None of them slept soundly that night. The warlock-vampire feared the worst. He had just barely gotten to know his father over the past two years. His mother had sent away Magellan when Salem was a baby for fear of the vampire thirst. She did it to protect her son. 

               Pandora was restless. She had many diffrent magical strengths, empathy was one of those. She feared for all of them. Just like her friend the empress of sorcery, she had never set foot it the dark realm. She completley understood Ralvania's apprehensiveness on this quest; mere hours away. 

The empress tried desperatley to sleep but it wasn't happening much. She would wake every hour or two. It was as if she had an insomnia curse placed upon her. However she knew better. Knew exactly what was causing her sleepless night. It had been worry,paranoia, and fear coursing through her ever lasting soul. 

After another failed attempt, she looked to the skies for a guess at the time. It was most likely just after five in the morning. She threw the covers off, got dressed and headed straight for the kitchen and brewed her coffee. As soon as it had been ready she grabbed it and went to her beloved office. 

Needing to be good and awake for this event, she sipped down the first cup and quickly the next. She wrote out a few tips and instructions for her apprentice to find while she was away. Grabbing her magical bag and sifting through it, she made sure everything she could need had made it's way into the bag. 

an hour later Amberosia came into her office and said good morning.

"I have something for you." 

"What is it?" The empress replied, puzzled.

"Here, for the trip miss." 

She handed over a thermos full of coffee and a bag of diffrent breads, pastries, muffins and apples.

The empress got up said nothing and hugged her tightly. 

"I'll miss you, mistress." The servant girl told her.

"I think I will miss you as well." She replied, as they heard a loud three knocks on the huge castle doors.