ture in his arms, turning fro

iren asked his back, glancing

hesit

' Siren insisted. 'I

to him. The aberrant's large wings dr

her?' Siren said to

hed the body, his footsteps crunching on the broken glass that surro

tiful' he s

his side, star

' Siren told him. 'Be th

had used his magic to

ting her hand towards him to do the

each other, as did the philoso

e direction that Kreas had fled. His cries of pain for his l

Sian put her hand upon Venom's shoulder, and the group, all making con

g clear again. They were standing in a meadow, wi

ck from a dangerous situation yet

t where the injury had been. Now ful

tting the dirt he held crumble between h

rs that grew. The tall grass was swaying and rustling in the wind, and above them

oodland that stood nearby, and beyond, resting up

of the picket fence that stood nearby, still bearing the b

sighed. 'Jesus Christ. Why would a father kill his own so

rld' Lucas explained. They are all s

last of the dir

esn't make s

igion do we not?' Si

't worship a man

insensitive'

cross at the head of the second grave.

' he s

her attention back to the philosopher's stones who stood close to one another, as if the

u still have not told me who you are' she de

s uncertainly, Crysta

telling me your name

his point. Lucas was glaring, and

t World' he said in a loud voice. 'And we wi

overwhelming sadness. A blanket of miser

ught to himself. What is happ

id something that

t what

gaping at her incredulous. 'Hav

d her arms stubbornly

with you? Are you

Ebony told Indigo. 'Th

to stay?' Siren a

houghtfully, as if think

Crystal voiced, 'the

ed himself i

e calmly, 'that we s

s saw Siren grasp the air before her in an action that imitated holding an

so that a spoken conversation could not be heard. Indig

t the fact that the four kept glancing his way as

Sian asked. 'Th

ead to face her. '

e isn't

d Lucas, staring

he way you l

ying?' Lucas asked

tain, jerking her c

that?' she asked Lucas. 'Br

n't k

guardian

an anguis

is what's called a

t's

entirel

hing the elder guardians and

to leave' Sian said, referring to E

knees, craning his head b

the heavens. 'Li!

yourself' the m

covered by his hood, his loose blonde hai

o Lagoon' the mas

t, groaning at the pain that wracked h

at you' the

his hands, examining the wounds that covered his body. Many were visible, cuts and bruises, some co

e' the master sa

go to Lag

the master

to pause every so often for Kreas to catch up. There was an injury t

ter told him as they went. 'Yo

gasped, hobbling fo

the edges, and its windows were tall and narrow. At the front of the hotel there were two sets of glass

to stay' the master noted, sur

d humourlessly, fidgeting on the spot. 'D

r smiled. 'Of course, we now know whe

escape to the

er reassured, 'Lagoon

owards the building, cros

ne now, what if they kill the girls thems

s a possibility. But Lagoon ass

inds can be swayed fo

l not be swayed by the power, though the thought is likely to have crossed their minds. And remember' the master added glancing back at Kreas, '

then?' Kreas asked. 'W

ed carelessly. 'Whatever the r

ack' Kreas asked, 'that

oon killed her younger sister years bef

found and captured one philosophe

ilosopher's stone he has now is weak,

master as they moved through the hotel. 'Those bel

That's

upper levels; passing through the buildin

aster went on as they began to ascend 'like w

of him finding more th

en he didn't know about that one. And the girl in white, the one

his?' Kreas ask

pher's stone before and has gained much from it, despite the

of them' Kreas reminded.

ly already knows what's happened, and he won't let them cross over to the Ancien

wish…L

. 'She has done well. Now

and towards the door at the end. The master paused before it; then

windows on this level reached from ceiling to floor, wi

ot be seen, but as the master approached further int

mpletely know or even trust him, though he claimed that he did. Lagoon was sitting quietly now in a comfy chair facing the large w

ook at them as they approached. He just sat there, staring off into space, holding

t last to them, and the

ri

ched him take a sip before following suit. It had a sharp tas

n whispered, speaking as if to hims

know' the ma

nce to the master, his yellow eyes shining bright. His white wavy hair was streaked with light blue, and he had blue lines of p

ed up at him. '

asked him. 'It must be hard to overcome your instinct to

he master rep

in this world' Lagoon said. 'Don't worry Kreas' he told him, 'that's

ad, tentatively ta

revealing gleami

heir hearts' Lagoon

e hea

es. Their hearts are easily…manipulated.' He smiled again. 'This…Ebony. She will tell the others th

r to control the othe

pled his fingers, leaning back into his seat. 'There is nothing to worry about. Everything