The beginning

"I'm heading back to the city. Try to stay alive." Five turned and started walking back to the city, lighting another cigarette.

Athen looked down at the Miser before him, stepping closer. "Why was I awaken?" he asked, observing the crumbling city. "Who has done this?"

Seth trembled and shook his head. "I-i don't know... I didn't do it. I came here because Five sent me..." He slowly lowered himself to his knees, his legs threatening to drop him. "I wasn't told who did this, but Five wanted to stop it."

Athen looked down at the boy carefully. "You're one of the bridges, I see." He put his hand over Seth's face. "Let me show you your potential, my child." Athen grinned, a deep, maniacal grin.

"I don't like the sound of that," Kallias called to Soren as he appeared next to him. "We need to stop him. Quickly."

Athen began a slow, deep chant. He increased the pressure of his grip and Seth's face, forcing his head back. "I call to this child, the god of light and the god of dark, and I put on this boy's soul their battle. Whoever is the strongest shall rule him. Whoever is weaker, he shall perish. I call unto this boy the angle or water and the angel of fire. Both shall protect his soul as the war is waged inside of him."
Athen moved his fingers from the boy's eyes, seeing the color red begin to turn purple and then blue.

Soren chanted a quick, loud spell as a rope of blue light appeared from the end of his staff. He swung the light-rope above his head and wrapped it quickly around Athen, pulling tightly. "Athen!" He roared. "I relinquish your powers in the name of the gods and all that exist!" He tugged hard on his staff, pulling the light-rope taut. He repeated his words again, and again.

Athen, incredibly annoyed by the spell being cast against him, turned to Soren. "Why do you seek to annoy me?" he spat.

Five had dodged through the city's rubble as quickly as possible. As he neared the center of the city, he pulled a small knife from his belt and held it tightly in his clentched fist.
Soren and Kallias were ahead, Athen and a crumbling Seth beyond them. He ran between the two men and into the circle, thrusting the knife forward and into Athen's chest cavity.
"Sorry old friend," he told the demon as blood sprayed onto his face. "You need to take a little longer of a nap right now." He yanked the knife out, allowing Soren's spell to enter the inside of the demon's body.

With renewed vigor and gratefulness for Five's opening, Soren's voice rose as he concentrated further with his spell. He gritted his teeth as his eyes began to glow. An aura of blue surrounded him, his full strength pressing hard into the incantation.

Cala looked on in horror. Something was compelling her to the circle and to the hand of the demon. She turned away quickly, falling to her knees and cover her eyes. What is this? Is this his power or is this something else?

Athen struggled to stay standing now. He looked at Five, a smirk crawling onto his face. "You're a traitor," he hissed, falling to his knees. "Your soul will devour you."
Athen fell to his side and lost consciousness.

"What can I do about that?" Five asked, indifferent. "Guess I'm just damned."
He wiped his bloody knife on his shirt and put it back on his belt.

Kallias was quick to cover Cala's head with his coat. "Stay quiet till the pain passes, but make no mention of it to anyone," he whispered. "You'll be hunted if you do. You must trust me."

Soren spun his staff in an intricate circle, twisting the light-rope around the man as he fell to the ground. The light seeped into Athen's wound as the rope faded.
He pushed Athen to the side and slammed his staff onto the circle, erasing it with a loud bang. "He's restrained," he told the four of them in a strained voice. He bent down and checked the boy over. 'Are you oka-" he paused as he noticed the colors of the boy's eyes. "I think you gentlemen should have a look at this boy."

"He's fine," Five answered. "It'll pass." He picked up Seth and looked at his eyes. "Kid, I've told you to stay away from magic." Five glanced at Kallias.
He sent him a telepathic message. "Same thing over there?"

Kallias nodded without taking his eyes off Cala.
"Her eyes have changed as well," he mentally replied.

Soren looked back and forth between the two. "What's going on here?" He asked. "Is Cala injured?"

Kallias stood and walked to Soren. "She's fine. She just needs time to recover. I think it's best if we go back to the safe camp. All of us, including Athen."

Soren glanced down at Athen and the boy. He mentally reassured himself that Athen's powers were under control. "Very well then. May I ask why the camp is our option?"

"We'll need a doctor," Kallias answered. "Athen is wounded."

"You believe a human doctor would willingly treat a summoned demon?" He looked at the ambassador curiously.

Seth stumbled to his feet. "Five... things have changed..." he covered his eye. "I feel-"

"We won't tell the doctor he's a demon," Kallias replied.
He looked at Cala. "Do you think you can stand now?"

Cala nodded, standing. "I'm fine, ambassador, sir," she said quietly, touching her eye. "I'll be ok to walk."