Secrets to be revealed...^_^ 

The stars were the gods' witness as a blinding light of magic sprang through the early night air, sizzling in the cold wind the passed by the Erabon Mountains.

A whimper pierced through the night air, followed by a thump when a body collided against a rough surface. Bones cracked against the bark of the wood and Onyx fell down into the shallow earth below, a groan escaping her lips. The embers from the bonfire a few feet away flickered her shadows against the ground. Blood pooled from her lips, her weak and numb body shaking with the cold wind.

"Sorry. That was supposed to be a simple attack" Alesandria's voice called from a distance, barely a whisper as her words were drowned out by the maniac shouts that rang through her head, singing in her conscious as she did so.

"Come on, sweetheart" Rheynoak's voice purred to her in the back of her head, his words generally laced with concern. "I have got too much on my plate to be concerned about you right now" he continued, the rather bitter words diminishing the sweet ones he had uttered to her seconds ago.

A groan came from the Mind Siphon's lips as she pressed her palms to the ground and lifted her weak body up, wiping the blood away from her throbbing lips. "Thank for the motivation" she subconsciously said to Rheynoak, rolling her eyes as she did so.

Making sure to block any of his responses, she turned around to see Alesandria who was sitting on the ground, her legs crossed on the ground and her green-gray eyes staring at the aching Mind Siphon. Her eyes pooled with concern, her fingers drumming against her knee but the self-control that chained her body - the emotionless scowl she had on her lips- kept her from moving.

"Well, you are definitely getting stronger that's for sure" she gasped as she stood up straight, the cry of her spine cracking sending a rippling pain to course through her body. The Mind Siphon bit her lips to stifle a scream, nails curling into her palms.

Alesandria frowned, only shrugging as Onyx stumbled over. "That was really only supposed to be a simple attack method" she explained, shaking her head once again. "But something happened and I just lost control. Before I could figure out what was happening, you were already on the ground." The Mind Siphon rushed her fingers through her hair, pulling back the short strands that crossed her forehead. "Don't overthink the attack" she simply said, rotating her arm to dull the pain.

"It seems to me that my powers are only growing stronger. It's like a magnetic pull and I can't control it" the village girl explained as she casted her gaze toward the darkening sky, the first light of the stars winking at her. Another groan came from Onyx, strained as she managed to pop the pain out of her bones. "You don't have to tell me twice" she muttered, rolling her eyes.

A sigh came from her lips as she stood up straight and brushed her fingers through her hair, breathing out a sigh of relief. The feeling of nausea and dizziness danced in her mind, darkness and stars blinding her gaze for a temporary second. "Let's take a break" she breathed, taking in deep breaths to suppress the nausea that churned in her stomach.

A worried glint twinkled in Alesandria's, her eyes taking in the Siphon's weak figure and unstable breathing. She noticed her now slim figure, how a week of not eating had seriously drained her. The once beautiful honey tone to her skin was now dull and blank, her short hair matted to her forehead and sweat beading down her body. Her golden eyes were lifeless, her once beautifully curved body now slimming down to bones and skin.

The village girl couldn't help but feel the dull pang that hit her in the chest. The Mind Siphon was suffering just so she could have enough food to eat and keep her healthy. The guilt spread to her bones, her fingers shaking.

"Of course. Here, I'll get the blankets" she offered, not waiting for her protests. As if on cue, the self-control that once seized her body seemed to loosen and she was able to gather herself up and walk over to the bags that were perched near the trees that led to a thicket of forests.

Two silk blankets were present when she opened and retrieved them along with their last two cans of food and some spoons. Their rations were already so low, the thought of scavenging for their own food after this was a mind-numbing thought.

Onyx bent over the edge of the cliff they perched on, the roaring of the waterfalls deafening her own gagging as she threw her guts out into the ravenous water below. The tangy smell of blood and the sour aftertaste of her last meal lingered in her mouth, her hollow stomach howling with hunger and pain.

In her head, she could feel Rheynoak slowly pushing his way through her barriers, a pain growing inside her head as she pressed her hand to the base of her temple. His words were still incomprehensible but the pain he was afflicting was enough to have her vomit once again.

When she had managed to wipe her mouth clean and suppress the pain in her head, the Mind Siphon moved away from the edge of the cliff and made her way to the two silk blankets that were spread out on the floor. Alesandria was already sitting on one of them, holding two cans in her hand.

"What does tonight call for?" she asked as she sat down in the other blanket, the warmth of the fire brushing past her cold skin. The village girl shook the can, a thump being heard before she shrugged. She lifted the can to her nose and sniffed, her eyes twinkling.

"Chocolate delights" she muttered back to her, holding the can out towards her. "Take it." Onyx casted her gaze over tot he can, the sweet smell of fresh chocolate seducing her mind. Her fingers itched for it, hell her own body burned for it. But one look at Alesandria and she could tell that she needed it more.

Shaking her head, the Siphon declined. "No thank you. You need it more" she said, waving the can away. Green-gray eyes hardened and her companion dropped the can in her lap. "Onyx, eat. You are killing yourself by not doing so. And I know you are going to say that you are doing it for me but for once, go against and your own judgment and eat."

The spoon soon followed, falling in her lap. An argument gnawed its way in the Siphon's head, desperate to break free on her tongue. But her bones were aching and she was too tired to even speak. So without a word, she nodded and ripped the can open.

Inside was a delectable pastry, a thick chocolate cake mixed with pudding. It's a smell she hadn't encountered in years, old memories flooding inside her head of a cottage she once lived in and the forests she was once roamed.

Under the stars, the two girls ate in comfortable silence, scooping up spoonfuls of chocolate into their mouths. The wind howled a song, the stars shining brightly. The fire was crackling, spits of ember spitting from the roaring flame. "So what's the craziest thing you've ever done?" asked Alesandria after a while.

A hum came from Onyx's lips, licking her spoon clean of any desert. "I was five and I was living with this woman in a forest" she explained, shaking her head. "Was that woman your mother?" she asked, casting her gaze over to the Siphon who shook her head once again. "No, my parents abandoned me when I was only a few months old. I don't know if they are dead or alive."

Silence hung between them, a thick tension with only the cracked of the flame sounding into the wind. "I am so sorry to hear that," Alesandria said, reaching over to place a hand on the Siphon's shoulder. The Siphon managed a smile, placing another spoonful of the chocolate desert in her mouth. "It's okay. Anyway, the woman I was living with at the time was teaching me how to get my powers under control. The problem was I was difficult to train. Instead of simply reading her thoughts, I managed to not only compel her but nearly suck the living life out of her."

Thinking back to that vivid memory, she smiled, rubbing the back of her neck where her Siphon heritage mark was placed. "Good thing was she did all my chores. The bad thing was she nearly drowned in a river. Safe to say from that point on, she always made sure to keep a few distance away from me and stay away from rivers."

A laugh fell from both of their lips, ringing out into the night. "Oh my, you were trouble from the start" the village girl managed to say in between breaths of laughter. The Siphon shook her head once more, spinning the spoon inside the can. "And I still am," she said as she tried to regain her breath.

Her gaze stayed on her companion as she uttered to her, "But not all of us are bad. Some of us are truly loyal with very dark souls" she explained, reaching over to rest a hand on the comforting hand that laid on her shoulder. "And the darkest souls are the loyal ones."

"Listen, I know you see this magic you possess as a curse. I have sensed it since the beginning I met you and I still feel the uncertainty every time we train" she explained, shaking her head. "But you don't have to be afraid of your powers. They are a true blessing even if they do feel like a damned cursed sometimes."

Alesandria pursed her lips together, keeping her eyes locked on the fire in front of her. The veins outlining her arms began to glow an eerie gold, her magic shining itself through her skin. It flowed so perfectly to her fingers, like lava pooling from a volcano. "But what if I am one of the bad ones, the wicked one?" she asked shaking her head. "What if I hurt the ones I love?"

"But you won't Alesandria, I know you won't. Your heart is too pure for that and it can not be played." Setting the can down, Onyx turned herself around on the blanket to face her, her eyebrows weaving together. "There are wicked ones that rule the land and there are wicked ones that cause destruction. But all of them chose to be wicked."

Reaching out, she placed her honey gold hand on top of her friend's hand, giving her fingers a light squeeze. "You are good and pure. Not a lot of people possess that in their hearts." Blue magic glowed from her veins, dancing to her fingertips. Their emotions intertwined together, both of them feeling each other's pain, the suffering buried within their hurting souls.

Alesandria focused on the Siphon's heritage mark, how it snaked from the back of her neck to her shoulder, intricate designs intertwined together. The beginning of scars started at her neck and disappeared down her back, conceling themselves along with their stories. Her gaze then traveled to her arm, how one of them bore a tattoo of mesmerizing patterns permanently inked on her skin.

The intriguement she had for these tattoos had always raised a bunch of questions in her head but the perfect moment to ask never presented itself to her and her mouth was always shut.

"Thank you. That means a lot" Alesandria whispered back, patting her hand against Onyx's. "And you are good too. Your heart is full of good intentions" she said, nodding her head. Laughter came from the Siphon's lips, her body turning away from hers as she reached over for the last crumbs of the chocolate desert in her can. "We'll see about that."

Smiling, the village girl turned away from her friend and directed her gaze over to the fire that was slowly dying out. Setting her can down to the floor, she reached over to readjust the wood, hoping to get the fire going once again.

Yet as soon as her gold glowing fingers met the first spark of fire, something set off inside of her - an inner spark- and blasted magic in swirls of white and fire gold from her fingertips. The pure intensity of her raw magic shattered into the atmosphere, sweeping past Onyx and nearly knocking her off her feet. Her magic seemed to be going haywire, electrifying her inside her body and a reeling pain shot up her spine.

A thud was heard and Alesandria hit the ground, her elbows breaking the fall as she managed to pull herself back up. Hurried breaths escaped her lips, her chest heaving up and down as something continued burning inside of her, a deep sensation she couldn't decipher.

"Are you okay?" the Mind Siphon asked, crawling over to check on her. Through her foggy eyes, she nodded, not knowing what else to say. Her arms glowed bright gold, her body hot and cold at the same time. "I-I think so" she managed to stutter out as she was set upright by Onyx, a hand cupping her face.

Golden eyes searched her arms and legs, examining her for scratches. None, there was none to be found. And when those same golden eyes raised up to meet hers, a gasp escaped her lips, shock written across the Siphon's face. "What's wrong?" Alesandria asked as Onyx backed away, breathing in sharply.

"I-I don't believe it" was her response as her gaze danced to her neck, the first intricate patterns of a Siphon heritage slowly crawling its way up her neck and shoulders. "It's impossible" she continued to mutter to herself, looking back into those green-gray eyes that were now dancing with too many colors and ringed with emerald. "But it all makes sense."

"Onyx, what the hell are you muttering about? Tell me!" she begged, banging her fists on the floor. Still shaking her head, Onyx kneeled on her knees, resting her backside against the heels of her feet.

Her words were whispered but so clear when the Siphon whispered to her, "You are a hybrid, Alesandria. That's why your powers are so powerful and out of controlled. You are a hybrid."

A/N: And that is the end of another chapter!

Oh, we finally found out the truth! Alesandria is a hybrid! That makes so much sense!

But now the madness and the secrets and everything in between will blend together into a beautiful plot twist and many of you will probably want to hurl bricks at me in the end...

BUT IT IS ALL WORTH IT I SWEAR!

*whispers* Please don't kill me

Also a huge thank you @stelliferous- for this gorgeous cover for The Catalyst Oath. It is a true masterpiece and I love it! Especially the dragon! Thank you so much again!

to I am thinking of writing some novellas to match the series just so I can match the story'space and you can know everyone's story. I have been planning them for quite some time now but I don't know when I am going to write it. Perhaps in late June.

What do you think of these titles:

Emerald Crown{Onyx's Story}

Fire Blade{Rheynoak's story}

Ice Sorrows{Lucien's Story}

Violet Blood{Venix's Story}

Grey Embers{Alesandria's Story}

Midnight Storms{Draco's Story}

What do you guys think? Should I leave some stories out to be told in the series or not? Whose story should I write? Whose story should I not? What do you think of the titles? I am curious to know and frankly, I am still on the fence about writing them so I would love some opinions right now.

Also, thank you for 3,350 reads and 621 votes! The Catalyst Oath was recently ranked #459 on fantasy and I could not be happier. It's all because of you guys that all of this could be possible so thank you! 

Thank you guys for all your constant support. It means so much to me that you enjoy this book. I enjoy writing it and to hear your feedback always makes my day!

So tell me what your thoughts are on this chapter and don't forget to comment down below and vote if you liked it.

Until next time Lovelies!

With love, May