p class="p1"span style="text-decoration: underline;"span class="s1"Chapter 1 Sorcerer /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"As the sun set over the mountains the few clouds in the sky parted allowing a few of the last rays of light to shine on a picturesque castle in the crook of two peaks, a large stone construction ancient and looming. Only a few torches lit some of the dark windows, their flames flapping as the night wind gently glided through./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Out of nowhere, an explosion shook the night as several of the upper windows began billowing smoke, guards and figures began appearing, shouting at one another in frantic tones./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""What was that?!" One shouted up to another./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Experiment out of Containment!" The later returned, "Lock it down!"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"The former man nodded and ran to secure his station. As he rounded the first corner he collided with a man in tattered robes, falling to the floor./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Watch where you're g-" he froze halfway off the floor, the man in front of him was scraped in several places and bleeding, his eyes shining crimson red. To terrified to move the man simply stood there, his hand on his weapon./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Move." the bloodied figure said holding out his hand and snapping. In a quick flash of light the guard in front of him was knocked back hard onto the floor. The figure stood there a moment satisfied, then doubled over in pain, as his body began radiating light. He stayed there racked with agony, until the light subsided and he could drag himself into a standing position. "Where is it?" He grumbled as he began to search the room. He tore through the cabinetry until he found a large round bundle of cloth. He reached out for it, his pain subsiding into a dull throb. As he touched it, the pain vanished completely. Sighing with relief, he took it into his arms. Looking on the next shelf down, he saw a row of books, grabbing one, he ran out into the hall./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"The guard in the last room had quickly become the least of his problems. He found two more in the first hall, three in the stairwell, and at the bifrost pad's entrance he found at least six. Whom he was still dealing with./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Explosive force!" He said arms outstretched./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""He's in the Bifrost Padock! I repeat! He-" the last part choked off due to another guards body colliding with his, both out cold, he turned to the last one./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""You'll never escape with your life! Even if you did where would you run? Arendell? Corona? Even Agrabah isn't out of our reach! You cannot run forever!" When he received no response, he prepped an orb of energy in his hand, "you are nothing more than a failed experiment, Demon!" The guard closed his fist, causing the bubble to pop and reform into sharp splinters, which he threw swiftly across the room./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Ducking quickly and sprinting towards the guard, the man delivered a swift uppercut to the face saying, "My name is Draconous!" The guard was knocked clean out and Draconous held his head high in victory as he walked further into the room. He shuffled slowly towards one of the crystalline pads on the floor, glowing with ever-shifting colors, until a voice spoke behind him./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""So you escaped... how amusing." A dark figure moved into the room, "Now this has been fun but if you were to leave, there would be... punishment." He snapped his fingers, Draconous flew back into the wall dropped his items, and fell to the floor. Struggling to his feet, "Pitiful, you can't even defend yourself without destroying everything around you." He swipes his hand in an arc across Draconous' back creating a cut, and causing him to yelp in pain. He struggled to pick up his things and pull himself up to a standing position./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Better... to be, destroyed." He gasped, "Than to... be.. your stooge!" He hit the ground with his fist causing a bright light to illuminate the room, blinding the dark man. Using the distraction to his advantage he hauled himself to the pad./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Goodbye... And good riddance." The pad activated and he dissipated into a stream of light which shot off into the sky./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"—/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s2"Close to Nentir's southern territory, near border to Arendell/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s2"Vexdin/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"The ground was covered with a thin layer of snow falling from the sky, common for late winter. With spring coming on the days heat had eliminated what little snow remained from the previous night, causing the new fall of snow to make a light pristine blanket of powder over the forested landscape. The peace was quickly disrupted however by several birds flapping through the trees./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""There!" Shouted a voice./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"There were the sounds of several bows "twanging" and one of the birds dropped from the sky. Falling silently to the floor. Emerging from the bushes with a chuckle of satisfaction came a tall man in furs./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Hah!" He shouted, examining the shaft of the arrow, "It's one of mine!" He picked up the bird carefully removed the arrow, checked it, and put it back in his quiver. "And you lot thought I wouldn't catch anything. Hah!"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"The rest of the group entered the clearing, three large men dressed in dark furs. All grumbling in annoyance with this outburst of bravado the largest stepped forward./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Vexdin," He said with a chuckle, "if you spent half as much time shooting, as you did complimenting yourself, you'd be the best archer from here to Weasleton!" This caused the others to erupt into laughter, and caused Vexdin to blush./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Oh all right, laugh it up Haldr." He retorted bitterly, but he himself couldn't hold back a slight amount of satisfaction, the others were joking with him! This had to mean something, at least it was better than the awkward and uncomfortable silence of the past hour. It was his first time on a hunting expedition with anyone other than his father. it wasn't as though he didn't like his companions, far from it, he knew them all well. But the recent hunting parties had been rather unsuccessful, and he had wanted to make a good run of his first go./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"The group gathered their arrows and kills while counting them, overall there was a good haul, 3 hares, two large geese and a young buck. Surveying the total Haldr cheerfully said./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Seems like a feast boys! Let's get these back to camp, the others will have picked up their ice quotas for the day and they'll be hungry!" This resulted in a slight cheer. The men quickly started back to camp as the sun was setting, Vexdin lagging in the rear, as was tradition for the least experienced./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"As the group were nearing the mountains the northern lights appeared, drawing them to a halt as they watched./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""No matter how often I see it... it always amazes me." The man to Vexdin's left said./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""I know how you f-" Vexdin began, but he saw something just off the edge of the lights. "What's that?"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""What?" The man responded, "I don't see anything."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Right there on the end!" Vexdin replied, "It almost looks as if it's... falling" emit can't be/em... he thought. Looking at it again. And seeing the same the arc of light drifting in a downward spiral, the light emwas /emfalling, it was, literally out of the sky! "It's beautiful!"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Vexdin look out!" Haldr yelled, "get down!" He ran up and tackled him to the ground, just as the light flashed straight through where they had been only seconds before, and crashed into the ground covering the whole group in a mist of dirt and snow. And all was silent for one horrible moment, until one of the men began to stir, and cough./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""What *cough* was that?! *cough cough*" He wheezed, "Is everyone ok?"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Yeah," the other groaned "or I would be if I hadn't just been attacked by the gods themselves!" just then Haldr stirred and sat up./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Is everyone alright? Where's Vexdin?" He asked, while rubbing his head and gazing around./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Here." He responded weakly, off to the side with a slight smile, "bruised, but unbroken."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""That's good then" He says, looking around, "what in the name of-"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Look there!" Vexdin said excitement in his eyes pointing to the crater which was still illuminated by a dull glow, "there's the light!"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Stay away from it Vexdin!" Haldr shouted, "we don't know what that is!"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Vexdin froze guiltily, "what? It's a mysterious light from the sky! How can you not?"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""By using my brain?" Replied one of the other men./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"They all freeze as they hear a groan from inside the crater. Vexdin turns to it. "That sounded like a man! He may need our help!" He runs up to the crater before they can stop him./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Vexdin!" Haldr commanded, but Vexdin ignored him, speeding up the incline. As he reached the top he saw a deep depression in the ground a man laying at the bottom his arm and leg bent in the wrong direction, glowing with a fading light./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""He's hurt!" He shouted over to the others as he ran down to him. He saw his tattered robes, emhe's about my age! /emVexdin thought to himself as he ran. Then he reached him and the man grabbed for him with a loud groan. "It's ok! Your ok! We'll get help!" Vexdin said, only half believing his words/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""I'm dying..."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Vexdin stopped. The voice had come from the man below him. It was weak and whispered. "What?"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"The man lifted his good arm, and pointed to a smooth round stone just behind him. It looked like an ostrich egg. It was polished like a gem, with an intricate design etched into it, which sparkled brighter the more the mans light faded./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Take it... it is freely... given" he said slowly, as if each breath was a pain to deliver, "but receiving... bears a... price" He gestured again more emphatically. "The Orion stone" Then his eyes lost focus and he started to slump./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Hey, hey! It's ok! Your gonna be fine!" He turned to the ridge where the others had just appeared, "Help!"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Vexdin! Get away from him!" They shouted./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""He's hurt! Bad!" Vexdin turned back to him, and picked up the stone. It felt warm as if it had a heartbeat inside it, "is this it?"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""You... have accepted." His face hardened, "They will come for you... Keep it hidden." Then his tearful eyes lost focus, his expression grew relieved as his strength was leaving him. "I-... I'm sorry.." and he faded completely his arm falling limp./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""No!" Vexdin said, shaking him, "come on!" Then the stone began to shine brightly, and grow searing hot to the touch, "What? The ARRRGGGGHHHH!" He felt himself unable to let go, and as the first wave of energy coursed up his arms he screamed with pain. The marks on his hands and arms flared blue, his eyes violet./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"The man's body dissolved into ash, leaving his book below him. The others tried to move forward to help but as they neared Vexdin rays of energy begin flowing from his body rising in volume and speed until./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Nothing./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"_/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Oh my head." Vexdin moaned, looking up at the sky, "how long was I out? It's dark out."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"He sat up slowly massaging his temples. Then he looked at his hands where he saw, a blue stain, covering his middle finger stretching over his palm and curving up his thumb. Almost as if it was painted on, but he couldn't remove it. In the middle of it glowing, and seemingly burnt into his palms, was a symbol. The one from the stone! emThe stone did this? /emHe thoughtem. The stone, that man!... Oh no! The others! /emThen he slowly got up, taking in his surroundings. The crater seemed to have gotten bigger. Much bigger. And the trees were gone./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Guys?" He said tentatively, "Haldr? Bjorn? Where are you?" He started to walk forward nudging something with his foot. "Huh?" He stopped to pick it up. "A book?" He stopped down to the floor and picked it up to examine it, when his finger made contact, the cover glowed the same hue as his hands, a rich deep purple. Upon closer examination, he saw something past the book, a dark figure lying on the ground a few feet away./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Oh! There you are" He said rising and moving towards them using the light from his palms to see "You Oka-"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"He stopped, frozen in horror, the figures he was staring down at were three burnt skeletons. He quickly spun around taking in the whole scene around him./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""No! What... How did?" a memory flashed back to him, him grabbing the stone, he ran back to the center where he woke up, the stone was there shattered. "It was me... it was that stone!" He shouted, "I did this?!" He looked down at his hands horrified by this realization. Those men had families, they were his friends! How could he return now? What would he tell their wives? Their children!/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""It was up here!" Shouted a voice./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Who's there?" Vexdin shouted./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""What was that?" Someone whispered, "A voice!" Said another./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Hello?" Vexdin said./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Who goes there?" Said a rather intimidating voice./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Uh... my name's Vexdin... I'm from the iced fjords up north a ways" he responded timidly. In the distance he could just make out a light and three or four figures. He started towards them as they entered the clearing. emImperial soldiers, oh no...span class="Apple-converted-space" /span/em/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""What are you doing here? What happened to this clearing?" The first one asked./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Uh, well um..." he hid his hands and the book, behind his back slowly and looked up at them. "I've no idea. Honest."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"The soldiers backed up, "zelditch!" Shouted the first. "Demon! He's a demon look at his eyes! Violet!" Whispered the next. The last said, "your eyes betray you sorcerer." They drew their weapons and pointed at him./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Vexdin shot his hands into the air "Woah! Hey! easy with those things! Someone could get hurt!" But this only allowed the soldiers a glimpse of his palms and the glowing book. Which made the situation that much worse. They recoiled with fear and one of them pulled back his sword to strike./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""No!" Vexdin shouted raising his arms in defense. Just as the blade would've struck however a force rose up inside his body, the book shivered and flared purple, then he found himself shouting words he didn't understand. "Winds of Hades!"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"A large orb of light formed in front of him which exploded with a roaring heat and wind, throwing the soldiers back. one flew into the trees, as his head hit the trunk there was an audible, *Crack!* The one closest to the explosion was barely recognizable, and the third was thrown back a far distance but landed in a snowbank./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""What?! How did I?" Vexdin gasped. He lifted the book again then turned and looked at the third soldier./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""You'll pay for that Demon!" The third soldier shouted, then ran off into the woods, towards Nentir./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Still gasping for breath after the rush of what just happened Vexdin stood there unable to think of what to do. emI'm a murderer... a danger to everyone... I can't go home, not after what I did, and I can't stay here... /emhe turned to the I'll just have to find where I can go./em/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"_/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Two years later/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s2"Arendell Castle/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s2"Anna/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""You're majesty?"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Anna stirred slightly, but still she slept. So the servant knocked again more boldly. "M'lady? Princess Anna?" He waited for a moment./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"She slowly got up, stretched grunting, and slumped over. "Yes?"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Sorry to wake you ma-"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""No, no... I've been up for hours." She leaned onto her hand, slowly slipping back into sleep. Her snoring was cut short as she snapped awake, "Who is it?"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Still me Ma'am. The gates will open soon, time to get ready." The servant answered timidly./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Yes... yes." She cleared her throat, "ready for what?"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Your sisters coronation?"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Sister's corneration..." She opened her sleepy eyes and gazed across her flowery pink room, eyes landing on her favorite dress. "It's coronation day!" She hopped off her bead and sprinted to her dress, quickly threw it on, and tried to make herself look her best. When she was satisfied she bolted out the door, almost crashing into several servants. "It's coronation day!"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"She dashed to the main hall, spinning around with glee as she noticed all of the preparations that were being conducted and sung./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""The window is open, so's that door! I didn't know they did that anymore!" The dining crew enter to set the tables, "Who knew we owned a thousand salad plates!"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Anna speeded around the castle sliding across the corridors, "for years I've roamed these empty halls!" She bursted into the ballroom, "why have a ballroom with no balls? Finally their opening up the gates!" She left the room and slid down the banister, landing next to a suit of armor she shook its hand, causing it to collapse. "There'll be actual real live people, it'll be totally strange." She discreetly put it back, "wow am I so ready for this change!" She ran down the hall and through the doors into the courtyard, "Cuz for the first time in forever! There'll be music there'll be light!" She spins and dances around. "For the first time in forever! I'll be dancing through the night! Don't know if I'm elated or gassy but I'm somewhere in that zone!" Seeing a flock of ducklings she skipped over and picked up a few. " but for the first time in forever! I won't be alone. I can't wait to meet everyone!" She gasped as an idea struck her. "What if I meet 'The One'!" One of the ducks quacks, as if eager to accept the job. She smiles, sets him down and heads back inside. "Tonight imagine me gown and all," She spins into a curtain, causing it to look like a fancy gown. "fetchingly drapes against the wall! The picture of sophisticated grace!" She swings a tassel around, hitting herself in the face. Knocking it to gaze upon the marble bust of a handsome man. "I suddenly see him standing there, a beautiful stranger tall and fair." She turns to grave out of a bowl full of bright chocolates, "want to stuff some chocolate in my face!" She shoves several chocolates into her mouth and swallows hard. "But then we laugh and talk all evening, which is totally bizarre," she hefts the statue and spins, singing, "nothing like the life I've lead so far! Cuz for the first time in forever! There'll be magic, there'll be fun! For the first time in forever I could be noticed by someone!" She jumps into the sitting room, leaping from chair to chair, mimicking the paintings behind her. "And I know that it's totally crazy, to dream I'd find romance! But for the first time in forever! At least I've got a chance."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"****/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s2"Elsa/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Elsa paced back and forth across her room in her best dress hands trembling in their gloves. She had been preparing for this day since her parents died. emToday's the day... I'll become Queen. And then everything will be over./em She stops in front of her fathers coronation portrait and sang./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Don't let them in... don't let them see, be the good girl you always have to be." She looks up at the ceremonial, scepter and ball. Pulls off her gloves and timidly grabs a candlestick and a paperweight from the dresser in front of her. "Put on a show. Make one wrong move and everyone will know." Ice starts crawling up the sides of them, so she quickly drops them back to the dresser, and pulls her gloves back on./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""But it's only for today..." she steps up to the door, "it's agony to wait." She rips them open. "Tell the guards to open up, the gates!" She walks out through the hall to great the people./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s2"Anna/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"The gates open and she sprints out smiling and waving, "For the first time in forever! I'm getting what I'm dreaming of! A chance to change my Lonely world, a chance to find true love!" She jumped up onto a lamppost, "I know it all ends tomorrow so it has to be today!" She jumped off and began dancing through the emptying streets, "but for the first time in forever! For the first time in forever! Nothings in my way! Oof!" She gets broadsided by a horse, which causes her to backpedal, trip over her dress and fall into a boat on the docks. The boat began slipping backwards into the water but the horse took a step into the front of the boat knocking Anna back into it, and keeping it above the water./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Ow! Hey!" She said offended./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Oh my I am so sorry!" Said a man's voice as she looked up./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Anna saw a strapping tall red haired man starring kindly down at her from atop his horse, "hey..." she said lamely, she then tried to get up a bit, as he got off./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""My apologies, Uh prince Hans of the southern Ilses." He gives a slight bow./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Princess Anna of Arendell," she returned giving a curtsy./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""The princess!" He said stunned, then he dropped to one knee. "My lady!" The horse bowed as well causing the boat to lean back. "Whoa whoa!" He swoops to grab her. And they laugh awkwardly and the horse, noticing his mistake stomped back down, causing the boat to knock about and Anna to fall on top of Hans./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Oof, hehe sorry..." she mutters as she gets up, " This is awkward, not you're awkward it's just, me, and... you're gorgeous. Wait what?"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""I'd like to formally apologize for hitting the princess of Arendell with my horse. And for everything afterward." Hans apologized fervently./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Oh no! It's fine!" Anna said quickly as she shuffled around him and off the boat, " if you'd hit my sister Elsa it'd be like YEESH!" She reached the horse, "hello." She giggles kindly as she tickled its chin. "But it's just me so it's all good./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Haha just you?" Hans chuckled./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Off in the distance bells began chiming, signaling the time. "The bells," Anna says, "the coronation! Oh no I have got to go! Uh bye!" She waved and sprinted off towards the castle. The horse raised his hoof to wave back dropping the boat and Hans into the Fjord./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s2"Outskirts of Arendell earlier that morning./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s2"Vexdin/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"strong*"Vexdin."*/strong/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"strong*His eyes opened, illuminating a room made completely of ice. Sitting up, Vexdin looked around his eyes resting on a beautiful woman with white hair, laughing she reached out to him.*/strong/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"strong*"Demon"*/strong/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"strong*Suddenly the scene changed He was staring at a man across a frozen lake, the man created a flame in his hand and shot it towards him. Vexdin flung his arms up in fear*/strong/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"strong*"Aahhh!"*/strong/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"strong*The scene changed again revealing fleeting images of a castle in the mountains, then three shadowed figures, next a large throne. And finally a small man with glowing green goggles and a long cloak.*/strong/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"The light had just barely started to shine through his window when the vision came, the light illuminating his vials and scrolls and, on the counter a book. As the light touched its cover it opened up, the bookmark cloths unwrapping like two arms. It sat itself up and closed up with its bookmarks outside, and stretched. It hopped across the counter and jumped off, then floated over into the next room. Where Vexdin lay sleeping disquieted, it floated directly over his face and fell./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Ow!" He Shouted, "Hey!" Vexdin bolted upward rubbing his nose, "What th-" he noticed the book, "I did not order a wake up call Cantus!"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"The book floated up again and shook 'arms' covering its binding as if it was laughing./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Oh hah hah. Very funny." Vexdin snarked. "Next time I'm tying you to the counter"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"The book crossed its arms and turned around, seemingly annoyed. Then it flew back into the other room. Vexdin laid back down on his bed, not wanting to get up. He gazed up at his hands. Then he heard a clattering in the kitchen and got up./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Ok Cantus don't throw a fit I'm coming..." as he entered the kitchen the book swooped back to him. "Alright you've had your fun, let's get to work." He grabbed the book out of the air taking it into a greenhouse. Where he set it open on the table covered with bowls and mincers and other potion making tools, the pages contained moving words and lifelike pictures, illustrations of potions and remedies./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"Morning sleeping beauty,"/em the book snickered through his head./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Vexdin ignored him flipping through the pages and taking notes on a scroll beside him./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"I just feel like we never talk anymore"/em the book said dramatically, Vexdin rolled his eyes, em"it's not my fault I can't speak until I'm being read! You don't know how annoying that can be."/em/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Well next time don't drop on peoples faces! You know I hate when you do that!"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"Come on, I'm a simple book with simple needs and a devious sense of humor," /emhe stated matter of factly./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"He stopped reading, leaning back, "It happened again... the visions."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"We'll have you gotten any clues yet?" /emHe asked quickly full of enthusiasm./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""No... nothing." Moaned Vexdin./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"Well then find out! You keep on moaning about it but you never do anything about it."/em Cantus muttered annoyed./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Oh alright alright truce." He said dropping the subject and reading further, "Seems like we just have to restock a few things and then we'll be set for a month or so." He said softly to himself as he flipped through the pages. "we may even make a profit with the big party at the castle./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"If you'd just use your powers we could find out about the visions. We wouldn't be confined to being lowly apothecaries. You have the power, I have the knowledge together we could do anything! You could help me talk! All the time!"/em/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Yes that'd be an enormous step forward," he said sarcastically./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"We've been having this argument over and over for two years! If you'd just learn to control your magic there wouldn't be any need to fear it! I mean what could go wrong?"/em/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Will you drop it already! I cannot use my magic unless it is absolutely necessary! If I was discovered, you know what would happen! Not to mention the complete lack of control I have! And it's bad enough trying to keep from imploding without you hounding me all the time!" The book closed timidly. "Now if you want to be helpful start brewing the salves for our next order. I'm going to the market." He stormed out of the room to his wardrobe, opening it he pulls out a large cloak, a strip of cloth, and a pair of gloves. Puts on the cloak and gloves and ties the cloth around his eyes. Then he walked to the door, able to see an outline of his surroundings through the cloth./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Out in the town the people were in an uproar, everyone was abuzz with excitement, there were colors and music and dancing, as he wove through the crowd. He stopped in front of an older more run down store and walked inside./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Freya! It's me!" He said as he entered pulling back his hood./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""You sound grumpy." Came the old voice as he entered. He untied his blindfold and looked around the shop. Then walked over to the counter and set his bag down, as the shopkeeper stood up. She was an older woman with a kind motherly face wrinkled with age. She shook her head and pointed at up his general direction with her worn scraped hands./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""You're late. By four hours! I nearly gave up on you." She rose to her full height, barley taller than the counter glared in his general direction with pale unseeing eyes./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Sorry Ma'am." He bowed, in apology. Seemingly satisfied with his answer she walked around the counter./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Well at least you've remembered your manners V." She smiled then continued. "I've got the usual, all the odd herbs and items, as well as something a little extra" She said smiling./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""And what might that be?" He said chuckling./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Surprise!" She said holding out a pair of boots. "Yours are just riddled with holes and filthy too!"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Filthy?!" He said feigning insult./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Just cuz I'm blind doesn't mean I can't tell an old boot from a new one! Besides it's no charge." She said grinning still./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""No charge? That's far too generous Ma'am Freya!" He said./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Nonsense, for my best customer, I'll shoot the works, especially on his birthday!" She smiles, then smacks his back, "or it would've been if you'd been on time!"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Haha ouch! Ok! I'm sorry Freya, I really am, it couldn't be helped! And thank you for the most generous gift." He smiled mischievously, "Allow me to present one to you as well."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"He knew he shouldn't, and that he'd risk being seen, but she deserved it. emShe's blind, and anyway she hasn't noticed before. /emHe raised one hand took an old tattered cloth from the counter, and transformed it into a set of beautiful leather gloves. His marks and eyes shining fiercely for a brief moment. Then he grimaced as the pains began to start./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""No it wouldn't be right! It's your birthday V." She protested./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Now now Freya, my birthday my rules! And don't think I haven't noticed the scrapes you've been getting on your knuckles." He said jovially through the pain, handing them to her. "These should help." Then he stepped back as she tried them on, and tried to conceal his pains, it was only a little bit of magic so they wouldn't last long, a bout an hour. Last time he dared practice he could barely move for a whole day./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"She stood there speechless for a moment, as if she'd never held such priceless objects let alone worn them. Then smiled tearfully, "you spoil this old woman V," she said, patting his cheek. "You're a good boy."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"The rest of the visit went by quickly, when they had finally gotten all of his purchases packed up. He made for the door./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Aren't you staying for the coronation V?" Freya asked slyly./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""No Ma'am I'm heading back out," Vexdin said, glancing at the castle. "I'm late as it is with these supplies."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Oh you know full well that you'd be just as late there as you were coming! Such a nice boy, should meet a nice girl!" She stated, arms folded, "With you just sitting up in the woods by yourself it's a wonder you've been brought up as well as you have!"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"He was tempted to go, the colors of the streamers, the scents the sights, the music. It was calling him luring him out like bait in a trap. He imagined himself having fun with the others. Playing, laughing, telling jokes with the men, meeting girls, it seemed like his old life. Carefree and filled with joy./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Come now V. You know I'm right. And I won't take no for an answer, I'm just the nicest that way aren't I? Besides no one wants an old blind woman for a dance partner. You must go in my place." She said haughtily, smiling as she pushed him out./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Now hold on Freya!" Vexdin stuttered, But she'd already pushed him outside and closed the door behind him. "Well this is a fine mess.." he said as he stood there looking around. Then he chuckled to himself, quickly put his blindfold back on pulled his hood up and ran home./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"—/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s2"A few hours later/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"So you're actually doing this? Your going?!"/em Cantus asked incredulously./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Well Freya was adamant..." he smiled slightly, "can you believe I'm going to a ball! Me?! Haha!" Then his joy was cut short, "I'm going to a ball... me! What was I thinking! I-I I can't go to a ball! The minute I step in they'll all try to kill me!" He jumped up pacing around, "what if something happens? What if I loose control?! What if..." images flashed through his head of three burnt skeletons, before his eyes./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"You can't live in fear your whole life, what happened that night wasn't your fault! Now you can sit here and forever wish you went, or you can go out there and live your life! Besides you don't have to stay the whole time."/em/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Vexdin turned away, and leaned on the wall. What Cantus has said was true, he couldn't let fear cloud his judgement for his whole life. But it felt wrong to put everyone else in danger just to have a bit of fun./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""I'll go for one hour." He said finally, a look of determination in his eyes. "I'll go for one hour and leave. What could happen in an hour?" He asked./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Then he got up and began getting ready, putting on his nicest clothes, an old faded suit, and a thin silken eye cover. Checking himself in the mirror he only felt more sure he shouldn't go, but a nudge from Cantus kept him moving./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""We'll have to change your look if you're going," Vexdin announced, looking back to his pages./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"What?! You can't mess with perfection! I like the way I look!" /emCantus whined as he crossed his arms in front of him./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Well the way you look is like a sorcerers encantus. So either we give you a remodel or you stay." Vexdin smirked, he was going to have fun with this./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"Fine... but you make me pink and you'll pay" /emCantus said, shaking his cloth arm at him./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Deal." Vexdin said with a smile as he reached for him. He held Cantus in his hands and tapped into his magic once again, the pains returning. emWell if I'm going to do this already I don't see why I can't spruce up my getup. /emHe smiled wider as his eyes and arms illuminated, he started with Cantus' cover changing it to a dull brown, and making his pages illegible to others prying eyes. Then quickly turned to his own outfit making it look newer and more fitting. He'd just barely finished with his coat and pants when a new onset of pain hit him, he collapsed to the ground, his body starting to let off an ethereal light. racked with pains throughout his body he was too strained to scream./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"Vexdin!" /emCantus said fearfully, forgetting he couldn't hear him, and he flew off to the greenhouse room, returning with a vial of peculiar liquid. em"Don't worry I've got this!" /emHe unscrewed the top and used a brush to apply some to the back of his neck in a practiced manner./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"After a few minutes the attack eased and the light dissipated. Cantus, having applied several salves to Vexdin, was leaning against the wall a few feet away as Vexdin got up./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Ugh..." he groaned, rubbing his head. "How long was I out this time..."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"Just a few minutes... and the house is still here. So this was a light one..." /emCantus stated "Which I'm glad for because I'm not living in a cave again." /emHe joked, happy his friend was safe but unwilling to show it./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Vexdin got up and looked around, nothing was broken, and his clothes looked just as he'd wanted. "Well... that's lucky."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"You shouldn't have used so much energy." /emCantus said "You could've been seriously hurt if I hadn't used the potion, which we're running low on."/em/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Well that is why we have the potions. To stop me from hurting everyone else." Vexdin said calmly. "As long as I don't use much magic for a few days I'll be fine." He shrugged. "We'd better finish getting ready! It's a big night..."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"—/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s2"Royal ballroom/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s2"Anna/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Queen Elsa! Of Arendell!" Proclaimed a servant bowing, as Elsa regally strode forward, coming to a stop in the middle of the room./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Princess Anna, of Arendell!" He said, bowing again as Anna jogged into the room standing a ways from Elsa waving into the crowd. The servant, noticing the breach in protocol, quickly grabbed Anna and semi-shoved her to the right place, just next to Elsa. Everyone in the ballroom applauded, and the dance continued with a nod of approval from Elsa, as the two stood regally up front./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Hi."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Anna was startled for a moment, looking around for the source of the voice. Noticing Elsa's gaze she quickly said, "Oh! Oh H-hi me?" Elsa nodded. "Oh, Hello." She said awkwardly./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""You look beautiful." Elsa said calmly./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Really? Well you look beautifuller, I mean not that you look fuller just mo-more beautiful." Anna stumbled, completely at a loss of how to deal with a genuine compliment from her sister./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Thank you." Elsa responded, looking around, "So this is what a party is like." She said awed./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""It's warmer than I thought.." Anna said quickly./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""And what is that amazing smell?" They both inhaled deeply through their noses and said in tandem, "Chocolate." And giggled together. At that moment a thin whispy gentleman approached followed by the royal herald./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""The Duke of Weasle-Town." He announced with a bow./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Weaslton!" The Duke said angrily, then he remembered his place. "Duke of Weaslton your majesty." He said more calmly, walking forward. "As your closest partner in trade, it seems only fitting that I offer you your first dance as queen." He jumped spryly, landing in a squat, spiraled around and landed deftly, bowing to the two. Then his toupee began falling down slowly from his head, hanging on barely by the very tip. The girls could barely keep from bursting out with laughter./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""I'm very sorry, I don't dance." Said the Queen between giggles./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Oh, no.." the Duke responded disappointed rising from his bow so swiftly that his toupee slopped back onto his head./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""But my sister does." Elsa offered gesturing to Anna./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Oho! Lucky you!" He said sweeping her off onto the dance floor, "If you swoon let me know I'll catch you!" The dance went quickly and Anna returned back to Elsa./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""He was spritely," Elsa chuckled./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Especially for a man in heels!" She responded wryly./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Haha are you ok?" Elsa asked./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""I'm great actually, I've never felt better. I wish it could always be like this." She said quietly./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Elsa smiled, but her thoughts were carried back to childhood when she struck Anna with her magic, nearly killing her, but Anna never remembered... if she did she'd want nothing to do with her./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""I wish that too... but it can't" Elsa said sorrowfully./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""But why no-" Anna protested./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""It just can't." She said forcefully turning away./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""... Sorry..." Anna said as she turned as well and walked slowly into the crowd, getting knocked and jostled around until she was tripped into./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Oof!" A drink spilled onto the floor, "Oh! Pardon me I am so sorry!" The man said panicked, reaching down to help her out. "Are you alright ma'am?" Then he noticed it was the princess./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""No it's fine it was entirely my fault." She said dusting herself off./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Your majesty!" He said hurriedly, bowing clumsily. "My most humble apologies I hope you're ok."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""No no it's really fine..." she said dusting herself off and getting up and looking up at who she ran into. He was a tall blond man wearing a suit, holding a book, his eyes covered. "Oh.. Hello..."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Hello... it was a pleasure to uh... to run into you." He said smiling awkwardly, then he bowed formally, "my name is Vexdin, your majesty."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Oh it's just Anna. Please," she said curtsying, "And the pleasure was all mine." She said with a chuckle./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""So I've got to ask, do you always introduce yourself like this or am I just lucky today?" Vexdin smiled./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Haha, you're a special case." Laughed Anna./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s2"Elsa/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Elsa watched Anna as she left. Then gazed around the room, looking at the citizens smiling faces, one in the back caught her attention, a tall man with a cloth covering his eyes, he seemed kind enough. She smiled well at least Anna is having fun... before they had to close the gates again... she turned back./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""What?!" She said startled, as she looked back the man now had a radiant violet aura, the more she looked the brighter it seemed, entranced by the light she stared at him dumbly. Then he turned in her direction, she froze, through the cloth she could see two violet eyes. Scared she turned away quickly, and when she looked back it was all back to normal. The light was gone and he had stopped looking at her./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Your majesty! The emissary from Nentir." The servant said, "are you alright majesty?"/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Uh... yes... yes I'm fine." She said turning and bowing slightly./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s2"Vexdinspan class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"emThat was her! /emVexdin thought, after he turned away from Elsa. emThe woman from my dream! I know it! But what could the Queen have to do with me?! /emThen a voice stirred him from his thoughts./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Anna! Glad I caught you." Said a man from behind him./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Hans!" She said cheerfully, "Oh I should introduce you two! This is Vexdin! And Vexdin this is Prince Hans of the Southern Isles."/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""It's an honor." Vexdin said, extending his hand./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Hans hesitated slightly, then held out his hand to shake, "Likewise." They shook hands and then the conversation died down./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Well... this has been fun but... I'm going to go get something to drink." Vexdin said, quickly backing off and heading towards the tables, and getting out Cantus./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"Well he was pleasant..." The book said sarcastically./em/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"/emI definitely stepped in the middle of some odd flirting thing," Vexdin smiled, as he looked back towards Anna, who was leading Hans away from the group./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"Yeah well this has been fun right? I was right about you needing to get out more." /emHe chuckled./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Oh brother," Vexdin smiled after rolling his eyes./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"The two went over to the tables and watched the townspeople dance. Noting how happy they looked. Then he turned and his eyes found the Queen again, covered with a bright ice blue aura./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""What is that?" Vexdin asked./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"em"What?"/em Cantus asked thoughtfully, em"I don't see anything special... I mean she is pretty by human standards..." /emhe added slyly./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Oh shut up." Vexdin scoffed and snapped the book shut, stuffing it in his pocket. Then moved back to the food, where he stayed for several minutes until./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Elsa please I can't live like this anymore!" emWhose voice was that... the princess! /emVexdin got up swiftly and moved towards the dancehall where a crowd was forming./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Then leave." Said a calmer voice./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""What did I ever do to you?!" Anna yelled./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Enough Anna-" Vexdin had just made it to the front of the crowd where he saw the queen and princess facing off, Hans close behind./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""No why, why do you shut me out why do you shut the world out?! What are you so afraid of?" Anna nearly shouted./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""I said enough!" Elsa retorted and slashed her arm in an arc shooting a blast of ice, growing a sharp pointed barrier between the two./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Sorcery! I knew there was something devious going on here!" Said an old whispy man next to Vexdin./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Elsa?" Anna said dumbfounded./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"The queen turned and ran out the doors, swiftly dodging guards and ducking through corridors./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Elsa!" Anna shouted as she followed./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"emShe's... she's like me! She had magic! /emVexdin thought shocked into silence staring at where she'd just been./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""After her!" Said the old man, he and his entourage sprang into action and bolted to the doorway./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""No!" Vexdin shouted, and ran of in pursuit./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"-—/span/p