We walked in silence for a while, us being too scared to do anything for he definitely had some sort of magic, whatever that may be. I recognized the part of the forest we were in, though. I used to play up here when I was younger, and I got to know every inch of this place. We were walking in the direction of a sheer cliff, though, it being a valley into the river that eventually ran next to our village. The waters were too rough here, so no one ever really built anything here.

Eventually, we had walked to a sort of makeshift encampment. There were teepees covered with twigs and hay with beds of grass in each one. He took us to the other side where there were some prisons, also makeshift. I saw that there were lines of cells along a row, on each side. There was about a foot in between each cell, yet each one was haphazardly strewn across the dirt ground. As he shoved us in one, I saw that they were more glorified boxes with bars on one side then prisons.

"I'll deal with you later," He said with eyes that sent chills running down my spine, then slowly walked away.

"Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! What was that? What is happening?," Thalia basically screamed, "Is this jail? I can't go to jail! I'm too young for jail! AAAAHHHH!"

"Thalia. It's fine, "I replied grabbing onto her shoulders, "This is too rough to be a jail, and we can get out of this because of that."

"Hey, I wouldn't count on that," A guy from the box across from us remarked, not daring to show his face. "Every poor soul who ends up in this hole never comes out. They're keeping us here in case we can do magic, apparently. Well, I ain't know of no one who can use magic, or I'd use em to bust outta this joint."

"Why are you telling us this?" Thalia asked.

"In case you can do magic and bust us outta this joint. If you can't, well, for fun." He laughed a sick laugh. Thalia looked disgusted and such outpour.

I didn't know if I should tell him that I could do it. It could be a trap.

"Are you sure there was no one who could use magic?" I asked.

"Well, there was one person," he seemed deep in thought, "A while back, they told us if anyone could do magic, they'd set em free. This person, who actually had shown me a little before, came forward and the next night, we heard screams. He never came back." He laughed, "I guess he's either free or dead that lil' bugga. Why, is there something you'd like to tell me?"

I looked at Thalia and she nodded. "Well," I replied and closed my eyes. I started creating a ball of ice suspended just above my hand. Although I couldn't see him, I could still tell his eyes got wide with excitement.

"Oh, yes yes yes yes yes!" He whispered, his voice suddenly getting very quiet, "Freeze through the wood, it'll shatter like ice if you get it cold enough!" I dissolved the ball and concentrated more. A steady stream of blue started projecting from my hands onto the wooden box. It felt so hot, even though I knew it was cold. It was so hard to keep projecting the blue onto the wood, yet I did it. After a while, I opened my eyes, but as I did this the stream got harder and harder to control until it was finally lost. Yet, in its place was a frozen panel in the box, mini icicles hanging off of each indent. I rose my foot up and kicked it off, the pieces shattering like glass.

"Yes!" Both Thalia and I said, running through the hole. We ran onto the main path, looking for a way out, but we then say the line of boxes was positioned on the edge of the sheer cliff of the river valley. The only way out was through the camp. We started walking, hoping there'd be a miracle when from behind us the man called,

"Hey! Aren'ch ya gonna let me out too?" I ran back, mersey besting me. Thalia stayed a bit back, though. She did not trust that man, and I didn't really blame her. I pressed my hands against the wood and started to think again, freezing the wood. I quickly kicked it down, but no faster did I do that then I felt a piercing pain around my neck. He grabbed around my adam's apple and held me there. I grasped for his hand, trying to pull it off, but it just hurt my throat that much more. I coughed, gasping for what little breath I had. I was terrified.

From here I got a good look at him, though. He was a big man with multiple scars along his face. He had big beefy, strong arms and hands. He had shaggy hair was had dirt and grime all over him. His clothes were ripped and faded and his eyes sagged. He just looked tired.

"They said anyone who would bring them, someone that could do magic, he'd get out of this dump. These boxes are all the proof I need to get them to let me go. I'll be free! Finally FREE!" Thalia came up and tried to pry his hand off of my neck, but he was too strong. "You're not going to beat me! I've strengthened my whole time here just for an opportunity like this, and I'm not going to let it pass!"

Hearing commotion, some people who must have been guards came sprinting around the corner. "Guards, Guards!" He yelled at them, "This one can do magic! He can do magic! Just look at the cells!" They as they came closer, they eyed the boxes, seeing the frost still on it, then shifted their gaze back on us.

"Good, good. You've done well, we'll take it from here." one of the guards replied.

"Hey! What about what you said? What about freedom? Let me out of this cursed stink hole!"

"You want freedom? Ok, come here." The other one beckoned. The man ran toward them, letting go of my throat. I gasped for breaths as he ran toward the guards. He stopped not a foot in front of them.

"Here's your freedom!" the guard yelled as he took out his sword and stabbed him in one swift motion. It was clear this wasn't his first time doing this, nor would it most likely be the last. The man fell to the ground, dead before he knew it.

"Oh my goodness, Oh my goodness!" Thalia practically screamed, "You...you killed him!"

"Yes I did, and if you don't want the same thing, I'd do what I was told because I sometimes get a little... swish happy, as you might say."

We looked terrified, and we were. He was crazy, and we were stuck with him.

"So, you have magic, do ya?" I opened my mouth, but he cut me off, "and before you say anything, just know I have proof right here, so what you say doesn't really matter." He had the same sick, twisted grin Cassin had while he was terrorizing Amy. I did the only thing I could and slowly nodded my head.

"So, how'd you do it? How'd you gain the ability?" He asked.

"Um... " I thought, I didn't really know, I mean it must have had something to do with the crystal, it being an artifact and all, but I just didn't know.

"Well, I don't exactly know," I replied terrified, yet speaking truthfully.

"I don't think I made myself clear, the first time," he said, calm as ever, "You tell me how you got that magic," He then pulled his sword out at pressed the cold, sharp metal right to my neck, "Or I make your death a very slow and VERY painful one!"

"I don't know! I swear it! I have absolutely no idea!" I cried, fearing for my life, "It may have something to do with this!" I pulled out the red crystal. His eyes lit up with excitement, or fear when he saw what it was.

"Wow. You actually got one." The guard exclaimed very calmly, "We should do some... tests on you to make sure everything's fine." After saying this last line, he grinned again, which made me fear for my life.

"Well then," he replied, calm as ever, "I guess we'll do this the hard way. Come with me." I stood absolutely still, not know what he'd do to me. "I said, Come with me!" he roared, grabbing onto my arm.

"Hey, leave him alone," Thalia blurted, her voice wavering with fear.

The kook chuckled, "and what is little ol you gonna do about it?" Thalia, then grabbed onto his arm, trying to stand up to him even though she knew there was no chance when suddenly the guard screamed in pain and let go of my arm.

"Hot! Hot hot HOT!" He wailed, shaking his hand vigorously up and down. "How did you do that?" he howled looking at Thalia with fear. That in itself made her fearful of herself.

"Thalia, RUN!" I yelled and took off sprinting whichever direction the guard wasn't. We ran through rows and rows of boxes, most empty, until we came to a peninsula in the cliff. Looking down the sheer edge, it must have been a 30-foot drop into cold rushing water! Looking back behind us we saw the same guard, looking very angry, now with many other people around him, blocking our exit.

"Oh, we've got you now! You will pay for what you've done!" He yelled. The group started walking forward toward us, trying to encircle and capture us. We moved slowly closer to the ledge. "Nowhere to run, give it up now, and we might be more merciful." We kept backing up until half our body was off the cliff. "Thalia," I whispered, "we need to jump. It would give us a better chance than with them." She nodded. "3" I whispered. They got closer, edging us to defeat. "2" It felt like time slowed down as they slowly approached. "1" They were almost within arms reach now. There was only one way it was even possible to get out of this. "Jump!" I screamed.

We both jumped and tumbled down into the waters below. Falling faster and faster, into the cold unforgiving river below. It got closer and closer as we rushed up to meet it. Then, it happened. We hit the water, not knowing if it would result in freedom in life, or freedom from life.

************************************

I woke up laying on sand, the sound of rushing water very prominent. I must have blacked out once I hit the water I thought to myself. Sitting up, I had a massive headache, but nothing was worse than the pain I felt in my legs. It felt as if every bone was breaking every second. I winsted in pain, but dare not yell in case someone was trying to track us. Looking around, I saw the river was right behind me, with me being on a small patch of sand, surrounded by forests on most sides. "How long was I out?" I asked myself. If it was more than a day, I could be in very big trouble. Unexpectedly, I got an answer to my question from Thalia,

"From the time we dropped, about 2 hours."

"How do you know?" I asked.

"I was awake the entire time. After we fell, I had to carry you to land. My legs were build to absorb shock so we could jump farther distances from humans, so I got less pain and I didn't black out." I lifted my arm to chime in, but as I tried, pain got shot up it.

"Sorry about your arm. We hit a patch of rocks coming out of the valley, and I accidentally scraped it against one."

"It's no problem, thanks for, well, saving my life back there."

"Well, it's only what you would do. We should get some rest, though, we both bruised our legs pretty badly back there."

"Ok, thanks." I smiled, as she did back. Laying there, legs out, we laid there together, listening to the soft sound of water, looking into the noonday sky. We stopped there on the sand, for we were both exhausted from the night before.