My mind can't entirely comprehend the fact that it's not Lager, and not End either standing across the room from us, but Dalton, the entity of the island itself.

"Soooo....you're not supposed to be here." Is all my peanut-sized brain can come up with at the moment to say.

Dalton doesn't respond, isntead pushing off the wall he was leaning against to come to a full stand while facing us.

Honestly I'm suprised no one noticed him sooner since he stands so much in a completely white and cream room with his entirely black attire.

In the second it took for Dalton to casually push off the wall, Becky and Max are already moving.

There's a flash of light and suddenly a bright blue and humongous lion is standing in front of Malia, Iris, and I, while Becky stands beside the lion, hands up at her sides with white glowing orbs in them, ready to be thrown at any moment.

"Stand down." Malia asserts, surpring me by the fierce and firm tone in her voice.

Becky and Max look back at her in disbeleif but she's keeping a steady gaze on Dalton, not looking away for even a second.

"I said stand down." She repeats. "If he decides to attack the both of you will only end up gravely injured."

Max shakes his head, the mane ruffling and showing his dismay. He backs up away from Dalton a bit and mroe towards us, but still stays in his lion form, meanwhile Becky slowly lets the glowing orbs fade from her hands, although her body is as tense as ever.

"Leave it up to the Lightling High Commander to make the wise decision." Dalton says, and I shiver at how completely strange and alien it sounds coming from Lager's voice.

Malia says nothing, only continuing to hold her head high and gaze set straight on her target. She looks so regal and in control that I almost don't notice how her whole frame is slightly shaking, her legs most likely too weak to support her right now especiallly after she had just woken up from collasping.

We need to wrap this up, and fast.

"You're here for me, aren't you?" I ask again, somehow managing to find my voice although it includes a vocie crack.

"Pardon me but what did she say? I couldn't quite hear the human from all the way back there." Dalton states with an arrogant smirk.

I know he wants me to get closer so he'll have a greater chance to snag or attack me, so moving closer is defenitely not a good idea, but if I don't move he could take measures into his own hands and hurt my friends.

So I'll relent a little.

I take a few steps closer until I'm standing on the other side of Malia, discreetly moving my sling-free arm to her back in case she ends up collasping again or needs to extra support.

"So you really are the cause behind my freedom." Dalton murmurs loud enough or us to hear, his eyes focused on my injured shoulder and arm that's all bandaged up.

"Last time I checked she was the only human on this island." Becky finally snaps, and honestly I'm surprised she managed to hold herself back this long.

Dalton's gaze shifts from my shoulder to lazily move over to her, and he looks her up and down.

"Hmmm, a Halfling." Yet again another smirk from him, before suddenly Becky gasps in pain, crumpling in on herself and clutching her head.

Max lets out a growl, turning his entire lion form to face her worriedly, and I look at Becky and then at Dalton.

"What are you doing?!" I exclaim, taking a step towards him, only for Malia to extend her arm out, blocking me.

"Wait, Ashely." She murmurs to me low enough for only I to hear. "He wants you to appraoch him. Just hold on a little longer and help will be here shortly."

Dalton looks very unamused at Malia's arm blocking me, before looking back at Becky. His eyes flare slightly and I watch in panic as Becky lets out an exclamation of pain before dropping to her knees, still hunched over herself.

"Stop!" I plead, and if it wasn't for Malia's calm and confident reassurance a second ago I would have already fallen into Dalton's trap. Becky whimpers and I feel msyelf uncosnicously pressing up agaisnt Malia's arm, torn between wanting to run to her or runningto pummel Dalton.

Max lets out a roar of fury and rushes at Dalton, making the decision for me, and I can only watch helplessly as he crashes into a wave of black mist that sends him careening backwards, a hurt yelp releasing from his mouth.

It seems Max's attack succeeded in distracting Dalton from Becky though, as she's no longer tense and is instead breathing heavily, shoulders slumped but hands still on her head.

So while it doesn't seem like he has enough power to control Darklings yet besides the Darkling High Commander Lager, he is able to get in their heads and cause some kind of massive migraine, if my guessing is correct. What would happen if even more of my blood is spilled? What kind of harm could he do to Becky and all the other Darklings then?

I feel a bead of sweat start to drip down the side of my forehead, a wave of naseua coming on.

Whatever happens, I can't let even one more drop of blood touch the ground, which is a lot easier said than done.

Think, Ashley, think. How on Earth are we getting out of this situation with everyone safe and unharmed since it doesn't seem like the help Malia promised is here quiet yet?

"I'm not asking for much." Dalton's velvety words from Lager's mouth announce, dragging me back to attention. "Just give me the human."

"I can't give you Ashley." Malia states, although I don't fail to notice that her voice sounds weaker than it was last. If Malia collaspes now we're done for.

Dalton sighs, before rolling his head to the side to look back at Becky.

"No-!" I start to yell, knwoing he's about to inflict more pain on her, only for the windows in the room to suddenly shatter, a forecful wind blowing into the room and causing me to nearly fall on my butt.

In the split second the window shatters Malia raises her hand and a barrier of golden light rises in between Dalton and everyone else, lasting only long enough to protect us from the flying shards of glass before the barrier falls and with it, so does Malia.

Iris is there and ready for the save though, catching the unconscious Lightling High Commander with a grunt as multiple figures faster than the speed of light swoop into the room.

I blink, a new barrier coming into focus in front of me, this one an oddly familiar, solid, and muscular back with broad shoulders to match.

Zero.

This doesn't make any sense. Why is he here? Is he here for me? Does he know Dalton is controlling Lager right now? Is he here to help?

The questions pile on as I look around and see the multiple figures that were too fast to make out before are now Kinlings standing at full attention in white tunics and brown pants, all of them forming a semi-circle with Zero in the middle and facing Dalton.

My eye also catches familiar dirty-blonde hair done in a braid, and I take note of Aella, her double-edged staff strapped to her back as always as she kneels next to Becky, seeming to be giving her aid.

"Looks like I'm not the only guest showing up late." Dalton says, and I peer around Zero's back to watch him slowly raise a black gloved hand, wiping at a cut where a glass shard most likely scraped his cheek, the blood smearing across his cheek bone. "I see you've allied yourself with Lightlings, Kinling High Commander." He continues.

I remember back to that conversation Zero and Malia had a while ago that I had conveniently overheard. Zero had been pelading with Malia to form an alliance, but it was against the Darklings...could he have already known or predicted Dalton's awakening?

Zero doesn't respond, and silence permeates the air for a few solid seconds before he states, "Status."

"Stable condition although likely not able to move on her own for a while." Aella speaks up from beside Becky, one of her hands on Becky's neck and the other on her wrist tracking her pulse.

"Lighting High Commander is also stable, but unconscious." Another Kinling speaks up from beside Malia in the same position as Aella with Iris looking at him with confused and anxious eyes.

Another Kinling besides Max's form just nods, and I'm guessing that means he's stable enough.

Zero seems to consider this information carefully, before I see the back of his head nod.

"Continue to follow the plan laid out." He orders, and finally I find the courage in me to speak up.

"What plan?" I whisper to Zero's back, and watch as it tenses at my voice.

He barely turns his head to the side so that he' s able to keep both eyes on Dalton, however I now get to view the side profile of his face isntead of the back of his head.

"How's the injury?' He asks softly, almost gently while dodging my question. What he asked though takes me aback for a second, before I'm able to spout a response.

"Oh fine, fine, flying spears happen all the time, I'm defenitely not holding a grudge or anything." I say, a bit of a sarcastic bite to my tone.

Zero huffs out what I'm pretty sure is a laugh, before saying "Before anything else, I wanted to apologize for what happpened. I'm sorry, Ashley."

I'm not sure I like the tone to his voice, almost as if it's a goodbye, and what I would give if only I could see his face in that movement.

"Is it my turn to make a move now?" Dalton drawls, seeming to fianlly be bored with all of the events in front of him.

"Not quite yet." Aella suddenly says, rising to a standing position in front of Becky. "We're jsut getting started."

And all at once, they attack Dalton.











Dear readers, Happy Father's Day!!!! Make sure to show your dad or father figure some extraaaa special love and appreciation today, they really do deserve it. There's never a day that goes by that I question how exactly my dad was able to put up with my raging hormonal self as a teenager, must be a super power all dads have. Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter, it ahd quite a few twists in it. It's a bit shorter than the last chapter I think, and it's unedited, but I still had lots of fun writing it and I hope you have lots of fun reading it. Make sure to vote, comment, and eat some cookie cake cause cookie cake is absolutely banger and that's what I got to celebrate Father's day today lol. Lots of love,

Dangeroustoken.