ARC 5 - Oblivions Edge Part 2: Break of Dawn

Chapter 12

The group had not laid down to sleep but two hours prior, when Kaet woke, to find Mrax sitting next to her.

His eyes, much like Jerzas, had become bloodshot, with black iris'. But he made no move to attack, simply content to sit there and watch over her.

Elm woke from his spot, and started to climb down to Kaets lap. As he did, Mrax started.

Kaet quickly formed a disc and sent a bolt of electricity flowing through him.

He screamed in pain for a few seconds, then dropped to his back, limp.

The rest of the group woke up when he screamed.

"Is he...?" Sharna asked, not wanting to be the one to say it.

"No." Kaet said, seeing his chest rise and fall. 

She quickly formed discs over his arms and made bolted chains hook him to the ground. There was no way in hell she was gonna let what happened to Breknaf happen to her.

"So, what happened?" Koldar asked.

"I woke, and he was just sitting there. Quiet as could be, watching me. But his eyes looked like hers did. When Elm noticed and went to climb to me, he lunged forward. That's when I dropped him."

"He's always been susceptible to electricity with his metal arm."

Vell was shifting uncomfortably behind them. What he saw, and no one else did, was the black mist. It was hovering directly behind Kaet when it vanished from view.

"Check his eyes," Griddel told her, "See if they changed."

Kaet carefully leaned over her brother and opened an eye lid. Sure enough, his normal emerald green eyes looked back out.

"Dang. Shocking him must've knocked whatever this is going around straight out of him."

"I'll leave him bolted till he wakes just to be sure."

"Uh guys?" Elm said, noticing how Vell still stared at them. "Anyone noticed how he's been acting a bit strange before these two happened?"

"A little, but I figured he was just stunned or shocked like we were." Nasri said.

"Maybe. Just in case, I'm be keeping a closer eye on whoever he's staring at. Which right now is you, Kaet."

"Me?" 

"Yeah. Don't know why, but just in case, let me and the big guy keep an eye on you."

"Fine, not like I wasn't resting in his lap anyhow."

The group laid back down, sure that when Mrax woke, he'd wake them trying to get out of the bolts.

As Kaet slept her mind drifted back to familiar scene. 

Kasm, suspended for eternity, her father big as ever and even more vile looking turning to her, fire in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" He asks her, a voice like static, "do you love him?" 

Her father laughs a mighty, howling laugh, before turning the staff that held Kasm. 

A bright light fills her vision.

When it clears, she is still standing in white, but standing across from her is a figure she has never seen before.

He is almost translucent. He appears to be wearing robes of faded red, with a large fur collar, and instead of a face he has only a skull, adorned with horns.

"How can this be?" He asks, dumbfounded. "No one's ever broken my hold over their mind so easily. Not without an outside force, as you did your brother."