“Doctor. How long do I have?” I look around hearing voices in the darkness. I look around seeing that this is new. The darkness slowly fades to show a doctor’s office. I stand in the corner as Jake sits on a table with his shirt off. His body looks beyond ripped. He has a few scars run across his chest. Doctor Roasland looks at Jake.

“At the rate you are going sir. Very soon.” Jake scowls standing up from the table. He puts back his shirt going to the door.

“Very well. I might have found a way to fix me. There is this thing called a Lamb. If I find it, would you find a way to help me.” The doctor looks at Jake nodding.

“Yes. I could.” Jake takes a breath leaving the door.

“I am late with my scheduled appointment.” Once the door closes, the doctor cleans the room. I look around confused. I head to the door looking back at the doctor. I try to open the door as the room transitions to a battlefield. I look around seeing that I am outside the Capital. A large majority of the wall is destroyed with death behind me. A body lays a good couple of yards away from me. I get closer realizing that it’s Jake.

“You did all this?” He looks to be dead. I bend down noticing that he is breathing softly. I am startled by a group of men walking from the city in doctor’s gear. Doctor Roasland lead the group over to Jake.

“Take him to the lower dungeon. He needs to rest.” The team goes over to Jake picking him up. They start to carry him back to the city as Doctor Roasland watches them.

“Your time will come soon my...” I don’t hear him finish that sentence as I see glimpses of a tunnel. The tunnel winds and turns leading down to a large dark room. At the center of the room, Jake lays there. I blink my eyes trying to get this vision to stop. I wake up breathing heavy in an exam room. I look freaked out seeing Lupa and Zona disguised sitting next to me. Lupa smiles happily hugging me.

“You’re awake!” I look at both of them confused as I try to stop shaking.

“How did you guys find me?” Zona looks over at me pissed keeping watch from the door.

“Lupa is an excellent tracker.” Lupa smiles nodding. “When you guys didn’t come to the inn after a few hours, we decided to come look for you. Lupa was able to find you in this room. Now where is James?” I frown standing up.

“I don’t know. That priest that you burnt attacked James.” Zona frowns looking angry. “Wait. Lord Lionheart killed him. A group of people brought us here to help James. I passed out at some point due to a vision. I shall... Jake.” Zona stops losing emotion in her face.

“Where is he?” I gulp as Lupa stands up.

“Underneath us. Somewhere deep. I don’t know.” Zona looks at Lupa.

“Lupa. Let's go find an old friend.” We leave the room heading down the hall. I stop seeing Doctor Roasland’s office.

“He is the one that was working on him.” Zona motions do the door kicking it in. Roasland looks up from his papers. A few guards in the hospital start to come down the hall. Zona and I walk into the office as Lupa block the entrance from them.

“So, where is Jake?” Zona says with coldness in her voice. Roasland looks at her without fear.

“I won’t let you hurt him again girl.” Zona smirks instilling some fear inside of me. She reaches over grabbing ahold of Roasland. She pulls him over the desk slamming into the floor. She holds flames in her hands placing it close to his face.

“I won’t ask you again.” I place my hand on Zona’s shoulder.

“Zona. This isn’t you.” Zona looks at me putting the fire out.

“You’re right.” She looks back at the him. “Lupa.” Lupa walks in as a few guards lay knocked outside. “Please find Jake for me.” Lupa gets close to the man sniffing him. Lupa frowns slightly looking at me worried.

“James is there too.” We take off sprinting down the hall. A few guards get in our way but Zona and Lupa make easy work of them. Lupa takes off ahead stopping at a wall. She makes a fist punching a hole into it. She tears a large out to show a dark hallway.

“This way.” Zona creates a small ball of fire expelling the darkness. We take off sprinting down the hall the only light coming from Zona’s fire. The hallway starts to look familiar as we get to a large metal door. The door has a weird skull like symbol on it. I take a second to catch my breath as Zona smirks looking at the door.

“Stand back.” She focuses on the door causing it to slowly melt. The door falls backward into the room. I rush into the room instantly getting sick at the sight I see. The only light from the room comes from a large metal grate over the room. James is suspended by hooks from the metal grate above a small pit. Large gashes have been made to his sides and along his legs. I place my hand over my mouth trying to stop the scream coming from my mouth.

“James!” Tears fall from my face as I start to shake. Zona and Lupa walk in seeing James hanging from the ceiling. I fall to my knees grabbing ahold of my shirt. Lupa runs over to James. She jumps cutting the hooks from the ceiling. She catches James and brings him over to me. She places him on the ground as I crawl to him. I hold his head in my lap. “It’s okay. I got you now. I am here.” I don’t hear him breathing. His body feels totally cold. Zona looks down at me.

“Ashley. We need to get out of here.” I shake my head no hugging his body.

“We aren’t leaving.” The room slowly starts to grow cold. The light from the grate slowly disappears causing the room to become black. Zona lights with flames showing a figure standing next to the pit that James hung from. Lupa charges the figure as light naturally returns to the room. The figure blocks Lupa’s attack sending her flying into a nearby wall. Zona freezes as the ball of fire goes out. The figure cocks his head at Zona.

“Zona Everlast.” A look of terror forms on Zona’s face as the man starts to walk toward her. Lupa tries to tackle the man from behind. The man turns around hitting Lupa over the head. I look over at Zona.

“Zona! Do something!” The terror leaves her face as she charges toward the man. I look at James trying to think of something to help him. I remember the vial digging into my pocket. I pull the vial out pouring his blood into his mouth. “Please work...please.” I look to see what’s going on. I see the man have Zona in a death grip as Lupa is slumped over on the wall. I look at James seeing him slowly heal. I hug him before getting up. I get up running over to the man. Zona tries to blast flames into his face, but they do nothing. Zona goes limp as he tosses her to the side. He looks at me. I believe I experience true terror for the first time as the room is flooded with soldiers.

I am tossed in a cell being separated from Zona and Lupa. The last thing of James I see is his body being carried away. I try to calm down trying not to break down. James is going to be alright. Zona and Lupa will come save me at any minute. A few minutes pass, then, a few hours, I lose track of time of being trapped in that cell. A door opens with two guards coming toward me. “Ashley Price. Please come with us.” They open my cell as I slowly stand up. I follow from the cell following upstairs. The stairs lead to the long hallway where people are seen running back and forth. They lead me to a large double door. They open it to a large office with a few people inside cleaning everything. Jake sits at the far desk with Lord Lionheart standing in front of him. The soldiers escort me over to them.

“You understand your orders Captain.” Jake looks at him nodding. Lord Lionheart turns seeing me. “Ah. Everyone in the room. Please leave now.” The soldiers and servants leave the room as Lord Lionheart offers me a chair. I slowly sit looking at both Jake and him.

“... where is my friends?” Lord Lionheart goes around the desk standing behind Jake. Jake starts to do paperwork. Once Lord Lionheart gets behind the desk, he looks at me.

“Your friends are in locked down for their protection.” The door gets knocked on causing Lord Lionheart to frown. “I will be right back.” He quickly leaves the room. Jake looks up from his paperwork with a cold expression on his face.

“I understand that you have nothing to do with Zona Everlast and the White Wolf. You will be free to go soon.” I frown slightly at him.

“Isn’t Lord Lionheart in charge?” Jake stares at me.

“He might be in charge, but I still have a lot of say within this army.” I look at him annoyed.

“You need to let them go Jake.” He stops for a moment with a hint of shock in his expression. He stands looking at me. It almost looks like he is checking me out which sends chills down my spine.

“Such boldness from such a foolish girl.” Did he just call me foolish? He turns around opening a secret door. His demonic armor hangs up on a statue. His sword hands on the wall collecting a good amount of dust.

“I’m foolish? We are trying to save the world.” He slowly changes into his armor not paying attention to me. I huff standing up. “Want to know who we are trying to save the world from?” He finishes getting the majority of his suit on. “Your friends.” He stops looking at me. The room slowly grows colder.

“What are you talking about?” I slowly back up as he walks to be with his helmet in his hand.

“..Grant and Lillian.” He stops in front of me glaring down at me.

“How do you know them?” I slowly start to shake. The room slowly turns back to its regular temperature.

“They are back. They are these... things.” He frowns going to get his sword. He grabs it putting it in his hilt.

“I will take care of them then.” He tries to get past me. I get in his way looking serious.

“Listen. Zona and Lupa couldn’t beat them. The last time I checked Zona by herself kicked your ass. So, you need their help.” He slightly smirks.

“I don’t need their help.” As he makes a move to go pass me, I grab a hold of his arm pissed.

“Listen here you little...” My mind blanks as I see this little girl running through a snowy forest. The girl has blonde hair and tan skin. I come to with Jake’s hand around my throat lifting me up. He squeezes it tightly causing me to cough.

“Don’t. Ever. Touch. Me.” I hit his arm trying to get him to break the grip.

“..stop.. Please..” He looks ready to break my neck. I try to quickly think of a way out of this. “.. the little girl…” His eyes go wide with shock as he loosens his grip on my throat. He brings me closer glaring at me with intense anger.

“What do you know of Anna?” I try to think of anything to tell him.

“Um…” An idea gets in my head. “I will tell you... only if you let Zona and Lupa help defeat your friends.” Jake looks to be thinking this over. He drops me to the ground. I sit up trying to get my breathing under control.

“Very well. I shall spare them. After I deal with those creatures, you and I will have a long talk.” He puts his helmet on. He walks to the door opening it. I stop him by standing in his way.

“Where is James?” He pauses for a moment.

“Who?” I glare at him getting angry.

“The person who brought you back! Now. Where he is?”

“He didn’t make it.” I feel something rip in my stomach. I shake my head no as tears fill my eyes.

“No. I saw him...” Jake moves past me.

“Are you coming to get your friends or not?” My first thought is to start crying. I slowly follow not trusting him. I saw James healing. He must be alive. Jake leads me down to the cells below. We enter a row of cells. Toward the end of the row, Lupa can be seen pacing back and forth within one cell. In another cell, Zona is tied to the ground with stones covering her. Lupa looks at me shocked then begins to growl at Jake. Jake opens Lupa’s cell causing a look of confusion to fill her face. I rush over to her hugging her tight.

“Lupa... did you see James?” Lupa looks down at me.

“I’m sorry Ashley I...” I start to cry hard hiding my face against her. I hear Jake unlock Zona’s cell as Lupa looks at him. “What are you doing Jake?”

“I am keeping my part of the deal. We will be leaving soon to deal with Grant and Lillian. I would suggest you wake up Zona Everlast.” Jake’s footsteps can be heard echoing through the cell block at he makes his way outside. I slowly pull away from Lupa trying to keep myself together. I lost James. Lupa looks at me trying to make me feel better.

“I know it’s hard right now Ashley. However, we need to be strong to finish this... okay?” I nod feeling awful. Lupa gets up going over to Zona. She rips the rocks covering her causing Zona to wake up. Zona looks around panicked for a second.

“What’s going on?” I walk trying push the pain out of my stomach.

“Jake has agreed to help us defeat Grant and Lillian.” Zona frowns shaking her head no.

“That isn’t going to happen. The last time...” I slightly snap at her tears falling from my face.

“I am not letting James’s death be for nothing! I hate him as much as you do... but you need to work together to save this fucking world. Understand!” Zona stands up with an annoyed expression on her face.

“Fine.” I wipe the tears from my face following outside the cells. A group of guards stand near the gate looking shocked at Jake. Jake gets on a horse without looking at us.

“Took you long enough Zona Everlast.” Zona spits in Jake’s direction. Two horses are brought to us. Lupa growls as Jake as I climb on the horse with Zona. Lupa climbs one as Jake looks to the group. “Tell Lord Lionheart that I am on a mission with the prisoners. We will be back later.” The slowly opens as Jake speeds through it. Zona urges the horse forward as I hug her from behind. I am so sorry James.