DARKNING [Completed]

17. He who believed the most...

yibo's heart skips as powerful jolts pierce the sky and hit the building in the distance.

"lightning is right above my parents' mansion!" said zhan.

"oh boy..." said sue.

all the ravens gather outside the abandoned tower and watch the mansion in the distance. for long moments, they are all too startled to speak.

"what is going on there?" asked zhan.

"i believe it's dorian! i can't believe he went for your parents! why would he do that? i thought he wanted to get to me!" said yibo.

"i guess we'll have to go and find out!" said zhan.

the way zhan says it makes yibo feel unease creep inside him. there are secrets inside secrets inside secrets... the chain of mysteries seems endless.

"so, what's the plan now, yibo?" asked sue.

"we must act immediately! but i'm not sure how..." said yibo.

yibo feel ashamed as he say it. they all expect him to be fierce leader while he feel like scared little boy. zhan takes his hand but say nothing.

"i'm not most motivational speaker, but you must know that the future of the ravens depends on you." said sue.

"that's too much of a burden." said yibo.

"it is. and you must embrace it if you want us to stand a chance." said sue.

"we'll help you, yibo." said zhan.

"i know you will but what if i let you all down?" asked yibo.

"you won't! we won't let you! remember, yibo, we are together in this." said zhan.

"and each of us will make sure we give you all the support you need." said sue.

"you'll kick ass, boy! just trust yourself." said gigi.

"and listen to your raven." said sue.

"you're right. all of you. thank you so much for your encouraging words! we can't delay any further, let's go!" said yibo.

the lightning roars in the distance!

"we're out of time. let's go!" said yibo.

with the plans agreed on, gigi takes her small army of ravens to rescue sean while yibo, zhan and sue lead the others to the mansion.

Yibo arrive to find dorian, aaron and greta in their raven forms. Aaron is suspended in the air against the entrance to the mansion.

"Argh..." said aaron.

Aaron is grunting in pain and yibo immediately guess why.

'I think dorian is inflicting a lot of pain on him. Perhaps not as much physical as mental.' Thinks yibo.

Yibo shift in his raven form immediately. So does zhan.

"Aaron, what is he doing to you?" Asked yibo.

"I haven't seen such an immense amount of mind control." Said aaron.

"Dare to try to break it, little nephew?" Said dorian.

"Little nephew?! Don't you dare to call me that!" Said yibo.

Yibo looked around. The situation is bound to get out of hand at any moment.

"Aaron is fighting unimaginable pain. Grace's power will be extinguished any moment now. While dorian is feeding his power from the lightning that's looming in the skies." Said yibo.