The scent of blood roused Edin from torpor, and his eyes flew open to the sight of his guardian bleeding on the ground.

His body got up with a deep rage stirring within. Hand on haft, his eyes scoured the cave for the wretched man.

"...Who'll save you now?"

Sparks slithered from wrists to sharpened steel.

ZAP! Violent blue struck the ground where Damon stood, knocking him back till he slammed against the wall.

An azure blaze thrust Edin across the cavern, over the deep trench, toward the rotten sorcerer who dared to hurt his closest companion. His eyes gleamed with a carmine glow that turned his vision red.

The sorcerer scrambled to stand up again. With one hand, he launched a boulder at him.

BOOM. Edin burst through the rock with his blade.

More obstacles came his way—boulders, spears, spikes. He bulldozed through them with no sign of stopping. Damon sidled to his left, back sliding across the wall, flinging whatever rock he could at the murderous menace closing in on him. His hands outstretched sideways and clenched into fists, then he crossed his arms sharply—the ceiling and walls collapsed on command. There. Not even light should be able to pass.

A loud BANG! sounded as the guardian bore a hole right through.

Edin landed on the ground an arm's length away. He charged. Swung his sword. The edge slashed Damon's arm, and he retreated.

"Yes!" Edin hissed. "Bleed for me!"

Current coursed through bloodied steel. Edin struck the ground—it tore open, nearly swallowing the sorcerer whole.

Damon sprang to safety. Before Edin could stab him, he vanished into the shadows.

The guardian paused, turning his head around. He closed his eyes and inhaled. "I smell something..." Edin's solemn expression curled into a savage smirk. "Fear."

Soil collapsed beneath his feet. Edin leaped out of harm's way and rolled onto stable ground, eyes wide and wild.

The sorcerer quivered behind a nearby stalagmite.

"You think you can hide from me?" the sadist taunted, fondling the hilt of his lightning-lapped blade. "Your blood is in the air."

Crack! A blue bolt shattered the rock Damon hid behind. Shards lodged themselves into his back—he stifled a scream.

Edin sprinted in Damon's direction. He wielded his sword—missed, just barely. The sorcerer dodged his strikes, scrambling backward, sideward, into any space he could. He slunk into the dark in an attempt to conceal himself.

It was a game of cat and mouse, and Edin was the predator.

By now, Arden had recovered from her fall, yet she could not bring herself to move, let alone rejoin the fight. The sight of her disciple succumbing to his curse paralyzed her more than anything. This was the man she looked after? Mentored? Defended?

An entity so dreadful that even Damon fled in fear.

Minutes of hiding and evading flew by before Damon remembered that he could cast curses too. Sorcery swirled in his palms; he drew back his arms, then fired a spell at the cadet.

Edin raised his right arm. Slash! went his sword as it arced through the spell, his flames consuming sable wisps.

The guardian clicked his tongue. "So that's where we're going?"

Tongues of blue danced from his fingers and licked the edges of his blade. He aimed at the ceiling, and with wide round strokes he carved rings of fire into stone, transforming their surroundings into a furnace. Edin recoiled his arm then thrust his sword—FWOOSH! went the flames as they tunneled towards the sorcerer.

Damon shoved both palms forward, stopping the wave just before it engulfed his body. An outward swirling motion of his hands morphed the blue blaze into a bright red fire, bathing the cavern in vermilion.

"You think you're the only fire wielder in this room?" the sorcerer seethed.

Heat gathered in his now-clenched hands. Damon pulled back both arms and launched a dual-fisted punch—an endless stream of fire surged towards the guardian. Ravenous ruby swallowed Edin whole before he could retreat. Damon didn't stop; only after many moments did he open his palms to let go of his flames. All that remained from the blaze were orange embers lining the walls and a patch of scorched earth that marked where Edin last stood.

Damon trod slowly towards the darkened spot on the ground. Was that all it took? A single blast of fire? Once he was an arm's length away, he leaned over to take a closer look. There was very little ash. Too little. A human body would have left a bigger mound behind.

Damon summoned darkness into his left hand while his eyes scanned the cave from left to right. Where could Edin be hiding? His ears twitched as they listened for any sign of life—breathing, shaking, the crackling sound shoes made when they stepped on gravel. Yet only silence rang.

The air above him flowed faster. Damon looked up—

Slash!

He screamed as a steel edge pierced his left shoulder. A figure landed right in front of him with a loud thud, his glowing eyes glaring daggers into his own.

Damon shot a spell at him—he dodged it, withdrawing his sword.

Edin advanced two steps, Damon leaped back—slice! went the blade as it struck his hip. He nearly stumbled as he retreated, one hand clutching his bleeding wound.

The guardian lunged at his chest, but he slid out of reach just in time.

Sparks pulsed through Edin's fingers. Damon prepared to deflect them, but to his surprise, Edin hurled lightning at their sides instead. Why didn't he aim at him? The hairs on his back stood on end as he watched Edin sow the final strands of lightning behind himself—he had created a cage!

The sorcerer raised his left hand and fired another spell. Sharp eyes trained on the curse—a calculated parry sent it straight back at the source.

Damon swerved his body sideways to no avail, and the curse struck the side of his abdomen. He keeled over as his own magic ravaged him from the inside. Blood-red lips hastily whispered a countercurse. His arms wrapped around the right side of his torso as his body bent over in pain.

The air around them hummed with energy. Edin fed electricity into his blade till it was bright enough to paint the walls a pale indigo. The lightning cage shrunk as Edin marched slowly towards his enemy, its jagged pillars closing in with his every step. Damon turned his head around to scan for any escape route. Forcing his way forward would leave him butchered. Going elsewhere would mean electrocution. There was no way out except to tunnel through the floor, but even that was no guarantee.

Edin's maniacal laugh echoed throughout the cavern as he cornered Damon. "Don't you just look so funny when you're scared?" he sneered. "Oh, how the tables turn. Now you're the one cowering before me."

Strong currents coursed through Edin's veins, illuminating his skin with a vicious azure. He shifted into a wider stance. Recoiled both arms. Aimed straight at the bastard in front of him. Then he thrust!

CRACK!

The resounding thunder was so strong, it cracked the walls nearby.

Edin's gaze lingered on the ground. A crater had formed in the spot where Damon last stood. He paced a few steps closer. In the middle of that crater was a hole just wide enough to fit a man. That wretch. All that effort just to let him slip through the cracks.

The cadet blinked slowly. The vermillion glimmer in his eyes dimmed until they were no more, and his strength faded with it.

His knees wobbled. A sharp clang rang throughout the cave as his sword fell from his hand.

"Edin!"

He collapsed into open arms.

Arden cradled Edin in her arms, then lifted him and set off. Home. Home. Nothing else was on her mind—not Damon, not the battle, not Irien or her fellow guardians. Home. She needed to take him home.

The cavern felt more endless the more she hastened. Was it always this long? They could not have carved a cave this deep in just one battle. She glanced at him. A black vein emerged on the side of Edin's neck.

Her nails jammed into his skin, injecting light into his veins. Darkness would not win today.

The black sedan waited for them at the mouth of the cave. It opened its doors as soon as the two had set foot outside and she laid him across the backseat with his head propped up. Arden hopped in and shut the doors, then they were off.

A short ring played through the car speakers: Riven. Arden tapped her screen. "Hello?"

"Is everything alright?"

"For now. Tell Leith or someone to restore the northern hills and secure the rest of the area, and get someone to check the ground for bodies. I'll talk later." And with that, she hung up.

Her foot pressed harder on the pedal.

They sped to the castle. Arden called her home out of hiding as she drove, and immediately five granite spires rose in the distance. She drove past the battlefield, past her fellow guardians, past those wounded and in need of healing. There was a twang in her heart.

Her eye glimpsed the body behind her.

Arden faced forward, looking nowhere but at her home. The car screeched to a stop once they reached it. All doors swung open without her verbal instruction, and she got out, retrieved Edin's body from the backseat, and carried him inside. Down. Right. Left. Up. They reached his bedroom in the tower. She laid him on his bed, body on top of the blanket—he still had shoes on.

Arden placed one hand on his forehead and muttered a string of healing charms. She then left the room to brew a healing potion, the same kind she made when she first found him, and returned with the drink in hand. Her fingers pried his lips apart; very carefully, she tipped the vial.

Beep beep.

Her hand did not flinch. The elixir flowed from the vial into his mouth, and not a droplet was wasted. His body glowed with the same paleness of his skin. Only then did Arden bother to pick up her phone. It was an impromptu conference with a few of the other seniors. Arden glimpsed Edin once more. He would be fine.

The senior guardian left her protégé's room and climbed down the stairs of his tower. Once she had reached the ground floor, she made a left turn and strode down the corridor. One door. Two doors. The third door on the right. With a short wave, a pair of grand double doors drew back to reveal a drawing room, and they shut once she passed through.

Arden took a seat at the nearest armchair. A flick of her wrist swept the curtains to the sides to let in more light, and a brief beckon pulled one of the tables closer to her. She set her phone on the table, leaning it against a decorative flower vase so that the rear camera would face her. Her hand pinched the sides of her phone. A hologram immediately projected from an aperture, showing digital busts of her fellow seniors.

"What happened?" Norman asked. "I just got off my shift at Zwaraven."

"A stone beast raid, that's what," Riven replied. "As far as I'm aware, Druth was attacked first, then Mittir, then Irien. Thankfully they've all been taken care of."

"And Damon?" Leith said. "Last update I got was that he was battling Arden in the mountains."

"He's been dealt with too," Arden answered. "I didn't see his dead body so I assume he retreated, but he's been weakened severely. I don't expect too much trouble from him for a while."

"On a related note, Edin ran off to join you when he heard that you were fighting him alone. I tried to stop him but he wouldn't listen; I don't know what happened to him after that."

"He did join me. He fainted at the end of it, but he should be alright. He's currently recovering as we speak."

"I hope he's not too hurt," Leith said. "He's still young and inexperienced. Damon's a challenge for even the best of us."

"Well then you can consider Edin a candidate for seniority; he almost killed Damon singlehandedly."

There was a collective gasp from her colleagues. "Almost killed?" Leith breathed.

"He's even stronger than we thought," Norman said. "I knew he was special but..."

Riven furrowed his brows in silence, shadows swirling in his contemplative eyes. He turned to Arden. "Arden, can you please go into more detail?"

She nodded. "Damon and I were battling in a cave when Edin joined in. He was knocked out shortly after he came to help me and remained unconscious for most of the battle, but after I was knocked down, he got up and fought Damon alone. He gained the upper hand until Damon retreated and even managed to physically wound him. Unfortunately, I think he got away. I saw a small hole in the ground where he was last standing; I suspect he tunneled his way to safety.

"I don't know what the extent of Damon's injuries were, but he was bleeding from his arms and waist. He even got struck by one of his own curses when Edin deflected it back at him, and was visibly weaker towards the end."

"That's extremely impressive," Norman remarked.

"And you said he got up after you got knocked down?" Riven inquired.

"Yes."

"Did you get scratched?"

Arden paused. "You're asking about his bloodlust, aren't you?"

"I'm merely curious—"

"Riven—"

"I'm merely curious if Edin's curse was involved in his getting up or not," Riven said, shooting a look at Norman. "Was it?"

There was a brief silence, punctuated by the tapping of her fingers on her table. She spoke: "I can't say for certain."

"So you're saying that he was not bloodthirsty at all leading up to and during the battle itself?"

"Well, leading up to it he seemed normal; however, I would be disingenuous if I said he displayed the same behavior during the actual fight."

Riven sighed. "As much as I'm relieved to hear that the two of you are fine and that Damon has another guardian to fear, I'm very unsettled by Edin. He's immensely powerful, bloodthirsty, and an amnesiac with no known past and no historical records—he's almost certainly connected to Damon somehow."

"Whoa there," Norman exclaimed, "he literally saved us just now! If Edin hadn't jumped in, Arden might've died and so would the rest of us."

"That I don't deny, but what I also can't deny is how worrying this man is. Just when we think he's gained control of himself, he snaps into another frenzy that just so happens to be beneficial."

"First off, Arden didn't even say that he went into a 'frenzy.' And even if he did, he's dealing with a decades-old curse that he's only recently received treatment for; it's no surprise that he snapped. Wouldn't you snap if Damon was about to kill your family?"

"I would, but there's a difference between mere murderous intent and being possessed by a dark curse. Actually, Arden, to what degree did his bloodlust consume him?"

"Riven—"

"No," he cut off Leith, "let Arden tell us. What was Edin like?"

"I'd rather not say here, or now." Arden's tone firmed. "Anyway, I don't see any connection between him or Damon. Aside from his curses, there is nothing concerning about him."

"I'm glad to hear that."

The call grew tense. "While I do agree that Edin—more like his history and circumstances—can be concerning at times," Leith said, glancing at Riven, "I think his heroic actions today speak volumes about the man he is. I also trust Arden's judgment. If she deems him not a threat, I don't see a reason for us to be too wary of him."

"Thank you, Leith."

"Speaking of Edin," Norman interjected, "his shift wasn't supposed to end yet. Should we tell Stefan that he'll be working alone the rest of today?"

"No, we should assign someone to remain with him," Arden said. "Preferably a sentinel, or a sentry at least."

"I'll handle that," Leith declared. "And Arden, get some rest. You and Edin."

"I will."

"I better not catch you working," Norman jested. "In all seriousness, today's been rough for the two of you. The rest of us will cover for you."

"Thank you."

The hologram vanished in a flash, ending their call. Arden picked up her phone as she stood up from her seat. The doors opened to her left. She made her way out of the drawing room and back to the northeastern tower, where Edin was recovering.

The cadet was still sound asleep by the time she returned. Arden took a seat at the armchair across the bed. Her eye focused on his face—that extremely fair face, so innocent, yet so reminiscent of malevolence. Her heart stirred at the thought of Riven being right. If Edin and Damon were connected somehow, did that mean that she was now staring at—and, even worse, caring for—a sorcerer? Would her protégé betray her and all of Idelhen once he regained his memories? No, they could be connected another way. Edin could have been Damon's victim in the past, so, not a sorcerer. Or they could not be connected at all. Arden would never protect a man so vile.

A part of her was glad that the sword she gave him was specially enchanted to clean itself after each use. Any traces of Damon's blood would have been wiped away entirely after the battle. If the Guild got a hold of his DNA, and was able to confirm a connection between him and Edin... but it could also prove that they were not related. Still. It was not a chance she was willing to take. She knew not the things that would ensue if people found out that their savior was tied to the sorcerer.

The body twitched in bed, and he let out a pained groan.

Arden rushed to his side. Light streamed from her arms and enveloped him in a healing embrace. He writhed as the darkness within him wrestled with her magic. His eyes shut tighter as he screamed and gasped, tossed and turned, leaped chest-first into the air. She grew more fearful the more restless he became.

Ink began to creep down his left shoulder. An arm shot up and nearly grabbed her by the neck.

Arden dodged his hand and quickly pinned him down. Unspoken spells wove ropes out of thin air and knotted them around his ankles and wrists, and before his curse could reach for her again she had tied him to the bed. A hoarse growl bellowed from his throat—it was not the Edin she knew.

Edin shook his head, eyes still shut. "I won't, I won't," he panted, "I won't let you!"

"Weakling, you hold no power over me."

"Don't hurt her!"

He let out another wail. Arden gripped him by the shoulders, and light flooded from her body to his. Edin squirmed. She hardened her hold on him and only loosened her grasp when she felt less resistance from his end.

The darkness within him died down. Arden examined his arms. Pale. She inspected his shoulders. Pale. She checked his neck. Pale. With caution, she untied the ropes and unbound his body. He lay still and quiet for a moment.

Edin shot up in bed, gasping for air, his eyes wide from shock. Only when he realized that he was safe at home did he calm down. His hands rose to touch the sides of his face. Yes, he was conscious.

"Edin?"

He jumped to the side, startled. "Oh, Arden."

"Are you feeling better?"

He gave a slow nod. "I think so. What happened?"

"Do you want to hear the good news or the bad news first?"

"Uh, either."

"The good news is that Irien is safe, and probably will be for a while."

Edin breathed a sigh of relief.

"The bad news is that your curse took over again."

"...Oh."

"Do you remember that?"

"Uh, vaguely," he said, stroking his right temple, "my mind's still a bit dazed. I... I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No, you saved me."

"I did?"

"And you almost killed Damon."

"I did? Wait... I think I'm starting to remember." Edin paused. "So, does that mean he's still around?"

"He probably still is, but he'll be too weak to do anything for a while. We'll have to find where he's hiding in the meantime. Also, the other guardians will cover for us today. Go get some rest."

Arden got up and turned around to face the door. As she stepped away, he called out: "Arden?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?"

"I remember before I went out to help you..." Edin hesitated, then said, "Riven said that you fight better alone. And he tried to stop me."

Arden paused. "He's not entirely wrong. Sometimes I prefer to do things on my own."

"Oh."

"What exactly happened between you and him?"

"Um, I asked him where you were and he said that you were fighting Damon in the mountains. When he told me that you were fighting alone, I asked him why we weren't helping you, then he told me that there's a reason why and that I should stay at my post instead."

"And you ran off anyway?"

Edin bowed his head. "I disobeyed a senior, I know I shouldn't have."

"Well, you can't be punished for saving me," Arden said, smiling a little. "I'll make sure of that."

Her warmth lifted his spirits in turn. "Thanks. But um, why do you fight alone though?"

A few seconds passed in silence, yet it felt like a minute of stillness.

"I'm a little... sensitive to people dying around me or risking their lives for me," she said at last. "Like I've told you before, Damon's stronger than most gifteds combined. He'd most likely kill anyone who crossed paths with him. But if I fought alone, then everyone else would be safe."

"Oh."

"Yes. I'd rather not go into more detail about it now."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Now go back to rest; you can worry about other things later."

And with that, Arden left him alone and closed the door behind her.

END OF ACT I