A Curious Beginning (prologue)

It threatened to rain, the sky was mostly cloudy with the exception of the
sun setting on the horizon, but what else was new in Bristol. Only there did it
seem like the coming storm couldn’t reach. Micheal blinked at the tombstone labeled
Victor Ryan Whern that stood firm in the ground. This was not his friend, in fact
just the opposite. Though Victor had bullied Michael through out secondary school,
Michael would never had thought that the bully would take his own life.

Michael sat across Victor's headstone, leaning against the back of a

parallel stone, one leg outstretched while the other was bent, knee to the sky.
Michael sighed twirling a white rose, sideways in his fingers.

"You were never my friend, but I don't hate you for what you've done in the past.
You were stupid, and an immature brat, and as much as I'd like to think that you
had changed in high school, I know better." ,Michael stated to the name etched in
stone, " I've heard the rumors about why you did it... That you broke your
brother's leg, and felt bad...that your girlfriend broke up with you... that you
were stressing out about uni.... I can't say I feel sorry for you. Death is
inevitable, and you chose to make your own way out, rather than wait for one."

A flash of lightning lit half the sky that the sun's light didn't protect.
Michael smirked without looking up as a roar of thunder shook the earth. Rain
slowly dripped from the sky, each drop shaded the headstone a little darker. The
drizzle was slightly colder than Michael expected, but he stayed sitting in front
of Whern's headstone.

"I read your obituary, your folks did a nice job of spewing a bunch of shit. I
wonder if they knew you... and what you've done to others like me. Well, I suppose
it's in the past now, isn't it? Shame, you would've been seventeen today. Guess I'm
just stronger willed than you, old chap."

Michael tossed the rose onto the slightly slanted flat headstone, making
the rose roll onto the ground in front of it. Michael got up, pulling his hoodie
over his head covering his dark blonde hair and left ear piercing. He didn't mind
the stroll home, it would give him time to think about what he was going to tell
his mom. He had skipped school to go see a dead classmate, and that wouldn't go
over well with mom. Considering that there are two things she absolutely hates:
Michael skipping classes, and dead things.

Little did Michael know that he had been watched by an older man, who was
"mourning" a fair distance away as to not alert his target. From what his superiors
had told him this boy was special, and must be dealt with in extreme care, he
followed Michael out of the cemetery to a bus stop a couple streets up. The man
settled himself on the bench while Michael stood, both waiting for the bus.

Michael looked at the stranger through the corner of his eye, he knew that
something seemed off about him, though he tried to ignore him. The man knew he was
being observed by the younger male, and sighed before striking up a conversation.

"It's gonna be a full moon tonight." The older man started as he tilted his face
upward to the sky. The remaining light revealed that the man had a bit of scruff on
his face, and the teasing smile that he was giving Michael.

"And?" Michael asked not looking at the man.

"Don't you believe in werewolves, lad?" The man asked.

"No."
"How about vampires, then?"

"No. I don't believe in the creatures of all hallows eve."

"No?" The man asked.

"No." Michael gave the man a sideways glare.

The man began to snarl, and growl as the sun's light had completely
disappeared from the horizon. Michael rolled his eyes at the man, thinking he was
attempting to get him to believe. It wasn't until the man's ears became pointed,
and made an appearance from under the man's brim of his hat, that Michael even
considered the fact that he should be afraid. Michael watched in horror as the man
transformed into beast right in front of him. The beast had completely shed it's
clothing, except for his pants, as it stood on it's haunches. It then turned to a
wide eyed Michael.

"Aren't you going to run?" The beast asked in a growl-ly version of the man's
voice.

"Do you always play with your food?" Michael asked as he backed away slowly,
receiving a chuckle from the beast.

"You're not going to be my food today, lad." The beast slowly reverted back to its
human form.

"Then what do you want?" Michael asked.

"I want you to come work with me in a special organization, called The Shades."

"What's The Shades?" Michael asked feeling more comfortable around the other man.

"It's a group that protects the existence of magic from the average human."

"Then why ask me to join?"

"Because you're not normal. I have reason to believe that in your blood, lies a
tinge of mystical being. I can smell it. Your kind is what we call a deltic, one
that is more human than mystical creature. Though it is because of this, that
deltics are more trusted to keep the peace among the magic realm."

The bus came from the distance, as the man picked up the remains of his
outfit. He sighed, wondering at the tatters. The bus finally hissed its arrival, as
the bus driver gave the man a puzzled look. Michael waived at the bus man,
embarrassed to be in this situation. The driver waived back in confusion.

"Sir, do you need assistance?" The driver asked.

"No, no. I'm fine. I'll just catch the next bus, can't have the Mrs. seeing me like
this." The wereman chuckled.

"Right... You coming lad?" The driver asked. Michael nodded before taking a step
onto the bus.

"Hold on a minute boy, you dropped your hat!" The wereman shouted.

Michael turned around, only to have the hat shoved into his grip, making
Michael grunt in pain. The wereman had sliced Michael's skin, and had used the hat
to cover the damage so that the bus driver wouldn't be aware. The wereman mumbled
to Michael quietly.

"It's not deep enough to turn you, but it will help you find me, just follow the
burn." The man then left the bus stop down the sidewalk.

Michael glared at the man, this was his favorite hoodie, and now there's
blood on it. Michael went to sit in the back of the bus, nursing his hand, his eyes
on the man walking ahead of the bus as it began to move. It wasn't until the bus
had began to near the man, that Michael had a burning, sizzling reaction on his
wrist as the bus passed the one responsible for Michael's cut. Michael covered his
wrist in pain, sucking in air through his teeth. He was going to kick his ass after
he found the wereman.

A Messy Situation

It's been several years since Michael has been a shade, he's proven himself
to be quite sufficient in the magical realm. He handled everything professionally
and calmly...until they came to a prestige school just outside Boston, Massachutes.

"I don't need a partner, Scott! I can handle myself!" Michael hissed so that the
passing students wouldn't think he was crazy.

"This isn't about you handling yourself. This is about keeping the magic realm in
order." The wereman ,from years ago, hissed back.

"But, why a college high school? This place makes me sick." Michael growled.

"Try not acting so tough, you'll scare the lad away." Scott smirked.

Michael rolled his eyes as he followed Scott up the entry steps, earning a
couple of flirty giggles from the girls that were walking to their classes near by.
Michael sighed as he slipped into the opened door. Scott strode down the hallway
with Michael trying to keep up with him, until Scott came to a complete stop.
Michael watched as the wereman snapped his head towards the boys locker room. The
two proceeded in, with caution not sure what to expect.

The locker room was quiet since there was no one else there. It was odd
since there was a shower on with hot steaming water. Michael scowled, stomping over
to turn off the water. He was just about to say something to Scott along the lines
of 'this is stupid', but was silenced with the sound of a loud thud. Both turned
their heads in the direction of the sound. That's when they saw the sign "Coach
Vernis" on the glass of the door, that had its blinds drawn.

The door proceeded to thud as Michael reached for the handle.

"I wouldn't lad." Scott warned.

"Don't tell me you're scared." Michael gave the wereman a teasing smile, as he
grabbed the doorknob.

"Horrified." The wereman paled.

"Come on, man." Michael scoffed as he turned the handle.

Michael pulled the door open, but it opened quickly as if there was weight
added to it. Sure enough there were two surprised yelps as they fell onto the
floor. The girl was on her back, blouse unbuttoned to expose her bra. The guy on
all fours on top of her, in only his boxers.
"You're fucking joking." ,Michael groaned.

"Don't tell Coach Vernis. I'll get kicked off the team!" The guy quickly got to his
feet.

" I'd be more worried about being in this school at all, chap."

"Don't worry about it Cameron, they obviously don't go to this school." ,The girl
haughtily defended as she fixed her pitch black hair, out of her olive skinned
face, "If you don't leave right now, I'll go screaming out of this locker room
saying you raped me."

Michael scoffed as he approached the girl slowly, her blouse still undone, "Oh
love, I wouldn't touch a cunt like you, especially since I know your type. I'm not
the type that takes sloppy seconds, but it seems like your temporary boyfriend
doesn't mind."

"You don't know shit about me." She turned to run, and only got a couple paces
ahead before Michael appeared in front of her, she gasped in surprise, about to
scream. Michaels eyes glowed a bright red as he stared into her horrified eyes.

"Shut. Up." The girl's mouth involuntarily shut, "And listen well, if you wish to
scream rape, then by all means go ahead.", Michael shrugged nonchalantly, "They
won't find anyone here, so you'll just look like a slut who's lost. The only one we
want is him."

The girl looked at the brown haired boy with his cowlick in his face,
frozen in fear in his boxers. She then turned her attention to the boy holding her
mouth shut with his will. She was afraid of what he would do to her, Michael
scowled, she was pathetic.

Michael growled as he pulled the girl closer to him, making her whimper in
fear. Michael ignored her, and began to button her blouse. The girl looked at him
surprised, to the point where she was staring as he fixed her uniform.

"You're going to leave, and you're not going to breathe a word about what you
encountered here. But before I release you. I would like to remind you that if
you're going to be a slut, on campus grounds is not your personal fucking grounds."
, Michael's eyes returned to their natural blue as he straightened himself up,
looking past her to a horrified Cameron, "Leave."

The girl gave him one last glare of hatred before running out of the room.
Michael ignored the petty girl, and strode towards Cameron.

"What's his class, Scott?" Michael asked.

"Incubus." ,Scott gagged after taking one whiff of him, "Definitely."

"S-stay away from me." Cameron stuttered, shaking.

"Listen, chap." ,Michael's eyes flashed to red again, "You can come willingly, or I
can make you. Your choice."

"I-I-" Stammered Cameron as Michael was nearly on top of him.

"Sleep." Michael commanded.

Cameron's eyes fluttered, as his balance began to sway. Until he stumbled

backwards onto Scott, who grunted and pushed the incubus deltic's body away from
him.

"I don't want him! He stinks!! Didn't he think to wash his knob after spending time
with all those floosies?" Scott shouted as he covered his mouth and nose with his
hand.

"That's, disgusting." Michael looked down at the incubus with disdain.

"You should've made him put his clothes back on first." Scott grumbled as Michael
knelt down to the brown haired boy's body.

"Nah, this will be fun." Michael beamed at the wereman as he pulled out a necklace
with a small blade, from under his hoodie, and slashed the air., creating a black
sand portal.

"We're not leaving yet, lad. I smell one more." Scott informed.

Michael's look of pleasure, turned to one of concern as he looked to the

unconscious boy, "Shit."

Him.

Michael and Scott locked the unconscious boy in a locker, until they would
find the other boy. Scott sniffed violently throughout the school as the duo
wandered the hallways. Michael rolled his eyes, annoyed that this search was taking
longer than it should've. What was worse that there was more than one deltic in the
area, that meant that there was most likely a rivalry nearby, after all mythical
creatures were awful when it came to sharing. Michael chuckled to himself, catching
the attention of the wereman.

"What?" Scott asked.

"What if the other deltic is a succubus?" Michael smirked.

"Don't be a disgusting twat. You know as well as I, that the two species despise
each other. They both may have sex on their minds, but killing one another is
second nature to them."

"Which is why it would be so funny. We'd have one less pair of sex monsters in the
shades." Michael smirked.

Scott shook his head as he opened a heavy door that led to a gym to where
there were students playing basketball. Michael stepped into the gym, and found the
one they were looking for without much trouble. He was an asian-american,
with black hair that tousled. Michael knew what he was before Scott even announced
that he was the one they wanted, the boy was a werewolf deltic. Michael made his
way across the court as the coach blew his whistle.

"Nice job, go hit the showers." The coach praised as a majority of the players left
for the boy's locker room.

Michael approached the one boy, who happened to be sitting down with his
water ball. Michael towered over the other boy in puzzlement. Werewolves have
always been careful to keep their lines strong, to breed with a human was
considered weak to them. Werewolves are impulsive, rude, self-righteous assholes
who look down on other species, and to have a deltic of one was extremely rare.The
only way that Michael could even imagine this being possible was if the werewolf
abandoned the pack, but even then the pack would've exterminated them and their
kin. This kid was a miracle.

"That was quite impressive. You must've practiced a lot." Michael stated, making
the boy look up.

"Thanks, but it was all skill." The kid huffed, drenched in sweat.

"I see." Michael focused on the boy as Scott strolled up to him, immediately
smelling the werewolf in the boy.

"How is this-!?" Scott started to hiss into Michael's ear.

"I know." Michael stated back.

Michael sighed, He knew that because Scott was a turned werewolf, that he
still had his humanity, and compassion, while full breeds did not. It was because
of his human side, that Michael knew he could trust Scott not to kill this
deltic. Others would not be so kind to the poor kid. As it was turned werewolves
were considered second class citizens, more decent than any other species of life.
Most turned werewolves preferred minimal contact with packs because of how they
were treated.

"Who are you guys? Talent seekers? You seem a little young to be." The boy looked
at Michael skeptically. The boy waited for an answer, and Michael knew that he
needed to bullshit his way through to the kid, and fast. The only question was,
what would make him drop his guard? Michael didn't think the kid would be dim
enough to fall for just anything.

"No. Actually, I'm a transfer student, and this is my dad." ,Michael answered
quickly, receiving a quizzical look from Scott, "I was hoping a popular kid like
you could show me around?"

"Popular? You got the wrong guy." The boy stood up from the bench and walked
towards the boys locker room.

"Really? I would've thought with the way you were moving on the court that you-"
Michael explained as he and Scott followed the newly found deltic

"Cut the shit. I know you aren't a new student." The boy snapped as he turned
around to face the pair.

"Well he's certainly not egotistical like a werewolf." Scott mumbled under his hand
to Michael.

"I don't know what you're doing, but I know for a fact that Carry wouldn't have
come out of the boys locker room that fast without Cameron."

"You knew she was in there? How?" Scott asked.

"That's Cameron's fucking grounds, nearly fucked every bitch in the school,
including teachers." The boy growled.

"Good god, it's worse than we thought." Scott groaned looking at the ceiling.

"Is that asshole finally getting suspended?" The boy asked.

"In a way." Michael stated.

"Good. I'm tired of taking his sloppy seconds." The boy walked into the entrance to
the locker room, the duo halted just outside it.

Michael turned to Scott, unsure for once on what to do. If they brought him
along, he would have to be kept away from the werewolf packs, if they find him
among the shades. But it's not like he'll be safe here either, if they found him,
it was only a matter of time before the werewolves did too. They wouldn't be nice
about their invitation either, it could be possible that they had already sent a
bounty hunter after the poor kid. No, this kid would be safer in the shades.

"What do you want to do?" Scott asked.

"We can't leave him here." Michael answered.

"Like bloody hell we can't."

"What if he develops his abilities in the mortal realm?!"

"He can't."

"We don't know that! He's the first of his kind!"

"And endanger the shades!?! You're mad! The werewolves will tare the place apart!"

"What if we prove that he's an asset?"

"We're talking about werewolves Micheal, I don't really think they give a damn."

"We're taking him." Michael barged into the boy's locker room.

"Fuck me." Scott sighed as he followed the blonde boy into the locker room.

Convincing enough

Michael pushed past the other boys in the room to try to get to the deltic.
The boy was just putting on his shirt, further away from the other boys, as the
blonde sat on the bend a little ways away from him. The other boy gave him a
curious look as he focused on his hands. The boy turned to his locker.

"If you're gonna stalk me, I might as well know your name, so I can go to the
police later." The boy said as he got his deodorant.

"Michael." ,Michael smirked, "What's yours?"

"Kyro....Funny, usually stalkers know who they're stalking." The boy teased.

"Like I have time to stalk you." Michael chuckled as the boy grabbed his backpack,
and began walking out.

"Well that's good, because I don't have time for stalkers." The boy hurried through
the door, being the only one out in the hallways.

"Hey! I just want to talk a moment." Michael burst through the doors after him,
Scott leaning against the wall across from where the door opens..

"Fine, you have until the bell rings." The boy huffed.

"Don't you ever wonder why you're better at basketball, than the others? Aren't you
curious as to why whenever you get into trouble people don't have a strong enough
case against you?"
"You don't know me very well. And your time is running out." The boy crossed his
arms.

"Is it? Well, then I suppose you should stop interrupting, so I can get to my
point." The blonde shrugged.

"We're from an organization that takes in people like you." Scott interrupted.

"People like me? You people are insane." The boy scoffed.

"Listen here you git!-" Michael snapped

But it was too late, the bell had already rung. Kyro smiled at the blonde
in triumph as he began to walk away. Michael glared at him as he disappeared into
the sea of students bustling around to get to their next classes. Scott rubbed his
forehead with his fingers.

"Well, it looks like we didn't convince him."

"I'm not giving up. I know you don't like this, but I need you to sniff him out."
Michael sighed.

The wereman groaned and led the way through the crowded hallways. They were
almost on top of him when a girl with really strong perfume walked by, making Scott
cover his nose as he stumbled to the nearest wall. Michael groaned, now there was
no way of knowing where Kyro went. That's when Michael saw her, the girl from the
boy's locker room. She made eye contact with him, and her confident self withered
away to reveal a mousy person. Michael wasted no time in walking over to her, she
tried walking away.

"Stop." Michael demanded turning his eyes red, the girl squeaked as her feet froze
into place. "I've been informed that your name is Carry, is that right?"

The girl squirmed, trying to move her feet, but they weren't moving no matter how
hard she tried, "Stay away from me you creep!"

"Quiet now, love." The girl became involuntarily quiet as he hissed in her ear,
only for his eyes to return to normal, "You're going to help us find someone, then
we'll be out of your hair."

She gave him a death glare, which only amused Michael. The three of them
waited for the hallways to empty to allow easier, and faster travel. Michael was
leaning against the lockers with his arms crossed over his chest in annoyance.
Carry held her books close to her chest in fear, while Scott held a hanker chief to
his nose to try to stop the burning. Once the bell rung again to signal class was
in session once again, Michael lowered his chin with his eyes closed.

"You may speak. Where is Kyro?" Michael asked gently.

"I don't know.", She snarled, "How are you controlling me like this? Are you some
sort of circus freak? Do you love seeing wo-"

"Shut. Up.", Michael growled as his eyes turned red, snapping his face to her,
making the girl turn mute. "I don't want to know your perverted fantasies, or your
opinions. I want to know what classroom Kyro is in! Don't make me ask again,
because I promise you, I won't be so polite."

The girl whimpered as she pinched her eyes shut. Michael hated doing this
to people. He's completely controlled someone, only once, but it was enough for him
to never try again. But it the situation was dire enough, he'd push this girl to
her limits to get the information he needed. He just wished she wasn't this
annoying.

"Tell me where he is, and no lies. " He asked again.

"He's in biology right now." ,Carry voluntarily growled.

"What room?" Michael demanded.

"Room S325."

"Take us there."

With a couple staircases, they eventually reached the southern wing were
the class was in. Michael spotted the tag S325 next to the door. He became annoyed
with how this deltic was becoming a handful. Michael grabbed the door handle,
swinging the door wide open so it slammed on the outer wall. This caught the whole
classes attention, raising their gazes to see the blonde brit turn his eyes red.

"Sleep." Michael growled in annoyance.

Kyro looked at his entire class room in panic. The students were all asleep
at their desks, the teacher fell to the floor. Michael was quite pleased with
himself, he didn't think his hypnosis would work on so many people at once.

"What the hell did you do to my class? How did you find me!?" Kyro snapped.

"Easy actually." , Michael then turned his head to face out the door as if to call
someone, "Carry, love? Could you step into the room please?"

Carry stepped into the room, even more mousy than before. Kyro barred his
teeth at Michael, not knowing what to expect him to do to Carry.

"Calm down now, Carry won't experience any harm. She just can't be trusted alone
right now, but she's the reason on how we found you. As for what I did to your
class, I just made them sleep, so they wouldn't hear our conversation."

"What are you?" Kyro asked.

"I'm a deltic. One who possesses Vampire blood."

"A VAMPIRE!?!" Kyro exclaimed.

"Why is that all anyone seems to hear?" Michael sighed.

Getting out

"Vampires are nothing, but superstition." Kyro scoffed.

"I assure you, they are not. You've seen what I've done to your class. You know
what I've told you is true." Michael explained.

"Then what kind of deltic am I?" Kyro asked.

Michael turned to Scott, then to Carry, wondering if he should answer this

question in front of her. Kyro waited impatiently for his answer. Michael sighed,
crossing his arms over his chest, pressing the knife on his necklace up against his
skin, under his hoodie. The cool of the metal calming the vampire deltic a little.

"A werewolf. The rarest of all deltics. It's a wonder how you even managed to live
this long, werewolves hate our kind, they insist that we do nothing but try to
interfere with their way of life. If they found out about you, they'd kill you in
an instant."

"Well, that's heart warming." Kyro gulped.

"That's why I understand if you'd rather not come with us. You might actually be
safer if you didn't." Michael noted.

"What would be required of me if I went?" Kyro asked.

"I can't disclose that with you unless you agree. Liability issues."

"So let me get this straight. You can control people, but you can't mind wipe
them?"

"You don't get the full benefits of being a magical being. Only a couple traits."
Michael defended.

"What happens if I refuse?" Kyro asked.

"Then we leave, and you get to be the town's new crazy bloke."

"But Carry would confirm everything."

"Sorry chap. Carry can't breathe a word of this, see I told her not to disclose
anything she's seen today before we came in the room."

"You're not leaving me much of a choice." Kyro sighed.

"Not if you like your sanity." Michael smiled.

"Fine. I'll go."

"Excellent!" ,Michael turned to Carry with his eyes red, and his pupils slit like a
cat's, "Go to class and stay silent about what you've seen today."

Carry's expression turned to rage, feeling empowered as she regained

control of her body. Michael gave a smug grin as he waited for her to explode in
fury, which she did, right on cue.

"Who do you think you are!?! How dare you-" Carry's voice went mute, and Michael
chuckled as she placed a hand over her chest.

"Did you forget already, love?" Michael

Carry glared at the blonde deltic, only to turn to Kyro as if asking to be

saved. Kyro shook his head and lifted his palms to his shoulders as if to say 'nuh-
uh'. This only pissed Carry off more, to the point where she stormed out of the
room.

"Now that the pest is gone, we have the small matter of telling your principal, and
parents."

"I'm actually being fostered by my aunt and uncle. My parents are both dead." Kyro
stated.
"Even easier."

Michael and Scott followed Kyro to the principal's office, reading Mr.
Filiper on the door, where a man ,about thirty, with curly ginger hair, and a
slight beard, was scribbling away at his desk. He looked up, slightly annoyed at
being disturbed, to see the three waiting to be invited in. Scott approached the
man at his desk with confidence.

"Mr Filiper? I'm Mr. Derswood, and I would like to take the time to talk about two
of your students here."

"Your accent...You must be from England... What would you want with any of my
students?" Filiper raised his head in curiosity.

"Well it turns out that two of your students have qualified for studying abroad,
and my school would love to have them enrolled." Scott pulled two pieces of paper
out of his jean pocket.

Filiper eyed the other man in puzzlement. Scott's black hair was
unblemished with silver, or white, signifying to Filiper that he didn't really know
what he was doing, but Scott's brown eyes burrowed into Filiper's soul, telling him
that he must sign the papers. Filiper gave the paper a look over, making sure that
everything was in order. Once the man was satisfied with what he read, he nodded as
his fingers folded themselves over his mouth.

"Intriguing. Kyro, Why didn't you tell me that you and Mr. Curme signed up for
this? Where is Mr. Curme?"

"Cameron and I didn't think we should've told anyone, because we didn't think we'd
get approved. Unfortunately we couldn't find him to tell him the good news. I think
he went home for the day." Kyro played along.

"I see. Well Mr. Derswood, I don't see any fault in the paperwork. I shall give my
signature, provided that you follow up with the parents if you haven't already."
Filiper reached for a pen off the edge of his desk in an empty coffee mug, and
signed it with no hesitation.

"Of course Mr. Filiper." Scott took the signed papers, folding them neatly, and
placing them back in his pocket. His slightly loose, black button down swelling
with pride at his illusion.

"You two will be on your best behaviors, I trust. I will not have my students
running around like lunatics."

"We promise, Mr. Filiper." Kyro promised as the three of them left the office.

Kyro followed his superiors with a bounce in his step, happy to finally
belong somewhere, and not be tortured with school's petty problems. Kyro grew
confused though as to why they were going to the boy's locker room. Michael face
palmed at the door, telling the other two to wait for him, and that he forgot
something. Kyro gave a puzzled look as the blonde dashed off down the hallway, in
vampire speed, only to return three seconds later.

"You forgot about the class, didn't you?" Scott gave Michael a disappointed look,
his bow tie tilting a little as if it was disappointed in Michael too.

"Yeah." Michael stated calmly as he opened the door to the locker room, the other
two falling in behind him.
 The trio went to the back of the locker room. Michael pulled out the knife
attached to his necklace, slicing the air. Scott opened the locker they shoved the
unconscious boy in, dragging him to the portal of black sand. Kyro looked
horrified at what he was witnessing.

"YOU KILLED HIM!" Kyro screamed.

"He's not dead you, ninny! He's just sleeping." Scott corrected as he kept dragging
him through the potal.

"Kyro, It's not too late to change your mind." ,Michael turned to Kyro as the last
of Cameron's feet disappeared into the black portal, "Once you go through, you
leave your entire mortal life behind. No friends, no family."

"It's not like I had much of either of those." Kyro joked as he sprinted through
the portal, leaving Michael taken aback in the locker room alone.

"Now that's just dark." Michael told himself as he followed through, the black sand
evaporating into thin air as it closed behind him.

Shades Headquarters

Kyro stepped onto stained polished marble, looking around in awe. Kyro
watched as a few people looked at him, or matched his gaze. To his disappointment,
they looked like him. He was hoping to see the demons that he's heard of in myths.

"Ah, a newbie! Checking out the place?" A voice startled Kyro, making him snap his
head to see a pale kid with black hair, in a black and white striped beanie, and
thick framed glasses. His bangs covered his left lens, his ears with small black
plugs in his ear lobes.

"Who the fuck are you?" Kyro asked still trying to recover from the initial shock.

"Ah, Sirus!" ,Michael chirped as he appeared through the portal, " I was wondering
if we would see before your trip to Pompeii. Kyro, this is Sirus, he's just like
us."

"So what are you a deltic of?" Kyro asked.

"I don't like telling people that." Sirus shrugged.

"Why not?" Kyro asked.

"It's not as impressive as Michael's." Sirus chuckled sheepishly.

"Sirus, what kind of deltic you are, doesn't define you." Michael encouraged,
earning a sigh from the scene boy.

"I'm the deltic of a siren." Sirus sighed.

"As in the singing bird women?" Kyro asked, resulting in a nod from Sirus," But
you're a dude."

"Yeah. I know."

Kyro gave the scene deltic a confused look, this child broke his mind. He
wasn't sure as whether to feel bad, or laugh at this kid. Michael interrupted
Kyro's train of thought.
"I gotta take him to the cleaning room. I was wondering if you wanted to come."
Michael smiled.

"Sure." Sirus straightened up.

"What? Cleaning room?" Kyro asked.

Michael patted Kyro's shoulder smugly as motioned for him to follow. The
three of them walked down the hallway, passing many of the other mythical
creatures, and deltics. Kyro even stared as a fairy, about the size of his hand,
flew by. Michael smirked at the curious new deltic, happy that he was interested in
his new surroundings. A couple strides later they were at a stained oak, double
door with lever handles.

Michael opened the doors to reveal a room with mirror-like walls, and
plush white examination table. Just off the door was a polished black wooden
dressing curtain with cherry blossoms scattered across it. Behind it a
lavender haired girl poked her out to see her visitors. She smiled big, seeing
familiar faces, and a new one.

"Sirus! Michael! Come in!" ,The girl chirped as she patted the examination table,
"Set him right here."

Her lavender hair was done in an 'A' cut, her bangs framing her face
perfectly to show her green eyes. She skipped up to Sirus and grabbed his arm,
pulling him further into the room. Sirus stumbled, unsure of what was going on.
Michael chuckled as he brushed past Kyro, while Kyro looked around the room in awe
as he stepped inside.

Kyro made his way to the examination table, and sat down. Michael leaned
against the wall, attempting to stay out of the lavender hair's way.

"I wasn't expecting for magic to be so high tech." Kyro started.

"Just because we use magic, doesn't mean that we can't be at the top of our game."
The lavender haired girl stated as she started placing little suction cups on
Kyro's face, then rolled up his sleeves to put some on his arms.

"What are you doing?" Kyro asked nervously.

"Relax, these are just so I can measure your magia." The girl stated.

"It's your level of magic, once we learn what kind you use, we can start teaching
you how to control it." ,Michael informed, seeing the confused look on Kyro's face,
"So try to relax, and stay still. You don't want Piercey to do this the hard way."

"Damn right." Piercey smacked Sirus's arm for playing with the mirror-like medical
relayer.

Sirus giggled with an 'ow', knowing fully well that she wasn't being mean.
Piercey stared and moved the information that the mirror wall gave her, making sure
that she didn't miss a detail. From all this information, she learned about Kyro's
allergies, to his latest fractures. But what she saw next caused her to step back
with amazement, then she looked to Kyro as if she couldn't believe it.

"He's got some impressive Magia, Michael. Where did you get him?" Piercey asked.

"New york, actually."

"No kidding.", Piercey went up and started a medical exam on Kyro with an otoscope,
"I haven't seen magic levels this high since you, Michael. What is he?"

"A vampire." Michael lied.

Piercey snapped her head to see Michael, glaring at him as she threw her
otoscope next to Kyro in fury. She stomped up to the taller boy, who kept his
composure as she grew red in the face with anger.

"Don't bullshit me Michael! I know what vampire magic looks like, and that, sure as
hell, isn't!" Piercey shouted pouting at Kyro.

"This isn't something you need to worry about! You're in the medical field, not the
retrieval section!" Michael rose his voice in defense.

"That doesn't make it any less my problem!!!"

"ALRIGHT!...Piercey." ,Michael barked in submission, "Fuck me for lying to a

djinn."

"What is he!?"

"He's werewolf, you bloody imp!"

"You brought me a werewolf!?! A fucking werewolf!!!"

Sirus face palmed at Michael's honesty. Though there was no way to lie to a
djinn, not if you wanted to live anyway. Michael watched his friend pace the room,
holding her forehead, and sighed. This is why he didn't want anyone to know,
because he knew that they would just go into a panic, not listening to a single
reason on why they should keep this one.

"Tell me Michael, were you just going to stroll up to her, and say 'hey I brought
home a werewolf!'?"

"Hey! I'm not a pet!!!" Kyro growled as he got up.

"Sit!" Piercey ordered as she glared at the new addition.

Kyro was so startled that he sat down, and Sirus slid ,with his back
against the wall, until he landed on the floor, also startled. Michael was the only
one who stayed cool with Piercey's temper lighting up the room.

"I brought him to you, because I trust that you'll do everything you can to make
sure that he's taken care of." Michael stated, making Piercey sigh as she softened
her gaze at Kyro, then turned to meet the blonde's with a stern look.

"He doesn't leave the room until I'm done." Piercey gave Kyro a side glance.

"Agreed." Michael stated, as he looked straight over her head to see the deltic
sitting on the table.

Busted

Michael waited patiently as the procedure continued, leaning against the

wall calmly as Kyro screamed. Poor Sirus was covering his ears, pinching his eyes
shut. Piercey was wincing as well, even though she was the one doing the
procedure.
 Kyro had put his hands on a burning plate, to eradicate his finger prints.
The pain was immense, but Kyro was determined not to have to redo this, so he
gritted his teeth, trying to hold still. Piercey removed his hands facing his palms
up. They were bleeding badly.

Piercey hovered her hands over his, creating a gently rotating wind around
his hands, making them heal. Piercey smiled at Kyro once the procedure was done.
Kyro watched his hands in awe until they completely healed, and Piercey moved her
hands away.

"Does the burning eventually stop?" Kyro asked.

"Eventually." Michael stated.

Sirus sighed in relief that the screaming had stopped, then suddenly the
doors to the room were slammed opened. An older woman in looking about late 30's,
with red wine colored hair in bouncy curls tied back, and her bangs parted down the
middle of her face. One end tucked behind her ear, the other left loose out of her
face. Her dress seemed to be something out of the victorian era. Her pupils were
slit piercing daggers in her vibrant blue eyes.

"MICHAEL!!!!" The woman growled, showing her sharp teeth.

"Oooooh fuck." Sirus lowered his head in his lap, knowing fully well what was
going to happen.

"Where is it!?!" The lady rushed for Michael who was still leaning calmly against
the wall.

"Where's what? You're gonna have to be more specific, Ms. Nyx." Michael shrugged.

"The werewolf! You know I smell it!" The woman jabbed him in the chest, before
sniffing the air and moving towards Kyro.

"Me and this chap had a run in with them. Normal patrol, and they roughed us up a
bit." Michael shrugged as he lied.

"Really?", Ms. Nyx held her forehead with her hand, "Then explain why this one is
radiating panic.", The woman pointed at Kyro.

Michael groaned, he had totally forgotten about Isabell's telepathy, this

kid was gonna be her newest pin cushion. Nyx crossed her arms over her chest, and
in this moment, Michael knew he was going to get an ear full.

"Fine, He's a deltic of one." Michael confessed.

"You and I both know that's not possible." Nyx growled.

"Fine, Isabell, let's make a bet. If he's a deltic then for a week, you have to be
in my favorite form, you know the cute one." Michael shrugged nonchalantly.

"And if he's not?" Nyx asked intrigued as Michael removed himself to search the
stainless steel cabinets for something.

"Then I'll gladly do your paper work for a week." Michael stated pulling a silver
spoon from the draws, one of the tools that they used for mystical creatures that
wouldn't cooperate, or got too rowdy.
"Sounds like I have a whole week off." Isabell smirked as Michael handed the spoon
to Kyro, who held onto it quizzically, making Isabell's smirk disappear as it
didn't burn his skin.

"Looks like I was right, love." Michael turned to her.

"That's not possible!" ,Isabell whined,

"You made the bet, now if you don't mind." Michael nodded at her, expectantly.

Isabell sighed in defeat, her form slowly shrinking until she was on all
fours. Tips of tails were peaking out from under her dress. Her nose becoming long,
and snout like. Her body was no longer filling the dress, but instead was becoming
contorted into something like a fox. Or rather a kitsune.

Michael smirked in pleasure, as Kyro watched with curiosity. Isabell was

trying to back out of her dress, her head caught in the collar, her long tails
slithering under her as she backed up. Sirus, and Michael snickered, Piercey looked
at them both with a glare before helping Isabell out of her dress. Ms. Nyx shook
her head, like any dog would, and poised herself as if nothing was wrong.

"That lady just turned into a dog!!" Kyro yelped.

"It's a kitsune, a demon fox. Known for it's trickery in magic and love of games,
worse than a djinn actually." Michael corrected.

"Michael!" Piercey protested.

"I meant full djinn's not deltics." ,Michael sighed as he pinched the bridge of his
nose, "Anyway, now I have a week of silence from Isabell. Maybe now I can actually
focus on my job."

The Kitsune growled at Michael, making him look down at her with a subtle
acknowledgment. He knew that in this form, she couldn't speak verbally, so he was
safe from actually hearing her voice.

"So, do you guys have a "boss" that I have to meet?" Kyro asked, still sitting on
the examination table.

"That would be me." The kitsune stated telepathically, bowing her head in shame.

"BUT YOU'RE A DOG!!" Kyro protested.

"I'm a KITSUNE!!!! You'll do well to remember that. You'll also remember that even
in this form, Michael, that I am in charge of this organization."

"You can't deny that he exists! That he may be helpful!" Michael growled.

"It's the council's decision if he stays, not yours." Isabell rose to her paws,
padding across the floor with her nine tails dragging behind her, " But since you
insisted on dragging him all the way here, you are both to be confined with in your
quarters, Michael."

"Like I'm five." Michael scoffed.

"You may have jeopardized this whole organization by bringing him here, and as is
the council is falling a part." Ms. Nyx looked back at Michael and the others in
her fox form, "If I find out that you're out of your quarters, Michael, I will send
my daughter in to deal with you."
"Have some damn sympathy! I don't want Iris drooling all over me!" Michael
groaned.

"Then you both better be in your quarters." Ms. Nyx chuckled evilly as she trotted
off for the council.

Waiting

Michael led Kyro to his room on the fourth floor along with rows of other
dorms, the two others who were witnesses in the cleaning room, followed behind.
Michael opened his door, only to flop backwards on his bed, the other two seasoned
deltics followed in. Kyro was busy looking around the room in awe. The bed was
laying against a wall with a wide window that showed the world outside as the light
began to dim. Which made the orange led lights ,under each shelf of Michael's
bookshelf with a built in desk, more noticeable.

Sirus took a seat in the black leather, wheeled desk chair. Piercey made
herself comfortable on the green throw rug, that was on the wooden floor between
the bed and the door. Kyro cautiously made his way in only to sit in the clear dome
chair that hung from the ceiling, next to the head of the bed, making it swing a
little.

"This is a sweet room." ,Kyro laughed nervously, "Will my room look like this?"

"IF you get to stay. A Fairy, or Jinn will help you create your dream room, so that
you can be comfortable while you stay." Piercey smiled.

"How long do you think it'll take them to come to a consensus?" Kyro asked.

"It's a council of magical creatures that loathe one another. Much like your
American congress." Michael stated.

Kyro looked at Michael with disappointment, much like someone who heard a
bad joke from a friend. Sirus coughed, wanting to laugh, but knew better. Piercey
sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

********************************** IN THE COUNCIL'S ROOM

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

Creatures from all sorts of fairytales, and legends had gathered in a room
that was parallel from the castle, only to be linked to it by a small hallway. The
room's space was occupied by a massive table, and chairs to surround it, for every
representative of a magical species to sit, some seats were even enchanted to fit
the one's seated needs. The representative's were each given one guardian to
accompany them, due to the lack of trust between some species. The representative's
sat, while their guards eyed each other, daring one another to move.

Ms. Nyx looked at the opened ceiling ,in her human form, to see the dragon
species hovering their face over the council room, ready to participate in the
debate. After the room quieted, Nyx informed the council of the newest deltic, the
room whispered among themselves, until a Satyr ,with large horns, at the table
spoke up.

"Are you sure?" The Satyr asked.

"There's not a doubt in my mind that he is." Nyx stated.

"Then there's no need for this council!!! The boy is ours!!! We will not allow our
powers to be used by a third grade organization that has no business in our
affairs." The werewolf alpha snarled.

"THAT BOY, is the first useful thing that your kind has given us, Verinius. If you
want to punish the boy's parent for not abiding your laws, then fine. But you will
not touch him as long as he's a deltic." Nyx snarled.

"May we ask who found the boy?" A blonde mermaid asked.

"Michael, and Scott." Nyx replied.

"Well it was lucky that they had found him, before Verinius had." A ginger haired
woman with freckles jabbed.

"Silence witch. You have no place to speak here. You and your kind are nothing, but
mortals who were fortunate enough to even find magic, let alone obtain it." The
Alpha werewolf hissed.

"We seem to have a better understanding of it, than you dogs!" The witch hissed
back.

"DO NOT LIE TO ME, WITCH! I've seen what your kind does with magic. You play with
it, like it was made to do your bidding." The alpha snarled pushing himself out of
his chair to face her, a couple chairs down to his right. The witch lifted her chin
in defiance.

"ENOUGH!" Ms. Nyx growled, grabbing the two's attention.

Everyone's gaze was on Ms. Nyx who's piercing blue eyes were shut in
annoyance. Even the dragon representative knew that it was best not to anger Ms.
Nyx, her abilities scared everyone in the room, even the werewolf, though he would
never admit it, let alone show it. Nyx opened her eyes slowly, choosing her words
carefully.

"I already know about Verinius's objection... are there any others?" Nyx asked.

"How do you know that you can control him?" An Elf man asked.

"He's a deltic, Oberio, his personality is his own. Not that of his
ancestors." ,Nyx stated, "If there are no other objections... I would like to fully
instate him as a shade member."

There were whispers among themselves, some with slight objections, others
with notes of excitement. Nyx has never been so eager for a positive response,
though the only reason she felt this way, was because she didn't want a war to
break out. Nyx's head was starting to hurt with all the thoughts floating in the
room.

"Nyx... I would like to bring something to the council's attention, briefly." ,The
dragon grunted, making the council silent, "I'm not sure about anyone else, but
there have been thievery happening in the western hemisphere."

"Theft? Did you see the perpetrator?" Nyx asked.

"No, they appeared to have something of strong magic on them, that cloaked them.
Magia, I've never seen before the era of Merlin." The dragon studied the room.

"But that's....not possible..." ,Nyx looked puzzled, "What did they steal from
you?"
"Eggs." The dragon replied sadly.

Nyx blinked curiously before looking at her hands on the table. Dragon
eggs? Someone must be planning some heavy magic, but for what? No magical being
needs dragon eggs. Something is very wrong, and Nyx knew that it was just going to
get worse from here. They definitely needed Kyro now, she just hoped that the
council members would get the sense of urgency, and make the right decision... And
quickly.

Yankee Poodle

Michael rubbed his eyes with the tips of his fingers, annoyed that the
meeting was taking so long, when it was obvious that they needed Kyro. The room was
dead silent, to the point where Kyro was getting bored. He decided that he was
gonna get up from his spot on the bubble chair, and leave the room. Piercey, her
back against Michael's bed, looked up from a book she grabbed from his built in
bookshelf on his desk, to see Kyro moving towards the door.

"Kyro, don't!" Piercey stated, making Sirus look up from Michael's computer, and
Michael lifted his head to see the boy step out of the door frame.

"I'm just going to look around, no one's going to know." Kyro shrugged before
turning around to see a little white toy poodle with pink ears sitting neatly in
front of him.

"He's fucked." Michael groaned as he laid his head back down.

"Yup, R.I.P dude." Sirus agreed.

"Don't tell me you guys are afraid of a little toy poodle." Kyro chuckled.

"No, they're talking about me." A female voice chirped.

Just as Kyro was about to look at who was talking to him, he was tossed
back into the room screaming as he was about to land on Michael, and Piercey.
Piercey flinched, putting her palms open in front of her face, levitating the
newest deltic in the air. Kyro's face was inches from Michael's, making Michael
blink. Michael sighed, realizing that she wouldn't be able to hold him for much
longer, so he scooted over.

"Piercey drop him." ,Michael ordered as he sat up pinching the bridge of his nose,
"Was it really necessary to throw him, Iris?"

A girl, about 14, with cotton candy pink hair, in long pigtails , and a
cotton candy blue blouse with a matching skirt strode into his room, wearing a
bluetooth head piece. The poodle that Kyro had seemed to have encountered,
transformed into this girl. Michael hated encounters with her, because she would
often smother him with her affection towards him, affections that he repeatedly
told her that he would not return. Though that didn't exactly deter her. This girl
was basically what you see in movies, you know, the really clingy girlfriend
type... Minus the girlfriend part.

"Of course, Mikey." She chirped, folding her hands in front of her skirt.

"God, damn that name." Michael groaned.

"When were you going to tell me when you got back." Iris asked as her high heels
stopped by the side of the bed. Piercey scooted closer to the desk where Sirus was
for protection from the other female's high heels, but glaring at the newcomer none
the less.

"Never. I was hoping that when I got back you would've been in intensive care,
maybe then you would forget who I am." Michael sighed.

"Mikey. Like I could ever forget who you are, and I know you say I'm too young for
you, but you could at least wait for me. I mean it's not like you're in a
relationship." She rambled as she sat on his bed next to him, crossing her legs.

"Every fucking time." Michael groaned.

Everyone, but Michael, had their ears covered with their palms, trying to
silence Iris. But she kept speaking to Michael as if he was interested, and his
friends didn't mind. Suddenly Michael put his hand over her mouth, his eyes turning
red.

"Stop talking." Michael ordered, she was quiet and still for a couple of moments
before she lowered her eyes to his hand, taking his hand in hers, removing it from
her mouth, the others uncovered their ears with a collective sigh of relief.

"Mikey. You know that doesn't work on me." Sirus and Piercey visibly cringed.

"Worth a try." ,Michael smirked, "You know Iris, I was wondering if you could tell
me where Vivian is. I need her update me on the next assignment as soon as
possible."

"Mom says that you're confined to your room." Iris smirked.

"You're just about as irritating as her." ,Michael rolled his eyes, then an idea
came to mind, "What if ..In exchange for Vivian's location... a kiss?" Iris's eyes
lit up with a light blush dusting her cheeks.

"Mom says she sent Vivian to ... ummm..", Iris held her chin, and closed her eyes
thoughtfully," oh, Egypt, on her own mission... Something about Manticore's being
in the Spynx's territory."

"You're kidding." Michael sighed.

"Manticore's are real?!?" Kyro piped up still on his stomach.

Michael ignored him, "When will she be back?"

"Mom said she'll be back in three days, as a Nymph, her priority of keeping the
magical animals in line are her main concern. We can't have them going extinct, or
endangering each other." Iris mentioned.

Piercey laid her head against Sirus's leg, this conversation with Iris was
exhausting her, and she wasn't even the one speaking. Suddenly Iris's head piece
began ringing, she pressed the piece to answer it, she was given a couple
instructions to which she acknowledged before hanging up. The pink haired girl then
carefully got up, walking out the door, the others in the room watching her leave
with a sense of relief. Kyro

"Mom says you're good to go now. Call me if you need anything before I go, mom has
me going to Bermuda to be the mediator of the magic greeks tomorrow." Iris waived
as she left.

The boy that Michael caught in the locker room that same day, was walking
down the hallway, only to stop at his door frame. Iris knew that she was being
watched by the young incubus, giving him a wink and a two finger salute. The guy
fell back into the door frame with a slight blush across his face.

"Who's she?" The guy nodded at her, as Michael got off his bed to leave the room.

"Prison bait." ,Michael smirked at the boy, patting the disheartened Cameron on the
shoulder, "Don't even try it."

New Rules

Piercey was re-directed to her medical station, while a disheartened Sirus

was sent to the finders room, where deltics where located. As for Kyro and Michael,
Ms. Nyx had sent for them in the library. Michael had crossed his arms over his
chest, his eyes lowered as he walked behind Ms. Nyx. Kyro walked by the vampire
deltic in curiosity, looking at the floating books that flew over head. The library
was a huge two story room, with books filling the shelves on both floors. The main
walkway divided the room in half from the main floor of the library, to the ceiling
of the library.

"Since Kyro has werewolf blood, We need to find out everything we can about this,
any weaknesses, any werewolf tendencies. We can not afford any slip ups on minor
details."

Suddenly Ms. Nyx turned around, pointing her two right fore fingers at
Kyro, then to Michael who wasn't paying attention. Ms, Nyx then pointed her two
fingers to the ceiling and twisted her wrist around moving her hand up, a gold dust
chain wrapped itself around Kyro's wrist, only to flow to Michael's arm closest to
Kyro, cuffing him as well.

Michael's attention was captured by the feeling of something on his

wrist, as he looked at the dust chain as it began to disappear. Michael groaned, a
restraint spell.

"If I didn't know better Isabell, I'd say you were a witch instead of a
kitsune." ,Michael jabbed as Kyro tugged at the chain, with each tug the chain
became visible, "Chaining us together."

"It's until we find everything out. But until then, he's a liability."

"Let me go." Kyro growled.

"I can't do that, you already have too much freedom, with this chain you're able to
walk in a fifteen foot perimeter around Michael." Nyx stated.

"Isabell, I don't feel right about this." Michael could sense that there was a
change in Kyro, though it wasn't a visible change, it was there.

Ms. Nyx ignored the english boy's concern, and raised her opened palm in the air,
"Werewolf tendencies, Blyke."

A book came hurling itself down the library's main walk way, landing in her
hand with the force as if it had only fallen down a couple of shelves. Kyro was
getting more upset the longer he was kept bound. Michael watched as Kyro's pupils
filled his eyes, to the point where there was no other color. Ms. Nyx wasn't paying
attention, instead she was flipping through the contents of the book she had
summoned, to see if she could find some answers. It wasn't until Kyro glared at
Nyx as his fingers became claws, that Michael knew this wasn't a good thing. Kyro
lunged at the unsuspecting woman.
 Michael rushed in front of Kyro with his abnormal speed, punching the kid
with a little force to knock him off course, sending him into a nearby empty desk.
Isabell looked up from the book to see Kyro slide across the desk from where
Michael punched him.

"I'm not your Guinea pig!" Kyro jumped at Nyx again, making her flinch back before
Michael tackled him in front of her. The blonde struggling to keep Kyro pinned
down.

"CUT HIM LOOSE!" Michael demanded.

"HE'S A DANGER TO EVERYONE!!" Ms. Nyx argued.

Kyro punched Michael with such force he fell to the side of Kyro. Kyro got
up, slowly making his way to Nyx, only to have Michael hold him in place with their
chain. Kyro glared at the english boy who was struggling to keep a hold of the gold
dust chain that kept him bound. Kyro took his free hand and cut through the cuff
with his claws, not breaking eye contact with the now surprised Michael. In
breaking his cuff, he had freed the one he was bound to, erasing the chain, thus
making it easier to move around.

Kyro eventually stood in front of Nyx who was blinked in confusion, only
for his hand to be wrapped around her throat. He rose her above the round, glaring
at her with hatred. Nyx gasped for air as his grip tightened. Michael understood
why he was doing this, but it had to stop. Michael's body was aching horribly, to
the point were he had to slowly get up, and make his way over to Kyro.

"Kyro, put her down. No one will restrain you again. But if you kill her, you will
regret it, because you aren't like the other werewolves." Michael stated.

Kyro's side glare with wide pupil's softened, then he turned his victim.
His pupil's shrank to normal size, dropping his victim, making her gasp for air.
Michael sighed relieved that Kyro had the ability to think while he was in that
state. Kyro lowered his gaze to the woman on the floor.

"You want me to do something? Fine. But, you need to trust that I'll do it my way,
without hurting anyone. don't chain me up like a dog just because you're scared of
what I might do!!" Kyro growled before walking away.

"I'm sorry." Ms. Nyx whispered, making the deltic stop a moment.

"As am I." Kyro lowered his head before continuing to walk away.

Michael sighed, and helped Ms. Nyx up to her feet. Nyx looked at Michael
with gratitude, only to have the boy stare her down intensely, she should've known
better than to cage someone. Especially since she's been through the same thing.
Michael went after the newest deltic, making sure that he was okay.

Michael had used his vampire speed to catch him leaving the library.

"Kyro!" Michael called making the .

"What!" Kyro barked.

"She didn't mean that." Michael stated.

"I don't care." Kyro hissed.

"We could really use your help here." ,Michael reasoned, "It may not look it, but
we're undermanned here."

Kyro sighed, and turned around to see Michael, "I want to be left alone right
now."

"Alright.” Michael stated calmly.

"And no more of that bullshit!” Kyro growled.

"You have my word. I’ll meet you in my room when you’ve decided.” Michael nodded.

A Nudge

Kyro had made his way out of the castle, sitting at the top of the water
fall by a feeble oak tree. The roar of the water quieted his mind, the lack of
being able to hear himself think kept away the dark thoughts. Kyro didn't mean to
choke her, but she had it coming for treating him like that. Even if he was
different... Maybe he didn't fit in here either.

He remembered his life back in Boston,
at the same time, no one picked on him. He was
often wondered why. Was he unattractive? Well,
told him that. Was he a freak? Only at sports.
time in second grade when he took down a sixth
no one really hung out with him, but
pretty much left to himself, he'd
no the jealous looks of other guys
Was he scary? Well, there was that
grader.

Kyro picked up a rock beside him and tossed it into the water fall, not
really caring about what happened to it. Suddenly there was a guy sitting next to
Kyro, with his brown hair in a taper fade cut. Kyro watched the guy in curiosity as
he began to sign.

"Whoa whoa whoa." Kyro crossed, and un-crossed his palms, signaling the signer to
stop. Only to sign the one phrase he knew, "I don't know sign language."

"He said: someone with an ass like that, shouldn't be alone." A female answered.

Kyro turned behind him to see a red head wearing a crop top, and torn
leggings, a hipster girl. She took a seat on the other side of the boy who was
signing. The boy smiled at Kyro without looking at the girl.

"I'm Sarah, and He's Alex."

"I'm-"

"Kyro." ,Sarah answered as she watched her companion signed away, only to look up
at Kyro who was looking at the two confused, "He's a Faery, it's his thing."

"Ah. Then what are you?" Kyro stated.

"Me? I'm a Dryad." Sarah answered.

The boy turned to the girl, and started signing. Kyro turned his attention
back to the falls wondering what it would be like to jump in.

'I have got to get this boy's number, help a guy out!' Alex signed.

'He's not my type. You ask him.' Sarah signed back.

'Look at him! You do not just ask a boy like that!'

'Coming from the same guy, who was ogling some girl wearing a mini skirt, that was
way out of your league.'

'She was hot!'

'So what is he?'

"He's hot too!"

"Am I interrupting something?" Kyro asked annoyed.

"Hm? Oh no. He's just confused." The girl smiled.

'I'm Bisexual! Not confused!' Alex signed bitterly before turning to Kyro.

"About what?" Kyro asked looking at Alex then to Sarah.

"What you are. You- don't seem like anything we've encountered before." ,Sarah
stated, "You have a different Magia about you.... It's strange, but it almost seems
like..."

"Michael's?" ,Kyro asked, "Yeah, you're not the first to tell me that."

The two looked at each other, wondering if they should tell him what the
two of them already knew about him. They knew that even if they did tell him, he
wouldn't believe them. Instead they kept silent, and played along as if they knew
nothing about this boy, or what he was. Though it was a little tougher than normal,
because they already knew his biggest secret, that he was a werewolf deltic.

"I don't suppose you're another vampire?" Sarah asked already knowing the answer,
redirecting her attention to Kyro.

"No." Kyro answered.

"Then you're a werewolf?" She acted surprised.

"Could you not do that?! I know you knew, it was written on your faces." Kyro
growled.

"Sorry." Sarah sulked as her Faery friend's attention was turned to her.

"The only question I have, is how you knew." Kyro barked.

"I have the ability of foresight. Though I can't say that I've mastered it just
yet." Sarah chirped.

"As impressive as that is do me a favor, and keep your foresight out of my future."
Kyro whined.

"I knew you were going to say that." ,Sarah chuckled nervously, "But can I just say
one thing?"

"Hm?"

"If you stayed, I think you would be a great addition to the Shades, I think you
would enjoy it here." She smiled.

"And if I left?"
"....I don't think you'd live long. If you choose that future, there are many
threats that could befall you. Your own kind, for starters."

"Humans?" Kyro asked making Alex face palm.

"No, werewolves. We may be deltics, but many of us are bound to laws of our magical
kin, even if we are different from them. You are proof of a broken law, and the
werewolves will not hesitate to kill you."

Kyro looked over the edge of the water fall, thinking about what Michael
had said about him being lucky to even survive this long. Kyro sighed before
getting up. The two visitors watched him as he closed his eyes in thoughtfulness,
only to look at each other with worry. Kyro started walking away, knowing that she
was right, and he had come too far now to go back. Kyro wondered about home, and if
they would send him back if they sensed he wasn't cut out for it. What if he
wasn't? Kyro shook those thoughts out of his head. Then he'd make himself cut out
for it. Kyro had walked off towards the castle, making his way to Michael's room.

Michael was staring at the ceiling of his room as he laid in his bed, only
to turn and face Kyro, who stood confused in his door frame. Kyro thought that
Michael would've been doing something instead of just waiting for him. Michael
narrowed his eyes at Kyro.

"You talked to Sarah didn't you?" Michael asked.

"Do you read minds too?" Kyro asked sarcastically as he sat in Michael's empty desk
chair.

"I read people. Sarah knew of your situation, it's in her nature as a Dryad. I
should've been more careful about you being in her sight. It's the only way she can
tell your future, if she's seen you before."

"But she's never seen me."

"I believe she has, in the hallway." ,Michael explained, "It would explain how Alex
would develop a crush on you so quickly."

"Wait... What?"

First Morning

Michael blinked awake, hearing someone shift in their sleep. He had to

remind himself that Kyro was staying in his room only because the newbie didn't
have one of his own yet. Michael turned to his alarm clock on the nightstand beside
his bed, it was five fifty-four. Michael sighed, as he swung himself out of bed,
knowing that if he was up now, he wasn't going back to sleep.

Michael then hear a quiet knock on his door. Michael quietly stepped over a
sleeping Kyro, who was comfy on the area rug under a spare comforter. Michael
opened the door slightly to see a flat-chested woman with bright blonde hair, and
some dark eye liner that made her brown eyes pop. The woman had a strong jawline,
and was wearing a faded, strapless dull blue dress with a lavender bow where her
bust was. Though this woman was a little older than Michael, she pulled off heels
pretty well. Michael smiled knowing exactly who this woman was.

"Glad you're back Vivian." Michael smiled a little.

"Did you miss me?" Vivian asked in her masculine voice.

 Michael stifled a chuckle, while giving a smirk. Sometimes he would forget
that Vivian was a transgender, not that Michael would date anyone in the shades
organization. He had a code that made it so he wouldn't date a "co-worker", but he
wouldn't judge those who did.

"I was actually looking for you when I got back." Michael stated.

"Are there new Arrivals?"

"Yeah, an incubus, and a werewolf."

"A werewolf? That's a new one. I thought they liked to keep to-"

"Themselves? Yeah. He's lucky to be alive." Michael turned to his sleeping

companion on the floor, then turned back to Vivian, "How did things go in Egypt?"

"It was strange." ,Vivian shook her head, "Manticore's usually stay in Greece, to
find them so far south, was so unnerving. Manticore's don't usually stray from
their homes unless something forces them out."

"Maybe it's the human population? The manticore habitat is diminishing, isn't it."

"Not as bad as the Dryads'." Vivian explained.

"Yo, could you and the red head keep it down? I'm still trying to sleep." Kyro
groaned.

Vivian snickered, looking at Kyro's bedhead. Kyro narrowed his eyes at her,
wondering what exactly was so funny. Michael gave Kyro a side glance.

"You should be up anyway." Michael stated to Kyro.

"mmmmrrr...." Kyro groaned as he burrowed under the covers.

"Kyro." Michael sighed.

"I thought werewolves were nocturnal, it's not even day break yet." Vivian teased.

"I'm not a werewolf! I'm a hybrid!" Kyro stated.

"Deltic." ,Micheal corrected," If you don't get up, you'll miss breakfast." That
statement made Kyro pop his head out from under the blanket.

"Breakfast?" Kyro asked, Michael nodded in response.

Kyro flew back the covers to reveal his flat uncovered torso, and blue
fuzzy pj pants. Kyro rose to his feet with a stretch. It's impressive what the
mention of breakfast will do to a growing teen. Vivian blushed, liking what she
saw, as Kyro walked out of Michael's room. Kyro started down the hallway towards
the cafeteria without Michael, and Vivian. Vivian was still blushing, she started
to fan herself.

"Don't get any ideas, Vivian." ,Michael stretched, "It's gonna be a pain just
trying to keep the sex demons off him."

Michael had followed Kyro to the cafeteria, Vivian in pursuit with a pout
across her face. Walking down the hallway, Michael watched as Kyro caught some
attention from those walking by, only to have that attention turn to him. Michael
ignored them as he made his way into the cafeteria, these looks were normal to him.
Looks of confusion, of awe, of concern, and none of them phased the vampire deltic.
He knew he was a rarity, and that others were torn about his existence, but
honestly... Michael didn't care what they think.

Michael had went to the coffee machine, and pulling a foam cup from the
holder, only to situate it under the pout of the automatic coffee maker. It
resembled ones that you usually find in Hospitals, or maybe restaurants, which was
great considering how many deltics actually drank coffee. Michael flipped the on
switch to release the hot brown liquid into his cup. Michael stretched again as
Kyro came up to him with a tray full of breakfast foods.

"I thought you guys drank tea." Kyro started grabbing some silverware as Michael's
coffee was finished pouring.

"That's what every typical American says." ,Michael rolled his eyes, "Just because
I am British, does not mean that I drink tea all the time."

"Oh. Well aren't you gonna grab something to eat?" Kyro asked.

"Yeah, but I'm getting my coffee now, so I can set it down where we're going to
eat, to cool." Michael pointed out, getting some creamer.

"What if someone drinks your coffee?" Kyro asked.

"Is that what people do in your country? No wonder you're all so possessive of your
food." Michael teased walking over to the spot where they were going to eat.

Kyro narrowed his eyes at his new comrade only to follow his lead to a
booth in front of the windows that let you see outside, where the river picked up
to become a waterfall. Kyro sat down with his three waffles, two over easy eggs,
bowl of oatmeal with fruit, and three links of bacon. Michael smirked at the
werewolf deltic.

"I'll be right back." Michael used his vampire speed to zoom through the breakfast
bar, only to return in his seat with a cinnamon roll, and a oatmeal.

"Damn, that was pretty fast."

"I usually know what I want." Michael bit into his cinnamon roll.

"If only I could get you to want me like that, Mikey." Swooned a female voice.

Michael tried to keep his breakfast down, knowing fully well who it was.
Kyro turned to see that pink haired girl that flung him last night. Kyro visibly
flinched away from the girl who stood at the end of their booth, Michael set his
Cinnamon roll down in annoyance.

"You're ruining my breakfast, Iris." Michael growled without looking at her.

Iris's News

"Shouldn't you be gone already?" Michael asked without making eye contact.

"Mom wanted me to give you a heads up." Iris tilted her head Michael raised his
coffee cup.

"On what exactly?" Michael asked taking a sip of coffee.

"Things are getting hot in Gabon. The werewolves are becoming quite troublesome,
especially since they're traveling North." Iris stated.

"I doubt Verinius would be so stupid as to go into elvish territory. They'd kill
them with in a hundred miles of their home." Michael pointed out.

"Michael." Iris hissed.

"Calm down. I'll look into it if things get to hot to handle."

"This isn't a problem that will go away, Michael!!" Iris snapped.

Michael put his cup down, and slid out of the booth calmly. Kyro stopped
chewing on his waffle that he had shoved in his mouth to watch what was about to go
down. Michael turned around to face the pink haired girl. Everyone else in the
cafeteria wasn't paying attention to the scene. Iris held her ground, staring at
Michael as if she was the older one telling a child what it was doing was wrong.
Michael crossed his arms as he slid against the booth, only to lean on the back of
it next to Iris.

"Okay, Iris. Since you think you know how to handle this situation. How about you
tell me... What do I do?" Michael quietly asked.

"You go down and stop them before they reach the elves." Iris hissed.

"Did they tell you they were going to hunt the elves?" Michael asked.

"No."

"Did they send you a map of where they were heading?"

"No, but I-"

"Did they send you a fucking letter, then?"

"Of course not, but-"

"Now Iris, I know you think you may already know the history of the Shades, but let
me refresh your memory." ,Michael pressed his palms together, setting them against
his lips before speaking again, "We are not to interfere with other magical beings,
we are to protect them when it is necessary, and act as ambassadors went the time
is needed to keep the balance. We do not cause harm to others because their
activities make us uncomfortable!!!!!" Michael growled.

"IF THOSE ELVES DIE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR STANDING BY WHILE AN ENTIRE
RACE WAS ERADICATED!!!" Iris snarled.

"ELVES ARE BACKED WITH THE SECOND OLDEST MAGIC IN THE WORLD, AND THEY'VE ENHANCED
IT WITH PRACTICE AND TACTICAL MEASURES! THEY ARE NOT HELPLESS! IF YOU HAD ACTUALLY
PAID ATTENTION TO THE BOOKS OF MAGICAL HISTORY, YOU COULD'VE SPARED YOURSELF THE
HUMILIATION OF BEING WRONG. AGAIN. "

Iris huffed before spinning on her heels to leave. Michael watched as she
stormed off, and sighed before returning to his seat with Kyro. Kyro watch Michael
with a new sense of awe and disbelief of how Michael handled that. Michael ignored
Kyro's gaze, and went back to eating as if nothing was wrong. Kyro however,
wouldn't touch a bite of his food as his sat up, waiting uncomfortably. The entire
room felt slightly uncomfortable, in their own right, over hearing what had
happened between the two deltics who were having a rather loud conversation. Yet
they seemed comfortable in their silence. Kyro couldn't keep his gaze off Michael.
Michael sighed as he put his spoon down.

"What?" Michael asked.

"It's just that... I thought the shades were protectors of all magical beings?"

"Don't start." ,Michael sighed holding his forehead, " Let's pretend you're
changing up your normal routine, then all of a sudden law enforcement shows up at
your door to arrest you. I suppose you wouldn't think too kindly on them
afterwards, now would you?"

"So you believe they're switching up their routine?" Kyro asked.

"No." ,Michael shook his head, "But I can't act against them, without proof. The
Shades was meant to keep the peace, if I side without having evidence against the
werewolves, it'd be discrimination."

"Well it seems that everyone thinks werewolves are dicks." Kyro stated crossing his
arms over his chest.

"Your kind aren't the most compassionate creatures." Michael stated.

"I'm not a werewolf."

"Kyro you're a deltic, which means someone in your family was one which in turn
makes you one. You can't erase your kin, just because you don't agree with what
they're doing."

"These creatures would've killed me, Michael."

"You exist outside their rules... You were the one thing they feared would happen.
That the shades would get a hold of their secrets, and power."

"Are you taking their side?" Kyro asked.

Michael sighed before answering, "Don't you understand? There are no sides in the
shades, only the preservation of magic, and those who possess it."

Michael heard his phone ping, signaling that he had gotten a message from
someone. Michael pulled out his touch screen phone from his jacket pocket, to see a
message with Vivian's name on it. Michael tapped on her name to unlock the message.
Vivian's message told him that the seekers had found something of note, something
interesting. Michael sighed, putting his phone down as he turned the screen black,
and made an exhausted look at Kyro.

"Looks like we're going upstairs." Michael sighed.

Kyro got up from his seat, grabbing what was left of his tray, only to walk
towards the coffee machine by the door. Michael watched him, confused as to what
the kid was doing. Kyro shoved as much food as he could in his mouth, downing it
with a cup of coffee that he had grabbed from the machine. Michael was surprised
never had he seen someone eat like that. He was impressed, and yet disgusted. Kyro
wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, only to shrug afterwards at Michael.

"Well? Let's go." Kyro suggested.

*Elvish History*
 60 thousand years ago in the isolated rain forests of central america, the
elves lived far from any human, or creature until kitsune started to appear in
their forests with their tales of travel. The kitsunes had told them of their
imprisonment, their torture, and the elves agreed to allow the new creatures to
stay hidden with them, until they were ready to continue their search for their new
home. In thanks for giving them refuge, and healing their sick, the kitsunes
taught the elves magic, and how to use it to their advantage, how to draw if from
their surroundings.

Even after the Kitsune clan had left, the elves had continued to practice
magic, and harness their skills with it. It wasn't long until they had built a
whole civilization around it, and their people thrived. However, it wasn't long
after the beginning of colonizing in america, that a new species of magic found
them.

The werewolves had also crossed the sea with pioneers, and they were also
searching for a home from prosecutors, but instead they had found elves that had
the ability to use magic at their own will. The werewolves demanded that they be
taught, but the elves refused, knowing fully well that the werewolves couldn't
harness magic. Outraged, the werewolves decided that if they could not harness the
benefits of magic as superior beings, then they would enslave those who could.

The elves fought bravely to maintain their freedoms, but were severely out
matched. The elves were chained to werewolves, where they were bartered, and traded
as if they were items. Werewolves kept them as status symbols, the more they had
the more powerful they were. The elves were drug all over the world, torn from
their friends, and families. For decades the werewolves declared themselves
superior to the elves. It wasn't until the age of the american revolution, that a
young elf named Zaleria started an elvish rebellion against the werewolf masters.

Zaleria was forced to the mines to gather valuable stones, and gems, as
were others who had caused trouble for the werewolves, or went against their
superior's laws. Zaleria had mined a piece of rock that had shiny silver flecks in
it. She presented it to a werewolf, to understand the value of the ore. She was
then taken to the alpha, with the ore in her hands. The alpha took the ore, only
for the alpha to recoil, and howl in pain. It was then that Zaleria had understood
that she had found something to help gain their freedom.

During the day, when the werewolves slept, they would mine as much silver
as they could, only to forge it into their everyday tools, so not to look
conspicuous. Then one day they attacked, the howl of pain stricken enemies rang
through the day, though the elves were also badly wounded, however the battle
turned victorious in the elves favor.

With the elves being free, they built their capital in France as a way to
forget the horrors of their old home. Though the elves are still spread through out
the world as much as humans are, their population isn't as numerous. Elves have had
a difficult time repopulating their species from the very beginning, though that
has never been major a concern for them. They were better off than a majority of
other species.

In 1903 the shades organization had offered the elvish a deal, that they
will gain protection, in exchange for those who are not full elf. Though the elves
were reluctant at first, they eventually agreed to the treaty with the persuasion
of pursuing dangers, and the fear of being found out by humans. The elves have been
hidden, and protected by the shades since, and no mortal human has ever found a
trace of their existence.

Missing Midas
 Michael hurried down the hallways , as fast as a normal human would
go, with Kyro in tow. Kyro keeping up with him pretty well, though he had no idea
where they were going. Michael stopped outside double stainless steal doors to turn
to Kyro, who stopped suddenly in surprise.

"You aren't initiated yet, so you can't tell anyone what you've seen should you
choose to leave." Michael ordered.

"As if I'm leaving." Kyro scoffed, brushing Michael aside to open the doors.

The room was dark with it's only light being a dimly glowing globe of earth
with white dots on it, and different people sitting around in a circle on the
floor as they studied it. A couple faces turned to the entrance where Michael, and
Kyro were, while others never took their eyes off the globe. Kyro was a little
uncomfortable about the situation, thinking they were worshipping the earth. The
door closed after Michael, and it took their eyes a moment to adjust. The attention
that the new comers were given was redirected to the globe.

"What are they doing?" Kyro whispered, sensing that this place was too sacred to
talk normally.

"Tracking." ,Michael stared at the globe in awe, only to turn to Kyro, " You aren't
the only one that we've found wandering." Michael stated as he walked towards those
sitting, only to sit outside the circle against the wall, and knees to the ceiling.
Kyro followed his lead.

"Michael." A voice stated coldly.

"Summer." ,Michael acknowledged, "How goes the tracking business?"

Kyro looked from Michael to the dark short-haired girl who sat on a pillow
with tassels on the corners of it. The girl had seem to have something in silver in
her hair, like a head dress of some sort, but because of the lack of light, Kyro
couldn't be sure.

"Fine, though I'm a little curious as to why You're here." Summer stated with
scorn.

"Vivian said she had something for me, know what it was?"

"You'd have to ask her. I've been busy keeping tabs on something kind of
important."

"Oh?"

"It's something I'm not at liberty to discuss."

"I see."

A couple moments later, Vivian cantered in with a fairly small, but thick
book. She sat as lady-like as possible in front of the two boys before handing
Michael the book. Michael studied the book with confusion, which only turned to
disdain. Kyro leaned in to see an illustration of a golden hand. Kyro looked up at
Vivian confused.

"A golden figurine?" Kyro asked.

"Have you never heard the tale of King Midas?" ,Michael asked, Kyro shook his head
earning a sigh from Michael, " There was a legend around a greedy king who had the
ability to turn anything to gold with a single touch, though once he had realized
what he had done, he asked for his "gift" to be removed, so he washed his hands,
his daughter, and anything else in the river."

"But that's the story humans tell." ,Vivian continued, "You see, gods back then
were just prissy deltics. They had happen to find this greedy king, and decided to
have fun with him. They sent a saytr to the king's garden, once the discovered, the
king called the deltics, thinking that the saytr was lost. They acted so grateful,
and asked if there was anything they could do for him. He asked for gold, and
therefore they gave him the ability to turn things to gold with a single touch."

"Well what happened to the king?" Kyro asked.

"Well he enjoyed his gift at first, but he found out that he couldn't eat, he
couldn't drink, and when he turned to his daughter for comfort... well she became a
statue. The king begged the deltics to take it back, but they refused, saying it's
what he deserved. Not knowing what to do, he went to the nymphs who told him that
he had to prove that he wanted the gift gone before they would help him. The king
took his own hand, and cut it off only to take it in his hand, which made it turn
to gold, and offered it to the nymphs. That's when they led him to sacred waters
where he washed the magic away." Kyro's face was in awe, and in horror when Vivian
finished the story. He had never heard a story like that in his life.

"Or, if you go by human legend, the gods told him to go to the river and wash it
all, which turned it all back to normal." Michael shrugged. Kyro made a face,
making Michael smirk. He didn't care for that particular version either when he
first hear it. He then turned to Vivian., " But why are you sharing this?"

"The Nymphs lost the Hand." Vivian stated worried.

"THEY WHAT!?!" Summer shrieked as she snapped her gaze to Vivian who was behind her
with the others, overhearing the conversation.

"Why is that such a big deal?" Kyro asked.

"The hand still has magical properties, and it's one of several pieces of old
magic. It could mean that the others are in danger as well... Whoever stole it,
plans on using very powerful magic." ,Michael explained, " So I take it, we're
going to Finland then?"

Michael got up, only to turn around to face the wall, he pulled on the
chain of his necklace under his shirt to reveal a small black dagger. Kyro
recognized it from the yesterday when Michael used it to slice a passage way to the
shades. Michael sighed before slicing a portal in front of the wall next to where
Kyro was sitting.

"When do I get one of those?" Kyro asked as he got to his feet.

"When you're properly initiated." ,Michael answered, only to turn to Vivian, "Are
you coming?"

"I-"

"Absolutely not!" ,Summer stood on her feet, turning to those who were leaving by
portal, "Vivian, has too much work to do here."

"Then you come with us." Michael suggested as he watched Vivian calmly sit down at
the circle.
"Why?" Summer asked haughtily.

"Because Nymphs are assholes who prefer to stay hidden, you know as well as I, that
unless someone already knows where they are.. we aren't going to find them."

"Fine." Summer growled before closing her eyes, and holding Vivian's hand. Once
Summer had gotten the information she needed she let go of Vivian, strolling to the
portal, "Alright, let's go." Summer encouraged as she backed into the portal, Kyro
didn't hesitate. An adventure with magic!? He was ready! Michael looked at the
globe that hovered over the heads of those still sitting in the circle, before
stepping through the portal. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was
wrong.

Nymph Town

Michael and the others were had stepped onto the earthy ground of a forest
on the other side of the portal. Michael looked around, unsure of which direction
he was supposed to be looking as he stepped in front of Kyro. Michael turned to his
head right to see Summer who seemed to be surveying her surroundings, both of them
were startled as Kyro sneezed in the deadly silence. Summer turned to the Asian-
American that stood behind Michael as he was bent over in his post-sneeze position.

"Fuuuuck! My allergies are killing me!!" Kyro complained as he straightened up.

"Would you shut up?!" ,Summer growled to him before starting her way deeper into
the forest, "It's this way."

The two boys followed her, the cool damp air light with fog. The sound of
leaves rustling, and twigs snapping under their feet were the only noises that
seemed to fill the forest, with the few chirping of birds. Michael fell behind as
they started to trail up a steep hill, with Summer still taking the lead. Summer
looked back to the vampire deltic, which Kyro took the opportunity to lean against
a small nearby, smirking at Michael. Michael panted as he strode up the hill,
knowing all too well that Kyro was enjoying being a better hiker than him. Though
Michael was thin, he didn't get out much, let alone exercise.

"You seem out of breath there, Mike." Kyro teased as Michael caught up with them.

"Shut up you twat." Michael panted striding past him.

"Why don't you use your magia? You'd get up the hill faster." Summer advised.

"This isn't a hill. It's a fucking cliff." ,Michael panted more in sarcasm,
"Besides if I use my Magia now, I won't have it later when I have to go deal with
the werewolves." ,Summer was just about to say something, but Michael interrupted
her, "They'll be fine Summer, your mother isn't stupid."

Summer seemed to be content with this answer, as she shrugged, and nodded
in agreement. Michael passed Summer, certain that she was going to proceed east.
Summer, and Kyro watch as Michael's pace slows in exhaustion, both following after
him.

"WHERE IS THIS FUCKING PLACE?!?" Michael Demanded as he kept going.

"Michael, relax. We're practically at the gate." Summer stated as she stopped a few
paces behind him, Kyro passing her.

"Where?" Kyro asked holding out his hands to feel for a wall, or something.
 Summer huffed, and pulled off her silver knife necklace with an emerald on
the handle. Kyro's gaze fixed on her knife, and how different it was from
Michael's. Summer made a single slash in a nearby tree, the blade singing with a
pleasant ring as it was drug against the bark. The trio waited patiently for
something to happen, when suddenly a black haired guy with quiff fade haircut
appeared out of thin air.

"Could you not fucking do that?" The guy growled, eyeing the trio angrily as he
placed a hand on the cut that Summer made on the trees trunk. With in moments the
tree was healed, as if it was never cut.

"Are you a Nymph?" Kyro asked.

"Who the fuck's asking?" ,The guy crossed his arms, "You're obviously not mortals,
or nymphs, I can sense that much. So who are you?"

"Shades. We heard about your missing relic." Summer informed as she showed her
blade.

"Yet they didn't send one of our own to help? A nymph would know their way in,
without harming a tree." ,The nymph growled, "Do you realize how annoying a tree is
when it's in pain? It never shuts up!"

"We have bigger things to worry about than screaming trees. You gonna let us in, or
not?" Michael growled back.

The Nymph silenced himself with a scowl, only to walk away from the trio.
The nymph swiped his hand over a clearing to reveal an entrance to what would
appear to be a village for Nymphs, only to step aside and show them in. Michael was
the first to step in, followed by Summer who was close behind. Kyro was staring at
the site in amazement, he didn't think Nymphs would be so modernized... well kind
of. They didn't rely on electricity, but they had homes that seemed like fancy
cabins.

"Aren't you afraid of a human coming in accidentally?" Kyro asked.

"As if they could." ,The Nymph answered as he followed them in, "This village is in
the magic realm, no way could a human get in here."

Kyro nodded as if he understood, but he really had no clue, and the nymph
knew it too, though he just shook his head. Michael turned to the nymph, expecting
directions to the one in charge, or at least where they would've kept the relic.

"I'll take you to the relic's hold." The nymph answered the silent question, taking
the lead.

Summer looked around at the nymphs who had stopped frolicking, and playing
to see the strangers that had come. They knew Summer's magia, many of her kind came
to their town, but the boys were something different, and that made them curious.
Michael ignored them as they approached a cave near the village, the cave seemed to
have no security whatsoever, that was the nymphs first mistake. Michael sighed as
he followed the Nymph in, then again this species was known for learning the things
the hard way.

The cave wasn't huge, a few paces in there was a large pool of water that
the hand of Midas would've hovered over. Michael's eyes widened, so this was the
forever pool... Maybe they did think of something. Michael was familiar with this
kind of magic. By casting a spell on the water, the pool looks shallow, but instead
it's a deep pit, if you're caught in it it'll freeze over the surface so you can't
escape until the guards get you.

"Impressive." Summer smirked.

"Can it show us the culprit?" Michael asked.

"They didn't show their face." The nymph answered as he dipped his hand into the
water.

The water rippled slightly, only for it to show and show a figure, as if it
was walking on the under side of the water. The figure was a woman, that much you
could tell, but other than that the nymph was right. Michael watched as the hooded
figure approached the hand, only to look in the direction of the entrance as if she
heard something. Then she turned to her feet as if she was staring at those who
were now watching her, that's when she dropped a round blue stone-like substance
into the water, making it fizz out.

"What the hell did she drop in the water?" Kyro asked.

"Well... Judging by how blue the water is, and how it smells like clean linen in
here... I would assume a bath bomb." Michael rubbed the back of his
head astonished.

"Clever." Summer sighed.

"Very clever." Michael agreed.

*Nymph Histoy*

Long ago, when magic was first being spread. A werewolf had taken his slave
elf with him to Greece to create a new colony for his kind, hoping to spread. The
elf knew of his master's plot, and had sworn to stop him somehow. The werewolf had
commanded that the elf continue with his colony, while he went back to central
america to recruit some of his kind. On the night of his master's leave, the elf
practiced his magic to grow stronger, as to have a fighting chance against the
werewolf.

At this point in history deltics were not a very common thing, but they
existed without much guidance from anyone. Sharing offspring with humans was
blasphemy at the time, and they were often banished from their magical tribes. As a
result they've placed themselves as the highest form of authority so that the
magical beings would acknowledge them, so of course, they became known as gods.

In fact it was one of the gods that watched the elf, and felt pity for him.
One night while he was practicing his magic, she went to him to see if she could be
of assistance. The elf had never seen a deltic before, let alone one that called
herself a god, but with time they became close. In the werewolves absence, the elf
was taught powerful magic, like that of which his people had never experienced.

On the night of the werewolves return, the goddess, and the elf were
enjoying their time together, talking about a different life than the ones they had
now. The werewolf was furious, he charged in from behind the bushes, and swiped his
elf away. The werewolf would not allow anyone to take away his possessions! Just as
the werewolf was about to strike the goddess, the elf choked his master with the
iron chain that was kept around the elf's neck.

Seizing her chance, the goddess used her magic against her attacker, but to
no avail. The werewolf was immune to any, and all magic. The werewolf just saw her
as another human. The werewolf's jaw latched around the goddess's neck, the elf
beating on the beast with fury, and fear for his love. The werewolf flung him off,
loosening the chain around the werewolf's neck.

The goddess gave one last look at the elf she loved, silently casting a
spell with her hand to break the chain around the elf's neck. The elf sat there
horrified at was happening to the goddess. The werewolf tightened his grip on her
neck, causing the blood to trickle down her form, onto the ground below her. The
goddess mimed for the elf to run, the elf shook his head, refusing to leave her.

Knowing that this elf would die to stay with her, she casted another spell,
sending a ball of light, containing some of her magia, at the elf. The elf caught
the ball of light, only to disappear as the goddess closed her eyes. Furious at his
slave's disappearance, the werewolf demanded an explanation as he choked her
harder, though he was becoming weak.

The goddess just smiled as she told him that the elf was gone, and
her blood that the werewolf was swallowing, was mixed with the strongest poison. In
anger at being bested, the werewolf tossed her in a pond, only to collapse where he
stood in exhaustion. In an effort to seal her power away, so that none of her
enemies would be able to drain it from her corps, she sealed the rest of her magic
in the bottom of the pond.

The magic caused a girl to emerge from the pond, who looked at the dying
goddess on the bank. The girl knelt down next to her not sure of what to do, or how
to help. The girl was grateful to be alive, but she didn't want to be alone in this
world. The goddess smiled, instructing the girl to let her die, and bring forth
others like her, so the burden of having so much power would be easier to bare. The
girl nodded disappearing into the woods to create more like her. Leaving the bodies
of a powerful deltic, and a werewolf behind.

One Problem at a Time

Michael leaned against the entrance to the cave, he didn't need to see any
more, leaving Summer to evaluate the damage done to the forever pool, a bath bomb
couldn't have been good for it. The Nymph that had let them in, watching over her
shoulder, causing her to be a little annoyed with him. Michael wasn't sure how
things could possibly get any worse.

"This is the nicest smelling cave I've ever been in." Kyro started as he placed
himself next to Michael.

"This isn't something to be joking about, Kyro."

"That's a shame. I specialize in dark humor." Kyro joked.

Michael gave the newest deltic a sideways glare, they weren't necessarily
partners yet. Maybe there was a chance that the incubus wasn't paired with anyone
yet. Not that he was seriously considering it, he didn't think that sex demons were
the best partners, from what he saw.

Kyro turned his gaze from Michael to the entrance to see someone's figure
blocking the light from coming in that way. Michael also turned his gaze to the
intruder to see a woman , about in her early thirties late twenties, dressed in
flowy greek, lavender garments. The woman's curly brown hair bounced off her ebony
skin as she walked. This woman was the elder Nymph, a direct descendant of the
first Nymph in creation. Everyone in the cave had their attention on her as she
stared as the powder blue water.
"I still can't believe that it's gone." The woman started.

"I take it you're the elder Nymph?" Kyro started.

"Please, call me Demara."

"Know of any tosser who would knick your relic?" Michael asked.

"I'm sorry?" The woman asked.

"Oh," ,Michael cleared his throat, "Sorry, know of anyone who'd steal it?"

"I can't say I do. Though I imagine that they know exactly what it's capable
of." ,Demara turned to Kyro, "You... have a very different magia.. I take it that
your kind does not allow you to associate with the shades? You wouldn't be the
werewolf that everyone has gotten worked up about, would you?"

"I-" Kyro was silenced by a stern glare from Michael, who returned his gaze to the
Nymph elder.

"He's just new, you probably don't understand the number of deltics we have at the
Shades." Michael suggested.

"I suppose I don't." Demara stated as she curiously studied Kyro.

Michael didn't like how this woman was snooping, and asking about Kyro.
Though it was probably this woman's curiosity, there was no reason to tell her what
Kyro is, especially since it didn't matter.

The woman's gaze then fell to summer, who put the water in a test tube that
was given to her by the nymph that let them in, swirling it around. She would have
to take this back to see what magic it reacted to. Though there were no guarantees
that magic would even solve this problem. Summer got up on her feet, giving the
tube to the elder nymph.

"I need this sent to the Shade's headquarters." Summer instructed.

The woman gently took the tube in her hands, studying it before closing her
eyes, and making it disappear into thin air. The woman looked up at Summer with
stern authority.

"I envy your kind, they were the first to actually learn Magic. They've been
through a lot of dark things, though they didn't exactly help themselves by
teaching others."

"Thank you for bringing up such pleasant memories." Summer growled.

Summer glared at her, knowing fully well that she that she had meant to jab
at her. Michael sighed, not wanting to be in the middle of the cat fight of the two
women. Kyro slunk down the cave wall to steer clear of the tension that was
growing, and shimmied out the entrance. Michael rubbed the back of his neck in
annoyance, how was he going to solve this when the two women won't get along?

Luckily the tension didn't last long, and Summer went back to examine the
water of the pool. Michael watched as the elder Nymph backed up to watch her.
Michael was grateful for the silence, and dying tension. That is until Kyro came
back.

"Michael, I need you real quick." Kyro panicked.

 Michael sighed before exiting the cave to see Vivian being escorted by
nymph guards who held her by either of her arms. Michael's expression turned to one
of surprised as he witnessed her struggle against the guards as she got a glimpse
of her friend from the shades.

"Get off!! GET off me!!!! MICHAEL!!!!" Vivian demanded as she finally shook off her
oppressors.

"Vivian? What the bloody hell are you doing here?" Michael asked.

"I came to find you! The werewolves are attacking the Elvish capital!"

"Fuck me.", Michael groaned, "Kyro, go back to the cave, tell Summer that we're
leaving, but we'll send someone to help her out with the investigation.", Kyro
bolted for the cave as Michael turned to Vivian, "How long can they hold out?"

"Not too long."

"Bloody fucking hell." Michael hissed, pulling out his dagger necklace from under
his shirt, slicing a portal in the air to the left of him. He turned to Kyro who
was just dashing back from the cave, "You're with me!"

Michael bolted through the portal, Kyro following after him, leaving a
worried Vivian behind as she made her way to the cave, knowing that Summer would
need an update with everything going on, she just hoped that she would be
understanding, and not shoot the messenger. Vivian shook her head, hoping that
Summer wouldn't loose her shit when she hears about what was happening to her
people.

On the Field

Michael and Kyro landed themselves on top of a plateau that bordered the
kingdom of elves below, with the forest. Michael cursed through his teeth as he
watched the mass of werewolves dig under, and scale up the wall of the kingdom. The
elves used spears to jab the werewolves that made it to the top, off. A nearby
storm, making it's way to loom over the battle, as if to bare witness to the
struggle.

" Fuck me! Looks like we'll have to jump." ,Michael sighed as he looked over the
edge, they were at least six stories from the ground, "There better not be clay
deposits on the way down. These are my good pants."

"JUMP!?! ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE!?!" Kyro backed away in panic.

"I suppose you'd rather take the long way around?" Michael asked.

"IF IT'S SAFER!!!"

"Fine, fine. We'll do it the long way." Michael sighed as he walked past Kyro
towards the forest.

"Thank you!" Kyro sighed relieved as he looked at the edge.

Just as Kyro was about to take a step away from the cliff, when he felt his
body being pushed towards it. Kyro turned his panic gaze to see Michael shoving him
to the point where Kyro's toes were balancing him on the edge of the cliff. Kyro
was doing his best to hold his breath, so that it wouldn't tip him backwards, down
the cliff. Michael was smiling widely.
"Relax, think of this as a slide, old chap." Michael then pushed a screaming Kyro
over the edge, only to hop off the cliff after him in excitement.

The two slid against the edge of the plateau to the ground below. Kyro had
tumbled over himself until he his a pretty big rock, stopping himself with his feet
before seriously injuring himself. Kyro turned his panicked face to an on coming
Michael who was skiing down the plateau with perfect balance, bounding over Kyro to
land safely on his feet on the level ground.

Kyro carefully got up, glaring at his partner who was bowing to Kyro as if
he was an audience. Kyro pointed seriously at his partner that was smiling at him,
and laughing as if it was just a joke.

"You. You're a douche." Kyro stated as he walked past Michael towards the kingdom.

"Oh come off it. That was smashing!" ,Michael jogged after him.

After a few paces, Kyro stopped, and turned around to face Michael, the
growls and shouts of a bloody battle behind him in the distance. Michael stared at
Kyro in puzzlement.

"How are we supposed to even get in?" ,Kyro asked, "Knock on the door? I'm sure
they'd love the un-invited guests."

"I have an idea. But I'd rather not follow through with it." Michael stated.

"It can't be as crazy as your last one." Kyro pouted.

"Fine, but don't vomit all over me." Michael instructed as he made Kyro fold his
arms over Michael's collar bone, " Fasten your legs around my torso, and make
yourself as flat as possible."

Kyro wasn't given any time to ask more questions due to Michael using his
Vampire speed to bolt through the werewolf barricade, up the wall, and into the
throne room of the castle. Kyro gasped for air, not being able to breath while
Michael was going so fast. Kyro clumsily got off his partner, only to fall to his
knees, coughing and gasping.

"Dick! Warn me next time!" Kyro coughed.

"Get up you ninny. You're in the presence of royalty." Michael snickered.

Kyro looked up to see a blonde young teenager with pointed ears, sitting in
a glass throne. Her guards posted at either side of her, for protection, their
swords aimed for Kyro. The only reason they had halted, was because their queen
held up two fingers, as her other hand held her cheek.

"My my, Michael. I didn't think the shades would send you." The queen teased.

"Don't you think that we should be worrying about your kingdom, Zaleria?" Michael
sighed not caring for her teasing.

"Honestly, they're the least of my worries. Our relic, The water of Lethe, is
missing." Zaleria answered calmly.

"The forgetting water?" ,Michael asked, "That still doesn't explain why the
werewolves are attacking you."
"They claim we have the unbreakable chain."

"So their relics are missing too then, huh."

"It would seem that missing relics are very common. Though the question is who is
stealing them."

"We don't know." Kyro confessed.

The queen's soft gaze, turned to the werewolf deltic with a hard glare.
Kyro was taken aback with the harsh hatred that the elf queen in her eyes. Kyro was
confused as to why this woman, who he'd never met was looking as if she would love
to kill him. Kyro stepped back behind Michael, Michael stepping forward. Knowing
that the werewolf deltic was going to need a shield from the queen's anger.

"You may be a member of the shades, but I find it rather odd that relics start
disappearing after your enrollment among their ranks." Zalria narrowed her eyes at
the werewolf deltic.

"Your highness, he isn't initiated yet. He is to under go our trial when he's
proven himself." Michael pointed out.

"I see." The elf queen relaxed a little, knowing that if the deltic failed he would
be dealt with.

"Nice shot below the belt bub." Kyro growled into Michael's ear.

"Well she stopped bitching didn't she?" Michael hissed back.

The queen closed her eyes as the sound of the thunder that rumbled outside
amongst the screams, and war cries. Michael stared intently at the queen with his
hands in his jean pockets, knowing fully well that she was debating on using their
secret weapon against their long time enemy.

"Zalria, if you retaliate against the werewolves with silver, this will only become
a bloody war no one will win." Michael sighed.

"Then what would you have me do, Michael?" The queen asked as she opened her eyes.

"Give me the order." Michael smirked.

*Werewolf History*

After the first war against the Elves, the magic counsel had made the
decision to put in a sense of enforcement, and safety among the magical community.
Of course the party would need to be un-bias, would have to have a great deal of
diversity so that all parties could be present in the organization, and yet absent.
Humans were out of the question, they were arrogant, and power hungry, they were
not to be trusted with this task. But the deltics, they were only part human, and
they had traits of the magical community that linked them to their respective kin.

Disgusted with the counsel's choice, and fearing that their own strength
would be used against them, werewolves had forbidden breeding with a human. Any
werewolf that had broken this law, were immediately killed, along with their
family. Many would try to escape from their packs, and go into hiding as normal
humans. Though, they were inevitably caught. Some tried to save their families,
werewolves would sometimes turn their human mates into one of them. Though this was
a clever loop hole, the changed werewolves were often seen as second class
citizens, and the mate who had changed the human would often pay the price with
their lives, leaving the mate to fend for themselves as outcasts.

Though there was one werewolf that defied the law of the packs, He would
sneak off to see his human love, though he was promised to a she-alpha, in a
process called the binding. The she-alpha of the groups are to choose whichever
beta they feel will improve their future pack. This beta, was not interested in his
soon to be bride, but rather a sweet human woman who had spared him from a bear
trap in the woods.

The werewolf would leave his pack to visit his love in his complete wolf
form, and return before dawn. After the night of their binding, the new alpha male
had snuck off to see his human love, knowing that she was expecting. The new bride,
followed the un-suspecting male to the human who had just given birth in a broken
down shed, covered in shrubbery. Betrayal, and anger had overwhelmed her, but then
she saw the little child, and her anger softened.

The child looked like his father, the beta that the she-alpha loved.
Sensing someone from his pack, the male gave a hasty good-bye with a loving promise
to return. The she-alpha emerged from her hiding spot behind the shrubbery, the
human clutched her baby to her chest as the she-alpha reverted to her human form.

"Do not fear me. I do not wish you harm...your child, he is very precious, he will
not live long if others find out his existence." ,The she-alpha stated, "You both
will be killed for having made this child. They will not stop until they've found
you."

"I will not run." The woman growled.

"Then they will kill you, and him." ,The she-alpha turned her head to the direction
of which her mate had ran, "Your child will not live long enough to be an orphan."
The she-alpha lowered her gaze to the grass at her feet at the thought of her loved
one being dead.

The new mother looked at her baby with remorse, then turned her angry teary
eyes to the she-alpha as if she was the enemy. The she-alpha knew the woman's
answer, and left in silence. Many nights after, the she-alpha had frequently
visited her mate's human-love. In two months time, the two became friends, no
jealousy, no hatred they harbored towards each other.

On the third month of the baby's birth, the she-alpha had heard whispers
among her pack. That of the male sneaking out of camp, for what? No one but the
she-alpha knew. Though it didn't take long for a group of Delta wolves to pick up
his scent, and follow the trail. The she-alpha sprung into action, making her way
to the human's location, to which her mate and the human were endearing their
child. The she-alpha begged them to run, but instead the woman gave her child to
the she-alpha.

"Please, don't let them know about him. Protect him." The woman begged.

The she-alpha looked at the woman, then to her mate, both with the same
look of desperation. The she-alpha transformed into her half-form running,
the screams of the child's parents echoed in the woods. The she-alpha couldn't take
the child, it smelled different than her, she couldn't leave it, it was too young.
The she-alpha hid the child in wolf's bane that sat at the base of a slightly
uprooted tree. The she-alpha returned to the child's parent's to see them both
dead, she teared up seeing her love, and her best friend lifeless.

Though time for mourning would have to wait. The she-wolf had announced
that she was going to travel to the Boston in search of a new mate, to better the
pack since her last mate was so traitorous. Though that couldn't have been further
from the truth, the woman had often spoken about her family in Boston, maybe there
would be someone there to take care of the child.

The she-alpha had carried the swaddled infant as she wandered the streets
of Boston in her complete wolf form, sniffing for any scent that resembled the
woman's. Finally, she had caught something, it was faint, but she followed it to a
suburban neighborhood. The only light on was from a house that had it's front door
wide open, and an old man swaying in his rocking chair on the front porch, smoking
a pipe. The she-alpha had placed the baby at the man's feet, making him halt
without looking at the wolf.

The wolf gave the baby's cheek a lick before turning to retreat down the
porch stairs. The old man looked at the baby, then the wolf.

"Amasi." ,The wolf stopped at the bottom of the stairs to look at the man, hearing
her name from this stranger, "She knew this day would come, and grieving will not
help this child now." The man stated.

The wolf gave a small whine of protest before finding herself at the edge
of his yard. The she-alpha gave a long sorrowful howl to the waxing gibbous moon as
if to say good-bye to her love, her friend, and their child, before disappearing
into the night.

Say Please

Michael used his vampire speed to appear on the castle wall that the
werewolves were attacking, just as a flash of lighting had lit the sky. The elves
stopped fighting to turn their confused gazes as thunder roared, and the deltic
stood among them, looking down at the enemy. The elves immediately backed away from
the edge of the castle wall. Michael glared at the snapping dogs below. One of
which he recognized as one of Verinus's sons, Mason, who was in charge of the
eastern pack. If Michael's memory served well, it was his middle son, and just as
Michael recognized him. The werewolves stopped trying to climb the wall, following
the son of Verinius.

"Oi! Where's Verinius?" Michael asked as he squat down to peer at the leader of the
bad.

"Fuck off, Michael. This isn't a war, it's retribution." The son of the werewolf
alpha growled.

"Not according to the Elves. They find that you're being unjust."

"They've stolen the unbreakable chain! We will tear their capital apart until we
find it! If you stand in our way, I will not hesitate to break you in half, and
drink your blood, deltic."

"Oh Mason." ,Michael sighed, shaking his head, " You're really stupid if you think
that's how it's going to be....Now step off before you get hurt."

"Funny, Vampires have always been allies with the werewolves, but I suppose that
loyalty is washed away in you half breeds. Your mother has always been a stupid
bitch, and the fact that she fell for a human is proof of it." The son of Verinius,
called Mason smirked.

"Now you've done it." ,Michael stood up and glared down at the werewolf general
with his eyes turned red, and his pupils in slits, "You've gone and upset me."
"Please, you're as threatening as a cat. You pussy!"

Michael sped down the wall, and without anyone being able to stop him,
Michael punched Mason in the face, throwing him back amongst his large pack. Mason
whimpered as his body hit the floor harshly, only to prop himself on all fours,
wiping the blood from his mouth with his fist. Michael stood his ground as the pack
turned from their leader, to the vampire deltic standing among them.

"You're going to regret that deltic." Mason snapped.

"Walk away Mason, unless you want the entire shade's organization at your door."
Michael tried to persuade the angry werewolf.

"I'm not afraid of you. Your kind are nothing but weak."

"Perhaps, but would you really risk a war against the shades? How reckless. What
would your father think?" Michael clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth,
making an 'o' with his lips, shaking his head in a scolding manner.

Mason growled at the vampire deltic, knowing fully well that he was right,
but he wasn't willing to call back his pack. The whispers of cowardice would never
cease to ring in his ears. Mason held back his ears, and studied the mud in front
of him, wondering what a brilliant leader would do. As a beta to the main pack, he
held alot of responsibility.

"Son of Verinius, I swear to you that we do not have what you seek." a Feminine
voice called.

Mason growled at the ground before looking up, knowing fully well that the
queen, Zaleria had spoken. Mason rose his glare to see her standing on the wall,
with Kyro standing beside her. Even at the long distance that Michael had punched
him, Mason could still smell the blood that went through the deltic on the wall. It
smelled like his pack, though....It was watered down with a mortal scent.

"YOU! YOU'RE A WEREWOLF!?!" Mason growled at Kyro, making the Asian-American blink
in surprise.

"Didn't your father tell you? Your kind has finally contributed to the shades
organization." The queen cooed.

Michael gave Zaleria a side glare, knowing exactly what she was doing, and
if she continued there was definitely going to be a war.

"Don't spew your lies! Give me the boy!" Mason snarled.

"With pleasure. After you leave my people alone."

"That isn't a promise you can keep Zaleria, he's not yours to give." Michael
growled at the queen.

"Why not? He stands with me on my grounds."

Michael's eyes went red, before using his speed to grab the queen by her
wrist into her chambers where he knew they were the only ones in it. Zaleria pulled
her hand away like a child who didn't want their parent's help. Michael fixed his
glare on her.

"This is hardly proper Michael." Zaleria spoke.

"Spare me the false lecture. You can't give them Kyro. He belongs with the shades."
Michael instructed.

"Then the shades can be the ones to get him back, I am tired of dealing with
werewolves. My people are tired of werewolves, we have dealt with their kind for
four thousand years. As queen, I need to put my people first." Zaleria stated.

"Yes, but he's not yours to give, he is a shade, and you will treat him as such! I
will not permit you to do this."

"Please, little vampire. I do as I wish." Zaleria scoffed.

"For someone who is supposed to be 20 thousand years old, you are no more than a
child!" Michael hissed.

Michael watched as the elf queen boil with anger. To be honest, she was no
more threatening than a child with a temper tantrum. Zaleria moved her blonde hair
out her face, to expose her green eyes, and tried her best to compose herself,
though it didn't necessarily work.

"A child!? How dare you!?"

"Very easily, your highness! Do with your people as you wish, but do not assume
command of mine." Michael growled before walking off in the direction of the double
wooden doors that led to the rest of the castle. Michael flung the doors open with
such force that the queen startled as she remained still. Michael gave her a side
glare before speeding off to the wall to cool the situation down without her.

Unwanted help

Michael used his vampire speed to return back to where Kyro stood on the
wall, without the queen. Michael stared at the beasts below, and Mason.

"Where's the queen?" ,Mason growled, "We were in the middle of a negotiation."

"Sorry ol' chap. The queen has been dismissed from the negotiations." Michael
chirped.

"Michael!" , Mason warned, "If I don't get that boy, then I'll tear this kingdom
apart!"

Mason narrowed his eyes as Michael sliced a portal off the wall. Michael
offered Kyro a first go, which he confusingly took without asking questions. To be
honest, Kyro wasn't sure if Michael trapped the queen, or killed her, but he wasn't
about to ask. Michael then turned to the growling mass of werewolves, only to focus
in on Mason.

"Do what you must, Mason. The queen has made it clear that she does not need the
shades assistance." With that said, he passed through the portal he made.

On the other side of portal stood Isabell, Piercey, and Sirus with their
puzzled looks. Michael was slightly embarrassed, wanting the portal to take him to
the tracking room so he could keep an eye on the situation. Piercey, and Sirus
could already sense the bad blood, so they removed themselves from the situation
quietly, leaving Kyro, Isabell, and Michael in a large hallway of moving people.

"You're back." ,Ms. Nyx started, "So soon."

"Well she didn't want our help." Michael shrugged.

"Odd. Zaleria understands that this could lead to another war between the two
species, yes?" Ms. Nyx asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well maybe next time she'll be more kind to those who give her assistance."
Michael crossing his own arms.

"What?"

"She offered to give the werewolves, him." Michael pointed a forefinger to Kyro on
his right.

"I see. So you left?"

"Yes. She doesn't want his help? She won't get mine." Michael stated.

Ms. Nyx looked at Kyro with a smile, happy that he was at least being taken
care of on his first day of being a shade. Michael waited for some sort of scolding
from the kitsune, knowing that she isn't usually so tolerable. Though he was
surprised when the leader of the organization just smiled before taking a few paces
behind the duo.

"Don't worry about Zaleria, and Mason. I'll deal with them personally." Isabell
smiled as she walked off.

Michael tried his best to hide his surprise when he wasn't scolded for
"keeping the peace". Kyro seem equally as shocked, this wasn't the same lady he met
yesterday. Michael nudged the newest deltic, and tilted his head down the hall.
Kyro nodded frantically, thinking that if they didn't get out of there, she'd turn
around and change her mind. Together they sped down the hallway to Michael's
quarters.

Michael was the first through his door frame, surprised to see a letter
lying on his made up bed. Michael carefully picked up the letter, seeing the letter
addressed to him, but no return address. Micheal wasn't sure of what to make of it,
he'd never received a letter in the years he's been here.

"Ya know, now that I think about it. How much of that vampire shit is true?" Kyro
asked as Michael sat at his desk chair.

"Depends on what you mean." Michael answered as he looked for an envelope opener.

"Like do you have to be invited into a house? And what if the owner that invited
you in sold the house to someone else?"

"If the owner left, then I suppose you would need permission from the new owner of
the house." Michael answered as he grabbed the letter opener on the shelf above
his computer screen.

"What about changing people? Is it more like Vampire diaries, Or the twilight
saga?" Kyro asked.

"You're not serious." Michael lowered his head as he held the letter opener between
his hand, and the desk.

"C'mon dude. I'm curious." Kyro whined in excitement.

"It's more like twilight, but I guarantee you that we don't fight with your kind
over a girl, who can't make up her mind, or is too stupid to have common sense. Nor
do we glisten! Fucking twilight fucked everything up. It's no where near
realistic." Michael growled before sitting in his desk chair. Michael swiveled
around to face Kyro, sliding the letter openers blade into the envelope, ripping it
perfectly.

"What about sleeping in coffins?" Kyro asked.

"No we don't sleep in bloody coffins." Michael made a face before pulling out the
letter.

Michael's eyes skimmed the papers that he had unfolded, his expression went
from perplexed to disbelief. Kyro watched Michael lower the papers into his lap,
unsure of what had just happened. Kyro made a face, as if to silently ask what the
problem was. Michael looked up at his partner, unsure if he should tell him what
happened in the letter, or if he'd even understand.

"What's that?" Kyro asked.

"Nothing I need to worry about, yet." Michael nonchalantly tossed the letter into
the bin.

Kyro gave the vampire deltic with a suspicious look, but before he had a
chance to question Michael further, Cameron was puffing away in the door frame.

"Michael, you gotta hurry." , Cameron puffed.

"What's up?" Kyro asked.

"Werewolves. In the. Lobby!"

"Bloody hell! Isabell!!" Michael growled as he rose to his feet to exit his room.

Kyro got to his feet, before looking at the bin where Michael threw the
letter, having a feeling that it held some sort of troubling news. Kyro's attention
turned to the door of Michael's room when Michael called for him. Cameron had
already bolted after Michael, making Kyro the last to leave. There was something
big going on if the werewolves were here.

Negotiations

Michael ran in his human speed through the hallways, as to not to run into
anyone with too much force running the opposite direction, with Kyro right behind
him. Werewolves in this building? Hell no! There were going to be some sorry ass
dogs tonight.

Suddenly Michael caught a lavender haired Piercey in his arms, only to grip
her gently by the shoulders as she looked horrified. Michael quickly questioned as
to where "they" were, and she stammered something about the southern dorms. Michael
looked up to see where the people were running from, which confirmed her claim.
Sirus, came from the same direction as Michael, and Kyro, calling for Piercey. Once
he reached her, he checked her for any injuries.

"Are you alright?" Sirus asked.

"Mhmm." Piercey nodded quickly in fear.

"Sirus, I know you don't like confrontation, but I really think I need you on this
one, mate." Michael yelled above the screams of others that passed them."
"What about Kyro?" Sirus asked loudly.

"He's going with Piercey. He needs to stay safe."

"No way! I'm in it with you guys." Kyro shouted.

"Not this time, chap. You haven't had the proper training." ,Michael patted his
werewolf friend's shoulder, "Besides, you haven't been initiated into the shades."

Michael, and Sirus had disappeared into the oncoming mass of deltics to
find those responsible for the chaos. It wasn't long until they had reached the
main hallway that the mass of bodies had stopped flooding their way. Sirus, and
Michael began to dart towards the chaos, when the chaos came to them.

Six werewolves were scraping their claws against the marble floor, Sirus
stopped suddenly, not sure of how to respond to the threat ahead. He wanted to be
there for his friend, but he really didn't want to do this. Michael ,compensating
for Sirus's hesitation, also stopped with his hands in his pockets and his eyes
glowing red.

"You mutts better have a good reason for trespassing." Michael growled, to which he
got snarls in reply. Michael glanced at Sirus through the corner of his eye,
"Sirus."

Taking his cue opened his mouth for a loud boom to escape his mouth without
so much as uttering a word. The sound had as much force as a sonic boom, causing
the werewolves to slip back on the marble floor. Michael took the opportunity to
use his speed to deliver a few quick hard blows to the small pack, only to stop
back in the position he started in when he no longer had Sirus's sonic scream to
back him up. The intruders got back on their feet, looking at the two deltics with
disgust, and hatred.

"Now see here, that was only a taste of what we can dish out. Don't make this
ugly." Michael threatened, that's when he heard the clicking of heels against the
marble floor.

"Micheal, enough." ,Ms. Nyx ordered, "Victor, I would actually like to talk to
you."

"I'm not here to talk! Your little vampire stuck his nose in our affairs!" The
leader of the small pack growled.

"If your brother can't handle what he dishes out then maybe he should try being
less of a prick." Michael justified.

"It wasn't your place!"

"You know, you're absolutely right, should've let the elves kill you with their
silver weapons."

"AS you can see, he has removed himself from the battle between your kind and the
elves, after she refused his help." Nyx cut in.

"And the boy?" Victor snarled.

"He stays with us, until proven that he is not suitable for this kind of life." Nyx
lifted her chin with defiance.

"He's ours by right!" Victor snapped.

"Look at it this way, you finally did something right." Sirus shrugged.

Michael and Isabel looked back at Sirus with shocked looks, this very
quiet, mellow-tempered boy just threw shade at the werewolves. Sirus blushed a bit
at his sudden out burst, silencing himself by looking at the ground. Michael raised
his eye brows, and shook his head as he turned to face the werewolves who had their
teeth bared at the siren. Isabel also turned to the intruders with disgust.

"Would you quit drooling on the floor!? It's polished enough!" Isabel growled at
Victor.

"Isabel!" A male voice cooed in greeting.

A tall, muscular man with curly ginger locks, and full beard trotted
through the small mass of Werewolves. Michael recognized the werewolf alpha of the
northern pack, and his daughter, who only shared his hair color and nothing else.
The man held his arms out, with his daughter lagged behind, as if to ask where is
warm welcome was, Isabel sighed in disdain.

"Verinius." She narrowed her eyes in a glare.

" Can't we come to terms like civilized beings?" Verinius asked.

"You've invaded the shades!!" Isabel shouted.

"And you have what's ours!" Verinius barked.

"He's a deltic by right." ,Michael crossed his arms, itching for one of them to
make a wrong move, "Therefore he stays."

"You know I haven't met a vampire quite like you, Michael. Your reputation out does
that of your predecessors." Verinius smirked at his own little jab as he stopped in
front of his posse.

"Thank you. I try to be the biggest ass in the room." Michael shrugged.

"And you do a fantastic job." Sirus added laughing a bit, not wanting to pass up
the opportunity when it was given, no matter how serious the situation was.

Again, earning some pretty confused, and shocked that

the quiet boy had again done what no one thought possible for him. Verinius
chuckled at the siren deltics, honesty. Verinius walked past Nyx and the deltics to
continue down the hallway, with his daughter looking back at them with a blank
expression.

"I think it's time we had a chat." Verinus stated without looking back motioning
his fingers by his head to signal the werewolves to usher the deltics and the
kitsune woman after him.

Moving Forward

Kyro was seated at a table a little distance away from where Michael was,
with Ms. Nyx, and Verinius. He was told that since he wasn't officially one of the
shades yet, that he wasn't allowed to be a part of the conversation. Of course, he
and Michael had protested of behalf of Kyro's inclusion, but it was denied by the
kitsune woman.
 Michael look back at the werewolf deltic who held his chin in his crossed
arms, pouting at them from across his table, only to turn to see Verinius taking a
sip from his coffee mug that he took the liberty of getting before having a seat.
Michael was relieved that he had sent his small pack away, but he also knew that
full bred werewolves felt entitled to everything, so there was no telling what they
would do, or who they would mangle.

Verinius had put down his cup, only to study the young blonde's face a
moment, and smirk.

"Don't worry about them, Michael. I told my subordinates to be on their best

behavior. They're probably playing basketball, or something." Verinius cooed.

Michael scoffed, knowing fully well that was probably a lie. They were
probably picking on some poor fairy deltic, or worse, an elf deltic. Michael didn't
trust Verinius, mostly because of personal reasons, but there was nothing he could
do to save his friends without putting this "peaceful" meeting into a declaration
of war. He willed himself to sit still.

"To the demands then.", Verinus chirped, "I want the shades to stay out of our
affairs, for... their own protection of course."

"Verinius. You know that the shades' task is to protect all magic. Your missing
relic falls under our jurisdiction, as well as any chaos you cause because of it."

"Very well. Then I suppose since you are so insistent on handling our affairs, I
will give you a chance at this. But the slightest sniff of our relic, we demand
that you let us know. Any failure of the shades will not be tolerated this time."
Verinius glared at Michael.

"It wasn't a mistake... It was justified." Michael growled in a low voice.

"Then let's not make anymore justified decisions...Shall we?" Verinius smirked.

Verinius got up after finishing his coffee, only to push in his chair,
then straighten his tie. He looked at the werewolf deltic that was sitting at the
table by himself. The black haired boy glared at him. Verinius wondered that if
this boy knew the truth of his birth, if he would still look at him with such a
look, or if he would be in utter shock. The image of Kyro being angry, and bitter
filled the alpha with gratification.

"Another thing, the boy. He is not yet a shade. I believe your time clock is
ticking on changing that." He stated loud enough for Kyro to hear. Verinius
chuckled as he left.

As Verinius exited the cafeteria he was joined with the small battalion of
guards that had followed him, along with his daughter. Who looked briefly at
Michael, then to Kyro, with a saddened expression. Michael thought it was a bit
curious, but didn't think too much of it.

Kyro stood from his chair, sensing that the meeting was over. Nyx, and
Michael had walked towards the werewolf deltic. Michael gave a small smirk to the
new deltic.

"So you still want to be a deltic?" Michael asked.

"Hell yeah." Kyro crossed his arms.

"Alright then, Isabell, I'm going to start his shading process." Michael looked at
her through the corner of his eye as she stood behind him, "Kyro, come with me
chap. I'm going to make you a shade."

* A bit of a time skip*

Michael opened heavy double doors that led into an all white room with Kyro
following right behind him. The room had a class window that showed the control
room, where Nyx was observing with a headset on her, and Sirus was sitting at the
control panel. Michael led Kyro to the middle of the room.

"We're ready Sirus!" Michael shouted.

Sirus looked up from the computer a moment, before giving a thumbs up. Nyx
had her arms crossed as she looked down at the two males.

"Remember Michael, you can't be down there with him on this. This is something that
he has to do alone, or he can't be a shade." Nyx's voice echoed in the room Michael
and Kyro were in, making them turn their attention to the glass window.

"Right." ,Michael answered her, then turned his attention to the werewolf deltic,
"Alright, chap. This is a simple test to see where your skills are, how much magia
exactly, and what your abilities are so we can find the niche to put you in. Just
be genuine, that is the best way for all of us. " Michael turned to walk back
outside so he could join Sirus, and Nyx in the observation room. Michael had no
doubt that this one was going to be a shading that he wasn't going to want to miss.
He looked forward to what this new deltic was going to put on the table, and even
more, what Sirus was going to dish out for him.

"What kind of test is this?" Kyro asked as Michael was an arms length away from the
door.

"Sorry chap, can't tell you that." ,Michael opened the door without even looking
back at Kyro, "You have to figure this out on your own."

Kyro watched as his acquaintance walked out the open door, and have it
close behind him. He wasn't sure how this was going to play out with this whole
"test" thing. Was he going to have to fight something? Take a written test? He
shrugged thinking that he didn't really need to worry about it. He was going to ace
this test.

"Sirus!" Kyro called to the boy behind the glass, making the boy with glasses look
up and Nyx eyes brighten in curiosity at what he had to say, "Let's light this
bitch!"

The Wraith

Kyro pinched his eyes shut as he listened to a high pitch whirring sound
fill the room. He didn't want to know what was going on around him, he just wanted
to prove that he belonged here, that they needed him. Kyro took a deep breath,
realizing that it was getting a little harder to breathe, was the room colder all
of a sudden?

It wasn't long before the whirring stopped, and Kyro opened his eyes to
find himself in snow covered Boston. This was odd, he couldn't have failed yet. He
didn't even know what exactly he was supposed to do.

"Sirus?... Michael? ... Is anyone going to tell me what is supposed to be

happening?" Kyro called out into the silence.
 The snow continued to fall as he walked around, wondering why he was here.
He didn't see a single person as he came to a bridge. He knew exactly where he was,
after all this was his home town. He frowned into the ice below, wishing for the
answers to break through ice.

"A werewolf, how interesting." Kyro heard a feminine voice coo.

Kyro looked up to see dark hooded figure, unsure of where she came from,
Kyro stepped back. The woman kept her hood covering her eyes, not a lock of her
hair was visible to Kyro. The woman smiled, sensing his unease at her sudden
appearance.

"You shouldn't be afraid of your own wraith, Kyro." The woman asked.

"Wraith?" Kyro asked.

"You are on the plane of wraiths. Everyone has a wraith that shadows them through
their lives, though only deltics can actually meet with theirs."

"Why can't I see anymore of you, if this is supposed to be your plane? What, and
who exactly are you?" Kyro asked.

"Deltics can only see us because they are the bridges of magic, but you can't see
any besides your own to keep the other's safe. If a wraith dies, so does the person
it shadows, and vice versa. In the past, deltics have sought the wraiths of their
enemies, so to keep the peace in this realm we have weaved a magic cloaked that
allows deltics to only see their own shadows." ,The wraith folded her hands in
front of her robe, "I have no name. As for what I am, I am your shadow. Your link
to death if you must know."

"That's a bit morbid." Kyro grimaced.

"You asked, I answered. Now, you'd like to know why you're here?" The wraith stood
to the side to motion to the edge of the bridge on her right.

"Well considering you're the only one here telling me anything useful." Kyro walked
towards the shadowy figure, following her lead off the bridge.

The two wandered the park until they reached a park bench that was settled
across from the small lake of the park. Kyro took a seat, laying his elbows on his
knees, holding his right fist in his left hand. He looked to the left to see the
wraith still standing in silence with her sleeve covered hands at her side. He
couldn't help but notice that the only footprints in the snow were his own, not
even a snail trail followed the wraith, as if she wasn't there.

"So what is it exactly that we're supposed to be doing?" Kyro asked.

"You are to accept your full magia from me, and return to your plain where you will
begin the shading process." The wraith answered.

"What happens in the shading process?" Kyro asked.

"From what I hear from others, you will picked for one of six classes in the
shades. What class you are chosen for, will depend on your magia that you will
collect from me. The class that you have been picked for will determine your test
to awaken all your deltic abilities, as well as how to control them."

"I know my abilities already." Kyro pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Not all of them." The wraith corrected.

Kyro looked at the cloaked figure, still unsure of everything he was

getting from her. He didn't understand how she could just stand there, she seemed
unreal. He was trying his best to make sense of her.

"What happens to you when I accept all my magia?" Kyro asked.

"Nothing. I will be as I am. As a shadow, I can not use magia like you. It's just
energy that I can not replenish, nor use." The wraith explained.

"... How do I get it?" Kyro asked.

"Hold out your hand." The wraith held out her cloaked hand for Kyro.

Kyro slowly took her hand through her sleeve. He searched for her eyes that
were covered by her dark colored cloak. Though her hand was covered it was ice
cold, like death itself. A moment later there was a small glow of blue emitting
from their hands, the blue glow slipped from their fingers to crawl up Kyro's arm.
The glow felt warm, and familiar as it swirled around his feet, clearing the snow
away from the sidewalk from where he stood. Once the glow subsided the two parted
hands.

The feeling was hard to explain, but he now felt complete with having his
magia in him. He stared at his as if they had been someone else's on his body.

"It's done.", dark smoke surrounded the wraith as she pushed Kyro into the dark
smoke that had pooled at his feet, falling into an abyss.

Kyro was so panicked that he forgot to breathe as the darkness swallowed

him whole. Kyro's eyes darted around for any source of light, which he found none,
and in the midst of panicking he remembered to breath.

In that one breath, he found himself back in the room that Michael had left
him in, as he sat up in a cold sweat. Kyro looked up at the three people in the
observation room that were staring through the glass. Kyro held his head, which was
still spinning from the little trip he had to the other realm. "What the hell did
you do to me?" Kyro asked as he struggled to his feet"We deprived the room of
oxygen." Michael answered.

Kyro coughed as he straightened himself out, "Asshole. A tranquilizer would've

worked just fine."

Classes

Once Kyro rose to his feet he noticed six large glass

marbles with symbols in them, as they sat on pillowed columns of quartz. Kyro
looked at the trio that stood in the observation room.

"What are these?" Kyro asked.

"These are Magia coordinators, they read your magia so we can place you in a
class." Michael informed through his head set.

"Class?" Kyro asked.

"What branch you'll be in." ,Ms. Nyx informed, "The tree is for the searchers, who
look for those who have magia. The pyramid are for the mediators, who keep the
world of magic at peace. The knife and shield are Vanguards, for those who police
the world of magic from harm. The flower and leaf are, represent the medics that
heal the wounded. The fan and key, Abecedaries, teachers of magic to the young. The
lightning and stag antlers, contrivers, for hiding what is from those who can't
understand. " Smiled after naming them all left to right.

"What am I supposed to do with them?" Kyro asked.

"Walk towards them, the closer you get the more precise they'll be able to read
your magia." Sirus explained through his mic.

Kyro took a step forward getting four of the globes to faintly glow, Kyro
laughed nervously as he turned his gaze upward to see everyone watching him
intently from above the orbs. Though before he could take another step someone had
went into the observation room, and whispered into Michael's ear, before giving him
a letter. Michael opened the letter, and immediately became crest fallen as if this
wasn't something he wanted. Michael took off his headset and left the room.

Kyro took another step to leave two glowing globes, mediators, and
vanguards. He took a step towards the mediator's globe, and the glowing died
instantly. Perplexed, Kyro took a step back from it, but the globe refused to glow
it's purple aura. Kyro then turned his attention to the Vanguard globe which was
giving off a bright silver, almost white glow. Kyro walked over to where he towered
over it.

"Cool, so I'm a Vanguard." Kyro shouted.

"Grab the globe, with both hands." Nyx instructed as Sirus covered his ears for
what was about to happen.

Kyro placed both hands around the globe, feeling a burning sensation
searing through them, making him scream in agony as his skin hissed against the
glass surface. The orbs light grew brighter, to where it consumed the entire room.
Kyro tossed the orb back on to it's pillow as fast as he could, then turned his
attention to his hands. They were fine, no burns, no blood.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" Kyro shouted.

Ms. Nyx hummed, "Sirus will show you to your room. while you wait for your test."

"I've already proven myself! I want to be here!" Kyro argued.

"This isn't a test on if you'll stay here. It's a test on how strong you are, so we
can put you with a team. You see, Searchers are in a team of six, Mediators in
threes, Abecedaries in five, Contrivers are in a team of four and Vanguards, two.
We have teams so that no one is left holding the weight of the world on their
shoulders. Our work is very demanding in our time, our energy, and our magia. Too
demanding for any one person to be handling it all alone." ,Ms. Nyx stated coldly,
"It would be irresponsible of us to place you with a teammate that is stronger
than you, or vice versa."

Kyro averted her gaze, still thinking that it was a waste of time going
through, yet another test. He gave a small 'tch' under his breath, not paying
attention to the kitsune woman walking out of the observation door. Sirus gave Kyro
a sympathetic look as the newest deltic glared at the observation room.

"I'll meet you outside." Sirus suggested,

"For some advanced society, you sure love to give stupid tests." Kyro muttered.
"I heard that." Sirus stated with a skeptically glare, before taking off his head
set.

Kyro rolled his eyes, as if he cared.

Fine Tuning

Kyro walked after Sirus, who had shown him to an empty room where a small
winged girl was waiting for them. Kyro tilted his head in confusion, he didn't
think that fairies were that small. Sirus looked at Kyro, catching the werewolf
deltics confused expression as the two of them walked into the room with the winged
girl that was flittering above the floor.

"Ms. Nyx recruited a fairy to make your room." Sirus explained as the fairy
flittered at Kyro's face.

"Funny, you sure this isn't a pixie?" Kyro asked focusing on the now pouting
fairy.

"Actually, Pixie's don't exist. Those are made-up." ,Sirus explained, "You're gonna
have to concentrate on your dream room."

Kyro closed his eyes as the fairy touched his forehead with her small hand.
He knew exactly what he wanted, so it didn't take the fairy too long to scan his
mind. Once she was done, she removed her hand from the werewolf deltic's head to
fly to the center of the room. Sirus escorted Kyro out, sensing that the fairy was
about to begin the process, closing the door behind them.

"You don't want fairy dust on you. It's worse than glitter." Sirus informed.

It didn't take long for a small knock on the door to signal that she was
finished. The boys opened the door to see a round swinging bed hanging from the
bed, a 45 inch flat screen t.v hanging on the wall, and black polished shelves
filled with video games, blue LED lights illuminating the shelves. Under the t.v
was a black stand where an xbox, playstation 4, and wii sat in mint condition.

Kyro walked in amazement, sitting on the round bed's black and blue bed
spread. This was exactly how he pictured it, he couldn't believe that magic was
able to create an exact replica of what was on his mind. Sirus smirked, knowing how
impressed he was with his room when he first got here.

"This is amazing." Kyro stated breathlessly.

"Michael's down the hall if you need him, but I'll let you relax before Scott comes
with your test." Sirus chirped.

"No time for relaxing lad." Another voice sounded in the door way.

Kyro, and Sirus turned to see Scott with a tuning fork in his dress jacket
pocket, his hands in his pant pockets. Next to him was Michael, who was admiring
the room as he walked in with Scott. Michael couldn't help but run a hand along the
smooth shelves that had been piled with games for each of the gaming systems.
Michael kind of envied this room. Scott walked up to Kyro, pulling the tuning fork
from his coat pocket with on hand.

"This will test your abilities." Scott informed.

"A tuning fork?" Kyro asked skeptically.

"It has special properties. Depending on the pitch of the fork, we'll be able to
determine how powerful you are. The higher the pitch, the more powerful." ,Scott
handed the fork to Kyro, "Just tap it against something."

Kyro gave Scott a skeptical look, before caving into his suggestion,
tapping it against the shelf. The fork rang with a low tone, that was rising in
pitch, causing the others to cover their ears except for Michael, who was watching
in awe. Once the fork reached the highest note, it cracked in one of its teeth. The
sound stopped, not being able to channel anymore of Kyro's magic level. The group
looked at Kyro in awe, they knew that he held extreme magical abilities, but didn't
know how much.

"That's... impressive." Sirus started.

"Is it supposed to do that?" Kyro asked, worried that he broke it.

"Yes and no." ,Scott informed, "I've seen these things catch fire, melt, Michael
even shattered one. But I've never seen one crack before."

"Yours shattered!?!" Kyro asked Michael.

Michael didn't answer, instead he took the tuning fork from Kyro to examine
the crack in the fork. Kyro looked at Michael with a sense of anticipation,
wondering if someone would tell him how powerful he really was. He wondered if he
could take over the world with his power, not that he was remotely interested, it
seemed like a lot of work.

"The fact that you just cracked it, means you have incredible control, but a lot of
power." ,Scott informed, "You're about as powerful as Michael."

"Then I suppose we've found my partner." ,Michael informed putting the fork down on
one of Kyro's shelves, "Isabell will finally get off my back."

Michael had left the room leaving the other three to themselves. Kyro
didn't understand why he was so gloomy about it, he didn't seem to mind Kyro during
his first couple days here. Kyro was just about to go after him, when Scott grabbed
his shoulder to stop him. Kyro looked at Scott , who was gently shaking his head,
with a surprised look. Kyro then re-drew his attention to his opened door.

"What's up with him?" Kyro asked.

"Michael hasn't had a partner in five years, his last one had killed herself."
Sirus looked down at the carpet.

"But, Nyx said that partners were required, how was he able to do anything without
one?" Kyro asked.

"He just didn't care about Mrs. Nyx's rules." Scott answered.

Kyro lowered his gaze. To have someone you know so well off themselves, and
leave you to remember them in such a awful light, sounded horrible. Kyro didn't
understand what Michael had been through, but he wasn't about to let the dude walk
out on him like that. Kyro shrugged off Scott's hand, before walking after Michael,
which he imagined walked off to his room.

He was right. He found Michael sitting on his bed, reading yet another
letter. Kyro leaned against his new partner's door frame with his door opened.
Michael didn't even look up.
"Whatcha reading?" Kyro asked with his arms crossed.

"Nothing important." Michael answered without looking up.

"Ah, good. Then I want to know about your past team mate, just so I can understand
you." Kyro asked.

"She was my previous partner." Michael continued to read the letter.

"How'd she die?"

"It doesn't matter. She's dead." Michael growled coldly without looking at him.

"Don't give me that crap! She was your partner!" Kyro snapped, Michael ignored
him as he continued reading the paper that he held on to, "Seriously! What are you
reading!?"

"It's nothing." Michael insisted.

"Don't," Kyro walked towards him, snatching the paper form his grasp, "give me that
shit! If it wasn't important you wouldn't ignore me to finish it!"

"Give it back, Kyro!" Michael bolted to his feet.

Kyro ignored the blonde boy as he read the first nine words on the page;
Dear Michael, I've heard about you from your mother.. Michael's eyes were red as he
glared at his new partner, who had no business reading his mail. Kyro looked at
Michael with a glare just as intese, he was tired of the blonde being this way.

"What?! Don't want me reading your fan mail!?" Kyro growled.

"It's from the Vampire head council.", Michael tossed the letter onto his bed
before harshly sitting on it next to the letter, "I'm getting engaged."

Chain Bound

Kyro flinched, Michael engaged? The guy was not older than Kyro, and a
letter that was now placed on the bed as a chain to the blonde haired boy. Michael
held his head, resulting in smoothing his hair back.

"How are you engaged!? You're no older than I am!" Kyro panicked.

"Because I'm part Vampire." Michael explained.

"What does that have to do with this?" Kyro asked.

"There's a counsel that deals in Vampire affairs, and since I am part Vampire
they've taken an interest in me. More specifically for breeding purposes." ,Michael
rubbed his face, embarrassed to even be talking about it.

"Breeding? What are you a sperm bank?!"

"You don't understand! My kin are DYING!" Michael growled as he jumped to his feet,
eyes glowing red.

Kyro held his ground, un-phased by the blonde's sudden explosion in temper.
A knock on the door frame of Michael's bedroom had drawn both the boys' attention.
Piercey watched the two with caution, feeling the tension in the air. Michael
relaxed his body to change the color of his eyes back to blue.

"Michael. They finished Kyro's blade." Piercey announced quietly.

"Thanks, Pierce. We'll be down in a bit. " Michael sighed, turning his gaze to
Kyro, who also turned around to glare at the blonde boy.

Piercey nodded, excusing herself from the room. Michael realized that this
was not the way he wanted to start this partnership, but he didn't want Kyro prying
in business that he shouldn't be involved in. Kyro kept his gaze on the blonde boy,
who in turn didn't break eye contact. It wasn't until a moment had passed that Kyro
lowered his head, which Michael took as an opportunity to leave his own room.

"Do you even know her?" Kyro asked concerned making Michael stop outside his door.

"Nope." Michael answered before continuing to walk off.

Kyro gave a heavy sigh, before walking after the blonde down the hallway.
Kyro trotted down the hallway to catch up with the blonde vampire deltic. Michael
led Kyro down several flights of stairs, and even a couple more hallways before
they got to a room that resembled a black smith shop. Knives, swords, and axes,
hung on the wall as the welding fire lit the room, a hissing sound filling the
room, only to be replaced by clanging noises.

Michael and Kyro slowly walked into the room, finding a rugged young man
with a red beard, and tinted goggles coving his eyes, hammering away at a newly
crafted knife. Michael tapped the man's shoulder, making him halt his hammer mid-
blow to turn around to see the one who tapped him. The man lifted his googles off
his face, and pushed them onto his slicked back red hair, his brown eyes widened
with disbelief.

"Well fuck me, is that you Michael?" The man chuckled with his scottish accent

"Yeah it's me Brandy." Michael smirked, the man scooped the thinner Michael into
his arms, squeezing him in a bear hug.

"It's been forever since you've been down here. Must mean that you have a new
partner. Who's the lucky bastard?" Brandy chuckled setting the blonde down.

"This is the man." Michael moved aside to allow Brandy to see the man that Michael
would be calling partner for now on.

"Haha! Well fuck me! You're a lucky one to be partnered with the only vampire
deltic in the shades!" ,The man shook Kyro's hand in excitement, then motioned over
to Michael, "Been waiting for-fucking-ever to see this one paired up again!"

"Brandy? We're here for his blade." Michael interrupted the man's giddy encounter
with Kyro.

"A blade already for the new one?" ,Brandy asked, " You must be an impressive shit
to have gone through the tests so easily"

He laughed before leaving the pair of them to their own devices as the man
clanged around looking for the new knife that he had created for Kyro. Brandy then
came back with a small black dagger with the hilt of it harboring a hole for the
chain to run through. Brandy handed the knife to the new deltic, who was eyeing the
blade with curiosity.

"So I'm officially a shade?" Kyro asked.

"Yep. Now don't loose this blade. I'm not making a fucking new one if you misplace
it." Brandy warned.

"Wait don't you need to... I don't know... Bless it, or something?" Kyro asked.

"Do I look like a fucking Faery?" Brandy asked

"...... Aren't you?" Kyro asked.

"I'm a Saytr deltic, you shit! Fuck Faeries!" Brandy got all defensive.

"Oh... Sorry dude." Kyro apologized.

"Isn't this one a werewolf?" ,Brandy asked turning to Michael, who nodded with his
arms crossed, and his eyes lowered. Brandy then turned back to Kyro, "Use your
fucking nose next time wolfy!"

Kyro ignored the taunts of the bearded man, as he put the knife around his
neck, concealing it in his shirt. Michael and Brandy both smiled at the new shade
member, happy that the kid had taken to the blade so easily. Brandy was the first
to congratulate him with a grasp of the hand in a firm shake, and a clap on the
back with the other. Michael then felt his phone buzz in his front pocket.

Michael pulled the phone out, to see there was a message from Nyx. Though
the message didn't have words through his locked screen, Michael knew that Nyx had
given him, and his new partner a new mission. One that was gladly welcomed, Michael
wondered how well his new partner would be able to handle himself in magical
situations.

"Kyro." Michael stated, drawing the attention of Brandy, and Kyro, "We're going on
your first official mission."

"Really? Now?" Kyro asked releasing himself from Brandy's grasp, walking towards
Michael.

"Yep, let's go ol' chap." Michael smirked.

*Vampire History*

During the great escape from the Chinese empire, one there was a kitsune
who had been separated from his pack, weak from being hunted by the emperors men.
Luckily, the creature had been found by a young man from a near by village in the
country of Romania. The creature was definitely one that the man hadn't seen
before, but he took it in. The creature had been reluctant at first, but once it
realized the gentleman was going to help him, the creature settled in with the
man.

A friendship grew between the two, the kitsune willing to show more of its
abilities to the gentleman. The two lived together peacefully for many months until
a group of creatures who's shape resembled the kitsune's, but seemed more beastly
came to destroy the village. The man, named Dracula, had hidden the kitsune,
angering the beasts, to the point were they had killed the man.

The kitsune had watched his friend die at the hand of the werewolves, and
once the beasts had evacuated the village, he had curled up next to Dracula's
lifeless corpse. Through the kitsune's grief, a tear slipped out, allowing to give
life back to Dracula as the tear landed on his cheek. The kitsune was so happy to
have his friend back, though Dracula didn't feel the same, knowing that a rule of
life had been broken.

Dracula became angry with the kitsune, casting his friend away. The kitsune
didn't understand, he had brought the man back to life, he thought Dracula would've
been happy to see him again. In the feuding, the kitsune had cursed Dracula to
never see the light again, and to drink from those he loved.

Furious at his friend's betrayal, Dracula sought out the werewolves to

plead for death, fearing that they were the only ones able to stop him.
The werewolves refused to kill him, but instead offered a way to kill the kitsune
so that the curse on Dracula may be lifted. Seeing only to end his suffering, and
those that had fallen by his hand, Dracula had agreed.

Though, once the kitsune had been killed, Dracula had still remained
for millennia, and over the centuries he had found that he could make ,those that
wished it, more vampires, by offering his own blood to them. The victim would
drink, die, and rise again, as a vampire. The blood ritual could only be done by
him since he was the original vampire, but he was surprised to learn that his kind
could still reproduce after being turned into a vampire.

Once the Americas were discovered, Vampires had expanded over the globe,
though this made their discovery inevitable. The Americans had begun to hunt those
of Dracula's kind, and as you imagine, word had spread to other countries who began
to do the same. The numbers of the vampire population began to dwindle severely,
until about the 1960's, when people stopped believing in them. Even though the
human's had stopped hunting them, the vampire population was having a hard time
recovering from the devastation of being targets.

It was in 1972, that the council of Vampire's had been formed, consisting
of Dracula, and his closest associates, and had put an arranged marriage decree in
the vampire society, stating that all vampires were to do their duty in having
children to continue the vampire legacy, and in doing so they would match-up
eligible couples based on how strong their linage was (a weaker linage would be
paired with a stronger one, which was determined by how many kids were in the
parents' marriages) , in 1983, this would also include deltics.

A Visit to the Undyne

Michael had stepped through the black sand portal with his partner
following close behind him. Kyro looked around confused as his feet sunk into the
wet sand of a beach, one that had seemed untouched by humans, surrounded by cliffs.
The sky showed no indication of allowing the sun to shine through the dreary
clouds, making the air around them cold. Kyro looked at Michael as he stopped at
the edge of the water, not allowing the tide to touch his shoes. Kyro was about to
protest, surely if Michael wanted to go swimming he wouldn't have lied about going
on a mission, though before he could even utter a word Michael's voice echoed out
to the ocean.

"Patitur puteum abyssi." Michael ordered.

Kyro watched as the sea withdrew from the vampire deltic's feet, as if it
was retreating from a lost battle. Kyro's eyes widened, knowing fully well that
with the water retreating so far back into the ocean, there was a massive wave on
the way. Kyro ran towards Michael, grabbing his arm in panic as he watched the
water created a wall, pulling on the seasoned deltic to get him to leave towards
the portal that was starting to close up.

"You're going to want to hold your breath." Michael instructed as the wall of water
was feet from them.
"ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE!?!" Kyro panicked.

"Maybe a bit.", The blonde deltic shrugged, not taking his eyes off the on coming
wave. Kyro turned a horrified gaze to the wave that towered over them, the wave was
taller than the two boys standing on one another's shoulders. Kyro let go of the
blonde deltic, taking a step or two back in fear.

"If we die, I'm going to fucking kil-" Kyro was cut off by the wave swallowing
them.

The weight of it causing Kyro to inhale a good amount of water. Kyro looked
under the water for Michael, thinking that the blonde deltic was going to pull his
new partner out of this mess. Though the waves that followed made sure that he
wasn't able to reach the surface, or find the vampire deltic in the water. Kyro
panicked, feeling the water pull him further under itself, this was it, he was
going to drown. As Kyro sunk deeper into the water, the calmer it seemed to be. He
was just about to let the water take him, when he felt something cold and slimy
brush against his hand. Capturing his attention, he opened his eyes thinking his
luck had granted him a shark to finish him off quickly, only to be surprised by a
woman with brown hair, flowing in the calmness of the water.

Freaking out at her lower body that resembled a fish, Kyro summoned the
last of his strength to swim away from her. The woman reached out to him, laying a
cold hand on his cheek, earning his trust slightly, figuring that he wasn't going
to get eaten. The woman smiled as she touched foreheads with the werewolf deltic,
though he didn't know her, he figured that if he was going to die it would be okay
to do so in this creatures arms. His body went limp, passing out from the lack of
air, the last of it that remained in his lungs escaped past his lips.

Knowing that she had no more time, the woman had blown a big enough bubble
to engulf the boy's form. The bubble held the boy in his laying form, as if he had
been suspended in air. Michael, who was in his own bubble of air, hovered in the
water up to the lifeless Kyro. Michael reached out of his bubble into his
partner's, pulling the dark haired boy into the blonde's bubble by his ankle.
Michael pressed his over lapped hands over Kyro's chest in a pulsing rhythm.

"You should've gotten to him sooner!" Michael growled at the woman.

The woman didn't respond as she watched the blonde preform CPR on the newer
deltic. After a few more pumps to the chest, Kyro vomited out water from his chest,
only to resort to a coughing fit in the bubble. Kyro sat up with Michael's hand
giving some support as Kyro held his head. The dark haired boy rubbed his face, as
if he'd been woken from a deep sleep.

"Did you see her? There was this chick, and she-.....oh." Kyro looked up at the
woman with a look of displeasure.

"Yeah, I saw her.", Michael smirked in teasing, " Get up, we have to get to
Atlantis."

"Don't fuck with me, Michael. You really expect me to believe that a civilization
really exists underwater?" Kyro asked.

"As much as the hand of Midas does." Michael argued.

"And what the hell is she? A mermaid!?" Kyro asked in annoyance.

"Don't call me that! Mermaid, what a ridiculous term. One that fools thought up, no
doubt." The woman complained.

"Well you sure as hell ain't a fairy!" Kyro growled at her, mad that she didn't get
to saving him faster.

"Of course not! Undyne, is the term we prefer." ,The woman crossed her arms, "But
enough with terminology, we're wasting time.", The woman swam off, leaving the two
in Michael's bubble.

"Hold your breath." Michael ordered Kyro.

"Why? I can breath here." Kyro pointed out as he got to his feet

"Yes, but she's right we're wasting time, and I don't do free loaders."

Before Kyro could even ask what Michael was talking about, Michael pushed
the werewolf out of his bubble towards Kyro's. Kyro sputtered, and coughed as
Michael placed his hands in his pockets, realizing that pushing Kyro back in the
water was probably a bit mean, not that he cared too much. Kyro glared at the
blonde as Michael turned to around, and without moving, summoned his bubble to
follow after the undyne woman. Kyro began to worry, unsure as to how Michael was
making his bubble move.

"How are you doing that!?" Kyro asked.

"Just think about the direction you want to move." Michael called over his
shoulder, not slowing down for the left behind.

Kyro growled, thinking that wasn't much instruction. Kyro sighed, thinking
that this couldn't be any different than a car... Kyro positioned himself, as if he
had taken the driver seat of a new car, took hold of an invisible wheel, and
slammed on the gas, where it would've been had it been an actual car. And for a
moment, he surprised himself, until he realized that the bubble was going only ten
miles an hour after the undyne woman, and Michael.

*Undyne History*

Now this is where history may get a bit messy, as the Undyne, and the
sirens were actually created at the same time. The originals of each race weren't
sisters in the least, but rather half-sisters, disguised as cousins. The two had
spent days inseparable, playing under the golden apple tree in ancient Greece, and
though they never knew it, the two were deltics. Keep in mind, at this era of time
deltics were considered gods, and were often treated as such, though the mother (A
vampire) of the two had taken each of the girls into hiding from their fathers,
knowing that their secret of being deltics would be discovered, and then their
status would be used for their fathers' gain.

She would not risk it, which is why she would give her children to a
trusted human friend, named Cicero, who would hide them from corrupted men. The
mother begged Cicero to bind her girl's abilities until they were of age to join
the "gods" where they would be protected, and revered. Cicero agreed, no one would
know about these children until they came of age.

Several years had past, and Cicero had called the girls his
nieces, tainting their wine with binding tonic. Everything was perfect, until a god
had stumbled upon the girls, a god named Poseidon. Bewitched by the girls' beauty,
he began to sneak into the garden to see them, where they would laugh, and talk,
both girls were entranced with Poseidon. Though one day, Cicero caught the god in
the garden with the girls, and demanded that he left them alone, not wanting his
"family" to be torn apart, when in reality, he too fell for the girls' beauty, and
wanted them to himself.

Poseidon, enraged that a mortal was separating him from his loves, changed
Cicero into a werewolf to wander the remains of his days as a beast. Poseidon then
led the girls to the Aegean sea, where Aphrodite was waiting for him, and the two
girls. Aphrodite was angry with Poseidon for turning her love, Cicero into a beast,
and demanded that he turn her love back. Poseidon refuse, resulting in Aphrodite's
rage, giving one of the girls wings, and bird feet. Poseidon grabbed the untainted
girl, diving into the water, though before the girl hit the water, Aphrodite zapped
her with some magic, making her feet transform into fins, and gills form at her
neck. Both girls hungry for the flesh of man-kind, causing Poseidon to abandon both
girls.

One on the land, and the other in the depths of the ocean.

It wasn't until many years after Poseidon's death, that the girl that the
girl trapped in the sea found that she didn't need to eat man to thrive. That fish
could easily suffice her apatite, and that she could save the victims of
shipwrecks, from her sister on shore, by cutting their leg with her scales, causing
them to change.

Atlantis

Kyro muddled behind Michael, and the fast swimming fish-woman, as they swam
down into a dark cave. It was bad enough that he wasn't going as fast as them, but
now he was going into a dark cave. He wasn't sure how long this bubble would keep
it's oxygen, or how durable it was against bumping into things. He really didn't
want to find out.

"Kyro. Stop messing around and get in here." Michael ordered.

"Shut up, blood sucker! I'm working on it." Kyro snapped as he slowly made his way
to the entrance of the cave.

"He's gonna need help." Michael's voice echoed in the cave as he talked to the
undyne, though the cave was so dark that Kyro couldn't see his companion.

Before Kyro could even ask what was happening a current swept him forward
from behind, pushing him into the cave. The bubble rushed through the cave, weaving
inside it as if it was avoiding the edges of its confinement. Kyro would've enjoyed
it if he wasn't completely blind as to what was happening outside his bubble, all
that he knew was that he was going fast, and that he had no control as to how to
maneuver his mode of transportation. His screams of terror echoed off the cave
walls, and they just seemed to get louder as a light shone in at the end.

The bubble made a squeaking sound as it squeezed through the small exit
hole of the cave, Kyro panting as he pressed himself to the back edge of the
bubble. Michael and the undyne woman coming up behind him, exiting with ease, and
passing him without bothering to make sure he was okay.

Michael stopped realizing that Kyro wasn't in pursuit, making the undyne
woman stop as well. Michael turned around to see the black-haired boy still panting
in fear from is surprise ride in the bubble. Michael sighed, realizing that he was
still going to need assistance getting places. Michael walked his bubble over to
Kyro, poking his hand out of his air container to his partner.

"Come on, free loader." Michael sighed.

"NO!" Kyro snapped, realizing that he didn't want to be in a bubble anymore.

"The sooner we get to the problem, the sooner we get to the surface. Now let's go
you big baby." Michael growled.

" I could always pop his bubble." The woman suggested moving from the spot she
froze in.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!!" Kyro panicked as she swam closer.

"Listen, these are your two options. Hop in my bubble willingly, or we pop yours
and hope you don't drown." Michael stated coldly, resulting in Kyro pouting as he
mulled over the idea of drowning. It wouldn't be such a bad way to go, he'd never
have to be in another bubble again. But then he knew that Michael wouldn't let him
die that easily.

"You're a cold bastard, you know that?" Kyro huffed as he got to his feet, offering
his own hand through the bubble he was in.

Michael smirked, locking thumbs with his partner as Kyro took a deep breath
before he was pulled out of his bubble, through the water, and into Michael's
bubble. Michael smirked as his partner shook his hair free of water like a dog.

"If you two are done, I believe you were summoned for a particular reason." The
undyne was becoming impatient.

"Yeah yeah." ,Michael mocked, "Where's the trident?"

The undyne spun around without a word, leading them further into Atlantis.
Kyro noticed that she seemed to be the only one in the sunken city, he wondered
where the other undyne were. The undyne looked back at the two air breathers, and
caught Kyro's inquisitive look.

"We keep this place secluded, it is sacred after all. This was the city that
Poseidon brought down for the first undyne, to combat her homesickness... until he
found out that she was a monster, then he abandoned her here." The undyne motioned
at the center of the city that was lit up with glow lanters that were made
completely made of magic, a gift from witches.

"Are you her?" Kyro asked.

"No, she passed thousands of years ago. Unlike humans, Undyne can live as long as
we want, the water keeping us as young as the day we were turned. But she wanted a
child, so she wouldn't feel so alone. She made the first Undyne deltic ",
she answered.

" But then how was Poseidon able to be the god of water? Was he actually a god?"
Kyro asked as they came to the temple of Poseidon that laid perfectly preserved in
the water.

"Deltics actually held more power back in those days, it wasn't until the battle of
the elders that the deltics were given limited power. The purebred species that
were originally given magic by the Kitsune, noticed that the deltics were becoming
too reckless, and destructive. They had to destroy their offspring to protect
themselves, and the world from collapse. It was no easy war to win." Michael
informed as they went inside the temple.

"The funny thing is that some of the races of magic were actually created by
Kitsune deltics. Which explains how Aphrodite was able to create the first Undyne,
and Siren, how Poseidon was able to make the first werewolf, and how Demeter had
created the nymphs. There are many races of magic who owed their existence to the
deltics, but there were few who stood with them in the war." ,The undyne informed
further before stopping at the center of the temple to find a glowing
yellow trident floating up right in the middle of the floor.

Michael crossed his arms as he looked at the trident, it was never a good
thing when things glowed. Kyro sat criss-crossed in the bubble as he scanned the
relic. The light of the trident wasn't bright enough to affect the room, but it was
enough to cause unease among the three of them.

"I don't know why you called us. We can't touch it." ,Michael scoffed, "You
should've specified for a undyne deltic."

"Even an undyne can't touch it in this state. It's protecting itself from everyone,
and everything." ,The undyne growled, "Which is why this needs to be taken to the
shades headquarters."

"Are you quite mad?!" ,Michael asked letting his english accent slip out, "There is
a reason that it's under the ocean!"

"I've spoken with the counsel of the five fallen cities, and they agree. The
trident isn't safe here." The undyne stated.

"There are five drowned cities?" Kyro asked in awe, but he was ignored as the two
others in his group continued to argue.

Not liking the idea of bickering that the two were having, especially since
it was echoing off the walls, and sound traveled pretty fast in water, Kyro sucked
in a big gulp of air before slipping out of the bubble, the water pressure was a
little more than Kyro thought, but he still held his own as he swam towards the
trident. He reached for the trident as he dug for the dagger that rested under his
shirt, but the moment that he touched the trident it turned a violent red color as
it began to emit a high pitch trill that rang off the walls, making the two that
were bickering cover their ears as they turned their attention to the trident.

Kyro winced as he sliced a hole of black sand in the water on the opposite
side of the trident. Once he deemed it big enough he placed his feet on the side of
it as if to launch himself. Michael tried to maneuver his bubble to Kyro before the
werewolf deltic could launch it into the black sand pit. Kyro had beaten Michael by
mere seconds, launching the screaming Trident into black sand, making the water
silent as he sped towards Michael's bubble. The black haired boy gasped as his head
broke through the bubbles surface, shaking his head free of water as the rest of
his body was submerged in it, on the outside of the air pocket.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WERE YOU THINKING!?!?" Michael screamed at him.

"We're shades, it's what we do. She didn't want it here, and you didn't want it in
the shades... so it's in the desert." Kyro responded calmly, before Michael's eyes
flashed red and pulled the his partner in by the collar of his shirt.

"YOU IDIOT! THE TRIDENT CAN'T BE OUT WHERE MORTALS CAN FIND IT!" Michael panicked.

Kyro reached into his partners hoodie pocket, digging out a touch screen
phone. Michael couldn't believe this moron, first almost drowning himself, then
exposing magic, and now he's using HIS phone for some stupid reason. Kyro swiped
away the lock screen, pressing the contacts button all while Michael was too
stunned to talk. It didn't take a lot of swiping before Kyro found the contact that
he wanted, and pressed it to his ear as it rang.
"What are you doing?", Michael asked, earning a "one moment" gesture from Kyro.
Michael instantly became annoyed, being motioned to be quiet while this twat was
using HIS phone! The nerve!

"Sirus, hey. It's Kyro. I kinda left something for you in the Gobi Desert.... I
don't know it just came to mind... Yeah yeah, listen. You're going to want Nyx to
handle it, apparently even undynes can't touch it in this state, maybe she'll have
something figured out by the time you guys get there.... I don't know, that's for
you to figure out." Kyro hung up and offered the phone to Michael who stared wide
eyed at the werewolf half breed.

"You lost... the trident." Michael pointed out.

"Wrong." ,Kyro smirked, "I remembered that Summer is part of the tracking unit at
the Shades, so I know she'll find it. But I'm gonna let you make that call."

"... You cheeky bastard" Michael took the phone feeling a bit better at what
happened.

"Can we please go back to the surface now?" Kyro begged.

Michael used his own knife to cut a black sand portal, motioning at the
portal as his eyed his partner. Kyro spared no time in rushing through the portal
without a second thought, knowing that the portal was leading him to a place above
water. Michael huffed, realizing that he was going to get yelled at for not keeping
a tighter leash on Kyro. He looked at the Undyne, who was bowing her head in
gratitude, she was going to be the only one that felt that way when he returned to
land... It'd be a miracle if Nyx didn't book him with the responsibility of
watching the trident.

Knowledge is Power

Nynx pushed thrusted the double doors wide open as her daughter tailed
behind her, as they made their towards the two boys who had just returned from
their mission in Atlantis. Michael slid his hands into his pockets, preparing for
an ear full from the director, his partner didn't look so calm. Nynx's fury
burrowed into their soul as the surrounding deltics halted in the hallway, knowing
better than to get under the fuming Kitsune's foot.

"WHICH ONE OF YOU BLOCK HEADS SENT THE TRIDENT TO THE GOBI DESERT!?!" Nynx's
booming voice echoed in the hall as she approached the two boys.

"I resent that." , Kyro crossed his arms, earning a concerned look from his
partner. It was almost a plea for him to shut up as Nynx and Iris stood a
foot away, "I resolved a problem."

"Idiot! You rose the tides!!!!!" ,The director kitsune panicked, "Humans are in
panic about it, thinking it's global warming that's caused this!"

"Good! Maybe, they'll actually give a damn about the environment now." Kyro smiled,
obviously proud of himself.

Nynx straightened herself, so frustrated with the new recruit that it was
taking everything she had not to turn him into a puffer fish, and see how he feels
about mother nature then. Fortunately, Michael beat her too it, and smacked his
partner up-side the back of the head with a stern, disappointed scowl on the
vampire-deltic's face. Kyro grunted in pain from the sudden smack, rubbing the
hurting spot as he watched the blonde shook his head.
"You have until sun down to fix this! Once the moon is up, its gravitational pull
will pin point the trident, rising the tides to wipe out civilizations." Iris
chirped up looking at her watch.

"What are we supposed to do with it when we find it?!" Kyro asked.

"Put it in deep water! Unless you don't mind becoming a fish!" Nynx growled as she
turned away.

"Psh. I can swim just fine." Kyro scoffed.

"You mis-understood me. I will make you a fish!" Nynx growled as she stormed off.

Michael couldn't help but sputter a laugh as his partner's face of horror
as Nynx disappeared behind the double doors again, closing them shut behind her
with magic. So much for the hot shot's plan. Luckily for Kyro, Michael had already
hatched an idea on how to fix such a problem. He passed the werewolf deltic as he
disappeared behind the corner of the hallway that was to their left. Realizing that
he was being ditched, Kyro sped after him.

"Don't leave me, you ass!" ,Kyro protested, "What if she comes back!?"

Michael stopped, he realized that he needed to know more about the trident,
but he didn't have time to execute his plan, and study up on it. He turned to Kyro,
gripping both shoulders of the black haired boy, his brown eyes widened in surprise
at his partners sudden action.

"Kyro, I need you to go to the library. Read up everything you can about the
trident." Michael instructed.

"A reading assignment?" ,Kyro whined, "I hate reading."

"Look at it this way mate, you fail this reading assignment, and we all can kiss
our bloody butts good-bye." ,Michael beamed encouragingly, "Especially yours, since
you'll be turned into fish and chips."

"You're hilarious." Kyro rolled his eyes before running off in the opposite
direction towards the library.

"I'll meet you in the cafeteria when you're done!" Michael announced as he
continued running down the hallway using his vampire speed.

It didn't take long for Kyro to reach the library, where other deltics were
busy being intertwined in their fables, and information. Though the panting of the
werewolf deltic caused them all to look up from their activities, and watch as he
entered the library were books were floating about the room in silence. Not really
sure about why he was being watched, Kyro pulled out a chair at one of the three
tables that sat in the middle of the library. Though there were only five others at
the tables, they quickly got up and scooted the two tables they had occupied,
through the aisles of bookshelves with much difficulty. The group had eventually
given up, and flipped the table onto its side as if to place a barricade between
them and the werewolf deltic, and placed the second table on the legs of the table
that had been flipped onto its side, to shield them from aerial attacks. Kyro
watched the deltics in puzzlement, but shrugged it off as he tapped on the table
awkwardly. He had briefly forgotten how summon a book, and he looked around to see
if someone would help him out.

His attention circled the library, but he found that everyone was afraid to
take their eyes off him, but didn't offer any assistance.

"Um....book?" Kyro skeptically questioned with he palm in the air, as he was being
watched.

"Call for your topic, stupid." He heard a male voice groan from behind the table
fort.

"Oh....Trident!" Kyro called out.

A slow rumbling sounded throughout the library, making the other deltics
look around for where the sound was coming from. Several aisle's away seven
cases of books came flying off their shelves towards the one who summoned for
topics on a trident (12 feet tall cases, with 11 shelves a foot spacing between
each, that were 10 feet long). The books sped towards Kyro, who turned his head to
the left ,where the books were coming from, in time to be smacked in the face with
the first book in line, which happened to be a rather thick hard cover with a black
binding. The impact knocked Kyro onto his back, and the other books piled on top of
him causing him to be buried underneath the mass of reading material.

The five deltics that had taken shelter in the table fort had peaked around
the edges of their safety zone to see the werewolf deltic groaning as he got back
to his feet, dusting himself off.

"That's gonna leave a couple bruises." Kyro groaned in pain picking up the first
book that hit him in the face.

He flipped open the cover, bringing him to the table of contents. A single
chapter had interested him, so he flipped to it, and skimmed it for information.
The chapter was supposed to entail the use of the trident, though he found that
there was very limited information on the subject, but rather found that it gave
fables on how the trident was used. Kyro figured his search was going to take
awhile, but he had wished that the book that hit him first would've been a bit more
helpful.

Kyro sighed before setting the book on the table he was sitting at before
the books piled on him. Kyro picked up another, as one of the five deltics that had
taken shelter behind the table fort crawled out from between the side table's legs,
sensing that it was okay to come out.

"You've obviously never done this before." The voice that had sounded earlier
finally had a face. A taller male with flawless espresso complexion and light brown
eyes, wearing a simple t-shirt, with a plaid grey jacket, and Jeans.

"Nope." ,Kyro ignored the new comer as he read the contents of the second book he
picked up, only to find nothing important in it, "Just winging it." Kyro closed the
book with one hand, and put it on the table with the other.

"There are other people who would probably read these." The new comer hinted.

"They're gonna have to get in line." Kyro huffed, not finding anything in the
second one either.

The boy who emerged from the table bent down and picked up a book, figuring
that if this kid wasn't going to get the hint, the least he could do is help him
find whatever he's looking for. Maybe then the books would get back on the shelf
faster, though he had no clue what the newest deltic was looking for.

"What are you looking for exactly?" The guy asked looking up from the book he
opened.

"Directions on how to use a trident." Kyro stated nonchalantly as he placed the

third book on the shelf.

"I see." The guy had closed his book, setting it on the table with the others that
Kyro had placed down before picking up a book with a blue hard cover with a gold
trident on it, and handed it to Kyro, "Then this is what you're looking for. Here,
I've read it at least twice."

Kyro looked at the guy with surprise, "You've read this? Then you must know a lot
about tridents."

"I guess. There are several tridents through out history, but I only know about
Poseidon's trident."

"You're shitting me." Kyro blinked.

"No?" The guy answered, unfamiliar with the term.

"Fuck reading, you're coming with me! Michael is gonna shit himself, I found a
walking book!" Kyro beamed as pulled the guy that was taller than him by at least a
foot by the collar of his jacket. Hearing the name Michael, the guy followed
Kyro as he ran out of the library towards the commons.

Solution found

Michael was waiting patiently in the cafeteria with Iris, Pierecy, Sirus,
Cameron, Sarah, Alex, Summer, and Brandy all huddled around him when Kyro came
running in with his walking, talking book. Michael turned around to see a panting
Kyro, and the male companion that he dragged along.

"What are you doing here Damian?" Michael asked out of curiosity.

"This dude, just dragged me along." The male called Damian motioned at Kyro.

"He knows about the trident." Kyro informed Michael.

"Spill it, Damian. How do we control the trident?" Michael asked.

"First, tell me why you need to know." Damian asked.

"These two idiots, pulled it from the ocean, and into the Gobi desert." Iris
informed haughtily with her arms crossed.

"Michael... that's got to be the stupidest thing you've done so far." Damian
pinched the bridge of his nose.

"It wasn't me, it was him!" Michael protested as he pointed to Kyro to place the
blame.

"At least tell me you got the trident out of the desert." Damian groaned.

"Vivian, Piercey and I have already located, and moved the trident into a holding
vault." Summer announced, nodding at the other girl who happened to be there.

"That's a start." ,Damian sighed, "But the trident responds to the pressure of the
ocean, the higher the pressure, the lower the tides are."
"So we have to get the pressure just right?" Cameron added not knowing why exactly
he was involved in the group.

Michael's eyes brightened as he turned to face the group that he

gathered, "Summer, Alex. I need you two to draw magic from the trident
to strengthen the vault, and make it leak proof, I don't want a single molecule of
air to be able to escape the trident's holding vault. Damian, I need you to fill
the vault with water, Cameron, you're going to squeeze that water around the
trident with earth. Piercey, You're going to have to use levitating magic to make
sure the ball doesn't drop. Let's get to it, chaps."

The group ran after Michael as he left the cafeteria to head into the main
hallway before taking an almost immediate left towards a staircase that led
downstairs. The groups foot steps echoed in the stairway, lit by glowing sphere
light fixtures that were built on the wall, offering full light to the brick
stairs. At the bottom of the staircase there were rows of stainless steel doors
with numbers on each of them, above each of the vault locks. Each door had a
small, thin, glass window to show what was behind each door. Some held magical
prisoners, others magical trinkets that were too risky to let out into the outside
world, but not necessarily powerful, just dangerous to mortals.

Michael stopped in front of a vault that read 249, through the vault window
he could see the trident propped against the wall opposite the door. The yellow
glow from the relic lit the room, and the ringing that it emitted was still fairly
loud without even opening the door. Michael knew that once the vault door was
opened, their plan would have to be put into action so that his companions didn't
collapse from the sound.

Michael turned to his companions to see if they were ready, but they looked
more confused than ever.

"Michael, how am I supposed to get water around it? There's no water here!" Damian
growled.

"Iris can summon the water fall from outside." Michael informed.

"Are you stupid!?" ,Iris exclaimed, "I'll flood the entire main floor."

"Everyone will be fine, I believe you can control it enough to get it down here."
Michael explained.

"But what about us, Mikey?! We could possibly dr-"

"For THE LOVE OF GOD! Stop calling me MIKEY, and just do it!!" Michael ordered
interrupting Iris.

Iris frowned, not liking that her crush yelled at her, or that he had
ordered her to do something that she felt was going to put them all in danger. The
kitsune deltic had walked over to the stairs, focusing her gaze at the top step as
if she was expecting something to come down. Michael sighed, happy to be rid of the
annoying girl, before returning his attention to the vault door, knowing that Alex,
and Summer were ready for their task.

Michael turned the lock on the vault, hearing it's latch open the two
started moving their opened palms as if they were pulling invisible ropes from the
trident to the walls of the vault, causing the trident to ring louder as it turned
from yellow to red. The group covered their ears, except the two who were pulling
magic from the trident to fortify the vault.
 On the floor above the group, the waterfall had taken a different route
from its original trail over the cliff at the side of the castle that has served as
the shade's headquarters. The water trickled through the the dirt, making its way
towards the inside of the castle, turning from a trickle to a roar the further it
got into the castle. The mass of water turned into a wave that was fallowing the
route that it was being summoned along, sweeping innocent victims off their feet,
and occasionally barreling over them.

Iris's eyes widened at the sound of rushing water coming down the stairs,
"Michael!"

Michael turned his head just in time to see Iris press herself against wall
as the water spewed, full force from the stairway. Kyro hid behind the vault door
where Michael stood.

"Damian!" Michael called out.

Damian stepped forward routing the wave of water over the group that stood
in front of the vault door, and moved it towards the trident turning the red relic,
back into it semi-normal yellow stage. Damian submerged the trident in the water,
making it a sphere that had dulled the ringing sound, but didn't silence it. Damian
stepped back, satisfied with his part in the plan, as he put his arms at his side.

"Iris, I could use some dirt about now." Michael winced as the trident continued to
scream.

"Shut up, Michael! I'm working on it!" Iris yelled as she pinched her eyes shut,
summoning dirt from outside the castle walls.

"Who's supposed to deal with the dirt?" Cameron asked looking around the group
confused.

"You, you dumb bastard! You're a fucking incubus, aren't ya?!?!?" Brandy asked,
hoping they didn't get the wrong dumb fuck as specks of dirt started to trail down
the steps to where the group was.

"I don't know how to fondle dirt!!!" Cameron panicked.

"Could you not word it like that!?! It's bad enough you're a sex demon!" Summer
gagged as the dirt that flew down the stairway grew in mass.

"Fuck you! You wish you looked as good as me." Cameron winked at Summer playfully.

"Fucking sex demon." Damian shook his head.

"Typical Sex demon." Sarah agreed.

"Hot damn! Sex demon." Alex Signed.

"Okay, stop calling me that! I'm not a sex demon! I mean, I am great in bed, but
now is not the time for that!" ,Cameron huffed looking at those that called him a
sex demon, well those he could understand, "Someone tell me what the hell I have to
do!"

"Calm down, sex demon. Now is not the time to rub out your frustrations." Sirus
joined in as the dirt falling down the stairs became an avalanche.

"If we die, I hope you all go to hell." Cameron stated as he faced the avalanche of
dirt with opened palms as if was just feet away from burying them.
"For fucks sake, here, sex demon!" Summer pressed her three fingers, her thumb
holding her pinky, to his forehead, giving him information on how to control the
dirt.

Understanding what was required of him, Cameron summoned the dirt around
the water, commanding it to ball up tight to seal the water underneath its forming
crust. Piercey understood that this was her limited time frame to cast levitation
magic on the earth sphere so that the trident would be tricked into thinking that
it was under heavy pressured water. Though Piercey didn't expect for the sphere to
be so heavy, and therefore miscalculated how much magic was required of her,
resulting in the sphere to begin dropping.

Cameron quickly put out his hands as if to catch the sphere from where he
stood, making the ball of earth float along with Piercey's magic.

"Iris!" Piercey shouted.

"I swear I'm going to kill the next person who calls my name!" Iris panted as she
summoned the last of her energy to call forth another wave of water.

"Shut up and help! You lazy bitch!" Sirus snapped as he watched Piercey struggle.

Iris death glared at Sirus, resulting in a dam bursting amount of water to

pour from the stairs, straight at the siren boy. Sirus was saved, however, from
Iris's wet wrath by Damian who used the water to fill the vault to the brim, while
using his magic to keep the water inside as the vault door stayed open. Seeing that
Damian couldn't keep the water in for much longer, Kyro and Michael closed the
Vault, that had the sphere of dirt floating perfectly in the middle of the room.
The ringing of the trident had finally stopped as the vault lock snapped into
place. Peircey's legs immediately gave out, and she would've hit the ground harder
if Sirus hadn't grabbed her arm, and gently lowered her to a sitting position as he
crouched next to her. Iris slid downwards with her back still against the wall,
while Michael bent over with his hands on his knees, panting heavily. Michael
turned his head to the right to see Kyro still holding onto the vault latch as his
legs turned to jello. Summer and Alex were in no better condition as they were
leaning against the wall with their backs as if it would keep them standing, as
Brandy started to give them some energy, that had emitted a blue glow from his
hands. Damian was already sitting on the ground with his legs outstretched with
Sarah, standing next to him, evaluating the mess that the team had created in the
hallway

"Sirus... I'm gonna fucking kill you." Iris laughed out of breath.

"Don't touch my man...bitch." ,Piercey smiled as she looked at Sirus who was still
sitting next to her, then turned to Cameron, "Nice work, Sex demon."

"Fuck..... You." Cameron panted as Piercey punched his forearm playfully.

"She's got me for that, thanks though." Sirus smirked.

"I hate you all." Damian moaned as he flopped backwards onto the wet muddy tiled
floor.

Another Letter.

Michael was sitting in his room at his desk, swiveling around in the desk's
chair, trying to piece together the puzzle as to why everyone's relics were
disappearing. Obviously, if they were gone there would be war, but the reason as to
why anyone would want the magical realm to be at war was beyond him. As it was, if
the person who stole the hand of Midas was after all the magical relics they seemed
to have no magic at all, not if they used a bath bomb to murk the water. Or perhaps
they knew of the water's magical properties, and they saw that as their only
solution to get the hand of Midas without being recognized.

Michael looked at the clock that was placed on the wall opposite his door,
eleven-thirty p.m, any moment now, he suspected there would be another letter. Sure
enough, a red flash of light, and a letter had magically appeared on the foot of
his bed, a peacock stamped into the dull blue wax that sealed its contents inside
the envelope. Michael sighed, wishing that she would get the hint.

Michael slid his chair over to grab the letter, its wax still warm, yet
solid, as he held it in his hands. Michael reached back onto his desk for a letter
opener with a wooden handle. Carefully, Michael slid the blade under the seal to
expose the letter that was several pages long. The young blonde, took the mass of
papers out, discarding the envelope in the trash under his desk, as he unfolded the
paper that held a conversation that he was glad he didn't have to have face to
face.

Dear Michael,

I hope this letter finds you well, I understand that being a part of the
shade organization leaves you little time to write back to me. I still cling to the
hope that you will find time to respond, as I know nothing about you, aside from
what your mother tells me.

It must be difficult to be a deltic, and still have to participate in your

magical kin’s traditions, I imagine it to be harder still to know that you’re
still not accepted as a full member of either community. I honestly can’t help but
envy you, I say this because I’m nervous when the thought of us meeting crosses my
mind, but I’m more worried about what becomes of us after.

I don’t wish to be alone, and I know that your life is shorter than mine,
but I wish to be a part of it. I wish to know you. So I must ask a favor of you,
and though I understand that it may prove impossible since we don’t know each
other, but-

Michael stopped reading, holding his forehead with his finger tips as his
elbow was propped on the arm rest of the desk chair. He looked out the window as it
occurred to him that he never wrote her, though if he was honest, he didn't know
what to say. They were arranged to be married, as per a stupid law, but it was a
law none the less.

From what her earlier letters stated, she was a great-granddaughter of

Dracula himself. The only reason that she was paired with Michael, was because his
reputation had caught Dracula's eye. Where as many disapproved of a member of the
Asachi family, the main line of Dracula, marrying a half breed, the head vampire
was more than pleased with Michael's virtues.

Though the more Michael thought about it, the more unconvinced he became
that there wasn't more to it. If Dracula really wanted the best for his great-
granddaughter, then he could've stalked a nice boy, and turned him into a vampire
for her. Though from what Michael had read from many texts in the shade's library,
new vampires were difficult to control, and it would take years before they could
control their blood lust, compared to those who were born vampires.

Michael sighed, finding that the situation was too fragile to turn someone.
He looked at the clock once more, eleven-thirty-one. He suspected that if he was
ever going to write her, now would be the most opportune time. He grabbed a sheet
of lined notebook paper, and a fountain pen that he had stashed in one of the desk
drawers. He paused, not knowing how to start this letter. He didn't want to woo
her, and he didn't want to sound rude, but the truth of his opinions had to be
stated.

Dear Raisa,

I apologize for not writing you sooner. All this time I had no idea
what to say to you. For the longest time I thought you'd hate me, for something
that neither of us could control. Though I'm still not sure if your grandfather had
picked the right match for you, as I feel more human than vampire. I'm sorry if
that's not what you wanted to hear.

My mother, I've only met once. I'm afraid that once I was born my
grandfather was so ashamed of my mother's infidelity that he immediately summond me
to the shades once he learned of my existence at the age of seventeen, never mind
that I had been adopted by a lovely woman and her two biological kids, who I've
accepted as my own siblings. I only met my biological mother three years ago, when
I was told by the council that I was to be included in the match-making
ceremonies. As for my father, we've have never had the chance to meet.

I do not know where you stand on our marriage, and I hope that you
won't be too disheartened when I tell you that I'm not enthralled with the idea of
marrying a stranger. The only thing I know about you is that you're older than me,
and a daughter of the Asachi family. I would like to know you, even if I can't give
you what you need. Would you be willing to meet me this Thursday night at
Leadenhall Market, in London?

Michael put down the pen, reading the last line he wrote on the page. He
hoped that she would refuse his offer, He wasn't completely sure that he wanted
this. However, he felt this was the right thing to do. It's not like he could avoid
the situation for too much longer.

Michael opened a shallow drawer to his left, filled with envelopes,

stuffing his small letter inside. He then dug into another drawer, grabbing a
golden candle, lighting it, and spilling the wax onto the closed envelope. Once
Michael deemed that there was enough wax, he blew out the flame and took his seal
stamp from the corner of his desk, pressing it into the wax. Michael stared at the
prancing deer that was captured onto the wax, wondering if this was the letter he
wanted to send to his fianceé. Though before he could think too much about it, he
tossed the letter onto his bed, where Raisa's had appeared, before swirling his
chair back around to face his desk.

"litteras mittere." Michael chanted.

A red flash briefly lit his room, taking the letter as the room returned
to its night time lighting. Michael sighed, regretting that he had sent that
letter, but there was no taking it back now. Michael sighed wondering what his old
partner would've thought of him, selling out his freedom to a stranger like this.
No doubt she wouldn't have approved.

Michael crossed his arms over his desk, and laid his chin down in disdain.
Ever since Kyro brought her up, he's been thinking more and more about his dead
partner. He often found himself wishing that there were things as ghosts, just so
he could tell her what was on his mind. She was good at setting Michael straight,
and he missed that about her. But she's gone... and it's all been going down hill
since her death.
"Michael?" A female voice called after a few knocks on his closed door.

"........Shouldn't you be in bed, Piercey?" Michael asked, without moving as she

opened the door.

"I wanted to check on you. I heard your voice." The djinn deltic let herself in.

"I'm fine."

The djinn noticed the wax candle had a few strands of recently warmed wax
running down it, and she stared at the vampire deltic in confusion. He had never
sent letters before, he always told her that letters are for cowards who can't say
things to your face.

"You sent something." Piercey acknowledged.

"Just a letter." Michael answered.

"You don't write letters.... What's going on?" Piercey asked worried.

Michael sighed, realizing that he was making his friend worry, "The vampire
council has announced my engagement."

"To who?"

"Her name is Raisa Asachi. She is the great-granddaughter of Dracula."

"Have you met her?"

"No."

"Then why an engagement?"

"Because Vampire breeding is like Panda breeding. You only have one at a time, and
the process is very particular." Michael sighed as he finally sat up right and
turned the chair to see her.

Piercey blushed a little, not wanting to know the particulars. Michael

wasn't sure what she wanted this information for, this wasn't her this was
happening to. Michael watched as she fidgeted with her hands, rubbing the sides of
her fingers raw with her finger nails. This was a habit that she usually did when
she was feeling anxious.

"Is there anyway out of it?" Piercey asked.

Michael shook his head no, dropping eye contact, "Death 'til we part."

"What are you going to do?" Peircey asked as Michael rose from his chair to
approach her.

"I'm gonna meet her," , Michael started as he took her hands into his to stop her
from hurting herself further, "and do the best I can for her. I owe her that at
least."

*Djinn History*

Djinn were the results of a mourning elf who had lost his clan to
werewolves that were trying to re-enslave the free elves of that clan. When the
elves didn't comply to the wolfish demands, they were slaughtered, all except one
who had been fishing all afternoon.

The elf was visited by a Kitsune who had claimed to have revived a deceased
friend, on the second day of the elf's mourning. Moved by the Kitsune's tales, the
elf decided to attempt the same on a much larger scale, with the kitsune's
instruction. Realizing that he would need more magic than he had, he stole relics
from the existing magic species to draw power from.

The elf's chant had worked, and his clan was reborn, but they weren't the
same. Many of them were angry with the elf for going against the way of the world,
for elves; death was a beautiful thing to behold. To make matters worse, they were
fighting among themselves as well. Some believing that there was a reason for their
revival, other's demanding to be put back to peace.

Many years of this had passed, and the elf was trying to make right by his
people by putting them back to rest, to earn their forgiveness. Fearing they might
never be put to rest, a group of the elf's clan snuck into his hut in the middle of
the night, and murdered him, hoping that it would break the spell. But to no
avail.

The kitsune who had watched yet another friend die in front of him, turned
his anger on the clan. He grew to a massive size, seizing the members of the clan,
and locking them away in bottles that were magically sealed. Their punishment
wouldn't be death, it would be that they would be trapped in servitude.

The kitsune had scattered the bottles through out the globe, and for many
years the Djinn were at the mercy of the masters that found them. It wasn't until
1867, that a djinn had been released from her bottle by the mercy of an kitsune who
shared the blood of the one who had trapped her, and her kind.

The djinn thanked the kitsune, and asked for a vial of her blood to rescue
the rest of her clan. Understanding the need to have your clan with you, the
kitsune agreed. The djinn had spent thirty years looking for the rest of her clan,
and she only found seventeen of them.

The new clan was torn from their many points of view and split into five
clans. One clan that continued looking for the remaining elf clan members, The
Bahr. The second clan that refused to acknowledge the other's were missing, but
rather that they had perished from the cruelty of their masters, The Sama. The
third clan sought vengeance against those that wronged them, The Ghabar. The fourth
clan sought to push their limits, and understand their center of being, The Ramal.
And the fifth clan, sought repent for their deeds against the elf who revived them,
The Shajara.

The clans have never gotten along after they were free to do as they
wished, and hence they would very seldom come together. Though the population of
the clans increased through out the years, the only difference the clans realized
that they had from the elves was that they were able to access magic easier, but
that didn't necessarily make them more powerful, if anything it made them more
vulnerable.

*Siren History*

History of the Sirens starts off as the same as the Undyne, though
after Posideon abandoned the siren girl, she had made her home on the cliffs of
Greece to remain close to her beloved god. Fixated on her love for the water
deltic, she never left the coast, making her prey upon the unsuspecting ships that
would come to port.
 It wasn't until one day Eleos, goddess of mercy, (a Faery deltic),
called upon the two cursed girls on a beach. She told the two sisters that she had
watched their story from the very beginning, and that she would offer to help them
of their suffering, if they would pledge their allegiance to her instead of fawning
over a god who had abandoned them. The two agreed, and the goddess gave them each a
potent vial that would make them look human so that they would be able to go on
with their lives.

The two drank the vile, and immediately turned human. They were so grateful
at being turned back, but they secretly continued to worship the god under the sea.
Finding out that the two were transformed back, Posideon returned to their company,
showering them in gifts and affection in secret from Eleos. As years went by, their
beauty did not waiver, and their hate for one another grew from the jealousy of
Posideon's divided affections.

Fearing the two sister's would fight among themselves, Eleos tricked
Posideon on an endeavor that would result in him being locked away for three
millennia. Though this did not deter the fighting, the two girls wandered Greece,
creating armies, causing wars in the name of their vanity. For decades the two
girls had created armies around them, and fought against one another with men that
bought their lies, it wasn't until the First Messenian War, that the goddess of
Nemesis, half-sister of Eleos disrupted the battle.

She accused the two sisters of neglecting their promise to her beloved
sister ,Eleos, by having battles in the name of their vanity, over a god that was
no longer with them. She cursed the two back into their hideous bodies, though
Nemesis found the vial her sister had given them to be a very potent potion. So
potent in fact that they kept their immortality, and able to transform to their
human bodies every new moon.

Eleos watched in disappointment at the two sisters who had failed to heed
her wishes, as they were cursed to live out the remainder of their immortal lives.
Feeling her sister's anger for her, Nemesis placed one final curse on the two
deltic children.

The Undyne sister would be able to give life to a single offspring in

exchange for her life, as would her descendants after her. The Siren sister would
be cursed to have offspring in painful multitudes, but only have one live out their
life after a year of birth. Allowing her to get close to her children, and love
them whole-heartedly, but them watch them die in her arms, as would her future
descendants.

*Faery History*

Faery's are actually the result of a djinn lonely djinn, named

Amaria who would later become part of the Shajara clan. In the djinn's thousand
year's of solitude, she had began to test the limits of her magic, growing rather
bored of granting other people's wishes. Amaria was only seven when she suffered
the kitsune's wrath that was due to her clan mate's murder. To pass the time, she
would often play games with her imaginary friends.

One fateful day in 1212 Europe, Amaria was summoned from her lamp, by a
girl, named Allison, that looked to be about twelve. Allison, never having met a
djinn before took an interest in Amaria, and quickly befriended her, and the two
have stayed together for years. The girl being extra careful to not use the "I-
Wish" phrase around her djinn friend, knowing fully well that she would transfer to
another owner. Amaria was permitted to stay outside her lamp, and wander as far as
her lamp would allow her to be.
 Amaria was grateful for a friend, though her friend aged as the years went
on, until one day, she lay dying. Amaria, still unchanged, held her friend's hand
as the elder woman smiled. Allison smiled at her life long friend, and told her
that she would like to address her three wishes. Amaria agreed, hoping that one of
them would be for a longer life, or to return to girl-hood.

Instead, Allison asked that her family know only happiness, her life long
friend was free, and that Amaria wouldn't be alone ever again, but surrounded by
friends. Amaria was horrified as her friend closed her eyes for the last time, not
even aware that Allison's third wish had made Amaria's imaginary friends take
physical form.

Amaria felt a pat on her head, making her raise her head to see a girl,
resembling Allison in her earlier years, the only difference was that she had
wings. There were others behind her, and they were all just as happy as to see
her.

Though, when Amaria traded in her immortality for her new clan's belief,
the faeries remained. Facing harsh cruelty from experimenters, luck seekers, and
treasure hunters, so they now hide among man-kind in plain sight.

Babysitting

Michael looked up from his scroll that he received from Isabell to

see three dragons glaring down at him and a petrified Kyro. A green dragon sat up
on a treasure horde, waiting patiently for the deltics to speak, the red dragon
laid it's head on its front claws in curiosity. A golden dragon that had its wings
folded on its back, laid on its side, its tail draped over the ledge to the left of
the two boys, rattling the tip of its tail in annoyance at the visitors.

"You best give us an answer, deltic." The gold dragon growled.

Michael scoffed as he rolled the scroll back up, "I'm sorry, I just didn't know
Dragons needed baby sitters."

"Your kind owes us a great debt, especially since it was your human ancestors that
forced us to hide in the realm of magic." ,The gold dragon snarled, "Among the
lesser species."

"Debt? You tried to wipe out the humans!" ,Michael snapped, out the corner of his
eye he could see Kyro shaking in fear.

"And now we are nearly extinct due to the Shades lack of involvement." The red
dragon intervened.

Michael puffed up his right cheek with air, realizing that he couldn't
argue with that. He raised his right hand to rub the back of his head as blew air
out as he twisted his body to see the eggs on the other side of Kyro. There were
five pale white eggs that were sitting in a pile of gold coins.

"Your egg has been missing for almost two months. What makes you think it's still
out there." Michael argued.

"The same way you feel the magic flowing through your blood." The blue dragon
calmly answered.

Again, Michael found himself unable to argue with a creature ten times his
size, and that could easily eat him whole. Kyro looked at Michael with fear in his
eyes, begging for his blonde companion not to piss off the flying reptiles. Michael
sighed, realizing that they didn't really have a choice, especially since Isabell
gave a direct order.

"Fine. How long?" Michael caved.

"We'll be back in two moons." The golden dragon stretched on its ledge like a cat.

The two dragons on the ledges fluttered down to join the blue dragon that
had left its pile of gold to leave out the caves exit. The pair of deltics watched
as the dragons spread their wings and glided off the cliff one at a time. The red
dragon paused a moment to look over its shoulder at the two smaller beings with
their eggs with a glare.

"Do not let harm befall them, or harm will befall you." The dragon warned before
it glided off.

Once the dragons had disappeared into the sky, Kyro felt a little more at
ease. The newer deltic walked over to the eggs ,his partner's gaze following him as
Kyro placed a hand on its warm pale surface, earning a wiggle from it. Kyro's
vision snapped up from the egg to the more experienced deltic. The blonde's gaze
was just as worried at Kyro's, dragon eggs were one thing, dragon babies were
another.

"These things aren't going to hatch are they?" Kyro asked fearfully.

Michael walked over to his partner, not quite sure what to tell him, as the
blonde placed his hand on one of the other eggs. The egg was still.

"No, I think we're fine." ,Michael stated, before a cracking sound echoed off the
caves of the walls, Michael tossed his head to face the ceiling of the cave in
annoyance "Well shit."

The egg that Kyro had touched began to crack, a small blue nose peeking
through the hole it chipped in the shell. Kyro backed away as the small cracked egg
began to coo. Michael rushed over to see the small dragon, clawing furiously at the
shell, freeing itself from its egg prison. It was about the size of a medium dog,
it's scales were much like a blue iguana's with a golden crest. The dragon's eyes
were golden orange, as it stared at what it had deemed as intruders, before
screeching at them as it charged at them.

The deltics ran from the creature, knowing fully well its intentions as it
growled, scrambling towards them. The werewolf deltic bounded off on top of a
treasure mound, out running the over-sized lizard. The small dragon, realizing that
it had no chance in getting Kyro, turned its attention to the blonde. The small
dragon scrambled towards the blonde, growling and slipping on a few gold coins.

"Back off you bloody Chameleon!" Michael ran towards the taller treasure mound,
knowing the small dragon couldn't be able to make the climb.

Michael clawed at the taller mound to scramble at it, but with the little
progress he would make he would slide back further down the mountain. The dragon
was nearly on top of him when a flying gold scepter clocked the unsuspecting dragon
on the head, like it was a basket ball hitting a small child, earning a grumble of
pain from the dragon before it turned to look at Kyro. Michael turned his attention
to his partner.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you!? You can't hit a baby like that!" Michael
chided the other deltic.
 The baby dragon began to cry tears
erupted from the infant, upset that it was
his lap, coddling the dragon like it was a
were falling on the gold coins rather than
heavily, which prompted Michael to sing in
of lava from its eyes, a horrifying cry
struck. Michael pulled the dragon into
puppy, positioning it so that it's tears
the deltic's lap. The dragon was bawling
the tune of 'hush little baby'.

"Säja maki himb das nee-jama. Michael, veera lębja das fęr-I-ra." ,The dragon
sniffled as it listened to Michael sing, calming down, "Kæg fęr-I-ra gra ves nef
eet. Michael, bį dasj asha sef-ireet." ,The dragon's eyes began to droop from
exhaustion, "Kæg Sef-ireet ja veen ūsa, Michael cama den fema upá-nan."

The dragon's eyes closed, resting it on Michael's lap as it slept. Sensing

the danger was no longer a problem, Kyro slid down his treasure mound to sit at
it's base, staring at his partner in curiosity.

"Are you speaking dragon?" Kyro asked.

"He doesn't know english yet." Michael sighed, petting the dragon's head.

"But he can speak." ,Kyro skeptically eyed his blonde partner, "I still can't
believe they exist."

"Well that would be due to the shades wiping the history slate clean." Michael
explained.

"So what is the dragon history? How can they co-exist with humans?"

"Are you familiar with the holy grail? King Arthur? Any of that?"

"Yeah?"

"Well during what the creatures of magic refer to as 'the age of Merlin', the
dragons were created from a kitsune prisoner. Dragons would terrorize villages,
killing livestock, people, creatures of magic. King Arthur had summoned Merlin to
spell weapons so that they would kill dragons, but Merlin's magic was only able to
create one."

"Excalibur."

Michael nodded, " King Arthur was relentless in killing the beasts that had
attacked his people, he showed no mercy. In fact he went mad with power. Merlin saw
that his king was going mad, so he followed the dragons into the Carpathian
mountains, where he plead with the dragons to never return, or face death. The
dragons were reluctant to believe that Merlin had created such a weapon, but there
were survivors that knew the truth. The council of fire, demanded that Merlin
destroy the weapon, but he couldn't. Instead, Merlin cloaked them from anyone who
would want to do them harm, and give them the ability to camouflage themselves. In
fact it was Merlin who created the Shades."

"Don't bullshit me, Michael. If Merlin was the one who created the Shades, then why
isn't he the one running it?"

"Merlin supposedly died, in 589 A.D. It would make sense, I imagine he was the only
one who could make the deltic "gods" get their heads out of their arses. Or at
least handle their shit."

"Died? I didn't think magical beings died." Kyro picked up a gold coin that had
originated in Greece.
"The only immortal magical creatures are the Nymphs, some Djinn clans, Faeries,
Sirens and Vampires. And even then, they are able to be killed, if one knows how."

"And the deltics?"

"We're just as mortal as humans now."

"Wait.... Didn't deltics used to be immortal gods?" Kyro asked.

"We changed because of Merlin. Before his death, he saw what the shades could
become, but the problem was over half the deltic population was filled with power
hungry arseholes. According to texts of the shades construction, he had used an
absorption stone, like a metal marble, and he cast a spell on it, so that three
fifths of deltic's power would be collected into it, even before the deltic was
born into this world. Though something that would be collecting power, constantly
over the decades would have to be extremely powerful, so you can imagine that he
hid it."

" Wow.. was Merlin a deltic?" Kyro asked.

"Worse, he was a fool." A voice boomed, followed by the flapping of wings, his
right claws fisted around something.The two deltics looked to see the red dragon
returning to the cave, "Merlin was nothing more than a lucky witch, who's parents
were a kitsune of the old magic, and an elf. Merlin thought he could control that
power, and the power that he had sapped from others." The dragon stomped over to
the deltics.

"What do you mean?" Michael asked.

"Merlin had first attempted to sever magic from the old gods, to subdue their lust
for power, but then he realized that taking magic had a price. He created the dawn
stone, so that it could sap power before a deltic was even born. His creation, may
of brought peace for the generations that would come after him, but at a great
cost. His line has been severed from Magic."

"Severed? I didn't think that was possible." Michael stated.

"It is, and I have reason to believe that someone is trying to undo it." The dragon
announced.

"How? They would have no magic, unless.... they drew it from the relics." Michael's
face paled.

"Wait. I read that only creatures of magical blood can touch the relics, if the
line is severed, they wouldn't have magic in their blood at all." Kyro
interrupted.

"They will now." , The dragon sighed opening it's hand to show a cracked in half
egg, with a cider colored, youngling dragon laying in its palm quietly. It looked
nearly asleep, had it not had its throat slit, with red blood oozing out of the
cut, "Merlin's spell will be undone... It will only take time."

Crucial Report

Michael and Kyro rushed through their portal that had landed them back in
the Shades headquarters. The few deltics that were still up in the late hour,
paused a moment to let the new arrivals through the hallways. Michael led the way
to the dark oak doors with silver handles, to which he pushed opened. The sleeping
kitsune headmaster, was sitting up in her bed, waiting for the two of them.
"Isabell, we're fucked." Michael started.

Isabell Nyx listened to what the pair had to say, from the dead baby
dragon, to the possibility of Merlin's line being reintroduced to magic. Once the
two were done, she lowered her gaze to her lap in concentration, trying to piece
together the puzzle of who was responsible.

"A hybrid, that would explain a great deal on how Merlin was able to control mass
quantities of magic, without it killing him. But a kitsune, elf hybrid wouldn't be
possible, not in that time frame. Kitsune didn't fully understand their
capabilities at that time, so they wouldn't have been able to shape shift. So an
elf, possibly. A kitsune? He was not." ,Isabell twisted herself, so that her legs
dangled over the edge, "This is quite unexpected, but highly coincidental. Shortly
before the relics were being targeted, I was graced by the presence of the
ultimate witch."

"Unlimited witch?" Kyro asked.

"The leader of all the witch covens." ,Explained to Kyro, before turning his
attention back to Isabell, "What did she want?"

"She came to me with information that one of her witches from the blood raven coven
was harboring a mortal girl. The head witch of the coven turned to the unlimited
witch for guidance on the subject, and she told the coven leader to bar the girl
from learning magic further. The leader of the coven had supposedly shunned the
witch who had harbored the girl, stripping her of magic, and attempted to wipe the
girls mind. But the unlimited witch knew the coven leader had failed."

"... We need to know exactly what kind of threat we're against." ,Michael turned to
leave the Kitsune's headquarters, "I'm going to talk to the ultimate witch."

Michael stormed down the hallway, Kyro racing after him. The two wandered
into the east wing that held more rooms for other deltics. Michael pried open one
of the doors, to find Damian sleeping soundly in his bed.

"Damian, I need you." Michael called him from his sleep.

"Nooo, go a-way! You damn... Sex demon." Damian mumbled in his sleep as he rolled
over.

"You having kinky dreams again, Damian?" Michael asked, hitting his torso with a
pillow, startling him awake.

"Michael? What are you doing?"

"I need a mirror pool." Michael insisted.

"Now?" Damian asked.

"Yes, now."

The undyne deltic ,literally, rolled out of bed with a groan, landing on
his hands and knees. He stretched under his bed, pulling out a silver bowl filled
with water. Damian placed a finger to his lips, whispering a chant sleepily, before
placing the finger in the water. The water rang sweetly as it rippled to show a
young girl's face ,about twelve in age, in the bowl, staring at Michael, and the
others. She had short brown hair, and bright blue eyes that were framed delicately
with freckles that spotted her nose and cheeks.
"And who do I have the honor of addressing?" The girl asked calmly.

"Michael, and Kyro. Deltics of the Shades." Michael answered.

"As in Vampire Michael? The only one of his kind, still alive? How fascinating."

"What's she talking about?" Kyro asked, leaning into his partner's ear.

"It's not important." Michael hissed.

"You've made quite a name for yourself Michael, how can I assist you?" The girl
asked.

"Well you can put your mom on, for starters. Assuming she's the ultimate witch. "
Kyro stated annoyed that they were still talking to a little girl.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken. I'm the ultimate witch." The girl corrected.

"Oh... well you look very young for your age, Ms. ultimate." Kyro chocked on his
words in shock, earning a scowl from the girl in the pool of water.

"She's twelve you, idiot." Damian yawned.

"Pay no mind to him... Though I apologize, I wasn't aware that the covens chose a
new ultimate witch. I thought your representative was Canny. " Michael questioned.

"Canny...was assassinated, by a traitor to the covens. I am her successor,

Milinda."

"I see. Miss Milinda, we're investigating the disappearances of the relics."

"Oh! Then I'll make tea, should I be expecting the three of you?" Milinda asked.

"Actually, Miss ultimate, I was hoping to return to bed." Damian crawled back into
bed.

"Very well, just two of you then." Milinda waved her hand in the bowl.

The room began to spin, making the two deltics that hadn't refused the
ultimate witch's offer a bit sick. The room that was Damian's spun faster, only to
slow down to reveal a cottage where the image in the bowl became a full figure
sitting in a cushioned rocking chair. The girl smiled as she got up from her seat,
her two guests however collapsed onto the couch behind them, dizzy from the
transportation spell.

"I've always wanted to do that. Wait right here, I'll be back with some Jasmine
tea." Milinda chirped as she disappeared into the kitchen.

"Are we stopped yet?" Kyro asked, trying to catch his bearings in the room as his
vision continued to spin.

Michael pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stop the nausea that was
attempting to over take his senses. Michael hadn't had very many run ins with
witches, as there weren't any permitted in the shades organization, mostly due them
being more human than the deltics. Though if this was their power being nice, then
he was in for a lot of pain when they weren't.

Milinda came in with a wooden tray lined with a steaming steal tea kettle,
and three blue stained tea cups. The young girl cast a levitating spell on the
wooden tray, allowing it to float freely in front of her as she poured the tea into
each cup. Once she had set the kettle back on the wooden tray, it moved towards the
guests. Michael eyed the girl first with an impressed gaze, before taking the tea
cup off the tray cautiously. Kyro gave a worried side glance to the witch, shaking
his head no, half afraid of the tea floating by itself. Sensing his reluctance,
Milinda summoned the tray to her, pouring her own tea in silence, before sending it
away back into the kitchen.

"You said your predecessor was assassinated?" Michael started.

"Yes.", Milinda answered before taking a sip, " I'm sure you've been informed by
Ms. Nynx, about the blood raven coven's mystery girl, and the situation of keeping
her. I have reason to believe that she is the one behind this."

"Why kill Canny though?" Michael continued to ask before sipping his tea.

"Canny didn't tolerate outsiders learning magic, she believed that was where the
Elves went wrong. Teaching someone else magic, means you have no control over how
it is used. So when this girl was taken under one of the blood raven's wing, she
was investigated, naturally. Canny thought she was from a different coven, a run
away if you would, but when the girl showed no talent for magic, we assumed she was
a mortal."

"Wait... aren't you mortal?" Kyro asked.

" In relevance to our lifespan, yes. But not in the terms of magic. You see, in the
age of Merlin, before his death, Merlin had created a spell so powerful, that it
bound the greek gods to a limited source of power. But limiting the gods, also
meant limiting the access to normal humans. Merlin had actually sought an audience
with the covens, and asked that they abandon magic, but of course the covens
refuse, so an agreement was struck. The covens could keep their magic, but in turn
they would have to keep it secret from the world. Any act against the agreement,
would result in the end of magic for the covens." Milinda informed.

" A word is bond." ,Michael set the tea in his lap, his hands around the cup to
steady it.

"Yes. I believe the witch harboring the girl was attempting to teach her, as
did Canny. So when Canny exiled the girl, the witch took it rather hard, and ended
Canny's life. Of course the coven's will not tolerate such barbarianism, so we
burned her to ash."

"Talk about barbarianism." Kyro cleared his throat.

"Is it possible that the girl was a descendant of Merlin?" Michael asked, ignoring
Kyro.

"I suppose it could be, but even then. I imagine that her claim to Merlin's line
would be very faint. I don't imagine that she would have any magic abilities. There
would be absolutely no way for her to obtain magic."

"Unless she harnessed the power of the dawn stone." Michael sighed.

"I'm sorry?" Milinda asked after sipping her tea.

*Incubus History*

There once was a man named Aeneas, who was the son of the beloved goddess
Aphrodite. Being that Aeneas's father was indeed a mortal she was not permitted to
raise her beloved son on Olympus, so she had to abandon her beloved child with his
father. Though her husband Hephaestus had forbidden Aphrodite to see any of her
illegitimate children, she would occasionally sneak out to see her mortal son, whom
she adored.

Seeing that his wife had continued to mock their marriage, he divorced her,
and married Aglea ,the goddess of adornment, and splendor. With his new wife he had
four beautiful daughters, Eucleia ("Good Repute"), Eupheme ("Acclaim"),
Euthenia ("Prosperity"), and Philophrosyne ("Welcome").

When Aeneas was the ripe age of seventeen, he was unfortunate to catch the
four goddesses attention. Each wanting the young man to themselves, they would
visit the lower world, not knowing that one another was seeing the young
hero. Aeneas was so full of himself, engulfing his own ego with the thought of four
goddesses wanting him to call their own. He secretly met with each of them, playing
along as if each sister was his only one. One day he had arranged for Philophrosyne
to meet him in Aphrodite's temple, so that he could show her the true splendors of
being a son of the goddess of love and passion. Philophrosyne was wary about
intruding on another goddess's temple, as it would be seen as disrespectful.
Unfortunately for her, she was persuaded by her lovers charms, and caved in.

Sensing her son in her temple, Aphrodite descended into the lower world to
catch her son with one her ex-husband's daughter. She was furious with another
goddess being with her son, in her temple! Though the elder goddess did not want
her son to be displeased with her, so she abandoned the temple. The next day,
Aphrodite confronted her son, demanding that he take his goddess lover elsewhere
than her temple. Aeneas laughed, explaining that he might as well be a god of love
himself. Infuriated at her son for suggesting such a thing she returned to Olympus
after warning him.

That same night Aeneas met with Eupheme in the temple, and once again
Aeneas showed the pleasures of being a son of the goddess of love. And once again,
Aphrodite pled with her son to take the goddess somewhere else. Seeing that his
mother was so distraught over the blasphemy that was blemishing her temple, he
refused with a smile.

The next night when Aeneas was to meet with Eucleia, Aphrodite demanded of
Zues to destroy her temple, without killing her son. Not being able to deny the
goddess, he did so with a thunderbolt, collapsing the temple completely. Though
Aeneas and Eucleia escaped into the darkness. Though this did not stop Aphrodite's
rage at her son's behavior with multiple young goddesses, so she devised a plan,
one that would break the heart of any woman, let alone a goddess.

Aphrodite knew very well that her son was going to entertain another young
goddess, so she planted a seed in his mind to take her to Athens, where there would
be plenty of temples to seduce her in. Unknowingly, Aeneas agreed, happy to take
the suggestion, and met with Euthenia in the temple of Hephaestus.

Thrilled that her plan was working, she had summoned the remaining of
Hephaestus's daughters to witness their lover, and their sister. Once each had
realized that they were all seeing Aeneas, they retreated to Olympus with shame,
anguish, and horror. Their wails of sorrow woke Hepheastus, who sleepy gaze turned
to his weeping daughters, running from the edge of olympus.

Their father peered over the edge to see the mortal, Aeneas with one of his
daughters in his temple. Furious, and outraged at the scene, Hepheastus took one of
Zues's bolts, aiming it at the mortal man. Aphrodite flung herself at Hepheastus,
begging him to spare her child. Reluctantly he agreed, but on the condition that
she would handle her sons cruelty without mercy, or he would kill him.

With tears in her eyes, Aphrodite cursed him to with a sensation of wanting
that would never go away for all his immortality. She then gave her son demon
wings, a tail, and horns so that his charm would never work on another woman again.
It wouldn't be until ten years later of seeking the goddess, Eleos that he would be
able to revert into a mortal every new moon.

*Succubus History*

There was a fair maiden by the name of Sophia who lived with her
widowed mother on a farm outside of Attica, Greece. On occasion, the god named
Plutus would come to Sophia's farm, and bare gifts of gold to her and her mother.
The two women of the home were very grateful to the young god, though he was
unfortunately blind, so he couldn't see their beaming faces.

Over the years of visiting Sophia and her mother, Plutus had grown rather
found of Sophia, though he was quite fearful that she wouldn't feel the same about
a blind god. So he kept silent about his affections, until one day when the god of
farming, named Priapus, found Plutus fumbling back to Olympus from his latest visit
at Sophia's home. Priapus, being curious as to what Plutus would constantly return
to earth for, then he saw her.

Priapus had made an appearance at Sophia's farm, trying his best to charm
the young woman, but to no avail. She had declined his advances, announcing to him
that she had made a vow of chastity to goddess Hestia. Not liking to be refused,
Priapus then turned to her mother, demanding Sophia be married to him, or fear
famine.

Not sure what else to do, Sophia's mother yield her daughter to the angry
god against her daughter's will. They were married at the temple of Hera, and then
was whisked away to a remote location to consummate the marriage. When Sophia
refused, the god of farming locked her inside their home, hoping the isolation
would make her more receiving to him.

Meanwhile, Sophia's mother, Nicole, wept at having gave her daughter away.
She was visited by Plutus in her mourning who asked what was wrong, and where her
daughter was. Nicole explained that she was swept away by the god Priapus, to which
the god of wealth offered to assist.

Plutus knew exactly where Priapus's earthly home was, and led Nicole there.
Relieved that she was about to be rescued, Sophia wept for joy at the sight of her
mother, and Plutus as the two broke into the home to rescue her. Though their
reunion was interrupted by the sound of Priapus drunkly calling for his new wife.

Nicole blew out the candles that lit Sophia's cell of a home, and instructed
Sophia, and Plutus to hide under the bed. Silently they did so. Not understanding
why the home was so dark, Priapus called for Sophia, and demanded the marriage be
consummated. Nicole ushered the god to bed, silently, and consummated the marriage
in her daughter's stead.

Once satisfied, the god started to doze off into slumber, allowing the two
hiding under his bed to escape. Though when Nicole attempted to leave, she
accidentally tripped over the dozing god's wine pitcher. Immediately, the dozing
god began to sober, realizing that he had been tricked.

Not liking that he had been made a fool of he gave Nicole horns, wings and
a tail, with insatiable wanting. Cursing her to walk her eternal life as a demon
that attempts to seduce men.
 Nicole sought refuge with the goddess Eleos, at the same time Aeneas did.
Though she only had enough of the remedy to turn them human for one to be turned to
normal completely. Though she came to the conclusion that was unjust, and gave them
both half the potion. So because neither the Incubus, or the Succubus could revert
to their normal mortal lives they blame each other for not being completely human.

Siding battles

"There's no such thing." ,Milinda scoffed, "It's mere superstition, a legend if

you will."

"I believe we're proof enough that legends are real." Kyro intercepted.

"Gentlemen, I won't deny that Merlin was a very powerful wizard. However, to
suggest that he made a stone to withhold two-thirds of magic from every deltic in
the world, is impossible. The stress of holding that much power would be too much
for any one containment unit."

"So he'd have to make more than one?" Kyro asked.

"If I were to humor your efforts, yes. But I will not entertain the thought any
further! Merlin was a respectable wizard, and knew the boundaries of magic well. To
suggest that he made a dawn stone would be a discredit to his memory!" Milinda
snapped.

"Why? What does the dawn stone require that would go against the covens' wishes?"
Michael growled not liking how the unlimited witch was refusing to entertain the
idea that Merlin had made one.

"I will not give you that information. To do so would cause every witch, and
warlock to panic. Perhaps even some of them would even venture off after this
'alleged' dawn stone themselves, and that I could not allow." ,Milinda announced
coldly, "I'm afraid our time for visiting is over."

" This is important!!!" ,Michael growled.

"Good day, Gentlemen." Milinda swiped her hand to the side, resulting in the two
males returning to a sleeping Damian's room.

Kyro sighed, and placed his hands behind his head in defeat before turning
to his partner that was leaving the room.

"Where are you going?" Kyro asked.

"I'm going out." Michael informed slashing a portal with his knife that was on his
necklace, disappearing into it.

Kyro sighed as the portal closed on itself, leaving him with a sleeping
Damian. Kyro looked to window to see the sun was still absent from the sky. Kyro
figured that this probably was the only time he might get some decent sleep before
Michael drug him somewhere else.

Making his way to his room, Kyro heard a hushed voice calling for him. Kyro
ignored it, thinking it was his subconscious trying to get him to sleep, it had
been a really long day. In fact, it's been a long week as far as Kyro was
concerned. The werewolf deltic climbed onto his covers, feeling suddenly sore as
the voice continued to call out for him, the blade on his necklace activating a
portal through his bed, resulting in him sinking in it.
"Kyro."

Kyro snapped his eyes open, hearing his name hissed into his ear. He no
longer found himself in his room, but in the middle of a foggy field, a familiar
hooded figure knelt beside him. He looked around, confused as to how he got to his
current location.

"Do you remember me?" The hooded figure asked.

"You're my wraith, right?" Kyro asked rubbing his forehead in pain as he turned his
attention to her.

"You do remember. That's a relief. Apologies for the pain, for a wraith to contact
their host is a bit painful for both parties."

"You seem to be doing better than I am, my head feels like it's on fire." Kyro
grumbled as he got to his feet.

"Please, I have to tell you something. The other wraiths, they're aligning." The
cloaked figure panicked.

"Aligning?" Kyro asked, his head feeling like it was in a bit of a fog.

"It happens when a war is brewing." The figure informed.

"War? Who's at war?"

"Shhh. They're coming." The hooded figure pulled him into the shrubbery nearby off
the meadow. The moment their hands touched the pain of an ice cold grip, squeezed
the bones in his hand together. He nearly yelped in pain, but gritted his teeth
together to remain quiet, sensing it was what his wraith would've wanted him to do.
Though he quickly withdrew his hand from her as soon as they were hidden.

Not too long after they took cover, a massive wraith tread over the field
that they were once in. Kyro, was now fully alert, despite the pain as he turned to
his wraith.

"Why is that Wraith so big?" Kyro asked.

"When people go to war, their fates are intertwined. Whether they live or die. The
wraiths of multiple people collide into one being to endure that fate. Those of us
who remain isolated, are either consumed, or destroyed by it, as is the case for
those who endure war. I assume."

"Right, but who's at war?" Kyro asked.

"I don't know. The wraiths that are fortunate to have deltics get to meet them,
though if you're a wraith of a mortal or a magical creature, you don't ever get
that chance."

"That doesn't help me." Kyro answered, "This is human nature, we start wars,
nothing can be done stop this."

"I don't think this is just 'human nature', it's something else." The wraith
answered.

"And what makes you say that?" Kyro asked smugly, looking out to the field.
"I just have a feeling."

Kyro would've responded with 'feelings don't solve cases', but his
attention was drawn to the blonde boy, who looked a bit like his partner with a
shorter brunette. He tried to peer further into the fog, but wasn't able to confirm
his suspicion before the couple disappeared. He turned to his wraith to ask a
question, but she seemed to have read his mind.

"You weren't mistaken. They were passing through this plane." The wraith informed.

"Passing through?" Kyro asked.

"When deltics use their knives to open portals to other parts of their world, they
briefly access our world. In fact is it because we know our deltics, that we guide
them to their destination on their world."

"But every time I've passed through a portal it seemed-"

"Instantaneous. Yes. Consider it like tunnel vision if you will. You don't see
anything else but your goal. Just another measure of the wraiths keeping order. But
there will be no more order if you don't find the source of the war."

"How am I suppose to find it? You're asking a kid to find one source of a war, in a
world where war is a pass time!"

"I'm not asking a child... I'm asking a deltic."

"Fine. Take me to Michael, I have a feeling he'll know where to start."

Hard truths

Kyro slipped through the black sand portal, appearing behind a couple
holing hands as they admired London's Big Ben in the silence of dusk. Kyro
recognized the blonde male as Michael, but he wasn't sure who the girl was, but she
was the first to turn around to face the werewolf deltic. Kyro flinched when he saw
those wide red irises staring at him in bewilderment as the short brown hair framed
her face, he's only seen red eyes when Michael used his deltic abilities, more
specifically his influence to make others bend to his will.

"What are you doing here? How did you find me?" Michael asked.

"Doesn't matter. We've got a problem." Kyro announced pulling his stare away from
the girl.

Michael turned to the girl, searching her face for a sign that he was
excused, the girl nodded. Michael sighed before taking her hand into his, pressing
it to his lips in goodbye. The girl blushed a bit as she held the kissed hand to
her chest when her companion left through the portal with his partner.

"You picked a hell of a night for a date. Who is she anyway? What is she?" Kyro
asked as they appeared in the middle of the shade's hallway outside Michael's
bedroom door.

"She's my fiancee, Raisa." Michael stated.

"So she's a vampire. That makes sense."

"Like you know anything." Michael shook his head sighing, "You said there was a
problem."
"Yeah. My wraith contacted me, she said that there's a war coming."

"That's not exactly news, Kyro" Michael gave his partner a side glare for wasting
his time.

"Michael... It was huge!"

"Well unfortunately, we can't intervene until we find the source of the giant
wraith." Michael began to walk towards his dorm, disappointed that the night had
gone to waste.

"So, what? You're going to gonna go back to your date?" Kyro huffed as they walked
together.

"No, she won't be there her security won't leave her alone now." Michael stated.

"Security? Just who is she?"

"Her name is Raisa. Dracula's great grand-daughter." Michael answered.

"Yeah sure." ,Kyro scoffed not believing her, "And just how old is she?"

"118 years old."

Kyro stopped in the door frame of Michael's bedroom, where the blonde
started to rummage through some papers that had been piled on his desk. Carefully,
he flipped through each one as if they were apart of a pamphlet that he would later
have to turn in.

"Quit messing with me Michael. Vampire's can't reproduce."

"Actually they can. It just takes them longer to reach maturity, and even then they
can stop the aging process whenever they like, and death only comes when they are
killed with a stake, or sun. A vampire toddler can easily be 33 years old, if they
slowed the aging process. Ah, here it is."

Michael carefully slid out the paper that he was looking for. He then
walked back to Kyro who was confused as to why he was being handed this paper. Kyro
took it and read the top of the page, reading Marriage Summons. Kyro continued to
read the smaller print, once he reached the bottom of the page he looked at Michael
with wide eyes.

"You're getting married?!" Kyro asked with disbelief.

"Yep."

"To a vampire?"

"Yes?"

"You're 18!"

"I'm a deltic, our first and utmost responsibility is to preserve magic. The
continuation of the vampire society is part of that responsibility."

"Do you even like her?!" Kyro exclaimed.

"She's a nice girl."

"But you don't love her."

"..... No... I don't think I ever could."

"Then why go through with it?"

"Because my last partner decided that she would rather die than fulfill her
responsibilities to her magia clan.... So she made her own way out."

"What do you mean?"

"She was a Djinn Deltic from the Rhamal Clan. They believed her to be a descendant
of the first freed Djinn, named Sanji, and they also believed that she was still
alive. They were going to call upon the Sanji to reunite the clans to be one
again."

"Why?"

"Because that it was believed that she drank kitsune blood, and if it were true
that would mean that Sanji would easily be the most powerful djinn alive, and could
save the clans from self destruction. My partner believed that they were up to
something more sinister than reuniting the five clans. So instead of helping them
she tried to run... And when she found that running did no good, she took her own
life."

"Were they up to something else?" Kyro asked giving the blonde a sympathetic look.

"I don't know..... She never got the chance to tell me."

".... What was her name?"

"Sesheta." Michael put his hands in his pockets.

"Is she the reason that you can't love Raisa?"

"And other reasons... but yeah... She's the main one." Michael patted his current
partner's shoulder as he slipped past him.

Kyro looked after him with a concerned look, wondering if his partner was
actually going to be okay. On another note the problem of the war coming was not
yet solved. Though he supposed that Michael had a point, that until something
actually happened they would be wasting their efforts trying to find the source of
the massive wraith. Kyro decided that his time would be better spent talking to
someone that would at least hear Kyro's concern about the giant wraith, not that he
wasn't concerned about Michael's mental health. He just didn't have time for the
blonde's love-sickness, or his lack there of for his new fiancée.

*Dryad History*

In 1315 there was a famine all across Europe, and whether you
believe it or not it was caused by a single faery, named Rowan. This faery was
rather resentful of humans, and how they treated one another so he thought that he
would do them a favor by testing them. They would either have to come together and
put aside their differences to survive, or be wiped out as a species. To be honest
this Faery was hoping for the latter so that his kind would no longer have to stay
in hiding.

Everyday ,after having created the famine, this faery would sit on his tree
outside his clans forest to watch the village struggle below. He would amuse
himself with their turmoil, however this caused problems for the faeries too.
Because of the disaster that Rowan had created through out the land, the faeries
were also unable to grow anything, despite using magic.

Realizing what Rowan had done he sought out other magical beings, some
friendly, some not. But none could change the damage that he had done. Having about
to give up, he made one last attempt with a deltic named Artemis. Mythology would
know her as the goddess of the hunt, mistress of the night.

Begging the deltic goddess for her help, the faery pled his servitude to
her. Artemis refused his servitude, but was willing to offer assistance. Artemis
was unsure how a small faery could make such a mess. Rowan showed her a bracelet of
gold with an emerald leaf, the bracelet of Demeter.

Enraged that this lowe-ly creature dared to obtain something that was
created by the gods demanded that he tell her where he got it. Fearful of her
wrath, Rowan explained that there was a mortal king that was killed in battle with
the bracelet, and that he was too fascinated with the jewelry for it to be left
there. The fearful faery then explained that once he discovered what the bracelet
could do, he cursed the humans all across Europe to suffer.

"You fool! Do you know what you've done!? Only Demeter can undo your damage now!"
Artemis boomed.

"Please, my goddess, how do I atone for this!?" The faery asked.

"With your life."

Artemis speared the faery with an arrow, pinning him against a tree, his
blood staining its bark. In her fury Artemis hunted the remaining faeries of
Rowan's clan, to remind other magical creatures that the deltic gods were very much
alive and were not to be trifled with. Each of the faeries were pinned to a tree
with an arrow, where they were meant to serve as warnings.

However as the years went by, the trees absorbed the faery bodies, crushing
them into dust. From this dust, beings that resembled walking trees were born.
These creatures were feared by humans, and were often killed on site. The nymphs
had given the creatures shelter out of the understanding of being made from nature.
Feeling sorry for the creatures that were new to this world, they pled with Artemis
to make them human.

Artemis agreed to grant them a way to become human, but on the one
condition that the new beings protect the forests that they would call home. The
Dryads agreed, and Artemis had taken a drop of leaf dew, crystalizing it as she
strung it on a thread of moon beam. She placed one around each of the new creatures
necks.

"Every waning crescent moon, you will become human. I can never turn you fully
human, for your sense of responsibility to the forests will be lost."

Understanding the reasoning, and accepting the responsibility the Dryads

had expanded their domain to the forests of the world.

Reliving a Mistake

Michael and Kyro wandered into room of the glowing globe that was once
again surrounded by other deltics who were searching for those that had recently
come into the world so that tabs could be kept on them. Their presence was noticed
by the deltics that were already in the room, causing them all to look at the two
new attendees in unison. Though this kind of behavior was normal to Michael, Kyro
couldn't help but be a bit creeped out.

"Why is that when I am busy, you come asking for Favors?" Summer had asked, turning
her head slightly to look at the vampire deltic.

"I'll try to not to make a habit out of it." Michael responded as he leaned against
the wall behind her.

"What do you want?" Summer sighed, realizing that the vampire deltic wasn't going
to go away.

"I need your help finding someone. Kyro says that the wraiths are merging."

This caught the attention of everyone in the room, making the globe grow
dim as everyones focus was now on the conversation rather than finding deltics. The
merging of wraiths was no mystery of the deltics in the shades, everyone in that
room meant that there was blood going to be spilt. It was just a matter of who, and
when.

The elf deltic rose to her feet, her shoulder long hair flowed as she
snapped her gaze to face the two unwanted guests. She her gaze was one of concern
as she faced the vampire deltic.

" You and I both know that war isn't exactly uncommon in this era." Summer started.

"I'm aware."

"Then how do you expect us to find the owners of the merging wraiths?"

"Us? No. I need you to find Alex."

"Alex?!" Summer growled.

She shoved the two males out of the room in the quiet hallway, not wanting
to distract her team any further from their task. Michael watched as she slammed
the door behind her as she was the last one out. Kyro gave a concerned side glance
to his partner, then to the elf deltic that had shooed them out of the room.

"Do you honestly believe this is something that Alex can figure out!? He is one of
many! Ask me to find anyone else just not him!" Summer growled.

"Sure Summer, find me a faery deltic that has about the same mastery of finding
pooled magic." Michael snapped sarcastically, "Oh wait, you can't because there's
only five in the shades! And three of them are dead!"

"That's not fair Michael! That wasn't my fault and you know it!" Summer tried her
best to hold her tears back as she dug in deeper to her rage.

"No?! I don't recall anyone else being a part of that mission here. You were
supposed to have their asses! While your allies were begging for their lives you
were playing princess with the prince of horse shit!" Michael boomed before she
slapped him, her bangs hiding behind her face.

"Don't you ever talk about him like that again." She voice shook, the adrenaline of
anger coursing through her veins.

Michael glared at her, pissed more at the fact that she was defending the
prince that cost those deltics their lives rather than the slap. He watched her
with red eyes, ready to compel her if that's what it took.

"You don't even-" She gulped down her lunch that wanted to come up as she leaned
against the door, "know if it's magic related.", she held her stomach trying to
calm it, " For all you know it could just be mortals."

"Find him." Michael growled, "He will tell me what I need to know."

Summer sunk along the door to the floor, holding her face in her hands.
Michael walked away, leaving Kyro to decide whether or not he should stay with the
deltic girl that was beginning to cry. Kyro sighed, not completely understanding
what had just transpired between the two of them, though he knew that out of the
two of them only Michael was the only one that could be understood.

Michael went to the cafeteria, the werewolf deltic following him in silence
wondering if he should ask yet. The vampire deltic instinctively went for a cup of
Jasmine tea, his partner stood at the entrance. Kyro watched as Michael's foot
steps echoed in the empty cafeteria as he walked past his partner and began making
his way to his dorm.

"Can we talk about what that was?" Kyro asked, the silence irritating him a bit.

"Gladly. She made a mistake that costed 25 deltics their lives." Michael snapped as
he sat at his desk, placing his tea on it.

"What happened?" Kyro asked as he plopped himself, back first, on the vampire's
bed, relieved that he was finally talking.

"The Elvish empire is ruled by the high elf Zaleria, Summer's mother."

"Her mom?!"

"Her mother had stolen sphinx cubs with the intention to stuff them. Sphinxes are
extremely rare in the first place, and because of that our mediators were unable to
find a compromise to have the sphinx leave the situation. Though it didn't help
that Zaleria had lied as to why the sphinx was attacking."

"Where does the prince come into this?" Kyro asked.

"Prince Dentri, the one who kidnapped the cub, and intended to give it to Summer as
a wedding gift. When Zaleria had summoned The Shades organization she had left out
that she suggested to her new son-in-law that he kill a sphinx to prove himself
worthy of her daughters affection. So to defend the kingdom from a sphinx, 25 of us
were chosen by Summer to lead the fight. She tried to pick me, but I sensed that
her mother wasn't telling us the entire truth. If I had found out sooner maybe
Shesta would still be alive."

"But you said Shesta took her own life."

"In a way she did. She knew that there was no way to defeat the sphinx, and she
didn't want to." ,Michael sighed, "It's why I hate Elves. I've been lied to by too
many of them."

Michael swiveled in his chair to make eye contact with the girl he had made
cry earlier, who was standing in his door frame. Kyro raised his head to see what
his partner was staring at, once he saw her he sat up in silence. She refused to
meet Michael's gaze as she held onto the door frame for support, still nauseous
from the confrontation earlier. She dug into the pockets of her shorts to pull out
a folded piece of paper, which she threw onto the floor.

"I found him. Don't ever ask me for another favor. EVER. Again." Summer waddled
off.

Kyro slowly got up to pick up the piece of paper, and unfolded it to see a
map of L.A. and a red dot on it signaling the location that they needed to find
Alex. Kyro slowly made his way back to his partner to present the piece of
parchment. Michael took it from his partner, studying the map before pulling out
his dagger from under his buttoned up forest green shirt.

"There's one thing I don't understand." Kyro started.

"Why she wouldn't find Alex?" ,Michael asked earning a confirming nod from Kyro
before he slashed the air to open a black sand portal, "Because he killed her
fiancé."