Back at the manor. "DRUWSILA!" the shout can be heard all through the house. "Where is she!" she yells at one of her servants who cowers' underneath the fierce glance. "Something wrong Mistress?" Naree asks coming out of a side hall. "Where's the girl?" she asks harshly barely keeping her temper. "I don't know but when she's found I'll be sure to send her to you." Naree says turning away. "Be sure that you do!" she snaps, and begins continuing her search.      Down the hall Naree stops when she's sure she's out of eye shot of the sorceress, and lets her face fall, into a worried frown. "What in the world could have happened?" she thinks to herself.      While walking through the halls shouting the girls' name, Lerane begins to think of the boy. The one who had escaped her, she had had to shout down the corridors that morning too, before she discovered he wasn't here. She knew Naree had had something to do with it, but she had faked ignorance well enough and she was too useful to get ride of on a suspicion. However should the girl be missing through her meddling there would be no chances for her to be deceiving, she would hold her life in the palm of her hand and watch it slowly drain away. Then it hit her. A presence that she hadn't felt in years headed her way. "He couldn't be stupid enough to return after all these years and think that there wouldn't be retribution." She snarls and heads for the front door of the manor to meet her unexpected guest.                                                                              *                    *                    *      Meanwhile, outside the sky starts to cloud over. Pulling on Crows arm, "She knows." Druw tells him pointing at the sky. Looking up at it, "Yeah, and I think she's pissed." He comments stating the obvious. "Looks like your prophesy is going to happen a little sooner then expected." And changing their course somewhat they head strait for the manor not bothering to try sneaking in. Walking up to the front gates it opens up on its own. "You know," he thinks out loud, "There used to be a time when that would have scared me." He comments thinking about the first time he had walked through those gates. Walking through the gates close behind them again. Looking down the path to the front they see the Sorceress storming out of the manor "Stay back here." He commands her she starts to protest until she sees a pleading look in his eyes. Nodding her head in consent she stays put while he walks forward to face Lerane alone.      Meeting each other in the middle of the yard they square off. "You dared to come back here?" she snarls at him. "What, your not overjoyed to see me?" he says sarcastically. "Oh I'm overjoyed. Overjoyed that I can rectify the mistake I made over ten years ago when I let you live." She snarls at him. "Remember… it has been ten years and you have no idea of what I'm now capable of." He reminds her. "Not strong enough. That's all I need to know." She says to him. Giving him a look an invisible hand closes around his throat and lifts him into the air. "You could never be a match for me." she gloats watching as he starts to slowly suffocate.      Suddenly she is jerked from behind, and she can feel steel pressed to her throat. "Let that boy go." She hears Naree whisper in her ear her voice like steel. "Oh, and what will you do if I don't?" Lerane asks laughing. "I'll slit your throat clean through to the back of your neck." Naree threatens giving a slight push sending small droplets of blood down the sorceresses neck.. "Really? I don't think so." She yells grabbing Naree's arm and twisting it making her drop the knife she was holding. "You idiot. "How could you even hope to stop me?" she yells fiercely. Before she even gets the chance to answer Lerane thrusts her hand through Naree's chest and pulls out her still beating heart. "I will enjoy watching you die." she says coldly starting to slowly squeeze on the muscle in her hand. Soon it bursts spreading blood all over her hand and arm.      Horrified, he watches as Naree is slaughtered. His sight starts to grow fuzzy. "Like hell I'm going to be killed this easy" he thinks to himself. Looking down he can see the energy pooling from her hands. Lifting up his hands he raps them around the threads and pulls breaking her grip. Falling to the floor he tries to catch his breath.      Looking at the boy in surprise, she hadn't expected him to be able to interfere with her magic like that. "Well now I guess you have learned something." She comments, "But you haven't learned enough." Sending another wave of magic at him. Instinctively putting his hands up to protect himself from the blast, it flows over and around him not causing a scratch. Looking at himself he's completely befuddled, but he doesn't think on it for long.      Seeing the Sorceresses confusion, he races forward ramming right into her, forcing her to the ground. "Got ya." He gloats. "That's what you think." She retorts. "I've changed my mind. Maybe you are worth keeping around." "Ha, like I'd ever return to you." He spits. "Who said you would have a chose in the matter?" she laughs. "NO!" a scream can be heard. Turning his head he isn't paying attention when the sorceress pulls a black bottle out of her rode. Smashing it in her hand, a black mist forms and clouds itself around him.                                                                          *                    *                    *      Letting go of her he tries to move out of it, but it follows forcing itself into his mouth and nose, absorbing into his very skin. Its almost disappeared into his body, when he hears a familiar voice inside his head. "So boy we meet again?" "Noooo" he screams. "Yes." He can hear the sorceress say. "No, no." he keeps repeating. "Don't worry boy. I have much bigger plans then working for this fool." The demon laughs. "What do you mean?" he asks panicking a little when he realizes he can't speak through his mouth. "Just watch." He laughs.                                                                          *                    *                    *       Watching the boy fall to his knees, she laughs. "Now get up." She orders when she sees the demon has taken full control of the body. "And don't forget to grad the girl." She says nodding her head toward Druw and turning her back on him. "No." the demon says laughing. "What?" turning back around. "I won't listen to you. Ever again." He says still laughing. "How dare you?" she yells throwing a blast of energy at him. Putting of his hands he raps the energy around his arms. Causing him to physically glow. "See what I mean?" he chuckles to Crow. "You don't know how to fully use your power, but I do." He says giving the impression of an evil grin.      Compacting the acquired energy into his hands he throws it back at the sorceress knocking her off her feet. "How dare you?" she yells, jumping to her feet. "Easy like this." and he says simply, "No." then he breaks out laughing. "Idiot!" she yells. Waving her hand toward the manor a strange thing happens. The gargoyles decorating the balconies starts to move. The ones that have wings fly off the side of the building and the ones that don't jump to the ground taking no injury when they land. "Attack." she commands them. Rushing forward they try to attack only to be smacked away by the demon. "Your little pets can't stop me." He gloats as he continues to smack them away playfully.      "How are you doing that?" Crow asks curious despite his predicament. "I told you, you didn't know how to use your power." The demon gloats "Yes, but how?" "I'm simply using the energy there expelling against me to through them back." He says proud of himself to be able to come up with such a simple defense. "And if they keep this up for much longer I should be able to…" at that moment one of them flies at him and shatters. "Do that!" he yells triumphant. "Very impressive." He says sarcastically. "I know." the demons says ignoring the sarcasm. Soon all the gargoyles are nothing but rubble littering the ground.      Turning to the sorceress. "Now for you." He says coldly. Walking forward he grads her by the neck and lifts her into the air. "Lets see how you like having the life choked out of you." He laughs in her face as she begins to struggle for breath. "But we shouldn't let good material go to waste." He laughs, lifting up his other hand he thrusts it into her chest. "You always did have inventive ideas." He complements laughing. Slowly they both start to illuminate as he slowly absorbs her internal energy. "Don't worry your death will serve a great purpose. My purpose." He laughs. Soon she becomes hard, her heart stops, and she takes her last breath.                                                                     *                    *                    *      Throwing her dead corps to the side, "Now wasn't there something else. Oh, yes the girl." Turning to Druw his face grinning uncontrollably, "Noo." Crow yells. "Don't you do it." "Or what?" "Touch her and I will kill you." He screams. "Will you now? Lets find out." He laughs horribly.      Walking toward her, she doesn't even flinch. "I wonder do you see your own death?" he laughs in her face. "Yes, but it wont be by you." She states firmly. "Oh, and why not." "You wont, because you want an audience." She states. "It's no fun running around and having no one to see it." "True." he says taunting as if he's deliberating. "And because death right now would be a mercy. And you don't like mercy." She say as tears form in her eyes. But she refuses to break down. "That's true as well." He says still acting like he's thinking even though he's already made his decision. But she refuses to play his game and remains quiet. "Alright then, I'll make a deal with you. Your safe as long as you stay within these walls. Step out of them and I will return to take your life." He says as if deciding. "Agreed." She says coldly. "Good now kiss me." He orders. "What?" "One last kiss for you departing beloved." He laughs. Instead she smacks him across the face. "Monster." She snarls. "Yes I am." He laughs," And if you know what I'm going to do. I hope you enjoy the show." He laughs as he walks away and then disappears.       "Happy?" he asks Crow taunting. "Don't think you've won." He warns. Diving into the deepest part of his mind where even the demon doesn't dare to follow. "Fine then one less voice in my head." The demon thinks to himself. "What am I to do now?" he thinks to himself. "I'll need a way to travel. A someone like has to travel in style." Seeing the mast of the ship belonging to the sea mage. "Perfect." He smiles heading toward the harbor.                                                                       *                    *                    *      Standing on the deck surveying the loading of supplies Aqerious starts to wonder about the boy for what must be the hundredth time since he left. "He should have been back long before this." He starts thinking to himself again. Right then he sees a familiar figure walking up the gang plank. "Crow?" he asks looking down, and sure enough it is. Stepping off the main deck to meet him. "What happened? Did you meet with the sorceress?" he asks, but stops when he sees the boys face. "Are you alright?" "Yes perfect." Crow smiles. "So you took care of her then?" he asks worried. "Oh yes I took care of her. She wont ever be bothering anyone else again." He smiles.      "Is something wrong?" Aqerious asks grabbing the boys shoulder, worried about the look on his face. "I told you. Everything's perfect." Crow smiles again thrusting his hand into the mages stomach. "And now it will be even better." The demon smiles as he starts to absorb the mages magic. "Your not…" he stutters blood coming out of his mouth. "Give the man a prize." The demon gloats. Pushing the demon away from him Aqerious holds his hand to his stomach to keep himself from spilling open. His crew looks on astonished, but quickly regain their wits. Charging forward they attack him. Grabbing the arm of his first attacker he rings the sword from the seamen's hand, plunging it back into his own gut.      And so the slaughter begins. Taking out each crew member one by one. Using their own energy to kill him against themselves until there is no one left but the injured captain. Walking up to him, "Your crew and ship should serve me well. I thank you for them." And he shoves his hand back into the Captains stomach to finish the job he started earlier. Holding the stiff corps in his hands he looks to the side of the ship out to the open ocean. Throwing the corps of the dead captain he watches as it slowly sinks into the ocean. Straitening he looks around joyously at the death he has created.                                                                       *                    *                    *      Down deep in his own mind he can feel the demons pleasure. Unable to ignore it any longer he resurfaces, "What have you done?" he asks unaware for what the demon has been doing. "Simply find a mode of transportation." The demon answers innocently. "What have you done?" he yells, forcing his way in taking control of his own eyes. "No." he thinks subdued looking at the dead faces of the crew spread around him. "Don't worry. They'll still serve a purpose." The demon laughs. Raising up his hand a black mist seems to cover the boat. And slowly one by one the corpses rise to their feet. "What are you doing?" Crow yells. "You can't expect me to be ale to sail this ship all by myself." He say innocently. Unable to watch any longer and unable to stomach the fact that there is nothing he can do. He returns to the back of his mind. Hiding from the demon that has taken over his body.      Outside, "Set sail!" the demon yells. And the animated corpses set to work on getting the ship moving.                                                                                                                             *                    *                    *      That night they pulled into a large stone cavern. All around the masts of sunken ships poke there way out of the water. "I think I'm going to have a little fun tonight." The demon thinks to himself. "Drop anchor!" he yells when they reach the center of the cavern, even though he doesn't really have to. When the ship comes to a holt all the corpses on the ship freeze. Raising his hands the same black mist pores form them, and spreads like a fog all through out the cavern. Suddenly music can be heard. On outcrops scattered throughout the cave fires start to burn. Composing corpses and skeletons climb there way out of the water. The ones on the ship begin to dance on the deck. Food and wine are brought to the demon, and he no sooner engulfs it then another plate is brought to him. The corpses feast on the food left down below even though they no longer need to eat. All night this goes on until the demon falls asleep.                                                                         *                    *                    *      That night he senses the demon drifting off. Slowly he rises to the surface and then waits for the demon to fall. When he does Crow takes his place and takes back control o his body. Looking around he is disgusted by what he sees. "I have to get ride off this thing." He thinks to himself holding his head in his hands. Retuning to the darkness of his mind he searches for the sleeping demon within. Finding his consciousness he searches through the demons unconscious mind. Finding nothing but destructive and horrifying thoughts there he leaves disgusted by the demons simplicity.      But there is something else, the demons source of power. His ability to control the dead. "This may yet come in handy." He thinks to himself. Coping the demon he taps into the energy and begins to absorb it slowly as to not awaken the demon. Soon it is absorbed into his own central power along with the energies of the sorceress and the mage. "Lets see what you do with this." Crow laughs to himself. Drifting off to his own sleep he waits for morning.                                                                           *                    *                    *      That morning the demon moves to awaken his crew. Only to fail. "What?" he asks no one. Looking at his hands he tries again, and fails. "What's happened? He screams. "Wake up!" he yells. Kicking the nearest corps "They wont wake." Crow laughs sensing the demons anger. "Oh, and why not?" "Because you no longer have that power." Crow laughs at him, "Except through me." "What have you done?" the demon screams. "Only what you have done to everyone else." he states.      "If you think you have done yourself a favor boy you haven't." the demon threatens. "You'll never be ride of me now that you have my powers." "But you can't afford to lose me now that I have them." He counters. "What?" "Like you would ever let me go alive." Crow sneers. "This way you have no chose but to make sure I stay nice and healthy. No switching to another body should something happen to me. You couldn't stand it. Not being able to control your little puppets." He laughs. "Maybe, but I'll be sure to make sure the rest of your life is a living hell." The demon yells. Taking control of Crows power he awakens the crew. "Set sails!" he yells. Seeing the demons frustration Crow laughs in the back of his mind.      The demon is never able to carry out much of his threat. For soon after the disasters start. Tidal waves, hurricanes, and other things that can't be named. The demon has too much work to do at making sure he stays alive to worry about torturing his captive.                                                                                                                                      Next