Once they made it inside the palace borders, Andreas, Raphael, and Zane knew it would be a race to get to the courtyard if they were going to be in time to save Lana. The sun had already set, and they feared they already may be too late. Luckily Raphael knew all the shortcuts, and Andreas promised himself to find out exactly how he knew that later. Right now nothing was more important than making sure Lana was safe.

They ran as fast as they could until they reached a massive door. Andreas didn’t stop like Raphael and Zane did. Those doors were the only thing standing between him and Lana. He raced toward them at full speed. “Andreas, are you mad?” Raphael yelled after him. Perhaps I am, he thought to himself. He was no longer thinking clearly. His nerves were twisting inside him, warning him. His anxiety rose to a whole new level. I’m not going to be too late. I’m not going to be too late, he kept chanting in his mind. His shoulder collided with the door and it gave way to him.

Raphael and Zane followed quickly behind as Andreas ran to the light in the center of the courtyard. Andreas’ eyes widened as he ran, knowing he needed to pick up the pace, but realizing he would never be fast enough. He was already too late.

Lana raised her head to the sky, her eyes closed, and then her body sagged. “LANA, NO!” he shrieked at the top of his lungs and in that moment the flames were gone. The rope that had been tied around her body had been burned through and she sunk to the ground. Andreas ran to her, but there was barely anything left of her to run to.

He ignored the sounds of outrage coming from the people around him. He ignored it all. His attention was solely focused on the girl lying in a heap. When he reached her, his knees gave out from under him and he dropped to her side. Without even second thought he pulled her into his arms. Her skin was red and black, the flesh burnt away exposing bone. Her hair was almost gone completely, and her face was barely recognizable. How much pain had she endured? He searched frantically for her pulse to find any indication that she was still alive, but came up short. Andreas shook his head slowly, not ready to believe it. She was not dead. No. She could not be dead.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, but refused to acknowledge it. “I’m so sorry, Andreas, but she is dead,” Raphael said, his voice grim. Andreas took in a deep breath and gently placed Lana down on the floor. He would make time to grieve for her later. As for now, the people who had done this to her were all still there. He might not have been able to avenge his brother, but he would be damned if he didn’t avenge her. He let his grief turn into red hot rage.

“Let go of me, Raphael, if you do not fancy losing your life,” he warned. They were all going to die. Every single one of them that had idly sat by and watched her burn. He would make them pay. They would finally see exactly what it was they feared in magic users.

***

Raphael let go of Andreas’ shoulder and stepped toward Lana’s body. He could see the waves of rage rolling over Andreas. Perhaps he hadn’t planned as well as he thought. He had no idea Andreas cared so much for the girl. Raphael would have to find a way to calm him down before things got out of hand, but he wasn’t sure how.

He bent down next to Lana; she was in a worse condition than he thought she would be. “I’m so sorry for this,” he whispered and brushed a strand of what was left of her hair from her eyes. He stood up once more and observed Andreas’ reaction. Zane was at Lana’s side in an instant, taking her into his arms the same way Andreas had. He was sobbing, unable to hide his feelings any longer.

“Lana, I’m so sorry, Lana. Please come back, I can’t lose you. Please,” Zane kept repeating hysterically. Raphael couldn’t allow himself to feel pain for him yet. He still needed to do his job and keep an eye out for when Almahalc might show up.

Andreas had turned his attention to the princess and her father. His demeanor was deadly. The only indication of his anger was the dark cloud that surrounded him. A shiver passed over Raphael, one of premonition. Andreas had never been this angry. That cloud had never been this dark, at least not from what he knew. If he was going to keep Andreas in check, he would have to think of something quickly.

Andreas’ attention snapped to the guard nearest to the stake. His extended his hand in his direction and suddenly the man was in the air. Before he could even scream, Andreas snapped his neck, letting the guard fall to the ground in a lifeless heap. His attention then swiftly went to the princess.

“Elisa, I would say it is pleasant to see you again, but under the circumstances it really is not,” Andreas intoned. His voice was low, dark, taking on a dangerous quality. People nearby gasped at the chill in his words.

The princess was fumbling for words. She recognized him, even after all these years. Raphael didn’t blame her for being scared, especially after what Andreas had done to her at their last meeting and after how easily Andreas had just killed that guard. Her eyes were wide and she searched everywhere to try and find someone who would help her, but came up blank. There was no one who would stand in the way of Andreas and anybody.

The king blanched as he regarded Andreas, no doubt because the fire hadn’t extinguished itself. That meant only one thing: Andreas was able to use his powers even with the ward in place. Even Raphael was surprised by this fact.

“Andreas, what brings you to an ordinary witch burning?” Elisa asked, her tone attempting to sound curious, but the fear was all too evident.

Andreas’ eyes narrowed, the color changing. Raphael gaped and took a couple of steps back. He was underestimating the degree of Andreas’ anger. If his eyes were changing color, everyone was doomed. “She was no ordinary witch,” was all Andreas said. He was showing a surprising amount of control. Perhaps Lana had had a greater effect on him than Raphael had previously thought.

“Who are you and what business do you have with my daughter?” a man said as he got up from his seat very close to the royal box. Andreas’ focus shifted to him and he didn’t even bother hiding his resentment. He lifted his left hand and the man began choking as Andreas dragged him closer.

“You are her father? The man who was supposed to protect her? The man that brought her to her death?” Andreas yelled. The man was choking. Andreas wasn’t going to let him live.

Andreas threw the man on the ground in front of his feet and just stared at him. Raphael couldn’t understand what he was waiting for. Everything he knew about Andreas indicated that Lana’s father should be dead by now. A small smile played on Raphael’s lips. Perhaps the prophecy was already in effect. The darkness was being undone even in her… death.

Lord Eleanor coughed as the oxygen flowed into his lungs again. He tried to crawl away, but Andreas dragged him back. “How could you discard your daughter so easily for something beyond her control? And be careful how you answer,” Andreas warned, his tone still not lightening.

“Who are you?” Lord Eleanor asked as he turned his face back to Andreas.

“Guards!” the king yelled from the royal box. “Seize him!”

Andreas momentarily closed his eyes in an attempt to calm himself, Raphael guessed. He bent down to the Lord and placed his hand around his neck. “My name is Andreas Scott Grigoli. I am sure you have heard of me. It is taking every inch of my will power not to kill you right now, because I know Lana would have begged me to spare your life if she still could. For that reason and that reason alone will I allow you to keep your miserable life. But if I see you again, I will not be so forgiving. If I were you, I would take my wife and get as far away from here as possible and pray to whatever god you believe in that I am never able to find you. Are we clear?”

Lord Eleanor’s eyes almost popped from his head, but he nodded. Andreas flung him back to where his lady was sitting and he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away. Lady Eleanor locked eyes with Andreas briefly, but there was no emotion in them other than great satisfaction. Andreas forcibly turned his attention back to the princess to keep himself from going after Lana’s parents. Judging by his reaction, Raphael had no doubt that Andreas really wanted to kill them but were giving them a chance because that was what Lana would have wanted. Again, Raphael was struck by how truly little he knew of Andreas.

The guards decided to charge Andreas at that second, but he just laughed them off. They weren’t even able to touch him before they fell to the ground writhing in pain. Andreas’ anger must be the key to his power. When Raphael got a look at his eyes again he noticed that they were now a very bright golden color.

“Impossible,” Raphael muttered taking another step back.

“Princess, I believe you owe me a favor for the rumors I allowed you to spread about me,” Andreas said, locking his golden gaze on her. This seemed to scare her more than anything. The king was clutching at his heart, gasping for breath. The princess was torn between acknowledging Andreas and going to her father’s aid. She chose her father and ran to check on him, Eric still in the guise of Kalen, following shortly behind. Raphael had to remember to promote that young man for the good work he had done.

Elisa directed her gaze back to Andreas once at her father’s side, her hand on his shoulder trying to lend comfort to the king. “I remember our deal, but what could I possibly give you that you can’t simply take?”

The girl had a good point. Raphael looked between the princess and his nemesis, but still didn’t understand what he could possibly request.

“In two minutes you will become queen, then, there will be plenty you can give me that I can’t simply take, as you put it.” Andreas was now a wall, impenetrable. His thoughts and feelings were again a mystery to everyone around him.

Elisa’s eyes widened, and sure enough, after two minutes passed, her father stopped breathing, his whole body going still. He had finally succumbed to his illness. She shook him violently, trying helplessly to gain a reaction from him, but it was of no use. Her father was gone. Her words were incoherent, coming out mumbled. As much as she might have wanted her father’s throne, this was not the way she envisioned getting it.

“You monster!” she yelled, turning her attention back to Andreas. Eric was by her side in an instant, trying to comfort her, but she shrugged him off. “Let go of me!” she yelled, pushing him away from her.

Raphael nodded at Eric, indicating that his job was done, for the time being. Eric took the cue and disappeared into the crowd. Andreas hardly seemed to notice the exchange, and for that Raphael was grateful.

“I am a monster, but not by my own design,” Andreas remarked gravely. His face was still an impenetrable mask, but his whole body was tense. Raphael could tell that he was putting up an act now, while inside he was falling apart. Lana had meant everything to him. It was almost enough to cause Raphael to feel remorse for the part he played in taking her from Andreas, almost enough.

“What do you want?” the princess demanded, her body shaking with sobs as she held on to her father.

Andreas closed his eyes as he spoke. “I want you to stop persecuting those with magic,” he stated simply. Raphael almost couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Of all the things he thought Andreas would request, he didn’t expect him to take the noble path.

The princess let out a bitter laugh. “You can forget it! After the show you just put up? After everything you have done? Are you insane? As queen, I vow to be your end!” the princess yelled.

Perhaps Andreas hadn’t chosen the right time to ask for a return on his favor, Raphael thought. But he saw how the princess’ refusal shook through him. He was ready to attack her, and Raphael knew this was where he needed to step in. If the princess too lost her life, the kingdom would be open to whatever forces wanted it. Civil war would be upon them, and it was his job as the leader of the Followers of Light to keep the peace. He marched forward and grabbed Andreas’ shoulder.

Before the dark sorcerer could react, Raphael teleported them out of the court and to a place where he knew Andreas would be powerless, no matter how angry he was. His powers had already been strained and placing him in the Crystal Cave, would keep him at bay. It was a Cave of light, the source of all good magic. Darkness was impossible in its midst. He let go of Andreas. “Here you can do no harm. Good luck finding your way out.”

Raphael smiled before he disappeared again, knowing that it would take Andreas days, or even months before he would find his way out, if he ever did. The cave was a maze, and the way was only illuminated to those the cave thought worthy.

“Raphael, you filthy piece of scu—“ Andreas yelled as he sunk to the floor just as Raphael teleported away. 

That should keep him busy for a while until he calms down…