for what he's done. From what I've seen, no one else is even trying." She flicked the flower into some bushes and looked at Lucas. "I'm going to master Shadow magic. Then, I'm going back to the mansion to avenge Roshan and everyone else he's hurt. One of us will die that day."

_She plans on confronting Lord Quinn too,_ Lucas thought. _Maybe I should tell her the real reason I'm here._ "What if you lose and Javan gets the fragment?"

"I don't plan to lose," Zoe answered. "But it doesn't matter; he'll find me eventually. I'll have a better shot at putting an end to this whole mess if I make the first move. I'll probably be arrested, likely put to death. But there's no going back now. I don't belong anywhere. No one will miss me. I might as well go down doing something that'll benefit my real family, wherever they are, and the rest of Aria. If I can defeat him and make it out alive without being arrested, I plan to start my own guild to take down the Knowms, the Crimson Clan, and destroy all the gateways to the In Between."

Lucas was intrigued. "Crimson Clan?"

Zoe looked at him. "They're a relatively small guild that operates under Javan's command. Tarren used to be a member himself. They're the ones who created the Knowms and, consequently, the monsters."

_Tarren used to be a member, and he started the Spades. So that's what the soul we spoke to in the In Between was talking about._ "I see," Lucas remarked. "I wonder how they recruited so many members."

Zoe raised an eyebrow.

"For the Knowms, I mean," he clarified.

"They didn't recruit anyone," Zoe explained. "Remember when I told you how the monsters are made in the In Between?"

Lucas nodded.

"That's the same way the Knowms were made," she elaborated. "They're designed to be perfect soldiers. They can interact with other people and even use non-conjuring magic. I know they can at least use necromancy anyway, since they create the majority of the monsters."

"Whoa, no wonder there's so many of them," Lucas remarked. "It's sad how they enslave lost souls like that." He paused for a few seconds. "So, what exactly is necromancy?"

"It's a special branch of magic that deals with the dead," Zoe answered. "Practicing it's forbidden. But, like with all things, not everyone plays by the rules. I don't know too much about it when it comes to specifics."

"It sounds pretty messed up," Lucas commented.

"It is," Zoe agreed. "The dead should be left in peace. It's not our place to toy with them."

The pair were silent for a moment as a warm breeze caressed their skin and rustled the leaves around them. As they sat, Lucas reviewed the information he had learned throughout the conversation. _That answers most of my questions, but I'm still curious to know if she really is Sezuni's daughter or not._ "Hey," he said, breaking the silence. "This might be kind of a weird question, but do you have any siblings?"

Zoe was clearly puzzled. "Not that I know of... I might. I've never met my real family."

"No, no," Lucas replied. "I mean, did you grow up with anyone else or was it just you and Lord Quinn?"

She shook her head. "No.... We had a lot of servants, but Javan and I were the only residents."

"How old were you when you were adopted?"

Zoe's eyebrows lowered. "God, you're curious about fucking everything, aren't you?"

Caught off guard and unsure of how to respond, Lucas was silent.

Zoe's intense expression quickly melted. She laughed. "You should see your face right now!"

Lucas smiled awkwardly.

Once Zoe's laughter had subsided, a warm smile remained on her face. "Relax, I was kidding."

Lucas chuckled. "Oh, I wasn't sure. I thought I'd offended you somehow."

She shook her head. "You do ask a lot of questions though. I feel like I'm being interrogated every time I speak to you."

Lucas shrugged. "It's the best way to learn."

Zoe smiled. There was a short pause. "Oh, yeah, to answer your question," she went on, turning back to the yellow flowers and picking another one, "I was an infant when Javan found me. Apparently, my parents left me on his doorstep."

_She really is Quinn and Sezuni's daughter. Why did Lord Quinn tell her she was adopted? Should I tell her the truth...?_

"I've always wondered why my parents left me there instead of a foster home," she continued, ogling at the flower. "I always figured it had to do with their financial situation. They probably put me up for adoption because they couldn't afford to raise a child, so they left me somewhere I could have everything they didn't. Too bad Javan's an evil power-hungry maniac.... But they didn't know that. They did it out of love." She looked at Lucas. "I joined the Spades for them. They're why I keep going."

_Oh... maybe I shouldn't tell her after all. I don't think she'd handle it very well._

Zoe glanced at the school, then back to Lucas. "We should head inside now. I know you were saying you wanted to help me earlier, but I don't think there's much you can do right now. Just stay focused on your studies. I'll keep you in mind when I start my guild." She placed the flower on Lucas's leg and got to her feet. "Thanks for listening to me. I needed that more than I realized." She took off her hood and grabbed the white cloth, wrapping it to cover her nose and mouth. "By the way, don't think this means 'Kathy' is going to go easy on you if we end up having to fight again."

As she reapplied her disguise, Lucas picked up the flower. He looked at it, then to Zoe. _She always seemed so hostile, but she's not really like that at all. Maybe all she really wants is a friend. Well, she has the same goal as the rest of us, and she already has a fragment. I think it's time I let her in on everything._ "Zoe, wait," he suddenly said, rising to his feet. "Don't go yet."

Zoe, fully disguised as Kathy, turned to him.

He stepped toward her. "There's something I need to tell you."

###  Chapter 15: Monsters, a Cave, and a Gateway

"Lumen fluctus!" Veronica shouted, thrusting her arms in a pushing motion toward the oncoming group of imps as Laverick trembled in fear behind her. A tiny ball of light materialized inches from her palms, quickly expanding into a broad U-shaped wave as it soared toward the startled enemies, propelling them backward through the air on impact. While the foes lay scattered on the ground, writhing, she promptly defeated them one-by-one using light orbs.

"You're the best, Ma!" Laverick proclaimed once his mother had slayed the last of the ferocious beasts.

Veronica chuckled. "Hardly a challenge, darling." She turned to him. "Now, let's take another look at that map."

Laverick nodded several times, hurriedly stuffing his hand into the brown bag slung around his shoulder. He pulled out a rolled up piece of parchment and handed it to her.

Veronica took the paper and unfolded it. "At least we managed to obtain something useful from our little ordeal with Quinn." She viewed the contents of the parchment: a map of the In Between charting all gateways and their corresponding destinations in Aria. The same map Laverick had discovered during his stealthy infiltration of the Spade base.

While she carefully studied the map, Laverick inspected the surrounding forest. "How much longer 'til we get there? Looks like it's gonna start getting dark soon."

Veronica glanced at him, then looked back to the map. "According to this, we should already be in close proximity to the gateway. Unfortunately, it isn't incredibly specific on the 'Aria' side...." She rolled up the map and handed it to Laverick. "Let's keep looking. It can't be too far."

"What if it's not there anymore?" Laverick asked, taking the map and returning it to his bag.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Veronica sharply returned. "The damn thing can't get up and walk away."

Laverick followed her deeper into the forest. "But it's a Spade one, right? Aren't they all dead now? What if Lord Quinn got rid of all their gates or something?"

"Oh please, Son, that's absolutely ridiculous. How in the bloody hell would Lord Quinn benefit from destroying their gateways?"

Laverick shrugged. "Maybe it made him feel good."

Veronica rolled her eyes. "Just keep your mouth shut and your eyes peeled."

The pair walked in silence for the next few minutes, attentively scanning their surroundings for any sign of the gateway leading to the In Between. As they proceeded, Laverick continuously glanced over his shoulder, fearing yet another monster attack. "Do ya think we should go home and look again tomorrow?" he suggested.

"No," Veronica bluntly replied. "Keep looking."

"But, Ma, what if we're stuck out here after the sun goes down?"

She quickly turned back to him and snapped, "Will you stop your whining?! We're already much too far from home to turn back! Our only option is to locate that gateway, so shut up and help me find it!!" She progressed onward.

Laverick trembled at the prospect of spending a night in the forest. _Aw man, I'm starting to think we never shoulda got involved in this._ His fears were heightened by a distant rustling. _EEEK!! Oogie boogies!!_ He darted his head around, desperately searching for the gateway when he noticed a cave not far from them. "Hey, Ma!"

Veronica turned around. "Now what?!"

He pointed to the cave. "Why don't we rest there tonight? We'll be safer in there than out here, and you can do your magic light ball thingy so we can se–"

"Of course!!" Veronica interrupted cheerfully.

Laverick was simultaneously surprised and relieved by his mother's warm reception of the idea. "Ya mean it?!"

"No, no, no!" she replied. "You've reminded me: Lord Quinn mentioned that the majority of gateways are located in caves!" She hurried toward it.

Laverick heard the rustling increase. "Wait up!!" He ran after her.

"Lumen illumino!" Veronica shouted as the duo entered the cave, conjuring a ball of light which illuminated the dark passage. It drifted beside her as she walked farther. "That gateway must be in here somewhere...."

The two were silent for a large portion of their trek: Laverick due to his fear of alerting any beasts occupying the cave of their presence and Veronica because of her attentive focus on finding the gateway.

"Hey, Ma," Laverick suddenly said, his voice echoing throughout the corridor. His eyes widened; he looked around franticly to ensure he hadn't attracted any unwanted attention.

"Hm?" she responded, navigating around a group of stalagmites.

Laverick lowered his voice to nearly a whisper. "Didn't Lord Quinn say there's Knowms in the In Between too?"

"What?" Veronica's voice thundered, reverberating off of the cave walls. Laverick's heart jumped. "Speak up!" his mother ordered.

Laverick cleared his throat, attempting to speak as closely to normal volume as possible while minimalizing the dreadful echoing. "I said, didn't Lord Quinn say there's Knowms in the In Between? What if we get busted?"

"I'm hardly afraid of encountering Knowms," Veronica answered. "From what I understand, they're pathetically weak fighters. Certainly, in the presence of the public eye, they would prove to be beyond troubling. But the In Between is virtually lawless and devoid of the general populous; I can easily slaughter any Knowms that dare cross our path without any repercussions whatsoever. As long as we have our abundant supply of Renovamen Elixir, I doubt we'll have much trouble reaching Cymbeline. Our only real inconvenience will come once we arrive at our destination. Still, this is much less risky than trekking across Aria. Not to mention the weeks of travel we'll be eliminating. In fact, according to what I've read on the map, we should only be in the In Between for merely a day or so."

It wasn't long before the duo reached a junction. They halted. "Uh-oh," Laverick said softly. "Which way do we go?"

Veronica eyed the left passage, then the right. She turned to her son. "You're a blundering idiot with remarkable luck; you decide."

As Laverick carefully contemplated the decision, they heard a distant thud ring from far down the right passage. Horrified, Laverick hastily took several steps backward. "What the heck was that?!" he whispered frightfully. There was another thud. Then another. It soon became apparent that the noise they were hearing were the footsteps of a large hominoid. "Let's get outta here, Ma!!"

"Silence, you coward!" Veronica barked, her eyes fixed on the corridor.

Laverick quivered. "Let's go down the other one!" he urged.

"I said shut up!!" Veronica bellowed, remaining focused on the passage as the footsteps grew louder. The unseen creature emanated a low, bone-chilling growl in response to her loud command. "Oh, please!" Veronica shouted down the dark corridor. "Do you honestly think I'm frightened of you?" It growled again, this time much louder than before.

Laverick shrieked and bolted a short distance to hide behind a large stalagmite. "Don't make it mad, Ma!!" he begged, perspiring profusely.

Ignoring her son's frightful pleas, Veronica proceeded to point down the passage, sending the ball of light farther into it. This caused the area Laverick was occupying to become pitch black. He let out a shrill scream, which only intensified as the ball of light halted near the approaching beast, making it visible for the first time.

The monster resembled a large muscular man, only it was completely covered in dark green fur. It stood at such a height that it almost couldn't fit within the cave, most likely eight or nine feet. Its eyes were deep red, and two sharp teeth jutted from its lower jaw. Letting out yet another horrifying roar as the ball of light hovered in place beside it, the massive beast halted its pursuit momentarily to furiously swat at the conjuration.

Veronica grinned. "There you are." She stuck her arms out in front of her, spreading her fingers and pointing her palms toward the distracted foe. "Good night, darling! Lumen mortem torren!!" A blinding beam of light, nearly three feet in diameter, exploded from the edge of her palms, whizzing toward the creature at incredible speed. The monster turned its head toward her, but it was too late. The beam viciously ripped through its abdomen, instantly annihilating the beast in a bloody disarray and smashing into the cave wall, crumbling the rock and causing the ceiling to collapse and block the corridor.

The ball of light returned to Veronica, relighting the area surrounding her as the deep rumbling from the cave-in continued to echo throughout the cavern. "Now that we've solved that little issue...." She turned back to Laverick, who was poking his head out from behind the stalagmite. "My goodness, Son, could you at least pretend to have a spine?! How am I supposed to intimidate Lord Quinn into surrendering his fragment to us if you're going to cower in fear every time a fight breaks out?!"

He ran toward her. "Sorry, Ma! I dunno how to conjure and those things are super-duper scary!"

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Ugh... I swear, child, sometimes.... Just reach in that bag and fetch me a Renovamen Elixir. That last attack depleted my center."

Laverick nodded, digging through his bag and retrieving a small glass bottle containing a green liquid. Veronica snatched it from his hand, quickly unscrewing its cap before gulping down the liquid. She handed the empty bottle back to him. Then, cupping her hand, she said, "Lumen orbis!" A light orb materialized. She smiled. "Marvelous." The orb dissipated. She looked down the now inaccessible corridor the monster had occupied. "Well, it seems that our decision has been made for us." She started down the left passage. "Come." Laverick followed her farther into the cave.

The remainder of their journey was relatively uneventful, and after a few minutes of walking, they reached a dead end. "Damn!" Veronica grumbled. "The gateway must have been the other way."

"Hey, Ma," Laverick called from behind her. She turned back to him. He pointed down an alternative route not far from where she was standing. "Something's glowing down there!"

The pair investigated the passage. At its end – the gateway they had been so perilously seeking. Veronica grinned. "At last!" She glanced at Laverick. "Well, this certainly makes up for your otherwise lack of usefulness thus far."

Laverick smiled widely. "I helped!"

Veronica approached the portal, entranced by its intense chromatic display. "Absolutely astounding." She retracted the ball of light which had been following her throughout their exploration of the cavern, no longer in need of its illumination due to the glow emanating from the vortex. "Ready, darling? Let's get ourselves a fragment."

###  Chapter 16: A New Alliance

Lucas summarized his tale to Zoe, recalling every moment from when he had first arrived back in Aria following his initial encounter with her in the In Between, all the way to his enrollment at Master Bonham's school. While it was inevitable that he had to mention Sezuni, he was certain to omit the details regarding Zoe's birth.

"...and so, I decided I was going to find out today," he looked at her, "and I did. I didn't say anything earlier, because I wanted to make sure we were on the same side. But it's more than obvious now that we are. So, what I want to know is if you'd be interested in helping us. All five of us will have a much better chance of taking down Lord Quinn if we work together. Plus, you already have a fragment. All we'll have to do is figure out where he's keeping his." The pair was silent. "You wouldn't happen to know already, would you?" Lucas added.

Zoe shook her head. "Not for sure, though he probably wouldn't trust it to anyone else. He either carries it on his person at all times, or it's somewhere very, very well hidden." She paused. "I'm interested in helping you with Javan, but I don't think we should open The Temple of Damiano."

Lucas gave her a perplexed look. "Why not? We'll need to defeat the monsters, the Knowms, and this Crimson Clan you told me about somehow. The power inside is supposed to be incredible–"

"And extremely difficult to control," she interjected. "Look, I don't know exactly what's inside that temple. No one does. But I do know, whatever it is, it was locked up in there for a reason. Yes, using this mysterious legendary power would be a quick fix for restoring Aria, in theory. But there's an equal chance we could end up making everything worse. The Temple of Damiano is older than recorded history – we don't know what we're dealing with in there. By the time we figure it out, it could be too late. After we defeat Javan, we need to start a guild like I was saying earlier. It won't be easy, but it's the only way we can be sure everything's done right."

"But what about the fragments?" Lucas queried. "Were you planning to destroy them?"

"That's not an option," Zoe responded. "Damiano's Disk is indestructible. Tarren told me he'd tried nearly everything he could think of to destroy the fragment when he first got his hands on it. That's why he started the Spades: to protect it from falling into the wrong hands. He and I share the same view on the temple – whatever kind of enchanted object is inside must be very dangerous. There's no telling exactly what it is or just what it does, but if our ancestors sealed it away, it shouldn't be tampered with.

"As far as the fragments go, I plan to have my new guild protect the one I have now. Then, after we find it, I'm going to deliver the second one to the Spades to watch over. Although returning to HQ will be a risk, it'll be an even bigger risk having both fragments in the same place. I know Tarren can be trusted with it.

"But that's all hypothetical talk for now. Before any of that can happen, Javan has to go. As long as he's alive, he'll never give up, and nothing's going to change." She gazed intensely into Lucas's eyes. "So yes, I'll help you take out Javan. But I'm not going to open that temple, and I'm sure as hell not giving my fragment to anyone."

Lucas gave a nod. "Okay. That sounds fair to me."

"Good." Zoe glanced at the school. "We need to go inside now." She looked back at Lucas. "I want to meet your allies tomorrow evening so we can organize a plan of action. Tell them to be here at five thirty."

"Got it," Lucas replied.

She started toward the school, then stopped. She turned to him. "By the way, we should probably keep our distance at the school to prevent raising suspicion. If we start hanging out all of a sudden, people might ask questions. It'll be easier for both of us to pretend this never happened. If we ever need to talk, we'll do it out here. When we're in there, I'm Kathy."

"Right," Lucas agreed. "I figured that'd be the case. I'll wait out here a few minutes before I go inside. See you tomorrow, 'Kathy.'"

Zoe nodded. Lucas had expected her to walk away at that point, but she remained in place. A few seconds of silence passed, then she said something surprising. "I'm sorry about your grandfather. That must've been tough to see.... You know, I really appreciate your supportiveness earlier. It takes a really special type of person to have compassion for someone else while going through something like that." She walked away. "You're something else, Lucas."

Speechless, he watched her return to the building.

*** * * ***

Lucas walked along the outside of the school toward the front entrance. _Maybe Zoe's right; maybe we shouldn't open the temple after all. She seems to have a pretty good plan. It's a lot less risky too.... Well, I guess I'll see what Iris, Hagan, and Aiden have to say before I make any decisions. Either way, it's good to know we'll have Zoe's help with Lord Quinn. She's one of the most powerful mages I've ever met. I have a feeling we're going to need her._

He rounded the corner of the building and headed toward the front doors. When he had nearly reached them, he was concurrently surprised and delighted to see Iris emerge from the school. "Iris!" he called, darting toward her.

She twitched, swiftly turning her head in his direction bearing a startled expression. Upon realizing who was approaching her, she smiled. "Lucas! You frightened me!"

Lucas chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Sorry about that. I was surprised to see you."

"I'd come by to deposit today's payment," Iris explained. Her eyes shot to the setting sun, then back to Lucas. A baffled look manifested on her face. "What are you doing outdoors at this hour?"

"That's the thing," Lucas replied, "I've got some pretty big news. Although I should probably tell Hagan and Aiden too."

Iris crossed her arms. "Hagan and I are currently experiencing... turmoil."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Huh? Really? You guys always seemed to get along pretty well. What happened?"

She hesitated. Then she shook her head. "It's not important. I'm certain we'll resolve the issue relatively soon." She looked toward the town. "Of course, he's unequivocally stubborn...." Her eyes cut back to Lucas. "Regardless, please enlighten me on the aforementioned news."

"Are you sure?" Lucas replied. "It's pretty important, and I've got a lot to say. It might be better if I told you all at once." Iris's face was stone. _Wow, she really doesn't want to talk to Hagan right now. I wonder what happened._ "It has to do with Zoe and the fragment," he elaborated further.

Iris looked away, apparently contemplating, then back to Lucas. "I suppose you're right. I shouldn't allow my emotions to compromise our objective. However, before we depart for my parents' home, I'll need to clarify a few details regarding my family's knowledge of our visit to Ivyvyne Village. It would also be wise to inform Mrs. Bonham that you'll be temporarily leaving the premises."

*** * * ***

Having explained to Lucas that, as far as her family was concerned, Hagan was her 'boyfriend,' Aiden was his 'younger brother,' and Lucas himself was a friend they had accompanied to the village to attend Master Bonham's school, Iris reached for the doorknob of the Ivaska household. She was about to open it when she suddenly snapped her head back to Lucas. "Oh, also," she quickly and quietly added, "they're unaware that I'm providing funding for your schooling. They believe I've been brewing such an abundant amount of potions in preparation for an alchemy tournament. Obviously, they haven't a clue regarding your true purpose for enrolling at Master Bonham's school either. As far as they're concerned, you simply desired to develop your skills in elemental conjuring. Perhaps a result of the monster invasion, which isn't at all improbable – interest in magic amongst Arialites has vastly increased since combat became essential for survival outside of protected urban areas."

Lucas raised an eyebrow, trying his best to absorb the rapidly spoken words. "Okay...." _Geez, I hope I can remember all this. I know she's worried about getting her parents involved in this whole thing, but maybe she should just tell them what's going on for her own sake. It's got to be stressful keeping this story straight every day._

Noting the obvious bewilderment in his tone, Iris took her hand off of the doorknob. "I apologize for the confusion. I'm only attempting to avoid both worrying and endangering my family. If a Knowm were to overhear one of them mentioning Damiano's Disk, I fear the results could be beyond devastating."

"I understand," Lucas replied. "I guess I'll just try to keep talking to a minimum."

"We'll only be in my parents' home momentarily," she assured him, returning her hand to the doorknob. She looked back at him. "Are you ready?"

Lucas smiled and gave a thumbs up.

Iris returned a smile and a nod. She opened the door, and the pair went inside.

###  Chapter 17: Lucas's Visit/The News

Upon entering the house, they were greeted by a young man, a few years younger than Lucas, with shaggy, dirty-blond hair and brown eyes. He was wearing glasses and an orange shirt with dark-blue pants. "Hey," he said to Iris. "Uh, who's this guy?"

"This is Lucas," Iris informed him. She looked at Lucas. "Lucas, this is my brother, Garret."

Lucas extended his hand to him. "Hey."

Garret took his hand and shook it. "What's up? So, you're the guy taking lessons at Bonham's school, yeah?"

"Yeah, that's me," Lucas replied.

"Good for you," Garret remarked. "I never could get the hang of magic. I don't know where the heck Iris got the nerd gene from." Iris glared at him disapprovingly. "So what're you trying to learn? Potion brewing?"

"The correct term is 'alchemy,'" Iris rectified.

Garret rolled his eyes. "You brew potions, don't you? Same diff."

"In order to be an alchemist, one must first attend college," Iris told him. "Master Bonham specifically teaches elemental conjuring."

Garret thought for a second. "So that's the ice stuff you do, right?"

Iris sighed. "Indeed. It's the 'ice stuff.'"

"Sweet," Garret remarked, turning back to Lucas. "So you're learning the cool stuff. Do you know how to do that icicle thing yet?"

Iris face-palmed.

"I'm a Light mage," Lucas politely explained. "You can't conjure Ice magic unless you're born with an Ice elemental center. Mine's Light, so my spells are different than Iris's."

Garret was intrigued. "Oh, that's cool. I never knew that."

"I've thoroughly explained elemental centers to you countless times!" Iris interjected, frustrated.

"I usually zone out after a few minutes," Garret blatantly confessed. He looked at Lucas again. "Have you been to my dad's bakery yet? 'Ivaska Bread and Beyond.'"

Lucas shook his head. "Not yet. Sounds good right about now though – I'm pretty hungry."

"You should swing by tomorrow, if you've got time," Garret invited. "I'm an apprentice chef right now, but dad's leaving the business to me when I'm ready. I make a mean bagel – I'll give you a freebie if you decide to come in. We're open from nine to five."

Lucas was about to reply when Mrs. Ivaska walked into the room and said, "Oh! Hello there!"

Lucas smiled. "Hello."

Iris approached her. "Mother, this is Lucas. He's my friend who enrolled at Master Bonham's school."

"Oh, good! It's wonderful to finally meet you," Mrs. Ivaska said warmly. "Will you be staying for dinner?"

"Actually," Iris interrupted before Lucas could respond, "we were planning on having dinner at Genaro's. Lucas has been exceptionally busy and hasn't had a chance to properly tour the village. We were just about to collect Hagan and Aiden."

"Oh, well that sounds like fun," Mrs. Ivaska replied. "I think they're upstairs. Just stay put, I'll go get them for you." She exited the room, closely followed by Garret.

"Genaro's?" Lucas whispered.

"It's a restaurant," Iris quietly elaborated. "Simply a reason for our absence."

It wasn't much longer until Mrs. Ivaska returned with Hagan and Aiden.

Hagan smiled. "Lucas! How's it going?"

"Hey, buddy!" Aiden said merrily.

"Hey guys," Lucas greeted.

"Ya learned how to read minds yet?" Aiden asked.

"No," Lucas responded. "I've still got a long way to go before I can do that. But I've learned three new spells."

Hagan's brow crinkled. "Already? Not bad. Keep it up."

"I suppose we should be on our way," Iris suggested. "Goodbye, Mother."

"Alright." Mrs. Ivaska embraced her daughter. "Have a good time."

*** * * ***

The group walked through the Ivaskas' front yard. "I apologize for any confusion this may have caused," Iris began. "The true purpose of our outing is to discuss Lucas's recent discovery regarding our main objective. I suggest that we start by finding somewhere vacant to converse."

"Wait a sec," Aiden chimed in. "Does this mean we ain't eatin' dinner? 'Cause I'm kinda starvin' here."

"We'll dine subsequent to our conference," Iris assured him. "Fortunately we have extra gold due to Hagan's contribution to our capital." She noticed some dark clouds overhead. "Oh my; it seems we're facing a rather high probability of precipitation. I'll fetch us a few umbrellas." The group halted and she walked back toward the house.

"It seems we're facing a rather high probability of precipitation," Hagan mimicked under his breath. "Know-it-all snob."

Iris froze. She turned around. "Do you have something to say, Hagan?"

"We don't got all night," Hagan griped. "Go get the damn umbrellas."

She shot him a bitter look before continuing to walk away.

Taking note of the exchange, Lucas waited until she was a good distance from where they stood before addressing Hagan. "Okay, what's going on with you guys? Iris wouldn't tell me earlier."

Hagan sighed. "I made up a story about an alchemy tournament this morning at breakfast to help keep her parents off her back while she was working. Her parents asked me when it was, so I told them it was a month from now. Then after they leave the room, she gets all pissy at me for putting an 'unnecessary time limit' on your training. I told her we'd work it out later and made the mistake of making a joke to her. Then she turns around and hits me with a cheap shot! We got into a fight and I left."

"No, she kicked ya out," Aiden asserted.

Hagan glared at him. "The POINT is," he looked back at Lucas, "we haven't been talking much since then."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'cheap shot?'"

"She brought up something I'd rather forget about," Hagan quickly replied, frustrated. "It's too much to explain."

"I'll take that one for ya, buddy," Aiden remarked. "They went on a date a while back and Hagan blew chunks on her."

Lucas looked appalled.

"I drank too much, OKAY?!" Hagan forcefully professed.

"She said ya showed up drunk," Aiden specified.

Hagan was enraged. "That's not the point!! I'd just got done SAVING HER ASS and I make ONE LITTLE JOKE then she has to go and rehash THAT! Yeah, it pissed me off! I mean, come on! Who hits someone with a surprise left like that after they do you such a big favor?!" He crossed his arms, grumbling, "She thinks she's so fucking perfect."

"What kind of joke did you make?" Lucas inquired. "Maybe Iris took it too seriously. You of all people should know she does that sometimes."

"If ya ask me," Aiden said, "this whole thing seems kinda dumb."

"No one asked you anything!" Hagan sharply interjected.

"Hold on," Lucas asserted. "I think what Aiden's trying to say is, whatever was said, we've all been through a lot together. One little argument seems so trivial." While Hagan still appeared to be a bit worked up, it looked to Lucas as though his words had possibly broken through. "You know," he went on, "Iris has to be a little stressed out right now with everything that's going on. Maybe you two said some things you might regret. I don't know, I wasn't there. But it's no reason for you to snub her like that. If it wasn't for her, none of us would be here right now. Whatever's going on, I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding."

Hagan's expression softened. He appeared to be deep in thought when Iris emerged from the house carrying two closed umbrellas. She rejoined the group. "Shall we be on our way?"

"Let's go," Lucas responded. "I know a perfect place for us to talk."

*** * * ***

The four heroes stood in the small patch of woods Lucas and Zoe had met in earlier. Night was approaching swiftly, so Lucas used the illumination spell he had learned the day before to light the area, sending the bright sphere into some bushes to minimize its glow and prevent its radiance from drawing unwanted attention.

"Alright," Hagan said, "what's this news you've got to tell us?"

"Well," Lucas began, "it turns out there's a fragment right here in Ivyvyne Village."

Iris, Hagan, and Aiden were visibly shocked by the revelation.

"What the hell are we waitin' for then?!" Aiden excitedly trumpeted. "Let's get it!"

"No, wait," Lucas quickly asserted. "It's more complicated than it sounds." He went on to tell them about Kathy, and how, after Iris had shown him the poster calling for Zoe's capture, he started to deduce that Zoe and Kathy were one and the same. He then explained how he went about luring her into a one-on-one conversation in which he confirmed his suspicion as truth. Once he had thoroughly recounted Zoe's tale to them, he divulged what he had learned about Tarren, the Spades' purpose, and Zoe's apparent unawareness of the truth regarding her birth. He then revealed that, while she was willing to help them defeat Lord Quinn, she was opposed to both opening the temple and surrendering her fragment.

"I thought I'd see what you guys had to say first," Lucas said. "Although, to be honest, I think Zoe has a pretty good point. Even though it's going to be a lot tougher her way, it's much less risky than facing the possibility of ruining everything we've worked for."

"How bad could we screw things up?!" Aiden argued. "Aria's already in pretty crappy shape. What's the worst we can do?"

"Rip a hole in existence," Hagan suggested.

"Worth it," Aiden speedily responded.

"I must agree with Lucas and Hagan," Iris professed. "Zoe's insight on the matter has certainly caused me to question my previous perspective."

"Ah, come on guys," Aiden protested. "Ya just gonna change your mind 'cause Sezuni Jr.'s paranoid about us blowin' the planet to bits or somethin'?! Why're we gonna go through all that crap with a guild and whatnot when we're lookin' at a five second fix? I'm stickin' with plan A."

"Everyone listen to Aiden," Hagan sarcastically remarked, "he's got all the brains."

Aiden's hands ignited.

Hagan smirked. "You mad?"

Aiden trembled with rage. "....No!" His hands returned to normal.

"Anyway," Lucas chimed in, "she wants to meet us all here tomorrow evening at five thirty to discuss how we're going to go about this. Whatever we decide to do, I think we could really use her help against Quinn."

"Sounds like it," Hagan agreed. "Having someone along that can split in three and turn invisible can't hurt anyway. Who knows? Maybe daddy will go easy on us."

"The speculation of such a possibility isn't incredibly far-fetched," Iris added. "I do find it intriguing that Lord Quinn has clearly had numerous opportunities to eliminate Zoe, yet he's refrained. Perhaps he wishes for her to 'follow in his footsteps,' so to speak."

"If that's the case," Hagan remarked, "I don't get why he'd tell her she's adopted. Though it would be kind of tough to explain to a child. What would he say? 'Mommy tried to kill daddy after some sex and you popped out nine months later?'"

"Maybe he doesn't know for sure," Lucas pointed out. "Sezuni never said if she left a note or anything. I think we should keep those details from Zoe anyway; I don't think she'd handle it very well – and there's really no reason for her to know."

"Got it, keep the lie goin'," Aiden commented. "Can we go eat now? I ain't feelin' up to bein' rained on."

*** * * ***

Following a delectable meal at Genaro's, the four stood beneath the overhang outside of the closing restaurant as rain poured down on the village.

"I should head back to the school now," Lucas announced. "I'll see you guys tomorrow at five thirty."

"Would you like an umbrella?" Iris offered.

Lucas shook his head. "Keep them for yourselves. The school isn't too far away, I'll just run."

She handed one of the umbrellas to him. "I insist you take one. I don't want you to get sick. I'll collect it tomorrow after we convene with Zoe."

"You only have two," Lucas remarked. He smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. It's just water." He took off running toward the school. "See you tomorrow!"

"Lucas!" Iris called.

He continued running.

Aiden shrugged. "His loss." He turned to Iris. "I'll take one."

She was unresponsive, watching Lucas as he disappeared into the night.

Without warning, Hagan grabbed one of the umbrellas out of her hand and shoved it to Aiden. "Here. Get back to the house. We'll catch up with you."

Aiden took the umbrella and opened it. He smirked, making a kissy face at Hagan.

"Take off," Hagan bluntly returned.

Aiden casually sauntered into the rain toward the Ivaska household. "You're the boss."

Iris and Hagan stood beneath the overhang in silence for a few seconds. Her back was to him as she continued staring off in the direction Lucas had gone.

"He's a good guy," Hagan finally said. Iris glanced back at him. "Lucas, I mean," Hagan clarified. "Aiden's on the fence with me sometimes." He chuckled nervously.

Iris turned toward him and opened her umbrella. "Shall we depart?"

He shook his head. "Not yet." He looked down. "I wanted to tell you, while it's just us." He looked back at her again and paused. "Sorry, I'm no good at this touchy feely crap."

Iris raised an eyebrow; her expression was blank.

The look on her face only served to intensify Hagan's nervousness. "No, no – don't take that the wrong way. I just... Agh, dammit."

Iris was clearly confused at this point. "Please speak your mind."

Hagan paused. "Look, Iris," he asserted sharply. "I was an ass earlier. You pissed me off, but I took it too far. Can we just forget about it and move on?" He could see in her eyes that his words had had little impact.

"Of course," she replied. "I have no intention of treating you any differently. Perhaps we should be on our way now."

"No, wait," Hagan answered. His face softened. There was a look in his eyes Iris had never witnessed before: vulnerability. "It's my fault that ever happened. I've got nothing to be mad at you about. The truth is, you're the best friend I've ever had. You take a lot of shit from me that most people wouldn't. You've always been there for me, no matter what.

"I'm sorry about all the nasty things I said – especially that b-bomb. That was really uncalled for.... I know I poke fun at you a lot when we're together, but that's just how I play around. Those things I joke about, those are the things that make you unique – like the way you use words that I sometimes don't know if they're really words. That's exactly why I like you so much. You're smart. You're strong. Yeah, you're a little quirky sometimes, but that's what makes you different. You've got this... presence. I don't know how to explain it. You're an angel. I don't want to hurt you. I'm the one who blew it. I'm really just mad at myself....

"You know, I've seen the way you and Lucas look at each other, and I can understand why. He's brave and compassionate... he's a good man, and you're a good woman. He'll give you what you really deserve. Just promise me you won't stop being my friend. You mean too much."

Iris's eyes were glistening. She dropped the umbrella and pressed her lips against his.

###  Chapter 18: The Chance Confrontation

Laverick was lost in the gentle comfort of his dreams when he was swiftly woken by the sound of his mother's voice barking, "LAVERICK!! I said wake up!!"

His eyes gradually opened as Veronica's stern face slowly faded into his view. He yawned. "Morning, Ma."

"Get up," Veronica ordered, "you've had plenty of sleep. We'll eat a quick breakfast before continuing. There's no time to dilly-daddle – I'm aiming to arrive in Cymbeline by nightfall."

Laverick stood up and observed the starry sky of the In Between through the branches of the solid black trees. "It's gonna be super tough to tell when it's night while we're here."

Veronica grunted. "The time of day is irrelevant. All I meant is that I want to be in Cymbeline sometime today."

Laverick cocked his head. "But what if today ends while we're walking?"

His mother's fists clenched. "You blasted idio–!" She bit her lip, pausing for a second. "Get some bread out of the damn bag so we can eat and be on our way."

*** * * ***

"I'm boooooooooored," Laverick whined as the duo proceeded through the In Between.

Veronica halted and snapped her head to him. "Would you prefer traveling for days through monster-infested Aria?"

Laverick's eyes bulged; he furiously shook his head.

"Then shut up and deal with it!!" she harshly commanded. "UGH!! I've had it up to here with your constant complaining!! What did you expect – that this was going to be some sort of walk in the park?! Honestly, you have no reason to gripe, Son! I'm the one doing all the real work!"

Laverick's eyes suddenly widened. "Ma!! Beh–"

Veronica slapped her hand over his mouth, transforming the remainder of his sentence into muffled screams as he looked over her shoulder, frantically pointing with his index finger to some unknown disturbance. Still caught in a cauldron of rage, Veronica continued to shout without paying any mind to what he was trying to tell her. "DO NOT INTERRUPT ME!!"

Using every ounce of strength he possessed, Laverick removed her hand from his mouth long enough to fearfully yell, "BEHIND YOU!!"

Veronica swiftly turned around to see a group of six red-cloaked men standing at the edge of the forest on the far side of the field. The man positioned in front of the other five had his hands over his head; a large fireball was hovering just above his palms. The moment Veronica had comprehended what she was witnessing, the red-cloaked man threw his arms forward, sending the massive fiery sphere rushing toward her at alarming speed.

From the other side of the field, Khadim watched as Veronica and Laverick lunged out of his conjuration's path, causing the fireball to explode into a jagged, rocky mountainside. "Damn," he muttered. He glanced back at the other men. "That's definitely them. I don't know what the hell they're doing here, but the orders are clear. Let's move! Hit them with everything you've got! Don't let them get away!"

Veronica scrambled to her feet. "Blast! It's the Crimson Clan!"

"I don't wanna do this no more!" Laverick yelped, desperately crawling into a patch of thick brush.

"You bloody coward!!" Veronica screamed at him before quickly returning her attention to the red-cloaked men, who were rapidly approaching while conjuring a barrage of spells. "Lumen fluctus!" She thrust her arms in their direction, sending a wide U-shaped wave of light speeding toward the enemies.

Khadim and his men came to a halt. "Shield!!" he shouted, prompting one of his companions to hastily conjure a tall, thick wall of ice in front of them, just in time to protect the group from the ensuing threat.

Veronica watched as her radiant wave struck the icy barricade with a heavy thump. "Damn red-cloaked bastards!"

The ice wall vanished. Without a second of hesitation, the red-cloaked men fired an onslaught of spells at the duo: an icicle missile, a sphere of dark-purple lightning, and three enormous fireballs.

Laverick shrieked, attempting to get as low to the ground as possible.

Veronica, however, remained much calmer in the face of the seemingly dire situation. When the cluster of spells was in dangerously close proximity to her, she immediately exclaimed, "Lumen repercutio!" Following a blindingly bright flash, all five spells were suddenly shooting in the opposite direction, back toward Khadim and his men. She smirked. "Fools."

Laverick popped his head up from the brush. "Alright! You show 'em, Ma!"

Khadim's eyes widened. "Redirect your spells!!"

"DUCK!!" one of his comrades shouted, dropping to the ground as fast as he could. Khadim and two other men followed suit in the nick of time.

Unable to react swiftly, the two remaining men were mercilessly pelted by the speeding cluster, sending them flying backward to an agonizing end.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Khadim barked. "I said redirect them!!"

"We lost control of our spells, sir! There was nothing we could do!"

Veronica chuckled. "Trembling on the ground, right where they belong." She stuck her arms out toward the men once again. "Well, Son, I believe we could use a little air support, don't you agree?"

"Yeah, yeah!" Laverick cheered. "Do the birdy!"

Veronica grinned, observing Khadim and his remaining men as they stood back up. "Lumen divus aquila!" In a blast of brilliant radiance, an immense eagle composed entirely of blinding light materialized and abruptly took off in the direction of the struggling red-cloaked men.

"SHIELD!!" Khadim ordered.

"Glacies amplus scuto!" Promptly obeying, the man to his left conjured another large ice wall between them and the ensuing attack.

"That trick worked before," Veronica remarked with a smirk, raising her arms.

Just before hitting the wall, the eagle soared directly upward, speeding far into the starry sky.

"And maybe I'm to blame...." She pointed her index and middle fingers on both of her hands forward before suddenly lowering her arms. "But not this time."

The luminous bird whizzed in a spiraling nosedive toward the frightened men. They attempted to flee in various directions, but were powerless to escape the colossal explosion of light as the eagle slammed into the ground on their side of the barricade, shattering the ice wall and annihilating them instantaneously.

Veronica gleefully observed the aftermath of her assault. "I've learned better."

"Way to go, Ma!" Laverick happily exclaimed, running from the concealment of the vegetation toward his mother as the ringing from the massive blast continued to echo throughout the area.

Veronica faced her son. "Quite a help you were," she sharply returned.

Laverick looked down at his feet. "Sorry, Mommy."

Ignoring him, she turned back toward the remnants of the explosion. "I can't help but wonder why there were so many Crimson Clan members in the In Between in the first place. They must have been on some sort of special mission; Lord Quinn typically sends Knowms to this dimension to hunt souls." She looked back at Laverick. "One thing is certain: Quinn has undoubtedly targeted us. As if the Knowms in Cymbeline weren't proof enough, those red-cloaked baboons were clearly attempting to assassinate us." She started to walk. "No matter, it merely means that I have no reason to hold back. Come, Laverick. I'm growing tired of wasting my skills on these incompetent pawns. It's time to take down the king."

###  Chapter 19: A Friend In The Shadows/The Altercation

Lucas collected his food and walked toward the table. He looked at Zoe as he passed by her, offering a kind smile. She returned a single nod. Then, he seated himself between Camron and Ian.

"Hey, man," Ian greeted. "What's new? You were dead asleep when I got back to the dorm last night."

Lucas shrugged. "Same old, really."

"Where did you go when you left the library yesterday?" Camron suddenly inquired.

Surprised, Lucas turned his head to him.

Camron elaborated, "I went back to the dorm shortly afterward. You weren't there."

"Oh," Lucas replied, caught off guard. "I–"

"You weren't at dinner either," Janet added from across the table. "We missed you."

Luckily, her statement gave Lucas a perfect explanation for his absence. "I ended up going to dinner with some friends outside of school at Genaro's."

"Aw, well that's cool," Janet responded. "Did you have fun?"

Lucas nodded. "Yeah. The food was great. In fact, we're thinking about going again tonight."

*** * * ***

Master Bonham stared down at the pocket watch in his hand as he stood across from the students in the training room, waiting for the day's warm-up session to begin. A fair distance behind him, twelve barrels were lined up in a row from the left to the right, each one approximately ten feet apart.

"Bonham sure loves those damn barrels," Ian whispered.

Lucas quietly chuckled.

Without warning, Master Bonham began counting the remaining seconds aloud. "Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven...."

The students swiftly turned their heads as the door flew open and Zoe emerged into the room.

Master Bonham smirked, his eyes fixed on her. "Damn, almost got you." He tucked the watch into his pocket. "You're gonna screw up and be late one of these days if you don't start eating faster."

"I made it, didn't I?" Zoe remarked, joining her fellow students.

Master Bonham's face became tense. "Bringing the sass today, huh? I'll keep that in mind during your one-on-one session." He began pacing. "Alright students, time to get your asses in gear. For today's warm-up... lumen orbis." He conjured a light orb. "We're gonna be practicing canceling spells in motion. Now, I know we're all familiar with canceling spells to a certain extent." He halted; his orb vanished. "Simple. But what do you do if you've already sent it on its way and need to call it off? What if you've cast a spell that doesn't allow you to alter its route?"

He resumed pacing. "The bad news is it's a lot harder to do when your spell is whizzing through the air and not at a stand-still. It takes razor-sharp focus and impeccable timing. In other words, most of you will probably screw up a few times. This isn't an easy trick; you'd be surprised how many mages don't even know how to do it. However, it's still possible to dissipate a conjuration in motion to prevent damaging the target, if need be. Lumen orbis." He conjured another light orb. "To do this, you'll need to remember what you've learned about altering trajectories while applying elements of canceling simultaneously." He turned and faced the barrel nearest to him. "It sounds easy, yeah. But you're about to find out that it's not as simple as you might think. That's why I took the liberty of setting up multiple barrels to keep things running smoothly – if you screw up and blow one to bits you can walk over to the next... but we'll get to that in a second."

"Oh great," Ian softly commented, "he's rambling today."

Lucas quietly laughed. "Yeah, it's going to be–"

"LUCAS!!"

Lucas snapped his attention back to Master Bonham, who was glaring directly at him.

"So, you're too good to pay attention to what the old coot has to say, huh?"

Lucas shook his head. "No sir, I–"

"Alright students," Master Bonham loudly interrupted. "Looks like we have ourselves a pro! You know what that means." His orb vanished. His eyes cut into Lucas. "Get over here! Show them how it's done!"

Lucas glanced at Ian, who mouthed "Sorry" back at him. Then, he approached Master Bonham.

"Conjure an orb," Master Bonham ordered.

Lucas obeyed. "Yes sir. Lumen orbis!"

Master Bonham stepped aside and pointed to the barrel he had been standing across from. "Throw your orb at the barrel. When it's within one foot of hitting it, cancel the spell. Don't make it move to avoid the barrel. Don't make it stop. Cancel it in motion."

"Yes sir." Lucas faced the barrel. He tried with all of his effort to concentrate, though his embarrassment from being singled out made the task unnecessarily difficult.

"Come on, pro!" Master Bonham taunted. "I could have done this twice by now!"

Lucas prepared himself. _Ugh, dammit. I feel like I could do this if I could just focu–_

"Throw it!!" Master Bonham shouted.

Lucas hurled his orb at the barrel, blasting it to pieces in a bright flash.

Master Bonham laughed. "Awful! Terrible! Get back with the other students, and pay attention this time!"

"Yes sir." Lucas walked back to where he was standing before.

Camron smirked as he approached, cuttingly commenting, "You want to be advanced?"

Embarrassed, Lucas looked away from him. His eyes met Zoe's. He quickly turned back to Master Bonham.

"Shut up, Camron," Janet quietly snapped.

"What?" Camron replied. "He should spend more time studying. Serves him right."

Lucas remained silent throughout the rest of the lecture.

*** * * ***

Zoe's shadow orb zoomed toward the barrel, dissipating mere inches before impacting it. She turned around and rejoined the students.

"Well done Kathy," Master Bonham remarked. "Don't think it's gonna make a difference later though. Next is Camron."

Complying, Camron proceeded to position himself across from the barrel. "Ignis orbis!" He conjured a fire orb and took a few seconds to concentrate. Then, he launched his orb.

"CAMRON!!"

Camron jumped – his orb proceeded to zoom directly into the barrel.

"KATHY!!" Master Bonham barked. "Don't distract the other students!!"

"I just wanted to tell Camron 'good luck' before he threw his orb," Zoe nonchalantly replied.

"Don't be a wise-ass!" Master Bonham commanded.

Zoe noticed Camron glaring at her. "What're you looking at?!" she snapped, causing him to quickly look away. "I thought you were some prodigy that studies all the time! You suck!"

"That does it!!" Master Bonham barked. "If you don't shut your damn mouth and fix your little attitude problem RIGHT NOW, I'm expelling you!! Understood?!"

"Yes sir," Zoe responded blankly.

Camron smirked.

"Alright Camron," Master Bonham said in a much calmer tone, "go to the next barrel and try again."

Lucas looked over at Zoe. She winked at him and hastily turned her head away.

"Did she just wink at you?" Ian whispered.

Lucas swiftly turned to him. "Huh? Uh, maybe," he nervously answered. "I mean, I don't know. I couldn't tell."

"What exactly did you say to her yesterday morning?" Ian queried. His brow suddenly crinkled. "Are you two–?!"

Lucas shook his head. "No, no! I don't have a clue what that was about."

"If you say so..." Ian responded, though he was obviously still a bit suspicious. He quickly turned his head to Janet, then back to Lucas. "You'd better hope your fan-girl didn't see her wink at you. Things could get ugly."

*** * * ***

Lucas walked down the hallway. It was five fifteen in the evening, and he was bound for the small patch of woods behind the school to meet with his companions and Zoe. As he neared the door leading into the lobby, it opened, and Camron emerged into the hallway.

"Hey," Lucas greeted as he walked by him.

"On your way to dinner?" Camron inquired, halting.

Lucas stopped and turned to him. "Yeah. What are you up to?"

"I've just returned from the post office," Camron replied. "I got a little homesick and wrote a letter. Fortunately, I caught them before they closed. Well, if you don't mind, I've got a lot of studying to do." He kept walking. "Have fun."

"Thanks," Lucas replied. He watched as Camron continued down the hallway. _I can't put my finger on it, but something seems off about him today._ He scanned Camron's emotions while he was still in view. _He seems pretty happy... or is that just Mrs. Bonham I'm feeling from the lobby...? Dammit, I should have read his emotions while he was closer. Oh well, I'm not feeling anything unusual; it's probably just my imagination anyway._ He deactivated his power and proceeded on his way.

###  Chapter 20: The Plan

The leaves crunched beneath Lucas's boots as he entered the woods. Without warning, Zoe, still disguised as Kathy, suddenly materialized in front of him. He twitched, quickly taking several steps backward.

"Got you," she said.

Lucas laughed, placing his hand on his chest. "Don't do that!"

Zoe shrugged, smirking beneath the white cloth concealing her face. "Are your friends coming?"

"I guess they haven't made it yet," Lucas responded. "We're a bit early."

"Yeah, I guess," Zoe remarked. She walked over to a tree and sat down, leaning her back against it. "Let's give them a few more minutes." She looked at Lucas. "Did you learn anything new today?"

"Yeah," Lucas replied. "Master Bonham says I'll be able to try my first intermediate spell soon." He paused. "Was he too hard on you during your one-on-one? He seemed pretty mad."

Zoe shook her head. "Not really. I think he just says those things to keep the other students from talking back at him."

Lucas sat down under the tree across from her. "I don't know, it seemed to me like he was being serious about expelling you."

"I doubt he would," Zoe answered.

Lucas's eyes were drawn to a small patch of yellow flowers. He looked back at Zoe. "Thanks, anyway."

"You don't have to thank me," she answered, "Camron's a moron. He's always annoyed me. 'I study all the time and I can't get past conjuring orbs!' Pfft."

Lucas chuckled.

"You've learned more in a few days than that idiot has in weeks," Zoe went on. "Don't take anything that loser says to heart. 'You want to be advanced?' Please, he'll be lucky to learn a second spell! You're doing great." She turned her head back toward the school. "Are they your allies?"

Lucas looked to his left and saw his friends approaching in the distance. He got up. "That's them."

*** * * ***

Lucas introduced his companions. "These are my friends: Iris, Hagan, and Aiden."

"How do you do?" Iris said with a smile.

Hagan extended his hand to Zoe. "Hagan Caine."

She took his hand. "Call me 'Kathy' for now."

"Ya weren't kiddin', Lucas," Aiden blabbered. "She's a dead-ringer for Sezuni! Look – she comes with the cloak and everythin'!" He paused for a second, observing Zoe as she looked directly back at him, all while paying no mind to the 'shushing' gesture Lucas was making as Iris and Hagan watched with widened eyes. "A little short though," he added. "Ya gotta katana too?"

"I use a scythe," Zoe answered.

Aiden laughed. "A scythe?! What are ya, the grim reaper or somethin'?"

"It's the only weapon I know how to use properly," Zoe replied; the irritation in her tone was overwhelmingly apparent.

"Hey! Ya even do that one thing Sezuni did where ya sound like you're annoyed all the time!"

"Only when there's inspiration," Zoe muttered.

Taking note of the obvious tension, Iris nervously chimed in, "Perhaps we should discuss the matters regarding our reason for being here."

"Good idea," Hagan agreed, slicing into Aiden with a sharp glare.

"Well," Lucas began, turning to Zoe, "I've already filled my friends in on everything you've told me about the temple, and we've all agreed that opening it is out of the question."

"Hey now," Aiden interrupted, "I didn't agree to nothin'."

Hagan rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

"No!" Aiden protested. "I ain't shuttin' up!" His head snapped to Zoe. "We're lookin' at a one stop fix in that temple and ya just wanna pass it up?!"

"What are you basing that off of?" Zoe rebutted.

"It's a freakin' thing that gives unlimited power!" Aiden argued. "We can use it to toast the monsters and all that good stuff, no sweat! Even better than that, when we get done, no one'll be able to touch us!"

Zoe crossed her arms. "Your argument's based on speculation and ignorance. The truth is that we have no idea what's really in there or the magnitude of the risks involved. We only know what we've been told by other people who're just as clueless as we are."

Aiden fidgeted; his mouth twitched. "I–... bu–... YOU'RE ignorant!"

"Do you even know what that means?" Zoe refuted.

Aiden trembled with rage. His hands erupted in flames. "What's your deal anyway?!"

Reacting swiftly, Zoe abruptly took a step back and thrust her arms toward him. "Umbra–"

"Stop!!" Lucas shouted.

Aiden and Zoe froze, quickly snapping their heads to Lucas.

"Everyone calm down!" Lucas said sternly.

"He was about to attack me!" Zoe furiously replied. "I was defending myself!"

"Aiden's a disirjurer," Lucas explained, "he can't help it. His hands burst into flames when he gets angry." He looked at Aiden. "Calm down. Let's talk this out peacefully. I'm sure we'll all be able to come to an agreement."

Aiden gave a nod. He closed his eyes and his hands returned to normal a second or two later.

"What about Lord Quinn?" Hagan brought up, changing the subject. "We've all agreed he's got to go before we can worry about any of that stuff anyway. When're we gonna make our move?"

"Originally," Zoe answered, "I'd planned to completely master Shadow magic before confronting Javan. But from what Lucas has told me about all of you, we should be able to take him if we all strike at once. In other words, I'm ready when you are."

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about," Aiden agreed.

"Hold on," Lucas interjected, "I'm not sure I'm ready. Can we wait a few days? I should be reaching intermediate soon."

"I request that we wait precisely one month before proceeding," Iris added. "My family believes I'll be departing for an alchemy tournament around that time, and the extended duration will allow for all of us to acquire a considerable amount of practice."

"Sounds good to me," Hagan remarked. "We've only got one shot at this, and we'll all need to be at the top of our game to make sure it counts. Once we go for it, there's no going back."

Zoe gave a nod. "Alright. One month it is." She paused. "I should warn you though – Javan's a true master. Just because we have numbers on our side doesn't mean we've got it in the bag. You'll also need to keep in mind that as a master of Shadow magic, he's highly skilled with curse and effect spells. That being said, you'll need to have some means of protecting yourself, or you'll end up jinxed – or worse."

"Ya mean somethin' like Iris's lucky earrings?" Aiden inquired.

"Indeed," Iris replied.

"Oh no," Hagan said, "I'm not wearing earrings. Sorry. That's where I draw the line."

Iris rolled her eyes. "There are a wide variety of protective accessories available. I'm certain we'll be able to obtain something to your liking. Perhaps a ring?"

Hagan scowled at her.

Iris returned a similar expression. "I find it highly unlikely that we'll manage to attain an enchanted flask."

Hagan suddenly burst into a hearty laugh. "Hey! That was funny!"

Iris smiled.

Hagan put his arm around her and kissed her on the cheek, causing Lucas to quickly divert his attention elsewhere. "We'll look around," Hagan assured her, "there's got to be something. But you better believe I'm still gonna try to find that flask."

Iris chuckled.

"Ya done flirting yet?" Aiden commented.

Hagan flicked him off.

"Screw you," Aiden replied. "Ever since last night it's just lovey dovey this and kissy kissy that. Ya gonna freakin' make out or somethin'? We're tryin' to have an important meetin' here."

Lucas's heart sank. _No...._ His eyes briefly met Iris's; her smile melted instantly. They promptly looked away from each other.

"Okay then," Zoe asserted, "let's talk. Why do you still think it's a good idea to open the temple?"

"I told ya already," Aiden answered. "I just gotta gut feelin' it's the better option, alright?"

Zoe sighed. "A 'gut feeling' is hardly a reason to risk devastating our civilization."

"Aria's already screwed to hell!" Aiden protested. "I said it once and I'll say it again, what's the worst we could do?!"

"First of all," Zoe said, trying her best not to blow up, "we don't even know how to properly wield whatever it is. We'll have no idea what we're doing, or of the consequences involved with even accessing it. Secondly, this 'power' is supposed to be extremely difficult to control; we might want to destroy the monsters, but end up destroying entire cities instead. And finally, if we open the temple, we've already done a huge favor for the next power hungry mad man that comes along. It was locked up for a reason, and we need to trust that."

Aiden crossed his arms. "I still say we open it," he bluntly stated.

Zoe lost her temper. "UGHH!! You're such a moron!!"

Aiden threw his arms by his sides with his fists clenched. His hands ignited. "Who're ya callin' a moron?!"

"YOU!! YOU'RE A MORON!!"

"SHUT UP!!" Hagan furiously screamed. "That's enough!!"

Zoe and Aiden continued to glare at each other, breathing heavily.

Hagan looked at Lucas. "Talk them down, I'm too pissed off."

"Guys, just relax," Lucas said calmly. "We've still got a month to reach an agreement on the temple."

Though her face was still tense, Zoe nodded at him, biting her lip.

Aiden's hands extinguished.

Lucas was quiet for a few seconds. "Let's all try to focus on preparing for Lord Quinn right now. Like it or not, the only way we're going to have a good shot at this is if we all work together."

###  Chapter 21: Destination, Quinn Manor

Veronica and Laverick entered a small field surrounded by trees with a colorful vortex at its center. "At last!" Veronica proclaimed as the pair approached the portal. She handed the map she was holding to Laverick. "Put it away and fetch me a Renovamen Elixir. I want to be absolutely certain I'm at full power for our little business meeting with Quinn."

"This place seems kinda familiar," Laverick commented, returning the map to his bag. He dug his hand around inside of it and pulled out another bottle of the green potion.

"Of course," Veronica replied. "This is the portal which leads to that old man's abandoned restaurant in Cymbeline." She took the bottle from Laverick and opened it. "It's likely that we'll have a few guards to deal with once we emerge back in Aria, but this gateway will bring us as close to Quinn Manor as we can possibly get from the In Between." Tilting her head back, she gulped half of the glass container's contents.

*** * * ***

The very moment the duo materialized in the backroom of the abandoned building previously known as Roshan's Café, they were met by two astonished red-cloaked men. Veronica smirked. "Hello, dolls."

Immediately, the men positioned themselves to cast attack spells. Alas, they were no match for Veronica's swiftly conjured light-wave assault, which threw the men against the wall, causing them to land facedown on the ground, startled, injured, and helpless.

Veronica pointed her index finger down at one of the men. "Lumen terra gladius!" She hastily threw her arm upward as a shining, blade-like object protruded from the ground beneath him, impaling him through his chest. "I do apologize," she calmly said as the sharp, radiant edge vanished, leaving the man in a bloody and agonizing struggle on the cold wooden floor, "but I simply cannot allow you to impede my efforts."

"He's getting up, Ma!" Laverick warned, pointing to the other man who was toiling to get back on his feet.

Veronica hurriedly thrust her palm in the red-cloaked adversary's direction. "Nah-ah-ah~!"

His eyes widened; he speedily threw his arms toward her, but it was too late.

"Lumen parva torren!" A beam of light, roughly 3 inches in diameter, burst from the center of Veronica's palm, jolting him with incredible force and knocking him onto the floor once again. He convulsed uncontrollably for several seconds before gradually falling motionless.

She turned to Laverick. "Grab the cloaks and the other half of that elixir."

Nodding incessantly, Laverick obeyed. "Notta problem, Ma!"

"I'll establish a telepathic link for communication in the event we're separated," she added. "Unfortunately, I'll be unable to eradicate Knowms in public without jeopardizing our success. Oh, and another thing: do not say a SINGLE WORD until we've reached the mansion. We cannot risk drawing ANY unnecessary attention to ourselves."

*** * * ***

Veronica unlatched the vacant restaurant's back door and slowly cracked it open, carefully peeking out at the dark, empty alleyway. She quickly stepped outside, now dressed in a dark-brown, hooded cloak, motioning for Laverick, who was also wearing a similar garment, to follow her.

After cautiously shutting the door behind them, Laverick looked up at the night sky and whispered, "Hey, Ma, looks like we–"

Veronica snapped back toward him, scowling. "WHAT DID I JUST TELL YOU?!" her voice thundered within his mind.

Laverick poked out his bottom lip and mouthed, "Sorry, Mommy."

"I'm not going to warn you again!" he heard her furiously caution. "Stay close to me, do exactly as I do, and don't say a DAMN WORD!! Understood?!"

Laverick nodded profusely, tightly pressing his lips together.

The duo entered the streets of Cymbeline and started toward Regal Heights. Though the city wasn't nearly as heavily populated as it was during the royal ball, the night was young, and there were still a fair amount of citizens out. This gave the pair a slight sense of comfort as they slipped unnoticed through the crowd toward their goal. Despite the cover provided by the unknowing Arialites, they couldn't help feeling a slight sense of fright with each Knowm's path they were forced to cross. Regardless, they were ultimately able to allude all of the statue-like, green-cloaked guards with no trouble, and it wasn't long until they reached the upper class community's gate.

"Marvelous," Veronica telepathically said to Laverick, "we're nearly there. Our final obstacle will be that wretched gate guard. If you can manage to keep your mouth shut and allow me to do all the talking, we shouldn't have any issues."

"Halt," the gate's armored guard sternly commanded as the pair neared, stepping in front of them to obstruct their path. "What business do you have in Regal Heights?"

"Good evening," Veronica greeted with a cheerful tone and deceptively warm smile. "I have an appointment at Quinn Manor. You see, my son and I are amateur alchemists, and we've recently discovered a formula for a new potion. Unfortunately, our budget is a bit tight so I mailed a letter to Lord Quinn seeking sponsorship in exchange for a fabulous business opportunity. Needless to say, he was very interested and I've just arrived from Kieran Forest to further discuss the matter with him in person."

The guard crossed his arms. "A new potion? Really?"

"Yes indeed," Veronica answered with a wide grin.

It was clear that the guard was not entirely convinced of her story. "Do you have an invitation?"

She looked at Laverick. "The invitation, darling?"

Laverick suddenly received a message from her in his mind: "Dig through the bag and say you lost it." He reached into the bag around his shoulder and pretended to search through it. "Uh-oh, I think I lost it, Ma."

"You mustn't be serious!" Veronica snapped.

Laverick shrugged. "It's not here."

"UGH! This ruins everything!!" she angrily shouted. "I can't believe we came all the way here for nothing! We're ruined!" She looked back at the guard and begged, "Please, you must let us in!"

The guard thought for a moment. "I'm going to need some sort of verification. Can you describe how this potion is made, what it looks like, what it does?"

"Even better than that," Veronica responded, resuming her pleasant demeanor. She glanced at Laverick and gave him a nod, telepathically informing him, "Give me the yellow one."

Complying, Laverick reached into his bag and pulled out an unlabeled glass bottle filled with a bright yellow liquid.

"Here it is," Veronica said, taking the potion and handing it to the guard.

He grabbed the bottle, closely examining the strange substance within. "What does it do? Do you have a name for it?"

"Not yet," she replied. "Merely one tiny sip of this concoction will temporarily enhance your sight and hearing in a matter of minutes. It's still in its prototype stage, but you'll find that it works exceptionally well. We're hoping that, with Lord Quinn's financial assistance, we'll be able to develop a formula with longer lasting and more powerful effects. Care to sample it?"

The guard hesitated. "I probably shouldn't."

"Oh, nonsense!" Veronica merrily declared. "I absolutely insist! Its effects will be undoubtedly beneficial to your job. In fact, on my way out, you can tell me all about your experience." She looked at Laverick. "Why, Son, wouldn't that be absolutely marvelous? A testimonial from a professional guard!"

Laverick energetically nodded. "That'd be great!"

They looked back at the guard, who was still undecided.

"Are you sure it's safe?" he asked.

"Absolutely!" Veronica assured him. "I guarantee it's one hundred percent safe and risk free. I've tried it countless times."

The guard paused. "I'm really not supposed to consume any food or drinks while I'm on duty."

"Here, I'll prove it's safe," Veronica said, extending her hand.

The guard returned the bottle to her.

Veronica unscrewed the glass container's lid. "Cheers!" She raised the bottle to her lips, pretending to take a small drink before handing it to the guard. "Just one sip will do the trick. You'll have to keep in mind that it will take several minutes before you'll begin to notice any changes, but I assure you that it's not only safe but extraordinarily effective."

The guard took the bottle once again and briefly sniffed the concoction. "Well... alright, just a little bit."

"Wonderful!" Veronica cheered.

After some brief hesitation, the guard proceeded to take a miniscule sip. His eyebrows lifted. "This is pretty good!"

"And it works," Veronica added. "I'm confident Lord Quinn is going to love it."

The guard nodded, returning the bottle to Veronica, who capped it and handed it to Laverick. "Well, I wish you the best of luck." The guard said with a smile, stepping aside to let the duo pass. "I'll let you know if I notice any differences on your way out."

"Please do! Thank you very much, good sir!" Veronica said, giving him a friendly wave as she entered Regal Heights.

Laverick hurriedly stuffed the bottle into the bag as he followed closely behind her.

They had walked for a short distance when Laverick whispered, "Did ya really drink that stuff?"

"Of course not," Veronica telepathically replied.

Laverick glanced back at the gate, then quietly followed up with, "What does it do, anyway?"

Veronica chuckled, answering, "It's a delicious and highly effective laxative."

Laverick struggled to contain his wild laughter, but couldn't help letting a few loud snorts escape.

*** * * ***

Veronica loudly rapped one of the two large, Q-shaped door knockers at the front entrance of Quinn Manor. She quickly glanced back at Regal Heights, then to Laverick. "I don't see any potential witnesses nearby – we seem to be in the clear."

Laverick returned a toothy grin with an accompanying thumbs up.

The door cracked open and a servant poked his head out. "Good evening. May I help you?"

"I need to speak with Lord Quinn," Veronica replied. "Is he home?"

"I'm afraid Master Quinn is not accepting guests at this time," the man responded. "Please return in the morning. Thank you, and have a wonderful night." He began to shut the door, but his effort was promptly negated when Veronica unexpectedly shoved it open, throwing him to the floor.

"Perhaps you didn't fully comprehend what I just said," she sternly remarked, stepping into the mansion's massive front lobby as the servant frantically clambered to his feet. "I need to speak with Lord Quinn RIGHT NOW!!"

"Guards!!" the servant fearfully cried, bolting for the nearest door. A second servant, observing the incident with bulging eyes from the gallery atop the large staircase, hastily followed suit.

Laverick entered the mansion. "Aren't ya gonna zap him, Ma?! He's getting away!"

"Shut the door," she ordered, removing her cloak's hood. "I'm not going to waste my energy on him."

Laverick hurriedly adhered to her request. "What's the plan?! Whadda we do now?!"

Immediately, four armored guards rushed into the room. One in particular, who appeared to be the patrol's leader, drew his sword as the men approached the duo. "Ma'am, if you do not exit the premises immediately, we'll be forced to resort to violence."

Veronica quickly thrust her palms in their direction. "I'm an advanced conjurer. If you're wise, you'll stay put."

The guards halted. "What is your business here?" the captain sharply demanded.

"Wait," one of the other guards said, "I recognize her. She was here before. So was he. They're associates of Master Quinn."

At that very moment, the double doors at the center of the gallery's back wall opened. "What is the meaning of this commotion?"

Veronica and Laverick's eyes darted to the source of the voice: Lord Quinn. He was dressed in lavish garb, gazing curiously down at the lobby.

He smirked. "Why, it's Veronica and Laverick Aveley, what a pleasant surprise. Guards, at ease." The captain slowly lowered his sword. Veronica returned her hands to her side. "What brings you two back to my humble abode?"

"You know why I'm here, Quinn!" Veronica seethed.

Lord Quinn casually made his way down the stairs. "I was on my way to the library when I heard a dreadful ruckus emanating from the lobby. I must admit, I didn't expect to see you again – much less at this hour."

Veronica quickly looked back at the guards, then to Lord Quinn. "We have a lot to discuss, and I believe we'd both prefer not to do such in the presence of these armored buffoons."

Lord Quinn shook his head. "Where have your manners gone, Ms. Aveley?" He halted near the guards. "Very well. Guards, leave at once."

"Yes sir."

"Oh, yes," Lord Quinn added, "and inform the servants that the lobby will be reserved for my surprise conference with Ms. Aveley. I do not want any interruptions, understood?"

###  Chapter 22: Veronica's Revenge

After the guards had exited the room, Lord Quinn walked toward the leftmost back corner of the lobby, which was furnished with a bookshelf, a decorative rug, an exquisite coffee table, a grandfather clock, and four large wooden armchairs with red velvet cushions. "Come, sit down," he invited.

"Can we, Ma?" Laverick quietly inquired. "My feet are killing me."

Veronica scowled at him.

"Please, Ms. Aveley," Lord Quinn said as he seated himself in one of the armchairs, "have a seat. There are no tricks up my sleeve. I'm deeply hoping we will be able to rectify whatever sort of misunderstanding that is occurring in a decent and civilized manner."

"Misunderstanding?!" Veronica scoffed, walking closer to where he was seated. "Here's what's being misunderstood: you seem to be under the impression that I'll simply go away after you've clearly cheated my son and I out of our promised compensation! You put on a slick front, Quinn, but I already know what you're really up to. I'm aware that you've ordered your mindless drones to eradicate us."

Lord Quinn chuckled. He crossed his legs, smirking. "What can I say? You caught me. Shall we patch things up over some tea?"

Veronica was infuriated. "Cut the bullshit, Quinn!!" Lord Quinn's smirk faded. "I'm not here to PATCH THINGS UP!!" she screamed. "You wouldn't give me what I was promised, so I've come here to TAKE WHAT I WANT!!"

"And what, may I ask, would that be?" Lord Quinn sternly responded.

Veronica clenched her fists. "Give me the disk fragment."

Lord Quinn gazed back at her. His face still bore the same expression it had prior to him receiving the news. The lobby fell silent for several seconds, save the ticking of the grandfather clock. Then, he finally spoke. "I would prefer not to surrender my life's work. I hope you can understand the predicament your request is putti–"

"SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH, QUINN!!" Veronica yelled at the top of her lungs. Breathing heavily, she shoved her hand into her pocket, quickly retrieving the enchanted eye patch and putting it on. "I'm not here to play your little game!! I'm here for the disk fragment!! You either surrender it to me at once, or prepare yourself for DEATH!!"

"Murder is a very serious crime, Ms. Aveley," Lord Quinn answered, rising out of his chair. "Homicide resulting from self-defense against a deranged home invader, on the other hand, is quite legal."

The guard captain suddenly emerged into the lobby. "I apologize, Master Quinn, but is everything alright?"

"I said – no interruptions," Lord Quinn sternly responded.

The captain hastily left the room without another word.

Lord Quinn turned his attention back to Veronica. "Now, if you don't mind me asking, what purpose is that ridiculous garment on your face intended to serve?"

Veronica smirked. "That's for me to know and you to find out."

"Interesting," Lord Quinn remarked. "How exactly would I go about 'finding out?'"

"What did I tell you about these blasted games, Quinn?" Veronica sharply returned. "Hand over the fragment, or I'll take it."

Lord Quinn's brow crinkled. "Then I suppose you're just going to have to take it."

"Get him, Ma!" Laverick encouraged. Lord Quinn's eyes sliced to him. Terror-struck, Laverick quickly sidestepped behind his mother.

"Distance yourself, Son," Veronica telepathically warned him without taking her eyes from her adversary. "It seems that we'll have to find the second fragment ourselves; I'm not leaving this pig alive."

Lord Quinn watched as Laverick then unexpectedly dashed to hide behind a potted plant near the lobby's entrance. He chuckled. "Smart boy you've got th–" As his eyes moved back to Veronica, he was shocked to see her palm pointed directly at him.

"Lumen parva torren!!" Veronica suddenly yelled, blasting a small beam of light from the center of her palm.

Lord Quinn ducked, barely dodging the conjuration as it proceeded to zoom over his head and smash a small hole in the wall behind him with a loud crash. His face became tense; he pointed his index and middle fingers at her. "Umbra fulgur sphaera!" A small, heavily concentrated ball of darkpurple lightning materialized at the tip of his fingers and shot toward her.

Unknown to him, however, Veronica had already anticipated the retaliation, shouting, "Lumen repercutio!" just in time to deflect the attack with a blinding flash of light. The electric sphere promptly whizzed straight into Lord Quinn's chest, throwing him back into the armchair with such force that it tipped over.

Without hesitating, Veronica darted to search his body for the disk fragment, but stopped when she heard the distinct sound of clinking plate armor.

"Look out!!" Laverick called.

She turned back and, sure enough, the four guards were charging in her direction with their swords drawn. Reacting swiftly, she sent the men toppling over with a light wave attack, proceeding to brutally slay them one by one with her armor-piercing radiant blade spell, casting each of the bright edges with extraordinary speed.

As Veronica sent the final blade up from the ground and through the last remaining guard's chest, Laverick suddenly screamed, "MA!! He's still alive!!"

She glanced at her son to see that he was pointing behind her. She was about to turn around, but was unfortunately too slow.

Standing on his feet once again with his hands pointed in her direction, Lord Quinn softly whispered, "Umbra vitam deductorium."

Veronica was struck in her back by two dark-purple beams. The rays remained fixed on her for several seconds, causing her to wildly convulse until they finally vanished. She fell facedown, barely catching herself only to inevitably collapse.

"I apologize if you're feeling a bit weak," Lord Quinn commented, approaching her. "Nevertheless, I sincerely thank you for the life force. Come now, did you honestly think one meager stunt was going to solve all your problems?"

"Get up, Ma!!" Laverick frantically shouted from behind the potted plant near the front door.

"What's wrong? Feeling a little drained?" Lord Quinn nudged her body with his foot. "Oh my, I overdid it. She's unconscious."

Laverick's eyes glistened. "No!! NO!! MOMMY!! GET UP!!"

Lord Quinn turned his head to him, smiling. "Sorry, boy. I'm afraid Mommy has failed you." He looked back at Veronica's motionless body. "I certainly don't want to risk the chance of her waking."

"MA!! MAAA!!" Tears began pouring down Laverick's cheeks. Unable to stand the sight, he closed his eyes. _NO! MOMMY NEEDS ME!!_ His eyes snapped open. His eyebrows lowered.

Lord Quinn hovered his hands over Veronica's body. "I must admit, you were quite a worthy opponent. It's been ages since someone has actually managed to–" He paused, noticing the sound of shoes clopping across the tile floor. He snapped his head to see Laverick, charging directly at him with his fists clenched.

"LEAVE MY MOMMY ALONE!!"

"Umbra orbis!" Lord Quinn rapidly fired a shadow orb into Laverick's stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He fell over, wincing. Lord Quinn chuckled. "An orb. That's all it took. Amusing."

"L-lumen... caeco!"

Astonished, Lord Quinn turned his head back to Veronica only to be blinded by an intense flash. "AHH!!" He stumbled backward.

Veronica gradually hoisted herself back to her feet, turning her head to see Laverick squirming on the ground. "Get u-up you... i-imbecile."

Though he was still in excruciating pain, Laverick couldn't help but smile. "Ma!"

"You sneaky BITCH!!" Lord Quinn roared. Despite his temporary blindness, he pointed his finger in her direction and shouted, "Umbra magus prohibere perpetuus!"

Veronica slowly smirked, trying to maintain her balance. "A jinx? Nice t-try..." Her fingers grazed a ruby ring on her finger. "I f-faked it... you m-mad, darling?"

"Umbra obscurum fulgur!" Lord Quinn attempted to strike her with dark-purple bolts of lightning, though the combined disadvantage of his blindness and Veronica's eye patch made the effort futile. Anticipating the assault well in advance, Veronica got out of the bolts' path, although the swift movement caused her to collapse back to the ground in her weakened state. She stared up at a chandelier through her blurry vision.

Just as Laverick was finally starting to stand up, he unexpectedly received a telepathic message from his mother. It was a bit difficult for him to understand; her voice was fading in and out and skipped several times. "La-erick. I ca-n-n-n't win t-this. Yo- nee-e-e-ed to le-e-eave wh-le he's bb-bli-i-ind."

"No, no!!" Laverick protested, holding his hand over his stomach. "I'll get him!!"

Hearing the remark, Lord Quinn promptly hurled a shadow orb toward his voice, missing and shattering a window.

"I ss-sa-id RUN, y-ou twi-i-it!!" his mother's voice commanded. "HE'LL SE-E-EE AG--N ANY SEC-N-ND AN-N- WE'L-LL BB-B-OTH DI-I-IE!! DO-O-N'T YOU UND-RST-ND?! I-T'S T-TAKING EV-R-TH-ING I-I'VE GOT T-TO T-ELL-L Y-YOU T-TH-I-IIISS!! N-NOW-W-W R-UU-U-UNN!!"

Laverick glanced at Lord Quinn, who was carefully listening for any signs of Veronica. His watery eyes then moved briefly to his mother before he began gradually and quietly limping toward the door.

At that moment, Lord Quinn's vision slowly returned. In a matter of seconds, he spotted Veronica. "There you are... back on the ground. How convenient. Umbra caeco oppilo!" Conjuring a protective spell to temporarily prevent himself from being blinded for a second time, a black circle with a dot at its center appeared on his forehead. At each ninety degree increment on the circle's exterior were four black triangles. He smiled, approaching her. "You won't be doing that again."

"I love you, Mommy," Laverick whispered, quietly opening the front door and slipping outside.

Lord Quinn stared down at Veronica. "Care to utter any final words?" He hovered his hands over her.

"P...P...P-pig."

Lord Quinn scowled. "Umbra nil pestis duplex torren!!" Two solid black beams erupted from his hands, encasing Veronica's body in a strange substance which closely resembled millions of tiny black dots. The physical torment she endured was beyond anything she had felt before; it was as though thousands of needles were incessantly jabbing into her skin. Though the dark ray surged from Lord Quinn's hands for three or four seconds before ceasing, the strange specks lingered for nearly ten seconds longer, covering her body to such a degree that nothing but a mass of swarming darkness was visible where she lay. When the bizarre black dots had finally dissipated, Veronica was nowhere to be seen.

Lord Quinn chuckled. "Well, that resolves one issue." He turned his head to where Laverick had been standing. _He fled. A wise yet cowardly move. Not that it matters; it's doubtful that overgrown child will last more than a few days without his mother's protection. Yet, I cannot help feeling slightly disappointed that I will not have the pleasure of witnessing his inevitable demise._

He looked down at the guards' lifeless bodies. _Oh drat, now I have to hire new guards. I suppose I should start by tidying up this mess._ He approached the captain's body and got his hands in position. "Umbra nil pestis duplex torren!!"

###  Chapter 23: Monster Hunting In Ivyvyne Woods

Five days later, the students of Master Bonham's School of Elemental Conjuring gathered in the training room at ten in the morning.

"Alright students," Master Bonham announced, tucking away his watch, "those who are newer to the group might be wondering why we're meeting later than normal. No, I'm not just being nice and letting you get a little extra sleep. Today we'll be going out into the woods for a little monster hunting. It's a lot more dangerous out there than it is here in the training room, so I've compiled a list of pupils who I feel are ready to take on a real life challenge." He reached into his pocket and retrieved a small piece of parchment. "The following students are qualified: Kathy, Ian, Janet, and Lucas." He looked up from the paper, back at the students. "Even though I believe the listed pupils have learned enough to go toe to toe with monsters, if you're not comfortable with the idea, tell me now."

The room was silent.

"Come on, this is your only chance to speak up," Master Bonham informed them. "Don't think for a second that choosing not to go will have any negative impact on you. The dangers we'll be facing are real. I'll be there to bail you out if things get rough, but I have no way to control exactly what we'll encounter or what they'll do to you. It's an opportunity to get some experience that could greatly benefit both your progress and your personal life, but it's also a risk that shouldn't be taken lightly. This isn't gonna be a picnic in the garden; we're talking about murderous beasts that've killed countless people. The choice is yours, and I only offer this bonus to the program because I feel that, with things the way they are, your generation could end up living in a world where these skills will be essential to your survival. I can't stress it enough – only go if you're absolutely sure you're ready. Now, I'll allow you one more opportunity to back out. No strings attached."

Again, the room was silent.

Lucas glanced to his left and right. The other students' eyes were fixed directly forward on Master Bonham with the exception of Camron, who was looking down at the floor, scowling. _Someone's not happy about Bonham's list._

"Okay," Master Bonham finally said, removing his glasses and hanging them on his shirt collar. "In that case: Kathy, Ian, Janet, Lucas... follow me. The rest of you have the day off. I'd suggest you study, but you'll probably just screw around anyway."

"I plan to study," Camron proclaimed.

"Good for you," Master Bonham replied. _You should try putting the knowledge into practice sometime too._

Camron grinned proudly.

"Are you ready, Lucas?" Janet asked.

Lucas glanced at her. "Yeah, I've actually fought monsters several times before."

Her eyebrows lifted. "Really? That's awesome! Okay, I'll stay close to you then."

Lucas looked over at Ian, whose lips were pressed tightly together.

"Oh, give me a break," Zoe muttered.

Janet cast a glare at her, although she quickly retracted it after receiving an equally intense expression from Zoe's eyes.

*** * * ***

The selected group of students followed Master Bonham into the woods bordering the school's backyard. He was now carrying a hefty backpack and a rather tall walking stick, both of which looked somewhat odd when wielded by the small, old man.

"Keep an eye out," Master Bonham instructed as they proceeded, "those monsters like to jump out at you without warning. They could be in trees, in bushes, in caves... you name it. If you think you're outmatched, just shout at me and I'll take care of things. Are we clear?"

"Yes sir," the group affirmed.

"Good. For now, we'll keep heading in this direction. Stay focused and be ready for anything. It shouldn't be too much longer."

The students trekked onward for roughly ten minutes, cautiously monitoring their surroundings as they ventured farther into the luscious forest. Shortly after they had crossed over a small creek, Master Bonham came to an unexpected stop. He made a 'halt' gesture at the students, who promptly complied.

"Listen," he whispered.

Janet was perplexed. "I don't hear–"

"SHH!" Ian shushed.

Lucas stared at a patch of thick brush a short distance ahead of them, carefully listening to a low, nearly inaudible growling emanating from within it. _I'd know that growling anywhere._

Master Bonham quietly conjured a light orb. "Any volunteers?"

Lucas raised his hand.

Master Bonham acknowledged him with a nod and proceeded to walk back toward the creek without taking his eyes off of the brush, motioning for the students to follow. Once they were all a good distance from where Lucas stood, Master Bonham quietly spoke. "Get ready, Lucas."

Lucas watched as Master Bonham's orb zoomed into the brush, causing three infuriated imps to swiftly emerge into view. They rushed toward Lucas, loudly growling with their claws poised to strike.

"Lumen fluctus!" Lucas threw his arms in the charging beasts' direction, conjuring a small ball of light which expeditiously expanded into a broad U-shaped wave as it shot toward them. When the spell forcefully struck the imps, they were immediately hurled back in the direction of the thick plant life from which they had arisen.

Without hesitating for even a second, Lucas then shouted, "Lumen caeco!" causing a bright flash which temporarily blinded the struggling creatures long enough for him to easily defeat them with orbs.

"Not bad," Master Bonham remarked at the battle's completion. "I liked the use of the light wave and the blinding light spell, but you could've been more creative with the finish." He started to walk again. "Alright students, let's keep moving. We're bound to run into something else soon."

"Nice job, man," Ian commented, patting Lucas on the back. "That wave thing was pretty badass."

"Yeah it was," Janet energetically agreed.

"Thanks," Lucas replied. "It's the only intermediate spell I've learned so far. It sure takes a lot out of me to do it though, and it wasn't easy to master either. I spent two sessions on that one."

"Two sessions?!" Ian spat out, flabbergasted. "What planet do you live on?! That's incredible!"

"Keep it down, Ian," Master Bonham sternly commanded.

Zoe looked over at Lucas. "You've learned a lot since I fought you," she softly said. "Keep it up."

He smiled at her.

*** * * ***

Saliva poured from the wide mouth of the large wolf-like beast as it let out a bone-chilling roar. It charged toward Zoe, its paws thundering against the ground while Master Bonham and the students observed the confrontation from afar.

Ian and Janet were visibly shaken by the sight.

Lucas was equally apprehensive, though he remained externally calm. _I hope Bonham's ready to step in._

Spreading her fingers, Zoe thrust her arms toward the beast. "Umbra obscurum fulgur torren!" The sound of clashing thunder loudly exploded throughout the forest as an immense black beam intertwined with swirling bolts of dark-purple lightning immediately blasted from her hands into the vicious creature, mercilessly ripping it into an unrecognizable mess well before it had even realized she had attacked it. The massive electric torrent proceeded to smash through several trees, clearing a path through the forest as it traveled before dissipating.

"Holy shit!!" Ian cried.

Janet and Lucas remained silent, completely stunned.

Zoe turned to Master Bonham. "I told you I could do it."

"You shouldn't have risked using a spell you've never practiced before," Master Bonham said sternly as he and the students walked over to her.

Zoe crossed her arms. "How in the hell was I supposed to practice it then?! You said it was too destructive for the training room!"

"I told you to wait on that one!!" Master Bonham shouted. "Why're you so damn obsessed with fatality spells?!"

Zoe didn't answer.

"You realize you could've been killed just now, right?!" Master Bonham furiously screamed. "What if you had failed, huh?! Did that even fly through your thick stubborn skull?! You can't DEPEND on me being there to save you!!" His head darted to a group of imps approaching from a far distance. "IAN, MOVE!!"

Simultaneously puzzled and terrified by his harsh assertion, Ian quickly stepped aside.

Master Bonham took a few steps toward the imps. "LUMEN DIVUS AQUILA!!" In an extraordinary flash, a shining, colossal eagle of pure light materialized and soared at magnificent velocity in the direction of the startled imps, weaving between the trees of the forest and eventually shooting upward, only to come crashing down on top of the monsters seconds later in a thunderous blast of overwhelming radiance.

He turned back toward the fascinated group; his eyes darted to Zoe. "Don't do it again, alright?! I think I speak for all of us when I say that you can be a real pain in the ass sometimes, but none of us want to watch you die! Stick with what we practiced!"

Zoe's eyes softened. "Yes sir."

Master Bonham paused, staring back at her as he gradually regained his calm. "Alright." He glanced around the forest. "Let's rest for a few minutes, then we can go find something for Janet." He removed his backpack and set it on the ground. "Who's hungry?"

While Ian and Janet were waiting to collect their lunch from Master Bonham, Lucas leaned over to Zoe and softly said, "And I thought I was doing pretty good – talk about overkill."

She watched as he then walked to receive his food, smiling beneath her veil.

###  Chapter 24: The Unforeseen Arrival

"I don't know about you," Hagan said to Aiden as they entered the Ivaska household, "but I could really go for some whisky and a nap."

"I'll take ya up on the drink, but I ain't sleepin' anytime soon." Aiden landed on the couch. "Go get us some glasses, chop-chop!"

"I never said I was offering you anything," Hagan replied with a stern face. "Get your own damn whiskey."

Aiden was silent.

Hagan suddenly burst into hearty laughter. "Come on, man, you know I'm just screwing with you."

Aiden smirked. "I thought maybe ya went back to your 'I only share with ladies' policy."

"Oh, it's still in effect," Hagan answered. "I'll get those glasses for us. Be right back."

Aiden flicked him off.

Hagan smiled, returning the gesture. "Right back at you, buddy." He headed for the kitchen. On his way, he passed through the dining room, where Iris was carefully filling six bottles on the table with a green liquid. "Hey," he greeted.

"Hello," she replied, gradually moving the large glass beaker from a full bottle to an empty one.

Hagan halted and watched intently as she filled it. "What the hell is that stuff? Swamp water?"

"Renovamen Elixir," Iris informed him, keeping her eyes focused on the task at hand. "It was rather difficult obtaining the ingredients necessary to brew a batch, but it sells for a considerable profit. Be that as it may, I plan to retain three bottles for our personal use."

"What does it do?" Hagan inquired.

"It restores one's conjuring capabilities without the need for rest," Iris elaborated.

Hagan was intrigued. "Damn, that exists?!"

She sat the empty beaker on the table and looked at Hagan, gesturing toward the bottles of elixir with her hand.

Hagan smirked. "Sarcasm. The student becomes the master."

Iris chuckled, proceeding to cork the bottles one by one. "To be fair, it's somewhat of a rarity. I'd initially brought a bottle along with us when we departed from Azure. Unfortunately, it was destroyed during our encounter with the Cobras in the In Between."

"Hey, careful what you say," Hagan quietly warned.

"No need for concern," Iris replied. "My father and brother are at work and my mother is currently shopping, although I expect her to return momentarily. Was your endeavor with Aiden fruitful?"

"Nah," Hagan answered. "Did you hear those explosions earlier?"

Iris glanced at him, bewildered. She shook her head.

"Well, I don't know what the heck caused them, but it scared off all the animals." He paused. "You sure you didn't hear them? They were pretty loud."

"I've been quite focused on my work this afternoon," Iris responded. "It's possible that I simply wasn't paying attention. That's quite bizarre, however. Perhaps a fellow mage was engaged in an altercation with monsters. Higher-level spells can be especially noisy."

Hagan looked out the window. "Maybe. I hope they at least cleared out a good chunk of the monsters. I'm sick of those damn things eating all the game."

"Ya gonna chat all day or are we gonna get hammered?!" Aiden yelled from the living room.

"Give me a second, jackass!" Hagan sharply returned. He turned back to Iris, who was casting a disapproving gaze. He rolled his eyes, removing the flask from his belt as he started toward the kitchen. "I'm not getting 'hammered,' I'm just having a glass. We're gonna go practice in an hour or two."

*** * * ***

Hagan and Aiden turned their heads to the front door as Mrs. Ivaska entered the house carrying a sizeable basket of food.

"Hey!" Hagan greeted, he quickly finished his glass and placed it on the coffee table.

"Hello," Mrs. Ivaska responded as Hagan got off of the couch and walked toward her.

He grabbed the basket from her. "Let me give you a hand with that."

"Oh, well thank you, Hagan," she cheerfully replied. The two ventured into the kitchen.

Aiden sat alone for a minute or two, eying the flask Hagan had left on the coffee table between their empty glasses. He swiftly glanced left and right before snatching the flask and hastily unscrewing its lid, proceeding to help himself to a refill.

He slapped the butt of the metallic container as the final drops of whisky dripped out. "Uh-oh...." He reapplied the cap and carefully returned the flask to the exact spot in which he had found it. Whistling nonchalantly, he then grabbed his replenished, to the point of nearly overflowing, glass and took a sip. He looked at the flask, putting his index finger over his lips. "That'll be our little secret," he whispered with a grin.

Ten minutes passed, and it became apparent to Aiden that Hagan wouldn't be returning anytime soon. Tipsy and growing bored, he took another drink and headed for the dining room.

Aiden entered the room to see Iris preparing to brew her next batch of potions. "What's up?!" he loudly greeted.

Startled, Iris's eyes widened. Her expression abruptly went flat. She turned her head to Aiden, who was smiling widely back at her. "Hello," she blankly responded.

Aiden took another drink, which was closely followed up with a rather loud and smelly burp.

"Lovely," Iris remarked, maintaining focus on her project.

Aiden paused for a few minutes, listening to Hagan and Mrs. Ivaska chat in the kitchen nearby as he casually finished his whiskey and watched Iris work. Then, abruptly, he made an observation. "Did ya ever notice how sciencey the dining room looks?"

Iris raised an eyebrow, turning her head to see Aiden's eyes fixed on her alchemy equipment. She resumed her work. "You possess quite an eccentric vocabulary, Aiden."

"YOU'RE eccentric!" Aiden replied. He paused before bursting into laughter.

"I suppose one could make that argument," Iris answered.

Aiden walked closer to her. "So, how's...." He hiccupped. "'Scuse me."

Iris's eyebrows lowered.

"So," he went on, "how's it goin' with Hagan, eh?"

"Well," she responded. "Perhaps you should return to the living room; I'm a bit preoccupied at the moment."

Aiden moved uncomfortably close to her. "So, have you," he nudged her arm with his elbow, causing her to drop the beaker she was carrying. It smashed on the floor with a loud crash. "Whoops."

"AIDEN!!" Iris screamed. "Please return to the living room immediately!!"

"My bad, my bad, sorry..." Aiden apologized, stumbling as he backed away.

"What happened?!" Hagan inquired, rushing into the room with Mrs. Ivaska.

Iris was beyond flustered. "Aiden's intoxicated, galling behavior has caused me to unintentionally demolish valuable equipment!!"

"Aiden," Hagan said sternly.

"I said I was sorry!" Aiden protested. He walked toward the living room. "I'll go away! Geez, chill out!"

He plopped back down on the couch for a minute or two and stared at the front door. _Think I'll go for a walk._ Setting his glass on the coffee table, Aiden got up and approached the door. When he opened it, however, he made a startling discovery.

He saw a group of ten red-cloaked men on horseback, riding along the road farther into town. Leading the pack, was an older man in noble garb with long gray hair and a jewel encrusted sword sheathed at his side. _Daaaang, that guy's got it goin' on!_ Aiden took a few steps outside and turned his attention back to the red-cloaked men. He noticed one in particular was looking at him. Aiden waved to the stranger, who promptly turned his head away. _Didn't Lucas tell me somethin' about some red-cloaked guys sometime last week...?_ Aiden's eyes widened. He snapped his head back to the group's leader. "SHIT!!" He ran inside.

"IRIS!! HAGAN!!" Aiden shouted, nearly falling over as he rushed around the corner into the dining room.

Iris looked up at him, obviously frustrated with his presence. "Aiden, I–"

"STUFF OUTSIDE!! LOOK NOW!!" Aiden loudly warned her, frantically thrusting his index finger toward the living room.

Hagan and Mrs. Ivaska hurried into the dining room to see Aiden desperately pulling Iris away from the table by her arm, shouting, "SCIENCE CAN WAIT!!"

"AIDEN!!" Hagan barked. "Let go of her!!" He forcefully gripped the back of Aiden's shirt and threw him away from Iris.

Aiden clambered back to his feet. "Hagan, wait! Outside! Rich guy!! RED CLOAKS!!"

*** * * ***

Aiden swung the front door open to show his companions what he had discovered only to be met by a Knowm, who was facing the road, standing mere feet away from the house's entrance. Stunned, Aiden quickly stumbled backward into Hagan.

The Knowm robotically turned to face the surprised group. "Please remain indoors for the duration of Lord Javan Quinn's visit to Ivyvyne Village."

###  Chapter 25: Revealed

By the time their expedition in Ivyvyne Woods had reached its conclusion, the students were exhausted both physically and magically. "Overall, everyone did well today," Master Bonham told the group as they neared the edge of the forest. "You'll have the rest of the day to yourselves, so relax and enjoy. You've earned it."

A few seconds later, Janet casually wandered closer to Lucas. "So, what're you doing the rest of the day?"

"I'm not sure," Lucas replied.

"Do you want to have dinner at Genaro's?" she hastily inquired.

Zoe's eyes became intense; she clenched her teeth.

"I can't," Lucas answered, "I really don't have much gold right now."

"I've got gold," Janet eagerly informed him. "Come on, it'll be fun! I really don't mind paying, honest!"

"Uh...." Lucas observed the anxiousness in her hazel eyes. _Man, she REALLY wants me to go.... I guess a little friendly dinner outing wouldn't hurt. Genaro's was pretty good, and she did say she'd pay._ "Alright, if you insist."

The fierce expression beneath Zoe's veil melted in an instant. There was a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"REALLY?!" Janet exclaimed, startling Lucas and the surrounding students. "Ahem, I mean... cool. So, maybe around five?"

"Five sounds good," Lucas answered. _Maybe this isn't such a good idea after all...._

*** * * ***

As the students were walking toward the front entrance of the school, Master Bonham noticed the same sizable group of men on horseback that Aiden had seen. He halted, observing them as they rapidly approached from the distant road. "What the hell...?"

The students turned their heads to see what he was looking at.

Zoe's eyes widened; she trembled. _Javan?! No!! That's impossible!!_

Reaching the realization of the riders' identities, Lucas was stunned. He glanced at Zoe, only to see that she had already taken off running toward the forest.

"Hey, where's Kathy going?!" Ian blurted, witnessing her unexpected escape.

Master Bonham quickly turned his head. "KATHY!! Get your ass back here right now!!"

Zoe didn't comply, continuing to bolt toward Ivyvyne Woods as fast as her legs would carry her.

"AGH!! What's with that girl?!" Master Bonham snapped. "Arrogant little..." his words trailed into a rage-filled mumbling.

"Should we go after her?" Ian asked.

"Let her go!!" Master Bonham barked. "I've had enough of her crap for one day! She's a damn psychopath anyhow." He returned his attention to the nearing horsemen, throwing down his walking stick and slinging the backpack off of his shoulders. "I'm gonna see what this gold-grubbing bastard wants. Probably gonna try to buy the school out from under me."

Lucas's head darted back and forth between Zoe and the nearing group of men. _Dammit, what should I do?!_ He looked down. _Okay, I need to think fast. If I follow her, they'll all come looking for us. Besides, I'm almost at my conjuring limit, and I don't even have my sword. I'd only slow her down._ He fixed his eyes on Lord Quinn, who was riding in front of the red-cloaked men. They slowed their pace, apparently preparing to stop in front of the school. _I don't know how he found out that Zoe's here, but the best thing I can do to protect her and the fragment is to stay and see if I can throw him off her trail. I'd give anything to have Iris, Hagan, and Aiden here right now._

*** * * ***

Meanwhile, back at the Ivaska household, Iris, Hagan, and Aiden were quietly discussing the situation in the guest bedroom, well outside of Mrs. Ivaska's earshot.

"They've got to be after Zoe and the fragment!" Hagan whispered. "If we don't act fast, it's all over!"

"We must remain calm," Iris replied. "First of all, we are uncertain if Lord Quinn is even aware of Zoe's presence in the village. It's possible that he's simply searching various neighboring towns and villages at random in an effort to gain knowledge of her whereabouts."

"But what if he DOES know," Hagan argued, "then what?!"

"Holy crap, guys, he's gonna get the fragment!" Aiden chimed in, his tone slowly increasing in volume. "We're SCREWED!!"

Hagan and Iris simultaneously shushed at him.

"Zoe would not simply hand the fragment to him," Iris assured him, "and I find it doubtful that Lord Quinn will resort to violence – it would be far too damaging to his political reputation."

"I don't know about that," Hagan asserted. "Zoe's the last obstacle between him and that temple – something tells me he's gonna do whatever it takes, even if he has to get a little dirty."

Iris paused. "I suppose it's possible... but even so, Master Bonham is far more powerful than the three of us, and he will not allow Lord Quinn to harm any of his students. Considering that we are uncertain of the overall circumstances, it would be wisest for us to remain here. The Knowms unfortunately possess legal authority, and leaving the house will likely result in our arrest."

"I guess you're right," Hagan responded. "We'd be no help behind bars, and Lucas said Zoe was a high-level mage. If Quinn can get past her, Bonham, and Lucas, we probably wouldn't be able to stop him anyway."

"Whadda 'bout the red-cloak guys?" Aiden brought up. "There was a ton of 'em! Quinn's got 'em all outnumbered!"

"You know," Hagan commented, "it almost hurts to say this, but Aiden's got a good point."

"Thanks," Aiden let out a whiskey-scented burp, "buddy."

"Besides," Hagan went on, "if Lord Quinn were here trying to find Zoe, why would he have the Knowms keep us all indoors? Wouldn't he want to see who all's walking around town and question them? Plus, he seems to have his cronies do most of that type of stuff for him. If he's personally involved, he's got to have a lead."

"That's a rather troubling thought," Iris admitted. "Although we still cannot afford to leave the house. The Knowms will assuredly capture us far before we are able to arrive at the school in time."

"Pfft, I'm not afraid of those Knowms," Hagan remarked. "We took out a guild of thieves! Let's just fight our way there!"

"No," Iris said firmly. "If we defeat one Knowm, we will have to defeat all of them. That will leave Ivyvyne Village vulnerable to monster attacks. I refuse to endanger my family."

Aiden shrugged. "Oh well, guess the world's screwed. Meh, we tried. Who wants whiskey?"

Iris and Hagan glared at him.

*** * * ***

Back in front of the school, Lord Quinn dismounted his horse. "Good afternoon. I am assuming you are the famous Aalok Bonham. Is that correct?"

"MASTER Bonham," Master Bonham amended.

"Oh, well I do apologize for my negligence." Lord Quinn replied. "I am Javan Quinn. Perhaps you've heard mention of my name as well?"

Master Bonham's face was stone. "Beats me."

As the two spoke, Ian leaned to whisper in Lucas's ear. "Whoa! That guy's Lord Quinn – King Ashraf's adviser!"

"I've heard of him already," Lucas muttered, keeping his eyes fixed on Lord Quinn. _There he is, the man responsible for my family's deaths... and I can't even touch him._

"I don't get it," Janet added, joining in on the quiet conversation. "What's he doing here?"

"I think we're about to find out," Ian whispered.

They returned their focus to the conversation as Master Bonham impatiently asserted, "Enough chit-chat. Why're you here?"

"I'm glad you asked." Lord Quinn reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. "Considering that you are not familiar with me, I can only assume that you are unaware of my current predicament. You see, my adopted daughter ran away from home several weeks ago. As you can imagine, I was most devastated, and had been tirelessly scouring Aria for any sign of her with little success." He removed the contents of the envelope: a folded up piece of parchment. "Then, much to my surprise, I received a letter from one of your students claiming that she has enrolled in your course under the guise of 'Kathy.'"

Lucas clenched his fists. _Dammit! Someone must have saw us meet outside!_

Janet and Ian were flabbergasted.

"Kathy's a noble?!" Ian blurted.

Lord Quinn looked at him. "Indeed she is. Her real name is Zoe Quinn."

"Who wrote the letter?" Lucas interjected firmly.

Lord Quinn's eyes sliced into him. "Why, you're quite the curious type, aren't you? Is there any particular reason you are so interested in the penman's identity? You wouldn't happen to be this 'Lucas' he spoke of, now would you?"

A bead of sweat ran down Lucas's face. _Uh-oh, I think I just got myself in some pretty hot water._

Lord Quinn smirked at Lucas before turning his attention back to Master Bonham. "Now, if you would be so kind as to direct me to my daughter, I would be most grateful."

###  Chapter 26: Stalemate

"Zoe, huh?" Master Bonham repeated. "Well, you're a little too late. She just–"

"Ran away from here," Lucas interrupted. Master Bonham and Lord Quinn turned to him. Lucas pointed toward the woods on the opposite side of where Zoe had run. "She went that way. If you're quick, you might be able to catch her."

Master Bonham raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. Ian and Janet, though highly perplexed, remained silent as well.

Lord Quinn chuckled. "Perhaps I should clarify what I was alluding to. The letter clearly stated that a blond-haired, green-eyed young man by the name of Lucas was aiding in keeping her identity under wraps. Pardon my suspicion, but I cannot take the word of an individual who matches the aforementioned description as indefinite truth."

Lucas was silent. _So much for throwing him off her trail._

Lord Quinn turned back to Master Bonham. "I would also like to make it undoubtedly clear that I have the honor of being King Ashraf's adviser. I must warn you that, if you choose not to cooperate with me in this investigation, there could be some rather negative repercussions for your beloved school. That being said, I suggest that you take me to my daughter immediately."

Master Bonham was silent for a moment. He looked down, his lips pressed tightly together. Then, he looked back at Lord Quinn. He pointed in the direction Zoe had run. "She ran that way a few minutes ago."

Lucas felt his heart drop. _No, no! Dammit!!_

Lord Quinn gave a nod. "Thank you for your generous assistance." He faced his men, unfolding the parchment in his hand. He viewed its contents for a few seconds before announcing, "She's wearing a white, hooded cloak and a red robe. Her face is concealed. Find her. Bring her to me."

"Yes sir!" The ten red-cloaked men thundered into the woods on their horses.

Lord Quinn folded the parchment and returned it to the envelope. Tucking it into his pocket, he turned back toward Master Bonham and the students. "It shouldn't be long now."

Just then, Camron and Mrs. Bonham emerged from the school.

"What's going on?" Mrs. Bonham asked her husband.

As he quietly explained the situation to her, Camron approached Lord Quinn, smiling. He bowed. "Lord Quinn, it's an honor to meet you, sir. My name is Camron Capello."

Lucas clenched his jaw. _Camron! I should have known._

Lord Quinn smiled. "Ah, the young man whose brilliant investigating located my missing daughter. I'm most certainly in your debt."

Camron paused. "I don't mean to be a burden, sir, but the poster did mention a five million gold reward."

"Indeed it did," Lord Quinn answered. "Unfortunately, my daughter's delinquent behavior seems to have no end. Apparently, she fled the premises the moment she witnessed my associates and I approaching. Thus, my men are currently conducting a thorough search of Ivyvyne Woods in an attempt to apprehend her. The moment she is safely with me again, you shall receive your reward." He placed his hand on Camron's shoulder. "I truly cannot thank you enough."

"It was my pleasure, sir," Camron responded. He glanced at Lucas, who was beaming into him with an intense glare. "That's Lucas, over there. The one I saw talking to her."

Lord Quinn's eyes moved to Lucas. "I had already reached that conclusion on my own." He slowly approached Lucas. "It's quite fortuitous, really. I specifically remember hearing mention of a blond-haired, green-eyed young man's involvement in a certain event at a restaurant in Cymbeline."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lucas answered. _Great, now he knows that I'm the one who took the fragment to Roshan when this whole thing started. I'd say this couldn't get any worse, but I probably shouldn't push my luck._

Lord Quinn leaned toward him. "It would be most wise to keep in mind my stance on regarding your word as truth." He then walked over to the Bonhams to converse.

Lucas snapped his head to Camron, who swiftly darted to join Lord Quinn.

"I'm so confused right now," Janet whispered to Ian.

He glanced over at her. "That makes two of us. I'll see what I can find out." He approached Lucas. "Hey, man."

Lucas was silent; his eyes continued to cut into Camron.

"What the hell's going on?" Ian asked quietly. "Kathy's real name's Zoe? She's your friend? Why was she here? Why was she hiding?"

"You wouldn't understand," Lucas firmly replied, glancing at Lord Quinn to ensure he wasn't listening in. "Just go inside. Things might get ugly."

Ian was intrigued. "Ugly?"

Lucas looked at him and softly explained, "Zoe has a good reason for what she did and what she's doing. I can't let her go back with him. I'm going to do whatever it takes to stop it from happening. All I have to do is wait for the right moment."

"Whoa, man, slow down," Ian cautioned. "Lord Quinn's a pretty powerful guy. You'd better watch what you say and do or you could get thrown in jail."

"Take Janet inside," Lucas sternly replied. "You've just got to trust me on this, Ian."

Ian hesitated. "Alright. I hope you know what you're doing... whatever you're doing." He walked toward the door of the school, motioning for Janet to join him.

She cocked her head.

"Let's go inside," Ian called to her.

Janet started to walk toward him, then quickly darted over to Lucas, gesturing 'one sec' to Ian.

Ian halted. He rolled his eyes.

"Hey, Lucas," Janet said, "we're still going to dinner, right?" She noticed that his eyes didn't have the same softness she had become so accustomed to seeing.

"Something tells me it's off," Lucas answered.

Janet clearly wasn't satisfied with the response. "Okay. Ian and I are going to go in, I guess. See you later." She accompanied Ian back to the school.

Lucas then turned his attention back to Lord Quinn's conversation with the Bonhams and Camron. Maintaining his distance from the group, he turned away from them, toward the forest Zoe had run to, and quietly listened in.

"I still think you should reconsider," Master Bonham said. "Yeah, she might have some behavioral issues, but she's got a ton of talent. I haven't seen someone so young conjure at her level since I opened the school. She's doing a hell of a lot better than some of the other good-for-nothings that were enrolled by their parents." His eyes briefly cut into Camron.

"I am truly honored by your appraisal," Lord Quinn responded, "though you must understand that magical techniques and abilities are irrelevant practices in regard to her future. What she needs is a course in etiquette." He chuckled at his own remark.

Master Bonham raised an eyebrow. "That's odd. You seem to have put a lot into perfecting your abilities, from what I can tell."

Lucas smiled, remaining faced away from the conversation. _Ha! Bonham's on to him! I think he knows something's up._

"Nothing more than a remnant of days gone by," Lord Quinn calmly explained.

Master Bonham smirked. "Listen now, I teach conjuring for a living, and I know for a fact that someone doesn't totally master their element in a 'passing phase.' All I'm asking is to give Zoe a chance to finish her lessons."

"My mind is made up," Lord Quinn affirmed. "I do apologize, but Zoe is coming home – where she belongs."

"Oh, well that's disappointing," Mrs. Bonham commented. "But I suppose if there's no changing your mind, I'll go get started on the paperwork." She gradually made her way back into the school.

Master Bonham watched her for a few seconds, then looked back at Lord Quinn. _Call it a gut feeling, but something seems awfully fishy here. If I read his mind, he'll know. Maybe I should just scan his emotions and see if I can learn anything._ He proceeded to do just that, but was almost immediately met with an unanticipated jolt of sharp pain upon activating his ability, causing him to wince. He swiftly turned off his power to rid himself of the unbearable sensation.

"Is everything alright, Mr. Bonham?" Lord Quinn inquired.

"Yeah." Master Bonham rubbed his forehead. "Damn headache's flaring up again." _I see; it's not his emotions I'm feeling after all. He's got some kind of block on him. Damn, that's some complicated spell-work.... The real kicker is that it doesn't even seem to be encoded with his power signature. Something unusual is definitely going on with this snob._

###  Chapter 27: Defiance

A little while later, Lucas heard the sound of galloping hooves echoing from Ivyvyne Woods. _They're coming back. That means...._

Lord Quinn, Master Bonham, and Camron turned their heads toward the forest.

"That was a lot faster than I'd expected," Master Bonham remarked.

"Indeed," Lord Quinn replied. "Zoe can be a rather difficult weed to pluck." He and Camron chuckled.

' _Weed?'_ Master Bonham thought. _No damn wonder she ran away. Hell, I'd probably be in jail after what I'd have done to this condescending prick._

The horsemen emerged from the trees. One man in particular was accompanied by Zoe, who was riding in front of him, apparently restrained with her arms behind her back. Her face's concealment was gone, and her cloak's hood was off.

Lucas watched in silence as they approached. _I was hoping she would be able to lose them with her invisibility trick, but she must have been too exhausted after using all that advanced magic on our hunting trip. Looks like it's up to me after all. I've only got enough left in me for something simple. If it comes to that, I'll need to time it just right._

The riders came to a stop in front of the school. The red-cloaked man, whose horse was also carrying Zoe, dismounted along with three other men.

Lucas took a few steps closer to them, but maintained a fair distance. He watched as they took Zoe off of the horse and walked her over to Lord Quinn. She kept her head down the entire time, making it difficult for him to see her face beneath the obscurity of her messy hair. He observed that her hands were indeed fastened together behind her back with a rope tied tightly around her wrists.

Master Bonham fixed his eyes on her. It was the first time he had seen her without her disguise. "You think your face is disfigured? How the hell do you think I feel?"

Zoe said nothing. She didn't even look at him.

Lord Quinn smiled. "Hello, Zoe. I've missed you dearly."

"Sure you have," she muttered, continuing to look down.

"Come now, of course I missed you," Lord Quinn replied with false compassion. "I was absolutely perturbed by your unexpected disappearance. I feared the worst... and if it were not for the ingenious investigatory effort of young Camron here, I may have very well never seen you again."

Looking up for the first time, Zoe shot a cutting glare at Camron. "You bastard!" She lunged toward him, causing him to stumble backward in sheer terror, but she was promptly restrained by two of the red-cloaked men.

"Language," Lord Quinn said sternly.

Zoe snapped her head to him. "Shut up!! All you want is the stupid fragment!"

Perplexed, Master Bonham looked at Lord Quinn. "Fragment?"

Lord Quinn was about to answer when Zoe interrupted, "Don't listen to anything he tells you!"

"Umbra immobilis mutus!" Lord Quinn quickly attempted to silence her with effect magic, unaware of the protective amethyst ring on her finger.

Zoe's eyes cut into him. "Not this time, asshole!" She swiftly looked back at Master Bonham and explained, "He's lied to you and every–" One of the red-cloaked men who was holding her in place slapped his hand over her mouth, transforming the remainder of her sentence into incomprehensible, angry muffles.

Lord Quinn face-palmed. "Please forgive Zoe's progressively deteriorating mental–"

"Let her talk!" Lucas suddenly asserted. Everyone snapped their heads toward him, having nearly forgotten that he was still present. "If you don't have anything to hide," he said, walking closer to the commotion as he stared directly into Lord Quinn's eyes, "you'll let her finish."

"I'm interested in what she has to say too," Master Bonham firmly added.

Lord Quinn's mouth fidgeted, despite his effort to remain calm. "Very well. Let her speak."

The red-cloaked man reluctantly removed his hand from Zoe's mouth. Almost immediately, she continued talking. "He's the one responsible for the monsters in Aria! It's all part of a scheme to get his hands on the fragments of Damiano's Disk to unlock the temple and use its power to overthrow King Ashraf!"

"She's absolutely mad," Lord Quinn explained.

"I'M NOT CRAZY!!" Zoe screamed. "Master Bonham, if you don't do something about this right now, he's going to have the temple unlocked by tomorrow!"

"Damiano's Disk?" Master Bonham repeated. "That old myth?"

"I think we've heard enough," Lord Quinn said, gesturing for the red-cloaked man to cover her mouth again. "You see, Mr. Bonham, this is precisely why Zoe cannot remain here. It pains me to admit it, but she's unfortunately suffering from severe mental delusions and requires psychiatric treatment immediately."

"She's telling the truth," Lucas sharply interjected.

Lord Quinn glanced at him. "It seems that she has convinced this young man of her deranged misconceptions as well."

"She didn't convince me of anything," Lucas argued, "I've seen enough with my own eyes!" He turned to Master Bonham. _It's going to be a risk, but it's the strongest evidence we have._ "Damiano's Disk isn't a myth! He wants Zoe because she has one of the fragments on her right now!"

Zoe furiously shook her head from side to side, desperately trying to throw the man's hand off of her mouth as she fiercely screamed.

"Nonsense!" Lord Quinn protested, his frustration becoming more apparent. "That's absolutely preposterous!"

At that moment, Zoe finally managed to bite the skin on the man's hand, causing him to wince.

"Well, if it's real, let's see it," Master Bonham said. "Show it to me."

Zoe mercilessly chomped down on her captor's hand as hard as she could, drawing blood and finally putting him in too much pain to endure. He flung his hand off of her mouth. Without a second of hesitation, she motioned with her head toward a red-cloaked man standing a fair distance away on her right side. "He has it!! He took it when they found me!!"

"A likely story," Lord Quinn remarked, rolling his eyes. He turned to Master Bonham. "Please do not tell me that you honestly believe these wild accusations."

Master Bonham lowered his eyebrows. "To be frank, I'm having trouble believing either of you. So let's find out." He approached the man Zoe had gestured toward. "If Zoe's telling the truth, he'll have this 'fragment.' If she's completely bat-shit, he won't. Simple as that." He paused before addressing the red-cloaked man. "Listen here, don't try to pull a fast one on me. I can read minds. So you'd better empty those pockets right now so we can put this all to–"

"LOOK OUT!!" Lucas screamed, dashing toward Lord Quinn who fired a bolt of dark-purple lightning at Master Bonham while his back was turned. Even with Lucas's swift reaction to the event, the bolt had already struck Master Bonham's back by the time the words left his lips. Convulsing, Master Bonham fell to the ground.

Zoe was horrified. "Master Bonham!!"

"Lumen orbis!!" Without even thinking, Lucas conjured and hurled a light orb directly at Lord Quinn as fast as he could, who unfortunately saw the oncoming attack in time to dodge, causing Lucas's orb to instead smash into one of the red-cloaked men's horses. The horse bucked wildly, throwing its rider before taking off into the forest.

Meanwhile, Camron, witnessing the unanticipated outburst of violence, fearfully bolted toward the school's entrance.

Lord Quinn was about to retaliate against his attacker when three of his companions' ice orbs zoomed into Lucas: one in his chest, one in his stomach, and the third on the side of his head. He fell unconscious and collapsed almost immediately.

###  Chapter 28: Twisted Truth

"JAVAN YOU SON OF A BITCH!!" Zoe screamed.

Trying his best to ignore her furious taunts, Lord Quinn viewed Lucas's motionless body. "Excellent work, men." He turned his head to Master Bonham, ensuring that he had remained on the ground as well. "Is he alive?"

The Crimson Clan member nearest to Master Bonham kneeled down and briefly inspected his dormant body. "He appears to be unconscious, sir."

"Magnificent," Lord Quinn remarked. "Though, to be entirely safe, it would be wisest..." His fists clenched as Zoe's screaming became increasingly intolerable. His breathing heightened. Enraged, he stomped toward her.

As he approached, she continued to yell at the top of her lungs, struggling with all of her might to escape the grasp of the two men holding her in place. "YOU BASTARD!! I HATE YOU!! I H–"

Lord Quinn delivered a hard slap across her face. He leaned down to her eye level. "Shut your mouth you barbaric, ungrateful, traitorous BRAT!!"

Zoe defiantly retaliated by spitting in his face. "Go to hell!"

Infuriated, Lord Quinn abruptly turned away from her as his men looked on in silent astonishment. He pulled out a handkerchief and quietly cleaned himself. Following a prolonged and chilling silence, he finally spoke.

"Twenty years ago," Lord Quinn seethed, tucking the cloth away, "I made what is quite possibly the most calamitous and misguided decision of my life." He turned back toward her. "Sparing you." He unsheathed his sword.

Zoe gasped; the red-cloaked men tightened their grip on her.

"I foolishly believed that you could be corrected," Lord Quinn growled, positioning his sword near her throat. "Yet, it is now unquestionably clear that you have been irreversibly corrupted. So I ask you: if you will only serve to inhibit my objectives, what reason do I have to allow you to live?"

Perspiring, Zoe's breathing steadily increased.

"Sir, if I may," a Crimson Clan member interjected from atop his horse. "She's just a young woman – your daughter, no less. We already have the fragment in our possession. Are you certain this is the wisest course of action?"

"Sacrifices must be made," Lord Quinn sternly replied. He pulled his sword away from her neck to address his men. "As king, I shall lead Aria into a new age of prosperity. Certainly, there has been and will continue to be bloodshed in our pursuit. Yet it is from the ashes of this temporary chaos that we will construct our new world.

"Alas, I have learned that one cannot accomplish such a feat through the great lie of love. For there is no love in this world, only power. And if that power is in the hands of the exploitable, we will never prosper. What Aria needs is order. New order. My order. For I am unshakable – I will not foolishly place my 'heart' before that which is required for prosperity. Thus," he swung his sword toward Zoe's neck, stopping the blade mere inches before it came in contact with her skin, "one who chooses to hinder me from obtaining the power necessary to achieve my new order must be eliminated, regardless of personal ties.

"For you see, it's simply too late for her. She has become one of them." He fiercely gazed into her terror-stricken eyes. "The filthy breed that poisons our streets." His tone became progressively furious. "The sick trash that assaults and robs innocent young children!" He pressed his sword against her neck. "The filthy whore who seduces with her lustful charm, subtly slithering under her victim's nose, waiting for nothing more than an opportunity to sink her vile fangs into his skin! The disgusting ANIMAL that KILLS and RAPES for THEIR OWN SICK TWISTED PLEASURE, DEVISTATING THE DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS OF TWO YOUNG SOULS WANTING NOTHING MORE THAN TO LIVE A QUIET AND HUMBLE LIFE IN PEACE!!"

Quivering, Zoe's heart thundered at an alarming rate as Lord Quinn beamed into her eyes with a cold, unforgiving stare, gnashing his teeth. She was far too petrified to speak. The two remained fixed in this position for several seconds.

"You could have worked with me, Zoe," Lord Quinn finally said, "but your choice is clear. You chose to be my enemy. I will treat you as such. Prepare yourself."

Zoe closed her eyes.

###  Chapter 29: Showdown

Master Bonham's eyes gradually opened.

The first sound he was able to comprehend was Lord Quinn saying, "Prepare yourself." Instantaneously, he remembered what had occurred.

Using every ounce of strength he possessed, Master Bonham swiftly flipped his body toward the source of Lord Quinn's voice, synchronously shouting, "Lumen plumbum!" conjuring a tiny ball of light, vastly smaller than a light orb. It immediately whizzed toward Lord Quinn who, despite turning his head upon hearing Master Bonham shout, never even saw the miniscule luminous sphere before it shot into his shoulder, ripping a tiny but deep wound which almost instantly gushed blood.

Lord Quinn stumbled backward and let out a loud cry of anguish, dropping his sword and grabbing his injured shoulder as his flabbergasted companions scrambled to prepare counterattacks.

"Thank God," Zoe gasped.

"Lumen corpus protego!" A bright glow surrounded Master Bonham's body as he climbed to his feet. Simultaneously, the Crimson Clan members fired their various spells with brutal accuracy. Three icicle missiles, a spiraling fiery disk, two spheres of dark-purple lightning, one fire orb, an ice orb, and two medium-sized fireballs zoomed toward a seemingly defenseless Master Bonham. To the red-cloaked mens' astonishment, however, as each of their conjurations struck him, they instantly dissipated, as though the spells had been canceled.

Master Bonham turned and pointed his palm toward the nearest, and incredibly terrified, Crimson Clan member. "Now you've went and pissed me off! Lumen parva torren!!" A small, concentrated beam of light thundered from Master Bonham's palm into the red-cloaked man's chest, hurling him through the air with incredible force.

All the while, Lord Quinn, writhing, stared in disbelief at the gleaming Master Bonham. _That glow... the immortal defense spell. A true master indeed. But, if memory serves...._ He glanced at Zoe, whose focus was also on Master Bonham. He smirked, softly whispering, "Umbra physica evanesces." Neither Zoe nor Master Bonham saw Lord Quinn vanish into thin air.

Again, the Crimson Clan members prepared another round of retaliatory spells. Though they futilely fired attack after attack at Master Bonham, their conjurations merely dissolved the moment they collided with him.

Meanwhile, Master Bonham proceeded to eliminate the red-cloaked men one by one using his barrage of advanced Light conjuring techniques. "Is that the best you pansies can do?!" he taunted. "Lumen divus aquila!"

Zoe, helpless to assist her ally, dove to the ground as the spells continued whizzing past her from all directions. She wiggled her fingers and pulled her wrists apart, desperately attempting to loosen the rope constraining her arms.

*** * * ***

Back in the Ivaska household's guest bedroom, Iris, Hagan, and Aiden heard a loud explosion emanate from the direction of Master Bonham's school.

"That's it," Hagan proclaimed, jumping out of his chair and reaching for his bow and quiver, "we've got to do something now!"

"Hagan, wait!" Iris interjected. "We cannot leave the house without–"

"We've waited long enough!" Hagan interrupted, equipping his weapon. "The horses are around back. If we climb down and get to them fast enough, we can ride there before the Knowms can catch us."

"They'll see us regardless!" Iris protested. "Please, at least take a moment to consider the consequences!"

Hagan gazed into her eyes. "I don't know exactly what's happening over there, but that explosion was all I needed to hear. You don't have to go, but I can't wait around knowing I could've done something. Lucas needs all the help he can get right now. I owe him." He placed his hands on her back and held her tightly, delivering a passionate kiss.

"Ah, seriously?" Aiden grumbled to himself. "Inappropriate timing."

Hagan started toward the window. "Stay here and watch out for your mother."

Iris was silent.

Unlatching the window, Hagan glanced back at Aiden. "You coming?"

Aiden gave a nod. "Right behind ya, buddy."

*** * * ***

As Master Bonham was facing off against the remaining Crimson Clan members, countless Knowms began emerging in the school's front yard, apparently overhearing the massive conflict. They were marching directly toward Master Bonham, armed with spears, swords, and crossbows.

Taking note of their presence, Zoe yelled, "Watch out!! The Knowms – they're working for Javan too!!"

"Lumen fluctus!" After toppling the red-cloaked men from their horses with a light wave attack, Master Bonham swiftly directed his attention to the mass of approaching green-cloaked men. "All this over some damn artifact?!"

*** * * ***

Hagan and Aiden sped through the vacant streets of Ivyvyne Village toward Master Bonham's school as fast as their horses would carry them.

"Where'd all the Knowms go?!" Aiden yelled. "I ain't seein' 'em anywhere!"

"Quinn might've called them for backup," Hagan suggested. "They're probably already there!"

Sure enough, as the duo rounded the last corner on the road approaching Master Bonham's property, the first thing they saw was Master Bonham administering a vicious bombardment of Light magic attacks to a large group of green-cloaked men. By this time, all of the red-cloaked Crimson Clan members had been defeated and every one of their horses, including the one Javan abandoned, had fled into the woods.

"Looks like Bonham's got everything under control," Hagan remarked, "but I don't see Quinn anywhere."

"Hold up," Aiden chimed in. "If he kills all the Knowms, Ivyvyne's gonna go the way of Secar!"

"It's a little too late for 'ifs,'" Hagan replied. His eyes caught sight of Lucas's unconscious body. "Lucas!!"

*** * * ***

"Stop resisting," the Knowms monotonically commanded, firing multiple arrows at Master Bonham. The projectiles shattered to pieces as they hit him, as though he were made of stone.

He hastily backed away from the green-cloaked adversaries. _There's so damn many of them! I'd better make this quick – I'm starting to near my limit._ He briskly scanned the surrounding area. _Where the hell did ol' fancy pants go?_ His eyes landed on Hagan and Aiden, who were rapidly approaching the Knowms from behind. _Those two look familiar._ Snapping his attention back to the Knowms, he swiftly conjured another light wave. Then, he glanced over at Zoe. "You know them?"

Still on the ground, Zoe repositioned herself toward the road. "They're Lucas's friends! Don't attack them!"

*** * * ***

Slowing his horse, Hagan proceeded to load an arrow. "Go check on Zoe and Lucas, I'll help Bonham."

"Got it!" Aiden expeditiously rode in a large half circle around the band of Knowms and dismounted his horse, running directly past Zoe to inspect Lucas.

"Hey!!" Zoe shouted. "A little help?!"

"I'll get to ya!" Aiden called back to her. He kneeled down and positioned his ear near Lucas's chest. "He's alive!" Without hesitation, he hoisted Lucas off of the ground and carried him closer to the school, gently resting his unconscious body a safer distance from the raging battle. First glancing to ensure that Hagan and Master Bonham still had the situation under control, he darted to assist Zoe.

Hagan ducked, barely avoiding a Knowm's arrow. "Shit! Since when did these guys carry weapons?!" He rested his bow on the saddle and quickly thrust his arms toward the attacker. "Ignis sterno!" An expansive rush of fire streamed from Hagan's palms, scorching the targeted Knowm and engulfing several others in close proximity. Grabbing his bow, he rode farther away from the green-cloaked army. _Maybe I should take them out at a distance. Geez, Bonham's got to be eating his vegetables or something to have stayed alive this long!_

"What happened to you?" Aiden inquired as he approached Zoe.

"What does it look like?!" she snapped. "Hurry up and untie me!"

Aiden kneeled down beside her and began loosening the rope around her wrists. "I thought ya were supposed to be some kinda high-level mage or somethin'. How the heck did ya end up like this?"

"I reached my conjuring limit, okay?!" Zoe sharply replied. The second her hands were free, she jumped to her feet and dashed toward the school.

"What's wrong," Aiden called, "ya scared?!"

Without slowing her pace or turning around, Zoe raised her middle finger at him. "I NEED MY SCYTHE, ASSHAT!!"

"Sheesh," Aiden grumbled, "that's what I get for helpin' you."

"Please return to your home or current dwelling immediately."

Aiden abruptly turned to the voice to see a Knowm armed with a sword approaching him. "I'll pass," Aiden answered with a smirk, his hands erupting in flames.

"Lumen orbis!" Meanwhile, Master Bonham speedily conjured and threw light orbs. _Reduced to using orbs. How embarrassing! But I've got no choice; I need to conserve as much energy as I can to keep the immortal defense spell going. If it gives out on me now, I'm as good as dead._

*** * * ***

Zoe burst into the lobby of the school and was immediately met with a barrage of questions from the frightened students gathered near the front window.

"What's going on?!"

"Is Master Bonham alright?!"

"Why are they fighting the Knowms?!"

"Who's that bald guy?!"

"No time," Zoe quickly answered, speeding unabated toward the door leading into the school's main hallway. As she neared it, the door opened, and Camron emerged into the lobby.

He froze, panic-stricken.

Enraged, Zoe tightly gripped his neck and slammed him into a wall. "YOU FUCKING WEASLE!!"

Camron struggled to speak, but his words merely came out as incomprehensible gargles.

"Calm down!" Ian asserted. "Leave him alone!"

"ARE YOU HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU'VE DONE?! HUH?!" She shoved him against the wall again. "SPEAK, WEASLE!!"

"Stop it!" Janet pleaded.

Camron desperately tried to free himself, but to no avail.

Then, unexpectedly, Zoe released her grip on him. "You're lucky I don't have time for this," she growled, flinging the door open with incredible force and bolting into the hallway.

*** * * ***

Zoe reemerged in the front yard of the school with her scythe in tow only to find that Hagan, Aiden, and Master Bonham had effectively eliminated the remaining Knowms.

Noticing her, Aiden called out, "Nice work there, Zo-zo!"

"Shut up!" Zoe yelled back to him, running to convene with Master Bonham, who was standing over Lucas's unconscious body.

Hagan dismounted his horse. "Well, the bad news is now we're gonna have to deal with monsters all over town." He made his way over to Zoe and Master Bonham, observing the fallen red and green-cloaked foes as he passed. "You happen to see where Quinn went?"

"I was a little busy fighting for my life," Master Bonham answered, kneeling down beside Lucas.

Zoe's eyes widened; she gasped. "The disk fragment!!" Hastily scanning the front yard, her eyes landed on the body of the Crimson Clan member that she believed to be the one who had taken the fragment from her when she was captured in Ivyvyne Woods. She dropped her scythe and bolted as fast as she could toward the red-cloaked cadaver.

Simultaneously, Master Bonham placed his hand on Lucas and closed his eyes. "Lumen expletus sana." Lucas's body was illuminated by a bright radiance for an instant. Then, his eyes snapped open.

Lucas gasped. "What happened?!"

"Relax, everything's fine," Master Bonham informed him. "To be frank, I'm not really sure exactly what happened myself."

Hagan looked down at Lucas and smiled. "Hell of a battle, huh?"

Lucas sat up. "Hagan? What're you doing here?"

"I could hear the fighting all the way from Iris's parents' house," Hagan explained. "It sounded like things weren't going your way, so Aiden and I rode over to check it out."

"Is he alright?" Aiden yelled, standing beside Zoe as she frantically searched the fallen Crimson Clan member for the fragment.

"He's fine!" Hagan replied, giving a thumbs up.

As they spoke, Lucas darted his head around, taking note of the countless red and green-cloaked bodies. "Are those Knowms?"

"Those damn green-cloaked bastards came running up here with swords and bows," Master Bonham elaborated, rising to his feet. "I didn't have a choice but to take them out."

Hagan extended his hand to Lucas and helped him off the ground. He glanced back at the remains of the perilous conflict. "I think that's all the Knowms in town. It won't be long now before the monsters start rolling in."

"Dammit, that's just what we need," Master Bonham griped. "Well, I'm afraid I won't be much help. That defensive spell I was using drains an incredible amount of power for every minute it's active, and I just used the last bit of energy I had left to heal Lucas."

"I think I regained some of my power while I was unconscious," Lucas chimed in. Suddenly, it occurred to him. "Wait, where's Lord Quinn?"

"Isn't that the question of the day," Master Bonham remarked. "It seems to me he must've slipped off while I was busy with his body guards."

"Found it!" Zoe announced, displaying the golden disk fragment for everyone to see. She let out a sigh of relief. "That was too close."

Aiden marveled at the peculiar object. "So that's what a disk fragment looks like, huh?"

"Umbra obscurum fulgur."

In an abrupt dark-purple flash, Zoe was suddenly overcome with an intense, surging pain throughout her body as what felt like a hammer of molten lava struck her back. She convulsed, dropping the fragment and falling to the ground.

Aiden, Lucas, Master Bonham, and Hagan were utterly astonished by what they saw.

Standing with his fingers spread toward where Zoe had stood, Lord Quinn chuckled. "Why, thank you for fetching it for me, sweetheart."

###  Chapter 30: A Dreadful Turnaround

Though Aiden was unquestionably terrified by the ghastly assault that had just occurred right in front of him, he knew he would have to act quickly, or face a similar fate. His hands burst into flames. "Eat it, Quinn!!" He violently thrust his palms toward Lord Quinn, launching a rapid stream of fireballs.

His attack, however, while hastily executed, proved to be futile when Lord Quinn quickly spat out, "Umbra disseptum!" just in the nick of time, causing Aiden's fiery onslaught to be absorbed by dark voids. The strange black vortexes abruptly emerged and vanished in front of each fireball, swallowing the flames immediately before they had a chance to scorch their intended target.

Despite its obvious ineffectiveness, Aiden continued his steady offense. "Ya don't scare me with your dang shadowy crap!!" he yelled. "Ya gotta miss one sooner or later!!"

Meanwhile, Hagan, taking advantage of the distraction, carefully aimed an arrow at Lord Quinn. "Head shot." He fired the projectile, only to watch it disappear into another of Lord Quinn's voids. "Dammit!" He threw his weapon to the ground. "Guess that leaves me one option."

Aiden's hands suddenly resumed their normal state, swiftly ceasing his speedy assault. He panted, trembling both in fear and exhaustion, covered in sweat.

Lord Quinn pointed his index and middle fingers at him and smiled. "Finished already? Umbra–" In his peripheral vision, Lord Quinn spotted something large rushing directly toward him. He turned his head and saw Hagan, running at him with his fists clenched. Though Lord Quinn promptly redirected his pending spell's aim to the rapidly oncoming threat, he was unable to finish verbalizing the chant before Hagan delivered a powerful right hook to his jaw.

"You got a spell that can block my foot from flying up your ass?!" Hagan bellowed, following up with a hard left punch to Lord Quinn's stomach.

"Get him, buddy!" Aiden encouraged, slowly backing away as he struggled to catch his breath. He let out a whiskey-scented burp. "I'd help but, ya know...."

Hagan continued to wail on Lord Quinn until he at last knocked him to the ground.

"Get up!!" Hagan barked.

Badly bruised and beyond shaken up, Lord Quinn spotted one of many swords which had been dropped by the Knowms on the ground nearby. He thrust his arm toward it, barely reaching the weapon's hilt when his attempt was thwarted by Hagan's large boot stamping his arm.

"UMBRA ORBIS!!" Lord Quinn countered with a speedily conjured shadow orb, pegging Hagan in the chest and successfully freeing his arm long enough to grab the sword.

"Ignis orbis!" Hagan materialized a fire orb as Lord Quinn struggled to his feet, but alas, was not fast enough to throw his conjuration.

The fiery sphere vanished as Lord Quinn plunged the blade into Hagan's stomach.

Lucas gasped. "Hagan!"

"NO!!" Aiden screamed.

Blood trickled from the corner of Lord Quinn's mouth as his lips formed a smirk. "Do you have a spell that prevents me from gutting you like a fish?" He pulled the blade from Hagan, who collapsed in a bloody agony.

Panicked, Aiden hastily collected a spear from the ground and pointed it at Lord Quinn. "Stay back or I'll poke ya!!"

Master Bonham nudged Lucas's arm. "Do something!!" he sharply whispered.

"I can't," Lucas quickly answered, "I'm the only one left who can heal!"

Lord Quinn dropped the sword and pointed his fingers at Aiden. "A lightning rod; how convenient."

Aiden's eyes widened; he took several steps backward.

Suddenly, the thundering sound of swiftly approaching hooves was audible from the distant road.

Lord Quinn paused for a second or two, listening to the noise before shouting, "Umbra obscurum fulgur!!" zapping Aiden with a powerful surge of dark-purple lightning.

Aiden shook wildly, dropping the spear as he fell to the ground.

Lord Quinn powered through the pain of his injuries and darted to Zoe's body. _There it is!_ He collected the disk fragment. "At last. I have it. It's mine!!" He stuffed it in his pocket and faced Lucas and Master Bonham, who were still standing over near the school. "Unfortunately, it seems that I'm a bit pinched for time and will need to rectify things with you two on a later date! If you're wise, you'll stay put until I'm long gone!" He slouched, nearly stumbling to the ground as he dashed as quickly as he could to retrieve his sword.

Master Bonham clenched his fists. _That no-good son of a_ _–_ His eyes were drawn to the scythe Zoe had dropped beside him before she had run to search for the fragment. Without a second to spare, he reached for the weapon.

"Wait!" Lucas quietly commanded. "Look!" He pointed to the road.

Lord Quinn returned his elegant, jewel encrusted sword to its sheath and bolted toward Hagan's horse. "Farewell, my future loyal subjects!" he called as he clambered to the saddle. He grabbed the reins and took off toward the road. It was then that he saw a woman riding toward the school with long silver hair. _Ha, it's just some silly woman. I was concerned that a threat was on the way._

"Glacies stiria telum!" she shouted, unexpectedly sending a razor-sharp icicle missile whizzing directly at him.

Startled, Lord Quinn threw his body to the right, scarcely dodging.

"Almost got him," Master Bonham remarked. "COME ON IRIS!! KILL THAT BASTARD!!"

Using his left hand, Lord Quinn pointed at her with his index and middle fingers. "Umbra fulgur sphaera!!" he shouted, firing off a ball of dark-purple lightning as he rode past her.

Anticipating the retaliation, Iris conjured a small diamond-shaped shield of ice, which materialized in mid-air between her and Lord Quinn's spell. Both the barrier and the electric sphere were destroyed when his conjuration collided with it.

Iris was about to chase him when she caught sight of Hagan. She gasped, immediately taking off toward her injured companion.

"I'll heal him!!" Lucas called to her. "Go after Quinn; he has the fragment!!"

Iris gave a nod, promptly changing her course.

###  Chapter 31: The Pursuit

Iris sped down the road after Lord Quinn as fast as her horse would carry her. _His head start has given him an unfortunate advantage; it's doubtful that I will be able to get much closer. I must impede his progress from here._ "Glacies orbis!" With her eyes fixed on Lord Quinn in the distance, she shot an ice orb straight forward, hoping that the unanticipated attack would cause him to lose his balance.

Alas, while the accuracy of her strike proved to be spot on, it only served to alert Lord Quinn of her presence. "AHH!!" The orb smashed into his back, causing his upper body to lunge forward and sending him into a brief struggle to remain seated on his saddle, though he ultimately maintained control of his horse.

Lord Quinn quickly glanced back at Iris. _So, this is how you want to do it, hm?_ "Umbra sentis ampelos!"

Iris gasped as four solid black vines covered in thorns burst from the road behind Lord Quinn's horse, growing to a height of seven feet in less than a second before curving to extend at the same alarming rate toward her.

Iris threw her body to the left, prompting her horse to swiftly veer to the edge of the road as the prickly plants zoomed by. Once she had navigated past the vines' point of origin, she hastily resumed her position on the road. _I cannot allow him time to strike again._ "Glacies stiria telum!" She fired an icicle missile at Lord Quinn's back with incredible precision, but barely missed her unsuspecting target when he unexpectedly turned down a side road.

Once he had rounded the corner, Lord Quinn peeked over his shoulder. _Magnificent. Even if she somehow manages to make it out of the despairing thorns alive, she'll never catch me in time._ He glanced over his shoulder again, only this time, Iris had emerged from around the corner and was in plain view, tenaciously pursuing him. "DAMMIT!! How did she...?! UGH!!"

*** * * ***

His body aglow, Hagan's wound gradually closed and eventually vanished.

"That should do it." Lucas removed his hand from Hagan's body and stood up.

"Come on, Muscles," Master Bonham said, "wake up!"

Hagan's eyes snapped open.

Lucas smiled, extending his hand to help him up.

"Is everyone alright?" Hagan asked, taking his ally's hand and slowly rising to his feet, nearly pulling Lucas to the ground as he did. "Sorry."

Lucas chuckled. "I forgot you're a bit stronger than I am. Aiden and Zoe are still down, but I should have enough power left to heal them."

Hagan gave a nod. "Good." He scanned the area. "I guess Quinn got away."

"Kind of," Lucas replied. "He stole your horse and started to ride off, then Iris showed up just in time. She's chasing him down right now."

Hagan's jaw dropped. "By herself?!"

*** * * ***

"Glacies stiria telum!" Iris attempted yet again to strike Lord Quinn with an icicle missile, but unfortunately, he had become wise to her tactics; her spell merely disappeared into a black void as it neared him. _Oh my, that spell is certainly going to cause some difficulties._

Lord Quinn glanced back at her. _She just won't give up, will she?_ He zeroed in on a narrow stone bridge crossing a creek a short distance ahead of him. _This should do the trick._ After he had traversed the bridge, he promptly thrust his palm backward and exclaimed, "Umbra nil pestis torren!"

Iris's eyes widened as a solid black beam exploded from Lord Quinn's hand, shooting directly behind him, over the bridge and straight toward her. With no other option but to swerve off of the road yet again, Iris found herself speeding directly toward the creek.

Lord Quinn smirked. _That should put an end to this nonsense._ Nevertheless, when he checked behind him, he was flabbergasted to witness Iris successfully jumping the horse over the creek before speedily and safely returning to the road. "Honestly, again?!" Gnashing his teeth, he tightened his grip on the reins. _It seems that this one is going to require drastic measures._

Iris lifted her right hand into the air. "Glacies crystallos discus!" A snowflake-shaped discus with razor-sharp edges materialized in her free hand. _Considering that I'm unable to attack him directly...._ She set her sight on a dead tree bordering the road ahead of Lord Quinn.

As she threw her conjuration, Lord Quinn pointed his finger behind him and bellowed, "Umbra magus prohibere perpetuus!!" in an effort to jinx his steadfast pursuer, unaware of the spell's futility against her protective sapphire earrings. At that moment, Iris's snowflake sliced through the decaying trunk of the dead roadside tree shortly ahead of him, sending it toppling toward the street. Swiftly perceiving the imminent hazard, Lord Quinn immediately ducked and conjured a powerful blast of dark-purple lightning, blowing it to pieces. Although he was still struck by a few small chunks of loose wood, he effectively avoided being crushed without sacrificing speed. _I hope you've had your little laugh, woman. I'll be certain to remember your face when I'm king._

_Impressive,_ Iris thought after witnessing Lord Quinn's narrow evasion of her trap. _My only remaining alternative is to injure the horse._ "Glaci–" A massive black crystal with a wide base suddenly emerged from the ground ahead of her, making the entire path, including the edge of the road, impassable. Startled, she pulled back on the reins, coming to a halt in front of the bizarre blockade. "No!!"

The distant sound of thundering hooves speeding into the woods echoed from behind the crystal.

*** * * ***

Iris was on her way back to the school when she saw Hagan quickly riding toward her from the opposite direction. She halted and waved at him, relieved to see that he had successfully recovered from his potentially fatal injury.

"Are you alright?" Hagan inquired as he slowed to a stop beside her. "Lucas told me you went after Quinn on your own and I freaked out."

"I'm fine," Iris answered, "though I was regrettably unable to retrieve the fragment. His proficiency in elemental conjuring is incredible, unfortunately beyond my own."

Hagan sighed. "Damn. Well, I guess the big question now is: where do we go from here?"

"Indeed," Iris agreed. "I suppose we should begin by returning to the school and devising a strategy."

"Alright," said Hagan. "I've got to be honest though; it's not looking too good."

###  Chapter 32: Setting Off/The Big Brutal Botanical Blockade

Once Iris and Hagan had returned to the school, they met with Lucas, Master Bonham, and the recently recovered Aiden and Zoe. After discussing the situation's developments, Zoe informed the group that the only remaining option was to leave for Nazareno Island immediately.

"Would it be possible to make a quick detour to my parents' home?" Iris requested. "I departed for the school without much explanation. I'm certain my mother is worried."

Zoe shook her head. "There's no time; we've got to leave now. Javan's too far ahead of us as it is."

"Speakin' of which," Aiden chimed in, "how exactly are ya plannin' to stop him? He's already got a big jump on us, and even if we tail him all the way to the temple, he's just gonna cream us with the legendary power thingy the second we show up."

"I know it looks bad," Zoe firmly replied, "but we can't give up. Javan is completely insane; the havoc he could cause is unimaginable, and we're the only ones around with any chance of stopping him. I'll be honest with you; I don't have a plan. The most we can do is try to beat him to the temple. If I remember correctly, there should be a gateway not far from here. We can reach Nazareno Island a lot faster through the In Between than by traveling in Aria. We've just got to hope Javan doesn't have the same idea."

"Okay, let's do it," Lucas affirmed.

Master Bonham raised an eyebrow. "The In Between...?"

"It's a little much to explain right now," Hagan answered.

"Whatever," Master Bonham remarked. "Look, I'm still pretty damn confused about just what's going on here, but what I do know is, now that the Knowms are gone, monsters are gonna start pouring into Ivyvyne Village at any time – and I've already reached my conjuring limit fighting off Quinn's cronies."

Iris gasped. "That hadn't even occurred to me! My family will require my protection – perhaps I should remain here."

"Ya can't!" Aiden interjected. "Did ya see what Quinn can do?! We're gonna need all the help we can get!"

"I apologize," Iris responded, "but I cannot knowingly leave my family in peril."

Hagan thought for a second. "Wait." He looked at Iris. "Did you bring any of those swamp water potions with you?"

Iris was clearly puzzled by his inquiry.

"You know," Hagan elaborated, "the stuff you were brewing earlier; you said it restores conjuring abilities without having to sleep."

"If you're referring to the Renovamen Elixir," Iris answered, "then yes. In fact, I packed an abundant supply of potions in the saddlebag prior to my departure."

"Well," Hagan went on, "why don't we give Master Bonham a bottle so he can keep the peace while we're gone?"

"While that is an excellent proposal," Iris replied, "even a mage of Master Bonham's caliber will be unable to defend the entire village without assistance."

Zoe crossed her arms. "What part of 'we need to leave now' is everyone not understanding?! Javan's on his way to the temple with both of the fragments as we speak!" She turned to Iris. "Your family, and everyone for that matter, is going to be a lot worse off if we let him get away! Now let's MOVE!"

"Zo-zo's right guys," Aiden commented. "So what's it gonna be, Iris? Ya comin' or stayin'?"

Iris contemplated in silence.

"We could really use your help," Lucas added. "Lord Quinn's a lot stronger than I'd even imagined, and you're more experienced with conjuring than most of us. Having you along could make all the difference."

Iris looked as though she was about to respond but, instead, continued to weigh her options in silence.

Taking note of the steadily increasing impatience in Zoe's demeanor, Hagan decided to speak up. "Besides," he told Iris, "the village is only gonna be in danger for a little while. Once Ashraf's knights show up for their normal duties and see what's going on, they'll take care of everything."

"Very well," Iris finally answered. She started toward her horse. "Please allow me a moment to prepare my satchel. I believe it would be wise for us to restore our elemental centers to their optimum conjuring potential prior to our departure as well."

*** * * ***

"Lumen illumino!" Lucas conjured a ball of light to illuminate the dark passage as he and his companions entered the cave.

"I didn't see a horse outside," Hagan pointed out. "Maybe Quinn didn't think to go this way after all."

Zoe glanced over at him. "He might've taken a different gateway. This is the closest one to my knowledge, but it's not necessarily the only one out here."

"Do you have an approximation for our time of arrival on Nazareno Island?" Iris asked.

"Not really," Zoe replied. "I know it'll take us at least a few hours in the In Between, but that's not counting the time we'll spend here. The gateway's pretty far in."

"Beats the crap outta sailin'," Aiden remarked.

The corridor was silent for the next minute or two as the group ventured farther, the only exceptions being the sound of their footsteps and the occasional resonating pop of dripping water. When the eerie hush was unexpectedly broken by Hagan's voice bellowing, "AH, DAMMIT!!" all four of his startled companions instantly froze in their tracks and turned to him.

"What is it?" Zoe immediately inquired, quickly placing a hand on the scythe secured to her back.

Hagan looked at her, his expression projecting immense disappointment. "I didn't bring my flask."

Zoe rolled her eyes and continued to walk, stifling her commentary.

"Honestly, Hagan," Iris said sternly as the group proceeded onward, "I cannot even fathom a more inappropriate situation in which to prioritize your supply of whiskey."

"Hey now," Aiden asserted, "if Quinn ends up turnin' into some kinda super-powered freak and tears the world in half, you're gonna wish we had alcohol."

Iris's eyes cut to him. "Hardly."

"Come on guys," Lucas interjected, "let's try to keep quiet. We don't know what all could be in here waiting for us."

The cave's winding passage continued to take the five heroes deeper and deeper into the ground. Along the way, they reached several junctions, at the first of which Zoe advised them, "Always take the left." Other than the tedious repetition of junctions and long, twisted corridors, the group's journey through the cavern was mostly uneventful.

Then, without warning, Iris let out a shrill, horrifying shriek.

Promptly reacting to the unknown disturbance, Lucas unsheathed his sword, Zoe gripped her scythe, and Aiden's hands burst into flames.

"What's wrong?!" Hagan inquired as Iris fearfully bolted to hide behind him. He looked over his shoulder. "Iris, what the hell?!"

"RAAAAT!!" Iris screamed in his ear, pointing toward a fleeing rodent near the opposite wall.

Zoe grunted, putting away her scythe and angrily murmuring to herself as she proceeded down the corridor.

"Relax," Hagan said soothingly. "Look, it's running away. You scared the little guy half to death."

"I DON'T CARE," Iris quickly spat out, "IT'S STILL IN HERE SOMEWHERE!!"

Aiden's hands extinguished. "What? Come on Iris, I thought ya were supposed to be the level-headed one."

Sheathing his sword, Lucas caught up to Zoe. "How much longer?"

"Just a little farther," she grumbled.

Lucas glanced back at Iris and watched as Hagan desperately tried to persuade her to keep moving. He returned his attention to Zoe. "Sorry. Iris is afraid of rodents."

"Really?" Zoe sarcastically muttered.

After he and Zoe had walked a little bit more, Iris abruptly emitted another ear-piercing cry of terror.

"LUCAS," Hagan called, "THE LIGHT!! FOR GOD SAKES, BRING BACK THE LIGHT!!"

At that moment, Lucas realized that the luminous sphere he had conjured had followed him as he walked alongside Zoe, leaving Iris, Hagan, and Aiden in the dark. "Lumen illumino!" He hastily conjured a second light and sent it whizzing down the corridor to his companions. "Sorry!"

"Thanks," Hagan replied.

Zoe glanced back at the commotion. _Ugh... maybe I would've been better off on my own...._

Eventually, the group rounded the last corner of the final passage and found themselves approaching a vast room with a massive underground lake. A long, narrow natural bridge of stone crossed high above the water to the cliff which held the gateway. To their surprise, however, the lone crossing was completely covered in a strange lime-green, gelatin-like substance all the way across.

The heroes halted.

"What is that stuff?" Lucas inquired.

"I'm not sure," Zoe answered. "This is actually a Knowm-built gateway we're using – it could be some kind of trap they put in after realizing Spades were accessing their portal."

Hagan scratched his head. "Then how are we supposed to get across?"

"Duh," Aiden replied, "we take the bridge! Come on, it's just some slimy crap." He approached the crossing.

Lucas grabbed him. "Aiden, wait!"

"Let him go," Zoe asserted. She smirked. "He can be our guinea pig."

"Screw you!" Aiden snapped. "I'm gettin' real sick of your little 'listen to me; I have the best plan' attitude! Ya know, me, Lucas, Hagan, and Iris were doin' just fine 'til ya showed up and started bossin' everyone around! There ain't nothin' here to worry 'bout, and I'll prove it to ya!" He continued toward the bridge. "It's freakin' slime!" He placed one foot in the goop. "See? I'M FINE! Wow! That was SOOOO hard! How am I EVER going to make it to the portal?!" He took another step. When he went to pick up his first foot to take yet another step, however, he discovered that both of his feet had become adhered to the ground by the strange substance. He struggled, striving to continue walking, but to no avail.

Zoe crossed her arms. "What's wrong? Stuck?"

"I ain't stuck...!!" Aiden lied. "I'm just... ya know... chillin' for a sec. Enjoyin' the view. I'll get movin' in a minute." He tugged at his leg. "Dang foot musta fallen asleep, ha...."

"Ugh." Hagan approached his immobilized comrade. "I'll get him." He grabbed Aiden's arms and tugged as hard as he could, unsuccessfully attempting to pull him out of the mysterious goop's grasp. "Dammit!" He released his grip on Aiden and turned to the group. "Any ideas?"

"Leave him and find another way," Zoe suggested.

"Can it, short stack!" Aiden barked. His hands ignited. "Let's see how it stands up to heat." He tossed a few fireballs toward the ground a little farther along on the bridge, but they merely fizzled out with a loud hiss the moment they touched the sticky, green substance. "Ya gotta be kiddin'!" His hands extinguished. "What the heck is this crap?!"

"It's just slime," Zoe mocked, mimicking Aiden's voice.

"Yeah, yeah," Aiden muttered. "Does anyone have anythin' useful to say?!"

Hagan shrugged. "You're screwed."

"Bite me," Aiden jeered. "I meant Iris or Lucas – ya know, my REAL friends!"

"Sorry, Aiden," Lucas answered, "you're going to have to give us a minute to come up with something. We've never encountered anything like this."

Hearing Lucas's words, Zoe was suddenly reminded of her and Alex's run-in with the giant spider web in the forest near Belmont Village. "Hold on, I just remembered," she said, "I've actually dealt with something similar before." She turned to Iris. "Do you know how to channel elemental energy into objects?"

"We've got trouble!!" Hagan abruptly shouted, pointing to the ceiling far above Aiden's head.

The group immediately directed their attention upward, and at that very moment, they discovered that the distant roof of the vast room was completely covered by countless green vines, all of which were shifting and moving, causing the ceiling to appear as though it were carpeted with snakes. In the middle of the mass of vines was a huge flower, at least fifty feet in diameter, with gigantic dark-purple petals. The blossom's center was slowly opening, revealing what appeared to be an exceptionally massive mouth containing innumerable rows of razor-sharp, triangular teeth and a long tongue, all of which were coated with the same lime-green substance covering the narrow stone bridge below. Simultaneously, they noticed that several of the vines had been gradually growing down toward Aiden the entire time he had been trapped in the goop, and were already well over halfway to capturing their delectable prey.

"HOLY FREAKIN' CRAP!!" Aiden frightfully hollered, excessively wiggling and shaking in a vain effort to free himself. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?!" Losing his balance in his panicked state, he fell forward, causing both of his arms, most of his body, and part of his face to become stuck to the slime as well.

"AIDEN!!" Hagan barked. "Calm down!! You're just gonna make everything worse!" He spun back toward his companions. "Okay, ideas, fast."

Iris raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps you should consider employing your fire abilities?"

Hagan's expression went blank. "I knew that." He turned around and pointed both of his palms at the vines which were continuing to slowly inch their way toward Aiden. "Ignis sterno!"

The colossal plant's mouth roared a horrifying, deafening scream as Hagan scorched the hanging vines with sweeping flames. Quickly set ablaze, the skinny, green appendages flailed wildly, speedily whipping back and forth, in stark contrast to the gradual rate of movement they had previously exhibited. Although this was an apparent attempt by the massive plant to extinguish the flames, the rapid movement only caused the fire to spread at a faster rate up the vines.

"I think that did it," Lucas commented.

Hagan smirked. "Now we just let the fire do its thing." He glanced back at Iris, shooting her a thumbs up.

It seemed that Hagan had had the plant beat, but in a surprising turn of events, the burning vines suddenly shot toward the mouth at the flower's center, which promptly spat out a large glob of the lime-green goop, almost instantly extinguishing the majority of the fire. The mouth's tongue, also coated in the substance, then extended to a surprising length to douse the lingering flames.

"Ah, really?" Hagan remarked.

"What happened?!" Aiden yelled, unable to view what was occurring with his face and body adhered to the ground. "Dammit, this sucks!!"

The plant then emitted another terrifying roar as hundreds of vines suddenly shot downward toward the entire group.

Iris, Lucas, and Zoe jumped, alarmed by the swift and unanticipated assault.

"Ignis sterno!!" Hagan promptly retaliated with another barrage of flames, temporarily warding off the botanical attacker yet again.

"We should try aiming for the flower," Lucas hastily suggested. He looked at Zoe. "Why don't you use that one big spell you did out in the woods?"

"Are you insane?!" Zoe snapped. "I'll destroy the entire cave; we'll be crushed!"

"I've got an idea," Hagan interjected. He lifted his arms over his head. "Everyone stand back! Ignis gigas sphaera!!" A small fireball materialized far above his hands and rapidly expanded to immense proportions.

But just as the fiery sphere neared a diameter of approximately five and a half feet, another group of vines zoomed downward from the ceiling high above, heading directly toward Hagan. "More vines!!" he called. "Cover me – this one's for the flower!!"

"Glacies crystallos discus!" Iris conjured a sharp, snowflake-shaped discus and promptly tossed it as the mass of vines wrapped around Hagan's torso. The snowflake whizzed past him before quickly hooking around to sever the vines, freeing Hagan and causing the gargantuan flower to shriek in agony.

"WHAT THE HELL'S GOIN' ON?!" Aiden worriedly yelled, desperately trying again and again to hoist himself off of the ground. Nevertheless, he was no match for the adhesive slime and only caused more of his body to become trapped.

"Just hang on, Aiden!" Lucas called back to him.

Aiden's eyebrows lowered. "I AIN'T GOT A CHOICE!!"

Hagan's enormous fireball, at a whopping nine feet in diameter, had at last reached its maximum size. Carefully aiming for the flower, he launched his gigantic conjuration. It sped through the air, straight toward its intended target, but when it neared, the flower's massive mouth opened wide, dwarfing the fireball in comparison. The flower's slime-coated tongue abruptly emerged from the mouth, licking the colossal burning sphere out of existence in the blink of an eye.

Lucas and Iris gasped.

"No way!!" Hagan shouted.

Zoe quickly grabbed her scythe. "Great, now we've pissed it off even more!"

"You have a better idea?!" Hagan argued.

"Incoming!!" Iris warned as countless vines darted from the ceiling to counterattack the group.

Lucas unsheathed his sword. _There has to be some spell I can use. UGH, if only I'd had a chance to reach advanced!_

"Ignis sterno!!" Luckily for the heroes, Hagan was able to ward off the majority of the vines with another sweeping inferno attack. Despite this, a fair portion of the plant's appendages narrowly shot by him, unscathed, and continued toward the group, leaving Iris, Zoe, and Lucas to fend for themselves.

Lucas's sword proved to be an effective gardening tool; he speedily cut himself free of the vines' grasp. Immediately, he snapped his head to Iris, whose arms and torso were completely ensnared. "IRIS!!" He bolted toward her, but at that very second, a snowflake discus zoomed through the vines, cutting her free. Lucas sighed with relief and hastily turned to check on Zoe, who stood triumphantly, gripping her scythe over a pile of dead vines. He then directed his attention back to Hagan, who was desperately hurling fire orbs at another mass of vines incessantly reaching for Aiden.

"GET IT OFF, GET IT OFF!!" Aiden begged, overwhelmingly disturbed by the sensation of the encroaching vegetation.

"Ignis orbis!!" Nothing materialized. Hagan clenched his fists. "DAMMIT; I'm drained!!" He glanced at Zoe. "Get him free!" He darted to Iris. "Swamp water, now!"

Zoe dashed as close to Aiden as she could get and furiously swiped her scythe to cut the vines away from him.

"Is that you Zo-zo?!" Aiden shouted, his fright bringing him to the verge of tears. "Don't let it eat me!!"

"Stop calling me Zo-zo!!" Zoe yelled.

Meanwhile, Lucas gazed up at the colossal flower. _We're running out of time; I've got to come up with something now!_ The flower's mouth opened wide to douse a cluster of burning vines. _That mouth is enormous; it'll just swallow anything I throw at it!_ His eyes widened. _That's it!!_

Lucas thrust his arms in the direction of the distant flower. "Lumen fluctus!" A tiny ball of light materialized at the edge of his palms. With his sight set on his target and his mind in a state of deep concentration, Lucas's puny spell took off toward the massive mouth.

"Hurry up, Hagan!!" Zoe shouted, noticing another large group of slithery green appendages quickly zooming down from the cavern's ceiling for another mass attack as she continued severing vine after vine away from Aiden.

Hagan, hurriedly handing the bottle containing the slim remainder of the Renovamen Elixir he had been drinking back to Iris, bolted to defend the group from the pending assault.

Lucas's small conjuration zoomed into the flower's mouth, apparently unnoticed by the plant. _Here it goes._ The tiny ball of light rapidly expanded into a broad U-shaped wave, inflicting so much pain on the unsuspecting plant that it promptly ceased its imminent attack, emanating a thunderous roar. The vines darted toward the mouth, frantically seeking the source of the abrupt disturbance.

Lucas snapped his head to Hagan. "Now – while it's distracted!"

Although Hagan was surprised and a bit confused by the sudden turn of events, he immediately thrust his arms up into the air and shouted, "Ignis gigas sphaera!" As another gigantic fireball was forming over his head, he glanced back at his companions. "Keep it distracted! Hit it with everything you've got!"

Complying, Lucas hurled light orbs at the massive flower, Iris launched icicle missiles, and Zoe shot a round of electric spheres.

Aiden, overhearing the sounds of his allies' attacks and no longer feeling the chilling presence of the vines, shouted to his comrades, "I dunno what's happenin', but it sounds awesome!"

This time setting his sight on the flower's petals, Hagan carefully aimed, waiting for just the right moment before abruptly lofting the bulky fireball. It shot through the air, unnoticed by the mammoth plant which was not only tremendously distressed by the heroes' constant attacks, but still coping with the affliction of Lucas's light wave.

Hagan's fiery sphere exploded against one of the flower's enormous petals, instantly setting it ablaze. Though the plant attempted to douse the fire with its tongue, the flames spread far too quickly, sweeping to consume both the surrounding vines and the exterior of the flower.

All the while, Lucas, Iris, and Zoe continued to hinder its efforts by aiming their attacks at the tongue while Hagan conjured and threw another large fireball. In a matter of minutes, the gigantic plant was entirely engulfed in flames. When it at last ceased its deafening roars, the group discontinued their assault.

"Alright, Aiden," Hagan announced, gazing at the flames on the distant ceiling, "I think it's finally over."

Aiden, who was almost completely covered in slime, let out a sigh of relief. "Good to hear."

Hagan turned to Lucas. "What'd you do, anyway? It all happened so fast."

"When it opened its mouth," Lucas answered, "I realized it'd swallow whatever I threw at it. So I conjured a light wave, but before I expanded it, I sent it into the flower. I guess the spell was so tiny that the plant didn't even know it was there, and well, I finished the attack once it was inside. I figured it'd at least distract the flower for a bit, if anything."

"Nice," Hagan remarked.

Iris smiled, "Indeed."

"Ha! Leave it to Lucas to come up with somethin' flat out brilliant!" Aiden praised. He paused. "So, uh... how 'bout gettin' me outta here now, eh?"

Hagan inspected the goop. "Yeah, good luck with that, pal."

"Ya better be jokin'!" Aiden barked. "Hey Zo-zo, weren't ya sayin' somethin' earlier 'bout some way to get me outta this stuff?"

"My name's ZOE! Z-O-E!"

"Z-o-e?" Aiden repeated. "I thought it was Z-o-e-y. Z-o-e sounds like 'Zoh.'"

Zoe clenched her fists, but refrained from losing her temper. _Ugh!! We don't have time for this!_ She quickly turned to Iris. "Try channeling your Ice magic into the slime. Then maybe we can melt it, get him out, and be on our way."

Iris's eyebrows lifted. "That's a rather inventive recommendation; I'll certainly try." She approached Aiden. "Maybe I should channel through the stone, and from it to the slime – as to avoid becoming adhered myself in the event I'm unsuccessful." Kneeling down, she placed her hand on the stone floor about a foot away from the slime. "Glacies lubricus fascino." The ground beneath her hand became encased in ice. The spell then quickly spread toward the narrow stone bridge, rendering the lime-green substance in a frozen, solidified state.

"AHHHH!!!" Aiden screamed. "Cold! Really freakin' cold!!"

Iris winced. "Sorry. Try activating your power."

Aiden's hands burst into flames, almost instantly melting the green ice into a harmless liquid which poured over the edge of the bridge and into the water below. He swiftly freed the remainder of his body. "Ah, much better!" He then rejoined his companions, pointing to Iris and commenting, "Thanks, Snow Fox!"

"Excuse me?" Iris responded, perplexed.

"It's a nickname!" Aiden clarified. "We used to make up names for each other in the Cobras. See, you're clever and ya use Ice magic – Snow Fox!"

Iris's expression remained unchanged. "You're certainly welcome, but I'm not particularly fond of being referred to as 'Snow Fox.' Regardless, you should probably thank Zoe for the idea; I simply acted on it."

"We need to move NOW!" Zoe interrupted. "We've already spent way too much time on that stupid plant! Every second we waste, Javan gets closer to the temple!" She inspected the bridge. "Hagan or Aiden needs to melt the rest of this green crap so we can get to the portal without slipping off the bridge."

Hagan gave a nod. "I got it." He approached the narrow stone crossing.

Aiden glanced at Zoe, quickly muttering, "Thanks."

"Shut up," she coldly replied.

Aiden gave a nod. "You're the boss, Zo-zo." Zoe delivered a swift punch to his arm. "OW, dammit!"

"Ignis planitia verrunt!" Hagan shouted. A large flame rushed from the ground and promptly swept across the bridge, melting the remainder of the frozen green goop as it traveled. Once the spell had reached the other side, the fire vanished. "That'll do it," Hagan remarked, proceeding toward the gateway. The group followed closely behind him.

###  Chapter 33: Knowms And Everything In Between

Hagan was the first of the heroes to emerge in the In Between, followed by Zoe, Lucas, then Aiden. Iris, who appeared last, swept her messy hair away from her face to reveal an expression of great discontent.

"Still not your cup of tea, huh?" Hagan asked, suppressing his laughter.

"I despise those portals," she bitterly answered, using her fingers to brush her hair.

Lucas inspected the surrounding area. "Alright, Zoe. Which way do we go?"

Zoe started walking. "Follow me."

"This place is awesome!" Aiden declared as he and the group walked behind her. "Didn't ya say it's some kinda afterlife world or somethin'? Am I gonna go here when I die? Why the heck am I so afraid of dyin'?!"

Zoe rolled her eyes. "This is the In Between; souls only pass through here. You're thinking of the Netherworld. Besides, you're here in a physical state. There's no telling how confusing and tormenting it really is to souls who've become lost here on their way to the other side."

"Then what's the Netherworld like?" Aiden asked. "I wanna check it out too."

"No one can 'check out' the Netherworld until they're dead," Zoe coldly answered. "Even if we could, now's not the time."

"Well, why not?" Aiden inquired. "We got here; there's gotta be some portal or somethin' that'll take us there. Plus, if ya ask me, there's no better time to check it out than now – we'll probably all end up dead soon anyway."

"Aiden!" Iris snapped.

Aiden shrugged. "What? Let's get the tour!"

"Good to know you're feeling confident," Hagan mumbled.

Lucas could tell that Zoe was beyond irritated at Aiden's constant questioning. "We're not going to die, Aiden," he said. "You've got to have more faith than that. And, to answer your question, there's no way to enter the Netherworld in a physical form. The In Between is a buffer zone – it's like a mix of our physical world and the Netherworld. That's why we're able to come here through gateways and walk around while living."

"Ohhhh," Aiden said, "gotcha."

"At least someone's been paying attention," Zoe grumbled.

The heroes had ventured through the bleak, colorless landscape of the In Between for approximately twenty minutes when Aiden unexpectedly blurted, "Hey, I know how we can pass the time! Let's come up with nicknames for everyone!"

"Pass," Hagan immediately replied.

"We can call Hagan 'Muscles,'" Aiden said, blatantly ignoring Hagan's words. "That's what Bonham called him anyway. I always kinda liked it. I'll be 'Dragon,' 'cause, ya know, the fire thing. We already got 'Zo-zo' and 'Snow Fox'... now we just need one for Lucas."

Zoe's eyebrows lowered. "If you call me Zo-zo one more time–"

"Shh!" Hagan suddenly shushed, halting. "You hear that?"

The group froze and listened intently.

Zoe's eyes darted about, scanning the numerous trees and plant life surrounding them. She quickly snapped her head to the right and pointed. "Over there," she whispered, picking up the sound of distant rustling.

"What is it?" Lucas softly inquired.

"Knowms, most likely," she answered. "They're probably out soul hunting." She kept walking. "Come on, we don't have time to lose. Step lightly and try not to speak for a while. If they see us, they see us – we'll just have to deal with them."

Heeding her words, the group quietly pressed onward. Nevertheless, a mere minute or two had passed when an arrow suddenly shot from the brush, soaring right by Lucas and into a tree.

He hastily unsheathed his sword. "Alright, I don't think we've got a choice now."

Hagan grabbed his bow. "I don't see anyone," he commented, preparing an arrow of his own, "but I think it came from over there." His eyes widened. "HEADS!!" He ducked, barely dodging another arrow. "Hit the ground!!" he ordered, aimlessly firing his arrow toward their attackers' general direction.

His companions complied with his command. All but Zoe, that is, who was incredibly irked by the hindrance to their progress.

"Do not resist!" a voice shouted from behind the thick brush where the arrows had emerged.

"Shut up!!" Zoe hollered back, thrusting her arms toward the voice. "Umbra obscurum fulgur torren!!" With a loud clash, a massive black torrent intertwined with swirling bolts of dark-purple lightning exploded from her hands and into the brush, annihilating the plant life and the Knowms who were concealed by it in an instant. The beam then disappeared, leaving behind a wide path of devastated trees and vegetation. "Fucking Knowms!" she griped, proceeding onward as Iris, Hagan, and Aiden looked on in silent astonishment.

Lucas glanced at his comrades. "I told you she was good."

The heroes' next hour in the In Between was relatively mundane, save a few mild arguments between Zoe and Aiden, until they were met with yet another unanticipated obstacle – a broad, roaring river of gray water.

"Dammit, seriously?!" Zoe shouted as they approached the rushing water. She grunted, proceeding to angrily elaborate, "There's supposed to be a bridge!"

"Whaddya think happened?" Aiden asked. "Knowms?"

"Maybe Lord Quinn took it out," Lucas suggested.

"I don't know," Zoe asserted, "and I don't care. Let's just try to find some way to get to the other side."

Hagan gazed at the water. "We could swim, but it's a little far."

Iris shook her head. "The current is far too swift. Might I suggest creating a makeshift bridge?"

"How?" Hagan responded. "We could use a tree or something, but we don't have anything to cut them down with."

"I don't think any of these trees are tall enough anyway," Lucas added.

Zoe gnashed her teeth before abruptly exploding with rage. "UUUGGHH!! I can't believe this!! Javan could be opening the temple RIGHT NOW and we can't do a damn thing about it because of some stupid river!!"

"Cool it, Zo-zo," Aiden chimed in. "Ya ain't gonna help nothin' by gettin' all–"

"STOP FUCKING CALLING ME ZO-ZO!!" Zoe roared, her voice resonating.

Iris and Hagan were silent, somewhat fearful to speak up after witnessing her impeccable offensive capabilities with Shadow magic.

"Zoe," Lucas said sternly, "he's right. You need to calm down."

Zoe snapped her head to him, still bearing an expression of blinding fury.

"I know this whole thing's been frustrating," Lucas went on, "I'm frustrated too. But getting angry isn't going to get us across this river. If we're going to have even a slim chance of stopping Lord Quinn, we're going to have to continue to approach our problems rationally, no matter how irritating the situation becomes."

Zoe chewed her lip for a moment. Then, she shut her eyes and let out a long sigh. "Okay," she finally said, opening her eyes again. "Does anyone have any ideas?"

"Honestly," Lucas replied, "I think Iris was onto something with that bridge idea."

Aiden turned to Iris. "Ya froze the slimy crap earlier. Can't ya just freeze the water?"

"An excellent suggestion," Iris commented, "but, unfortunately, the rapid current will likely prevent me from being able to create anything capable of supporting our weight..." she approached the water, "or even reaching the other side, for that matter. Regardless, I will make an attempt."

A smug smile appeared on Aiden's face; he looked at Zoe. "See? I ain't such a moron after all, huh?"

Zoe refrained from responding.

Kneeling down, Iris grazed the surface of the rushing, gray water with her hand and said, "Glacies lubricus fascino." The water in close proximity to her hand abruptly solidified into ice, but swiftly floated down the river before she was able to expand it. "Freezing the water appears to be out of the question," she remarked, removing her hand from the river and standing up.

"Let's keep thinking," Lucas encouraged, "there's got to be some way...."

"Uh, guys?" Aiden worriedly said. "What the heck is this thing?"

His companions turned their attention to him and noticed a small, bright sphere hovering about a foot from his nose.

"Relax, it's just a soul," Zoe explained. She looked back at the river. "It looks like we're running out of options. We'll have to take our chances swimming."

Hagan gave a nod. "Alright. I'll go first."

"We can't," Iris interjected. "I apologize, but I'm afraid I never learned how to swim."

"Me neither," Aiden added. "We didn't have much water where I grew up. We were more about dune sleddin' than swimmin'."

"I'm not much of a swimmer either," Zoe confessed, "but we don't really have a choice right now."

Lucas shook his head. "We can't take a risk like that. We already know the current's strong, and there's no telling just how deep the water really is. Maybe we should just walk down the bank and see if we can find somewhere more suitable to cross. If we're lucky, it narrows farther down."

Without warning, the soul that had been hanging around Aiden suddenly darted toward the river, stopping about halfway across and hovering in place. Its swift movement caught the attention of the group, who watched as it then slowly lowered toward the water before abruptly expanding to form a shining bridge of light. Needless to say, the heroes were absolutely dumbfounded by the puzzling occurrence.

Zoe dashed toward the crossing without hesitation. "Yes! Thank you, whoever you are!"

"Zoe, hold on!" Lucas apprehensively warned.

But by the time she halted and turned back to him, Zoe had already taken several steps onto the bridge. "Come on, let's go before it disappears!" She rushed to the other side.

Witnessing her safe crossing, Hagan followed suit, and soon after, Aiden, Iris, and Lucas.

Once the heroes were standing on the opposite bank, the bridge promptly reverted to its small, spherical form and darted to Aiden.

"That soul seems to like you a lot, Aiden," Lucas noted.

"The feelin's mutual!" Aiden looked at the soul. "Thanks, buddy! How the heck did ya do that anyway?"

"Souls can take any form they want to in this dimension," Zoe elaborated. "They must've overheard our problem and decided to help."

Iris marveled at the soul. "We're immensely thankful for your assistance."

"Yeah," Hagan agreed, "you really got us out of a jam. Who are you anyway?"

Apparently responding to the inquiry, the soul dashed a short distance ahead of them and lowered itself closer to the ground. Then, it transformed to look like a ghostly woman with long, curly hair wearing a tattered dress. She smiled; her mouth started moving as though she was talking, but no sound was audible.

"Sorry," Lucas said, "but we can't hear anything you're saying."

The woman appeared to be saddened by the news.

"Thanks again for the help," Zoe told her, "but we're kind of in a rush... and just in case you aren't aware, this place you're in is called the In Between. You're here because you haven't fully crossed over into the Netherworld. This dimension is dangerous – certain mages come here specifically to hunt and enslave lost souls like you. For your own sake, you need to find some way to get into the Netherworld as soon as possible."

The woman looked baffled. Her mouth started moving again.

"I wish I could help you," Zoe went on, "but something really bad is about to happen back in Aria, and we need to get back to the physical world as fast as we can. If anything, just try to stay away from anyone wearing green or red cloaks, okay?"

Though it was clear that the woman was still a bit confused, she nodded. Then, much to the group's surprise, she turned to Aiden, smiled, and waved at him.

"Do you know her?" Hagan asked.

Aiden shook his head. "No... I don't think so...." He waved back at her. "Hey, ghost lady. I dunno if ya think ya know me, but ya don't."

The woman mouthed, "I know," and blew him a kiss before abruptly resuming her spherical appearance and zooming away.

Aiden's eyes widened. He snapped his head to Hagan. "Did I just get hit on by a dead chick?!"

"Yep," Hagan bluntly answered.

Lucas chuckled. "Well, I guess we know why she helped us now."

The heroes continued their journey through the In Between, and after roughly an hour and a half of uninterrupted travel, the gateway to Nazareno Island was in their sight.

They halted in front of the portal.

Zoe faced her companions. "Is everyone ready?"

"Let's do it," Hagan affirmed.

"One moment," Iris interjected. She opened her satchel and reached into it. "I advise that we take this opportunity to revitalize our elemental centers to their maximum conjuring potential."

"Good call," Lucas agreed.

Hagan smirked. "She's just procrastinating because she knows she has to go back through the portal to Aria."

Iris glared at him, handing a Renovamen Elixir to Zoe.

"Kidding," Hagan quickly clarified.

"Well, I'm ready," Aiden proclaimed. "This time, I ain't gonna let Quinn get the upper hand on me. Just ya wait and see."

Zoe wiped her mouth and handed the bottle to Aiden. "If we're lucky, he's not on the island yet. But I somehow doubt we'll be so fortunate. Once we go through this gateway, we could be dealing with a newer, stronger Javan than we faced in Ivyvyne Village. We need to hit him with everything we've got, and above all, we can't let him leave Nazareno Island at any cost."

###  Chapter 34: Nazareno Island

As the heroes emerged from the cave containing the gateway and took their first steps onto the sandy beach of Nazareno Island, they were treated to a sight of breathtaking beauty – the large setting sun in an orange evening sky over the majestic Western Ocean. The distinct scent of saltwater air was amplified by the warm breeze as it rustled through the palm trees, providing a soothing, serene ambience in spite of the dire circumstances which had brought them there. The only audible sounds were the rush of the tide and the occasional call of seagulls.

Glancing back, Lucas noticed that the cave they had walked from was located at the foot of a tall, rocky cliff. He then scanned the surrounding beach, observing nothing but sand, trees, and the thick plant life farther inland.

"Well, we're here," Hagan said. He looked at Zoe. "Where's the temple?"

"We've still got a little more walking to do," Zoe informed him. "Just stay on guard in case we run into Javan before we get there." She paused. "Or the natives."

Lucas snapped his attention to Zoe. "Natives?"

"They usually don't bother outsiders, or with the outside world at all, really," Zoe explained. "Still, this is their home, and we can't assume we won't be regarded as some kind of threat to their society. In other words, it'd probably be best if we play it safe and try to avoid them."

"Ah," Iris remarked, "the Sialden Tribe, yes?"

"Yeah," Zoe replied. "You've heard of them, huh?"

"Indeed," Iris affirmed. "I briefly studied the Sialdien people in college – what little is known about them anyway."

Aiden was intrigued. "Lay it on us, Snow Fox."

Iris looked at him, puzzled. "Huh?"

"Elaborate," Hagan blankly chimed in.

"Oh," Iris said. "Well, from what I can recall, they have inhabited this island for thousands of years and, as Zoe previously stated, tend to keep to themselves. Apparently, they are incredibly magically advanced, though their civilization could be regarded as somewhat... behind our own. Unfortunately, there isn't a vast amount of detailed information available regarding Sialdien culture, widely due to their isolation from the rest of Aria."

"Weird," Aiden commented.

"Indeed," Iris replied. "They're certainly a fascinating people."

Lucas spun Iris's words around in his head for a few seconds. "Do you think they could be connected to The Temple of Damiano in some way?"

"I was just thinking the same thing," Hagan asserted.

"Neither of you are the first to speculate such a possibility," Iris informed them. "In fact, Lucas, prior to our meeting, I'd always found the most plausibility in the theory that the structure was nothing more than a remnant of their ancient culture, and that the rumors surrounding its mysteries were Sialdien myths perpetuated by Arialian folklore throughout time. Of course, now that I'm aware that there is more substance to the legend than I'd previously thought, I certainly do not support the hypothesis any longer."

"Well," Hagan responded, "you said they were supposed to be 'magically advanced,' right? Do you think maybe they're the ones who made this thing locked inside the temple everyone's after?"

"It's very plausible," Iris responded.

"Really, think about it," Hagan went on. "We know it's supposed to grant its user 'unimaginable power' and is 'hard to control,' and someone had to create the thing at some point. You'd have to really know what you're doing to make something so extraordinary that guys like Quinn fight tooth and nail just to get their hands on it, and it sounds to me like these 'Sialdiens' fit the description perfectly. I mean, who else would build something like that way out here?"

"Ain't anyone just asked 'em what's inside?" Aiden brought up.

"Perhaps the Sialdiens of today are unaware," Iris speculated. "The Temple of Damiano is, supposedly, older than recorded history. It's possible that its origin and purpose have become as obscured in their culture as it has in ours. Granted, that's assuming that the temple is, in fact, of Sialdien origin. One could even speculate that it was constructed by a civilization which predates even the Sialden Tribe."

There was a brief pause. Then, Hagan chuckled. "Wouldn't it be a real kicker if Quinn opened that thing up and found out there was nothing inside?"

"That'd be great," Zoe replied, "but it's doubtful. Both the temple and the disk fragments are indestructible; there's nothing else like them in the world. It's clear that whoever built it had knowledge of magic which surpasses even that of those we'd consider 'masters.' Not to mention that the fragments themselves were discovered in the In Between. There's definitely something important locked up in there, and whatever it is, it belonged to some very powerful people."

The heroes had walked along the beach for another fifteen or twenty minutes when Zoe came to a stop and turned her attention inland.

"The temple should be over there," she elaborated, pointing to a thick jungle. She started toward it, warning, "Watch out for snakes," as her allies followed behind her.

"Screw snakes," Aiden remarked, "those woods've gotta be loaded with monsters."

"There aren't any monsters here," Zoe told him.

Hagan raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"

"The natives don't really fall under the royal crown's jurisdiction," Zoe answered. "I guess the Knowms didn't think it was worth the effort." She paused, taking her scythe in her hands.

Aiden was baffled. "Wait, if there ain't no monsters, why're ya gettin' out your scythe?"

"The path to the temple tends to overgrow in some spots," Zoe responded. She glanced back at Lucas. "It'd probably be a good idea to go ahead and give everyone some light."

"Got it," Lucas confirmed. "Lumen illumino." He promptly conjured a bright sphere to illuminate the group's path in the steadily approaching night.

"Well, if it's too overgrown," Hagan commented, "at least we'll know for sure we've beaten Quinn to the punch."

"Not necessarily," Zoe replied. "He might've entered from the other side."

###  Chapter 35: Welcome To The Jungle

The warm, humid jungle was pitch-dark, and little could be seen outside of the range of Lucas's illumination spell. Buzzing insects, chirping crickets, and the sounds of various nocturnal creatures awakening from their slumber created a lively yet daunting underscore as the heroes ventured down the narrow trail toward The Temple of Damiano as swiftly as possible.

Zoe furiously swung her scythe, cutting away at the thick plant life obstructing the group's path.

"We getting close?" Hagan inquired.

"I certainly hope so," Iris remarked, slapping a mosquito on the back of her hand.

Hearing no reply from Zoe, Aiden abruptly asserted, "Yo! Zo-zo! We gonna be there soon?"

With one final swipe, Zoe successfully cleared the final vines blocking the trail. She looked back at him. "It's a little hard to tell right now," she bluntly answered, sweat pouring down her face. She continued walking. "We'll get there eventually if we keep in this direction.... And my name–" Her boot plunged into a patch of wet mud lining a small, shallow creek. "DAMMIT!! Ugh!!"

"Maybe I should lead for a little while," Lucas volunteered, unsheathing his sword and making his way to the front of the group.

Zoe pulled her leg out of the muck. "No, I've got it."

"You look exhausted," Lucas firmly professed. He glanced at Iris. "Get her some water." He looked at Zoe again. "You need to take it easy for a bit. I'll take care of the brush; just help me make sure I'm keeping on the path."

Once Zoe had reluctantly agreed to the proposition, the heroes pressed onward with Lucas at their lead. Unsurprisingly, it wasn't long before they encountered a thick patch of vegetation, forcing them to come to yet another halt as Lucas cleared the path.

Aiden, frightened by the loud call of a distant animal, frantically scanned what little was visible of his surroundings. "What the heck was that?!"

"Aiden, relax," Hagan calmly said.

"I ain't scared!" Aiden quickly made known. "I'm just curious, ya know?"

Hagan smirked. "Sure." He slapped his arm. "Damn mosquitoes."

Meanwhile, a small spider hanging from a line of web connected to a branch above spotted a patch of red, messy hair. Most intrigued by the peculiar sighting, it slowly lowered itself to investigate the discovery.

Iris swatted the air. "It has become quite apparent to me why this island lacks an abundant population."

"Yeah, really," Hagan agreed, smacking another mosquito that had landed on the side of his face. He looked over at Zoe, who had put her cloak's hood over her head to help deter the pestering bugs. "Wish I had one of those right about now."

Zoe turned her head to him. "Huh?"

"The cloak," Hagan elaborated. "These mosquitoes are driving me and Iris nuts."

Zoe swatted at her face. "It doesn't work as well as you'd think."

Aiden suddenly let out a shrill cry of terror, catching the attention of Iris, Zoe, and Hagan, all of who then witnessed him furiously smacking the top of his head.

Lucas, also overhearing the commotion, promptly spun back toward the group. "What's wrong?!"

"They're just mosquitoes," Zoe remarked.

"NO," Aiden shouted, "SOMETHIN' WAS CRAWLIN' IN MY HAIR!" He shoved the top of his head in Hagan's face. "Is it gone?!"

Hagan inspected his hair. "I don't see anything."

Aiden exhaled a sigh of relief.

"Get it together," Zoe sharply commanded. "If you're that afraid of a stupid bug, you're going to piss yourself when we face Javan."

"It snuck up on me, okay?!" Aiden protested. "Ya'd have freaked out too! Besides, I ain't scared of him."

Zoe rolled her eyes and turned to watch as Lucas finished clearing away the last of the thick brush.

"I'm serious!" Aiden argued. "I stood my ground the last time he showed up, didn't I?" Receiving no reply from Zoe, he crossed his arms and muttered, "If I was scared, I sure as hell wouldn't be here right now." As they began moving farther into the dense jungle, a large mosquito landed on Aiden's arm, causing him to abruptly flail his arms and cry, "WAAAH!!"

Hagan burst into laughter while Iris placed her hand over her mouth, attempting to hide her own amusement at his antics. Zoe smirked.

Aiden, realizing what had happened, slapped the bug and snapped his head to his companions. "Can it!!" His hands burst into flames. "Ah, crap – now look at whatcha did!!"

"Aiden, chill out," Hagan said. "It's okay," he smacked another mosquito, "we get it; this place is pretty damn creepy. No need to get your panties in a wad...."

Zoe chuckled.

Aiden gnashed his teeth. His hands extinguished a few seconds later.

As they proceeded with their expedition, Lucas eventually spotted something peculiar in the distance, barely visible through the dense vegetation – light. He glanced back at his comrades, pointing ahead to the mysterious radiance. "Guys," he whispered, "look!"

Zoe's eyes squinted; she took a few steps forward to get a better look at the strange glow. "Fire... and I'm pretty sure that's the clearing where the temple's at." She swiftly proceeded forward. "Come on."

As the heroes neared the light, it became increasingly apparent that its source was indeed a roaring bonfire. They halted.

"Quinn?" Aiden guessed.

"Not likely," Zoe answered. "I don't think Javan has the knowhow to build a fire like that. The Sialdiens move all around the island; I'm guessing it's them."

"Should we proceed?" Iris asked.

"We have to," Hagan replied. "The temple's over there, right?"

Zoe nodded.

"But if the Sialdiens are there," Lucas brought up, "that means Lord Quinn probably hasn't made it yet." His companions looked at him. "He'd have to deal with them to get to the temple," Lucas elaborated further, "and it seems to me like they wouldn't just let him pass freely through their camp.... Let's get closer. If we can confirm the Sialdiens are really there, we've still got time."

"You'll have to get rid of the light," Zoe said. "There's no telling how they'll react to seeing us, and we can't afford to find out."

Aiden's eyes widened. "How're we gonna see?"

"My Shadow center allows me to see in the dark," Zoe answered. She grabbed Lucas's hand. "Everyone hold on to somebody and follow me. If we're all touching, I can make us invisible if one of them looks over here."

Complying, Lucas grabbed Iris's hand and Iris took Hagan's. Aiden extended his hand to Hagan, who looked back at him with a stern expression. "Grab my arm," Hagan coldly ordered.

"Ah, grow up," Aiden griped, taking hold of Hagan's wrist.

"Everyone ready?" Lucas retracted his illumination spell, and the group cautiously progressed toward the fire's light with Zoe at their lead.

As they neared the clearing, a tall, shirtless man passed in front of the fire, briefly entering their view. The heroes froze.

"That's the Sialdiens alright," Zoe quietly confirmed.

"Then we're not too late," Hagan whispered. "Now what?"

Zoe was silent for a few seconds before softly replying, "As much as I'd like to think there's still time, we can't make any assumptions." She glanced back at her companions. "We have to be absolutely certain Javan isn't here."

"I can't see anything past the fire," Lucas said. "We'll need to get closer."

"Are you positive that's wise?" Iris asked.

"Why not?" Hagan replied. "Can't Zoe just make us all invisible before we move in?"

Zoe shook her head. "I can't do it if we're moving. The most I can do is cloak us if we think they're coming and hope they don't see us disappear. The moment we move at all, we'll become visible again."

Aiden slapped a mosquito on his arm, quickly receiving a barrage of angry shushing gestures from his comrades. "Whoops," he whispered, "my bad."

"Maybe only one of us should get closer," Lucas suggested. "It'll be a lot easier for one person to go unnoticed."

Zoe nodded. "Alright. I'll go." She took off her white cloak and handed it to Lucas along with her scythe. "Hold these until I come back."

Lucas took the items. "Good luck."

Zoe slowly made her way toward the clearing as her allies watched in silent anticipation. Once she had nearly reached the end of the trail, she carefully crouched down. Then, gradually, she inched her head closer to the clearing, attempting to get a quick look at the temple while simultaneously scanning to ensure that no Sialdiens were aware of her presence.

Unexpectedly, Iris let out a loud shriek.

_DAMMIT!!_ Zoe pulled her head back away from the clearing as hastily as she could, briefly glancing to see her companions in a frenzied panic.

"Aweth sauw hutat?!" she heard a Sialdien man exclaim.

"Eckoiv – revio hutree!"

"Tel su nevitsagite."

With her options limited, Zoe gestured for her allies to run, then quickly whispered, "Umbra physica evanesces," becoming invisible.

Unfortunately, for reasons unknown to her, Lucas, Hagan, and Aiden remained in place, gathered around Iris, who was wincing and reaching for her leg. In a matter of seconds, three large, muscular Sialdien men emerged into view, one of them bearing a torch, and the other two armed with crudely made spears and shields.

"NEARRUTEDS!!" the man carrying the torch shouted. He thrust his free arm toward the group. "Umbra coetus somnus!!"

Aiden's hands were engulfed in flames, and Hagan had nearly conjured a spell of his own when the pair and Lucas suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed. Synchronously, Aiden's hands resumed their normal state.

Iris, who had remained conscious, quickly retaliated with an icicle missile.

At the same time, Zoe abruptly popped into view from seemingly out of nowhere, swiftly lunging her arms toward the torch-wielding man. "Umbra obscurum fulgur!"

"Umbra disseptum!" Alas, the Sialdien man was much too quick to react; both Iris's icicle missile and Zoe's bolts of dark-purple lightning vanished into abruptly arising black voids, which materialized just in time to capture each of the spells before disappearing.

While Zoe scrambled to her feet to conjure another assault, the man pointed his index and middle fingers at her and hastily spat out, "Umbra fulgur sphaera!"

The last thing Zoe saw was a small, concentrated ball of dark-purple lightning blasting from the man's fingers directly toward her. She was then overcome with an incredibly intense, surging pain and fell unconscious.

###  Chapter 36: Hail To The Chief

The moment Lucas regained consciousness, the first thing he noticed was the sensation of someone's hand resting on his chest and the warmth of a roaring fire. Realizing that he had been passed out, he snapped his eyes open to see a stern-looking Sialdien man with long, black hair and dark brown eyes staring down at him. Lucas quickly noted it was still nighttime, and that he was lying on the ground. He then became aware that his hands were tied behind his back.

The Sialdien man removed his hand from Lucas's chest. "Ouyeeog esi Sihefe wone."

"Where're my friends?" Lucas inquired.

"Iy oni nuerditasned ouye." The man flipped Lucas onto his stomach before harshly pulling him to his feet by the rope tied around his wrists.

Lucas winced. _Okay,_ _so they're definitely not too happy about us being here._ Darting his head and eyes about, he observed that he was now standing in the vast clearing he and his allies had been trying to get a look at. Several Sialdien men, women, and children were gathered nearby, gazing curiously at him.

"Esi Sihefe wone!" The man barked, grabbing Lucas and pushing him along in the direction of a shack crudely constructed of large sticks, animal skins, and palm fronds. The shelter wasn't incredibly large, though it dwarfed the other, similar structures within the clearing.

Lucas continued to hastily scan the area as he was forcibly ushered toward the hut, attempting to spot his companions but to no avail.

"Sihefe!" the Sialdien man shouted, shoving Lucas through some bizarre curtains and into the shack.

What Lucas witnessed next was astonishing, to say the least.

Within the makeshift structure was a young man, about his age, with long, blond hair and blue eyes, sitting on a large rug with his legs crisscrossed. He was not dressed in animal skins like most of the other Sialdiens Lucas had seen outside – his garb resembled that of an Arialite, though his clothing was somewhat tattered. An emerald was hanging around his neck, secured in place by a shabby string. Sitting on the young man's left was a Sialdien man wearing a peculiar hat and vest made of palm fronds. On the young man's right, a Sialdien woman with long, braided, black hair, holding a small wicker bowl full of dates. The entire interior of the shack was lit by a ball of light hovering near the ceiling, which Lucas quickly noted as a sign that one of its occupants was a fellow Light mage.

Initially, the blond-haired young man seemed almost as surprised to see Lucas as he was to see him. Then, a smile abruptly emerged on his face.

"Hiya!" the young man energetically greeted.

"Sihefe," the Sialdien man who had ushered Lucas inside said to the blond-haired young man, bowing as he spoke. "Hitis yis neo uotisedur hewo retpeasi. Ewi dinfi oufer meoro, un awy eher; woto amiael, woto emifael. Hietey yret senak, hetni yret magiki! Ewi kaet hietey wodni magiki, esui elsep pesel. Saekin beit neo emfael vorcovridi; ewi haelim owni. Ewi kas Sihefe ecideim. Tohre emfael ahdi magiki oeffinsi, osi ewi kaet goiupim wodni... haelim owni. Orpivetitic rachmi dah hietey osme, utbi owikio ewi kaet. Lsoai denfi kinisim rastingem eawpin un locaki. Ewi ekep. Ewi nsuri gitulim neioim, ecidei rigbin oti Sihefe orf ijumiti. Ribign lila retpeasir eeyo onos. Sihefe, ewi eedni woknim – retpeasir ogodi roi abdi? Hwaut odi ewi hetiw?"

The blond-haired young man snapped his head to the palm frond clad man sitting on his left. "And that means...?"

Neither of the two spoke for several seconds, although they looked at each other as though they were conversing.

Lucas, unbearably confused, took the opportunity to assert, "You speak–"

"ISLEECEN RETPEASIR!!" the Sialdien man beside Lucas screamed, raising his hand as though he was preparing to strike him.

Startled by the harsh reaction, Lucas decided it would be best to remain silent.

A few more seconds passed and the blond-haired young man spoke. "I see...." He looked at Lucas. "What's your name?"

Lucas hesitated, glancing at the Sialdien man standing beside him before looking back at the blond-haired young man and replying, "Lucas. Lucas Bardsson."

"How's it going?" the young man warmly responded.

Bewildered by the unanticipated inquiry, Lucas raised an eyebrow. "I'm not really sure right now, to be honest."

"Oh, yeah, I guess I can see why." The young man glanced at the Sialdien woman on his right side. "Date me, babe." The young man opened his mouth to ridiculous proportions, and the woman carefully placed a date from the wicker bowl she was holding into his mouth. The moment she took her fingers off of the fruit, the young man chomped down on the date. "Mmmm-mmm... delish!" He remarked.

Lucas was now totally dumbfounded. _He clearly has authority here, yet he's obviously not one of them_ – _but I'm being treated like a prisoner. What the hell's going on? Oh well, at least he can understand me._ "Excuse me, sir."

The young man looked back at Lucas.

"What've you done with my friends?" Lucas inquired.

Just as the young man had opened his mouth to answer Lucas's question, Aiden was abruptly shoved into the room.

"There ya go!" the young man said, gesturing toward Aiden.

Lucas promptly snapped his head to his companion. "Aiden!"

"What's up, buddy?" Aiden replied.

Lucas observed that Aiden's hands were bound behind his back as well, but also noticed a bizarre marking on his forehead – a black 'X.' _Oh no... Zoe said that's what happens when you're jinxed._

"Ya got some whatsit on your forehead by the way," Aiden remarked.

Lucas was stunned by the revelation. "An 'X?'"

"Hello~!" the blond-haired young man interrupted.

Both Lucas and Aiden turned to him.

"Hiya," the young man went on. "So, let's get to the bottom of this whole thing. I'm being told ya were out sneaking around in the jungle. I wanna know why."

Aiden was visibly perplexed. "Wait a minute, why ain't ya speakin' a buncha jibberish–"

The Sialdien man near the two heroes abruptly smacked the back of Aiden's head. "ISLEECEN RETPEASIR!! Sihefe aklit owni!" He turned to the blond-haired young man and bowed. "Aspoglosi, Sihefe."

Aiden rubbed the back of his head. "That's some way t–"

The Sialdien man smacked him again. "ISLEECEN!!"

Lucas glanced at Aiden and mouthed, "Shh!"

"You're gonna answer my questions before I answer yours," the blond-haired young man asserted. "Now, ya better tell me; what are ya doing on Nazareno Island?"

Aiden looked at Lucas, as though he was expecting him to handle the talking.

"Well," Lucas began, "it's a lot to explain... but, I guess what you need to know is that there's a man named Lord Quinn wh–"

"LORD QUINN?!" the blond-haired young man snapped. "I geddit – he sent ya here to finish the job, huh?!"

Lucas and Aiden shook their heads. "No, n–"

"SILENCE!!" the young man barked.

The Sialdien man near Lucas and Aiden smacked the back of their heads.

"Killing my mommy wasn't enough for him, huh?!" the young man bellowed. "THINKS HE'S GONNA GET ME TOO, HUH?!"

Hagan suddenly emerged through the curtain. A black 'X' was on his forehead as well, and his hands were bound in the same fashion as his companions. "Jackass!" he yelled back at the man who had shoved him inside, prompting the Sialdien man nearby to deliver a brutal slap across his face.

"ISLEECEN RETPEASIR!! Sihefe kalt wone!"

"EVERYONE SHUT UP!!" the blond-haired young man yelled at the top of his lungs. "I'm starting to get SUPER DUPER MAD!!"

"Super duper?" Aiden muttered, raising an eyebrow.

He was smacked again.

Hagan glanced at Lucas, whispering, "Where's Iris? Is she oka–"

He too was smacked.

"Ya done yet, or ya gotta get slapped again?!" the blond-haired young man sharply interjected. "Now," he went on in a calmer manner, "as for your punishment...."

Hagan couldn't help himself. "Punishment?! What did w–" He was interrupted by a smack on the back of his head.

"It's too late," the young man declared, "your buddies already told me 'bout Lord Quinn sending ya here to kill me!"

Frustrated, Lucas attempted to assert himself, "That's not why we're he–" only to receive yet another harsh smack.

"You're not gonna fool me," the young man shouted, "so don't even try!!" He gnashed his teeth for a few seconds. "Double date me," he growled to the Sialdien woman on his right, holding up two fingers. He stretched his mouth open wide, and the woman placed two dates on his tongue. The young man chewed and swallowed the delicious tropical fruits, scowling at the three heroes for the entire duration. Then, he addressed them once again. "I already know ya have ties with Lord Quinn, and that's all the proof I need to know ya can't be up to anything good."

"Quinn didn't send us!!" Hagan furiously shouted, receiving a barrage of harsh slaps from the Sialdien man. Unable to tolerate the unjust treatment any longer, Hagan yelled, "Ignis planitia verrunt!!" though nothing happened, save another round of brutal smacks from the Sialdien man.

"Magic won't work for ya," the blond-haired young man said, "my guys jinxed ya all when y'were passed out. Some of ya had some protection thingies on, I hear, but we took care of that. Come on now, I caught ya; no need to back down and pretend ya aren't working for Quinn all the sudden." He paused, contemplating. Then, he smiled. "How 'bout," he cheerfully informed them, "if ya cooperate, I letcha live as slaves! Won't that be way more fun than dying?! I could really use some slaves 'round here. Whaddya say?"

"I pick death," Aiden quickly made known.

"Shut up, Aiden," Hagan grumbled.

At that moment, Lucas heard a familiar, distant voice swiftly approaching from outside, angrily shouting in protest. _Sounds like Zoe's alright. Hopefully Iris is okay too._

"Look, we're telling you the truth," Hagan explained to the blond-haired young man, "we came here to stop Quinn from opening the temple. We don't even know who you are!"

Hearing Hagan's voice raise, the Sialdien man near the curtain was about to slap him yet again when the blond-haired young man abruptly gestured for him to cease.

At that very second, Zoe, bound and jinxed just as the other three, was shoved into the shack with such force that she nearly fell over.

The blond-haired young man's eyes widened. "Zoe?!"

Zoe looked up at him, bearing an equally astonished expression. "Laverick?!"

###  Chapter 37: An Enemy Of My Enemy

"Okay," Zoe barked, "what the hell a–"

The Sialdien man slapped the back of her head, but quickly received a cease gesture from Laverick, who turned to the palm frond clad man and spat out, "No more slapping! Tell him!"

Simultaneously, Zoe snapped her head to her attacker. "You're lucky my hands are tied!!"

"Hujaki!" the palm frond clad man said to the Sialdien man who had been delivering the ruthless strikes. "Oni lapesi oemirm!"

"Sorry," Laverick hastily told Zoe, "he thought ya were threatening me."

"Maybe I am!!" Zoe furiously replied, causing Lucas, Aiden, and Hagan to promptly shake their heads at her, frantically mouthing, "No!" She glanced at her companions, taking note of the 'X's on their foreheads. "NO, I'm not just going to shut up!!" She looked back at Laverick. "I've been tied up TWICE today, and I'm pretty damn pissed off right now!! If you think for a second this jinx crap is going to make me back down this time, you're DEAD WRONG!!"

As she was angrily screaming, Hujaki, the Sialdien man who had been slapping them, gestured as if to say, "Are you sure I shouldn't hit her?" but Laverick responded by shaking his head and repeating the cease gesture he had made before.

"So you listen to me you fucking man-child freak-bag," Zoe went on, "I want answers, and you better give them to me straight without any shit!! What the hell are you doing here – why're the Sialdiens obeying you?! Javan's behind this, ISN'T HE?!"

"And where's Iris?!" Hagan added.

"Whoa, whoa," Laverick responded, "one atta time! Calm down, Zoe; I hate Quinn too! I got all mad at your friends here 'cause I thought THEY were working for him!"

"Wait," Lucas interjected, turning to Zoe, "this is Laverick? The same Laverick you were telling me about?"

"Yeah," Zoe answered, "it's him alright." She looked back at Laverick. "I'm not buying it! Since when do you and your 'mommy' hate Javan?!"

There was a pause. Laverick's face turned to stone; it was certainly an expression Zoe had never witnessed on him before, nor was she expecting to see it. "He killed her," he softly responded.

Zoe's bitter look transformed into astonishment in an instant.

Everyone within the shack was silent.

"Ma tried to take the fragment from him," Laverick finally explained. He paused; his eyes watered. "She died saving me." He looked away from the heroes for a moment. No one said a word. Then, after regaining his composure a bit, he looked back and went on, "I ran back to the portal in the old café. I tried to find my way back to Kieran Forest, but I ended up here instead. I'd been running around forever and was starving, so I looked around to see if I could find some food. That's when I ran into these guys. I thought I was a goner at first, but then they took me in and started treating me like some kinda king. Turns out they believe I'm some famous guy who died a long time ago. They call me Sihefe."

"How do you understand each other?" Hagan inquired. "Everything I've tried to say to these guys seems to go in one ear and out the other."

Laverick gestured toward the palm frond clad man. "Tujynk here talks to me in my head, kinda like how Ma used to do.... He's the one who told me I'm the new Sihefe."

Zoe was still baffled by the situation. "They haven't found out who you really are?"

"I told him my name's Laverick, honest!" Laverick replied. "But he says I'm really Sihefe." He looked at Tujynk. "Go ahead and 'splain it to them."

Tujynk bowed his head and faced the heroes. "Lumen intellectualis liber translatus coetus connexus." Following a short pause, Lucas, Aiden, Hagan, and Zoe heard him speak within their minds. "Greetings. My name is Tujynk. I am the former chief of the Sialden Tribe, and the current adviser of Sihefe. I have been following your conversation through my connection with Sihefe, and with the use of that last chant, I have added you to our 'line of communication.'"

"This is freakin' me out," Aiden muttered.

"Do not be afraid," Tujynk's voice said. "It is quite simple – with the aid of this special telepathic spell, not only am I able to speak to all of you, but I am also able to comprehend you, and you me, through a universal language of expression. Allow me to elaborate further: you are not hearing my words as I am thinking them in my head, but rather, are experiencing my thoughts' meaning as I am implying them in a way that is understandable to you. When you speak, I am able to comprehend the meaning of your words in a similar way. With this method, I can communicate with all living beings, and they with me. Thus, as you have been speaking to Sihefe, I have been receiving his comprehension of your words second hand."

Hagan glanced at Lucas. "You really need to learn that one."

"Uh," Aiden chimed in, "ya sayin' you've been readin' my thoughts this whole time?"

"Not exactly," Tujynk's voice responded. "I am able to comprehend your communication, not your personal thoughts. In order to read your mind, I would need to apply a much different technique."

Hagan quickly looked back toward the shack's curtain. "Where's Iris? Is she okay?"

"Your silver-haired companion who suffered the snakebite?" Tujynk's voice said. "Hujaki has informed us that she is receiving special care for her injury. Do not worry, we deal with these sort of injuries often. She will be fine."

Zoe looked at Hagan. "So that's what the fuss was about, huh?"

He gave a nod. "Yeah, we never even saw the bastard. Hit her right in the leg."

"That was hospitable of ya," Aiden said to Tujynk.

"Our men were uncertain of your guilt upon your capture," Tujynk's voice replied. "As a result, they chose to eliminate your ability to use magic and bring you to Sihefe for judgment. However, the women in your party were wearing protective accessories, and did not fall to the effects of the sleep spell used to immobilize you. Thus, the Sialdien men were forced to incapacitate them with offensive magic, and then revive them with healing magic for judgment. After they discovered Iris's snakebite, she was sent to receive special treatment in case she has been poisoned. We do not believe in allowing unnecessary suffering."

"What about Laverick?" Zoe brought up. "What makes you think he's this 'Sihefe' or whatever?"

"I do not speculate this man as such," Tujynk's voice answered, "but rather, I am certain that he is the reincarnation of the great Sihefe, a brave yet compassionate Sialdien warrior and chief who lived long ago. While he may identify himself as 'Laverick,' it is only because, as with any reincarnation, he does not have memory of his past life. Unfortunately, he does not seem to have practiced magic in his new life either.

"Alas, legend has foretold Sihefe would return to the flesh in a distant land, bearing golden hair, and that, following the tragic death of his new life's family, he would be reunited with the Sialdien people and lead us in a time of worldwide war against a force of unimaginable power. All has went according to legend, with one notable exception.

"Sihefe has informed us of a man named 'Lord Quinn's' plan to unlock the ancient temple in order to harvest its power. We now speculate Lord Quinn to be the evil force of which we have been foretold. If this is true, then there is still time to prevent the worldwide war from ever occurring. Therefore, we are now in wait, anticipating Lord Quinn's arrival with the hope of defeating him before he obtains the great power within the temple."

"That's exactly why we're here too," Lucas informed him.

"He's going to be here sooner than you might've thought," Zoe added. "He took the fragment from me earlier today, and we came here after him. When you found us, we were trying to get a closer look to see if he'd made it yet."

"I wonder what's takin' him so long anyway," Aiden remarked. "He had a pretty good jump on us; ya think he'd be here already."

Hagan turned his head to him. "We did put a good hurting on him. Maybe it slowed him down."

"Or he's getting reinforcements," Zoe suggested. "If he was as injured as you'd told me, he probably didn't want to risk facing the jungle alone." She looked at Tujynk and Laverick. "If that's the case, it could be days before we see him. But as long as we stay here beside the temple, he'll have no choice but to go through us to get inside."

Laverick gave a nod. "Okay." He looked at Tujynk. "Tell Hujaki to untie them and the girl with the snakebite. I want 'em all unjinxed. Let the other Sialdiens know Sihefe says they're friends and not enemies."

Tujynk bowed his head. "Of course, sir." He turned to Hujaki and spoke aloud. "Hujaki! Ewi eltim retpeasir ogim! Keapisi opealiti kujinu pekiki jikini evomor heim. Aseme emfael esneaki ibtyti oto. Odi owni lepasim efisai."

Hujaki bowed. "Esyi, Sihefe!" He proceeded to untie the rope around the heroes' wrists one by one, starting with Lucas.

Hagan looked at Tujynk. "You guys wouldn't happen to know anything about what's inside the temple, would you?"

"We are uncertain of its exact contents," Tujynk's voice replied, "although that which is inside is said to be nearly impossible to control. But if such a feat were to be achieved, it is told that it will grant its user a force which surpasses that of even the mightiest living men: a status only shared amongst the gods."

"Damn," Hagan commented. "That's about all we know too."

"To my knowledge," Tujynk's voice said, "it is all anyone knows. Only the ancients are truly aware of The Temple of Damiano's exact purpose and contents. All we know is that which has been passed down through legend."

"OH!" Laverick abruptly exclaimed. "I got a great idea!" He looked at Tujynk. "Let's have a party to celebrate our new allies!"

"Party?!" Zoe interrupted. "We don't have time for that! Javan could show up at any minute; you need to tell your men to prepare themselves!"

"Awwww," Laverick whined, "but I wanna party!"

"Sir, if I may," Tujynk's voice advised, "I believe our new ally has given us wise guidance."

Laverick paused. "Kay, how 'bout this – put ten of our best guys armed and ready at the temple door, and the rest of us will party. Sound good? Wait, who am I kidding? I'm Sihefe! It is proclaimed! Make it so!"

Tujynk bowed. "As you wish, sir."

Zoe glared at Laverick, clearly displeased with his blatant abuse of his coincidental position of power.

"Aw, come on, Zoe," Laverick said. "There'll be lotsa good fooood~!"

"The temple's right across the freakin' field anyway, right?" Aiden added.

"Yeah," Hagan agreed. "If something happens, we can just run over and help the Sialdiens. I could use some grub – I haven't had a bite since breakfast."

Once all the heroes' hands had been untied, Tujynk performed a spell to remove their jinxes. "Your magical abilities should operate as normal," he informed them. "If you wish, you may now accompany Hujaki and I to Iris. Afterward, I will return your weapons and personal belongings to you."

###  Chapter 38: The Party

Later that night, Lucas, Zoe, and Aiden sat in the grass enjoying their meal of tropical fruit and venison as they watched the Sialdiens dance around the bonfire to the beat of three rapidly thumping hand-drummers.

"These guys are awesome," Aiden declared. He glanced at his comrades. "We should dance with 'em when we get done eatin'!"

"No," Zoe answered.

"Why not?" Lucas inquired. "Looks like fun to me."

Zoe shook her head. "You guys can." She bit into a mango. "I hate dancing."

Aiden shrugged. "It ain't really dancin'. Looks more like... jumpin' and flailin' to me."

Lucas chuckled.

"Yeah," Zoe remarked, smiling, "I guess."

"So you'll do it?" Lucas asked.

She shook her head.

"Ah, come on," Lucas protested.

"Howdy!"

The pair turned their heads to see Hagan and Iris approaching with food in their hands.

"Hey!" Lucas greeted.

"Snow Fox!" Aiden cheered.

Iris smiled. "Hello."

"How're you feeling?" Lucas asked.

"Considerably better," she responded. "I'm experiencing virtually no symptoms at the present moment, though I do not believe I will be straying far from the fire tonight." She and Hagan seated themselves near their companions.

Zoe eyed the bandage on Iris's leg. "Are you sure it's safe for you to be moving around already?"

Iris nodded in response to the question, having just taken a bite of venison.

"Tujynk says she's good to go," Hagan explained for her. He took a hearty bite of venison, and immediately continued speaking as he chewed. "These guys really seem to know what they're doing when it comes to healing."

"Did ya think to ask him about booze?" Aiden inquired.

"Yeah," Hagan answered. "He didn't even know what I was talking about. Awful way to live if you ask me."

Iris rolled her eyes.

"It'd probably be better for you two to stay sober anyway," Lucas commented, "just in case."

"Yeah," Zoe bluntly agreed.

"Ah, I guess," Aiden muttered. "I gotta admit though, I ain't half bad at conjurin' while sauced."

The next few minutes were relatively uneventful as they sat quietly eating and watching the dancers. Then, Iris spoke again. "I hope my family is faring well."

"They'll be fine," Hagan assured her. "The knights will show up soon."

"I'm aware," she replied, "although I can't help but worry. My main concern is nighttime."

"Worrying about it won't help anything," Hagan said. "Just relax, enjoy yourself. Things are gonna go to hell again as soon as Quinn shows. Might as well kick back without a care for now."

"Ya having a good time so far?" Laverick inquired, approaching the group.

"Yeah," Lucas answered.

"The food's amazing," Hagan made known.

"Good, good," Laverick said. He looked at Zoe. "So, whaddya think of my kingdom? Not doing too bad for myself, am I?"

Zoe briefly glanced at him, maintaining her primary focus on the dancers. "You're only chief because of a coincidence. I know who you really are, and you're definitely no hero."

"Am too!" Laverick argued, flustered.

"Okay," Zoe blankly remarked.

Laverick's mouth twitched. "Well... I AM chief! Like it or not!"

Zoe didn't even look at him. "Sure, I'll give you that."

Feeling a sense of accomplishment, a confident smirk appeared on Laverick's face. He crossed his arms, turning to watch the dancers for a short duration before addressing Zoe again. "So... ya know... we can still get married if ya want."

Hagan burst into wild laughter, quickly receiving a light smack on his arm from Iris, who cast an intense gaze at him.

Zoe, baffled, turned her head to Laverick. "When did I EVER agree to marry you?!"

"I said ya could marry me when we last met," Laverick asserted, "remember?"

Zoe's eyebrows lowered. "Oh, you mean when I was paralyzed, muted, and jinxed? When you shape-shifted to look like me and destroyed my reputation with the Spades? Yeah, I remember now. Look, I don't know what the hell Javan told you, and I'm so glad you feel I'm entitled to marry you, but I'd rather starve to death in the jungle."

"Ouch," Aiden whispered to Lucas.

Laverick bit his lip. "Kay... well, I'll be over there if ya change your mind." He hurriedly walked away.

The second Laverick had made it out of earshot, Hagan resumed his uncontrollable laughter. "What the hell was that?!"

Aiden looked at Zoe. "Marry me Zo-zo~!" He made a kissy face.

"Shut up," Zoe snapped.

"Keep it down, guys," Lucas warned, fighting to stifle his own amusement. "The Sialdiens still think he's Sihefe, and we don't want to risk ruining our alliance with them."

"Alright, alright," Hagan said, his laughter gradually subsiding. "You're right."

Zoe quietly watched Laverick in the distance for a moment. "Honestly," she finally said, "I feel a little bad for him. He did just lose his mother and all." She looked back at the group. "I don't think he really had any other friends."

"Way to make me feel like an ass," Hagan remarked.

"Hey now," Aiden chimed in, "you're the one who ripped him to shreds, Zo."

Zoe returned her focus to the dancers. "Well, I still can't stand him."

A short while later, Zoe tossed the pit of the mango she had been eating and got up.

"Where're you going?" Lucas asked.

"I'm going to go take a look at the temple," she informed him. "Want to go with?"

"Sure," Lucas said, rising to his feet. He looked at his companions. "Anyone else coming?"

"Seen it," Aiden replied. "Ain't much to look at – really freakin' big though."

"You two go ahead," Hagan answered.

"Don't let Laverick see ya two alone," Aiden added, causing Hagan to chuckle.

Zoe, ignoring his commentary, walked away from the group, northbound across the large clearing toward The Temple of Damiano, accompanied by Lucas.

As the pair neared the massive stone structure, Lucas eyed its colossal doors which were covered in bizarre markings similar to the ones he had seen on the disk fragment. Four large columns, wrapped in vines, upheld the overhang at the temple's entrance atop a flight of stairs where the ten Sialdien guards stood watch. The building's rear was completely submerged in the jungle's thick brush, leaving only the front visible in the illumination of the guards' torches.

"It's been a while since I've seen it with my own eyes," Zoe informed him. "I still find it mind-boggling that all the answers lie just beyond those walls, and still no one knows where it came from, why it's there, or exactly what's inside."

They halted at the foot of the stairs.

"You said the temple's indestructible, right?" Lucas inquired.

"As well as the fragments," she answered. "No one can really explain how it's possible, which only adds to the mystery. The people who built it must've had incredible knowledge of enchantment, the likes of which would put even the most proficient modern-day mages to shame." She started up the stairs and was closely followed by Lucas. "The architecture itself is far beyond what we'd expect to see from the time period it was supposedly built."

"It really makes you think," Lucas remarked.

Once they had reached the top of the stairs, Zoe approached the temple's entrance. "The fragments go here," she explained, pointing to a circular groove centered between the two doors.

Lucas glanced at the Sialdiens as they passed, who were watching the pair closely, but didn't speak.

"As you can see," Zoe went on, as though the men weren't even present, "the doors are devoid of any sort of knob or handle. It's generally assumed that after you put Damiano's Disk here, it'll activate an enchantment that'll grant access to the temple. Essentially, the disk is nothing more than a fancy key." They stopped in front of the doors and marveled them. "The door to the Spade base was kind of like that, only we used enchanted crystals. The biggest difference is these can't be busted down by brute force. No disk, no entry; no exceptions."

Lucas scanned the curious markings on the doors. "I noticed the fragment had similar symbols on it," he told her, pointing out the mysterious designs.

"Likely the script of a dead language," Zoe replied.

"Ah," Lucas said.

"No one can seem to decode it," she elaborated. "Apparently, it's just as complex as everything else about this temple."

Lucas looked at her. "That's interesting; so this means a written language existed before recorded history."

"Which only leaves more questions," Zoe answered.

The two walked along the wall of the temple's front side, silently observing the astonishingly unscathed stone bricks, which were cut into perfectly shaped rectangles.

Finally, Zoe spoke again. "The fact that Javan still isn't here leads me to believe he's going to show up expecting to confront us. The good news is I doubt he'll be anticipating a clash with the Sialdiens. Still, we'll need to do everything in our power to ensure he doesn't make it to the doors."

"From what I've seen and heard," Lucas commented, "the Sialdiens are expert conjurers. Between all of them and the five of us, I honestly think we're looking at a solid chance of finally stopping him."

"Maybe," Zoe replied, "but I've learned to expect the worst when he's involved."

Lucas faced the distant bonfire. "Ready to head back?"

"Yeah," Zoe responded.

They approached the stairs.

"Think you'll dance?" Lucas asked.

"No," Zoe firmly answered. "I told you, I can't stand dancing."

Lucas glanced at her. "Why?"

"When I was growing up," she explained as they walked down the stairs, "I got dragged to every ball in the Cymbeline area. I've pretty much hated dancing with a passion since I can remember."

"Well it's not like they're slow dancing or anything," Lucas argued.

"I hate dancing," Zoe replied, a slight annoyance in her tone, "period."

Lucas chuckled. "Alright, I'll leave it alone." The pair walked across the field toward the fire. "So," Lucas suddenly said after a short silence, "I guess that means you've been inside the castle."

"It's hard to stay away from the castle when your adoptive father is the King's adviser," Zoe bluntly responded.

"Oh," Lucas said, "yeah, I guess that's true. But I was actually talking about the annual royal ball. Cymbeline gets crazy that time of year. I've always wondered what it'd be like to go to a party at the castle."

"It's not really all it's cracked up to be," Zoe responded; the pair slowed their pace to an eventual halt as she spoke. "You spend all day getting dressed, fixing your hair, doing your makeup, spraying yourself with awful, smelly perfume, and doing all kinds of stupid, boring crap just to shuffle around with other rich people on a big floor to the tune of some dull orchestra. Ugh, and wearing heels... and PINK. GOD I hate pink."

Lucas chuckled. "What's wrong with pink?"

"It's..." Zoe fidgeted, "so... PINK."

Lucas raised an eyebrow, smiling. "Okay."

Zoe slowly smiled back at him, clearly trying to suppress it. "Don't judge me."

"I'm not," Lucas warmly informed her. "Why didn't you just wear another color?"

"I wish," Zoe replied. "I had to wear whatever Javan deemed 'appropriate for the evenings' events,' which was usually vomit inducing."

Lucas laughed, oddly amused by the manner in which she had spat out the latter part of her sentence. "Alright then."

With a heartfelt smile, Zoe started walking again, but instead of heading toward the fire, she moved eastbound, in the direction of some small Sialdien shacks. "Come on, let's walk a little more."

Lucas followed her.

"Oh yeah," she went on, "there was this one time I snuck away and threw rocks in the courtyard. That was fun. I threw one of them right through a window."

Lucas laughed. "What?! Did you get caught?"

She shook her head. "Nope! I never told anyone. King Ashraf must've flipped out the next day – well, I've never really seen him 'flip out,' but it must've been a surprise. 'I say, I do believe a hooligan has broken my window!'"

They laughed.

"So, what kind of stuff did you like to do when you were little?" Zoe inquired.

"I used to hike a lot," Lucas answered. "Krywood Forest was my favorite spot. When my father was still alive, we'd go together sometimes. He taught me basic swordplay out there."

"Are swords hard to learn?" Zoe asked.

Lucas shook his head. "Not at all. Just takes a little practice. I'd imagine scythe-fighting requires a lot more training." He paused. "I guess you learned how to do that in the Spades, huh?"

Zoe nodded. "Roshan taught me. When I was in training, he made me pick out a weapon to learn. I only chose the scythe because it looked cool." They both chuckled. "He looked at me like I'd lost my mind. He said, 'Are you sure? It's a lot harder than it looks.' He wasn't joking; I got so pissed off during those sessions. Luckily I was too stubborn to give up and try something else. I got the hang of it eventually."

The two eyed the Sialdien shacks as they passed, which were constructed similarly to the hut in which they had met Laverick, only much smaller. The area was free of Sialdiens, who were all attending the party around the bonfire, leaving only Lucas and Zoe in the dim light of the sporadically placed torches.

"If you don't mind me asking," Lucas suddenly said, "why'd you run away and join the Spades in the first place?"

Zoe snapped her head to him.

"If you don't want to talk about it–" Lucas hastily made known.

"No, it's fine," Zoe interrupted. "That was just kind of – have you ever felt déjà vu?"

"Yeah," Lucas answered, recalling the moment he had first laid eyes on 'Kathy.' "Why?"

Zoe hesitated. "I just got one of those feelings, that's all." She looked away. "Don't know why."

"Oh," Lucas remarked. "I was only wondering. I mean, it doesn't seem like the type of decision someone makes out of the blue. How exactly did it happen?" As they slowed to another halt, her silence made it obvious to him that she was reluctant about discussing the matter.

"Well," Zoe said, "if you really want to know, there're a number of factors that led to me joining the guild." She glanced around, apparently inspecting for eavesdroppers. Then, her eyes met his again. "This is for your ears only, okay?"

Lucas nodded.

She was quiet for a few seconds. Then, she began. "It was pretty lonely growing up. I didn't really have friends, or acquaintances. I had a private tutor, so I didn't go to school or anything. I didn't even have a family besides Javan – and he wasn't family to me.

"There was always a wall between us. When I was a little girl, I'd try to smile and talk to him when we'd pass in the hallways, but he'd just look at me with that stone, cold face, like I was some kind of burden. He was always too busy. The most I'd get to see him was at dinner. Every time we sat down he'd ask, 'how was your day?' If I said 'good,' he'd say, 'that's good.' If I said 'bad,' he'd say, 'that's disappointing.' We'd eat in silence after that. Sometimes I'd try to start a conversation, but he'd just mutter short, irrelevant responses and blow me off.

"That mansion was nothing but a giant prison to me. I remember sitting in front of the window for entire afternoons, wondering what it was like out there. I'd go to our library just to stare at maps of Aria and dream about all the places I'd never seen. I never got to go anywhere without Javan or at least one of the servants, and even then, it was usually either the castle or parties with a bunch of snobs I never fit in with. Even when I got to go shopping, I wasn't allowed to leave Regal Heights.

"Javan always told me the city was too dangerous. He'd talk about the lower class like they were subhuman. I couldn't stand it when he'd rant and rave about them. My parents came from there. My real family came from that place. That's where I belonged. Every nasty remark he spat out slowly ripped through my heart like a dull knife. It made me so angry.

"As I got older, I started talking back to him. It didn't do any good. I never felt any better, and sometimes he'd fly off the handle and hit me. He did it in front of our servants a few times, but they never really said or did anything about it. Eventually, I just stopped talking to him or anyone.

"Then, one night, when I was fourteen, I was finishing up a history assignment in the study when I saw two red-cloaked men walk by in the hallway. It wasn't by far the first time I'd seen them. Javan had always vaguely associated their presence with his job, and told me to stay away from their meetings. Before that point, I'd never really questioned why, but I suddenly found myself with an overwhelming curiosity. I knew if he saw me, he'd get angry. Then again, I really didn't care anymore. So I decided I was going to find out.

"I closed my book, slipped into the hallway, and quietly followed them all the way to the meeting room. I was sure to keep my distance; they never had a clue I was there. After they went inside and shut the doors, I got as close as I could and listened in." She paused. "I heard everything. Damiano's Disk, Javan's 'vision' of a 'new Aria,' the Spades; I was still very confused at that point, but I knew enough. I couldn't stay. He was crazy. I hated it there. So, I left to find my real family.

"My first night in Cymbeline was rough. I found the inn after walking around aimlessly for a while and decided I'd wait until morning to begin my search. But when I told them I didn't have any gold, they laughed and told me to get a job. I tried to explain to them why I was there, but they just looked at me like I was crazy. They said if I didn't leave, I'd be thrown out." She chuckled. "I thought they were so cruel. I didn't know any better. I'd been spoiled. All my life up to that point, all I had to do was ask one of our servants for anything and they'd bring it to me. I didn't have a clue what I'd walked into.

"Reality hit me hard when I was huddled up against a wall behind a closed restaurant, shivering, too scared to sleep. I started to think maybe I didn't have what it took. I'd just die out there. I kept thinking, 'my family left me with Javan for some reason; maybe I should go back.' But then I remembered the heartache, the loneliness, the wondering. I was just as miserable in that mansion; would it really make a difference if I starved out here? My family was out there, somewhere. I just needed to survive long enough to find them. That gave me enough peace of mind to fall asleep.

"I spent the next day searching Cymbeline up and down for clues about my parents. I asked person after person if they knew anything about a baby left at Quinn Manor fourteen years before. I was so stupid; I had no idea what I was doing. I had this childish expectation that I'd just meet the right person and they'd take me to them.

"Evening came, and I still hadn't learned anything. I sat down on a bench for a while to rest my feet, and that's when I realized how hungry I was. I started asking people for food or gold as they passed by, like it was just going to be handed to me. Most of them ignored me. A few called me names. Then, finally, one man said he had some food, but I'd have to go with him to get it.

"I followed him all the way across the bridge to his house in the southern part of town. We didn't talk much along the way. I didn't mind; I was just relieved that I was finally going to get something to eat.

"When we got there, he shut the door and locked it. That's when I knew I'd made a mistake. I asked him where the food was. He told me I'd have to pay for it. I tried to explain to him that I didn't have any gold, and that's when he grabbed me. I kicked him as hard as I could and ran. Thank God I paid attention to how he locked the door.

"I just ran after that, nonstop, all the way until I found the bridge again. I broke down there. I don't even know how long I cried. Everything seemed hopeless in that moment. I'd immersed myself in a world I wasn't prepared for... and that... that broke me.

"I realized my parents were gone. Just gone. Wherever they were, they'd left me far behind. I was pointlessly searching for what I'd never find. I couldn't go back to Javan, especially after what I'd discovered about him. Life in the mansion wasn't worth living anyway."

She paused again. "I stood there forever, staring down at the water. I figured drowning would be a lot less painful than starving. It's pretty hard to work up the nerve to jump. Honestly, I wasn't afraid of dying. I'd been having those thoughts since I was twelve. I was more afraid of screwing it up: surviving and being found. I had no idea how Javan would react, and I didn't want to find out. Ultimately, I decided I'd give myself one more day.

"It took a few hours, but I ended up back in the spot where I'd slept on the previous night. It was quiet, and I hadn't seen anyone back there since I'd found it, so I figured it was the closest thing to safety I had. I was a wreck. I couldn't stop sobbing. I was miserable, terrified, hungry, cold, tired... I got even less sleep that night than I had the night before.

"The next morning, I was woken when the restaurant's owner stepped out back to dump a pot of old grease. We looked at each other." She softly smiled. "I think we were both pretty surprised. I got to my feet and apologized; I told him I'd leave. But instead of shooing me, he asked, 'Do you have anywhere to go?' I shook my head. He smiled at me and offered me breakfast. After what'd happened the day before, I was hesitant. Maybe it was just the hunger talking, but some instinct told me I could trust him, and I did. He took me in. I ate one of the best meals of my life. He restored my hope. His name was Roshan.

"We started talking. I told him who I was and why I'd ran away. When I told him about Javan, I'd expected to get a similar reaction from him as I did from the innkeeper. That's when I found out he was a Spade. He told me more about the guild and their purpose in guarding the fragment. Then he asked if I would be interested in joining. Everyone in Aria was going to be impacted if Javan completed Damiano's Disk, including my real family, so I accepted.

"I stayed at the restaurant with Roshan the first few weeks. He cut my hair short to make me less recognizable to Javan's associates and the King's guards, even though I usually stayed in the backroom out of sight anyway. At night, he gave me basic training. Before I knew it, I was off to the base, where I perfected my skills.

"The guild gave me a new home. Although I never did find my parents, I learned how to conjure, how to fight, and how to survive. I became a newer, stronger person, and I owe it all to Roshan. He saved my life. He was the father I never had." She subtly wiped away a tear.

"Tarren was always good to me too," she continued. "He'd let me leave the base to visit Roshan now and then, even though he'd always warn me of the dangers of returning to Cymbeline. Roshan was what we called a 'sponsor,' which are members who either own small businesses back in Aria and provide funding, or those who live outside of the base to hold the fragment or house Spades in an emergency situation. Kind of like Morice, the old man who gave you the fragment. In fact, the only reason I wasn't at the based during the raid which sparked that whole event was because I was visiting Roshan.... But I'm just rambling now. I mean, you already know what ultimately happened."

Lucas was lost for words. The pair stood in silence for several seconds.

"Sorry to kill the mood," Zoe remarked.

Lucas shook his head. "No, it's not that. I'm just – I mean, wow. That's not quite what I was expecting. I'm sorry for making you have to think about it."

"Just keep it to yourself," Zoe said. She looked toward where they had walked from and then back at Lucas again. "Want to go back to the fire now?"

"It's up to you," Lucas answered. He paused before adding, "We can walk a little more, if you want. I was enjoying talking to you."

Zoe was quiet, passionately gazing into his innocent green eyes.

Lucas, a bit perplexed by her lack of response, spoke again. "Yes? No?"

Zoe's lips slowly formed a smile.

He smiled awkwardly back at her.

She laughed, unbearably amused by his confusion. "You're so oblivious." Stepping toward him, she grabbed his cheeks and pulled his lips to hers.

*** * * ***

"They've been gone for a while," Hagan remarked, looking toward the temple. He briefly returned his attention to Aiden, who was gleefully dancing alongside the Sialdiens. Then, he looked at Iris. "Should I check on them?"

"I think you should," Iris replied. "I'm beginning to grow concerned myself."

Hagan got to his feet. "Stay here."

He walked across the field to The Temple of Damiano, but when he arrived, he only spotted the ten Sialdien men standing guard. Even after performing a thorough inspection of the immediate area, Lucas and Zoe were nowhere to be found. Unsettled by the mystifying discovery, he broadened his search to the group of Sialdien shacks southeast of the structure.

Hagan walked between the small buildings, calling out for his missing companions as he carefully scanned his surroundings. "Lucas? Zoe?"

Suddenly, he heard something, turning his attention to a shack not far ahead of him. "Lucas?" he called again, cautiously approaching the hut.

"Do you mind?!" Zoe's voice yelled back at him from within the shack.

Hagan froze. "Zoe?"

Sure enough, a few seconds later, a messy-haired, barefoot Zoe emerged from the building. "What do you want?!"

"Uh," Hagan replied, "I was just coming to check on you guys. You've been gone for a while."

"We're fine," Lucas informed him, coming into view from the shack's small doorway. "We just went for a walk... we were checking out some of the houses over here."

Hagan eyed Lucas's sloppily buttoned up shirt. He smirked. "Uh-huh. Well, as long as you're alright. I thought maybe something bad had happened."

"We can take care of ourselves," Zoe asserted.

"Sorry for watching your back," Hagan sternly replied. He crossed his arms; his eyes quickly darted to the shack and back to Zoe. "That's someone's home, you know."

Zoe blushed. "Just go!"

Complying, Hagan turned around and started back toward the fire. "Maybe you should wait to 'check out the neighborhood' some other time. We don't want to piss off the Sialdiens."

The pair stood in silence for a moment, watching him walk away before awkwardly looking at each other. They couldn't help but laugh.

###  Chapter 39: In Wait

Lucas was the last of the five heroes to wake on the following morning. He sat up, glancing around the generously spacious and relatively empty shack the Sialdiens had provided them for lodging. Spotting his sheathed sword, he reached over and grabbed it, proceeding to stand up and secure it to his waist before heading out to find his friends.

After only a minute or two of walking, Lucas saw Hagan, Iris, and Aiden sitting in the grass near the smoldering ash of the bonfire's remains.

"Morning Lucas," Hagan greeted with a mouthful of mango.

"Hey," Lucas replied. "Where's Zoe?"

"Practicing," Hagan answered. "That's what she said anyway."

"Oh." Lucas sat down.

Iris handed him a banana. "Are you hungry?"

He took it. "Thanks."

"So," Aiden chimed in with a smirk, addressing Lucas. "How was it? Scale of one to ten."

Caught off guard, Lucas immediately ceased peeling the banana and gazed blankly back at him.

"Hardly appropriate over breakfast," Iris remarked, cutting her eyes to Aiden.

Aiden snickered.

Hagan glanced over at Lucas. "Sorry about that."

Lucas shrugged. As he quietly ate, his thoughts drifted back to the conversation he'd had with Zoe on the night before. _I want to tell her; she deserves to know the truth. But I feel like it'd only break her. Striving for her parents is what made her strong... and I just can't do that to her._

He was snapped back into the present moment when Iris's voice broke a brief silence. "I suppose there isn't much we can accomplish until Lord Quinn arrives, aside from preparing ourselves."

"His little delay's got me worried," Hagan added. "He's got something big planned, I'm telling you. Must've been scared by how close we came to taking him down."

"We got this," Aiden confidently proclaimed. "This place is crawlin' with Sialdiens. Sure, Quinn's a tough one, I'll give him that, but there ain't a snowball's chance in hell he'll make it to that temple in one piece. It's practically in the bag already."

"We shouldn't be overly confident," Lucas commented. "Like Hagan said, he was probably intimidated by what happened in Ivyvyne Village. He'll be expecting to see us here because of it, and we know he has a lot of manpower – I doubt he's going to show up alone."

Hagan threw the mango's pit. "Well, whatever he's doing, this waiting's killing me. I'm ready to get it over with."

Iris opened her satchel and peaked inside. "Oh my... we're running dreadfully low on Renovamen Elixir." She looked at her companions. "Perhaps we shouldn't practice conjuring today. It would be ill-advised to drain ourselves in the event Lord Quinn were to arrive."

"Someone oughtta tell Zo-zo," Aiden said. He, Hagan, and Iris turned their heads to Lucas, whose eyes darted between all three of them as he scarfed down the remainder of his banana.

Getting the hint, Lucas got to his feet and threw the peel onto the pile of ash. "Which way did she go?" he inquired, his words muffled.

*** * * ***

At last, Lucas sighted Zoe on the far end of the field, just on the outskirts of the jungle, with her scythe in her hands. She was swiftly taking several swipes at the air and intermittently positioning her weapon to block a counterattack, as though she were in the midst of intense combat with an invisible foe.

Lucas smiled, approaching her. "Hey."

Zoe froze, snapping her head to him.

He came to a halt and unsheathed his sword. "You don't look so tough."

Zoe smirked. She promptly swung her scythe's snath into his blade, sending his weapon flying out of his hands before thrusting the chine inches from his throat. "You lose."

Lucas chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay!"

She lowered her weapon. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah," Lucas replied. "The ground's a little rough on the back though. Did you eat breakfast? They've got fruit over by the fire."

Zoe nodded. "I got up early with Hagan and ate a little. Then I decided I'd get some practice in. We can't be too ready."

"Speaking of which," Lucas said, "Iris sent me over here to let you know we're running low on Renovamen Elixir, so you might not want to use any magic in case Lord Quinn shows up today."

"Got it," Zoe affirmed.

"Now," Lucas went on, "that being said...." He swiftly threw his open hand in the direction of his sword and spat out, "Lumen arma reditum!" His weapon lifted off of the ground and quickly flew through the air, hilt-first, returning to his hand. He thrust his blade at Zoe, stopping inches from her chest. "Don't trust your opponent."

"Hey!" she protested.

Lucas laughed, lowering his weapon.

Zoe's irritated expression melted into a smile. "Asshole."

*** * * ***

Despite the heroes' anticipation of Lord Quinn's arrival, nighttime fell without as much as a hint of their adversary. Day after day passed, and still, all remained calm on Nazareno Island, almost as though Lord Quinn had peculiarly chosen not to open the temple after all.

One night, at the end of yet another uneventful day, Lucas and Zoe entered their dimly lit shack to find that their companions were already fast asleep – Hagan and Iris were quietly cuddled up near the wall while Aiden was sprawled in the middle of the floor, snoring loudly.

Zoe sighed. She looked at Lucas, projecting her immense dissatisfaction with Aiden's obnoxious snores in a single gaze.

Lucas smiled. "He can't help it," he whispered.

"I know," she quietly replied, "but I still want to jam a sock in his mouth." She made her way to the corner of the room and leaned her scythe against the wall. Extending her hand to Lucas, she took his sheathed sword and gently placed it beside her weapon before resting next to him on the floor.

The pair lay silently for a short while, staring at the ceiling. Then, Lucas turned his head to Zoe. "Do you think Lord Quinn will finally show up tomorrow?"

"I don't know," she answered. She turned her head to him. "There's no telling what he's got planned. All we can do is wait and try to be ready."

Lucas's eyes moved to the ground as he pondered. He looked back at her. "What if he makes it?" She was clearly confused. He elaborated, "I mean, what if he opens it? What if he actually succeeds?"

"I don't want to think about that," Zoe said.

"It could still happen," Lucas replied. "What would we do?"

Zoe hesitated. "We'll probably be killed."

Lucas's eyes widened. "That's it?"

Zoe's shoulder twitched; her eyes shot to the side, then back to his. "Well, what could we do? If he becomes some unstoppable powerhouse, he's going to come after us first."

"Do you really think he'd kill you?" Lucas inquired.

"He's tried once already," she responded. "After he knocked you out, he started ranting about how I'm 'one of them' now, and how I 'can't be fixed.' The only reason I survived is because of Master Bonham. I'm nothing but an enemy to him. We're in the same boat."

She paused. "You know, after the monster invasion happened, it became clear to me just how heartless that man really is. All those lives he ruined, all those people that died; he doesn't even care. I don't know how he sleeps at night." She noticed his eyes move away from her while she was speaking. Quickly remembering his grandfather's recent death at the hands of the beasts, she hastily changed the subject. "Ugh, that snoring's driving me nuts."

Lucas turned his head to Aiden.

"You know what?" she whispered.

He turned back to her.

She smiled. "I'm going to do it." She sat up and removed her right boot.

Lucas chuckled, sitting up as well. "No, no, don't."

"Oh," she nodded, "it's happening." She pulled her stocking off and wadded it up.

Lucas laughed. "Zoe, wait!" he quietly protested.

She grinned at him and stood up, proceeding to swiftly and quietly make her way over to Aiden, whose mouth was wide open – drool trickled from his lips onto the floor as he continued emanating his thunderous, ear-wrenching snores.

Zoe glanced at Lucas, displaying the wadded sock to him one more time. "This ends now!" She abruptly shoved the stocking into Aiden's mouth.

Aiden's eyes snapped open. He sat up and shouted something, but his words were made completely incomprehensible by the sock's obstruction.

Simultaneously, Lucas erupted with laughter, and while he felt bad for Aiden, he couldn't seem to stifle his enjoyment.

"You were snoring," Zoe informed Aiden, fighting to speak through her own laughter. "We thought you should put a sock in it!" She snorted, which made Lucas laugh even harder.

Fully comprehending what had occurred, Aiden immediately grabbed the stocking and flung it at Zoe, who merely continued laughing. "WHAT THE HELL'S YOUR PROBLEM?!" He spat a few times and frantically brushed his tongue with his fingers.

"What's going on?" Hagan grumbled.

"Zo-zo put her smelly ass sock in my mouth!!"

Hagan chuckled and rolled back over.

Aiden darted his head back to Zoe and clenched his fists, which abruptly burst into flames. "You're messed up, ya know that?!"

"It was just a joke," Zoe said, her laughter subsiding.

"A joke?! A freakin' JOKE?! I AIN'T LAUGHIN'!!"

"Shhh, Aiden!" Lucas cautioned. "Don't wake up the Sialdiens!"

"I DON'T FREAKIN' CARE 'BOUT THE DAMN SIALDIENS!!" Aiden bellowed, causing Hagan and Iris to spring up.

"Aiden," Hagan warned.

Ignoring him, Aiden snapped his head back to Zoe. "Ya tryin' to start something?! HUH?!"

Zoe's eyebrows lowered. "I was kidding," she sternly replied.

"Aiden," Lucas firmly said. "Calm down."

Aiden quickly turned his head to Lucas. "She put her freakin' germ infested sock IN MY MOUTH!! Do ya have any idea how VIOLATED I feel right now?!"

Zoe crossed her arms. "Baby."

Swiftly returning his focus to her, Aiden jumped to his feet. "THAT'S IT!!"

"Aiden!!" Hagan shouted.

"I dare you," Zoe growled, hastily repositioning her arms to conjure an attack.

"STOP IT!!" Lucas roared.

The pair turned their heads to him.

"It was a harmless prank, Aiden," Lucas angrily asserted. "You're overreacting."

Aiden took a few deep breaths. His hands extinguished. "Of course ya take HER side." He lay back down, turning on his side away from Lucas.

Hagan let out a long sigh and rolled his eyes. He and Iris lay back down as Zoe reluctantly retrieved her saliva-soaked stocking.

Once she had rested beside Lucas again, he quietly said, "You shouldn't have provoked him like that."

"You were laughing too," Zoe argued.

"The name calling didn't help." Lucas paused. He glanced over at Aiden, then inched closer to Zoe's ear and softly added, "It was still pretty funny though."

She smiled.

"Put a sock in it," Lucas whispered.

They quietly laughed.

###  Chapter 40: The Awakening

Lucas was lost in a peaceful slumber when someone violently shook him.

"Lucas!!" Zoe's voice frantically cried. "Wake up – Now!! It's happening!!"

Immediately, Lucas's eyes snapped open. Hearing the sounds of screams and clinking metal echoing from outside the shack, he clambered to his feet and promptly retrieved his sheathed sword from the corner.

"Come on!!" Hagan shouted, rushing outside, closely followed by Iris and Aiden.

Lucas quickly secured the sheath to his waist and hurried behind them with Zoe.

The pair emerged from the shack to find themselves in the midst of an intense battle waging between the Sialdiens and countless Knowms. Many of the structures throughout the area had been set ablaze, illuminating the night with an intense glow as thick smoke billowed into the air. Not only did the Knowms clearly have the native islanders outnumbered, but, worse yet, the duo sighted several red-cloaked men among the chaos, firing various offensive spells.

Hagan prepared an arrow. "Anyone see Quinn?!"

"I can't tell what the heck's goin' on!" Aiden answered, his hands in flames.

"There's too many of them!" Lucas exclaimed, glancing around at the brutal disarray consuming the once peaceful field. "How'd they spread so fast?! This is insane!"

Just then, a small band of Knowms equipped with swords and axes emerged from behind the obstruction of a burning shack.

"Iris," Lucas yelled, "behind you!!"

Iris quickly turned and thrust her arms in the green-cloaked adversaries' direction, freezing them solid with a speedily conjured rush of icy wind.

"Damn bastards are everywhere!" Hagan remarked. "You'd think the Sialdien's would've just done their sleep trick on them!"

Zoe glanced at him. "Knowms are immune to effect magic!" She hastily scanned her surroundings. "We'll never find Javan in this mess – we need to get to the temple!"

Hagan gave a nod. "Alright, let's move!"

*** * * ***

Laverick's eyes were tightly squinted shut as he quivered, panic-stricken in the corner of his hut, sobbing in the fetal position. _I don't wanna die!! Why'd this hafta happen?! Everything was great when I was being treated like a king, but now they expect me to fight like some kinda warrior?! I don't know how to fight!! I'm gonna die here!! WHY ME?!_

His eyes popped open when he was startled by a loud bang on the exterior of the wall behind him. He jerked his head toward the disturbance and watched with bulging eyes as sweeping flames swiftly consumed the shack.

"EEEEK!!" he shrilly cried, dashing out of the hut.

Almost immediately after entering the battlefield, he was met by a red-cloaked man who pointed his palm at him and began conjuring a fire spell.

Laverick, beyond terrified, bolted aimlessly in the opposite direction, narrowly dodging the gush of flames as well as several sword swipes from passing Knowms. "WHY'D YA HAFTA LEAVE ME, MA?!" he screamed, tears pouring down his cheeks.

*** * * ***

Lucas thrust his sword into a Knowm's stomach, simultaneously launching a light orb at another one quickly closing on his left. He turned his head and briefly saw Hagan showering a mass of the green-cloaked men with flames before abruptly having his attention diverted by a cry of anguish as Aiden fell victim to an ice blast. "Aiden!!" Lucas ran over to his companion, who was knocked on his back by the force of the attack.

"Umbra obscurum fulgur!" Zoe immediately retaliated against Aiden's red-cloaked assailant with a fatal lightning strike.

"He's unconscious," Lucas shouted, kneeling beside his fallen ally. "Iris, cover me!!"

Iris, having just impaled a Knowm with an icicle missile, spun around and bolted to Lucas. "Glacies circumdantibus scuto!" She then materialized an icy barricade around them, temporarily protecting the trio from harm while Lucas got to work healing Aiden.

Hagan felt a rush of wind as an arrow zoomed past his head. Grabbing his bow, he swiftly returned fire, bringing a crossbow-wielding Knowm to a sudden end. "How the hell are we supposed to cover ground?!" he hollered, putting away his bow and immediately positioning his arms to deliver another surge of flames.

Zoe savagely swung her scythe, slashing a Knowm across his abdomen and speedily turning to her left just in time to block another's sword with her weapon's snath. Using all of her strength, she thrust her scythe forward, knocking her opponent backward and quickly extirpating him with one harsh swipe. "I don't know!" she admitted to Hagan, snapping around to slash yet another approaching Knowm. "Just try to stay alive for now!"

Aiden's eyes gradually opened.

"He's awake," Lucas informed Iris. He stood up and extended his hand to Aiden. "Come on, get up – I don't know how long this ice shield's going to stay intact."

"HURRY IT UP, LUCAS!!" Hagan bellowed. "IGNIS STERNO!! WE NEED YOU GUYS OUT HERE!!"

At that second, Zoe was using her scythe's snath to block an attack from an axe-wielding Knowm, but alas, her weapon didn't prove sturdy enough to endure the powerful blow and snapped with a loud crack. She gasped, dropping her damaged scythe and jumping backward to scarcely avoid a follow-up assault from the enemy's sharp blade. "Umbra orbis!" She swiftly hurled a shadow orb at her assailant. "Durable, my ass," she griped, her eyes grazing over the battered weapon for a split second.

Iris shattered the ice shield surrounding her, Lucas, and Aiden, and the three instantly joined in the mayhem. "Glacies crystallos discus!" Iris conjured and threw a snowflake discus, while Aiden and Lucas materialized fireballs and a light wave respectively.

With the trio's added effort tipping the odds in the heroes' favor, Hagan at last saw their chance to advance farther toward the temple. "Move, move!!"

*** * * ***

Laverick, who had fortunately found shelter after stumbling upon a surviving shack, remained huddled beneath the concealment of a large rug for several minutes, so unbearably horrified that, in spite of his desperate attempt to go unnoticed, he couldn't seem to stop trembling. _It's gotta end soon, just gotta stay calm._ He took a few deep breaths. _NO!! They'll hear that!_ Panicked, he held his breath, although in only took a mere thirty-five seconds before he could no longer stand the uncomfortable sensation and desperately gasped for air. _Why do I gotta breathe, WHY?!_

"Do not resist," a voice coldly commanded from the doorway.

Laverick's eyes widened. _NO, NO!!_

*** * * ***

A loud clash ringed in Lucas's ears as his sword collided with a Knowm's.

"You will die," the green-cloaked man monotonically proclaimed.

Iris heard a scream, quickly turning her head to see the Knowm pull his sword from Lucas's abdomen. "Glacies stiria telum!!" Rushing to aid her companion, she synchronously lanced his assaulter with an icicle missile.

"Lucas!!" Zoe cried, darting toward him.

"Assist Hagan!" Iris sharply told her, proceeding to conjure a thick ice barrier around herself and Lucas.

Zoe reluctantly turned to see Hagan barely evade a Knowm's sword.

Hagan had just conjured a fire orb when four black, thorny vines shot up from the ground around his opponent's feet, entangling and ultimately crushing the green-cloaked man. Hagan glanced back at Zoe, and that's when he noticed the icy barricade surrounding Lucas and Iris. "What happened?!" he inquired.

"He's been stabbed," Zoe answered. "Help me protect the barrier."

Meanwhile, Aiden chucked an onslaught of fiery fury at every enemy in his sight. "Dang it, where the heck do these guys keep comin' from?!"

"Stop resis–" the Knowm was pegged with a fireball before he could complete his sentence.

"Can it!" Aiden snapped.

Lucas's wound slowly vanished as he lay enclosed within the ice barrier, healing himself with Iris kneeled at his side. "Okay," he finally said. "I think that'll do it."

Iris helped him to his feet. "Are you prepared to resume?"

"Yeah," he replied. "We've got to hurry though; I can't afford to drain myself before we reach the temple."

Giving a single nod, Iris shattered the barricade.

Zoe was conjuring another lightning attack when she heard the ice burst. "Is Lucas okay?!" she called, unable to turn her focus away from the enemies.

"I'm fine," Lucas replied. Spotting an opening in the confusion, he charged for the temple. "This way!!"

The five heroes pushed onward, making a considerable amount of headway before they were inevitably blocked in by a thick wall of Sialdiens, Knowms, and Crimson Clan members, mercilessly annihilating each other at the foot of the temple's stairway. There were a considerable amount of Knowms on the structure's massive porch, firing their crossbows at the Sialdiens who attempted to make their way up the stairs or otherwise near the temple's entrance.

It was then that Zoe made a startling observation. "The door's open!!"

*** * * ***

Bizarre markings, similar to the ones found on both the door and Damiano's Disk, covered the walls of the long corridor. If it weren't for his ability to see in darkness, Lord Quinn certainly wouldn't have been able to navigate the massive structure's pitch-black interior nearly as easily as he had.

The clopping of his boots against the stone floor echoed throughout the passage as he ran farther and farther. _It just keeps going! Where is it?! WHERE'S MY POWER?!_ He quickly glanced over his shoulder toward the distant entrance. _Those damn savages could break through at any moment; I cannot allow them to beat me to the treasure!_ Though he was exhausted, he gathered every ounce of strength within him to increase his pace. _I've worked my entire life for this! NO ONE is going to steal victory from me!!_

When he at last reached the end of the corridor, the passage split left and right, though both hallways appeared to have openings which led to the room beyond the wall in front of him. _Yes... this is it!_ He hurried to the right and proceeded into the next room where his long sought treasure awaited.

To his great surprise, however, he entered the room to find that, though it was incredibly large, it was completely empty – the sole exceptions being a single throne near the opposite wall, crafted entirely of stone, and the mysterious figure who sat upon it.

Perplexed, Lord Quinn slowed himself, but continued toward the room's lone occupant.

The strange man sitting on the throne looked up at him. He appeared to be a normal human being, only his skin was gray, and he was extraordinarily muscular. He had no hair and was completely nude.

Lord Quinn was shot with an abrupt surge of panic when the gray man's eyes met his. They too resembled that of a human's, despite their unnatural dark-red color and snake-like black pupils. Then, to Lord Quinn's astonishment, the man gradually got to his feet, revealing his startling height of 7'6".

Fighting through his overwhelming dread, Lord Quinn proceeded closer to the gray man, eventually gathering the nerve to ask, "Who are you?"

The man did not respond, continuing to gaze blankly back at him.

Lord Quinn walked closer, outwardly masking his terror in the face of the giant. "Where's the treasure?"

The gray man was silent.

Lord Quinn drew nearer and nearer; his heart rate steadily increased. Once he had become too close for comfort, he halted. _What IS this thing?!_

The grey man's lips slowly formed a smirk. Then, at last, he spoke a single word. "Javan."

Lord Quinn's eyes widened. _That voice!_ His breathing heightened; he couldn't bring himself to respond.

"Why are you so afraid, Javan?" the man's deep, growling voice inquired. "You got what you wanted. You should be happy."

"Th-the treasure," Lord Quinn stammered, "where is it?"

The gray man chuckled. "It's right in front of you."

Lord Quinn perspired, utterly flabbergasted by the response. _This doesn't make any sense!!_

The gray man paused, his eyes slicing into Lord Quinn, indulging in his ever increasing horror. "You'll find that I am quite powerful," he went on, stepping toward Lord Quinn, who simultaneously stepped backward. "You'll also find me to be rather... uncontrollable." He halted. "But I do thank you for your service, puppet. You've been an exceptionally loyal slave. Unfortunately, now that I am free, I am no longer in need of your services." He gradually raised his right arm from his side, pointing his palm toward Lord Quinn. "How would you like to see Vera again?"

In swift reaction to the chilling threat, Lord Quinn thrust his arms at the man and spat out, "Umbra obscurum fulgur!" striking the gray brute with a powerful surge of lightning.

Alas, the attack appeared to have no effect whatsoever on the gray man, who remained fixed in the same position, absorbing the dark-purple bolts with such ease that one could even speculate that he had found enjoyment in the failed assault.

"Is that all?" the gray man calmly asked. He chuckled again, returning his arm to his side. "Your face... it's absolutely priceless. I told you, Javan, there is nothing but power in this world, and clearly, I am far more powerful than you."

Unable to stifle his fear any longer, Lord Quinn bolted toward the exit.

The gray man laughed. "Yes! Run from your fears, Javan! Keep running you deplorable infant!" He pointed his index finger at his retreating prey.

Lord Quinn pushed himself as hard as he could toward the doorway leading back into the main passage. _What have I done?! WHAT WAS I THINKING?!_

"Too late, Javan." A tiny, concentrated ball of black light shot from the gray man's finger, whizzing through the air into Lord Quinn's back, ripping through his heart and exploding out of his chest in a bloody mess.

Javan Quinn fell to the ground.

The old man died alone.

###  Postscript/Special Thanks

**So concludes** **The Awakening** **, the second book in the** **Tales of Aria** **series. I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I have writing it. I plan to get started on the third book soon, but until then, you can visit the** **Tales of Aria** **official website for the latest news concerning the series:<http://talesofaria.com>**

**Also, you can show your support by giving us a 'Like' on Facebook:<http://facebook.com/talesofaria>**

**Now for some special thanks!**

**Carl would like to thank:**

– **Bryan Golden: For his breathtakingly awesome artwork. You rock, man!**

– **Rebecca Foster: For her support of the series. Check out her blog, Undiscovered Tomes, for other Fantasy and Paranormal works from indie authors:<http://undiscoveredtomes.blogspot.com>**

– **Everyone who has shown their support for** **Tales of Aria** **, including, but not limited to: Lindsey Russ, Sam Roberts, Jason Clark Johnson, Conor Voss (Yes, AGAIN), Jennifer Flott, Charlie Stallone, Chuck Metzger, Ron Flott, Robert Fitzgerald, David Horner, Katie "Grey" Coleman, Maha Balouch, Dinabandhu Chakraborty, Helen Eli, Amber Love, Catherine Wright, Brian Rathbone, and KZ Power.**

– **You: For reading the book! Thanks!**

**I'm always looking for ideas to improve the series' website and Facebook page. If you've got any, or just want to say hi, shoot me an email:carlruss3@talesofaria.com**
