DARKLIGHT

- 14 -

The door boomed open and closed, and I glanced up from what Anahid and I believed was our fifty-seventh chess game. He'd won a few more than half of them. The mage who had first brought me to the cell stood in front of the doorway, and she seemed to be unaccompanied. She glanced around the room, from the Councilors to my parents, and over to me and Anahid. "Human form," she commanded, holding up her arm as a threat. I did as I was told, though Anahid expressed disapproval. She then directed her magic elsewhere, saying, "Baglamak Yedis."

Seven Dark spheres formed near her, then swiftly moved towards each of us, latching onto our symbol arms. They then cuffed our wrists together. The Kirevean woman reopened the door with magic and stepped outside. "Follow me," she commanded. We left, and another mage in the hall flanked us from behind.

As we walked, the hall grew wider, brighter, and more decorative. Murals like the ones on the plaza walls started appearing, though they seemed to show artistic talent rather than tell stories. There were beautiful paintings of Dark arkaetres, some even drawn in the process of transforming their mages. The images were transfixing.

We entered a circular room. Passages led outwards from it in three other directions, but in between each of these was a door. We took the one to our right. The room reminded me of where I had been held while I was shifted. The main difference was that it was lit better and there was more furniture. Two rows of chairs were arranged around a huge oval table in the center, and we were gestured to sit.

We faced an equal number of Dark mages, plus the Master standing behind them. It smelled of strong magic and fear. The Master was the first to speak. "Remove their shifters," they commanded the mages, and I heard a few familiar whirs and clicks. Then, the Master nodded to the mages meaningfully, and said, "You know what to do."

Almost in unison, all of them said, "Ruhgirin."

We were all enclosed by Dark magic, like a second skin. I could instantly feel the Dark energy flooding into me on all sides. I knew that Kaces's shield spell would help me, but I couldn't activate my symbol with my hands since they were still bound. That left only one option, and I thought the spell out of desperation. Surem!

I felt myself start to change, and I willed it to happen as fast as possible. Thankfully I'd sat on the far right and had room to grow. The transformation started with my giant taloned arms, which absorbed and broke the bond between my wrists, and quickly covered my entire body, bringing Anahid's form to life once again. The Dark mages in front of me froze, and before they had a chance to react, Anahid yelled, Siderion, run!

Two guards were behind us, blocking the space where I thought the door had been, which now appeared to be a solid wall. I clawed them each away with one talon by standing on my haunches, then slammed against the wall, revealing the door again as it crashed to the ground, and bolted.

I didn't have any idea where I was going, but I had hope that I'd distract the Dark mages enough to free my parents and the Councilors. Rather far in the distance, I heard the Master command in a shrieking tone, "Go on, get him!" This was followed by many sets of pounding footsteps that morphed into claws, hooves, and all manner of arkaetre feet. They were coming.