We luckily make it within the two-day travel time. The horses are exhausted as we gallop to the see the town in view. Creek Valley is located between two raising hills and a mini river running through the center of town. Most of the people who live here work off the river or the land. We ride into town as the sun is barely coming over the horizon. The town is barely waking up with only a few people moving through the streets. We read to the town center where a bridge crossing over the river connects both sides of the town. We all hop off our horses. I work out the soreness of my legs as Jake scans the area for any signs of Grant. He looks at me after scanning the town. “Do you know when he is supposed to make his attack?” I frown shaking my head no. He sighs slightly scanning the area once again. “There was a marketplace back there. We will set up an ambush for him.”

Jake sends the horses away as we walk toward the marketplace. A few vendors are already selling items they found from their harvesting off the land and river. Jake pulls us aside describing the plan in detail. I will be set up with Zona near a shop looking for items to buy. James will be hiding in the shadows waiting to spot Grant. When Grant is spotted, Jake will prevent him from escaping by wounding him greatly. Zona will finish him off after I get nearby people away. We take up our positions waiting for Grant to make an appearance.

I start looking at the jewelry trying to act natural. I pause seeing a beautiful ruby with a golden chain. I pick it up as an old woman comes around smiling. She looks at me waiting for me to decide what I want to do. I smile seeing my reflection in the ruby.

“It is beautiful. But I don’t have the money for it.” I place it down as Zona comes up to me. Zona gives me a look.

“I am getting a weird vibe.” She pauses noticing the jewelry I was looking at. She picks it up and drops a coin pouch on the table. She hands it to me causing me to become shocked.

“Um.. why did you buy this for me?” She makes a face looking a little sorry.

“I know that I’ve been a major ass these last few months. I am going to start making it up to you guys. I owe you everything Ashley. I’ve haven’t felt like this in. a very long time.” Guilt flies through me as I try not to show any remorse.

“.. Well thank you.. Zona.” She smiles happily and I see Grant walk into the middle of the market space. I can barely tell it is him. The only way I can is from brief flashes of darkness coming off him. “Zona. He’s here.” Zona smiles slowly looking at a necklace seeing where he is.

“Guess I should take up my position now.”

“Wait. Something doesn’t feel right.” Grant stops in the middle of the marketplace looking around. Zona frowns moving closer towards him. I take a step pausing looking down at the jewelry. I notice it being dirty. A crack is running through the ruby. I step after her tripping over something. I look back to see an arm reaching out underneath a cart. Fear shoots through me realizing that nothing is attached to the arm. “.. It’s a.. Trap.” Jake runs Grant through the stomach with a sword. Grant reacts slowly as Jake kicks one of his legs breaking it in half. Jake jumps out of the way flames engulf Grant. The sun slowly starts to fade as dark clouds takes its place. I start to notice the town looking abandoned and destroyed. Zona stops the encasing Grant to show off a destroyed corpse. Dark laughter can be heard throughout the town as Grant appears on top of a building. I look up to see him spreading his hands as another person appears next to him. The person’s body is covered in black wrappings. Grant and the other person jump from the body landing in front of Zona and Jake. Jake rips the sword from the burned body reading himself. Zona glares at Grant smiling at him angrily.

“Looks like you got a replacement for Lillian.” Grant swallows down a comeback smirking slightly.

“He is so much better than Lillian would ever hope to be.” Zona sends flames toward the man, but he disappears before the flames can hit him. The man reappears behind Zona elbowing her in the back. Jake brings his sword at him, but he does the same trick punching Jake across the helmet. Grant relaxes watching his minion fight both Jake and Zona. Zona stands up from his attack sending flames at both Jake and the minion. The minion tries to disappear again, but Jake gets his sword into his leg holding him in blast. Just as the flames reach them, a strong gust of wind blows the flames away. The wind sends Zona flying into a building hitting her head on something hard. Jake removes his sword from the minion’s leg as Grant send two tendrils into Jake. I let out a small gasp as Jake gets thrown over to me. Before Jake can land, Grant appears in front of him slamming him into the ground. Jake looks up at me.

“Get out of here Ashley.” Grant kicks Jake causing him to roll over to me.

“Oh.. poor Jake.” Grant stomps on Jake’s chest pinning him to the ground. “Let me see your face.” A black tendril shoots out ripping off Jake’s helmet. Jake looks up to Grant with blood pouring from his head. His entire face is covered with blood. “Pathetic. Truly pathetic.” Jake tries to raise his hand, but a black tendril pins his arm to the ground. I see Jake’s eyes look at me for a second looking worried. Grant looks over to me smiling. “Oh don’t tell me.” Grant removes his foot slowly coming towards me. I begin to panic as Grant bends down next to me. “This thing is what has got you so worked up about?” He grabs me by my hair lifting me up. He sniffs me for a second smiling. “Hmm… This would be an excellent snack for later.” He stops as his minion steps forward behind him. His wrapped body shakes his anger. Grant looks over at him. “Aww. Right.” He tosses me aside. I land on my butt as Grant removes the tendrils from Jake. “Did you take care of the fire mage?” The minion nods. I crawl over to Jake. His body is slowly healing but he looks in rough shape. I look up to see Grant looking down at me. “Go ahead and have your fun.” The minion rushes toward me. I brace for impact watching him grab Jake by the leg throwing him away from me. The minion starts to beat on Jake. Picking Jake up and slamming him around like a rag doll. Grant looks at me amused. “Such a shame. He could have been..” I run toward the thing beating on Jake. I grab a rock throwing it at the thing. It stops after lifting a bloody fist up from Jake’s face. It turns to me beginning to shake. It stands up stumbling toward me. I stumble back looking for a weapon to defend myself.

“Stop hurting him.” I pick up a half-destroyed sword pointing it at the minion. The minion stops in front of me. It starts shaking as I notice Jake stand up. The minion reaches out for me allowing Jake to slash a deep wound across the creature’s face. The thing grabs ahold of his face trying to stop the black blood pouring from it. I look at Jake worried as he stands between me and the minion.

“If you dare touch her, I will make your life a living hell.” I hear Grant start laughing as the minion looks over at us with wrappings covering his face torn up. Familiar brown eyes stare at us.

“… James?” Grant starts to laugh harder as James’s grabs his head in pain. I feel my heart stop as Jake charges at James tackling him to the ground. He starts to pound James’s face. I stand still seeing my best friend as something different.

“When my master presented me this new toy, I couldn’t have passed it up.” I frown glaring at Grant. Maybe if I kill Grant, I can somehow fix James. I run at Grant stabbing him with my broken sword. He makes a face at me pulling the sword from his shoulder. “That won’t work on me.” A bright flash of fire shoots from the building hitting Grant in the shoulder. He stumbles back as Zona walks from it angry. Grant growls annoyed disappearing in darkness. Zona runs over to me.

“What the hell did he go?” I look around noticing Jake and James standing apart from each other. Jake swings his sword at James as James catches Jake’s sword arm. James crushes the arm causing Jake to drop his sword. James catches the sword bringing it up cutting Jake’s arm off.