It had been two days ago that I first entered this city. And know I was finally on my way to the elves again. We made a little detour, buddy. But we will reach it, I said to him while I still clutched my mother’s music box to my chest. We had left Armenelos behind a couple of hours ago. Wen, if you can understand elvish. Why can’t you understand that sentence written in the music box?Artemis asked suddenly.

I don’t know. I never could, I answered sadly. He gave a snort of disdain. You never really tried. Try again.

“I always tried!” I hissed at him. Spook turned his head a little sideways. “Did you say something?”

“No, nothing,” I spoke. With my key I unlocked the music box and the music of it filled the silence. Spook stopped walking and turned around staring confusedly at me. “Why…” I put my finger to my lips to silence him and read the inscription around the sun. With one hand on the wall and the other holding the music box, I whispered the words. “Ír nidh-tana-dhir í fû ón í medui calad uin í aur.” Immediately I heard the voices of my ancestors repeat the words in my head in the right pronunciation. And suddenly I understood. I put the accent on the wrong parts of the words. Now I could understand the meaning of it and translate it in my head. I will show you the path on the last light of the day, I send the thought to Artemis as I closed the music box. Before Spook could ask anything, I narrowed my eyes and shook my head. He narrowed his eyes in respond and continued our journey to the day light. It seems quite clear to me. Somehow this music box can show you a path on the last light of the day.Artemis said. I nodded. But the way to what?

We walked on in silence. Sometimes we took a break to eat something and drink before continuing. I wondered what time it was now outside. The third time we stopped Spook sad down, made a little fire and started heating up some stew with the dried meat and some carrots he had taken with him. It didn’t really smell delicious, but it was hot and filled your belly. So, I made no complains about it. I took my notebook from my backpack to write in it.

I’d been writing down all that had happened the last few months. I tried to fit it all together. The Hunters suddenly attacking our home. The demon with his strange pentagram and creepy drawing of a monster of the underworld. My ancestry. The music box from my mother. Why had my mother left her people? If she were an elf, why didn’t she live with them? Why did she had to come here? To this danger? The attack of the necromancers. The separation of the mages. The high king Talron. Why did he decide to kill every magical creature? Something must have happened to him. I still had to read more in the notebooks of Barnabas. But in the meantime I could write down my own notes about my journey.

3E 11thof the nine moon,

Free at last,

The darkness eventually didn’t seem so dark anymore.

A new family member arises, it explains the rescue of Deathrose. Bit by bit, I come to know more about my caretaker. I thought I knew him, but I was wrong. He has such a history. A hidden history, the information divided over people. Divided over the places in this world. The sun finally shone in my heart. I will show you the path on the last light of the day, remember this, the music whispered to me. And remember I will.

Still the riddle of the demon remains a question. “This shrine is but the beginning. I will spread his word and hope that others will pledged themselves also in his magical art and power to serve him for better or worse,” he said to me. His word. Who is he?

“Did you hear that?” Spook whispered to me. I stopped writing and listened. There was nothing. “Hear what? Are you hearing ghosts?” I laughed a little. He looked frustrated at me. “If you would just listen!” I kept silent and listened again, this time through Artemis senses. I heard a strange humming in the distant. It came from further inside the tunnel. I sniffed in the air and felt a low growl in my stomach. It was a familiar scent. Human and yet not human. Monstrous smell. I knew this smell. I came back to my own body. Spook was already in his fighting position, weapons drawn. Kneeling in the shadows, he sneaked towards the sound. “Spook!” I hissed. He turned his head sideways, not losing eye sight of the darkness in front of him. “I know this smell. It’s a demonic creature. You can’t fight him. We need to sneak past him.” He stopped in his sneaking and fully turned around to look at me. I couldn’t see his eyes, but felt his terrifying glare. “Demon?!” his lips formed the words, barely making any sound. I nodded. The humming became louder. We froze at the spot. It was moving towards us. My eyes turned to the fire. Put it out! Put it out! I heard Artemis yell in my head. I quickly threw some water over it. The fire hissed and stopped breathing. We were surrounded by darkness. The smell became stronger. Artemis hid behind me, trembling on his legs. My heart was in my throat. I couldn’t breathe. I more felt, than saw, a figure pass us by. Time stood still and I prayed that this monster would walk on. But I heard him sniff and crawl closer to the edges of our fire. Some wooden twigs fell apart when the creature touched it. Then it let out a terrible scream. It felt as if my ears were exploding. I heard Spook scream from terror and pain. Blood dripping from my nose and ears. I crouched against the wall. The tunnel lit up by my touch and a silver mist surrounded me, damping the high-pitched scream as if my ancestors were trying to protect me. What I saw wasn’t a monk like the one I fought in the dark. This was an old lady. Covered in rags and long grey hair fell over her ugly, wrinkled face. She had no eyes. Two black holes gawking up at us. I lurched to my feet, grabbed Spook by his arm and Artemis followed. We ran. “Which way?!” I screamed at Spook. He pointed the direction as he ran next to me. I could hear the old lady running after us. I dared to look over my shoulder. I shouldn’t have done that. She was faster than I thought. Her long hair flying like dead limps after her, her crooked hands reaching for us. Those two black holes and her mouth wide open, showing row after row of tiny pointy teeth. My eyes widened, terrified I ran on. We took a turn and suddenly we were running up. I felt my muscles ache while I tried to run with all my speed. The old lady seemed to have no problem running up. There was a door at the end of the tunnel. Spook braced himself, took a sprint and bumped against it. The door flew open and revealed a cellar. The woman was to close, I couldn’t close the door behind me as I ran through it. I heard Artemis scratch at the door on the other end of the cellar. Someone muttering something about rats, opened the door, armed with a big cooking knife. His mouth fell ajar as he saw what was running through his cellar. Spook pushed him aside and we ran on. Into a guard room. The guards jumped up in shock. “Hey you!” someone yelled as he recognised me. Soon followed by screams when the old lady run up the stairs. I heard a terrible gurgle and knew she had killed the cook. Guards started running towards the door as well. Artemis yelped and pushed open the door to the daylight. But even daylight didn’t stop her. There we stood in the middle of the street, surrounded by guards an old lady panting in front of us. Blood dripped down her mouth. People started screaming when they saw her. Running in all direction. Panic broke out. And I could see the Silver Soldiers running towards us. “What on earth…” the guard next to me spoke. He couldn’t finish his sentence for the old lady took a deep breath and screamed. The same high-pitched scream she threw at us in the tunnels. The man cried out from pain. Blood dripping from their ears and noses, their veins blackened. I pushed my hands against my ears so hard that it felt as if I was trying to break my skull. I fell to my knees. Artemis lay next to me, yelping from the pain. His head hidden beneath his paws. Curled up on the ground. Spook was somewhere behind me. I could hear his cry. Men were falling prone on the ground around us. Some died, their veins blackened, blood dripping from their noses, eyes and ears. I knew I had to do something. The scream continued. I remember what my mother told me, that I could use my magic, even though my path towards the Weave was closed. I could draw it form my own body. I heaved my arms a little above me, palms up. And imagined some sort of magical shield that could protect us against this sound. Nothing happened. I tried to imagine harder. Please, please,I pleaded. Just like last time, I felt a strange energy engulf my body as a blueish light sprang from my hands. It deafened the sound of the old lady. The soldiers stood up, still trembling. They first looked at me, then back to the old lady. All looked terrified. They would have run away if their commander didn’t take control. “In position men!” he ordered. The soldiers stood their ground. Two rows of soldiers were now between me and the old lady. Spook grabbed my shoulder. He nodded to say thank you and with a swift move of his hands, two little knifes appeared. He crouched low and almost seemed to disappear in his surroundings.

I could see the Silver Soldiers held their weapons at the ready too. The old lady was now surrounded. “Surrender in the name of the high king Edmund or face the consequences!” One of the Silver Soldiers said to her. She turned around, looking at him with her dead eyes. Her head a little sideways, blood still dripping from her mouth. She hissed and said something in a strange language. Something awful started to happen to her body after saying those words. It was like a nightmare. This, I knew, would hunt me for months in my dreams. I saw men around me gawk in terror. Some even turned their face away. Some staggered backwards, away from this monster. “Hold position!” the commander yelled again, this time I could hear his voice trembling from fear. Even the Silver Soldiers put a step back. The old lady started to fall apart. Her skin crumbling to dust. Her arms became longer, fingers turned into black talons with long nails. Her skin turned into what looked like a black, thick mist. Her legs crumbled away and she hovered above the ground. Her hair started to grow and turned into a thick, black substance as well, covering her body as a cloak. She looked up at us, two yellow eyes in the blackness. Fear struck me like ice cold water. Artemis hid behind me. The soldiers dropped their weapons. Glued to the ground, they couldn’t move. She flew towards us. Don’t let fear take us, fight!I send the thought to the men around me. That terrified feeling left us. Men quickly picked up their weapons. I saw two tiny shiny daggers flowing past me from the right. Aimed at the old lady, who had become a demon. They flew right through her. I shot two arrows at her. But just like the knifes, they went right through her body. Nothing had changed. She had no wounds, no blood or anything coming from her shadowy skin. She still looked the same. Only those two yellow eyes, looked angry at me. She had spotted me, while Spook had gone into stealth again. She took a deep breath and opened her mouth. But this time no scream left it. It was a black substance. None I had seen before. I jumped aside and heard the black substance hiss on the ground behind me. The soldiers attacked as one. Their swords penetrating her body. The Silver Soldiers attacked form behind. But nothing seemed to damage this creature. She slashed with her talons. Men fell on the ground, their bellies ripped open. Screaming, trying to hold their body together. She seemed to take a deep breath and then heaved her arms, her mouth opened. A terrible high, pitched scream roared out of her. It hurt like hell. I felt blood tripling out of my ears. I pushed my hands against my ears in the hoop that her scream wouldn’t penetrate it. But it didn’t help. I felt the strength of my body leave me. Men around me screamed in terror and fell on their knees. Would this be the end?

But fortunately, the scream ended, still trembling I stood up and grab my bow. Even if I knew, my arrows would fly right through her, I tried anyway. But before I could let go of my string, she ran forward. Turning in circles. Her talons scratching everybody in her way. The Silver Soldiers fought as one man. But it seemed helpless. Many men were already lying on the ground. Either dead or badly injured. Spook appeared next to me. “Nothing seems to hurt her,” he panted. I wiped away the blood from my face. “What do we do?” I asked him. His face was focused on the monster. Then he looked, pensively at my bow. “Try to hit her head,” he said. I took a deep breath, grabbed my bow tightly. An arrow placed on it. I pulled, the feathers of the arrow striking my cheek. Aiming at her head. She was too focused on the Silver Soldiers now to notice me in the back. I breathed out and let go of the string. The arrow flew from my bow, right at her target. With a force, I didn’t know I had, it hid the back of her head. She screamed, but not that high pitched scream. It was a scream of anger and pain. Black blood dripped from the wound. “It hit! It hit!” I yelled grabbing Spook by his shoulders shaking him. The Silver Soldiers saw my arrow struck and retreated. They parted in two groups, one holding her at bay with their swords and axes. The other grabbing bows and shooting at her head. The other soldiers did exactly the same. She turned to the soldiers behind her. Spook pulled me away into the shadows. Black substance flew from her mouth on the front row of the soldiers. They yelled in fear and pain. Their skin melting from their bones. The stank of burned bodies, spread through the air. I gaged. The demon took again a deep breath and released her painfully, terrifying scream. But this time it didn’t reach me. It reached the group of archers on the opposite side. They cried out in terror and pain. Their veins colouring black, blood running from their noses and ears. They fell on their knees. Some of them already died. I’ve never been so scared before. What this monster could do. Such a terrible way to die. I started shooting at her head as well, just like all the Silver Soldiers. None of the other soldiers, lived to see another day again. Now she turned towards the Silver Soldiers. Even with their helmets on, I knew they were terrified. She slashed away the first line of warriors. The second line quickly drew their blades. Spook ran forward with his small blades at the ready. As swift as the wind, he jumped, made two quick blows on her head and rolled onto his feet on the other side. Disappearing in the shadows again. I ran forward to, with my sword at the ready. Artemis at my side, leaped forward and bit in one of her clawed hands. She roared and threw Artemis away. He landed hard on the ground, but immediately stood up and ran to me again. One of the talons shot towards me. Nails trying to pierce me. I heaved my sword and slashed them away. The tops of her talons fell to the ground. Dark blood covered my face. The few remaining Silver Soldiers saw my hit and roared in excitement. Their quivers were empty I could see. They were out of ideas. And know I had given them new strength by showing them we could hit her talons as well. “For the king!” they yelled as they ran as one man towards this monster. I retreated, picking up some of my arrows on the ground. I pointed my arrows at her eyes. Two, three, four arrows flew in the air. They all found their target, piercing through her head and eyes. She screamed, her mouth so far open you could see the four rows of pointy teeth. Right at that moment one of the Silver Soldiers threw his blade with such a force inside her mouth. Her scream died in a terrible gurgle. We all covered our heads, for the black substance flew everywhere. When I opened my eyes again, the woman was gone. There was nothing left. The black shadowy substance melted away into the ground. The man who had pushed his sword in the back of her throat cried out in pain as he saw his arm melting away. Spook appeared behind me, blood on his face, panting, sweating. I probably looked the same way. “You oke?” I asked him. He smiled. “Probably better looking than you,” he grinned. I laughed a little. “Then you haven’t looked in a mirror yet, my friend,” I said. We looked at the battle places and our smiles disappeared. Of all the soldiers that were in the guard room, none were left alive. The Silver Soldiers who were with at least 20, only a few remained. This old lady had killed so many men. “We have to go,” Spook whispered. We turned away from this terrible battle scene and disappeared in the shadows. I suddenly felt so tired, drained from all my energy. This was probably what my mother meant. Using your own body to drain magic from, took a lot of energy away. My entire body was trembling from exhaustion. Still I urged it to go on, following Spook through the dark alleys. Artemis at my heels. The pale moon appeared between the clouds trying to light up the city. But she failed and only deepened the shadows around us. “Where are we going?” I panted for air as I tried to keep up with him. He abruptly stopped at the end of an alley and I bumped against him. He shoved me a side and said: “Tonight I’m going to bring you to a place where you can sleep. Tomorrow I’ll show you the way out.”

I nodded in agreement and leaned against the wall to catch my breath. I felt weak and had a strange feeling as if I could faint any minute. “Follow my steps,” Spook breathed out the words. He crouched down low to the ground. The street he was about to cross, was enlightened by the shops and inns. There were also some lanterns hanging above the streets, the special candles inside were lit and checked by the lantern man. He would walk every night to enlighten the candles in the lanterns in his neighbourhood. Every part of the city had a lantern man.

Stolen story; please report.

It wasn’t really busy in the streets, but Spook and I were wanted by the guards now. So, we had to be extra careful. Avoiding even the tiniest bit of exposure. Spook waited until the street was quiet and sneaked to a bunch of barrels in front of a closed shop. The doors from the inn across the street opened and closed behind a group of drunken men. Loudly singing and balancing on each other’s shoulders. Spook waited for them to turn their backs to him and leaped towards the shadowy alley next to that inn. He completely disappeared, and I knew that it was my turn now to cross the street without being seen. I tried to control my heavy breathing and crouched low to the ground. The moon disappeared behind a cloud and I sneaked to the barrels. Artemis, stealthy as a wolf can be, appeared next to me. try to find a balance between walking softly and fast, Artemis suggested. I realised I was holding in my breath and released it. I looked around me to see if the coast was clear. At the end of the street, a group of Silver Soldiers appeared from the side. As far as I could see, it seemed they were looking for someone. And that someone might as well be us. So, when the Silver Soldiers looked the other way, I tried to run as silently and fast as I could to the safety of the shadows. Avoiding puddles and loose stones. In the alley, I first couldn’t find Spook, until he suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me with him to a side door of the building left to the inn. He knocked thrice on the door and someone opened it a little. I couldn’t see his face for he stood in the darkness. “How may I help you?” the voice spoke.

“We seek shelter for the storm,” Spook answered.

“In whose name?” the voice asked harshly.

“The Basilisk,” Spook said calmly. The door creaked further open and we walked in. With a loud thumb the door closed quickly behind us, plunging us in complete darkness. But the man lit up a lantern and led us to, what appeared to be, his living room. The cosy room was well lit, candles were burning and gave the room a sweet honey smell. There was a good, warm fire burning in the fire hearth, illuminating the Bordeaux red room in golden light. There were four comfortable arm chairs, with soft, thick pillows, around the fire place. On the table in the middle stood a fancy tea set and a plate with sweets. The place was decorated with beautiful art works and extraordinary weapons hanging on the wall. “Make yourselves at home,” the man said while he poured in some tea for us. “Here is your tea, lad.” He gave one of the fancy cups to Spook and turned to me. “And who is the girl you brought with you?” With this light, I had a good view of this man. He had a kind face, heavy eyebrows and a small beard of a few days old. He didn’t look much older than forty-five. His light brown hair was short and neatly combed to one side. He wore a simple garment decorated with silver buttons on red silk. I noticed he was bare feet. When I looked back at his face, he lifted one eyebrow at me. I could see his nose had been broken several times and a small scar showed on his right check. He had dark blue, watery eyes. Before Spook could say anything, I already answered. “My name is Faelwen and this is my friend Artemis,” pointing at my wolf who was already fast asleep by the fire place. The man smiled to my wolf. “I try to keep her safe, she is wanted by the Silver Soldiers. Tomorrow I’ll escort her out of the city.”

“The small woman with pointy ears,” the man said slowly, interrupting Spook’s story. “Nice to meet you, young lady. I am Jesper Fiddle. And this is my lair.” He spread his arms looking proudly at his home. “Nice to meet you too,” I answered.

“Drink your tea, Faelwen. Dinner will be served soon. Tell me,” he focussed himself back to the spook, “How are you planning to get her out of this city, lad?”

“Through the underground tunnels,” Spook said. “We will go up to the temple.”

Jesper narrowed his eyes as he said: “And you want entrance here I assume?”

Spook licked his lips before speaking. “I guess you already know the answer to that question, my friend.” Jesper nodded. “Very well. I will send word to the Basilisk.”

A door opened and a young girl in a servant’s dress, walked in. She didn’t say anything, but just nodded to Jesper. “Dinner is ready,” he spoke for her. The girl disappeared again in the other room and Jesper stood up. He saw my confused look and explained: “Our lord and saviour cut out her tong and threw her for the crows to be eaten, when she refused to speak. But I saved her just in time.” He almost spat the word “lord” and “saviour” while he walked towards the door and held it open for us to enter. Her tong cut out? That was cruel. I mean I knew the king was cruel towards magical creatures, but I had no idea he was so cruel towards non-magical humans. “Artemis, food.” My words strengthened by the smell of fresh bread and stewed meat, woke up Artemis and he trotted into the dining room as fast as he could. Almost making Jesper fall on his knees. “My apologies, Jesper. He must be very hungry,” I spoke for Artemis. Jesper laughed. “I like having a house wolf close by. I have one myself. Although I’ve never seen anyone with a real wolf as a pet,” he said while he looked towards the corner of the room where his own big dog was snoring in his bench. “What shall I give him?”

I shrugged. “Whatever we eat, he eats too.” Jesper laughed again and put some food on a plate. A big piece of the meat and a good chunk of fresh, buttered bread. Together with a huge bowl of hot soup. “There you go,” he whispered to Artemis while he stroked his fur. Artemis grunted pleased and started eating immediately. Spook and I placed ourselves on the table and immediately started putting some food on our plates too. Our evening meal was violently interrupted by that demon. And after such an intense battle, we were starved. “What do you do for the guilt, if I may ask?” I asked between my chewing and swallowing. Jesper took a sip of his red wine which the tong-less servant girl had poured in for us and dapped his mouth with a napkin before speaking. “I am the Caretaker. The one that takes care of the members of the guilt and always stands on the lookout for new apprentices. I am the one with the doctor’s skills, people come to me when they’re wounded. And when someone needs to stay low for a while, I know all the good hiding places. Me and my buddy,” he looked again with a smile towards his dog, “try to take care of everyone the best we can,” he ended his story looking back at me. I nodded. “Interesting job, you have. And you seemed to know one another well,” I said while I looked from Spook to Jesper. Jesper had a wide grin on his face, but Spook just stubbornly continued eating. His eyes fixed on his plate. “I found Spook when he was a boy. I took him in and made sure he got an apprenticeship by some of the guilt members.”

Spook licked his lips before speaking. “The past is in the past. We don’t need to know each other’s background story,” he grunted. Jesper looked displeased at Spook. “Well I do want to know background stories. I’ve been wondering why such a small, harmless girl is being hunted by the Silver Soldiers and the Hunters.”

“How do you…” He looked at me. “I have my ways,” he interrupted my question.

Spook licked his lips against, his eyes fixed on me now. He sat back, his hood on, hiding his small grin and keen eyes. Jesper sat back too. His arms crossed, a frown on his face. What could I tell and what could I not? Artemis?I alarmed him. He stopped eating, licked his lips and walked over to me. Tell them the truth, they will know if you lie. But leave out the details. Keep it short and simple,he advised me. I bit my lip as if deep in thought. “It’s been four months since I last saw home. I lived near Townhaven. A fine fisher’s town. Very pleasant people. The Hunters just came out of nowhere. Started hunting me down. I think because, they assume I have magical abilities.”

“Do you?” My mouth opened and closed. “Excuse me?” I stuttered.

“Do you have magical abilities?” Jesper spoke again. I looked at Spook. His grin widened.

“I may have some capability to perform a form of magic, I think,” I answered vaguely.

“You should tell him about Armenelos and that time when you stopped the screaming of the monster,” Spook’s grin widened.

I shot him a furious look. “I escaped the Hunters by disappearing in the crowd here. Only now the Silver Soldiers started looking for me as well. I found Spook and he brought me to the underground city. Also, known as Armenelos, literal translation of Noble Haven city. Here I discovered I must have elven ancestral blood in me for I could speak with the city. The elves of the past put their memories and thoughts inside the stones of the city. Making it come alive for any elf that touches it. During our fight with the demon, I used a minor form of magic to protect the man from the terrible sound the demon could make that would melt your brains from the inside.” I put the emphasis on minor, in the hope Spook wouldn’t exaggerate my powers. Digging deeper into a place I had no knowledge of yet. “She could also make the city light up like a starry sky. A pale moonlight scattered over the city, making it come more alive than ever. She has fought a demon before, for she recognized the smell or sound the demon made in the dark tunnels of the underground. She also shoots with her bow so precisely and fast. As if she’s trained for generations. I’ve never seen anything like it. Not even our best archers could match her bow skills. She has a quick reaction to danger and learns extremely fast. Therefore, I think she must have had training of a good and skilled fighter. You should be warned, my friend, she is not what she seems,” Spook said, ignoring my warning glance. Jesper looked at me with surprised eyes. “Well, well, it seems we have a mythological creature among us tonight. I’m sorry, Spook, for ever doubting your stories.” I suddenly felt very uncomfortable between these two man with their penetrating, searching eyes. Artemis growled low and showed his teeth. There was a tense feeling in the air. And a painful silence descended upon us. I looked at them suspiciously. Should I run? I could make it to the door. But Spook put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “She carries the notebooks of Barnabas. And a friend of Barnabas is a friend of me,” he said to Jesper. Who was looking even more surprised. “And where is Barnabas if I may ask? He disappeared such a long time ago,” Jesper asked me. A flash of grievance washed over my face. And I looked away. “He is not among the world of living any longer,” I whispered.

“I regret to hear that.” It was quiet again. Everyone lost in thought. Trying to eat even when your stomach was full of hurt. The tong-less girl took away our dirty dishes and Jesper leaded us to our room in silence. I got an own room completely for myself. It was a big room. With big windows draped with beige curtains. There where white sheets on the bed. And a warm red, woollen cloth laid on top. A small fire lit up the room. Two armchairs faced the fireplace. And above the hearth was the map of Ancestral Region, carefully framed behind glass. A few candles were burning on the side tables next to the bed and a clean white gown was folded on the bed. A small door in the corner led to a bathroom where a tub with hot water was waiting for me. I saw a small bucket under the sink and filled it with some of the tub water. When I came back to the bedroom, I saw Artemis was laying in front of the door. His ears pricked up and eyes focused on the small light that peeped through the door. “Artemis, come here. It’s safe now. You need to be cleaned. You smell.” Artemis grunted and licked himself. There, I’m clean now.I rolled my eyes and walked towards him. Fortunately, he was laying on a wooden floor and not on the carpet so cleaning him was easier. I found a sponge and crouched down near Artemis. He struggled a little, but new that I wouldn’t stop until his entire body was clean. After a few minutes, he was soaked wet. Grumbling and protesting he moved towards the hearth to dry up. I was too tired to start a discussion and threw the dirty water out of the window before cleaning myself and my clothes in the tub. I hang everything over the chairs near the fireplace and put on the night gown. It was soft and beautifully decorated with lace. As I climbed in the bed I took one of the notebooks of Barnabas to read. I scanned through the books looking for the word demon of demonic entity. And after a while I found something.

3E 917- the 16thof the third moon.

Villages are being raided by Orion. Innocent people are suffering. But I can’t find this Returner. I went to Blackthorn, a small fisher’s town near the city ruins. Everybody knew the ruins of this city. And that Sir Ludwich Blackthorn, a rich and greedy man, provided the small fisher’s town with gold and mystic objects from the city ruins. But lately rumour has it, Blackthorn Mansion is hunted. People say the mansion whispers and groans in the middle of the night. It is always chilly there and candles are being blown out even when there is no wind. A few days ago, his lady-wife committed suicide by jumping of the cliffs. Sir Ludwich and his daughter are grieved beyond words. Yesterday his daughter committed suicide. She hanged herself with her own curtains. Awful. Now I arrived in town and talked to this sweet old man who lives with his wife here, Hugh. He told me he thinks it’s the black diamond Sir Ludwich has found. That this diamond is cursed. I think I will investigate this further in the morning.

3E 917- the 17thof the third moon.

Two servant girls have slit their throats and the rest of the servants left the house. There saying a sickness is laying over it. And Sir Ludwich has locked himself in the attic. I found some scrolls in the place Sir Ludwich found this diamond. It was written in the same old language I’d encountered before with the writing to the king. It says that they were able to lock this mind possessing demonic entity in this diamond. Who, “they” are, I have no idea. I only know that Sir Ludwich must be an incredible strong mage to open this magical sealed case where he found the diamond in. I feel something strange in the air. The deal with the Fiend we created, is weakening. I can feel it. This chest, or so it’s written, was banished to the underworld. Locked with an extremely strong curse. Anyone who dared to opened it, would be killed immediately. How did this chest came up here? Someone or something must have brought it here. This information must be brought to the Sorcerer’s.

3E 917- the 18thof the third moon.

Sir Ludwich Blackthorn has passed away. May his soul find rest in the worlds above. I locked the attic again. I will gather some of the Sorcerers to put this black diamond, with his demonic entity inside it, back in the chest. And hide it for everyone.

“The deal with the Fiend we created, is weakening,” I repeated the words softly. “Does that mean, what I think it means?”

Mostly I know what you think, but now you make no sense to me, Wen, Artemis resounded in my head. “I mean… I think… I think that the Fiend isn’t defeated as the stories tell, but that the king made a pact with the Fiend. I wonder what that pact is.” Artemis looked confused at me as I searched through my backpack for the right notebook. According to my calculations, the Fiend was known “defeated” in the first year Talron became High King. It was but 42 years ago. The memories were still fresh. And the fear run deep. “I’m starting to have this strange feeling Barnabas was more than just a mage, Buddy.”

He is, Artemis confirmed. I stopped turning the pages and looked stricken at my wolf. “Excuse me?”

He is more than that, Artemis clarified himself. “And how is it that you know and I don’t?”

That’s another story to tell for another time, first read the journals from your caretaker. Artemis curled himself up again in front of the fire and turned his back to me. Leaving me with thousands of questions. I continued searching, eagerly turning the pages. I found it in Barnabas’ first journal. The story of the Fiend. It was written in poetry as if to hide the true story behind it.

2E 897- 28thof the sixth moon

I write these words to conceal

The truth that’s hidden in our deal

Keep the darkness away

Let us live another day

This plan we have is not for our self

Let the war end for demon, men and elf

With the help of those hidden in forest of green and gold

Let us be rid of this demon of old

Unreachable were the terms he wanted

Yet our leader of worlds stretched out his arm

The deal is sealed, forever haunted

I stared up at the sky

Wishing for the wings

That could teach me how to fly

But I’m trapped here

My feet tied to the ground

The forces of gravity with the weight of this burden on my shoulders, pusing me down

“One day each year

am I allowed to do as I please.”

haunting the land of living like a disease

“After my victim is consumed,

I will turn back to the dark until the next time you’re doomed.”

There must be a way to make this stop and destroy him once and for all

I plead for the freedom of this loss

Here the story ended. I stared into the darkness, Barnabas’ notebook still open on my lap. I couldn’t all grasp it. Still it was so clear. The fiend was still alive. One victim each year. His words resounded in my head. “He was there,” I whispered, barely making any sound.

Yes, he was, Artemis answered without looking up at me.

“But I thought that only the High king and…” my words fell silent when I understood.

without any emotion, I closed my caretaker’s book and put it away. Resting with my head on the pillow, I wondered what would happen if anyone else knew. I assumed the Black hawks knew, for how else could Barnabas have freed lady Rosemary from her death sentence?

I wondered if the Hunters knew of it too. And if that was the reason why they were haunting me now. My head full of thoughts, darkness swept over me and I slept. A restless night full of doubts and fears.