I awoke alone Tigra was already up. I could hear moving about the room, using Larana I saw she was tiding up the mess left behind by Hashana. As predicted, she did not return, she most probably went back to Dumah with her tail between her legs.

I sat up, then moved to get off the bed. I didn’t fancy spending another day lying about doing nothing, while the others did all the hard work. I was still able to move about. Mila had healed all my other wounds apart from my eyes. I brought my hand up to touch the bandages.

“It will take a little longer master,” she reassured me. I hated not being able to see properly, but Larana’s power would allow me to see most things.

“And what do you think you are doing?” asked Tigra alarmed. “Lay back down.”

“No.” I stretched. “I am not laying down anymore. I feel strong enough to move about, all that is left to heal is my eyes.”

“You aren’t ready.” Tigra strode right over to me. “I need you at full strength.”

“I protected you last night, didn’t I?” I smiled, placing my hand on her cheek. “It doesn’t matter what condition my body is in; I will always protect you.” I gave her a gentle kiss. “Now take me to Elder Audun. I will use my clairvoyance to see what he has done with the king. Time is of the essence.”

Tigra was silent for some time. “Alright.” She agreed, yes. “We’ll go as soon as you are ready.”

“Um…” I went all embarrassed.

“What is it?” she demanded.

“Can you help me into my uniform?” I asked. “Sure, I can see, well sense to a degree, but clothing is another thing.”

“You… want me to help you change,” her voice pitch changed.

“Well yeah.” The way she said it made me flustered. “I mean we have shared our bed before, right…” What the heck was I saying.

After an awkward start to the morning, changed in my uniform and walking beside I could only guess a very bashful Tigra, to be honest I was feeling quite hot under the collar. Sure, we were closer, but somethings were still quite embarrassing for us both.

“Are you sure, you are okay?” she asked.

“Fine.” I waved my hand. “I can see the structure of every wall and navigate the building, no worr…… ouch.” I had walked into one of the walls, then knocked over a giant vase, smashing all over the floor.

“I thought you could see,” she commented.

“My power disrupted for a second,” I coughed.

“What was that?” Zack, Link and Dash came out of their rooms to investigate the sound.

“Fang,” cheered Dash.

“Are you really fit for duty?” remarked Zack.

“He insisted,” said Tigra. “Now to Elder Audun.” She held that determination in her voice, gave me goosebumps. “We will find the king today.”

We left the building we were calling home during our stay and headed to a building opposite. I sensed energy from many Zerda guards, bowing at Tigra’s presence.

“I am sorry, your highness, but he still refuses to speak a word of where our king is being held,” informed one of the Zerda.

“We won’t need him to say a word,” she responded, having faith in my abilities to find out through my clairvoyance, but I wasn’t even sure if this would work myself. I had never tried to do a reading from someone before, like mum when they were searching for Queen Daz in the past, but if she was capable of doing it then so was I, with Fangs guidance I hoped.

Elder Audun was still tied to a chair at the centre of a dark room, from what Tigra had explained to me, he had been given little food and water, just enough to sustain him until we received the answers we were after.

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“I told you many times, I will not answer your questions, just kill me already!” shouted Elder Audun. “The dark power will consume this world, and those most loyal will one day be revived once again.”

“Sorry to burst your bubble,” I said walking closer. “He only reserves that right for his strongest generals, which my clan have fought through many generations.”

“You lie!” He snarled.

“Do I.” I held my hand out to him.

“What are you planning.” His voice sounded alarmed. “Going to attack me with your talisman.” His voice quivered. “GO ON, I STILL WON’T TELL YOU ANYTHING!”

“Who said anything about harming you.” I focused my energy into my hand, then focused on the energy around him. He was covered in a thin layer of dark energy, enough to corrupt his intention but not enough to spread the darkness to the others within the city, like Dumah in Cathopia, nothing more than a puppet to lure us here. I could sense some tension and anticipation in the room from the others. “Can everyone leave, I need to focus.”

“Oh, right.” Tigra shuffled. “Come on, leave Fang to it.”

“Now then.” I took in a deep breath, leaning forward, pressing my hand against his chest.

“You are here to silence me,” he began rambling. “The darkness will prevail, they will strip everything from you, take everything, destroy everything.”

“Larana,” I said her name, summoning her wind, to disrupt the sound of his voice, creating complete silence.

“Connect with his energy.” There he was, Fang. “First time will be quite rough.”

“Just tell me what I am doing,” I responded. “Guide me.”

“Alright. Like I said connect with his energy, through the vail of darkness,” instructed Fang. “Everyone has an energy, it flows through all living things, once connected to it, you will see the answers you seek.”

I purified the darkness around him, freeing the energy around him. He gasped as if he was finally able to breathe. His own energy rose up from within, reaching out connecting to my hand. I nearly pulled away as I felt his energy circle up my arm.

“Hold yourself steady Alex. It is always like this when you are first learning this technique, once mastered you’ll be able to do it much faster.” Fang reassured me. “Let his energy fill yours and wait, you’ll soon understand.”

My mind began flickering between light and darkness, feeling dizzy I wobbled a little, but gripped tighter onto his top. I needed to find out where King Kahli was.

“Your majesty, we must do something about these attacks.” I heard Elder Audun’s voice; it sounded like a whisper but became louder. “They have found a new crystal cave, if they discover only our kin can enter, they will only keep coming.”

“I have sent a messenger to Cathopia for help, our kin do not have the power to deal with those monsters.” It was a second voice King Kahli.

“But none have ever returned in the weeks this all started.” Elder Audun sounded frustrated, anger filling his voice.

“They will come,” responded the king.

Images came to my mind as Elder Audun headed into the desert alone, with warriors from the city, none of which were powerful enough to face what we fought. Hidden under the sands, they were ambushed by Scorlax and his scorpion, quickly wiping out all those he had taken with him, leaving him the only survivor.

“Oh, the darkness likes you,” said Scorlax, having his giant scorpion pinning him to the ground. “You are filled with anger, even hatred towards a king who does nothing for the people. I can use you.” I let out a cry as I felt his pain from being stun, as they forced the darkness to possess him. It flooded through him so easily, guided by his negative emotions.

He returned to Desvulp, drunk with the energy the darkness had given him and a mission directly from Scorlax, to lure us here with Tigra, so they could kidnap her, hoping to create despair in King Alton, to reclaim their footing of darkness within him, which they had lost much of once I’d had my awakening.

Elder Audun acted normal towards King Kahli, before stabbing him in the back, not fatally but enough to incapacitate him.

“Audun, what is the meaning of this?” King Kahli wounded could do nothing against his attacker.

“The darkness wishes for their new queen,” responded Elder Audun. “And I must do my part in bringing her here.”

They wanted Tigra, that is why Dumah kept pushing the subject of her being his mate, her queen, not to just take over Cathopia but to be the Queen of Darkness. Not while I still drew breath.

Elder Audun, headed out of the city with the wounded king, heading for some caverns, which were much like a maze with many entrances and exits, but Elder Audun had played within these caverns as a child he knew them well, and now so did I.

The answers I wanted received. I broke my link with him, pushing myself away, stumbling to the floor, out of breath. I felt a massive drain on my energy, my mind still flashing with his memories.

“Alex.” Tigra’s hands were on my shoulders.

“I know where he is,” I said wearily.

“We’ll go get him,” she said.

“No. I need to go.” I responded. “The place is a maze; through his memories I know where he is.”

“Where am I?” Elder Audun spoke. “Why am I tied up?”

“What’s wrong with him?” asked Zack.

“I purified the darkness controlling him, I doubt he even remembers what he has done,” I answered. “Zack, you stay here. Link and Dash will come with me to rescue King Kahli. I just hope we are not too late.”