Author's Notes: From Hawk: Thank you to all of the authors who have been willing to accept our criticism, and to the authors who have edited their works because of what we've said. Also, thank you to all authors who put their best work on Fan Fiction; you have tried your best, no matter what we've said to you.
From Owl: Thank you to Falcon for coming up with the title and summary for this story, to Hawk for editing it, and to Harrier for getting the idea.
From Osprey: Many thanks to Owl; without your writing skills, we would not have a story.
From Harrier: Finally, thank you to anyone who reads this story, and to anyone who reviews it. We value your opinion and thank you for your time. It is much appreciated.
From Falcon: Sylvia's death may have been caused by a natural cold, but my idea came from the theory that Morganthe was behind the cold. Please enjoy. :)
He was in the way, the Umbra Queen decided. Absently stroking a spider, she mused over her plan. It was perfect, of course; no mere wizard would be able to destroy it. There was one crease in its perfection, however, one man who would crush her like a … well, like a spider. His resources and allies were many; his influence was cast over many worlds. Merle Ambrose, the most powerful man in the Spiral, could quite easily tear down her work.
His disposal could not be immediate and painless; no, killing or capturing the Ravenwood Headmaster could prove to be a very, very poor move on her part. There would be instantaneous acts of revenge, of course. The professors, although weak on their own, could prove very dangerous when working together, and they would have the aide of many powerful wizards from across the Spiral. That could be a very large problem …
The students were a laughable threat; the very strongest were, at best, low level masters. There would be little to no trouble from them. Ambrose's other allies, however, would be her downfall if he were to disappear. Morganthe knew that she was in a very, very delicate situation, and her plot was on the verge of collapse …
There was a way, she knew, to bring about the downfall of Ambrose, but it would require careful action and a gentle touch to succeed. A direct assault on the Headmaster would not succeed, but sly, meticulous movements would work just the way she wanted them to …
To remove Ambrose from the equation; Morganthe would have to destroy him from the inside out. She would crush his spirit; her new plan would break his mind so badly, there would be no way for him or his allies to retaliate against her when she launched her full-scale attack against the Spiral.
A small laugh bubbled from her throat, and the Umbra Queen allowed a thin smile to grace her lips. She set the spider down on her shoulder before standing, swirling the long black cloak about her shoulders. There were preparations to attend to; the destruction of Ambrose's mind would begin with the destruction of his allies. By stealing away one person from his school, she would not only weaken Ravenwood, but she could also destroy the Death Professor's mind …
Morganthe laughed as she started down the hallway. Her plan was flawless, the perfect distraction. No one would stop her once Ambrose was out of the way. Patience was key, and it would be a long time before her takeover could begin, but it would be well worth the wait. Patience was one of her greatest virtues …