We didn't have time to really sit around and gather our thoughts. While Artemis did help us here, we had no idea what the rest of the realm looked like or how many other creatures there were.

The warriors that remained packed up sacks with supplies and weapons alongside all of us as we prepared for battle.

War? Is this war?

My mind raced a million miles a minute. There was so much to process.

"Do you want to talk?" Edmond asked, walking up to me.

"Huh?"

"Talk? You know, converse?"

"I don't even know where to start."

"The beginning is usually good. I know something has been up with you since we got here."

I sighed heavily.

Would he believe me if I told him everything?

'You can talk to me." He thought to me.

'I know.'

'What's wrong?'

'I just don't know if you'll belive me.'

'Ellie, I've seen some really crazy shit since you came into my life. Why wouldn't I believe you now?'

I shrugged my shoulders.

'Just tell me. I don't like seeing you like this.'

'Okay. Um, where to start? Okay, so Diana is with me.'

'Diana? Who's Diana?'

'The first queen of our kind. The first daughter of Artemis.'

'You mean Diana Diana?'

I nodded my head. Edmond's eyes grew large as he stared at me.

'See, you're weirded out.'

'No. No. Not weirded out. Interested.'

'Sure. Anyway, Diana has been helping me. I think she's attached to the bow. Maybe me now. I don't know. When I pulled your mother back from the fates, I heard them.'

'Heard them?'

'Yeah. Heard them. They said that I have to replace the soul I took. I have to pay my debt.'

'Pay your debt?'

I nodded my head again.

'Yeah, I have to give them a soul to replace the one that I pulled from their grasp.'

'Okay. How?'

'They didn't say. I'm assuming I have to take a life for them to have.'

'Oh.'

'Artemis possessed my body. She just pushed me to the back and eliminated the creatures.'

'That I saw.'

'It was weird. I had no control over myself.'

'None?' Edmond asked.

I shook my head. 'Am I crazy?'

'No. Of course not. You're just in a weird spot right now. I'm sure it will a lot better once this is over.'

'Perhaps.'

He grasped my arms and pulled me into his body. Wrapping his arms around me, Edmond just held onto me. 'It will be.'

"Okay, is everyone prepared?" Andrew asked.

People quietly nodded their heads. They glanced around, almost looking nervous. They might have been mighty warriors, but they had never been up against something quite like this.

"Let's head out."

"Are we heading down the tunnels or taking the long way?" Ashley asked.

"I guess the tunnels since it's faster."

"Let's get this done then," Alastair said, putting his pack on.

"Is the king coming?" one of the warriors asked.

"I, uh, am not..."

"Yes. The king is coming," Orsand announced, entering the room.

"Dad..."

The king put his hand up to stop Edmond. "I didn't join the last fight and everyone nearly died. The queen is alive and well so I will be going. I cannot sit back while my son and daughter-in-law fight for the safety of the entire realm while I just sit here."

Edmond opened his mouth to say something, but I put my hand on his arm and shook my head.

He sighed heavily. "Okay. Just be careful, dad."

"I will be fine. You have to be careful."

"Maybe a speech?" I suggested to the king.

"A speech? Yes, a speech would be good to rouse the troops."

He made his way across the room, to stand in front of the warriors.

"Today is not an easy day. We are facing an unknown adversary that we know nothing about. They are frenzied and wild with a bloodlust. But there is something that they don't have. Will power. Strength in love and friendship. Training. It may seem that they are stronger and more prepared than what we are; but, we have the upper hand. We know these lands. We know how to fight together as one while they only care for themselves and their instant gratification. We can fight them. We can defeat them. Remember your training. Remember what we fight for. We fight for freedom. We fight for life. We fight for us!"

The warriors erupted into cheers as their king raised his sword in the air, prepared for battle.

He led us from the room and toward the shed. A loud cadence breaking out from them.

We looked down the river and seen em come.

There musta' been a hundred of em.

Fast and light they ran like a flash.

No matter since they weren't a match.

Mighty and strong as we.

Howlers are the protector of thee.

The mood changed dramatically, simply by having their king by their side. My heart raced the further along the tunnel we walked. The darkness seemed never-ending as the only sounds to be heard were the cadence and our footsteps.

Even the cadence eventually stopped as the eerie silence swallowed us whole. Cold air wooshed down the tunnel at us.

"Why is it so cold?"

"We're underground."

King Orsand led the way, marching along, prepared to fight for his entire kingdom even to the death. A small light ahead of us grew larger and larger.

The open door.

Andrew, who walked beside Orsand, motioned for everyone to stop and to be quiet. There was no way for us to know who was on the other side. He pointed to two of his scouts to move to the front lines. He whispered in their ears before they set off running the rest of the way. Their feet light on the ground, not making a sound.

They paused at the entrance before creeping into the castle.

We stayed and waited for what seemed like an eternity as they scouted the premises to make sure things were clear for an entire army to enter the castle.

We all seemed to hold our breath as they made their way back to us.

They whispered to Andrew and King Orsand before rejoining the warriors.

Andrew motioned once again for us to move forward. The cost was clear and the castle was completely empty. We emerged in the stable, the entire area was quiet. So much quieter than I had ever heard of the castle before.

"Where is everybody?" Edmond asked.

That was a good question.