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Eragon shook his head. Turning, he began pacing again. He would stop at times, but after moments he would continue. Illyria just sat on the floor, feeling tired all of a sudden.

Sighing, Eragon sat next to his sister. "Nope... can't think of anything... wish Buffy was here... BUFFY!" he yelled, jumping up.

"We need to check on Buffy and DS! Common! Let's go!"

Grabbing Illyria and pulling her up with him, he began walking in the direction of the library.

Eragon walked back over to Eriol. Taking the clinging creature, Eragon held her close to his face. "Spectra right? Can you help us? We're kinda stuck, we don't know what to do."

Illyria watched as her brother walked back to Eriol and picked the dangling creature off Eriol's hand. She saw him as it some questions, but she couldn't make out what he was saying. She felt soo tired all of a sudden. Sitting on the ground nearby she thought. "Mm... a little rest might be good..."

Watching Spectra, Illyria stiffled a yawn. "Why does she want us to splash ourselves with the Lephrachan Essence? Do you think she know's it's deadly?"

"No clue, but it's worth a shot... I'll try it!" said Eragon, grabbing the bottle from the floor.

"No!! Eragon! It will kill you!" yelled Illyria, her eyes full of fright.

Shaking his head, Eragon popped the bottle open. "Just a bit on my finger, that's all."

And he poured...

"Mmmm... this is an odd sensation. I can feel my finger, but it feels numb, distant. Odd..." said Eragon. Pulling Eragon's hand towards her, she took a closer look at the space where his finger used to be.

"This isn't gold... it's as if your finger isn't there anymore. Why?" she asked no one in particular.

Gripping the bottle, Eragon began reading the label. "Look! There's something underneath!" he said as he pulled off the label. Beneath the 'Lephrachan Essence label was another, more ancient.

"Outer Limits Liquid"

"I can't read much of the writing, just a few words. Here, it get's clearer around the back." he said as he squinted to read it.

"If stol-n, time will stop u--il it is returned to it's rightful place. If use while in this state, it will slo--y erase the pe---n it is poured up--. The only way to reverse it is..."

"Reverse it!? How??" screamed Illyria, shaking in fright for her brother.

Eragon paled. "It doesn't say... the label is faded with age from there on."

Eragon blinked. Pointing to the bottle, he froze. "You stole it? You STOLE the bottle? Why? Blah, nevermind!" he yelled, waving off the shocked boy. "What's done is done. I hope you've learned your lesson Eriol, never steal, especially from old wicked men with long beards."

With a sigh, Eragon paced the room. "We need to get this bottle back to Abster's shop."

"But what about you Eragon? It doesn't say how to save you." said Illyria with a sniffle.

Eragon waved them off. "I'll be fine, let's worry about starting time again!" Yelling, he watched as another finger dissapeared.

"We need to go NOW!"

Illyria turned pale. "You shouldn't go alone.. let me help!" she said as she tried to sit up, but quickly fell back down, groaning. "Guys... I ain't feeling so hot..."

Eragon jumped to his sister, holding her upright. "What's wrong sis?"

Illyria held her head. "No clue... oww..." She held her hand.

Taking her hand in his, Eragon took off the bandaid. The skin around bite was a deep shade of purple, the bite itself was an ugly shade of green.

Illyria rested her hand on Eragon's chest. She breathed deep, asleep.

Looking up at the boy, Eragon was grim. "We need to get her home. Go, take care of that evil wizard. I'll start walking to the library, when the time comes back, atleast she'll be safe. Buffy might be able to help."

Abster sat and watched the boy enter the shop. Sitting in the shadows, he watched as the boy looked around the room.

"Welcome back boy... forget something?" he asked, inching foward, into the light.

Meanwhile....

"Common Illy, just a little more." Eragon puffed, breathing hard as he half-carried, half-dragged towards the library.

"mmm...waffles..." she whispered, clinging to her brother as they walked.

Abster chuckled. "I cannot fix what you screwed up boy! It is upto you to figure out a solution." Shifting back into the shadows, Eriol lost sight of the old man.

His voice came from the darkest on the other side of the room. "Right now, your friend is trying to save his sister. You see, your poor girl-friend risked her life to get you all out of here in the first place. She is now slowly feeling the effects of the poison flowing through her veins."

Suddenly, his voice shifted to another shadow across the room. "Then there's your other friend. He has already begun to lose more body parts. I believe his arm has just disapeared."

Without warning, Abster stepped out of the shadow he originally inhibited. In his right hand he held a bottle with a blue, glowing liquid. In the other, a deep crimson vial, bubbling slightly. "See boy, in each hand I hold the antidote to save one of your friends. Who shall it be?"