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"So many questions" The Prince remarked, swooping around her with just a few long steps with her hands behind his back. His hair flicked over his shoulders as Isabelle said "answer them, then" with a sharp edge. The Prince stared at her front across the small space between them, "Anyone that knows of me can try to call me" he said, "ever heard of religion? This is a shrine to me, the 'diety' of the In-between". Have gave a bow in Izzy's direction, still keeping his hands behind his back as he tilted his head up to peer at her, and then Trent before turning around to face Izzy. Only now he took his hands forwards to gesture, "they ought to know that gods don't reply. Because their attempts to call us do not reach us, unlike demons. As for Mathias, he came to me a long time ago - in Magic Earth. Or... I came to him, as it were".

Trent scowled, "when?" he asked carefully, "he only visits to see his family"
"Now you're thinking properly, aren't you? Why oh why would someone like him, visiting his family ever come across my interests. I asked myself the same thing until after I marked him. He ventured into a land I once called home, Bornheiniculate." Izzy's eyes grew wide, "you lived there? Are you a Daywalker?" But the Prince grinned, looking over his shoulder to reveal two very obvious fangs, "quite the opposite". That answer itself raised even more questions for Isabelle, a Daywalker, who's people had been terrorised by Vampires. She wasn't sure if that's what he meant he was... once upon a time. But he turned back to Adika once more with a blank expression as he explained "Mathias wanted to free his people, he was worn thin by desperation. So I marked him. I watched his power grow until he crossed the threshold into Non-Magic Earth. All I can deduce from this shrine is that someone was reaching out to the In-between, the edge of the Underworld that shares a border with the Ethereal Realm. That's what's keeping this place hidden from Humans. We're currently in a place that exists whilst at the same time in a place that doesn't exist at all. As for this Xantho - I do not know any more than you do. But... if I were to be answering my own questions, because you're all so incapable of making your own choices, then I would presume Mathias failed doing what I had allowed him to do. And Xantho has learned of my existence. That... or we have a cult on our hands"
"But my Aunt found one of those runes too, it was related to Xantho."
"Well then. What does that tell you?" he asked Trent, then returning to Adi.

"He was stricken with grief" the Prince said, getting up from his perch on the base of the shrine. As he began to walk around the side of it he said "he was fighting a losing battle against some rebels of some sort. He needed to impress his people, the Occult I now understand" by now he had walked behind the circle of stones. He did not appear past the side of it though, instead his voice came form behind them all, where he appeared again. "he failed at defeating the enemy with his powers. Instead, I believe he befriended that enemy. From what I've heard of Xantho... you don't really think he would give up a battle, do you?"
"Hey!" Trent started, balling a fist, "my grandfather mortally wounded him! He fled to survive"
"That's what you think. I don't think he was stupid enough to get himself so wounded. If like me, it was strategic. Perhaps... to wait. To come back when he knew he could overtake the throne. And what better way than with an ally in the enemy's ranks." The Prince of Crows stared at them all blankly, the sun behind him. It was strange seeing him so well lit, he was so naturally fitting in the Land of Crows, not here in the sun of America. Isabelle found herself staring at him, trying to work out who he was, what he was. She knew he said he was of the In-between. A place in the Underworld? It surely was a mysterious place, some demons came from there, but even they were warped and difficult to deal with. This guy was entirely different. He seemed unchanged by anything around him, he cared not for anyone or anything. He just... observed.

But that was when the Prince surprised her. He raised his voice, saying "Mathias must learn the error of his ways. My marks are not to be wasted, and for him to become a puppet... that is the greatest treachery of all. I might be the least bit interested in your fate, but his is one that only has one ending. As for Xantho, he is stealing my power. Have him learn that its rude to take without permission."
"Why don't you do it, you seem capable" Trent asked. But The prince grinned, "where would the fun be in that? I need something to live for - my life ended long ago"

((hey, sorry, uni got me a bit slow D smile )

As Adi agreed with him the Prince smirked, it was not often he was agreed with. As for Trent suggesting he ought to help them in their quest he handed out to them he grinned again, his grey eyes looking from the side to peer at him like a snake in the grass. He let Adika explain, he enjoyed listening to someone else describe his work. The Prince of Crows, a mysterious man without time, without age, without worth or even a name. Just a title, a title lost to history that only a few recall. He never directly helped those he marked, that would be cheating. Trent's face boiled, he took a single step forwards as he shouted "You're despicable!" Lucky for him though the Prince didn't reply, and Isabelle was keeping her head cool. She knew that no matter how mad this Prince was, no matter how much something in her mind was telling her to hate him, he would have answers and be vital to unravelling and finishing whatever Xantho was doing.

That's when the Prince replied to Adi, crossing his arms once more and his expression bored. "If he truly wants immortality - then Xantho is barking up the wrong tree. My immortality is mine alone, just as is the immortality of Declasia, or the Circle." The prince chuckled in the back of his throat at the thought of Xantho actually trying to gain the Prince's longevity. "But yes. There would be one more piece of advise." The Prince paused, almost dramatically as then the area flashed black and white for a second, sound went momentarily silent as it did so until regaining colour. "There are many things in the world that you could never fathom. Even more things that are shattered. But I wonder what you might do with the pieces." And again, everything lost it's colour and silence sucked away all sound. "Whoever made this shrine is coming to pay me a visit. Let them know they're doing it wrong." And with that the Prince of Crows vanished and the world bent around them as three spots between them seemed to tighten and then stretch as three women appeared from some kind of teleportation magic.

The three of them were wearing dark clothes, but not like Valiant. No, these were mismatched pieces of clothes and totems stitched onto their belts and boots. And though mismatched they had a sleek and sharp style to them, with shades of brown or extremely dull blue - made of mostly what seemed like feminine waistcoats, knee-high boots and skinny crinkled black trousers. They each looked up and noticed they were not alone, the main one, with black lines like warped tattoos coming from her eyes gasped. "Who are you?!" she shrieked, followed by the other two quickly turning with bent knees, these two with similarly pale faces but long black lines, like tattooed tears running down their cheeks scowled at Trent and Isabelle. "They've found the shrine!" another said, the third shouting "kill them!"

Trent kicked into action, pulling out his two knives. Isabelle did the same with her knives, the Elven-made weapons fit perfectly in her hands and were light as a feather. "I'd like to see you try" she said, watching as a witch turned to her. Black matter splattered in the witch's bare hand and formed into a sharp, wide, diamond shaped knife and she charged for Izzy. Isabelle lunged forwards too, clashing blades with the witch as she thrust upwards to throw the woman off balance. But she was surprisingly strong and fast, able to swoop her body backwards and round to swipe across Izzy's gut with the dagger, thankfully missing by only an inch as Isabelle jumped backwards, landing on her back and rolling back to her feet. The other witch meanwhile had screamed at Trent, sending him flying backwards and dazed as he tried to get back to his feet. His gut felt like it was forever falling and made him feel sick. But the witch was coming down on him faster than he thought, this one with a thorny black chain tightly stretched between her hands. Holding his breath she pulled back, lifting his feet up and back. He used all his force to kick her in the stomach and send her flying backwards as he got back to his feet.

And then there was the first witch, this one focused on Adika. As soon as the others moved she was circling the gypsy, watching her like a hunter stalking its prey. When Trent and Izzy seemed to be in danger the witch faded black faster than the blink of an eye and was suddenly in Adika's face. She jabbed at Adika's side, then spun backwards with the same fist out and thrust it into Adika's other side, being careful not to come into Adika's spear at the same time. It was in that moment the witch took a split second to pause and look at Adika, noticing the elven clothes and yet no pointed ears. "You're not an elf!" she spat, summoning two thin black daggers in her hands,bringing them up in an attempt to come down and stab Adika on either side of her neck.

The witches were unlike any demon or human they have faced before. They went against any training that Izzy and Trent had undergone, they couldn't be prepared for their movements. They moved as if their bones should be broken, their rashness made their movements even more unpredictable, and they could take a surprisingly powerful blow and get back up again. One thing was for sure though, they were using some kind of stolen powers, powers that came from the In-Between - like imperfect powers stolen from the Prince of Crows.

Isabelle got to her feet and stared the witch down with her knives ready in her hands. She could feel the sweat making her hands clammy, but luckily the leather grips of the weapons kept them tight. The witch came at her again, this time charging with her dagger raised. Izzy spun on her heel and delivered a high spinning kick that parried the attack, disarming the witch in the process. She then thrust her knife at the witch's throat, but she dodged it and grabbed Izzy's arm, twisting her and sending her down towards the ground. This time Izzy spun her body across the floor, kicking the witch off her feet. She hit the ground with a solid thud then lifted her head, her eyes turned grey as she screamed, letting loose a booming magic that send Isabelle sliding across the dirt and grass.

Trent was also on his feet, his witch proving to be difficult with the thorny chain. He ran towards her, jumping over the chain as it swung beneath him and rolling beneath it as the second swipe came over his head. He felt the thrum of its unnatural energy crackle above him but he didn't let that stop his pursuit. Once he was close enough Trent yelled out as he thrust his knives into the witch's gut and sent her driving down towards the ground. At the same time he felt her chain wrapping itself around his leg and hers. He looked back and he saw what he felt, sharp edges digging through the armour on his legs and getting to his skin. When he looked back at the witch she was made of black stone and petrified black mass, a strange growth as if moss had attached to her clothes, bubbled, and then hardened. Much to his horror he was stuck in the statue's grip, until the chain on his leg began to tug and the very same which was behind him, dragging him free from her statue and tearing the flesh of his leg at the same time. She cackled out in glory feeling as though she had won this battle.

Izzy staggered up, she then took no time in noticing Trent's trouble and yelled his name as she threw a dagger across the air. It sung int he air and landed itself in Trent's witch's shoulder and forced her to drop the chain long enough for Trent to shake it away, biting his teeth to ignore the pain of metal dislodging itself from his flesh. That was when Isabelle threw the other blade at her own witch, this one lodging itself centre of her chest and throwing her back to the ground once again. "To hell with this" Isabelle said, almost literally as she threw out her hands and released her demonic whips. The red and black energy crackled and spawned thick smog that licked her weapon, wisping away into the air that caught it. With one flick she sent a whip through the air at Trent's witch, it snagged her neck and dragged her backwards as Izzy pulled her away from Trent. Now on his feet, cried for Izzy. He threw his last knife through the air, over the witches shoulder and over Izzy's ducking head. The knife lodged itself in the witch's shoulder, staggering her with just enough time for Izzy to get on her knee. The two of them knew each other so well that as soon as she saw him pull out his long sword she prepared his attack. His speed was close to that of the witches, just more brute strength and agility than anything else. He jumped off Isabelle's shoulders to gain some height, then lifted his sword up like a giant guillotine, beheading the witch as he landed tot he ground. At the same time Isabelle still had Trent's witch in her whip's snag, so she gave her whip one big lash and the energy within pulsated, once the tug reached the witch her neck was obliterated with demonic energy. "Adi" Trent muttered, running to meet her at the shrine.

He stopped when he found that Adi had overpowered the witch, forcing her down onto the shrine and with spear pointed at her throat.

The witch seemed to squirm when the shrine cracked and the rune was destroyed. It made her nervous, it made her fearful. The witch double-took between Adi's wings in panic, then at Trent and Izzy as they approached. Her breathing was erratic, and somewhere amongst it she muttered "Valiant" in disgust. "This shrine is for the one that does not live! So that we who desire may sacrifice and rejoice!" She looked down at the weapon in Adi's grip, swallowing and then clocking on about Adi's mark. "By the Prince you are marked, I need your skin!" The witch attempted to move but was blocked. "Stop wasting your own breath. Give us answers or you'll face the law of the Occult" Isabelle warned. "We- we pray to the Prince, we offer him our mind and our skin so that we too might be blessed like the marked ones. For moons and moons we offer ourselves and feel the In-Between seep into our veins! We wait for the approach of the Deathless Prince so that we too may be deathless and painless - to- to be leaders of our own will, not animals biding under the control of the Occult!" The witch spat in Isabelle's direction, then looking up at Adika. "Lord Mathias will know what you have done here today! He will not let our blood be spilled without vengeance! Our cause will live on under the All-Father's watch!"

The witch snarled at Adika, news of Lord Mathias being shunned from the Occult and being forced to flee Absolute was not good news for her or her sisterhood. Her fingers scratches at the stone formation beneath her as she attempted to move some part of her body that might not result in her certain death. Isabelle saw the desperation in the woman, desperation that would be wasted when they've finished questioning her. This was no longer a cause of bringing back prisoners for questioning. This was a case of getting answers and ending them.
The woman however stared up, her eyes gleaming silver at the mention of the Prince having a message. But her hopes were quickly shattered, a small sigh escaping her parted dry lips as her chest deflated.

"Where?" the witch asked, beginning to chuckle from the back of her tight throat. But Adi's weapon continued to threaten her. "Tell us, and the Occult might pardon you, our Sisters can restore your former beauty" Isabelle lied through her teeth, but executed so well that her tongue might as well be a slippery fork, like a snake whispering in your ear. "In... in the place known as The Fray. It- its our home, where the All-Father nurtures us. Mathias will be there! He parts with us the word of the All-Father!"

Isabelle seemed to stare blankly at Adi, she had not heard of The Fray, so she turned to Trent, who seemed sluggish and upon noticing her he nodded. But then the witch spoke out again, "I have relinquished my knowledge to you! I am a traitor! Please! Am I free now? Can I be pardoned from your strict laws?" Isabelle blinked only once, then gave a smile, "Yes, you've been more than cooperative, your attempted murder and cooperation with the enemy will all be forgiven." Izzy then looked to Adika, a stare that only said 'you know what to do'.

A few moments more and the deed was done, the first witch of the three would be the last to fall. "I'll burn the bodies" Isabelle began, turning on her heel, "Trent, what do you know about The Fray?" she asked after his strange response before. But as she pulled out one of her whips to begin burning the witches with demon-fire she was left without a reply. "Trent?" she asked, looking over her shoulder. "I uh..." he began, wincing for a second "M-my leg..." was all he said before collapsing to the ground, sweat on his usually tanned pale skin. He was breathing fast too, as if he had an erratic temperature and his body was trying to cope.

It was the witch's chain from earlier, where it had dug into his skin, he thought it had not damaged any of his muscles thanks to the sturdy elven armour but he must have been wrong. Beneath it, where the chain cut through the surface of his skin there was a black poison running now through his body.

In the painfully slow moments that Adika took to kill the witch, Isabelle had been clueless to it all. For so many years she had grown used to the ways of the Occult, become desensitised to the Valiant way of no betrayer left alive. Using words to bait someone, no, a monster like a witch was easy work for her. But she didn't think about how it would effect Rur'Adika. She was too busy with her back turned away to begin dealing with the other dead witches so she didn't get to see Adika's hesitation. And it was probably for the best or else the guilt would have made the coming situation harder to deal with.

As Trent fell to the floor she heard the thud and Adika's sudden cry for Trent. She came running quickly after, calling Trent's name after Adi. His body was heavy, it didn't seem to react as Adika pulled him to her lap. Isabelle dropped down to her knees beside him, feeling her chest implode at the urgency in Adika's voice and Trent's sudden silence. "Is- is he breathing?!" she asked as Adi pulled away the material of his leg. Izzy leaned down to put her ear to his mouth, she could feel his breath but barely, it was jittery and irregular. "What?" she asked, gasping as she sw the wound and the black substance infecting his flesh and blood. "It must be in the blood!" she cursed, taking in a deep breath attempting to keep herself calm, but instead was only breathing out just as fast. The two girls sudden locked eyes in their mutual panic as Trent slurred something in his speech. His eyes opened slightly, just small slits, and his hand grabbed onto Adi's arm. "A-di..." he said, "You're... l...ook...ing at me..." he explained what he could see, seeing through her eyes with his unique power. But just as quickly as he stirred he fell away again, into the silence. "I- I don't know! I don't know!" Isabelle cried, "This isn't demon poison! It looks like demon blood but not of the kind I've seen before, it's different-"
"It's Black Water" said the Prince of Crows, coming to stand over them, but his expression was concerned for once. "Not demon blood - comes from what some mortals call the River Styx"
"shut up with the greek mythology and tell us what to do!" Isabelle spat out, and the Prince knelt down beside them too, his long grey hair coming to hang over his knees as he said "his blood must be purified or else his soul shall be dragged to the Underworld. Black Water gives deadly symptoms to force it's prey's soul out. It's a damned trap of a poison." The Prince then stood up again, holding his lips shut as he clenched his fists. "Rur'Adika, now is one of those pivotal moments in your life. Will he live, or will he die? Slow the process with your light -
"Can't you do something?!" Izzy asked, and the Prince almost grinned before saying "Perhaps... I'll hunt for his soul" and with that the Prince vanished once more, leaving the girls alone almost clueless as to what to do. "Trent!" Izzy shouted, hand on his shoulder, "Trent please! You always hated mythology, don't

Izzy looked up at Adi briefly, all this talk of the River Styx, Rites of Passage and sending someone off, it wasn't helping. But the Prince of Crows was able to enlighten the situation... somewhat.

Isabelle held her breath, Adika's magic was still a sight to behold. From it came the radiance of the sun, and pure golden light that rid any and all darkness in it's path. It was the magic of angels, it was the magic of a High Angel. No, this was now Adika's magic, stronger, Izzy thought, than any kind of seraphic magic. Trent's face writhed suddenly and his body tightened. He pulled himself into a fetal-like position, but there was no sound coming from his mouth, no voice to be heard. "He's in pain?" Isabelle asked, beginning to panic again. But Trent's hand grabbed Isabelle's wrist and slowly his head turned side to side. His eyes were winced shut, but she could sense he was trying to tell them to keep going. "Don't stop" Isabelle muttered quietly to Adika, watching her magic purge Trent's wound and force the poison out. The Black Water poison ran out of the gash and trickled down his leg, it was just like water, but true to it's name it was definitely a whole lot darker. When it hit the grass the earth absorbed it. The grass began to die in small patches, but it didn't spread any further. Then finally, as if it were even anything they wanted, Trent let out a cry and writhed again, stretching out and suddenly falling silent. "T-Trent?" Isabelle asked, holding her breath, "He's not- he's..." she brought her ear to his chest, "he's not breathing!" Trent's body seemed lifeless, if only for a second and Isabelle thought perhaps the world had collapsed in on her. Leaving her beneath the rubble. But then, as if by some miracle he gasped and began to breathe again. Izzy let out a great sigh and almost fell back as her head spiralled from the exhaustion. But she leaned back with her hands on the ground and looked up to the sky with her eyes closed. "What an interesting turn of events" The Prince said, standing behind Trent looking as disinterested as ever. He blinked slowly and looked at Adi, "To be so close to the edge of certain limbo, it will take it's toll on him for a time."
"I suppose..." Isabelle said between taking a breath, "we owe you now, huh?"
"No" The prince mused, "just this once. It is satisfying to see the Black Water lose."

"I wouldn't get used to it..." the Prince of Crows warned just as he vanished from their presence. Izzy was too relieved that Trent was going to be okay to worry about the Prince abandoning them again. Izzy brought herself forwards to watch Trent, if he had any kind of showing of being okay it would reassure her that little bit more. But all he did was remain asleep, breathing calmly and with an innocent expression on his face. "He'll be alright" Isabelle said quietly, "but we have to get him back to Calen..." And as if by chance the area around them flashed black and white for a moment, filling Izzy with a moment of fear for another witch attack. But instead she saw the Prince of Crows by the broken alter and beside him a black, silent and void-like portal. "I have destroyed the pocket dimension keeping this place hidden from the Non-magic folk. This portal will take you back to your pretty elves." He spoke as if he found the elves boring, or perhaps he was just jealous of their beauty. "I would like to learn what exactly the Fray is - just so that I might bare witness to this shambolic gathering devoted to me".
"Is he always so hard to read?" Isabelle said, looking over Trent's body at Adika.

Adika and Izzy both took Trent through the Prince's portal. Izzy was mostly suspicious at first, so far she had no real reason to believe anything this guy told them. But it did take them back to Calen-Amon'eryn. The sudden appearance of a black portal startled the elves there, not to mention the way that it seemed to turn the floor around it grey was more unsettling than anything else. So by the time Adika, Trent and Izzy made it through Faelthonor was already there. Their return was greeted with sighs of relief and Falthonor ordering his guards to lower their weapons. The silver-haired elf narrowed his eyes on Trent and asked "Trent, is he?" not wanting to finish the question. The Highgardens have always been close with the elves of Calen, so seeing Trent meet his death wasn't something that Faelthonor ever wanted to see or know, but knew he would. Such is the curse of being blessed with longevity.

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Once Trent was placed into a room with fresh air, open windows and white curtains on all sides it was time for Adika and Izzy to meet with Faelthonor. They sat upon the semicircular balcony overlooking Calen and the other mountain forests. "So" Faelthonor began, putting his hands together, interlocking his fingers and resting his elbows on the table, "you said the witch told you were their base was?" Isabelle gave Adika a stare before replying, "yes, have you heard of a placed called the Fray?" Faelthonor didn't reply at first, and Izzy thought perhaps he did not hear her. But then he lowered his hands to the table, "Impossible."
"Uh.... what do you mean, Lord Faelthonor? Trent seemed to know of it - but that was when the poison got him."
"The Fray... it's a place damned by any and all Elves, no matter what sub-race or alignment they hold now." He turned to Adika, his face stern. "But perhaps it is more than just coincidence that a cult of witches devoted to the edge of the Underworld has chosen it as their home. To us, the In-between, the Underworld, they are both the same thing. The Underworld, though a place of rest for many of the dead, is also the place of undeath. The Fray had another name many years ago, Scholomance. It was the birthplace of the first black witches and warlocks... and not long after it was the cause of a monster that almost killed all elves. For that reason it is called the Fray, never to be spoken, never to be forgotten. If anyone, if Mathias or Xantho is there then they must be stopped."