'We've got to talk.' Mark said as he entered the living-room Jenny was in. They had made up quite a bit, but there was still tension. Distrust, maybe.

'That doesn't sound all-too-good...' Jenny said looking anxiously in her fiancé’s eyes trying to figure his mood. Those eyes that had still kept their innocence, even though they were now those of a bird-of-prey. Sometimes she hated herself for the change she had brought to him.

'Don't be all-too anxious. I only want your opinion on how to precede. Together that is, if you will have me.' Mark answered in a nigh shy tone, that bothered Jenny since she hadn't heard it since his transformation. This got to be serious.

'Yeah, sure. What's on your mind?' she asked wriggling a strand of her red hair around her index-finger. Trying to smile reassuring, hiding her fear. It almost seemed that whilst he got an almost indomitable spirit since transforming, she had lost lots of her former confidence, even though she now needed it more than ever.

'I don't like your father's attitude, towards us, the whole clan. He is acting like a tyrant. A stupid one at that, dividing where he should unite and covering up where he should persecute severely. You know what I mean. He even treats John, his successor, as garbage in front of other clans, that's unbecoming.' the young white phoenix stated in a frustrated tone. Being forced to attend every single clan-meeting since completing the merging had made him realize just how bad his father-in-law was at governing.

Jenny shrugged and said 'I don't think he still considers my brother his successor. He plans on grooming you for this position. If you only gave in and tried to advance with your training as a white phoenix. I guess you would have already been named successor if you did.'

Mark's eyes widened at this opening. 'But why? Only because I am a white phoenix? John was raised to lead, I was not. I follow orders far better than giving them. Don't want to take up this responsibility. I am not suited to lead.' he gasped.

'Don't think he cares if you like it. But I have to disagree with you on this one, too. You are a natural when it comes to leading people, far better than my father. He knows it, mind you, never wanted to take the throne, he had to, 'cause there was no other... your own statement just now would be enough to give your aptitude away. Your inability to leave things be. First thought you lost it, though, this spirit of yours, after you freaked out at merging. Never seen anyone freaking like this, you were more than a loose cannon. Thought you might just burn up and light the sky like a shooting-star. Beautiful to watch but unable to endure the atmosphere.' the phoenix-princess and smiled ruefully as she added 'I thought I would lose you, like I lost Damian, Joline's dad.'

'You really think so? I don't know I only know I can't stand being pushed around like that always being meek and milk about things I loathe.' he said raising his hand as he saw his fiancé opening her mouth to contradict. 'It's about showing unity to the rest of the clan, especially after skipping so many invitations in the past. We would fare far worse if our frictions were to be seen on the outside. Especially now that we are investigating that curse-case at university. I still can't get my head around becoming a lawyer, though. It's one of my least favourite professions I can think of. Well since your father decided I have to cope with it. I guess being a police-officer was out of the picture he became aware what I am. At least I am allowed to see Lisa at the moment, due to investigations. Another dick-move to tell her to keep away from me....' Mark trailed thinking of his stepmother's sad eyes when she had told him about the order.

'Well, there is not much we can do about that, unless you give in and agree on letting him teach on regular basis...' Jenny offered the most logical solution to their problem.

'Right... becoming an inquisitor is much better and matches so nice with being a lawyer. Who could dream of lying to me? I guess it is god-damn hard to do so even now. Being a humanoid lie-detector. If I dwell into this, I will be able to manipulate anything one believes true. A power only very few are able to withstand. Being a fire-bird is enough, I don't want to become a real monster.' Mark replied rubbing his eyes exhaustedly.

'Well, those gifts are coming to you whether you train them or not. All my father is offering is help controlling them.' Jenny shrugged.

Mark paled and asked 'Is it true? I am going to develop those abilities either way?'

'Yes. That's true and if you do not know how to keep them at bay, you are gonna create a mess.' Jenny shrugged.

'Okay. I will do it. I will let your father teach me.' he finally gave in, even though he still had some doubt about if it was true or not, he felt being taught the dark arts was still better than being caught unaware.

Later the same day at Teine Manor. The moment Mark had given in he had been 'invited' to join today's interrogation. A young elf had been caught red-handed selling some of the first victim’s belongings. The special-unit had already tried to investigate but to no avail. All the elf said was 'Ego tacebo usque ad mortem.' I will remain silent till death. In Latin. Calling an old curse upon himself.

That was when Lisa called for the inquisitor. A white phoenix was able to extract knowledge out of a person’s mind even without damaging it or trigger the curse. Mark sighed. He still thought it brutal to invade a person’s mind. But in this case, he saw the necessity.

'Ah there you are!' his father-in-law gleamed with joy upon his arrival. 'Come on the others are already waiting for us.' he said and tugged Mark's elbow, leading him down into the cellar. Somehow this process made Mark think of an old castle with its dungeon. With an iron virgin, a rack and so on, though he knew being a white phoenix made those things pale.

The room wasn't dark, though, it was a white room with black curtains, reminding a little of a hospital room, though the tribune at the far side of the room gave of a different feeling. There they sat all of the Council-members and their heirs. He spotted Rhiannon and Morgan next to Merlin and Miriam. But when he wanted to join them, Jordan gripped his arm and said in a low voice 'Where do you think you are going? You are going to search this elf's mind. He is an outlaw, an order-member, so no problem if you damage him. For getting information you can't grasp, I will get them.'

A cold shiver ran down Mark's spine. It had never occurred to him that he would be the one to do the inquisitor's work, today. He knew his mental force was strong and he would be able to extract the desired information, but his instruments were still blunt, all he could muster would be brute strength, not the required precision. He knew he would damage that elf's mind for good.

Upon this thought he simply wanted to flee. His nervousness amounted to him humming inwardly 'in a white with black curtains, at the station, silver horses ran down moonbeams in your dark eyes....' 'White room' by Cream...might be the right song right now, he thought, since his whole world was already crazy. He barely could keep himself from tapping his feet nervously.

Right now, he was between stone and a hard place. He couldn't run even if he wanted to. All he could do was to comply. Grin and bear. Mark hated Jordan more than ever to put him in this situation.

'Everything okay?' he heard Rhiannon's voice in his mind. 'No. I have to do the interrogation... and I've never done that before, I will definitely hurt or even cripple his mind.' he answered mentally.

'That's quite a burden.' Morgan replied in a sad mental voice. 'Have to cope no way to run.' Mark replied mentally and shrugged. 'Guess you are right. Just get over with it.' Rhiannon smiled empathically.

At the same moment Jordan Teine raised his voice. 'Welcome to our home. Today there will be two important occurrences. First the interrogation of an actual order-member, second it will be my successor's and son-in-law's first interrogation as a white phoenix.'

These words combined with John's sad face made Mark wanting to be anywhere but in this room. But here he was. Stepping towards the elf chained to a chair, seeing his soon-to-be victim’s eyes widen at the realisation of what the phoenix' words meant to him.

When Mark arrived at the elf's side his instincts told him instantly what to do. He placed his cold a sweaty hand on his victim’s forehead and dove into the other party's mind. No barrier obstructed his path through memories old and new, branding like waves against his mind's boundaries. Toys, favourite books, humiliations, joy, pride and sorrow. He could look into everything.

Mark went deeper into the labyrinth of foreign thoughts until he reached an area shielded by a ring of flames. The elf's soul and his core within. There he saw the curse. A chain built out of heavy iron rings holding a special strand of thoughts in place, right there next to the soul-flames.

Approaching cautiously Mark felt there was something off with those chains. As if they were coated with some green liquid. Soul-Poison. Unsure how to precede he called for Jordan, who arrived shortly after. His soul-body was that of a white phoenix, whilst Mark's still remained mostly human. This was going to change soon. The more he used this state the sooner his soul would look like Jordan's. Even now he could see first feathers growing on his arms, which had already become blurry in their form, wing-like. His stomach ached at the sight. He had known, that this change was already underway, but witnessing it hurt all the same.

'You did the right thing calling me.' Jordan said thoughtfully. 'This is a trap specifically designed for us white phoenixes. If we stepped into it, we will burn up and die, breaking another part of that damned 'Doom of the Elementals' seal. They sent one of their own to die. Be sacrificed. They knew they had to send a real keeper otherwise the dragons would have known. That means we have a treasure at our hands but we are unable to use it right now. I know the counter-measure, but it costs a lot of time.' the older phoenix sighed and sat down holding out his wing for Mark to touch it.

As he did, he felt his souls’ changes speeding up at a visible pace. But he had to keep the connection in order to lent Morgan his soul-power to weave a spell around the chain. When it was ready Mark's changes were also near complete. He sighed inwardly and asked himself whether this was going to change his personality further. Maybe, maybe not. He shrugged ruffling his feathers as he could do nothing about it.

In the meantime, Jordan Teine had approached the chained memories extending his wing to touch it as all of sudden a tentacle shot out of the chain's anchor and clung around the clan-leaders waist. Trying to pull him into the soul-flames. The clan-head struggled and tossed the chained piece of memory over to Mark, who caught it, before focussing on his own soul-energy creating an axe to cut of the tentacle. He succeeded, but part of the oily substance sank deep into the clan-leaders soul. 'That doesn't look good.' Mark thought as he saw it. They departed afterwards; Mark half-carrying Jordan. The strain on the older clan-head was visible.

When they re-entered outside world Jordan fainted instantly, calling Merlin, who hurried to help. Whilst Miriam offered Mark a rune stone to place the Memory-fragment inside.

The elf whose consciousness they had only just left had died on the spot as they left him. His mission was accomplished. The council was destabilised and the fire element nearly done. His dead face showed a satisfied smile.

Mark watched the scene fearfully. As little as he liked his father-in-law, he knew he was not up too ruling the clan now, much less taking over his position as inquisitor. But that was expected of him as only white phoenix and named successor. Mark gulped. He was in a real plight.

After a while Merlin said 'He will live for now. I was able to stop the spreading for some time. Hurting the soul is virtually the only way to permanently kill a phoenix. This one is personal. But I could only buy some time, you should prepare for the worst. Learn as much and as fast as you can, for he has only one to two years left. Depending on his usage of soul-power. He will not be able to fulfil his duty as inquisitor as off now, only intervening by counselling. I am sorry, but that's all I can do.' the wizard shrugged tiredly and returned to his seat. Leaving Mark alone in the limelight of the council-members' full undivided attention.

'I guess we will have to do as Merlin said. Learning as much and as fast as possible. All of us not only us of the Teine-clan. This was a double-layered trap specifically designed for my father-in-law. This was no mere murder but a declaration of war. Eliminating a potential threat in beforehand. We all have to watch our backs.' Mark said and motioned Jenny and John to join him. As they did, he declared ‘The three of us will work together to fill in the gap Jordan leaves even now that he is still with us. I hope all of you will help us to do so.' the whole council nodded in approval.