The beginning

"Come down," Asterianna whispered, "and I'll show you what I've seen." She turned back to the alter, scrambling to light an incense.

Kallias carefully stepped down the dark stairway and into the pitch black alter room. "Can we light a candle?" he asked, holding his hair away from his eyes. He lit one anyway, without waiting for an answer. "What is happening, Aster?"

"The awakening. The end is near... for the generation prevailing now..." Asterianna began tossing powder into the alter and lit it on fire. "The Light Lord. The splitting of souls... for the gain of power... Cala Thorn is the reincarnation..." Asterianna stopped. "I can't say anymore to you, Kallias," she whispered.

"Aster, it's just me. The other is sealed and can't hear you," Kallias pleaded.

"It can't be trusted," Asterianna replied and tossed another handful of powder into the fire. "I will speak to Zeph, but it can't be trusted. It was your doing..."

"Zeph isn't here," Kallias stressed. "We don't have time. You have to trust me. The other won't hear a word."

"I'm sword to the protection of Krios until the Light Lord comes for him. I serve the Light Lord and no other. I cannot go against his wishes." Asterianna drew a circle around her with the ashes from the fire. "Find Cala and return her to Soren. Then you must never go near the dual souls. That is the wish of the Light Lord."

Kallias stepped closer to Asterianna and jumped back when light emitted from the ashes on the floor. "I... understand... I'll see to the return of Cala." He stepped back, looking up at Anna. He nodded towards Asterianna and raised his eyebrows.

"So you picked up a chick and made her your maid?" Five asked with a mischievous smirk.

Soren gave Five a look. "Not my maid," he said patiently. "My apprentice."
"If you must know, I found Cala after the war. She was left in another destroyed city, barely clinging to life."
He bent down to examine something on the ground. "I would have left her here at the camp. However, I felt...something. Something coming from her. Do you not feel the energy that emits from her?"

"A lot of use of explosives and stealth related tactics, sir," Dakota said, slightly less peppy. "Mainly, we created barriers to slow the Misers and then we used explosives to eliminate them."

Bion flexed his hand and started to form a lightening ball. "Before I kill you, mind telling me why you want this girl?"

Rose appeared behind Moa, gripping his shoulder gently. "Hello, doll," she cooed in his ear. "I came to see what that witch Tira is plotting."

"An energy?" Five asked. He flicked the butt of the cigarette through the air. "Yeah, I've felt it. Something different about her. Seth has it too."

Zander noted Dakota's change in tone. "That's good," he said, pretending not to notice. "Barriers are important on the fence lines. Demolition is helpful directly outside the camp, and we can use some of that stealth for provision runs in the wastelands."

"They are both of great importance," Soren said. He uncovered a small sprout, its bright green leaves glowing in contrast to the dead earth around it. "That is why I hesitated in leaving her at the camp. It is also why I hesitated in exorcising Seth. I suspect their lives hinge on great change in this world."

"What's your relationship with her? Is she just a student, some kid you let follow you around?" Five paused when he felt a strong pulse in the air. Aelius... damn it... "She's not going to get a lot of rest now."

"My original intention was to study her energy further," Soren said. His eyes flicked to the city briefly. "However, I found potential in her and began training her."

"I hope you're ready to risk your life, magic man," Five respired.

Soren looked towards the city again. "I have done so before, I can do so again," he said quietly, almost to himself.

"Aelius?" Moa thought, about to muster an image. Rose's appearance startled him and he spun away from Aelius and Bion. His ears sunk back and he backed away. "Bugger off," he snapped. "I'm not doing anything." He crossed his arms defiantly.

"Oh... well... the guard captain..." William said hesitantly. "You should ask him. I can't help much... I'm just a gardener."

"Well..." Tira replied hesitantly, her voice even more frail. "The captain is busy right now. He told me to ask another." She smiled sweetly and stared deep into William's eyes, passing on just a little of her hypnosis to the boy's mind. "Please could you help me, young man? Little ol' me might end up getting lost out there by myself..."

"I...I guess to the edge of the camp..." William agreed. "But I can't fight."

Tira waved her hand dismissively with a chuckle, her elderly woman disguise giving off the appearance of content amusement. "No worries, dear, no worries! It's not far from the guard posts. I just don't want to end up falling and hurting myself. These old bones aren't what they used to be."