After my heart to heart with Benny, we headed out to look for Celine. I half expected the compass to lead us toward the academy itself, but thankfully we were drawn diagonally past it. It seemed that barring people who were incredibly close or touching the power had scattered everyone when it brought us here.

"So, we were way ahead." I said to Benny as we stomped through the forest. "We didn't see what was happening on the steps very well. I saw a brawl break out and kind of lost you all in the commotion. I caught the odd glimpse or two but I'm not sure what happened to everyone. Did you see what happened to any of the others?"

"Gabe and Bethy made it off the steps before the teleportation." He said with a shrug. "I didn't see where they went since I didn't, but I'm betting they were heading for the palaces. I was surprised because I thought Gabe was going to bow out, but it seems like once he heard what was going on with the Blood Murder Palace, he decided to stay. Of course, he didn't know all this nonsense about there being others hidden among us."

I nodded. "I'm a bit worried too. I want to try to get a message to them somehow." That was a hint, if only because I couldn't come out and say it.

Luckily Benny knew me well. "Right. Message." He frowned a bit. "I wish a message would be distributed to all our friends, invisible to the BMP assholes, letting them know what's going on and where we're gonna be. In return I'll pay with eleven triple strength density shifted attacks."

Wish detected. Grant wish?

That was a relief on two fronts, and I sighed happily as I got the tenth attack, the rest being deferred for later use. The explosion of purple electricity that ran through me and burst up into the sky in a pillar of lightning wouldn't be visible to anyone else except Nat either, most likely, so that was nice too.

I was considering trying to merge some of those stockpiled attacks into my next stance. I used them constantly, and having my own accessible version, even if it was limited, would be damned useful. Not to mention I was eyeing a defensive form next, and the density shift would help immensely. That was something to worry about later though, because as we continued along the path the compass led through, my Danger Sense began to twinge.

Stopping, I held up my hand, bidding everyone to sit still as I used Eye of Revelation to scan for enemies. I didn't see any, but I could FEEL something watching us. Callie moved up next to me, daggers drawn. "Can you see them?" She murmured. "I can try to scout through the shadows if you can't, I'd just need you to cover me."

"Do it." I murmured, triggering Mountain Stance and Belial before stepping in front of her. She knelt down, fingers ghosting into the darkness as she reached out for the shadows nearby.

Within seconds an arrow flashed out of the dark, triggering my Danger Sense. My staff came up, smoothly redirecting the path with a tap and sending it flying harmlessly into the forest, only to lash out six more times as another half dozen arrows rained down at where Callie stood.

Randall stood up on his back paws and let out a bonerattling roar as he tried to defend Jessie, who had been riding on his back and who was currently gripping his fur for dear life.

"Enough." Called a voice I found familiar. A thin, lithe form stepped into the clearing, slit pupiled eyes locked on me as he waited for me to move. "The ambush failed, no need to remain hidden."

I sighed in annoyance. "Hello Felix." I said grimly. "I take it you're one of the Blood Murder Palace initiates. Or is this just your garden variety murder attempt out of ambition." The odd cat man seemed slightly more menacing than he had last time I'd met him. Cats are capricious and VERY ruthless. They were also excellent predators,

"The Palace isn't your enemy, candidate." He said in an aloof voice. "The Wishmaster is a mercenary, and always was. Our lord won't hold a grudge for a transaction. You need not involve yourself. If you remove your faction from our path, your consideration will be noted when the dark one returns."

Grimacing, I shook my head. "Such a short speech and so very many things I find deeply upsetting. For one, I don't feel like I'm alone in doubting the word of someone who called themselves Hatescream. Second of all, your use of the future tense implies he isn't around yet, and I don't want to deal with ANOTHER resurrected god. I can only assume you came for something that could accomplish that?"

He shrugged. "Your understanding of our goals holds no meaning. We are here. We are many. We will succeed. Kill me if you like, kill my whole group, kill until the soil squelches red underfoot. You cannot stop us."

My staff lashed out to the side, slapping the back of Benny's knee as a form exploded from an overhanging branch to try to attack him. A pair of black lines cleaved the air as Callie stood, having noticed the attack when I did and already positioned herself to follow up on my movement.

Stolen story; please report.

"Oh no." I said dryly. "A surprise attack from the ambush party we already discovered trying to surprise attack us. How unexpected. I expected better from a catman Felix. Aren't you guys supposed to be apex predators when it comes to creatures your own size?"

He shook his head. "I'd hoped to reach an accord with you, Shane. Wishmaster candidates make troublesome enemies. One way or another, I need to prevent you from assuming that role."

Narrowing my eyes, I triggered Pit of Despair under his feet. Flawlessly shifting his weight somehow, he backflipped off the falling ground into a handspring, then bounded off his hands and vanished into the trees. "Callie." I said simply, and she nodded, stepping back into a shadow and dropping out of sight. A hide and seek fight in a shadowy forest with my girlfriend was a bad position to be in.

From the trees emerged several robed figures, clearly working for or with Felix, and all armed with dangerous looking weapons made of what looked like congealed blood. With a grin, I triggered Moonlit Night, covering the forest around us with fog, then stepped off the air with Ripple Running, lashing out with my staff to strike the ground as I sailed over them, using State of Grace and the staff to pole vault myself up higher.

When the staff hit the ground I let the sound echo through the fog, drawing attacks from all the robed guys in range as they got a sound to act as a guidepost.

Sadly for those idiots I was already gone, and I bounced off the air again to maintain my position above them as my staff licked out to guide the attacks they were using so they injured each other. My corruption climbed their weapons and their bodies as they struck each other, and when I landed nearby I was able to neatly sweep their legs out, depositing them on the ground.

I turned to look for the others, and realized that they were already done with their opponents. Callie had altered the skill through the bond so they could see, which I totally would have thought of if I'd had a second.

Speaking of my girlfriend, she appeared from the darkness under a nearby tree, her arm clutched to her body. The OTHER arm, held a yellow clad leg I recognized as Felix's. She scowled and waved it at me when she felt me looking. "Slippery bastard. Gave up a leg to get away. I caught him in a shadow trap, but he lopped it off and ran. Apparently he can actually turn INTO a cat. Also cats can move pretty quick on three paws."

"He got out of your range?" I asked. If she could have tracked him she probably would have, though it might have just been too dangerous to risk it.

Sighing, she slumped down against a tree, casually waving a hand to bind up all the extremely injured robed guys. I hadn't killed any of them because this wasn't a trial anymore. Benny, who had been helping Jessie and Callen secure their prisoners, jerked to attention as he noticed something. "Guys!" he called, holding up the compass. "The needle is moving. That means Celine must be close for the vector to change over such a short arc of movement."

I glanced over in the direction he pointed, and I could vaguely make out a quartet of figures walking toward us through the woods. Squinting, I recognized who it was, and laughed aloud. "She's with Nat." I said with a grin. "She must have seen that wish earlier and used it to track us down." I'd been thinking she might be able to spot it, given the size and intensity of the power.

"We got your message." Called my cousin as she approached. "Could you BE any more loud and obvious? If there's any other candidates I'm betting they're on the way too. You really have no concept of subtle."

Rolling my eyes, I stepped up to hug her as Benny, Callie, and Jessie did the same to Celine, Perit and Valk. Abel just stood off to the side looking fondly amused. "It worked didn't it? Bad plans that work aren't bad. They're just 'unexpected'. It's good to see you guys though. That really cuts down on who we need to find. Mel, Chelsea. Gabe and Bethy. All of them total monsters and warned about the enemy forces thanks to that message."

"I feel more sympathy for the enemy if they try to target Bethy." Giggled Callie. "I'd rather deal with your average E-ranker than be her enemy."

With a laugh, I gestured them to follow. "Lets keep walking to get a bit further from the wish sign, just in case. Once we're clear I'll make us something to eat. After that...well, Benny's wish was for the message to tell them where we were going, it didn't specify at that moment." I glanced at my cousin. "What did it tell you guys?"

Nat shrugged. "Gave us a heading from where we were at the time. We didn't use it though, I just followed the column of purple lightning. Based on direction I think it was pointing us to the building." She gestured toward the Academy, and I groaned in annoyance.

"Of course it was." I said flatly. "Because we'd obviously end up there eventually, and that's probably where we would have met up. Whatever. We'll head for the Academy then." Benny and Callen had stacked the bound prisoners on Randall so we could keep them with us, so they'd be coming along unfortunately. I resolved to watch them closely. Who knew what might be in that place.

Callie lit up. "I bet there's all sorts of treasures leftover from the Aetherbright Empire. That's probably why they're here, to find some powerful magical item. We could find it first and keep it! Or sell it! Or..." She trailed off sheepishly. "Not the point, sorry. I was just a little excited by the promise of potential loot." She gave me an embarrassed grin.

I just shrugged. "I know you well enough to expect it. But I also know you well enough to know you can focus when the situation demands it. I trust your loot goblin tendencies not to cause us any problems." We chatted for a while, still walking, until my Danger Sense was completely silent, then I cut some branches and used Consecration of Flames to create a fire.

As I pulled out ingredients and pots I considered our next move. Once we got to the Academy we'd need to figure out a next step. We couldn't exactly just stumble blindly around. Once we found our friends it would be time to work on either getting out of here or stopping the BMP guys. I suppose only time would tell which. Though I had some questions for our prisoners once I finished cooking. Maybe they could tell me why this was all happening.