I wake up in the morning with a slight hangover. I grumble sitting up in my bed worsening the headache. “Owe..” Zona looks over at me as she brushes her hair.

“Sounds like you had a great night.” I slowly stand up holding my head.

“I..” I pause remembering the night getting red. “.. I did. I think.” She pauses looking at me. She looks shocked.

“You didn’t..” I frown getting extremely red.

“I didn’t do anything!” She starts laughing at me.

“I know you didn’t. It’s just funny to tease you.” I huff walking over to her.

“It looks like you are a lot better.” She smiles winking at me.

“Benefits of magic.” I groan slightly wishing that my magic did that.

“Anyway. What information did you get last night?” Zona stops looking at me.

“A guy named Roasland made his way through this town a few days ago. He went north. I got some information on Grant too..” I hear a knock on the door, and I walk over opening it. Jake is standing there looking into the room. He looks down at me faintly smiling.

“Good morning Ashley.” He looks over to Zona. “Zona.” Zona pauses taking a double take to Jake. I smile at him leaning against the door.

“Hey Jake. We are just getting ready now.” He nods looking back at me.

“I will be downstairs waiting in the cart.” He leaves and I close the door. I turn back to Zona shaking her head amazed.

“Wow. You actually have him wrapped around your little finger.” I get red thinking about the situation.

“No.. I don’t..” She gives me a look going back brushing her hair again. She packs her bag up and walks past me.

“Sure you don’t.” I take a few moments collecting myself before coming downstairs. Zona grabs a quick breakfast for the both of us heading outside. We get outside to see Jake waiting in the cart watching the clouds as he brushes Knight. I climb in back with Zona as she dishes out the food. Jake looks at Zona.

“What information did you gather about Grant?” She pauses mid bite. She chews her food swallowing it.

“Apparently some people survived from the last town he attacked. One thinks he heard him say that he has a place he is staying in the Northern Mountains. Also, Roasland has been making his way to the Northern Mountains also.” Jake pauses thinking.

“Alright. We need to head there as soon as we can. We are about a day away from the Northern Mountains.” Zona nods finishing her food. She climbs out getting in the driver’s seat. I look at Jake for a second before scooting closer to him.

“Hey.. I got a question. How are you going to fight without your sword arm?” He pauses looking at me. Zona urges Knight forward. Jake pulls out a dagger showing his skill in his only hand.

“Trained for all situations.” I pause slightly happy that he at least can defend himself. I pause taking a chance leaning against him. He doesn’t say anything for a moment. I smile feeling nice relaxing into him. Before I become fully relax, I remember James feeling slightly guilty. I look up to him not really wanting him to answer.

“What’s going to happen with James?” He pauses getting a look in his eyes.

“I will do what I have to when I see him.” I gulp grabbing ahold of his shirt sleeve.

“We have to find a way to help him.” He gives me a look to end the discussion. I stop talking resting against him. “.. make him come to his senses. Please.” Jake doesn’t say anything else on the topic.

We travel for what seems forever. We finally break the plains heading back into the forest. The dense trees block everything from sight. By the time it’s nightfall, we notice in the distance tall mountains reaching above the clouds. Zona slows Knight down looking up at the mountains. “I didn’t think I would ever be back here.” Jake follows suit looking up at them.

“It will have to be a short memory trip. The goal is to get Grant and end him. We have to assume Roasland is with him.” I look at both wondering something.

“We still haven’t figured out how to hurt his pride though.” Jake looks at me.

“I have a plan for that. The only thing we need to do is now is to find him.” I look at Zona.

“How hard is that going to be Zona?” She sighs looking back at me.

“The short time I was over there. It’s going to be hard.” I groan looking up at the mountains. The closer we get to them the larger and more out of this world they appear. I gulp once we get to a rocky opening dividing the Northern Mountains and the Green Belt. I scan the mountain range noticing a large crack dividing two mountains. I look at it interested. “What happened over there?” Zona looks over and then frowns.

“.. That’s what happened when I killed Crag.” I look at her shocked.

“You did that?” She huffs slightly leaning against the back of her seat.

“No.. How did it go again… the giant's death will crack the earth?” A brief version fills my head of mountains cracking apart. Monsters fill the gap between them swarming into the Green Belt. “A great demon’s hunger will be filled.” Another vision comes of the snake Siver eating itself. Zona stops for a second before continuing. “The lamb gives it’s life for the lion and the lion forever slumpers.” I see a vision of Anna dieing but nothing else. Jake looks at both us of as my vision comes too.

“It was wrong of course.” Zona sighs pulling the cart over.

“Don’t remind me.” We get out the cart stretching our legs. I look around noticing the air warm instead of the usual coldness we were experiencing a few days ago. I look at Zona who is looking up a way up the mountain.

“Why is it so.. Warm?” Jake points up the mountain and we both look up it. Zona gasps slightly noticing that there is no snow on the mountains.

“Strange.. Something is wrong up here.” Jake nods pausing looking into the woods. He throws a dagger into the woods. A scream can be heard in surprised. Three soldiers with Blake come from the woods looking wounded. Blake runs toward Jake looking relieved.

“Sir! Thank goodness we found you. We were ambushed once we got up here. We’ve been defending off monsters and..” He pauses looking at Jake’s missing hand. “Your hand!” He looks over to me glaring. “You this is your..” Jake punches Blake in the back of the head spending him to the floor. Jake looks at the soldiers who look confused and stand at attention.

“You three will take officer Blake back to the capital after we deal with Grant. Until then your mission will to defend Ashley. She is an important part of this mission. Follow her and I can promise your safety.” The soldiers look at each other for a second. One of them picks up the knocked-out Blake as the rest runs to stand behind me. Rustling can be heard in the woods. Jake and Zona step up ready to defend the group. A large ogre comes out of the forest looking hungry. It roars hungrily at the group. Jake looks to the soldiers glaring at them one last time. “Keep her safe.” Jake charges the ogre as it swings a large tree stump at him. I try to watch as one of the soldiers grabs me dragging me away from the fighting. I hit the soldier.

“Let me go! I want to make sure Jake is okay!” The soldier throws me over his shoulder running with the rest of the group away from the battle. The last thing I see is Zona blasting the ogre as another one appears from the forest. Once we away from the battle, the soldier drops me to the ground as they try to catch their breaths. “You are all cowards!” Blake has finally come too as he stands up holding his head.

“What happened?” The first soldier informs Blake what happened as he glares looking at me. “This is unfortunate.” I glare at him about to head back to Jake.

“I am going to help them without them. You better not even thi..” I stop as Blake punches me in the face. I get rocked to the ground my eyes tearing up instantly. I feel blood leak from my nose as Blake stands over me. He looks down at me with a disgusted look. The soldiers around him pause confused and shocked. One of them goes to touch Blake.

“Sir.. the captain said..” Blake pulls out a knife sending fear down my spine. He holds it at the soldier.

“We will just say we encountered something. Like a pack of goblins.” He turns to me and I try to get up quickly. He slashes at me catching me in the arm. I grit my teeth in pain as he kicks me in the stomach causing me to lose my breath. I try to crawl away, but I get forced to look up at him as he sits on my chest. “Time to end this.” He raises the knife up, but something stops him. He stands up with confusion in his eyes. He starts to attack the soldiers. The soldier’s confusion and exhausted don’t stand a chance. I stand up trying to run away but I bump into someone. I look up to see Grant’s smiling toothy grin.

“Hello Ashley Price.” Before I can act, a cloud of shadows engulfs me.

I drop from the cloud of shadows on a black stone floor. I try to stand up looking around at everything. I notice that I am in a cell. Directly in front of me is another cell containing a sleeping woman. I gulp going to the cell bars. I touch them feeling extremely cold. I pull my hands away starting to panic. Why wasn’t I able to feel Grant? I look for a way to escape when I hear the woman from across me wake up. I look over to see a pretty woman. Her brown eyes and hair complement for face. She looks at me looking scared. “They got you too?”

“Who's they?” She stands up rubbing her arms. She is barely wearing rags. She looks like she hasn’t eaten in a few days.

“The monsters. The took me from my house a few days ago.” I frown going back to my solid cell wall. I sit down against it.

“Don’t worry. I have some friends coming to save us.” Hopefully they will know where to find me. The woman looks hopefully as a door opens down the hall from us. She backs up in a corner trying to hide as two people looking like the things that chased Anna. Instead of looking more human, most of their bodies are covered in black tendrils. A few portions show some sort of human but otherwise they look monstrous. They come over to my cell looking inside it. One of them goes to the other cell opening the door. I frown standing up as the creature goes inside grabbing the woman. She screams getting pulled out of the cell. “Let go of her!” The creature looks at me lifting her up. Black tendrils start to wrap around her swarming her body. They go in and out of her eyes, mouth, and nose. The tendrils then rip her apart sending blood everywhere. I gasp shocked holding my mouth. The creature carries the pieces of her body out of the room as the other creature opens my cell door. I step back away from it feeling sick. Before the creature comes at me. I hear Roasland’s voice from down the hall.

“Not her.” I pause looking over to see the doctor walking over to me. He wears his mask with a heavy cloak over his normal clothing. “Ashley Price.” I almost freak out seeing him. I reach out for him daring him to get any closer.

“Come here so I can do to you what you did to James.” The doctor narrows his eyes for a second turning away from me.

“Aww. You mean the blood mage. All things will soon make sense.” I spit at him getting angrier.

“You turned him into a monster! You brought Jake back. You are the…” He turns back angry.

“I did what I needed to. I owe Jake Wilson my life. That thing your friend was before was wasted potential. You’ll see soon enough the plan for the future.” He moves away from the cell heading to the door. “I will send one of them soon to convert you.” He exists the room leaving the room a little bit colder. Panic starts to run through me as I notice something on the ground. I reach out grabbing a piece of metal. I try to bend it into a lock pick. I pray to anything that will listen to open the door. I slowly mess with the lock of the cell hearing a clicking sound. I push the door open exiting the cell. I try to stay clear of the blood the best I can. I get to the door poking my head out of it. One large hallway verge from the room. Large colored windows span the hallway allowing light to enter the room. The windows have beautiful pictures depicting people. Most of them are different variation of the same men and one of the having a woman on it. I realize that I am looking at the Brothers and the Sister. I hear a noise from down the hall. I slowly walk down the hall getting to a large set of double doors. I grasp the handle inching the door to peer into the room.

From my position, I see a large dining hall filled with tables and chairs. In those chairs are the creatures from before. Most of them are sitting waiting for something. I inch the door a little more looking for anything. I see Grant sitting in a self-made throne. The throne has black tendrils wrapped around it. James completely wrapped back up sits at his side and Roasland stands next to Grant. A woman prowls around the room on all fours. The woman looks somewhat like Lillian, but her body is being held together by tiny black tendrils. Grant raises his hand allowing the creatures to start eating. The creatures start to tear into the bodies on the tables. Grant smiles happily and James stares down at the ground. I slowly back away figuring out that they will be busy for a second. I take a step back bumping into someone. I quickly turn and I get grip by black tendrils.

I fight the rush of visions trying to invade my mind. I see a mass of confusion, fear, and anger with the brief peer into them. I feel the black tendril let go of me as I get tossed into the room. I instantly become the center of attention. I look up to see Grant stand up from his chair. “Ashley Price. Nice of you to join us.” He slowly walks towards me. I hear grumbles from every other creature in the room. The patchworked Lillian crawls over to me sniffing me up and down. I notice Roasland frowning as James begins to shake. Grant stops in front of me looking down at me. “Guessing you’re more resourceful than I thought. No matter. My pets will love a live meal.” I gulp down fear smirking at him. He frowns turning away from me.

“To scared to do it yourself?” He stops causing all the creatures to look at him. “.. I see you made a poor excuse of a replacement of Lillian.” He turns back to me smiling a toothy grin.

“I guess if you want to die so bad, I can make that happen.” A black tendril shoots out piercing my arm. I gasp in pain holding it. Come on. Think.

“.. You’re.. really bad at this. Guess that’s why you needed your bitch of a sister.” Grant frowns sending another tendril into my leg. I scream in pain following to the ground. “To think you needed a fucking human to do all this.” Another tendril in the other arm. I slowly feel myself start to fade. I grit my teeth. “Maybe if you weren’t so prideful, you could have saved your sister.” Grant pauses starting to laugh. The creatures start to mimic Grant as he removes the tendrils from me. A large one wraps around my neck lifting me up to him. Lillian crawls over to him sitting on her butt looking up at him.

“So that’s what you’re doing?” He shakes his head laughing. He brings my ear close to his mouth. He whispers in my ear. “It’s not pride my dear. It’s self-loathing. I hate everything about me. As long as I have hate, you can’t beat me.” Grant makes me look at him smiling. “What do you have to say to that Ashley Price?” The room start to heat up, but he doesn’t seem to notice. I notice Roasland make his way to the door James following him. I frown spitting in Grant’s eyes.

“That’s pretty pathetic Grant.” He pauses slightly losing his grip on my neck. He drops me as the tables catch fire. The creatures scream in confusion as one of the doors get kicked open. I look to see Jake and Zona bursting into the room. Grant glares at the two as the creatures start to swarm them. Zona blasts any that come close with flames instantly burning them away. Jake sees me on the floor hurt and something changes in Jake. The room fills with shadows as Grant backs away with Lillian. Grant snaps his fingers turning off everyone’s magic. Zona stops blasting fire and pulls out a sword starting to fight off the creatures. Jake makes his way to me cutting down those creatures left and right. Grant sends black tendrils out trying to grab both. One of the tendril hits Jake but he cuts it off as Zona defends from the attacks. Grant seems to be off his game. Grant looks at Lillian snapping his fingers.

“Now!” Lillian’s body starts to shake as the room stops. Lillian’s head throws her head back in place her body shaking. The entire room is frozen. Grant starts to laugh again walking over to the frozen Jake and Zona. “I am so glad I was able to find my sister’s body. Can you guess what her magical ability is? That’s right. Body control.” Grant forms a black tendril and moves it slowly toward Jake. “I’ve been waiting an entire lifetime for this Jake.” I feel myself unfreeze. I take a breath standing up with every bit of pain in my body screaming at me. I don’t think. I don’t plan. I don’t do anything. I rush over to Jake throwing my body in front of the tendril. Grant pauses shocked as the tendril runs through my heart. I feel my body stop working as the tendril rips out of me. “It’s a shame. I could have really enjoyed eating you.” I drop to the ground facing Jake. The look of horror fills his face as darkness fills my vision.