The beginning

"This..." He fired and took down another Miser. "Seems more like a diversion than an ambush. They barely got through our flanks."

"Where's Cala!?" Kallias yelled to Soren. "We need to get her and Seth out of here!"

"A man took her," Soren replied calmly, knocking another Miser into the rusty remains of a truck. He turned back towards where the two had gone and caught their trail. "I'll catch up to them." He hurried after them with newfound speed, his eyes narrowed in concentration as he continued tracking them with his magic.

"Soren, it's not safe!" Kallias yelled to the Lost. He gritted his teeth, then let his body slouch. "We can't go after her..."

Soren turned around and started at the ambassador. "She is my apprentice. She is my responsibility." He called loud enough for them to hear.

"Killing yourself isn't going to save the misses," Five yelled, kicking a Miser's corpse.

Soren hesitated, the trail slowly ebbing away from his vision. Cala... He ground his teeth and returned to the group, kicking a standing Miser in the face as he walked back. "What do you presume we do then?" Soren asked quietly and calmly.

Kallias struggled to catch his breath. "We have to split up. Five... can you go to Rose Tower to figure out why they had Cala kidnapped? I received an email... They know about the awakening of the dual souls..." Kallias looked back at Seth. "They'll come for him too... Athen, please, take Seth with you and train him while I go to see the prophet and figure out what's going on."

"What about me?!" Seth demanded. "I get a say in what happens! If she's got half my soul, then can't I die if she does? I have to go after her!"

"I don't think that's the way it works," Five snorted. "But if you still want to go get your ass kicked, be my guest."

"Well, actually..." Kallias quietly hesitated to say, "it's possible... now that they both are awaken. We don't really know how this works and there has never been another dual soul that's lived separate from it's counterpart. They're normally born as twins or share one body with multiple personalities."

"I don't want to make this painful for you," Bion told the young woman. "It would be best if you just went along with what I asked." He let her fall onto the empty, abandoned hotel room floor. "I'll be taking you to Rose Tower in the morning. Until then, rest or something peaceful."

Cala looked up at the man, her eyes searching his. For the time being, I'd better comply until I have a better plan... She looked away, remaining silent. There must be a way out... somehow...

Zander kept his eyes across the fields as the last of the Misers fled, ignoring the girl still clinging to him. "This is the last thing the camp needs, ambassador," he muttered, keeping his eyes on the smoky horizon. "If something like this gets out, there'll be a lot of fear going around the camp."

India listened to the clamor and gunfire from the dusty doctor's office with dread. The nurses were huddled in the same room with her, looking towards the entrance, expecting many injured people to burst in at any second.

Because Cala was unfamiliar with magic, she knelt quietly, contemplating other options to escape the strange man. She lowered her head and looked at the floor, keeping the eye contact between them minimal. There has to be a way to escape... even if he is stronger.

Curiously, Moa watched Tira until he felt it was safe to leave. He climbed a wall quietly and dropped onto the desert-like dirt outside the decaying building. A few sniffs of the air and a grin crossed his white features. She's the only thing for miles that doesn't smell like death, he thought with a chuckle. All alone in the tower... helpless...
He chastised himself for the thought and forced himself on, aiming to make it to the city before the dual soul was moved to the sweet-smelling Rose Tower just east.

"I want to go see the prophet!" Anna cried, letting Zander go. "Let me go with, Kallias!"

"If you're sure you can last out there," Kallais replied. "I don't want anyone getting hurt..." He turned to Five. "We'll be leaving immediately. I'll stop for supplies and head straight out." Turning and running, he looked back at Five concerned. I hope his cockiness doesn't get the best of him...

Soren picked up the injured Miser from the ground and held him up. "I suppose we shall interrogate one of these before they bleed out," he stated calmly. I'll come for you, Cala, he quietly thought, his concern hidden from view.

Five stretched. "I'll go in the morning," he groaned as his back cracked. "Where's the inn from here?"

Anna trudged after Kallias, excited and anxious. "I can't wait to see her! I've only heard rumors!"

"This is bullshit," Seth growled. "He's one guy. We can catch him. Damn it."

Moa carefully sneaked across the roof and peeked in the window closest to Cala. A smile spread from ear to ear. All alone? Barely suspicious. He pulled himself back up to the roof and looked around the broken city. "Ashes, ashes, we all fall... down..." he giggled, remembering the old city in its glory days. "Oh where, oh where is Bion?"

"Right here," Bion hissed, appearing behind Moa in a cloud of smoke. "I should turn your ugly face into a mangled mess for daring to come here."