The car tires screeched as Mr. Del Mastro sharply turned into the parking lot, which led to a small airport. Eldwin slammed into his mom as the car tipped to the right. "Rax," his mother called out as she put her hand against him. "Are you trying to kill us!" The car's motor clicked off as Mr. Del Mastro opened his door and stepped outside. He opened the door for Sari so that she could exit as well. Eldwin sat upright and grabbed his shoulder as pain throbbed within.

"I'm sorry, I had to get here as fast as possible. Take Eldwin to the hangar. I have things I need to finalize." Eldwin glanced up at his teacher and watched as he glanced around the parking lot. Eldwin returned his gaze to his mother as she went to say something, but the teacher put a finger to her mouth. "My business shouldn't take ten minutes. If I'm not back."

"I know, the drill." Sari responded as she pulled away, "Leave without you." Eldwin stood to get out of the car. He winced as the movement from his arm made the pain worsen. He felt his mother's hand against his back as she kept him from falling to the ground. Eldwin watched as the teacher walked inside a building with plenty of windows. He watched as his teacher walked up to the desk.

"Let's go; once we get to the plane, I'll try to pull out the bullet and get you feeling better." Sari cooed. Eldwin sighed as he stood up and tried walking away from her. He paused and gripped his shoulder. Kirk ran ahead to open the gate. Eldwin walked through the small hedge maze before wandering down to the tarmac, where several smaller Cessnas sat waiting for their pilots to return.

Eldwin stared as he walked past. He had never seen a plane up close before, none less flown on one. Kirk walked before him, and his mother held a dagger and swung his head from side to side. The trio passed several hangers; some had open doors, while others closed. "Sari," a man called out from the one at the far end. Eldwin felt his mother grab his arm and quicken her pace.

"Lucas," she yelled, waving her free hand. We must be on the plane; now it's a medical emergency."

Lucas shook his head as he cleaned off his hands on a rag. "How many years has it been, and it's still an emergency?" They arrived at the plane, and Sari threw open the door behind the propeller.

"I know it's been a while," she said, hoisting herself into the cabin. Kirk climbed in without hassle before turning toward Eldwin and holding his hand. Eldwin took a step back, unsure of Kirk's motive. Kirk had bullied Eldwin their whole school career and was now trying to be nice to him. Eldwin looked away. " Are you coming?" his mother shouted. Let me guess. You're nervous because this is your first flight."

"No, that's not..."

"Don't worry about it; I got whatever you need." Eldwin watched as she held out a pill bottle and squinted at the label, "On second thought, these have been in here for a while; they may no longer be good."

"Mom," he shouted as she ducked her head back in.

"Well?" Kirk said at last, still with an outstretched hand. "Are you coming, or are you staying here to die?" Eldwin turned around and watched as a black swarm appeared several feet behind them. Once it disappeared, it left Terrence in its wake, staring at them with cold, dead eyes."

Eldwin turned back to Kirk, who was still partially in the door but had turned back around, "Yo, Mrs. M. Do you know how to fly this thing?"

Sari popped her head out the door once more. Eldwin turned back toward Terrence, who was approaching the plane. "I got Rax and me out of the Congo. I can get us away from him," Eldwin whirled his head around and gave his mother a puzzled look as she disappeared inside the plane again. Eldwin sighed and raised his hand, allowing Kirk to pull him inside. "Yikita Reginal ground, this is November 4856. Mike is requesting to proceed to the runway." As his mother spoke, he heard the plane's engines start up.

Kirk rushed to the door and grabbed the frame. Eldwin crawled into the far left backseat and clicked his seatbelt in place. He watched his mother flick several levers before pulling on the yoke. A pair of headsets appeared in front of him. He looked at Kirk and mouthed to him to put them on. At least, he thought he mouthed it. With the roar of the engines, he couldn't hear anything.

"November 4856, Mike, please taxi to the front of the building and wait for instructions." This message came through the headset. 

"Negative," his mother spoke, "we are being chased by a guy with a gun and request immediate takeoff."

A gun sounded somewhere in the distance. Eldwin ducked, watched Kirk form a dagger in his hand, and threw it out the door. His mother screamed into the headset, "November 4856 Mike, we are being fired at and request take off." Eldwin raised his head slightly and looked out the window; his mother had cleared the hangar and was beginning to see the tarmac running straight toward the airport. Standing in their way was Terrence, who had a dagger on his forehead. Terrence let off a wicked smirk as he pulled it out and fell on the ground. The dagger shot back toward the plane and back into Kirk's hand.

"Can't kill something already dead," Kirk grimaced through his headset.

Anxiety began rising within Eldwin. He hoped the teacher would return in time, but it appeared... His thoughts trailed off as the ground rose and swallowed Terrence. He felt the plane lurch forward and roll over where Terrence had just been. The plane rolled up to the main building, where his teacher stood waiting. Sari pulled the aircraft to a standstill, allowing Kirk to draw the teacher inside. "I hope you don't mind me taking care of the obstacle." He laughed.

Eldwin watched as the teacher took his headset and repeated the call letters. Sari crawled out of the pilot's seat, allowing Kirk to plop down. "November 4856 Mike, please proceed to runway 4," came over the headset.

"Do you want to do the honors, Mr. Anderson."

"With pleasure." Eldwin grabbed his mother's arm as Kirk maneuvered the throttle to get them into position.

"November 4856 Mike, you're approved for take off."

 Eldwin closed his eyes as he felt the plane pick up speed before steadily climbing upward. He held his breath; with Kirk driving, he was going to die today. Eldwin felt the aircraft level out. "Good Job, " the teacher said over the intercom. Eldwin opened his eyes and saw the world disappear below them in a field of white.

"So what is going on exactly," Eldwin asked, breaking the silence. He watched Kirk tighten his grip on the wheel as the teacher turned to face him. He felt his mother touch his back, turn him to the side, and pull his shirt up. Eldwin winced as he thought his mother would graze her fingers across his wound.

"Kirk, do you have a knife or dagger readily available? I don't have one in my..." Before she could finish, Kirk handed her a small, pointed dagger. It appeared to be a sewing needle sharpened to be more deadly.

"Gotcha ready, Mrs. M."

Eldwin noticed the teacher giving him a sideway glance before handing it back to Sari. Eldwin glanced at his mother and watched as she dug in her red medical bag before holding a lighter and running it around the blade. "Thank you. Eldwin, I'm sorry, but I must dig the bullet out. It's lodged in your shoulder blade."

"Can't you wait until we get back on the ground?" He asked, his voice quaking with fear. His mother sighed in the headset.

"We're taking you to where Mr. Del Mastro and I met, Ciro."

"This is a fifteen-hour flight across the ocean, give or take, " the teacher continued. Eldwin's eyes bugged out as he looked down at his clothes and everyone else's. He and his mother were still in their pajamas and could never make it to Ciro in such a small craft. "Don't worry; we will stop at a small airport in North Carolina before continuing the journey overseas."

Eldwin sighed with relief. At least he could go to the bathroom and get some food by then.

"Eldwin," his mother came over the intercom as a long piece of what appeared to be some leather came before him. "This will hurt, so you can grin and bare it or bite down on this." Eldwin whipped his head around; his mother still had the small sharp rode with some gauze in her hand.

"If I do recall, you don't have the pain tolerance I do, so I highly recommend the leather." His teacher sighed.

Eldwin felt his life drain from him. "Isn't there a better way?"

"We could always let the bullet stay inside you, and it gets infected." His mother looked at the ceiling of the plane thoughtfully, "It's been a while since I amputated anything recently; I wonder if I still have that saw in here." Eldwin watched as his mother glanced around as if looking for something.

"The first time I had a bullet removed, it was scary. I'll give you that, but you can do it." Eldwin sighed, took the leather, and stared at it as the teacher turned around. He turned his head toward his mother, trying to plead with her, but she just shook her head. He knew it had to come out; there just had to be a better way. Giving in, he put the leather between his teeth and turned his back to her.

Eldwin winced and bit down hard as he felt his mother dig into his back. His eyes began watering as he forced back tears. His mother spoke soothing words as she pulled on the bullet. "It's lodged in there, but don't worry, it will be out soon." Eldwin closed his eyes super tight as he felt a significant sharp pain before all that was left was throbbing. He gasped for breath as Sari leaned forward and took the leather from him. "The hard part is done." She cheered. "Now, I just need to clean and wrap the area."

"Hey, Rax, did you tell Reggie I would need antibiotics when we arrive."

The teacher spun back around with a smile, "In fact, I did. I made a long-distance phone call to Reggie to let him know we were coming. You know how he gets when living alone. I thought I'd give him a chance to clean up." He heard his mother giggle as she wiped his wound before finally applying gauze and wrapping it tight.

 "I'm sorry, this is the best I can do. I forgot to refill the medical kit the last time it was used."

"It's okay, Mom." Eldwin fought back tears as he lowered his shirt and faced his teacher, "But you never answered my question. What is going on, and why are we headed to Egypt!"

Eldwin watched as his teacher and mother exchanged glances, "If I'm frank, I'm not entirely sure myself; I was reading up on you're amulet and the reason why it's called Amulet of Azeal, and let's just say I want to double-check my findings with a friend of mine before I share to give you wrong enough, altho, I was lead down quite the rabbit hole while researching and I think I found answer that makes the most sense. I can tell you if you'd like."

Leaning against his mom, Eldwin yawned.  Sari allowed him to lay his head on her lap. "That would be great." The teacher smiled and faced the outside again. 

"Many years ago, there was a mage named Azeal who covered the world in a frozen tundra for Queen Hydranna. Now, Azeal had a twin brother named Abraxas, who was tasked to end Azeal's reign. Abraxas did win in the end and trapped Azeal's soul in that amulet. It was supposed to be thrown into the deepest, darkest trench of this world where not even the Queen of Waves could find it. But obviously that isn't the case."

The teacher finished his tale as Eldwin closed his eyes and dreamed of Abraxas' story.