It wasn't long before I was shaken awake once more, and soon Maeldok and I were hiking through the dim morning light.

I was exhausted. The few days since Koren, Andrin and I split up had been grueling, and I was sorely in need of some rest. As the inky sky gave way to brilliant pink, however, I began to feel some strength returning to my limbs. The sun warmed my face and I grinned. We were getting so close.

My mission was a success. I had found the medicine Andrin needed, even learned that he needed the Y'ririn Counter and found that too. Maeldok would teach me Solace magic, and as long as the Animaré had reached our meeting place on time, we'd be reunited before long. The group would never feel the same without my own Animaré with me, but the sky seemed brighter at the thought of seeing my friends again.

The trees grew thinner as we came alongside the great western road that snaked back behind us, leading eventually into the Corvelen Lowlands from which we had come. The road met three others ahead of us at the Crossroads, aptly named such. Andrin had always said the Corvel weren't the most creative bunch.

We stuck mainly to the tree line, trying to stay out of sight of the road even as we followed it. This early in the morning there might not be so much traffic, being relatively far from a major town or city, but one could never be too careful. The Ska'al couldn't possibly travel this deep in Corvelen in broad daylight, but we didn't want a run-in with Corvel guards either.

Unfortunately as we neared our destination, a hill rose up on our right side, and soon the western road closed in on our left, hugging the steep incline. It wasn't long that we walked on the dusty road before a wide clearing opened up ahead.

"The Crossroads," I breathed, letting out a deep sigh. "Our meeting place isn't far now, just down the southeastern branch and into a clearing near the river."

I made to set off immediately for the spot, itching to see if Andrin and Koren had arrived, but Maeldok stopped me.

"Solace, I'm afraid I must leave you for a short time." He glanced furtively at his Grezeor. "I have business to attend to in Yeandol, but I will wait for you there. It's not far out of your way to Aelridia."

My face fell. Just when I felt like I would finally learn something from him. "Disappearing again then?"

"My deepest apologies, but I have no doubt you will join me again shortly." He bowed. "I have vowed to train you, and train you I will."

I bit back a retort. He was right, Yeandol was a small town on the way to Aelridia. It wouldn't be far. We could make it there by the end of the day even. "Fine, but you'd better be there when we arrive. If not, you'll just have to catch up with us on our way to Aelridia."

We agreed on a meeting place and went our separate ways, him with his cloak swishing up the northwest path and me trying refocus on the southeast one.

It was only a few minutes before I became aware of two things at once. At first my heart leapt for joy. A strange rock formation rose on my right—the first landmark to guide me to our meeting spot. At the same time, a sudden queasy feeling stole over me. It was distinct and strange, like my stomach was abruptly empty and the breath I took was instantly gone.

They were both familiar feelings.

I hurried to the rock outcropping and vaulted nimbly to the top. My heart beat faster in my chest and I took a deep breath. Eyes raking the empty forest, I foraged ahead faster.

My boots hit the ground hard and I stumbled. No time to steady myself.

The clearing can't be far now.

I pushed further and took a right at a certain gnarled tree. The old path was thick with greenery grasping at my cloak, but I tore through it with shaking fingers.

The fist around my gut tightened and I tried to suck in a breath of air. Why was this so familiar? It's like that night in the woods, but somehow I'm numb, like—

My eyes widened in horror as the realization dawned on me.

That gut wrenching, lung crushing, soul piercing thing in the currents. We'd all felt it, it had brought us to our knees, gasping for air and struggling for vision.

It's here.

I didn't think. My legs carried me faster than they ever had before, branches ripping past my face, jabbing at my arms, catching on my cloak.

It didn't matter.

I burst onto a wide path and charged toward the clearing. The feeling grew stronger, but it passed right through me—I barely felt it.

There. The clearing.

I finally emerged, panting, and scanned wildly for any trace of the monster, whatever it was. My eyes fell on two motionless shapes on the riverbank.

No.

Heart in my throat, without a second thought, I was by their sides.

No, no no, not again, don't leave me like this.

Koren was shivering. Andrin's breaths came in ragged gasps.

They're alive.

I drew Lylisia's knife with shaking hands and whirled to put my back to the riverbank. Tears blurred my vision and I blinked them back furiously.

You will not touch them. You take them over my lifeless body. I couldn't save her.

But I will save them.

Dappled light filtered through the trees and a breeze stirred the green branches. It wasn't right. The gentle flow of the river—the soft ripple of water over stone—was drowned by a dull hum that hung in the air, pressing down on everything from the grass to the air in my lungs.

I stood stock still.

I'm ready. Show yourself.

Nothing. Just the gentle wind.

Show yourself.

The green grass winked in the sunlight. Each blade shimmered.

"Show yourself!" The thought was torn from my throat in a desperate plea to shatter the peaceful silence.

Something drew nearer. This was it. I knew it. The thing couldn't be missed, it was such a presence in the currents I could almost see it mysel—

The currents. I could see it.

My mouth opened slightly and for a moment my shaking hands went limp. The currents reflected the creature's presence like a shattered mirror or a mosaic, each shard of light somehow aligning just right to show me an image. I needed only to reach out and turn this strand that way, and catch one piece to put it here and—I could see it in the currents.

I could see.

And then all of a sudden I did see, and the blood came racing back to my weak knees and shaking hands and sweaty palms.

The thing that emerged from the trees was monstrous. It crawled on the ground on all fours like a mangy, starving corpse, clothes torn to shreds and covered in dirt. It's limbs looked all too lengthy, and claws sprang from fingernails where claws should never have been. Long, stringy hair fell across its face, shading deep, black eyes.

There was magic in those eyes, and hunger. I could see the beast glowing with magic in the currents, and it was with wild disregard that power flew from the creature every which way.

Barely a moment passed before it shrieked and charged.

I was caught. I couldn't step out of the way—Andrin and Koren were behind me. With no other choice, I braced myself for impact.

Claws raked my arms as we collided, and I hit it with everything I had. We both went down in the dust and I kicked it viciously, sending the creature flying. Wide, blank eyes stared back at my own as I rose, each of us sizing up the other.

It leapt and swiped at my cloak, coming up empty. I danced away, keeping the Animaré behind me. You go through me, or not at all.

Mud clung to my fingers and I gripped my knife tighter. I slashed back and connected, but the monster shrugged off the wound like it was nothing. It lunged again and this time got a grip on my left arm. I felt my own magic strike, a great coiled snake that sent a shock wave up my arm.

I braced for impact, but the thing barely flinched. If anything, it gripped harder. Eyes wide and breath coming in gasps, I twisted around to stab the creature right in the shoulder, my knife piercing it's thin skin only to come up dry.

What unkillable monstrosity is this?

The thing reeled back, suddenly hesitant and twitching. What happened?

I took a step back and crouched down low, my breath coming in short gasps. The fight in me wasn't gone yet, more magic swirling from my soul. It was angry and ready to turn this beast to ash—I couldn't say I didn't channel the same rage.

The creature paused though, shaking its head. It missed a shaky step and stumbled. I took a firm step forward and raised my weapon cautiously.

It growled and feinted.

I didn't flinch.

This thing had never seen the likes of me, and the Solace magic was powerful against it. Maybe I'm not as weak as I think...

The thought crossed my mind as it jumped again. We tangled, exchanging blows, before it rolled off again. Now it was weaker than ever, and I felt a strange tingling in my fingertips.

Instinctively I made to push the magic down—no need to lose control now, when this beast seemed invincible—but it wasn't that. Power trickled into my chest from my fingertips. Strange, unfamiliar energy was swallowed by the hungry Solace magic, and I understood.

It feeds on magic.

I fixed it with a deadly stare and threw all my hope into the currents, reaching out to gather them in knotted fistfuls. The thing flinched, and a mirthless smile touched my lips.

I knew what made it tick.

Now I had a plan. The thing tried to circle around me, snapping now and then but jumping back, afraid to touch me now. It's hungry eyes drank in the Animaré by the river, so close but with no way to reach them. I crouched low, fending off its blows, waiting for the moment to strike.

It struck, my knife raked its claws. It jumped back but I was on it. A kick hit me right in the stomach and I gasped, winded.

One stunned moment was all it needed before my head hit the ground and it was flying toward my friends.

Rage and desperation boiled over and magic leapt from my fingertips, it's searing touch roasting the empty space that had been the creature a split second before.

With one final lunge I reached out with a fist squeezed so tight my nails drew blood—for one horrifying moment I thought I was too late.

But it stopped.

It hung almost in the air, frozen and stiff, panting wildly, raking the air inches from Andrin's crumpled form.

I was on my feet, fist clenched, eyes locked on the creature. I channeled every ounce of magic into my arm, not launching it to strike my enemy, but leeching it away. Not an ounce escaped from my grip as I pulled more and more from the hideous being before me.

It hungered for magic, but I would bleed it dry.

It's howl faded fast to a whimper, and as my soul swallowed more and more power, so the

beast sank to the ground, twitching violently and gasping for air. The last ounce left its withered lungs and it collapsed, the broken husk winking from existence in the currents as they slipped away from me, broken shards of light once more.

* * *

"That should be it."

"I can't believe you made it Koren."

Koren took a moment to respond. His eyes were closed and he sat with his hands dangling between his knees. The calm of the clearing felt right again.

"He's a... he's a strong Animaré. He's been, you know... dying, for days now—" Koren swallowed hard "—and I just hope this works."

Andrin stirred but didn't wake up. He had chills when Koren finally recovered from the monster's paralysis, and we finally managed to get the all-important Azendrine down his throat.

"It will." I trusted the shaman that gave me the medicine.

Even if he shouldn't have trusted me.

My finger twitched to touch the amulet in my cloak.

"Y'ririn is powerful stuff, Sedris. You should've seen the look in his when I gave it to him. Like needles to the skin, but his mind was sharp as ever. It's the only way we made it here."

"How long were you here before that... thing showed up?"

Andrin took a long, slow breath behind us and we whirled around. He slept on, but the shaking had stopped. His chest rose and fell gently, slowly, and we turned back to the dappled clearing.

"What'd you ask? Oh. Only a couple of hours. We couldn't make it all the way last night, Andrin was getting so weak. All I could do was pray you made it through the mountains when it happened." Koren shivered and got to his feet. He walked slowly, and it seemed each boot was filled with rocks. He bent down to examine the crumbling corpse.

"I don't understand it at all," I said before he could ask. "I guess since I can't feel the currents right anymore, it can't hurt me like it does you."

"But you can see the currents. Not how you should, but you can. Sorry," he added as I winced. "I just mean—"

"I know what you meant." He didn't need to say it again. "But you're right, somehow I could see it perfectly, like every askew angle was just the right way to see it."

He peered at the remains thoughtfully, and then looked up. There were huge bags under his eyes. "I think this is Solace magic."

I raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

His boot met the body gently and another little piece crumbled to dust. It was a brittle husk without the magic, breaking down even to the wind as the breeze filed down the edges. "I mean, it's all that makes sense. You can't see the currents right, even Andrin and I are invisible to you right in front of your face." He didn't notice me roll my eyes but started to pace instead. "But somehow, suddenly, not only are you immune to its crippling aura, you can see it perfectly in the currents. Not to mention sucking every bit of magic right out of it. It has to be Solace magic."

My mind leapt to Bërrha. He was the one chasing us, wasn't he? A powerful Solace hell-bent on killing us all would be the most likely culprit for something like this.

A horrible thought dawned on me. How in the world could I fight a Solace that sent demons to chase us into the ground?

"Something wrong Sed?" Koren waved a hand in front of my face. "Sometimes your eyes glaze over and it's creepy."

"Huh? No I... I just think you're right." I bit my lip. I hadn't even thought about how to tell him about Maeldok.

"I think I am too. It doesn't help us though!" He kicked the body and dust billowed up. "Gross."

"Koren, I think you're right." Where you begin?

He didn't look up from wiling his boot in the grass. "I know, you just said that."

"Well, I actually know that you're right. And this reply confirms it all," I added to myself.

"Confirms what? Spit it out."

"Well, I've learned a lot since we split up, and... maybe now isn't the time. Andrin should hear too, and you'll find out soon enough anyway." I was dying to tell him everything, but I also dreaded it. Finally being back with Andrin and Koren put my new ally in a new light. Koren wouldn't be satisfied with all the mystery, even if Maeldok had been right about everything. "You won't like most of it."

"Can't be worse than the reality," he said dryly, gesturing to the carcass at his feet.

I shrugged. "Maybe not." Where to start? "So it's been a few times now—"

"Andrin!" Koren was by his side in a flash.

Andrin's eyes were open and he breathed a great sigh. It was even and calm.

The Baldük blinked and focused loosely on Koren's face, whose dark brows were pulled together in worry. "Are we dead?"

"We're okay for now," I chimed in, crouching behind my friend.

"Oh Sedris, you're dead too, how nice of you to join us in the afterlife!" Andrin's tone was dry but he couldn't help but crack a smile. "It's so beautiful here, but I never imagined it'd be so bright." He made a halfhearted attempt to sling an arm over his face, but didn't quite make it. The beams of sunlight still fell squarely across his pale, gray face.

"He's back alright." Koren rolled his eyes, but I caught the corners of his mouth twitch. "We'd better get moving soon." He was businesslike once more.

I shook my head, marveling at his focus on the task ahead. Sometimes the cool head we needed, sometimes unable to enjoy a victory.

Andrin clearly agreed. "Koren!" His eyes flew open again. "I just returned miraculously from—ow," he said, trying to prop himself up on one arm, "from the brink of death, and the moment I open my eyes you're off down the path again ready to go! The grim reaper would've at least shed a tear or two that he didn't take me!"

He was really fired up now, and I sat back on my heels, enjoying a laugh that was a long time coming.

Andrin continued. "Give a man five minutes to recover from days of lying on death's doorstep before you go charging off on the mission again!" His eyes fell on the monster's body. "What is that? What is that?! You two bravely staved off some horrifying creature to save me and you won't take a moment to celebrate?! Koren!"

Koren remained mostly straight-faced, but I could sense his relief. Andrin was back, and with him came a piece of our group we sorely needed.

"Now you go over there and—help me out here would you Sedris?—you go over there and sit next to our kind friend the demon, yes, sit down now," Andrin ordered, shooing his Animaré over to the dusty creature. "You two make nice conversation and Sedris and I will relax by this river." He lay back, out of breath, and turned to the water, eyes shining, a wide grinning finally breaking through the serious facade.

I stretched out obediently beside my friend, flashing Koren a grin, who rolled his eyes but couldn't hold back his own smile.

Aelridia seemed closer than ever on this side of the mountains.

* * *

It was a while before Andrin allowed Koren to refocus on the mission ahead and get back on the road. Andrin's strength seemed to be returning quickly, and I had no doubt the Animaré's magic was hard at work.

Andrin explained that Azendrine was a powerful medicine that enchanted the body's healing, able to mend devastating wounds that even Animaré magic struggled to rectify. What was doing the most work though, according to Andrin, was the Y'ririn Counter.

"How could you not tell us it would poison you?" I shook my head as we walked slowly along the road. "What if the shaman never knew you took Y'ririn?"

Andrin lagged a little behind, but limped along quickly. The dust drifted lazily behind us as we kicked it up like so many thousands of travelers had before us. "It wasn't exactly the first thing on my mind."

"The good thing is that Sedris did get the Counter, and you're okay now." Koren never liked to talk about 'what if.'

"I'm getting there." Touching his stomach gingerly, Andrin glanced at me. "What I'd like to know is how you managed to wrangle Azendrine and Y'ririn Counter from a shaman in the middle of a mountain village. It's not like you're loaded down with Demtre."

My face turned red. "I didn't steal it, if that's what you're asking. I paid for it."

"How?" Now Koren was curious too.

"Are you loaded down with Demtre? Any chance you could share your fortune with us?" Andrin laughed.

"I paid with this." I held up the amulet sheepishly and Koren snorted.

Andrin frowned, but Koren waved a hand in the air. "Whatever it takes, Sed, it's not like you could leave empty handed! But why did he want it in the first place?"

"Was it really the only way Sedris?" Andrin's gaze was piercing—I did my best to avoid it.