Tonight was the Dragon Festival. I stood in front of my mirror feeling somewhat self conscious. The outfit was amazing. It's just my confidence seemed to be lacking tonight. I did a fish tail braid for me hair and did my makeup a little dark to go with the outfit. Jocelyn did an amazing job bringing Mirio's idea to life.

There was a knock on the door before Joseph was coming in. He gave a whistle, "Damn you're looking good. Azazel is going to be one busy man keeping the others off of you." I scoffed when I rolled my eyes, "Ever since the invitations were passed out and he got his, he's been avoiding me." I had to find out he had been invited when I saw it in his bag yesterday. It pissed me off he didn't want to talk to me about it. I tried, but he simply told me he didn't have time to talk about it and walked away.

"Azazel was invited," He asked, not knowing. I nodded, "I was shocked too. I tried congratulating him, but he didn't seem to care. Then he blew me off! I tried talking to him this morning about what his problem was, but he shrugged it off." I sighed, "Tonight and the next couple of days, are all about celebrating. I will deal with my boyfriend issue later." He nodded and we left my room. Now was the moment of truth, will the full fledged warriors approve? I came down the stairs and saw many of the guys talking and laughing. I even saw Mirio off to the side. He had no expression regarding his feelings towards tonight's festivities, but that's normal with him. I don't think he knew how to smile.

I looked around the room and jumped when I felt a hand on my waist. I looked and saw Azazel. He dipped his head so his lips were even with my ear, "You look beautiful." I smiled softly, "Thank you." I looked at him and he sighed, "I know I've been avoiding you, but I will explain it later." I nodded, trusting him.

We then went out to meet the warriors by the bonfires. The gathering was very impressive, most of the students lost amongst them. I was approached by Commander Alec, "Very interesting Ms. Norse." I nodded, "Its designed after the Ragior women's clothing." He nodded with a small smile, "Good work. Now let's drink."

For hours we drank and celebrated. Some students couldn't handle their liquor and the full warriors cracked jokes at them. I noticed Azazel stayed close and didn't down the drinks like many of the others. Neither did Mirio for that matter. When many were too plastered to notice, Azazel and I slipped into the woods nearby, stopping just inside where we can still see the party. "What's wrong," I asked him when I saw his serious expression.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the invitation. It's not that I didn't want too, because I truly did. It's that with each passing day, you start to smell more and more like a Demon. However, to most, the scent may seem odd since it's not often we smell a Demon, but for me, it makes me want to drink your blood, consequences be damned," he told me in a rush, but I still heard him word for word. "I have been avoiding you, so I don't do something stupid and accidentally imprint myself to you." He ran a hand through his hair in frustration that was starting to become long once more. "Being so close to you is almost agonizing, but being away is even more so." "What do you want to do," I asked him, having a bad feeling on where this was going.

"Batair thinks it's best I stop seeing you, for our safety," he said, causing my heart to drop into my stomach. "And what do you think is best," I asked him. "To do what makes me happy," He replied, giving me some slight hope. He then cupped my cheek and kissed my forehead, "I'm not going anywhere." I relaxed into him after that. "However, I did tell Mirio and Joseph, in case I reach the point I can't control myself."

If I was a sane person, I probably would've broken it off with him in order to ensure I stayed safe, but my life lately has been filled with insanity, and my boy friend wanting to drink my blood didn't sound all that insane at the moment. I took his hand, "We'll take it one day at a time." With that we went back to party.

After the three days and nights of partying, I felt ready to just pass out. I was dead on my feet as I went up the stairs to my room. Lykos laid on my bed, waiting for me. I crawled under the covers, letting sleep take my instantly.

When I woke up, I was still in my Festival clothes, shoes and all. After my talk with Azazel, it was all a blur. I crawled out of bed and went to take a shower to scrub off the smell of burning firewood and alcohol. I had just gotten dressed when Joseph and Azazel barged into my room. "There were more murders last night after the celebration ended," Azazel told me. My heart dropped into my stomach, "Who?" "Most of the full fledged warriors," Azazel told me. "The High Priest thinks it was waiting in their house for them to return from the Festival." I felt like I was going to be sick. "It happened simultaneously at the other campuses too," Joseph told me. "Those who were spared were those who didn't go straight back. There were a few found alive among the slaughtered though." Tears burned my eyes, "What's going to happen now?"

"We don't know. The council is meeting now to discuss it with the High Priestes Priestesses of the campuses. Many of the warriors were our trainers, they're crucial to our survival," Azazel answered. "They're still counting up the dead, and we'll know who all was lost by mid afternoon. For now everyone is waiting in the common room." I took his hand and we went downstairs.

Most of everyone was in their pajamas, having been woken up to the news. Azazel, Mirio, Joseph, and I sat in silence on the couch. Kylen and Reggie soon joined us. For hours we waited in silence until the High Priest came in.

"We lost seventy five percent of them. Among them were Commander Alec, second in command Vollen, Batair, and Gin. Before rumors get spread and fingers get pointed, I am informing you all first, that whoever did this, isn't marked by one of our Gods. The power was ancient, but we don't know who it belongs too," he told informed all of us.

Many began to cry in grief and anger. "All you have for us, is an I dont know," I asked out of anger while standing up. "How can it not be known? Many of those warriors were part of the Elite Battalion, who had been in countless battles, trained to be the best. What could take them out so easily? Not even the Dragnar two centuries ago could best them when the Battalion was only a small handful at the time."

"I understand your frustration Cleo-" he tried but I cut him off. "Frustration? You call this frustration? You just told us the people we cared about and looked up to were murdered and you have no idea who," I snapped at him. He pinched the bridge of his nose out of anger. "There has to be something more you can give us instead of an I dont know." The anger was gone from my voice now.

He sighed, "The council is refusing to let us share anything. Trust me, I want just for them too. With many of the warriors gone, I'm now in charge of how you all spend your time training. I say you use it wisely." Many of us caught the gleam in his eyes on what he meant. He couldn't share with us what happened, but that doesnt mean we couldn't investigate. "The remaining warriors are gathering up the wills of our deceased and will soon be reading them. If you are included in the will, they will take you somewhere quiet to discuss it. Until then, you are free to do as you please. Classes have been canceled until further notice." After that he left.

After that, one of the fourth years shut and locked the door, and two of the witches amongst us, completely sealed it. "We need to come up with a plan of action, because I can guarantee, we will not like whoever the council will send in to replace those we've lost. After the games, the warriors were suspicious of something going on amongst the council members," Mack told us all. "You think the council members know what's going on," Kylen asked him. I shook my head, "He means, the council is responsible. They're trying to clean house. The warriors are set in their ways of tradition, and cant easily be swayed." "Do we trust the ones that are still alive, or is it possible they knew it was going to happen so they avoided the house," Another one asked. "I think it's just coincidence," Mack said as many agreed with him. "Many did go off to see women they're dating or to put out the fire. Plus only some of the Elite Battalion were here, the rest were back at their base of operations, so I'm sure they can be trusted."

"So what's our next move," Mirio asked everyone. "We elect our own Captain," one of the newer first years declared. It was then as if on command they spoke in unison, "Cleo." "With Azazel as her second," Mack said with a nod of confirmation.

They then looked at me. "So Captain, what's our plan," Joseph asked me. "We hit the books and look for the maps of the catacombs and the inventory logs of the items they kept in the vaults. Apparently when Gollums attacked it was because someone broke the wards and took something from the vault. We need to see if anything is missing that could give someone the ancient power to wipe out the warriors, and see if you guys can get into contact with the other student warriors and tell them to do the same at the other campuses," I told them. "I dont want the teachers finding out, because any one of them could be working with the council. However, we may need the help from some students in the other Houses. After all, if we get injured, we can't go to the infirmary. The healers there are under strict regulations to document everything and put it on file for the council to read. For now, we play the part of the mourning students everyone expects us to be. We will also continue to train, like scheduled. We can't afford to fall behind." After that we all dismissed when we noticed warriors coming towards the House. We dropped the seal and made it seem as if we were simply just waiting for them.

"Cleo," one of them called. I left with them and we went somewhere private. "As you may have heard, we are calling those who were added into wills of the warriors we lost. You were added into both Commander Alec's will and Batair's will." They then began to read the will. Batair had left me his sword while Commander left me his journal. After the warrior left, I flipped through the journal.

It was his notes of the on goings around campus with various staff members. He had a feeling about something big happening and he wanted me to have the journal. Also in the journal were names and phone numbers of people I could trust who are aware of things going on around our campus. I prayed he was right because we were going to need all the help we could get.