Modern Monsters Ch. 9&10

Chapter Nine:
Killer’s Invite.

“When everyone’s invited to one place, the killer is most likely there as well.”
— Words to the Wise

MATTHEW

I STOOD AGAINST THE BACK WALL NEXT to Dan and waited to see why everyone had been dragged to the Dining Hall in the middle of class. With all the Professors and students gathered, we numbered nearly six hundred, even less than half of the actual number of people who could fit in the Academy. It was just another way to prove that the Magyck was slowly disappearing among the races which were diminishing as well.

         As we waited, Gail appeared out of thin air next to me. “Master!” she cried, “Something awful has happened.”

         “Is Clair all right?”

         “Yes, she’s fine.”

         “Then why did you come to me?” I inquired.

         Before she could answer, Cooper’s voice entered my mind. “Kelzby, come to Professor-Sorcerer Sage’s room. I must speak with you, now,” she said.

         “Coming,” I replied. Making sure no one’s attention was focused on me I gathered a small amount of Magyck and teleported to Sage’s room. The smell hit me first. The sweet and intoxicating scent of blood nearly drove me to my knees. And then the sight met my eyes. Every seat held a spear-impaled dead student of the Minor Freshman Spell-Weaver class who were the lowest and youngest class in the Academy. And now, the entire Minor Freshman class was dead.

         Professor Sage sat slumped in his desk an wrought iron nail embedded into his forehead with a note attached. In his chest was his own dagger which had blood still seeping from the handle. His living co-workers stood in a somber line against the blackboard.

         “Who could have done this?” I asked, my voice sounding dead even to my own ears.

         “We don’t know,” Cooper replied.

         Belatedly I remembered the note. Forcing myself to ignore the awful scene, I slowly walked among the dead Minor Freshman toward the back of the room where Sage’s desk was located. I stopped at the edge of the pool of blood and leaned toward the teacher to read the note.

—The time for war has come. There will be none of this nonsense of waiting till the Winter Solstice. To make life easier on yourselves, follow these simple orders. First, the one named Lumena shall give herself to Nekarro. Second, the Betrayer must accompany the Lumenancer and hand her over. Everyday these demands are not followed another of the classes attending the Academy of Spells and Magyck will be murdered. There will be no exceptions. This is the only warning you shall receive.

         The war has already begun? I thought in horror. That’s not possible! The Dark side has never been able to get strong until the Winter Solstice. What’s given them the power to become strong enough now?

         “Matthew, what does the note say?” the HeadMistress’s voice asked interrupting my thoughts.

         “Come and see for yourself,” I said turning away from the dead Professor’s desk.

         “I’ve already looked at it. All I could see was a blank piece of paper. It’s not visible on the first nine planes.”

         I gazed at the note again and really got a good look at it. She was right. The words didn’t show up on the first nine planes; it was only became visible on the tenth.

         “So, what does it say?” another of the Professors demanded.

         Quickly, I read it for the others since I was the strongest Magyck user in the room. It became dead silent as the others processed the information.

         “How can the war have already started? The Dark side has never been able to get enough power to fight us until the Winter Solstice,” Professor-Witch Hammell cried.

         “It must be a lie,” another teacher declared.

         I turned to look at the male Professor my red eyes burning with anger. Slowly I walked toward him, being careful not to step in any blood. “You think this was a lie? You think someone just came in here and murdered these students for no reason? Are you trying to make yourself look like a fool?”

         The stunned teacher could only stare in silence at my words.

         As I opened my mouth to say more, the HeadMistress cut me off. “Enough Matthew. I will not tolerate fighting between allies,” she snapped. “We must decide what to do next.”

         “We must evacuate the Academy of course,” Professor-Wizard Johnson stated.

         There were murmured agreements from the others.

         HeadMistress Cooper silently nodded. “Of course we shall return the students to their parents. But first we must deal with this,” she said with a glance around the room.

         “What about the demand for Lumena? Are we just going to cave so easily?” I challenged.

         “We’ll worry about that later,” Cooper answered. “Right now the most important thing for us to be doing is getting into contact with the parents and telling them of this tragedy,” she added her voice growing thick. After a long silence, the HeadMistress continued. “Professors, go to the Dining Hall and wait for me there. I shall join you shortly. Healer-Magician Lentel must be informed of this.”

         As one, the Professors teleported out of the room.

         “Matthew, go to my office and wait for me there. Things have changed so we must plan. Hurry now, we don’t have much time!” she commanded.

         I quickly did as I was told.

CLAIRYSSAH
I

WHEN WE ENTERED THE DINING HALL, I cringed against Olah’s side. There were too many new people. Their voices crowded into my mind making it impossible to concentrate on my own thoughts.

         “Hey, what’s wrong?” a male voice I didn’t recognize inquired.

         I jerked toward his direction though I already knew where he was and what his features were except the colors. He stood nearly a foot taller than me at 6’9”. I had to practically crane my head all the way back in order to pretend to look at him. His hair was kept long but neat in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. Pointed ears poked out of small strands of hair not held back and slanted eyes gazed at me with concern.

         Umm, I’m not trying to be rude or anything, but who are you? I asked in return, remembering to move my lips with my words.

         “Where have my manners gone?” he asked himself quietly. “Please forgive me,” he continued in a louder voice. “I am Major Senior-Sorcerer Damien Little.” He bowed low over my hand he’d somehow got hold of.

         “Master Little, please refrain yourself from touching her,” Olah growled, her wolf teeth bared as she shoved me behind her and made Damien and I break contact.

         “Oh, Kaemyn Olah, I didn’t see you there.”

         Suddenly, the room became dead silent. Four people too old to be students entered the room.

         And then the HeadMistress appeared in front of me seemingly out of nowhere.

         “HeadMistress,” Damien said, bowing once more to Cooper.

         “Sorcerer Little. Good, I’m in need of your services. And your friends.”

         “I am yours to command as are the others.”

         “Teleport Olah and Clair to my office, Mage Kelzby will be there waiting for you. Quickly now, there isn’t much time. I will join you when I’m done here.”

         “Very well then.” Damien bowed yet again.

         HeadMistress Cooper turned to me. “Clair, answer any questions Damien may have, there isn’t enough time for me to do all the explaining around here.”

         But —, I began.

         “No buts about it. You can trust him. Now hurry up and get moving! And stay with them Olah. Clair is your responsibility now!”

         Cooper’s voice rang in my head as Damien took my hand and pulled me toward him. Olah transformed into a mouse and jumped onto my shoulder. The next instant it felt as if I was being forced into a too small a place for the space of three heart beats. When the pressure stopped I stumbled against Damien’s side.

         “Clair!” Matthew cried rushing forward to stop me from falling. Damien stopped me instead.

         Thanks, I whispered embarrassed.

         “Don’t mention it, fair lady.”

         My cheeks flushed bright red. Quickly I stepped away from him and closer to Matthew.

         “Damien, why are you with Clair?”

         “Aw, Matthew, it’s nice to run into you again,” Sorcerer Little said politely. To my amazement — not! — he bowed ... again. What was with this guy? “I am with this fine young woman because the HeadMistress enlisted me to bring her here and wait until she can join us.”

         I wasn’t sure but I thought I felt Matthew sigh against my back.

         “Well, we might as well get comfortable while we wait. I’m not really sure what’s going on, but I have a feeling the HeadMistress will be awhile,” Damien suggested.

         That was when I remembered the two of them didn’t know the awful news. Since I was the only one who did, it was up to me to tell them. Professor Sage and his entire class were murdered, I said into the silence of Damien’s last remark.

         “How did you know?” Matthew inquired standing from the chair he’d just sat in.

         At the same time Damien yelled, “What?!”

         I was here when the HeadMistress learned of it from some of the other Professors and Olah, I answered Matthew first. How did you know?

         “I was called to the scene of the crime by Sorceress Cooper so I’d know about it before the other students.”

         “Who killed them?” Damien demanded also standing from his hard-back chair.

         Matthew turned his attention to the other male. “We aren’t sure, but I have an idea of who it could’ve been.”

         “Who?”

         “I’ll not name names until I know for sure,” he swore.

         We lapsed into silence for the next half hour before the HeadMistress finally returned. “Okay, now we don’t have much time, so I’m only going to say all this once. In light of the events that happened this morning, I have made the announcement that the Academy of Spells and Magyck shall be shut down until further notice.” She held up a hand to stop Damien’s outburst. “Let me finish Sorcerer Little. There are not enough teachers or students strong enough to protect the entire school from evil infiltrating in. It’s just not possible. That and the threat that if Lumena isn’t handed over by the end of the day, another of the classes would be murdered are the reasons why the Academy must evacuate. Those able to teleport have done so and are now at home. The parents of the students unable to teleport are coming within the hour.

         Meanwhile, Clair, you and Lumena must go on the run. There is nothing else you can do. Matthew, you are to accompany her and teach her as much as possible in the matters of fighting with Magyck. We no longer have three months to ready her to become a Lumenancer. Whatever time you can spend keeping away from the Dark side is all the time we have to prepare her.”

         “Where must we go?” Matthew questioned.

         “No one but you and the ones going with you must know. I don’t care where you go. Just stay away from the Catacombs.”

         Matthew nodded he understood.

         “Damien, call anyone you know as being trustworthy and have them join you and Matthew. You’ll need all the help you can get.”

         Damien nodded. “I understand,” he stated bowing from his resumed sitting position.

         “How will we get into contact with each other if no one’s supposed to know where we’re going?” Matthew asked.

         “Through these.” HeadMistress Cooper held three unadorned rings which glinted silver for an instant in my mind. She handed each of us one. Mine was five sizes too big. “Put it on. It’ll automatically adjust to your ring size.”

         Dubiously, I slipped the too large ring onto my right ring finger. Less than a second later it had shrunk until it fit my finger snugly as if it had been made for me.

         “You’ll never be able to take those off even if you want too. The only time it will is when you die,” Cooper said solemnly.

BELLYNDA
II

HOW STUPID COULD YOU POSSIBLY GET? Yeah, so evacuating the Academy was something I never thought the HeadMistress capable of doing, and yet already over half the school’s population had returned home. It almost amazed me how fast the Light Magyck users could move if you lit a fire right under their feet.

         “Stop gloating and keep working!” Kuro’s voice screeched painfully against my mind. How did Clair manage having another soul in her body?

         “All right, all right!” I snapped refocusing my power on the necklace Matthew had given Clair. I caught the last of Cooper’s words. “The only time it will is when you die.”

         She must have been talking about the rings she’d given to Clair, Matthew, and the Elf. They were ingenious devices. Better even than the telepathy we creatures on the Dark side used to find and talk to each other. It was nearly as good as the necklace I’d made for the purpose of keeping an eye on Matthew and Clair.

         “Incoming!” Kuro warned.

         I released the Magyck I’d been using and leaned against the wall all casual-like and waited for the pair of Professors to pass. After inspecting them I realized I needn’t have dropped the Magyck since they couldn’t see me. For one thing, the male was a lowly Spell-Weaver and the other was only a rank higher at a Magician. When the war was over and the Dark side had won, the low level men would die before they became men while the women would only stayed alive to produce babies in the hopes they’d be more powerful.

         “Let’s ready the portal,” Kuro commanded.

         “Yes your royal highness,” I murmured under my breath. I shimmered out of existence on the first nine planes, positive no one but Matthew and Clair would know I was there if I passed them.

MATTHEW
III

“WE’LL MEET AT THE FOOT HILLS OF the Cascade Mountains. Deal?” I asked looking from Damien to Clair. Both of them nodded. “Good. Damien, start collecting our followers, we’ll see you three days from now, okay?”

         He nodded before teleporting out of my room.

         “Argh! I wish people wouldn’t do that!” Clair cried furiously.

         “What?” I asked surprised by her tone of voice. She’d been silent while plans had been made except to ask a question now and then. It seemed she understood the importance of what little time we had.

         “Just disappear and appear out of thin air. It’s called the door for goodness sake!”

         “It’s called teleporting, and it’s one of the numerous things I have to teach you as we run and hide from the Dark Magyck users.”

         “Don’t you have to see where you want to go?”

         “Not all the time. If someone you know has been to the place where you need to go, then you exchange pictures and you’re able to get there with no problems,” I said.

         “Oh.”

         “Anyway,” I continued after a moment of silence, “Let’s get packing.”

         “What do we need to take?”

         “All of that,” I replied pointing. I then remembered she couldn’t see, and yet she still turned her head in the direction of the bed as if she knew exactly where I was directing her attention. She moved to the side of the bed and picked up one of the six bags laying there. We were going to have to have a long talk about how she knew those things were there when she couldn’t see.

         “And how are we supposed to carry all of this?” she questioned. “I don’t think I can handle carrying three of these,” she added as she tested the weight of the pack she held.

         “That’s why these guys are around,” I stated with a smile. Gail, Kahlil, and Olah came to perch on my shoulders and head in various forms.

         “What, are you going to be Superman and carry these two the entire way?” Clair asked dropping the one she held and picking up the two heaviest bags as if she knew what each weighed. With a silent grunt she thrust both of them into my unready arms. I stumbled against their weight and landed hard on my butt, all the wind knocked out of me and both packs landing on my legs.

         “Oww!” I cried, humiliated as she laughed at me.

         “Sorry,” she apologized after a long fit of amusement. Even now she was having trouble keeping the giggles from shaking her body.

         Slowly, I stood, rubbing my chest where it had started to sting from the impact. “Anyway, to answer your question before you so rudely interrupted me,” I said trying to keep a straight face but failing miserably, “I’m going to summon more Kaemyns to join our cause.”

         “Kaemyns?” Clair inquired with a blank look entering her sightless yet beautiful eyes.

         “Us,” Kahlil answered for me.

         “I know that. What I’m asking is what are you? Why are you never in the same shape for a long period of time? Why are you never in a humanoid form?”

         “We are known as demons. Kaemyn is just our proper title. We can’t stay in the same form for a long period because it causes physical pain to stay in one shape unless our Master tells us not to change or we become a Superior Kaemyn. And we never take human or any other type of humanoid shape because it is our Master’s form and thus we are unable to take it upon ourselves,” Gail replied.

         “Oh, I get it now,” Clair said with a nod.

         “Okay, so now that that’s over with, can we get on with it?” I asked sarcastically.

         Kahlil smiled sheepishly with his spider monkey face. “Sorry Master.”

         I sighed. It was hard to stay mad at a cute little black monkey. “All right, let’s get to summoning!” I cried enthusiastically. Clair raised an eyebrow at me while the Kaemyns had mixed expressions of “you’re an idiot” look on their faces. “Sorry. I was just trying to lighten the mood,” I said raising my hands in surrender.

         Clair shook her head in bewilderment.

         “Gail, get my chalks will you please? Kahlil, Olah, go stand in the corner out of the way. Clair, come and stand next to me, okay?”

         In answer, she came to stand on my left. Gail then gave me my container that held my colored chalks before flying to join the other Kaemyns. After drawing the necessary circles and runes, I had Clair stand in the observing circle while I took the main summoning one. Drawing a deep breath, I cleared my mind and began the summons.

         —“Kaemyns of the Great Abyss, I, Mage Matthew Kelzby, call upon four of you to join me in my cause in the fight against the Dark side.”—

Chapter Ten:
Killer’s Intent.

“A killer can never keep their mouths shut about their great achievements. Neither can their subordinates.”
— Words to the Wise

CLAIRYSSAH

I WATCHED IN SIELNT AMAZEMENT AS FOUR indistinct creatures appeared in the circle between Matthew and I.

         —“Reveal your names,”— Matthew’s voice rang in my head.

         “I am Jane,” the first said as she solidified into the form of a cat. Her companions gave their names as well and chose their first shape. The other Kaemyn’s names were Elle, Dawn, and Shawn.

         Matthew stepped out of the summoning circle and took a seat on his bed.

         Matthew, are you all right? I inquired going to sit next to him.

         "Yeah, I am. It just takes a lot out of me to summon so many demons at once,” he answered looking up at my face.

         To my astonishment I felt my cheeks flush. Quickly, I turned around as if to inspect the new Kaemyns in order to hide my red face.

         After a lengthy silence, Matthew finally seemed to compose himself. “Okay then! Your turn!”

         What?! I cried taking a step back as he moved toward me.

         “Well, since this is something you need to master anyway, you might as well start now.”

         I could only stare at him, dumbfounded.

         “It’s really quite easy. All you have to do is stand in the circle and say a couple of words. Besides, I’ll be right by your side if you need help.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the summoning circle. I was unable to stop him.

         The four Kaemyns moved off to the side with Olah, Kahlil, and Gail as I was shoved unwillingly to the center.

         Matthew, I don’t think—, I started.

         “Trust me,” he interrupted, “All you have to do is stand there,” he repeated. “I can’t summon more Kaemyns by myself, so I have you here with me so we can link powers so I call more.”

         Then you were lying when you said I had to say a couple of words?

         “No. Since most of your Magyck is going into this and you’re in the summoning circle, you’ll have to say the words. But it’s not difficult. It’s as easy as if you were having a conversation with me.”

         All right, let’s give it a go, I finally relented. I sensed Matthew smile. My cheeks turned red once again.

         “Close your eyes,” he commanded. I complied quickly as I shoved my embarrassment to the side. “Now, imagine a small flame centered around your heart. Feel the heat flowing from the flame, let it slowly fill you, let it fill your mind till it is the only thing you can see or feel. Let the fire grow until it fills your entire being. Now, gather the flames into your hands and lift them with mine.”

         I felt his hands grasp mine and slowly lift them into the air until they were vertical with the floor. The air began to grow warmer. Sweat trickled down my forehead and back making me itch. I angrily shoved the feeling away.

         “All right, now repeat after me: Kaemyns of the Great Abyss, I, Clair Cooper, call two of you to come and join me in the fight against the Dark side.”

         I followed his orders and felt something I knew to be Magyck infuse itself into every silent word I mouthed. The air filled with heat making the sweat flow even more. And then, with a great shockwave that drove Matthew and the Kaemyns to the ground, two demons appeared already in a chosen form.

         As quickly as the heat had seemed to fill me, a cold, burning ice consumed me the moment Matthew released my hands. I fell to my knees next to Matthew feeling drained.

         —“Master!”— a feminine voice I didn’t recognize cried. Rushing to my side, she used her lion’s head to help support me before I could fall flat on my back.

         Not to be outdone by his companion, the other Kaemyn went to Matthew and helped him to sit up.

         “How —?” Matthew began as he got to his feet. “Why are you here when we didn’t even call your names?”

         —“You didn’t call us, really? Wow, things must be really bad if we came to the call of a Lumenancer.”—

         “But how could Superior Kaemyns like you come?” he asked scratching his head as he thought.

         —“We couldn’t possibly answer that for you,”— the new male Kaemyn replied. At a closer look, I realized he was a leopard.

         Shaking his head, Matthew went to the bed to think leaving me with the Superior Kaemyns.

         —“Well, since you didn’t call us by name, would you like to know them?”— the female lion questioned after a lengthy silence.

         Uh, sure? I said uncertainly.

         —“I’m Jha’nae, the Warrior Lioness.”—

         —“And I am called Kallen, the White Stalker,”— the leopard said a moment behind the lioness.

         Um, nice to meet you, I said finally getting to my feet. I nearly fell from the wave of dizziness that struck me, but I locked my knees and continued toward Matthew, Jha’nae and Kallen following like silent shadows.

         When I came next to Matthew, he rose to his feet. “Well, guess it’s time to go. Let’s get ready.”

         As I helped the Kaemyns who were now in various large dog breed forms into the packs, I sensed someone running down the hall on hoofed feet. The next moment the door was kicked down by Míane.

         Hello Míane, I said calmly as I strapped a bag to Olah.

         “What do you think you’re doing?!” Míane and Matthew yelled in unison. They were shocked into silence.

         We’re leaving, I answered straitening from my crouch.

         —“And you weren’t going to say anything to me?—

         Yes.

         She turned her angry glare from me to Matthew. —“And how were you expecting to keep your oath if you just suddenly disappeared? You do remember our promise, don’t you?”— she asked, her voice growing soft with suppressed anger.

         “Some things came up, but I haven’t forgotten our promise. If you’re worried I might break it, then don’t be,” Matthew said wearily.

         —“What things?”—

         “The Minor Freshman Spell-Weaver class was murdered along with their teacher Professor Sorcerer Sage.”

         —“What?!”— Míane cried, her eyes growing wide in disbelief.

         As I listened to them relate the news, I let my senses wander. Something didn’t feel right. Searching the school, I realized it was completely empty except for us here in the room and one other. A woman stood at the entrance of the Academy. Yet there was something wrong with her. At times it seemed there were two people standing in the exact same place and even overlapping every now and then. Something else caught my attention. Surrounding the strange woman was a shifting substance; it seemed alive but I couldn’t feel any life coming from it, only heat. As it rushed up the walls and down the corridors it finally struck me what it was. Fire. And it was moving at an impossible rate, faster than any fire I’d seen. And it was coming right toward us.

         We’ve got to leave, now! I cried keeping half of my senses on the raging inferno.

         “What's wrong?” Matthew asked, sensing my fear.

         Without knowing how I did it, I grabbed his shoulder and showed him the things I sensed. Once he knew what was happening, I released him. Now do you get why we need to hurry?

         “Yeah,” he said absently. “Kaemyns, come stand next to me. Jha’nae, Kallen, protect our rear. Míane, do as you wish, but I suggest you get out of here and as quickly as possible.” Matthew took my hand and pulled me close. “I’ll teleport us this time, but only because we don’t have enough time for me to teach you. Prepare yourself.”

         With that, I felt the now familiar feeling of being squeezed into a too small a place for the length of three heartbeats before it finally ended. Once I regained the ability to sense where things were, I shook my head to rid it of the pounding headache. That’s when I realized we hadn’t moved.

         Matthew leaned heavily against me until I couldn’t stay on my feet any longer. I collapsed to my knees with a barely conscious Vamgoyle weighing me to the ground.

         Matthew! I yelled as the air became hard to breathe as the room filled with smoke. I began coughing uncontrollably.

         “Clair,” Matthew’s voice whispered. “What happened? Why are still here? I thought I teleported us to safety.”

         I think you ran out of Magyck. But that doesn’t matter right now, getting out of here without burning is. Show me how to teleport, now! I shouted sensing him beginning to slip into darkness.

         “There’s not enough time,” he murmured.

         Then use whatever Magyck you have left and take over my body so you can use my power! The next moment I was shoved to the side as Matthew took control of my body and my link to the Magyck.

         Directing my movements the entire time, Matthew stood and grasped his inert body with my hands. He gathered as much Magyck as it seemed I could hold and raised my right hand. With an explosion that shook the room, the ceiling disappeared in shower of dust and rubble. Matthew lifted my head to gaze through the hole he’d created and sought the cause of why we’d been unable to teleport. A shield had been placed around the entire school.

         I ignored Matthew for the moment and searched for the woman. I was unable to find her.

         With another surge of power that brought my attention back to Matthew, the shield shattered when a spear of Magyck struck it.

         “Brace yourself,” he murmured. Sensing he was preparing to teleport us by using my link to the Magyck, I clung to the back wall of my mind with all my might.

         Suddenly, I felt Matthew’s wing drape across my shoulders in a protective way as if he could sense I was afraid of teleporting.

         “Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as it seems. It just takes a while to get used to.”

         I nodded in silence. Finally the dreaded teleporting took place. One moment we’d been in a burning room, the next we were out in the middle of the forest of the Cascade Mountains.

         Matthew released his body without ceremony before we collapsed. “I’m sorry Clair. I can’t … return now. I don’t have enough power to return to my body right now. If I try now … I might die.”

         Don’t worry about it, I whispered. I too was feeling the effects of using so much Magyck even if it wasn’t me doing the actual casting. Do what you need Matthew and rest for as long as you need too.

{indent“All right,” he said. A short time later, Matthew fell into unconsciousness. I made myself as small as possible so Matthew wouldn’t be bothered by my incessant thoughts. Though I was tired my mind couldn’t seem to settle down. I continuously worried over the same things, but the thing that worried me most was that woman. Something about her was familiar, yet I couldn’t pinpoint what it could possibly be.

         With a heavy sigh, I shoved my fears to the side and joined Matthew in the darkness of sleep.

BELLYNDA
I

“IDIOT! What possessed you to do something so reckless?!” Nekarro yelled slapping me smartly across the cheek. “I told you to slowly kill the Light Magyck users, not cause them to freak out and evacuate the entire school!”

         I stood with my head down refusing to say anything. It wasn’t my fault the HeadMistress had gone all noble and evacuated the school after I’d killed Sage and his class. And it also wasn’t my fault that I’d gotten angry and burned the school to the ground. What can I say, I like fire, a lot. I liked to watch things burn.

         Kuro shoved me to the back of my mind and took control. It seemed the longer she stayed inside me, the stronger she became. Nekarro seemed to realize we’d switched since the anger drained from his black eyes.

         “Father, I had no idea she was planning to burn the school or even Sage’s entire class. I was having problems getting accustomed to being in Bellynda. If I’d heard her plans, I would have taken control and stopped her.”

         “I know my daughter. I think someone must learn who is in control of this fine body.”

         I felt my cheeks flush. Ugh! Talk about nasty! How could she see her own father that way?

         “Shut up! Don’t talk of things you could never understand!” Kuro snapped sending a jolt of pain into my soul.

         “Still having problems with Bellynda?” Nekarro asked. It suddenly struck me how strange it was that he was using my brother’s body, yet he looked nothing like Nicolas once had.

         “It’s nothing I can’t handle now that I’m in the front and in control of my body.”

         Her body? Is that how she thinks of it now? Another jolt of agony silenced me.

         “So, what shall we do with the impudent soul inside you dear Kuro? Shall we cast her out like a good little demon should be or obliterate her altogether?”

         “She knows too much father. If we killed her and she came back, she might tell one of those idiotic Light Magyck users our plans.”

         “Then we cast her out of you?”

         “Yes. It is the fitting thing for someone from the Greymen clan,” Kuro replied.

         Slowly, I moved to the back of my mind in a futile attempt to stay one with my body. My brother had been right. These vile creatures should have been destroyed when we found them, not allowed to attach themselves to us for the last two hundred years. Oh well, it’s not like I’m a time jumper and can change that.

Next Chapter Eleven: Travel Companions, and Chapter Twelve: Travel Complications