As a reader and writer, Selene was a big softie. She had specific genres she liked to read and specific genres she liked to avoid. When she wrote, she also carefully selected her themes and words.

On a normal day, Selene liked to read a good murder mystery, a humorous book and of course her guilty pleasure, romance.

She could remember the first time one of her elementary school friends had borrowed her a horror novel. Selene hadn't wanted to read it but she'd been dared by all her friends to try it out.

As a rule, Selene liked to complete every task she begun. That was the first time she had been unable to finish reading a book.

It made her have nightmares for weeks and gave her panic attacks in the middle of the night. Despite how many times she'd tried to reassure herself that it was just fiction, she couldn't help but see the demons the book spoke about. They followed her everywhere until she had to return the book to the owner.

Another book she'd never been able to finish reading was about a war. The writer had such a vivid imagination and an amazing way of coining words that Selene began to feel like she was a child in the middle of the war. She didn't even reach the third chapter when she began to have nightmares.

Selene often tried to avoid anything that might worsen her already awful nightmares. After those two incidences, she carefully selected the things she watched and read. She didn't enjoy films or series with violence and blood. She hated films about war and wouldn't even look at the screen if the images were too gory.

Her friends teased her severely about it but she refused to budge. She wasn't very brave and didn't like to pretend to be what she wasn't.

When Edith roused her from her slumber that night, she wished she had toughened up and watched those horror movies she'd always avoided. Perhaps they would have prepared her.

"C'mon! We don't have much time! We need to get out of here before they surround us." Edith said in a voice filled with fear.

Selene leaped up gingerly without even realizing that she still had the copy of the book about Rodia in her hands. Despite how groggy she felt, she understood the urgency and how important it was to leave at once.

When she got into the living room, a sharp crash was heard close to the door.

"Finally! Where have you been?!" Tianna said frowning at Selene.

"I don't understand. What's going on? What's that awful noise?" Selene asked nodding at the door.

"We're under attack. I don't know how this is possible! Where's Benjamin? He needs to be by your side!" Tianna said desperately.

"I'm here. I just went to check if there was any loophole we could escape through." Benjamin said appearing out of thin air.

He looked alert and steady like a warrior. His golden eyes looked brighter than usual and he moved with so much grace that it almost seemed inhuman. He was wearing his golden armor again.

"And? What's out status?" Tianna asked.

Benjamin shook his head.

"Our status isn't good. They've managed to break through all the wards around the front gate. The crashing sound you keep hearing is them coming in through the wards. They have us surrounded." He said clenching his fist.

"Who are they?" Edith asked.

"Demis. They didn't send the Hunters this time." Benjamin said.

"Then there must be a way for us to outrun them? Surely!" Selene said.

"Perhaps if we were talking about a handful of them. There are over 50 of them which means they outnumber us. At least, there would be 15 Demis against one of us. You have no fighting skill and even if you did, it's almost impossible to kill those things. They're like zombies, only more fluid and mobile." Benjamin groaned.

He was so preoccupied with the danger that he'd almost forgotten he was supposed to be mad at Selene. He held onto her hand protectively and refused to let go. Selene could tell his first priority was keeping her safe even if it meant him dying along the line.

"We have to get out of here somehow! If they capture us, we're doomed." Tianna said making marks all over the walls of the house with some sort of sword. She cut herself and used her finger to draw the blood so she could place it on the marks.

The blood on the marks glowed and disappeared when she made them.

"We can't afford to get captured. There's still a lot Selene doesn't know. Those wards won't hold those things for long." Edith said desperately.

"They'll buy us half an hour while we think. I still don't understand. How could this have happened? Has anyone had any contact with those from the outside?" Tianna asked.

"No. I only called my mother since I got here but I didn't tell her where I was." Benjamin said looking at Edith.

"I should have known better than to let a Necromancer under my roof!" Tianna groaned.

"I haven't contacted anyone! I don't even have anyone to contact. No one even knows where I am apart from Larry and he wouldn't tell anyone where we are even if his life was threatened!" Edith flushed angrily.

"What do you mean contact?" Selene asked.

"I mean telling someone outside where we are. The magical wards I put around this house would prevent anyone from entering except if someone in this house tells them our location." Tianna said impatiently.

Selene blushed furiously.

"If that's the case I only spoke to one person last night. But I don't think she could have had anything to do with it." She said.
to?" Benjamin demanded.

"Just Didi. She asked where I was and I told her I was here. That woman couldn't have possibly found out our location, right? It can't be Didi." Selene asked furrowing she brow.

"You fool! What possessed you to act so irrationally? You have put us all under danger!" Tianna snarled.

"I didn't know..." Selene started to stammer.

"You never know anything useful! Couldn't you be sensible for once and just stay out of trouble?!" Tianna's eyes narrowed to slits.

"Hey! That's enough! It isn't her fault!" Benjamin said standing in front of Selene in case her aunt decided to slap her for her mistake.

Selene whimpered behind him feeling guilty and confused. She didn't understand what was happening but she could tell it was her fault for telling Didi where she was.

"Neither of you have told her anything useful apart from what you think she needs to know. You allowed her to be ignorant of the danger so it's your fault and not hers. Besides we don't even have time to apportion blame! We have to get her out of her. Her life is worth ten of ours." Edith snapped.

"You're right. Forgive me." Tianna said before a loud crash was heard again.

They all had to scramble to take cover so they wouldn't be hit by the flying boulders. Benjamin shielded Selene's body with his but it wasn't still enough to protect her from the exploding rocks.

"The whole house is going to collapse in a few minutes at this rate. Benjamin? Any ideas?" Tianna asked.

"I can create a portal go take us to Rodia. It isn't safe for us to be anywhere on earth right now. We wouldn't even be safe there but it would at least buy us some time." He said.

"How long do you need to create a portal?" Tianna asked.

"After fifteen minutes." Benjamin said.

"I have an idea..." Selene started to say meekly.

"You've done enough already! The best thing you can do is stay out of the way so Benjamin can create the portal. Edith and I will act as defense. Just find a place to hide away from the rocks." Tianna said sharply.

Selene bit her lip and said no more. She wasn't even sure her plan would work. She didn't know much about Rodia so who was she to think she could even come up with a good plan?

As she shielded herself with the book in her hands and watched everyone else try to protect her, she felt so worthless.

Edith's eyes were completely black. Her short raven hair surrounded her face. She kept whispering words that caused those on the opposing side to shout in agony. Her cat twined itself around her legs. Its ember eyes were glowing with every spell its mistress uttered.

Tianna was still writing wards all over the walls. She was sweating profusely and bleeding from the rock and the incision she'd made but she didn't stop.

"Benjamin!" Tianna said desperately.

"I need ten more minutes!" He said. His golden eyes were strained with concentration.

"I'm afraid we do not have that long. They've gotten to the front door. They'll be in here in two minutes." Edith said in a husky voice.

"Go to my room and lock the door. The wards in there would prevent them from being able to enter so easily. I'll stay back and hold them off for you guys to escape." Tianna said grimly.

Benjamin, being the most logical, didn't argue. Although he admired Tianna, his number one priority was keeping his Synergy safe. He weighed the pros and cons for a split second then he started walking away while chanting under his breath. His golden eyes flashed several times as he chanted. He didn't allow anything break his concentration. It was amazing how he could ignore the flying rocks.

"No!" Selene said desperately.

"There's no other way. We don't have time to argue. You have to survive Selene! You have to fulfill the Prophecy! I'm sorry I wasn't able to do enough for you." Tianna looked at her niece sadly.

"You can't stay here! That's a death sentence! Please! There has to be a way for all of us to escape!" Selene said.

"There isn't. Even with the wards in my room, you wouldn't have enough time to escape. Edith? Please." Tianna turned away from Selene.

Edith dragged Selene out of the room even though the girl was unwilling.

"We're wasting the valuable time we have. Benjamin has to create the portal and we have to leave." Edith said.

Selene shut her eyes and shivered.

Edith locked the door behind then when they stepped into Tianna's room. Benjamin sat on the floor chanting words in a strange language. Whenever the floor began to glow, the light went off almost immediately.

Selene could hear the front door burst open. She heard her aunt scream twice. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Why was she so useless?

"Find the girl. We only need the girl." She heard a voice hiss.

"Benjamin! I hate to rush you but we don't have time. I don't know how long Ms Feather can hold them off." Edith said.

"I'm trying. Whenever I get a portal to a place in Rodia, it seals off at once." Benjamin said. Although he looked calm, Selene could tell he was worried.

"Is it possible for Her Majesty to stop people from teleporting into Rodia?" Edith asked.

"It is. She's locked all the portals. We can't even get into the catacombs! I don't know what else to do!" Benjamin groaned.

The three of them looked at each other in shock. Their eyes were stricken with grief and fear. Tianna was risking her life. She could be dead for all they know yet they couldn't even escape.

"Selene had an idea. Didn't you, Selene?" Edith said suddenly.

"It wasn't any good. I'm sorry. All of this is my fault." Tears rolled down her cheeks. She had to take off her glasses to wipe her eyes. Benjamin moved closer so he could hold her face in his hands to make her look at him.

"I'd welcome any idea right now. What was your idea?" Benjamin asked gently brushing away her tears. His golden eyes were warm and encouraging. It was such a sharp contrast to how he'd looked at her a few hours ago. His fingers were warm on her cheek. It helped distract her long enough to state her idea.

"I was wondering if we could teleport into the castle of The Brethren." Selene said.

"We can't. Even if we even know where it was which we don't." Edith sighed.

"No. We can't. But Selene can. You remember the song? 'The doors of the Castle of the Brethren is closed to everyone else but a Telepather'. Selene can find the door even if we can't." Benjamin said.

"But what about the fact that all the portals are locked? Also, teleportation only works when you have an idea of where you're going to. We don't even know where the Castle of the Brethren is!" Edith pointed out.

"I have an idea of where it could be." Selene said in a small uncertain voice.

"How?" Benjamin asked.

Selene brought out the book she was holding in her bleeding hand and opened it frantically.

"I saw a map of Rodia in here. Geography was my best subject a couple of years ago. I was the best in my class, actually. I suspect they're somewhere along the outskirts and close to this river around here." Selene pointed.

"It's very possible. I've never heard of any portal there or if anyone's ever travelled there." Benjamin said thoughtfully.

"Then it's settled. Let's try it. We don't have much time." Edith said impatiently.

"I'll start the portal. Selene? Close your eyes and visualize us being there. Picture what you think the Castle of the Brethren looks like. It doesn't have to be accurate just keep that image in your head. Don't lose it no matter what." Benjamin said.

Selene closed her eyes. It was a bit hard trying to concentrate with the sound of her aunt screaming in pain and the fact that the house kept collapsing around them.

After a while, she began to visualize a castle with high walls and a huge silver gate. She could almost hear the gentle rustle of soft grass.

"It's working! Keep it up!" Edith said.

Just then there was a sharp bang on the door.

"Open the door and nobody has to get hurt!" A hissing voice said.

Selene blocked out the sound even though she was afraid. She had been blessed with the ability to ignore everything else when she wanted to think about just one thing. It was hard but she concentrated hard on the image of the castle.

"It worked! We have to go in one after the one. You first, Edith." Benjamin said stepping away from the hole on the floor.

Edith grabbed her black cat who looked displeased and jumped inside. She stretched out her hand so she could grab Selene.

Selene held onto the book and stepped closer to the portal when the door suddenly burst open.

Benjamin grabbed her hand and pulled her into the portal after him.

Just as the Demis reached the glowing hole, Benjamin closed it and trapped some of them within the portal where they remained for eternity.

The three youths screamed as they fell from a great height. Selene shut her eyes tightly and squeezed Benjamin's hand when they got closer to the ground.

Amazingly, it didn't hurt when they fell. But that was because they weren't even conscious by then.

Their adventure was just about to begin.

#M.M