Aella freezes, her green eyes glaring deep into mine, like a cornered Jaguar, daring me to come any closer and get ripped to shreds.

"It's you." I breathe out in shock, completely dumbfounded. The last thing I expected was to find Zero's fiance standing here in Lightling robes.

"Ashley? Who is this?" Becky asks, stepping up to my right side.

"I don't recognize her as a Lightling, and I know just about everyone in Lucem Villa." Iris says from my left.

"That's because she's not a Lightling." I finally get out, watching Aella's eyes slightly flare in a flash of irritation as the truth comes to light.

"Should I call a guard?" Iris gasps, her face turning slightly pale.

"Don't move." Aella's cool voice says for the first time since we ran into each other, and I turn to Aella to realize that in the second I had looked away from her to face Iris, she had whipped out the double-ended blade she had last time, extending it to it's about two-yards length and leveling it at us threateningly.

Becky tenses, facing her palms towards Aella and Iris completely freezes, the rest of the blood draining from her face.

"What are you doing here?" I ask in a low tone, as to not spook her further and make her take a swing at us.

"That's classified." She says, taking a small step back, the cogs in her head turning as she trys to come up with an escape plan.

"Did Zero send you to spy?" Becky snarls, lifting her palms up even more.

Aella stares at Becky for a moment with an unaffected gaze, then sighs heavily.

"I wasn't sent by anyone. I came by my own free will."

"For what purpose?" Iris manages to squeak out, taking a tiny step back and behind me.

"What don't you get about classified?" Aella says in an irritated tone, making Iris go 'Eeeeek' from behind me.

"Now, while It's been absolutely lovely meeting you all," She says dryly, "I really must be on my way."

Her eyes meet with mine and hold for a second, both of us knowing this really isn't our first time meeting, but then she whirls around taking off in a lithe sprint like a panther. I take a step forward to run after her, but am stopped by Becky grabbing a hold onto my arm.

"Don't follow. She may be leading you right to Zero and the Kinlings." She says.

I pause, considering, before nodding.

"I must double the security, and should I inform High Commander Malia? But oh, what if I get in trouble for letting her escape? I don't want to disappoint her." Iris rants, worriedly pacing up and down the hall, looking quite sickly that I really pity her.

"Iris, it's okay. We're safe now, she left."

"But that's not going to stop her from coming back." Becky reminds, and I glare at her. She really isn't making the situation any better."Who even was that? I mean, obviously it was a Kinling, but that's all we know about the intruder."

I debate for a short second whether to inform them about the information or not, before deciding it's most likely better to not hold anything back.

"Her name is Aella, and she's Zero's fiancee." I blurt out.

Silence ensues as two jaws hit the floor.

"What? That prick has a fiancee?!? And he was going after you?!? And how do you even know her name?!? When did you meet her?" Now it's Becky's turn to rant, her features being doused in a light shade of red.

"I'll explain it all later." I say waving it off. "But for now we need to focus on getting to Malia."

Iris and Becky nod simultaneously, and we continue our brisk speed towards the lounge room Malia was in.

Finally arriving at the double doors, I find it strange that for once no guards are there. Cautiously, I place my hands against the wood, and push, opening the door wide enough to peek my head in.

I scan the empty room, finding nothing wrong, when suddenly it clicks.

"Malia isn't there." I say in a rush, whirling to face Iris and Becky.

'What?!?" Becky exclaims, pushing me aside to look herself.

"And neither are the guards." I continue, looking to iris who seems to be pondering something.

"What time is it?" She suddenly asks, and my eyebrows scrunch up in confusion for a second, thinking.

"A lot has happened so far today, making it seem like forever has passed, but I would say that is should be approaching six in the afternoon." I say, glancing out the nearest window to see the sun has started it's journey down as proof of what I say.

"Oh! Right about now Malia should be in the Dining Hall, having her supper." Iris exclaims in relief, and we all let out huge breaths and relax.

"Speaking of which, none of us have eaten all day." Becky says, and at that moment her stomach coincidentally growls, making a small smile grow on my face.

"Let's go then!" iris says, and we're off again, this time following iris since we have no idea as to where the Dining Hall is.

It's another minute or two of winding hallways before we reach yet again another set of double doors, and Iris steps aside, gesturing for us to go in first.

Becky takes the initiative and steps up first, heaving the doors open with a big whoosh.

At that very second, a white substance that looks like mashed potatoes goes flying through the air, splattering Becky in the face before she has the time to dodge.

Iris and I gape, watching as Becky slowly reaches up, wiping the mashed potatoes off in a furious movement.

My eyes go from Becky to the Dining hall scene before us, the sight making my mouth drop wide open.

The Dining hall really is a gorgeous place, with four other double doors on each side of the room leading out and guards stationed at every one. A huge oak table stretches in the middle of the room, nearly as long as the room itself, with many chairs set up around it. Food of all different types and tastes is set out, so much that it could feed an army.

And scurrying across the gorgeous grand oak table, is a light blue monkey, it's hands grabbing food and flinging it at an emerald green falcon that soars above the dining hall.

I recognize Malia sitting at the head of the table at the other side of the room, a small plate of food before her and a big smile on her face as she watches the two animals have a food fight like they're an entertaining circus she paid for.

Next my eyes catch sight of a familiar dark form. Lager is sitting to the right of Malia, scarfing down a plate piled high with food with a shadowy barrier around himself that makes it seem like I'm looking at him through sunglasses.

"Holy Mother of Core." Iris mutters, and I agree, watching the foods zoom through the air so fast I can barely make out what it is.

The falcon swoops down for a second, it's beautiful emerald green colored feathers glinting, as it heaves a pitcher of a red juice into it's claws and takes off, hovering over the monkey and taking that moment to pour it straight down.

Max, who I can bet a million dollars on is the monkey, tries to dodge, but trips over a bowl of fruit and gets drenched, his blue fur coat almost turning purple with the mix of red.

He screeches in monkey language, the sound making me cover my ears. Max grabs the thing nearest him, which happens to be an apple that fell from the fruit bowl, and heaves it.

I watch with horror, as his aim which was way off thanks to his fury, heads straight for Malia instead of to her right where the Falcon flaps it's wings in little circles.

I rush forward, but there's no way I can make it the other side of the room in time, and I prepare for her to be struck by the lightning speed apple flying her way, but right before the apple makes contact with her, there's a bright flash of light and the apple disintegrates, making me pause and reconsider getting any closer.

Unfortunately, that leaves me in the middle of the food battle.

I mange to dodge a chicken leg, but that unfortunately just makes me step directly into the path of a flying pineapple.

I close my eyes the second before it hits, readying myself to feel the pain similar to a prickly rock striking me, but nothing happens, and after another second or two, I open my eyes again, only to see the room has been covered in a shadowy film.

A pile of noodles hits the dark wall around me and melts into shadow, and I realize that a some kind of barrier of force field made out of darkness has erected itself around me.

I glance at Lager a few yards away who sits behind his own shadow force field, done with his food and now lounging back in his seat as he watches the animals wage war with a glint of amusement in his small smirk. Right then our eyes meet his smile grows, giving me a wink in greeting.

I almost smile back, when I realize what's going on around me, and instead decide to jog over to Lager, flinching every time some other food strikes the barrier around me.

"Lager, we need to stop this." I yell over the crashes and animal noises, watching with slight interest as I get closer to lager and my force field of shadow seems to merge with him, probably by his doing.

"Why?" Is all he asks, like a child denied his entertainment.

"We can't be wrecking Malia's Dining Room when we're her guests!" I exclaim, gesturing to the stained carpets and food everywhere, even on the ceiling.

"The High Commander seems to be enjoying it well enough." He says, waving over to Malia who claps in excitement.

"That's not the point." I groan in irritation, wondering what I can do to help put an end to this messy fighting. "Fine,if you won't help, I'll go see if Becky can stop this."

"Wait, Ash-," Lager starts to say, stretching out a hand to stop me, but I'm already running off, my shadow barrier following me as I make a mad dash towards the other side of the room. The fight seems to have gotten more violent now, plates and even silverware flying, but I grow more and more confident as my force field dutifully blocks each and every one of them.

Of course, there's always one point where my good luck comes to an end, and I'm afraid that moment happened sooner than expected.

Although the barrier around me has been very useful, it did put a slight shade over my vision, which is why I didn't see huge bowl on the ground until my foot catches on it, and I stumble forward, teetering and falling forward.

Everything seems to go in slow motion from that point forward.

My crystal blue necklace that Core had given me slips out from my shirt, gravity pulling it along with me down as I fall. I watch as the second the crystal makes contact with the shadow barrier, the whole force field disappears, leaving me out in the open and vulnerable.

My eyes widen in horror as I watch the emerald green gorilla,who I hasn't realized transformed from it's original falcon form, throws two handfuls of silverware at Max, who stands on the table in monkey form in front of me.

Max lithely manages to side-step, but I could swear I saw him whirl to face me, his huge, monkey eyes wide in terror as the silverware comes hurtling at me, the glint of light off a metal knife catching my attention.

So this is how I go out, I think to myself in the split-second the knife takes to reach me. At least they'll haves something interesting to put on my headstone.

There's a rush of air in my ears, my eyes automatically shutting as the world itself melts into darkness and my body feels light as a feather as my stomach completely drops at the soaring through space feeling I'm getting.

Then the moment is over, and the world comes back into focus, and I realize I'm still on the ground, but not where I was before.

All that has changed was my position in the room,and I manage to easily find the spot I had just been in, the knife impaled in the wooden floorboards right where I was siting just seconds before.

Then I take in the towering form of Lager who's now standing before me, his back to me and his frame seeming to visibly shake with fury.

He must have Shadow traveled me, I realize, as all goes silent in the room, only the sound of food and liquids dripping from the ceiling left.

Iris and Becky still stand in the doorway across the room, both their faces pale, and even Max and the gorilla stop their movements, all attention focused on lager as he takes a thundering step forward, and then another.

Slowly, he makes his way down the length of the table until he stands in between Max and the gorilla.

"Shift. Now." He orders in a dark tone, leaving no room for argument.

I quickly turn my head as a bright light flashes in the room, and I wait a minute, hearing the rustle of clothing.

When the noises stop, I push myself to stand up, my arms slightly shaky from the whole ordeal that just went down and the shadow traveling, and turn around.

My eyes first land on Max, who's slumped down in a chair, his head bowed in shame, with his classic cargo shorts on and no shirt. Then my eyes drift to the person on the other side of the table, who stands just about as tall as Lager.

He's beautiful....in a handsome way...if that makes sense. He has long blonde hair, and a lithe yet slightly muscular frame which is donning an overcoat at the moment, and emerald green eyes that match the color animal he has previously been.

Without a doubt, I know it's Max's father, they seem so alike, but where Max has curly hair, his is straight, and Max must get his eyes from his mother.

"Allow me to formerly apologize." Max's father finally says, breaking the intense silence that had been building up. "I'm Marquis Demonte, and I'm terribly sorry I endangered you over a ridiculous argument with my son. If there's any way I can repay you, please let me know." He says, bowing towards me, and I'm stunned. It's not everyday I'm bowed before and treated like royalty.

"Erm....it's alright, I'm not injured, so everything is fine." I manage to say, my voice slightly cracking.

"It's not fine." Lager growls, turning to me, his usual laid back self nowhere in sight."You could have been killed. What int he name of Dalton even happened to the shield I had erected around you?"

"I have no idea, it all happened so quickly.....oh wait! When I fell, my necklace brushed up against the barrier and the second it made contact, the shield disappeared." I say, lifting my necklace, into the palm of my hand.

"This is an interesting turn of events." Marquis Demonte says in a curious voice, striding towards me with his eyes on the necklace. "I wonder...." He says, pausing a few feet away.

"Wonder what?" I ask, interested to see if he knows anything I don't.

"I'm going to try a little experiment, so don't be alarmed. It won't harm you in any way." The Marquis says, a little ball of light forms in hand. Holding the orb, he walks towards me again, and I watch with curiosity as he puts the hand holding the ball of light directly onto the crystal from the necklace, the light from his hand immediately extinguishing.

My eyes widen as the Marquis steps back, seeming satisfied, and I notice in the back of my mind that up close he has many laugh lines on his face that I hadn't seen before.

"Yes, it seems like this necklace has the ability to nullify our powers, what an oddity. How did you obtain this rare object?" He questions, and that's when I recall that this is The Marquis Demonte, most famed merchant on the whole island.

"It's a long story." Is all I reply with, slightly guilty when he pouts in disappointment, but then his eyes flash, and he whirls towards Max.

"Maximus Melvin Demonte, apologize to......"He turns towards me, waiting for an answer.

"Ashley." I supply.

"Apologize to Ms. Ashley right now." He orders, and Max looks up, seeming pained as his gaze meets mine.

"I'm really sorry, Ashley." he says in a low voice, deadly serious in that rare moment.

I wave off his apology, smiling at him.

"All's fair in love and food fights." I say, trying to lighten the atmosphere. You'd think Lightlings would do better at this than me.

Suddenly there's a snicker, and I turn to see Becky approaching, Iris right behind her. Halfling to the rescue!

"Your middle name is Melvin." She nearly snorts, earning an embarrassed scowl from Max.

"I blame him." He says, nodding at his father who stands there with an amused, victorious smirk.

"What? It's original."

"Originally stupid." Max groans, and maybe I shouldn't mention how common the name is over on the Main land where I'm from.

"So what was the reason behind this huge mess of a fight?" I ask tentatively, worried they might shift out of nowhere and go at it again.

"Oh right, that." Max's father chuckles, sweeping his long, silky hair into a low pony. "This Lyncher of a son I have didn't come back at all, even though it's been months since his banishment of three months ended."

"Well what kind of father banishes his son?!?" Max rebuttals, standing up on his chair and leaping over the whole table in one giant jump until he lands smoothly on the side we're all standing. "Besides, I found my special someone I couldn't leave." max says proudly, wrapping his arm around Becky and pulling her into his side.

Bad idea.

She swiftly elbows him, taking a few steps away and scowling as Max grunts and grabs his side. Poor Max.

The Marquis is silent, before he bursts out laughing, smiling wide and showing off white, flashy teeth.

"Nice job, son!" He exclaims, striding over and clapping Max on the back. "She reminds me of your mother. We Demonte boys tend to have a similar type, it goes way back." He chuckles, and even gets Max to forfeit a small smile.

Becky turns red in embarrassment, and opens her mouth, but can't think of anything to say and just huffs, crossing her arms.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt." Iris speaks up calmly. She seems completely fine now that Malia is safe and the Kinlings are gone. I wonder whys he was so spooked by them. "but we have really pressing issues to discuss with the High Commander Malia."

"What is it?" Lager asks, seeming interested to know what he missed out on while he was sleeping the day away.

I feel the blood run out of my face, dread flooding through my veins as I turn to Iris in a hurry, making wild gestures to get her to stop, to cease talking before Lager finds out and all Hell breaks loose, but it's too late.

"It's about the Kinling High Commander's presence here earlier today." Iris explains and I watch as Lager's expression darkens even more than before, his hands tightening into fists.

Andddddddddd we're officially doomed.





Dear readers, ahhhhhhh another cliff hanger. If any of you want to write me in as the evil villain in your story, and then kill me off for all the evil cliffhangers I've left you on, I won't mind. I'm sympathetic and sadistic. Sympadistic. That makes no sense, lol. Now onto the important stuff, this chapter is unedited and we met a new character yadda yadda. What did you guys think? Yay, or neh for the Marquis of Demonte? Also, what's gonna happen with Lager next chapter? Stay tuned to find out! As always, vote, comment (Comments are especially appreciated), and eat a Date. (The fruit, don't actually eat your date. That's cannibalism and extremely ewie in my opinion. i just tried a date today and they were certainly a new experience for my taste buds). Thank you for your patience, and I'm proud to give you this week's chapter, on time XD! Lots of love,

Dangeroustoken