The landscape in front of her was unfamiliar.

Jagged cliffs lined the edge of the cloudy abyss, stones crumbling underfoot as she climbed towards the edge of the clifftop. She had no idea why she wanted to be closer to the drop, but some part of her urged her forwards.

"Hello?" Sora called, peering across the chasm at the other side. It was a mirror image of the cliffs on her side, but with one clear distinct difference—the people.

Fog rolled over the lower cliff directly opposite her, concealing the figure in its midst... but the two others were visible, just about.

She turned, staring up at the man sitting atop the clifftop to her side.

His legs dangled over the gigantic drop, his golden hair ruffling in the slight wind blowing through the crevasse separating them from the other side. He was tall, his features barely visible with the distance between them... and there didn't seem to be any way to climb up to him. Not without possibly falling and breaking a few limbs.

A woman was opposite him, staring down at the crevasse between them. Long silver hair fell past her shoulders, fluttering about in the breeze as she stood, arms folded.

Something told Sora she should know the two of them... but she couldn't figure out why, or even how.

Movement lower on the cliff made her eyes flicker down from the two people high above them, locking on the swirling fog across form her. The wind buffeted it back, revealing a tall silver-haired man standing there, silver eyes locked on something behind her... but the that same something also told her he wasn't what she was looking for.

It was proven right seconds later.

A set of glowing silver eyes in the fog were the first and last things she saw as a hand landed on her shoulder.

Sora spun, her gaze locking on the man at her side.

Golden eyes peered into her own, a smile pulling at his lips as he stared down at her. Golden locks rustled in the wind, half concealing his face as he spoke. "So you found your way here already, huh, kiddo?"

"Who are you?" she asked, staring at him.

"When you find that out, you'll probably be ready to come back here... but for now..." He reached towards her, planting one hand on her shoulder and pushing. "I'm sure we'll all see you again soon, Sora... You aren't ready for the clash of Gold and Silver just yet..."

She blinked, arms flailing to regain her balance as she toppled over the edge of the cliff and into the abyss below.

She fell, staring up at the cloudy sky above her, feeling their gazes on her as she disappeared into the dark depths... and she kept falling.

Rather than the hard impact at the bottom she was expecting at the bottom, though, her back met something oddly comfortable and mattress-like.

Her eyes snapped open, unaware they'd been shut, blinking as they focused on the ceiling above her.

Just a dream.

Sora sat up with a start, breathing heavily as her heart pounded, her eyes scanning the unfamiliar room. Soft snorts next to her yanked her attention onto the two others lying beside her. Silver and Raelynn. They were both fast asleep, Silver looking far worse than she did when she last saw her. Bandages were wrapped around her hands, her face pale, her breathing ragged as she lay in the middle of the large bed. Raelynn looked considerably better, just with a few more bandages than she remembered.

Still, Sora wondered why she hadn't woken up in the hospital, but Oz soon answered that question as she wandered out into the living room.

Beatrice was cuddled up against Callum on the sofa, and the twins were in a similar position on the other sofa.

All her team was accounted for.

"You're finally up?" Oz stuck his head around the archway leading to a small kitchen.

"Yep."

"About damn time..." he muttered, sipping from his white mug. "Tea?"

"I'm good."

"There's hot chocolate too, if you want that."

"Why are we here?" Sora stared at him, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Wherever here is..."

"There was a major incident with some riders on a training trip up in the mountains... so the hospital didn't have enough space." Oz shrugged, staring out of the window. "I brought you to my place instead... but if the rest of those idiots don't wake up soon, then I'll have to carry them down to the hospital."

"Told you he cares, twin..." Eir sat up on the sofa, yawning.

"Seems like it," Eisa mumbled, stretching her hands out above her head.

They both had matching sore spots on their heads seconds later.

"That felt softer than usual..." Eir muttered, rubbing her head as her twin nodded in confirmation. "Anyway... I heard hot chocolate was on offer..." Her eyes lit up. "Gimmi!"

"In the kitchen. On the side," Oz said. "Get it yourself."

"Aww... how mean..." Eir wandered into the kitchen, twin in tow. They never seemed to be more than ten metres apart at any given time, Sora noted, smiling slightly as they vanished into the kitchen.

It was only her and Oz in the room.

Which meant it was time to interrogate him.

"Who was that?" She turned to their instructor, staring at his back as he gazed out of the window at the midday sun.

"A necromancer... a very powerful one..." He turned to face her. "But you already knew that, didn't you?"

"I... met him when I was younger."

"And now you bump into him again..." He closed his eyes.

"What?"

"I can count the number of people who've met that guy and walked away alive, and with all their limbs intact on two hands," Oz said, his expression grave. "He could've killed you before you even knew he was there... he could've killed you as soon as I arrived..."

"What are you trying to say?" she asked, the hairs on the back of her neck pricking. "What is it?"

"The fact that you met him when you were a child... and the fact that he showed himself to you..." He stared at her, biting his lip. "He doesn't let just anyone walk away from him alive."

"Get to the point already!"

"He wants something from you, Sora... and you best hope he doesn't get it." He sighed. "But you shouldn't have to worry about that. The Seven and the Dragon Council will take care of him..."

"You said he left me alive for a reason... but what about Silver?" She narrowed her eyes. "What does he want from her...? You heard what he called her, didn't you...?"

"Shenlong... which explains exactly why I had to search for you in that damn forest..." Oz glared at her. "You went to that eighth spot... didn't you?"

"You know about those cloaks?"

Oz scowled. "They're not cloaks, you idiot." He closed his eyes, wandering back to the window as the twins came back from the kitchen—satisfied with their cups of hot chocolate—and over the hustle and bustle, Sora barely heard his next words. "They're curses."

Sora stared at his back, eyes wide, but didn't dare ask another question.

Oz had made it clear their conversation was over.

Sighing softly, she wandered back into the bedroom, staring at Silver's limp figure. Silently praying they never ran into that man or his companions ever again.

Once was enough.

"Not for you." The Monster's voice rang out in her mind, making her stiffen as she stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror.

"Why do you say that?" she asked. "Oz said that the Seven and the Dragon Council would take care of him..."

"They won't... because they can't..."

"They're the Dragon Council... made up of some of the strongest Dragon Riders around... most of whom either have silver or gold magic... and you're saying they're no match for this necromancer guy?" she stared blankly back at herself.

"He's not just a necromancer... He's the Necromancer. Capital N," the Monster said. "The last known one alive."

"That makes a difference how?"

"The Dragon Council can hold him in check, yes... as long as he doesn't get a hold of... well, I suppose that doesn't matter right now. All you need to know is that they can't defeat him."

"And what does this have to do with me and the Misfits?"

"Every team has a specialisation," the Monster smiled, "but yours was created for one sole job."

"What?" Sora asked, dread growing in the pit of her stomach.

"To kill the Necromancer."