We headed back out the door and down to the Car. All our stuff loaded onto it. I sat in front with Atlas and Kelva sat in-between Adell and Seph. We took the few minutes ride to the docks in silence, humour gone we boarded the ferry and parked the car on deck then went to a private room below deck. There weren’t many other passengers on the ferry. So it was pretty quiet. We went over the plan again and before long the sky turned a duller shade of blue. Kelva and Atlas slept in one corner of the cabin, Seph sat by the window looking out at the eastern sea, Adell reading a book.
 I meditated, I listened to the distant hum of the engine and relaxed, I focused on the feeling I had in my head the earlier that day. The one I got from Brox. It wasn’t there anymore, but I still held his presence, I still had my connection to him and I focused on it. Tried to tell him that we were coming, I listened to it tried to see if I could hear him. The more I focused on him the more I got a sense back to me, as if he was thinking back to me. He knew I was focusing on him and was trying to do the same. After a while I woke myself up.
 It wasn’t going anywhere, just having that feeling that he was trying to find me but he didn’t know how, started to bother me, I felt sick, I was worried, I missed them. And I didn’t know how things were going to work out.
 What I did know is that if I had it my way, Volden would have his ass handed to him for doing this. But it was deeper than that. Volden wasn’t really like this, he was corrupted and so it was our duty to help him. I looked at Seph canister in his hand, a thin smear of red over his lips, was I the only one who really accepted him?
 Adell was ok with him. Keaden knew there was something less than kosher with him. But could that just be because of this plan he was hiding? Brox didn’t like him because Keaden didn't trust him and put up with him for my sake. Kelva well she was open to the idea of having a new addition to our little team. As for Atlas, so long as he didn’t put any of us in deliberate danger and he stayed out of his way and kept his hands of Kelva. He was just dandy. What would happen to him after all this? Would he go back to his coven? Would he run off at break-neck speed into the sun set? Would he be coming home with us? Who knew?

A few hours past and eventually the Ferry slowed down. We made our way back up to the car and when the front of the ferry lowered we drove of onto the little island of Dualcia. A two minute drive led us into the centre of the only settlement on the island, We pulled up outside the inn and got out, Adell and Kelva went in to sort out our check in, while me, Atlas and Seph got the cases and bags. Me and Seph were to share a room, Kelva and Atlas in another and Adell in her own; all the rooms were two single beds in them. Under normal circumstances I would have thought this funny for Atlas and Kelva, but these weren’t normal circumstances, we weren’t here for a holiday. 
 "I'm going to go for a walk, get re-acquainted with the area; I haven’t been here for a few years so..." Seph said
 "Yeah sure" I replied I led back on the bed and looked out of the window I was next to. What was I doing? Here I was relaxing when Keaden and Brox were who knows where; having God knows what happening to them. I lay back, fighting my instinct to worry. I kept telling myself that I shouldn’t worry because I was doing everything I could do. I was here and in a few hours I will be there. This should all be over by morning. And maybe Keaden wont get into to much trouble with the Pack. I focused my energies, Meditating again, is that all I’m good for? I thought. I pushed my self pity away and relaxed as best I could, focus again on Brox. He was scared, and he was waiting for us. I kept sending feelings, feelings telling him to stay calm and not to worry. I am on my way-
 "Leun-"
 I woke up, half dazed, I looked up at the blond vampire, his hand on my shoulder "hmm, sorry, must have fallen asleep." I rubbed my eyes
 "You ready for that drink?" He looked at me, I sat up put my jacket on (Sai’s included), stood up then looked at him, and smiled,
 "Lets hit the bar"

We sat in the bar for 15 minutes; we had a drink made small talk and never once mentioned anything to do with the plan, naturally. I briefly saw Seph incline his head. I looked at him, and he looked back to me, an expression in his eyes that told me he had made the signal.
 "Really nice around here, come on" he stood up leaving his drink that wasn’t red, can you believe it. "Some nice spots around here, the architecture is brilliant when lit up by moon light, come on I will show you around" I stood up and followed him to the door. We got outside and there were only a few people wandering the streets, but Seph was right, the architecture under the old lamp lights and moonlight made the place look like the Island time forgot. It was really nice, shame this wasn’t a social visit. "This way" we walked down the main street into the plaza. It was like the Falvian market centre only older and more intricate in its stonework. Shops and empty stalls surrounded the little fountain in the middle; we were heading toward a set of steps leading to another street. I lifted my foot for the first step then- Darkness

 Kelva lay on her bed with a book, but she couldn’t concentrate. Her mind kept wondering to Leun and Seph. They had gone and now all they could do was wait to hear word from Seph. But how long would it take? Atlas was in the bar, 'Typical' she thought. Her right middle finger suddenly felt numb. She sat up and rubbed it.
 "What the-" She started then he jumped when the window blew open, curtains flailing against the wind. She looked through and saw something she recognised. The curtains stopped moving and the wind stopped as she saw it, then she moved to the window, she looked over the building opposite and saw the remains of an old castle on a hill, lightly picked out of the night sky by the moon light. One part at its base stood out, she recognised it, like she had been there before... she closed the window, and walked to the door then realised she had no shoes on, she put some on, grabbed her gear and went to her mums room, next door. She knocked on the door and as it opened Kelva strode in.
 "Are you ok? What’s wrong?" She said letting her into the room
 "I have been here before." She said firmly, she started to pace the room, like she was concentrating hard on something "I’m not talking about dreams, this Island, them ruins, these views... I know them." she said looking around.
 "I’m not following you dear" Adell said confused.
 "You don’t have to, I will take Atlas with me instead, you can wait here to hear from Seph" she started to walk out
 "Wait, Kelva, where are you going?" Adell started. Kelva stopped turned around and walked to the window. Parting the curtains she pointed up to the ruins above the village.
 "There" she said then hurried out

 The first thing I remember was pain. The back of my head was throbbing, everything was black, then I realised I had my eyes closed. I opened them slowly, everything was blurry, and I could make out a wall in front of me, a fire on it, a torch probably. Something was whimpering. "Brox-" I bolted up, eyes flying to the left. Then I felt the consequences. I groaned in pain and rolled over onto my side. I covered a bit of, mana into healing energy and focused it on my head. My vision started to come around almost instantly and I saw I was in a cage,
 I lifted my head slowly. Brox was in the second cage away from me, on my left. He stood whimpering staring at me, his muzzle through the bars.
 "Hello you" I managed. Then I saw who was in the cage in between us, I took in a deep breath, pain forgotten I flew to the cage side. "Keaden... Keaden" I called trying to reach him, he laid unconscious, naked and beaten on the cage floor. 
 "He's alive" a heavy voice said. I froze in my effort to throw some healing mana over Keaden. "He has been giving us a bit of trouble"
 "I will be sure to thank him later" I said "Who are you Satan's little helper?" he stood tall and intimidating, a rich black cloak covering his clothes and arms, his face appearing at the top. He had short black hair and a v shape beard below his bottom lip.
 "My name is Volden" he said
 "Seriously? Aww, that’s a shame, your parents must have hated you" I said flatly
 "Say what you will, it means nothing to me."
 "Still, I have heard of you, thought you would have been better looking though." I said sarcastically
 "Do you know why your here?"
 "You mean other than kicking your ass?"
 "I don’t think that’s going to happen" He said his voice slow and cold, his arm appearing from the middle of his cape, holding a necklace with a carved stone on the centrepiece.
 "What’s that?" I said half worried.
 "A gift" he said
 "Oops, and I didn’t get you anything. Oh well I have a good foot that will fit lovely in your face" I said generously, hinting at my feet.
 "Do you know what this does?"
 "Yeah, It puts you a decade behind modern fashion. Ooh and if you press the stone, I bet it plays a tune" I said.
 I wasn’t scared of this guy; I hated him for doing this to Keaden. I was all ready for blasting my way through the bars of this cage and pasting him 7 shades of purple, but I restrained myself.
 I didn’t know how many goons were out there, and how was I supposed to deal with them protect Keaden and get out of a vampire infested area? I couldn’t, I was stuck here and I knew it. My only option was to stick with the plan.
 "Your a fool"
 "Charmed I'm sure! OK, I'm getting bored of staring at your ugly mug; I’m getting out of here". I created a barrier over him and threw a ball of fire at it "Wow...what the-" I frowned and did it again, "Nice trick, going to have to tell me how to do that".
 "Not a problem" he murmured, the necklace levitated with a red and black shadow like mist, surrounding it, it moved towards me.
 "Thanks but no thanks, doesn’t go with my shoes." I brushed my hand over it as if to throw it aside. I did it again but pretending to focus more on it. "I...DONT...WANT IT" then I visibly conjured some mana mist around it and threw it to one side. One of my finer parlour tricks. "What is that thing? WHAT IS IT?" It came towards me faster. I backed away then its quickly flew over my neck. I dropped to the ground, on my hands and knees dramatically. I flicked some fire in my hand as if a very big flame was being blown out then, I extinguished it fully. "You bastard! What have you done to me?" I heaved in a hard breath "I cant breath... I feel like..."
 "like your magic has been striped away, that’s precisely what has happened" he said, I put my hand to it and played a bit of static on my fingers as if it had electrocuted me. I started breathing heavily "It wont kill you, so I will calm yourself if I was you. You will get used to the feeling soon enough. You are here because Seph brought you here, my Seph. The one you trusted. I need you to activate an ancient device used to create these" he pulled a chain from around his neck baring a heavy red Gem
 "Are they all that ugly?" I breathed, and sat back
 "You will power the device, and I will kill him if you fail to co-operate, that necklace is to make sure you don’t do anything foolish during your stay here"
 "Yeah, well your accommodation stinks, kind of like the owner, I strictly asked for a room with a view" I growled
 "Get comfortable your not going anywhere" he walked out.
 'Want-to bet'
 I got up and went straight to Keaden; I kneeled down and focused some mana into him. From what I could feel in him, he had a broken rib, A few torn muscles, too many cuts and bruises to count, and an internal haemorrhage.
 While healing I can feel everything inside the body, Kind of weird at first but I got used to it years ago. Mostly my sense of where the pain is coming from tells me where the problem is, otherwise its as obvious as something not connecting where its supposed to, like a muscle or a rib.
 I started to focus my healing mana on the haemorrhage in his stomach. It wasn’t severe, and it sealed quickly, I kept some mana there and focused on the rib next I had to let this healed before he woke up or a sudden movement due to me being there could cause him to knock it or pull it, causing more damage. I pummelled my energies into the bone, but bone takes a while so I focused on the tissue around it. If I could get the rib back into position and heal around it, it could keep it line for it to heal itself. After about an hour of tending to the haemorrhage and the rib I stopped. I drew in my mana reserves and focused on developing more mana.
 "Hmm, uh" Keaden rolled over
 "Shh- don’t move, stay calm" I whispered
 "Leun. Oh God, they got you too, Listen its a coven of vampires they know Seph, he is a..."
 "I Know, I know, everything is going to be ok. Relax, lie back down," I said, he looked a bit confused and eventually lowered himself against the bars slowly. I threw some more healing energies to him
 "What happened?" he murmured
 "I cant explain now, they want me to power up the do-hickey out there, but don’t worry I'm getting us out of here"
 "How?" he asked "What do I do"
 "Nothing, you don’t do anything, you wait here until help comes then you go when it does."
 "Screw that, I'm helping, your not doing this alone, there’s loads of them"
 "Your right I’m not doing this alone. Sorry Keaden, but this time your the one getting saved."
 

 "Kelva slow down" Atlas ordered as he jogged along side her. She stopped and put her hands into a formation toward Atlas "What are you doing?" Then he could hear her mumbling what he remembered to be a revitalisation spell, "Wait, Kelva, stop, I don’t need an energy boost" She stopped and set off again up a steep cobbled street that headed out of the town, up to the Ruins. To her left she could see the ocean and to her right the Dualcian hills covered with a thin forest. "Kelva Stop, NOW. Tell me what the hell is going on, You haven’t said a word to me since you came into the bar, threw me my coat and said 'come on' is that all I get"
 "There is something I remember about this castle. Were going there."
 "Kelva you haven’t been to Dualcia before..."
 "Which is what makes the fact I remember it all the more interesting, don’t you think?" she said
 "But how can you remember somewhere you haven’t been before?"
 "That’s what I intend to find out. The thing is, I think I have been here before." she said with an uncertain tone
 "What you mean those dreams?" he suggested
 "Yes, well No. I think more along the lines of a past life" she stopped looked around at him, she saw the unsure look in his face then carried on. "I think those dreams were memories"
 "Are you serious?" he said bluntly, Kelva didn’t reply
 "Were nearly there..." A few minutes later they arrived at the foot of the castle grounds. There was no wall surrounding the castle it was all open. Some of the castle had collapsed. Kelva ran to the building to the left of the main structure, and found the door locked. "I need to get in here" It was a heavy chain lock, Kelva cast a pressure attack into the lock and it shattered with a loud bang. Atlas looked around to make sure it hadn’t attracted any attention, but they were alone up there. Kelva started to push the door then Atlas helped her, it was heavy but they got it moving. After they opened the door about 2 feet, Kelva let go and slipped inside, Atlas not knowing carried on pushing, then soon noticed she wasn’t there and growled at her as he followed her inside. 
 "Thanks for that" he said cockily, but Kelva wasn’t listening. She was to taken in with her surroundings. She was almost in her dream, it was the room she dreamed of, only older, more dusty and the walls that were once vibrant were now dull and worn by time. She walked down the isle and stepped up the steps to her seat. She sat gingerly then sighed, she closed her eyes and took in all the nostalgia, hidden memories of parts of the dreams she had forgotten re-awoke. She opened her eyes slightly and saw Atlas stood there, He bowed playfully and she kicked him gently.
 "Oi. This was where I had my dream. The cloaked figure walked down this isle, and came up here; He passed me something, a ring. I smiled at him, I loved him" A breeze past over here and she felt his presence that made her feel a familiar comfort. She noted Atlas expression, suddenly serious. "The ring was mine but it had been hidden, and I knew that I would need it, to protect my people, I was the princess of Dualcia. The Démok attacked before I had chance to re-harmonise myself with the ring. I had allot of power, but no control over it, I couldn’t wield it and I failed. I died but my body was laid to rest, by my beloved. Here..." She got up and ran down the steps then out of the chamber. She ran to toward the castle entrance but turned to go around the back. Atlas sprinted to keep up with her, she was a faster runner. She came to another door around the side, she ran at it and threw a pressure ball at the lock, splinters of wood flew everywhere and she kicked the door open.

She descended a short set of stairs into a dark corridor. She cast an illumination spell and an orb of light appeared beside her hand. The stone corridor was long and it had numerous doors leading into the castle, but she wasn’t going there. She ran down the corridor and descended a spiral stair case into a large chamber with different doors leading to a different part of the dungeon.
 "Where are we?" Atlas whispered behind her.
 "The Crypt. These different doors lead to a different section of it. Depending on importance of the person who is to be entombed here" She ran to the end and walked through an unlocked door and descended some stairs "This way" she finally stopped in yet another chamber, but this one was different it had rooms init. A complex of path ways ran between them in a maze of mausoleums and memorials for the deceased royalty. She started to move again.
 "You cant possibly know where were going" Atlas started, but Kelva didn’t answer she kept going. Walking around the rooms as if she knew exactly where she was going, then she stopped. "Wow" Atlas exclaimed, the tomb she stopped outside was built into a wall. It was big and ornate, the stone carved with expert craftsmanship. She pushed the tomb door that was made of heavy polished wood. Atlas wondered who was brave enough to come down here to clean this place. Then he helped Kelva push the door open. Once open, Kelva walked in and found it was a mausoleum full of stone coffins. She moved to one left of the two centre ones, and then cast a levitation spell. "What the HELL are you doing? Are you damaged? That’s somebody’s revered corpse in there!" Atlas started
 "I should know it is mine" She said calmly then started to lift and move the lid.
 "That’s it Kelva, I have put up with this weird Shit all night, but you have Fucking lost it, I mean, I love you but your loose" he said, rubbing his hands over his head, pacing the room. Soon the coffin was open and Kelva looked down at her skeletal corpse. She stared at her remains of the life she left behind for a moment. Then she looked down to what she was holding, A golden ring with a green emerald like gem fixed in the top. She twisted it out of her former grip and levitated the lid back. She stood with her back to her coffin and wiped the dust from the ring. The gold was shaped almost like the roots of a tree twisting around each other to form the circle, the emerald fixed in by a decorative claw. She held it for a moment but she couldn’t feel anything. Then she put it on...
Atlas was thrown from his feet into the wall 5 feet behind him, the force of power that bolted from Kelva Pinned him to the wall. She stood, hair flying in all directions, wind whipping around the room. The distant sound of thunder disturbed Atlas. He looked back to his girlfriend to see her levitating half way between the floor and the ceiling. Then the wind slowed and disappeared. Atlas bolted to her and grabbed her from mid-air. He held her in his arms as she shivered. "Kelva, you ok? Say something..."
 "Its gone wrong... there in trouble" She mumbled.
 

 "He suddenly looks a lot better" Volden walked into our prison followed by four of his men. I looked to Keaden then started at Volden blankly
 "You don’t! but I can help you with that" I said wittily
 "Indeed" Volden looked to his men then one stepped foreword and opened my cage and walked inside.
 "Aww, you come to keep me company, awful nice of you" He went to grab my arm, then I struck, I grabbed his hand, pulled him into an arm lock then threw my foot into his nose. He stumbled and fell back his nose suddenly gushing with blood "Shame I'm not in a mood to entertain". I said looking down.
 "Well I'm entertained" Keaden grumbled sitting in his cage. I smiled at him. The vampire sobered and straightened up. I wasn’t going to get out of this fight unscathed without using my mage abilities. I was a decent fighter but he had the vampiric advantage over a human. He stood there staring at me for a second, then in a blur of movement, and appeared at the side of me, I felt him move through my mana field but I wasn’t fast enough.
 He struck his elbow into my back, my knees buckled and I fell to the ground in a yelp
 "Bastard" Keaden shouted. I inhaled sharply causing me to cough. The Vampire guard pulled me up from behind by my wrists and bound them with rope. I looked up to Volden, noticing for the first time him holding something under his arm.
 "Where's Seph?" I said. I was still on my knees and the guard was tightening his work to make sure I couldn’t get free.
 "He is...occupied, don’t concern yourself with him" Volden said, turning away to face the door. I noticed he was holding some sort of diary.
 "I want to see him." I said firmly being dragged to my feet. I was pushed out of the cage and out of the room into a hall way. "I SAID I WANT TO SEE HIM"
 "Yes I know..." he said calmly, we continued to follow him to some ascending stairs, and then up into an open forest clearing.
 "Well where is he?" I ordered
 "You will see him soon enough" he said calmly, I was taken through the clearing into a dense forest with a stone pathway leading to an big open area surrounded by trees with a circle carved into the middle of the floor with different patterns going in all directions. It had an archway leading from one side to the other meeting 20 ft in the air. In the middle of the circle, and had a 5ft tall stone pedestal directly underneath it. A Vampire kneeled over papers and sketches with his back to us. Looking around the circle, and writing things down, clearly studying it.
 "Seph" I called, but he didn’t turn around. "Oi, what’s going on?" Again no response. Volden walked over and said something to him, then passed him the book. The Vampire on the floor stood and turned around accepting the book. It wasn’t Seph.
 "Where is he? Isn’t that Seph’s job?" I said half worried
 "Tell me...how is it you know so much about what is going on here? And why oh why is it you are so anxious to see the one who betrayed you?" he said as he turned around
 "I just want-to kick his ass" I said
 "Or maybe you want to formulate a plan 'B'." That was when it all clicked. Something was wrong. I hadn’t seen Seph since I had been taken, and something didn’t seem right. What was that book? Was it what I thought it is? But how can it be, Seph said he had hidden it, somewhere safe, in another continent! How could he have it?
 "That’s the Book of Arcanis isn’t it?" I said looking at the book open in the vampires hands "How did you get it?"
 "Do you think I'm stupid enough to let that fool, take something so precious away from me?"
 "You shouldn’t answer people’s questions with rhetorical ones?" He gave me a sly look
 "I had him followed; he thought he had it safe. But my spy who had been tracking him broke into the tomb where he left it mere hours after he had gone. I had it back in my possession days after he took it from me, of course he didn’t know that until now.” The jig was up. He knew the only way to stop me ripping the place up was to play along with the original plan to ensure my co-operation. Letting me think we were getting one over on him. But we weren’t.
 He knew this stone around my neck wouldn’t block my mana anymore than that blade of grass next to my boot.
 I levitated the necklace of me, hovered it a foot in front of me and ignited it. I set fire to my bindings. In seconds my hands were free. And when I turned around I saw that about 20 vampires had entered the stone platform and were looking at me. I knew I couldn’t take them all on. But I stood a good chance making a run for it, back to the holding cells. But then how was I supposed to get Keaden out of there with his injuries, Brox was ok, Bar the kick in the ribs he had sustained. But he could still run and Keaden would require about five maybe ten minutes to change. And then after all that I needed to find Seph and get him out too, I had no idea where he was.
 "Look's like I'm going to have to give you an I.O.U. on that foot in your face, hope you don’t mind." I said slyly not letting any discomfort toward the situation show.
 "I would advise you against anything stupid, I have 3 of my men waiting for my order to kill your dog-man companion"
 "What are you telepathic now?" he held up a portable phone. "Oh right..." I had no way out of this, It was either take a chance at running and face the even bigger chance of having the snot kicked out of me, or go with what he wanted me to do, and hope for another opportunity to arise. I gave him a playfully annoyed look "You drive a hard bargain, But since I’m in a very generous mood I have decided to forgo my other likely successful options and help you"
 "I thought as much" he said "step over here" I walked over to where he was stood and saw the circle on the ground, "Step on it" I sighed, and did as I was told. By this point the vampire researcher had moved clearing the area. 

 Having stepped on the area I started to wait for my next order, but none came. After a moment I turned around to look at him. A flash of doubt flitted across his eyes but then something had attracted my attention, the edges of my mana field had gone; I focused on it and felt it slip down toward gravity. My mana was sinking from my control and falling into the alter. I took this as what I needed to do and started to push my aura into the platform, It sank through almost effortlessly and before long I could feel its sapping on me increase in power. After a short while I didn’t have to try, I mentally tried to generate more mana, not for the platform, but for myself. I felt like I was being ripped away from myself, after a few minutes I felt the need to get on my knees, I needed to concentrate on maintaining mana that was being stolen from me. I rested my hands on the platform.
 "Yes its working, give it more" Volden said, an evil tone in his voice. I looked up to see the pedestal glowing and had a field around it, my mana field that was out of my control. I felt drained as it was getting torn from me at an incredible pace, I stopped letting it fall from me and began to pull it back, but against its momentum all I could do was slow it down a bit, I dragged it back but it only got sucked from me again. I was sweating, panting, I felt irritated. 

 The part of my inner core that generates the mana was getting stressed. Almost as if the alter was forcing it to make more of my aura for it to feed on. I couldn’t handle it, I soon became desperate and I couldn’t help writhing on the floor, groaning and heaving my breaths. I scratched at myself trying to relieve the tension that had built up so heavily under every inch of my skin, but it was of no use. I was in mental agony. I needed to get away.
 I rolled on to my front, and began to crawl. Slowly I managed to cross a metre of the platform and my hand stuck out of the circle. It immediately started to tingle. The power of the alter only worked within the circle surrounding the pedestal. Volden was laughing to himself, book in hand he walked forward. He walked straight past me. I had a thought; maybe I could ignite the mana cause an explosion, could I? Even if the mana was out of my control I may be able to cause some sort of chain reaction to set the altar’s adoptions of my mana on fire perhaps. Should I try it? - NO! - I thought. I realised if I set the alter on fire, Volden would just jump out. And I wouldn’t be able to move away, not like this.
I was naturally protected from my own mana abilities, so my own fire couldn’t hurt me with or without barriers, but I had no control of this mana and if I did, it could be suicide. But still... at least then Volden wouldn't be able to do what ever he wanted to do with it. Was it worth it? - sacrificing myself to stop an unknown cause? What guarantee did I have that after I did set the alter on fire that it wouldn’t destroy it, and what guarantee did I have that if it did, Keaden would survive Volden’s rage? I couldn’t do it.
 Every inch of my body was aching, my mind filled with pressure. I couldn’t think properly. All I could feel was a pulsing where mana was being ripped from where it was made... I was certain that I would die if that gave out. I pushed myself to get out of the platform but I couldn’t move. I barely had enough energy to cry in pain.
 Then I heard something, a wave passed over me, I couldn’t see it, but I could hear it. Lightning fired across the air above me, Vampires running around in pain, some in anger, some to attack, some to run, but one voice stood out.
 "NOOO" Volden cried. Two heavy strong hands grabbed me from under my shoulders and heaved me away from the circle. I convulsed as I got away from its grasp. I instantly started fitting as my mana core rejoiced and re-absorbed what little energy it had left. The tingling sensation I once felt in my hand hit me ten fold all over my body. And this power was the feeling I got from my body being without mana. I couldn’t help but shake, I needed more mana or I knew I would end up lying in a coma until I have recovered.
 "Get AWAY!!! RAAA" A hollow sound of fire, followed Volden’s cry. I wasn’t aware of the battle going on over head, all I could feel was someone strong pulls me away to safety, fighting my convulsions.
 "Whoa-... Whu yA." I managed through my shakes.
 "Leun, your Ok its me, your safe" Atlas said reassuringly. My shaking eased a little as I lay there. "Kelva's fighting them off" I almost missed the humoured tone in his voice after hearing what he said.
 "AlO- On eR... WhUf-iTe" I tried to ask who was fighting with her. If she was on her own? And if she was, why the hell he wasn’t helping her?
 "Its ok, everything is sorted" I fought my eyes open to look at what was going on. About ten Vampires lay broken and dead on the floor; I couldn’t see Kelva from where we were. "Kelva found something; well it was a relic, a ring. And it was weird but...It’s like she is... like she isn’t her... I will explain it later, but she has a relic and it is so powerful. I know you have to adapt to them like Seph and Adell said, but its like she owns it... Look" He sat behind me and propped me up against him. I could see what was going on, Kelva and Volden were the only two left in this arena.
 Volden’s cape was strewn on the floor by the archway and Kelva stood hair in a tangled mass that ironically made her look empowered like some sort of warrior queen. Kelva had this greenish glow to her and Volden had a black aura to him.
 "Who do you think is most likely to win this bout Kelva? I have been using this relic for years you only found that tonight, did you not?" he said confidently
 "No. your wrong, I have had this relic since I was born. It is my relic. Made by me, and now reincarnated I have reclaimed what is mine. And will use it again to protect my people" Kelva raised her hands above her head and held them together. She rose about 3 foot and a blinding green/gold light appeared in her hands. It crackled with a dance electrical charge then the light consumed her body. I felt Atlas make a sudden uncomfortable move, and then relaxed as the light began to fall. Her hands appeared and then her arms, he head came through and the light fell like a bubble to the ground, Kelva lowered her hands still levitating. The ball of light moved forward and began to take shape, It walked on four legs, In an equestrian shape then the light dulled to reveal a white unicorn, big and powerful pulsing with green electricity falling from it. Its long hair of its mane was platted in places and its ears were pierced with golden jewellery, its horn had a streak of gold that twisted around from base to tip. And its golden plates protecting its limbs vibrated with the power this summon possessed. "Kavolcira" the Unicorn jumped on its hind legs kicking its front hooves in the air. With out any commands, Kavolcira, the unicorn ran at Volden, He jumped out of the way of it and she ran horn first into the Pedestal. Lightning flared as she struck it.
 "NOOO... YOU FOOL" Volden howled, but Kelva grinned,
 "The protection of that alter was a burden that held my people down for centuries, it created items not safe for our possession, and in my rein it would have been the first thing I would destroy. YOU WILL HAND OVER THE MALCEIC OR SUFFER THE CONSIQUESES OF YOUR GREED" she demanded from her floating position. Volden threw a ball of black energy from his relic, Kavolcira dodged it easily but it was aimed for Kelva and it was going to hit her, but instead it struck a barrier of static which enveloped her body. "SO BE IT!" The unicorn bolted behind Volden and threw him across the platform. Volden’s look of panic quickly changed to anger as he threw multiple bolts of black mist-like energy at Kavolcira but hit nothing but air due to the unicorns lightning fast movements.
 The unicorn jumped on him from behind pining him down. Kelva descended down on him and removed the Relic from the vampire leader. She started to walk away and with her back turned he stepped away from the circle on the platform. I watched as the unicorns body started to gather power, its golden decorations glistened and static and jolts of electric bolted across its body. The hum and buzz emanating from it got louder and soon its body was covered with a powerful mass of thundering power. Clouds gathered above them dark and threatening. Volden began to scream in fear and pain as the loose sparks struck his body with force. Kelva stopped on the platform path leading through the woods, turning her upper half around slightly she looked back. She stretched out her hand and snapper her fingers. A split second later a bolt of lightning shot from the heavens and struck Kavolcira, Her body then thundered down on the Vampire beneath her, the power around her body crushed Volden into the ground killing him instantly, The explosion was so bright I snapped my eyes shut fast, Atlas leaned away. 
 
When I looked back they were gone, the unicorn was nowhere to be seen, and Volden’s charred remains lay in a crater left by the attack. I felt a rush of relief; the thunder had shattered the circle on the ground, causing its grip on my mana to break. The alters remains flowed with mana and I instantly began to draw it in, absorbing it. It felt like breathing for the first time. My mana core relaxed instantly having had its reserves filled. Atlas stood us up.
 "Come on, we need to catch up with Kelva. She wont wait for us, she has been like this since we left the inn"
 "Go on" I mumbled "I need to recover my energy, I wont be long"
 "Ok, are you sure" I nodded then found my way to the floor again "I don’t want-to leave you like this" He said his tone dull as if he said something out of character.
 "I'm fine seriously, go" He nodded then ran of after Kelva. After only a few minutes I had recovered enough to stand but I kept drawing it in. I lay on my back so I didn’t have to concentrate on my balance. I lay there pulling the energies back into me, just drawing it in, and drawing it in, and drawing it in...
 
 Something wet hit my face, I snapped my eyes open to see Brox staring at me again, and I threw my arms around him and pulled him down onto me. I had fallen asleep and now felt reasonably refreshed. My mana always regenerates faster when I sleep. And being in this area helped. I wasn’t asleep long. It was still dark. Brox pulled away. He sat and raised his head up to face the sky; I could see the moon behind him having left its full moon phase days ago. I heard Brox take in a deep breath then howled. A loud roar ripped from him. I stroked his neck and could feel the vibrations, I smiled.
 "ALRIGHT...show off we've heard you" He put his head back to face me. I got to my feet and looked around. I headed towards the entrance then stopped. I looked at Volden’s black body. I walked over to the crater and looked to him. I walked over and turned him over, trying desperately not to look at his face. After curiosity propelled my vision to his face, I cringed and ran from the clearing. Then a sound caught my Attention. I turned to see Volden’s body shaking. "Shit! How can he not be dead after that?" I cunjured some fire into my hand, feeling a twinge from my mana core begging me not to go mad, clearly that scar would take some time to heal.
His body suddenly stopped, this dark atmosphere came into the clearing, and it was evil. I re-absorbed the fire then ran for it, Brox took lead he showed me the way back though it wasn’t far.
When we were nearly there something threw me into the side of a tree, then I felt someone kiss me. I smiled when I saw Keaden, his arms around me.
 "Thought you were dead?" He whispered to me breaking the kiss. I noticed him wearing one of the Vampires suits
 "Nah, I haven’t had a singing career yet." I said mockingly, he smiled and moved closer. I heard something to our left.
 "He's dead isn't he?" Seph said his gaze cold.
 "This thing had completely taken over him. I know what you wanted but if he didn’t have this guiding his thoughts, I think he would have gone mad" I referred to the gem. I mixture of expressions and feelings crossed his face, and then it settled on one.
 "I was kidding myself. I know I was... its just..."
 "Its ok" I said. I put an arm on his shoulder, "Come on"
 "Kelva came into the room where I was being kept and killed the guards with one blow. Seriously, one blow took out the three guards" He said, I smiled
 "Yeah Girl has panache, and a relic. Don’t know where she got it from yet."
 "We have to get it away from her" he ordered suddenly looked shocked and serious. I took my arm away.
 "I know, but I think this one is ok"
 "We need to get to her, after she freed me she took off, Atlas followed but told me to go with Keaden and Brox to find you. I couldn’t see Brox, I assumed he'd bolted off to find you" Brox turned and looked at him, tongue out.
 "I told him that he would signal us when he found you. Then we heard him howl, and I ran off toward you. After we got to this path I told him to wait here" We entered the clearing with the buildings where we were being kept.
 "Are there any guards left?" I asked. Seph put his head down
 "Kelva took care of them." He looked around
 "I’m glad he found something to wear" I said to Seph as Keaden walked off to look at the Broken alter
 "Why?" Seph asked in a dare-I-ask way
 "Well, would you like to walk through any village stark naked at any hour?"
 "Oh I see, well no not really" He smiled
 "Oh Keaden would" I said as playfully as I could. Seph looked to me with a confused look "Oh, Werewolves are very physically uninhibited" I said, Seph laughed "But they don’t like the attention. So a wolf would repel attention where as physical perfection would attract" I said with a milky tone
 "Tell me... are there any female werewolves..." Seph replied. I caught his look, and then I smiled at him
 "Actually, there are. Tell you what, I will get Keaden to put in a good word" I said mockingly
 "Thanks but no thanks, I have heard vampires don’t mix well with the doggy dogs" Seph said, I laughed. Keaden shouted over
 "I HEARED THAT, NECK-NOCKER"
 "Looks like I struck a nerve there"
 "If you value your teeth and your ability to walk you does not call a werewolf a dog" I looked to Keaden who had started walking back to us.
 "And you will be wise not to forget that, not many Werewolves are as lenient as me." He said in a playful yet warning tone as he walked past with Brox. He set of down the road.
 "Go on, I will catch up, I just need to check something." I told Seph, he nodded and followed. I walked back to where the alter was, looking for the cloud I saw earlier.
But it was nowhere. I didn’t fancy looking at the charred remains again, so I just put the cloud down as some sort of left over magic the Malceic possessed him with. I turned and jogged to catch up with Seph.