I held onto the trunk of the tall pine to steady myself as I looked around. Innocent sheep-like clouds formed in the sky above, not feeling the gravity of the situation in the slightest. I glanced towards the gardens, where Light was accompanying Sivath, the dog sniffing around eagerly. Then I shifted my gaze to one of the little clearings near the shore, where we practiced for our first flying attempts not so long ago, and where the slender figure of Yasenka now moved around. Her calling for Siaril didn't do much beyond scaring a pair of swans hiding in the reeds. In the front of the mansion, only a warm wind chased an occasional weaker leaf that it managed to rip from some inattentive branch. I sighed.

We searched almost everywhere by now... Siaril was nowhere in the mansion, and we made sure to search every room, even the unused, empty ones, and the cellar. He wasn't as irresponsible as to not tell anyone if he wanted to go somewhere, and nothing as world breaking as last time he disappeared happened right before this... or did it? Was the appearance of that mage really that much of a shock...?

I let my hand slide down the bark, spread my wings a little and let myself fall a few meters before soaring into the air above the forest. I looked around again... which just made no sense to me anymore. It verged on a miracle to spot anything between the mass of leaves. But then I noticed something in the corner of my vision... the brighter, vast stain of the enormous willow among the dark trees...

It was still the place that has become so special to me... but something was wrong. I frowned. I was getting a strange feeling while looking at the gigantic tree crown, as if my subconsciousness was registering some important detail, but couldn't define it. I flew towards it, letting myself fall gradually and then suddenly wavered in midair. I had to put more strength into the next beats of my wings to steady myself.

Then I understood. The willow's twigs weren't moving at all, despite the rest of the forest swaying in the delicate breeze. Like there was absolutely no movement of air around that single tree only...

I lowered myself further, urged on by the strengthening conviction sparked by the memory of Yasenka's words, or maybe something that I myself was starting to sense... I split the green curtains apart carefully. There wasn't anything unusual, but I felt like something was lurking beneath the living canopy. Something alien and hostile... I was just wondering what my next step should be, when something caught my eye... and caused my heart to skip a beat.

Right by the massive, dark trunk, there was a feather... a single, gray-blue feather, so innocent, and yet so ominous...

I had no doubts about what happened anymore. I took a few deep breaths to calm down, separated the twigs further and folded my wings completely to fall into the gap. I cushioned the drop with one beat and landed on the soft moss.

I didn't have the time to look around before I heard that deep voice, so familiar to me even though I heard it only once before: "So you have managed to find us..."

I glanced to my left. The man was standing just around the willow's trunk, his back leaned against it. His exquisite, dark blue clothing didn't fit into the green of the surroundings very well, unlike his short hair that perfectly matched the color of the bark. A bird was sitting on his shoulder, its feathers a mix of white, bronze and grayish... I recognized a pearl kite, a carnivore Yasenka showed me once on our way to Light's house. Was it coincidence, or has this man been watching us this entire time...?

"I didn't expect you here so quickly..." he spoke again, turning to face me. "How did you know?"

"Even if I told you, I doubt you'd understand," I answered coldly. "A piece of advice though... if you want to fool a Disciple, better not mess around with the movement of air."

"Here is the thing though, it wasn't supposed to fool you. It was supposed to lure you in here."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "For what purpose exactly...?"

"So we could talk. Without using fire against each other, if you don't mind."

"I might think about it if you tell me what you've done with Siaril first..."

"He's resting right now... say, did I even introduce myself? My name is Canidralth..."

"I know, and I don't care, where is he?!"

"So impatient... he's close," the man made a slight gesture with his hand and suddenly the clearing underneath the willow disappeared, swallowed by darkness. The chirping of birds died down, the smell of moss vanishing... Even so, I still saw the mage standing in front of me, clear and unfaded... I've already seen his magic once, but it didn't prevent the shadow of fear from surfacing from the depths of my mind.

And then, above the irritatingly restless beating of my heart, came the sound of waves, the smell of water and a breeze that caressed my wings. The last thing to return was vision, and I suddenly found myself at the shore of the lake, a narrow space between it and the forest on its western side. I looked around. The horizon was closed by tall trees, which descended almost to the very edge of the water on both my left and right, covering all view beyond the lake.

When I turned to face the mage again, he smiled and glanced to his left. I involuntarily followed his gaze and my breath got caught in my chest.

There was a big, mostly flat boulder right at the edge of the water, the waves breaking on it with a silent hiss. On the moist surface laid Siaril, unmoving, one hand dropped down in the direction of his sword, half buried in the sand that shifted with the waves. There was a thin, crimson trail going from his right temple down his pale cheek...

I ran up to him and immediately put my ear to his chest. A relieved sigh escaped me when I heard the soft heartbeat and the breath that matched the waves... Though it didn't manage to soothe the rage. I looked at the mage again, ready to burn him to ashes right there and then. "What did you do to him?!"

"I didn't do anything," his irritatingly innocent tone didn't help matters. "I merely walked into his meeting with someone else."

"Who?" a suspicion suddenly came over me.

"Don't ask me. His face was covered with a hood."

A chill ran across my skin, from the cold crystal underneath my shirt all the way to my fingertips. There really was someone else then... and he didn't just walk past here, he was still around...

Canidralth took a few steps in our direction. The bird on his shoulder made a small sound and flew away to a nearby tree. "And as you can see, dear Siaril is still alive, so shouldn't you rather be thanking me?" I felt an inner voice telling me that it would be good to at least listen to what he has to say, but there was something that stifled it. I noticed that as the mage approached, he made no sound... short grass covered the shore, there were single leaves and little twigs among it here and there, and yet I didn't even hear the slightest rustle of his boots brushing them. Even the forest around us seemed strangely quiet, no whispers coming from it, no singing of birds. There was just this penetrating silence, as if everything around has died.

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No matter if he claimed that he had no hostile intentions, I suddenly felt like I've made a fatal mistake by letting this man get close to us.

But I had to suppress fear. I had to protect Siaril, whatever that might cost me. I stood up, getting between him and the mage, feeling something that was unfamiliar to me until now. As if the fury sparked by the mere sight of my friend's blood was helping to clear my mind. It might have been true that Canidralth himself didn't harm Siaril. But who knew in what relation he was to the actual attacker. Was it true that they didn't know each other, or was it just a trick to gain our trust?

Trust...? No, there was no such thing as trusting a man who murdered Sitriel...

I lifted my hand slightly, starting to summon fire. To my surprise though, the flame appeared belatedly, sparking strangely between my fingers. The sight snapped me back to my senses. The memory of Yasenka's words suddenly broke through the scalding anger...

"Really?" I heard the mage's irritated sigh and looked back up. "You'll just end up like your friend, wouldn't it be better..."

So you wouldn't hesitate to harm me...

"It wouldn't!" I lashed the anger at him within my words so it wouldn't go into my magic instead, and this time the flame sprang to life without hesitation. I sent it in his direction without thinking much... and realized my second mistake a split second too late. There was already a light forming in my opponent's hand as well, but a light of a different kind, like wisps of pure energy circling his palm. He made a small but quick motion with his wrist and suddenly something akin to a mirror appeared right in front of him. All I was able to do was stare in terror as my flames met the smooth surface, reformed into bright wisps as well, as if his magic absorbed mine, and then it was hurled back at me with the full force of my own anger.

I instinctively shielded myself with my left forearm and wing. Some nasty impulse ran through my body, spreading from the space just below the leading edge all the way to my legs. I bit my lip as I fell to my knees, holding my left shoulder. It went completely numb, same as my left wing, suddenly hanging at my side in an unnatural position... It wasn't painful, but the realization of my opponent's power made my breath go hasty and my heart race in panic.

"I like this trick, I admit..." the mage came a few steps closer again, looking down at me with that hawk-like gaze, "but was it really necessary to force me to use it? It's so pathetic it's not even funny... Your wings are powerful, but as long as you're within my reach, they can only fly to a certain height... that is defined by me. So why don't you just calmly listen to what I have to say, since you're so conveniently immobilized?"

I wasn't sure what burned more: the anger pulsing in my veins, or the tears of helplessness that fought their way to my eyes. But I wasn't ready to give up just yet... and I thanked my instinct for telling me to bring a sword on the search for Siaril. I drew it. My right hand was still able to hold it steady, and that was all I needed...

Canidralth narrowed his eyes at me as I stood up slowly, right foot forward to keep the incapacitated part of my body out of the way. He sighed and pulled the robe by his left hip to the side, revealing that he was carrying a sword as well. It looked... ominous... made of dark steel, almost black, but reflecting the sun in a weird, crimson shade... The hand that was so steady a second ago suddenly froze against my will. Was that... the blade that ended Sitriel's life...? Was the same fate awaiting me now...? I might have told Yasenka that I would do whatever it takes to not end up like him for Siaril's sake, but was I actually able to hold onto that...?

The mage's fingertips brushed the hilt... wait, why was he reaching for it with his left hand? He wouldn't even be able to draw it properly, unless... Yeah, they brushed past it, reaching into a pocket hidden behind the sheath. He wasn't actually...

A familiar, crystal-clear ringing reached my ears from the direction of the forest.

"Yasenka..." I whispered, looking up slightly.

The silent prayer got answered... and there were a few things that happened almost in the same moment.

Something red caught my eye between the tree branches slightly above Canidralth's left shoulder. Next, I had to turn my head away, because a blinding red flash came from somewhere, though definitely wasn't caused by the mage. When I was able to open my eyes again, I went completely speechless.

Between us stood Yasenka, her chest rising and falling rapidly, her back to me and Siaril, shielding us both with her own body and...

... with her wings...

Majestic, deep-crimson at the top, fading to a pale scarlet further down, covered with gorgeous, ruby scales... she held them half-folded, bent slightly, like a large bird trying to scare off an attacker.

Canidralth frowned. He obviously didn't expect the third Disciple to appear right now of all times.

"Leave," Yasenka said simply. Her voice was quiet, but the tone intolerant of any objection. She looked so furious her hair seemed to throw golden sparks around. "Leave and never dare to return to this place."

"Isn't that nice..." the mage's voice was calm once again. He regained his composure so quickly it was scary. "Now all of the Disciples have fully awakened. Still, I don't think you stand a chance against me, considering your powers have just started developing, so..."

Yasenka just smiled mockingly, interrupting him: "Well, if you're prepared to have one or two things damaged in the process, I will gladly watch you test that theory..." She lifted her hand and traced a wide semi-circle above her head with it. Her fingers left an impressive arch of bright flames behind. They started to flicker above her head, crackling menacingly. "Leave," she repeated. I could hear that this was the last warning.

The mage squinted at her, but didn't move. "How..."

"I'm sorry, that's not the answer you were supposed to give me!" with one flick of her wrist Yasenka sent the flames flying his way before I could stop her.

And the same way it did last night, a sudden wind picked up, causing us to shield our eyes from the frantically dancing leaves. When we looked again, the man was gone, one little gray feather remaining in his place.

The forest suddenly regained its voice. The birds called out from between the tree crowns again, the whisper of the lake became clearer...

Ignoring the still remaining numbness, I shakily backed up, closer to Siaril's side again. He was still unconscious, but somehow he just looked like he was simply asleep now... I sighed in relief.

"I think he'll be fine," I felt Yasenka's hand touch my shoulder before she knelt down to take a closer look. "You alright?"

Her gentle voice, completely devoid of the earlier anger, erased the last remainder of tension in my body and mind. I slumped down next to them, leaning my forehead against the cold rock by Siaril's side. I was almost ready to cry from relief...

I just breathed slowly for a few moments, before speaking quietly: "Yasenka..."

"Yes?"

"Just now... how did you... when...?"

"When did I suddenly develop to this level?" she asked gently, wanting to spare me the effort of voicing my thoughts. "To be honest... the 'draconic' part of my nature has already awoken quite some time ago. Being an illathan makes it a little easier for me to handle magic, so the magic of the Disciples quickly became something natural to me... still... even now, I sometimes fear that it might not be enough..."

"Then why..."

"Why did I keep it a secret? I wanted to use it as an element of surprise in case something like that just now happened... I suspected that someone connected to Sharish might be watching us and I wanted them to get an impression that they shouldn't have a big problem with getting rid of us... And I just don't like to boast around with what I can do, especially after..."

She trailed off, and I somehow felt it wouldn't be good to press for answers. There was something more important...

"I think he didn't actually intend to get rid of us though..." I muttered. Now that the fog of anger slowly started to leave my mind, something akin to guilt began to form in its place. He did murder Sitriel... but so far, he didn't actually lay a finger on any of us, even if he acted like he wouldn't bat an eyelash if it actually came that far...

"What? But Siaril..."

"That wasn't him... He said..."

I suddenly felt Siaril stir and lifted my head to see those green eyes, the shadow of unconsciousness dispelling from somewhere deep inside them.

My tired mind identified that as a final sign that everything was really alright again. The last thing I managed was a faint smile, before my eyes slipped shut and I fell into an exhausted sleep, drained of any thoughts or visions...