Max was led out of his bedroom two days after writing his note. Max knew it was getting late in the day, but it was still light out. The three soldiers who took him did not speak. Two walked in front of him and one walked behind. He followed the soldiers as they led him down the stairs and into the entrance hall. Max expected them to take him to the study off of the throne room, but instead he was led through the front door and outside.

Max blinked in the late afternoon soon. It had been so long since he had been outdoors. The light wind that blew felt so good, he closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. He kept following the silent soldiers as they led him out of the palace gates and to the left.

They walked down the streets of the first ring of Aurumist. Not many people were out, but the few who were stopped and stared at Max. He looked at a few of them, wondering if they knew who he was. It didn’t matter really. No one in Aurumist except for Griffa knew who Max really was. They all thought he was the king of the magical folk. They didn’t realize they had the actual queen, a powerful one right in their midst.

The soldiers took Max to a large building that he thought must be a temple. They walked in and there was a fountain in the front room of the building. It was a statue of twelve faceless people all in an outward facing circle. They all had their hands positioned in different ways, looking like they might send a spell or a curse. Max looked at it as he walked by, and it made him uneasy.

They walked into the main room of the temple. There were rows of benches in a circle facing a blank place in the middle. There were high windows all along all four walls of the temple, letting in light. The light filled the middle circle. The soldiers led Max through the large room to the very back of the temple. One of the soldiers kneeled down and opened a door that was made into the stone floor.

Max looked down and saw that the door led to very steep stairs. The soldiers pushed him towards it and Max carefully and slowly walked down the stairs. As he walked down, he entered a dark, large room. The floor was stone, the walls seemed to be made of stone as well. The ceiling was high. It was painted blue with yellow suns and stars. The room was cold and musty. Max waited at the base of the stairs for the soldiers.

When the soldiers made it down the stairs, they urged Max on. Max could see a light up ahead, and he walked towards it. As he got closer, he could make out a large statue. The statue sat in the middle of four large smooth columns that seem to be supporting the ceiling. The columns each had a burning torch on it.

As Max walked towards the statue, he realized it was a statue of the gods. The same as was in Abscon and the Valley, but larger. Max felt as if the air was different closer to the statue. He could feel the electricity of magic all around him. His own magic struggled to ignite within him. Max walked on looking up at the statue, not noticing others were around.

“Welcome, young king,” said Golnar. Max’s eyes snapped to Golnar.

Max saw that Golnar was not alone. Philo stood close by with a tight hold on Griffa. Next to Philo and Griffa a fire was burning at the base of the statue. A large kettle was placed over it. Max could see something gold was brewing in the kettle, and Max wondered if it was the same potion as before.

“I need your help, young king,” said Golnar walking over to Max. He grabbed Max by the arm and brought him over close to Griffa. “I still need this potion made. I know last time did not go well. So, I brought you down here to your gods. These are your gods, aren’t they?”

“Yes,” said Max quietly looking at Griffa. She had a fresh cut above her eye. The blood was running down her face, as she stared back at Max.

“I think they might help our little situation. I’ve been reading about your gods and blood magic. You may not know this, but your folk were quite fond of blood magic at one time. There were a couple of blood magic spells that were very important to your folk. You should look them up sometime.”

“You have no business doing blood magic,” said Griffa angrily. “You are poisoning everyone in the city, you included. This potion isn’t the answer to your problems. Our folk may have used blood magic in ancient times, but it has been perverted and misused since then. It is used mostly for evil now. Your evil intension taints every potion you make. You will fail again and again. They gods won’t stand for evil.”

“Philo, please help our guest hold her tongue,” said Golnar harshly.

Philo raised his hand and threw Griffa down on the ground. She hit the stone floor on her side and stayed down.

“What is it you want?” asked Max angrily to Golnar. “Just tell me what you want, and I will do it.”

“I want you to finish the potion for me. You can use Miss Keene’s blood. Philo, take that bowl there and get some of her blood,” said Golnar nodding at a bowl on the ground next to the fire.

Philo grabbed the bowl. He placed it next to Griffa. He kneeled down and grabbed Griffa off the floor, so she was sitting up. Max could see her eyes were half open. Philo took a long sharp knife out of his belt and grabbed Griffa’s hand. He sliced her palm open quickly. He laid her hand in the bowl and her blood flowed from the wound into the bowl. After a minute Philo took the bowl and pushed Griffa hard to the floor. He placed the bowl next to the kettle.

“You will finish the potion with Miss Keene’s blood. All have to do is add the blood and then stir it a few times tonight. You will not add the blood until Philo and I have left this room. You will stay here overnight with the potion. I will come back in the morning to let you out,” said Golnar.

Max nodded.

“I will leave Miss Keene and the soldiers with you. Oh, Philo don’t forget to give Miss Keene something for her pain from her injuries,” said Golnar as he walked by Max.

Max watched as Philo pulled a vial out of his pocket. He raised his hand and Griffa sat up with her eyes closed. Philo opened her mouth and poured the liquid from the vial down her throat. He pushed Griffa lightly, and she dropped to the floor on her side.

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“Now if you try to run, you will have to leave your friend. She will sleep for some time if she wakes up at all. I have given these soldiers full authority to use any force necessary if you try anything. Now, come along Philo, let’s go so the young king can complete the potion.”

Philo and Golnar walked out together. Max watched them walk up the stairs and through the trap doors. The soldiers stood around the supports watching Max. Max walked over quickly and kneeled down by Griffa. He made a show of picking up the bowl of blood.

“Griffa,” whispered Max. “Griffa, you need to wake up. This could be our chance.”

Griffa didn’t move. Max moved the bowl closer to her slightly as the soldiers watched. Max moved his body to try to shield his movements from the soldiers. He slowly placed his hands next to Griffa’s and connected his fingers with hers. Max felt his magic wake up. He felt Griffa’s magic pouring form her hand and mixing with his. He looked at Griffa as she made a small noise.

“Griffa, wake up, please. I know it’s hard, but we can do this. We can do it together,” said Max quietly in a pleading voice.

Griffa’s eyes slowly opened. She looked up at Max. “Can you hear me, Griffa?” asked Max in a whisper.

“Yes,” she said quietly.

“We can do this; I know we can.”

She nodded and sat up slowly keeping her fingers interlocked with Max.

“What are you two doing?” asked the soldier closest to them.

Griffa looked up at Max and nodded her head. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She waited a few seconds and then her eyes opened. Max watched as the bonds around her wrist fell to the ground. She reached with her hands and touched the rope around her waist, and tt fell loose against her body.

Griffa jumped up and turned and moved her hand. The first soldier was slammed against the support he was by. Griffa turned and pushed out her hand, another soldier flew into the back wall, his head smacking hard against the stone. One of the soldiers had caught on and threw a curse at Griffa. She blocked it easy and threw a curse back at the solider. The soldier crumpled down and did not move. She then turned and quickly a threw a curse over her shoulder. The fourth soldier spun in the air and fell in a crumpled mess on the floor.

Griffa looked around frantically, checking for any more soldiers. She stumbled slightly, but steadied herself. She walked over to Max and raised her hand, and Max’s ropes fell from his wrists. He quickly took the ones off his stomach.

“We have to get out of here, Griffa,” said Max as he kicked over Griffa’s bowl of blood. “Are you alight?”

Griffa had a wild look in her eyes, but she nodded at Max. Max grabbed her arm to get her to follow him, but she wouldn’t move. She turned to look at the statue of the Gods.

“Griffa, we have to go,” said Max.

Griffa continued to stare at the Gods. She stumbled over to the statue. She fell on her knees before it, breathing hard. She raised her cut hand that was bleeding and reached out, touching the foot of the sister, and closing her eyes. Max could feel the electricity in the air, as magic was swirling all around them. Griffa stood there with her eyes closed, touching the statue as her hair blew around her as if moved by a strong wind.

Max watched as Griffa held out her other hand towards Max. He grabbed Griffa’s hand. He instantly felt a strong bolt of magic flow through his body. The magic created a song within him. It sang the history of the magic folk. It sang of a time before King Nathin, when the world was new. Max closed his eyes.

Max saw a vision of Griffa. She was clothed in a black dress. She was whole and healthy. Her hair was blowing in the breeze all around her face. She held her staff by her side. She was on top of a tower in the palace. The sides were open with no windows or roof. She looked over Aurumist with a benevolent smile, taking a deep breath and raising her staff. Max felt a peace like he had never experienced before.

He opened his eyes to find Griffa looking at him. Her arms were by her side. She was standing straight with clear, bright eyes. Max could feel magic radiating off of her, as she nodded at Max and grabbed his hand. They ran together to the stairs. Griffa went up the stairs with Max following. She opened the trap door and looked around, before going up with Max following her. They were in the temple alone.

“Where do we go, Griffa?” asked Max.

“We need to try to make it out of the city,” replied Griffa. “We can travel to the gates of Abscon from there. We are probably going to have to fight our way out. Whatever happens, Max, I will not go back to that cell.”

The walked together through the temple to the front doors. Griffa inched the door open and looked out.

“I don’t see anyone. I guess we have to try, Max. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but we have to try.”

Max nodded.

Griffa pushed open the door and they walked out. To the left was a high stone wall, that Max knew led to a high cliff that overlooked the river. The only way to go was back towards the palace. They tried to stay close to the edge of the road, so they could hide in trees if needed. They had almost got to the path away from the palace when a curse came flying at them. Griffa’ pushed Max out of the way and threw up a block. The curse knocked her back, but she stayed on her feet.

Griffa pushed her hands out and two soldiers flew out from a behind a tree. They fell onto each other. More soldiers came out of the first ring towards Max and Griffa. They were trapped between the palace gates and a line of soldiers. Griffa threw curses and blocks as soldiers fell around them. Max tried to help her by blocking curses where he could and taking down soldiers when he had a chance. They retreated back to the palace gates.

“What do we do, Griffa?” asked Max wildly.

“Only thing we can, Max.” said Griffa. She raised he hands, and Max could feel a shield appear around them. She turned towards the gates and pushed both her hands out. A stiff wind blew, and the palace gates moved. Griffa pushed harder and the gates cracked open. Max put his own hand out and pushed. The gates blew open just as Griffa’s block weakened. She pushed Max through the gates. She threw a couple of curses behind her as she ran through the gates herself. She shut them with a push of her hand.

Griffa looked up and threw her hands in the hair. On both sides of the tower, soldiers fell out of the open windows. She looked around and grabbed Max.

“We have to try to find a way out of the palace from a different side, come on,” said Griffa.

She ran to the palace doors, and Max followed her. She placed her hand on the door, and the door opened. Max had no idea how she knew the wards for the door, but he didn’t question it. The ran into the deserted entrance hall. Griffa stopped Max and looked around, before running into the throne room. It was empty. They ran the length of it to the large doorway in the front of the room by the raised dais.

They ran through the doorway and looked around. Griffa grabbed Max and pulled him to the left down a hallway. They had just made it to the door at the end, when soldiers came running into the hallway behind them. They threw curses and spells as Griffa put up a shield around them. She took down soldiers with her own spells and curses. Max threw spells at the soldiers as well. He raised his hand and a large shelf against the wall fell on two soldiers.

Griffa looked at Max. “Max, I’m going to get you out of here. You are going to find a way out. Don’t look back. Just keep going. If you go straight and turn to the left, you will find a set of stairs. Those stairs will lead you to the kitchens. You can find a door that leads to the outside. If you make it to the cliffs you should be able to magically travel. Get to the cliffs and travel to the gates of Abscon,” said Griffa.

“What are you talking about? How do you know how to get to the kitchens?” asked Max. Griffa turned and opened the door.

“Griffa, come on,” said Max loudly.

“I will stay and fight. Go Max, get out of here,” said Griffa. She pushed Max in and then closed the door.

He tried to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge. He threw different spells at it, but he couldn’t open it.

“Griffa!” called Max. “Griffa!” The door would not open. Max turned and saw an empty hallway before him. He ran down it trying to find a way to get back to Griffa.