The snake reared and hissed as another gong sounded, echoing through the woods. I paused, and looked around me nervously.

The woods had appeared when Elrond had arrived, so why didn't they fade away as the clouds did? It might be nothing, I thought. I cleared my head, and readied myself for the upcoming battle.

We had entered a grove filled with hanging grapevines, twisting and bending around the surrounding trees. The clearing smelled strongly of peppermint, and a gleaming golden gong stood in the center. The gong was framed with two silver dragons.

A hooded figure slouched next to two bound figures slumped on the ground. I squinted my eyes, wondering who was behind the hood. The python uttered a low hiss, and snaked its way toward the figures.

My heart jumped into my throat when I realized that the two bound figures were Drake and Ryder. Their eyes were dazed, and a thin streak of transparent light connected them to the hooded figure.

The hooded figure slowly twisted around, as if he expected us to come. I hopped off of Basilisk, and Elrond followed behind me.

"We're not afraid of you," I snapped at the creature defiantly.

The figure chortled. "Ah, but you are. I can feel your courage seeping into the ground, drop by drop. And the fact that you denied this clearly shows that you are afraid."

I jumped in surprise when a soft hand clamped onto my shoulder. I looked behind me in alarm and breathed a sigh of relief. It was just Elrond.

Elrond looked up at the figure with hatred. "Just give Drake and Ryder back. You know that you are outnumbered."

The figure cocked his head. "Am I now?"

Suddenly, a thousand hooded figures appeared around us. The only difference between them and the original was that the original wore a black hood, while the others wore dark blue robes. They all stood patiently, waiting for orders.

I backed up quickly, and looked around for Basilisk. He was lying among the hooded figures, looking at me menacingly.

I swallowed quickly. The black hooded figure looked up swiftly and clicked his tongue twice. Basilisk slithered over to the black hooded figure and lay his head next to him.

My face fell. Basilisk had betrayed us?

The black figure laughed. "Disappointed in your new friend? Well, don't be. He was never your friend from the start. I set him up, knowing that your little friend here couldn't resist picking up a harmless little snake. Then, he brought you straight here, right to my trap."

I glanced around me in confusion. "Trap? What trap?"

"Don't you see, you stupid girl? You are surrounded. There is no where to run. Therefore, it is a trap."

I shook my head, smirking. "Pfft, really? What if I do...this?"

I put one foot forward, and tried to walk through the crowd. However, my foot caught on something, and I soon found myself stuck in a net, hanging up in the air. I fidgeted around for my knife, but somehow it had disappeared in the bustle.

I pushed and shoved at the net, desperate to escape. I snapped my head up as I realized that Elrond was lying unconscious next to me, trapped the same as I was.

The hooded figure stifled a laugh. "See, I told you, foolish girl. Trapped. And so it shall remain this way until we are done with you. I pity these fools--" he looked around at Drake and Ryder, then turned to look at Elrond,"--these idiots who shamelessly believed in you. You, the girl who's emotions carry her away? You, the girl who finds herself trapped by the most worthless servant of Death?"

I wrinkled my nose in disgust. "Most worthless servant of...wait. You're a slave to Death? Who are you?"

"Who I am does not matter. The only thing that matters right now, Harley, is your power. That power is the key to cutting my ties to Death. Then, I can rule over all creatures, be they dead or alive!" He ended in maniacal laughter. He sighed, wiping away his tears of joy.

"Well, now that the fun's over--" he snapped his fingers, and the hooded figures around him disappeared.

"Where did they go?" I asked wearily.

"They didn't go anywhere. In fact, they were never here in the first place. That's the beauty of Lithaniel."

"What?"

"Of course you don't understand you foolish girl. It doesn't matter anyway. You will be disposed of  soon enough."

I gulped. Disposed of? Who was this guy?

I zoned out for a while, toiling over my thoughts. I quickly blinked awake when I took a nudge to the stomach. The hooded figure loomed over Drake.

I felt my heart stop as he began whacking Drake with his hard leather shoe.

"Wait, stop! I'll do whatever you want if you spare him!"

At this, he stopped kicking and turned toward me. "You have to do everything I say anyway, so I'd say seeing you in pain is a better deal."

Then, the figure took out a knife, and began stabbing Drake. Blood poured from his crippled body, and cuts and bruises dotted his face and arms.

My eyes watered as I saw Drake look up at me with pain etched in his eyes.

"What have I ever done to you to cause you this much pain?" I yelled desperately.

"You did nothing. It is Death who must pay."

"Are you so afraid that you can't even tell me your name?"

He sighed, and dropped the bloody knife to the ground. "I guess I do owe you my name. But first, I think you'll like to see my face to match it."

He grabbed his hood, and flung it back. I gasped in surprise.

"I do believe you know me. My name is Ebony Euglas."