Very long chapter today. Lets not talk, but get right to it!

Solstice POV

How long had it been now? A day or two? I clicked a link on the computer, and a picture that showed the silhouette of a winged and flying person popped up. Beneath it was a speech. It was legitimate. And it was probably a careless angel demon hunter of mine…. Right clicking the link, a large red option at the top was labeled "DELETE THIS PAGE AND ALL THINGS THAT HAVE THIS PICTURE" I clicked it, and the computer hummed. Swiveling around, I looked at Jewels, who was sitting in a chair five feet behind me made from purple energy as she read her pocket- sized book.

"How long is it going to take for Relamreas to finish his sweep? It's been what, two days now?"

"Patience, Solstice." She said as she stood up. Putting her book in her pocket, the chair folded up into a amethyst cube, which she picked up. "Due to what YOU ordered, he's probably walking halfway across the country back to New Jersey, or just lost in some underground sewer." That was a valid point. I sighed with frustration. If it was taking that wisp so long, who knew what results he would find?

"Well, at least Spes and Asha haven't come screaming for help."

"SOLSTICE!" Yelled Asha as she popped up in between me and Jewels.

"I jinxed my-"

"SOOOOOOLSTIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE!" Screamed Spes as she popped up right next to Asha, and she immediately launched into a rant.

"Carmen was locked up in an insane asylum by a cop who called her crazy because she told him about some type of magic crap and Josh abusing her, so I followed her, and there were explosions because U showed up and saved her, and he made some person pop up called Blaze, and…" She paused, gasping for whatever a wisp breathes before continuing. "She jumped through a portal and she got a warning about howherfriendcalledTaylorisgoingtobehurtat six!" She finished as she apparently forgot to pause in between words. Asha was shrunken in fear, and if Spes had eyes, they would be wide.

"U appeared, and gave a warning? My least favorite god and least favorite former mentor…" I muttered, staring at her. I looked at the computer screen, where the clock read 6:01.

"Well shit…" I said, while Jewels had walked over to Spes and tried to calm her down. I looked at Asha, who was now flying around and bouncing off walls in panic.

"SOLSTICE! There were demons! I sensed demon magic! In Carmen's dorm!" She screamed in my ear. UH-oh. Not good. Not good in the slightest. "And I was explaining everything to –"

"YOU WHAT?!" I roared, outraged that she had been seen. Calming myself down, realizing I had only made her more terrified, I said: "What else were you saying?" "The girl's name was Taylor, and she was in Carmen's room, and oh dear lord demons…. At six! AND THE POWER REAKED OF EQUINOX!"

Oh crap. Not good, not good, not good… I started to pace the room, as Jewels tried to calm them down. But she wasn't being very convincing, because her face was pale and her eyes wide. My face probably looked the same. We had to do something.

"Jewels, get the stellla laminam gemma (a star jeweled blade) ready. We're going to go save that girl from Equinox, or whatever demon may be there."

..-..-..-..

Gripping my white sword hilt, I was tensed against the wall which was creaked open. I heard voices, and it sounded like arguing. Maybe the victim was arguing with the demon? I looked at Jewels, who was holding a sword with a multicolored star shaped hilt and a steel blade, and she nodded. I clenched the sword hilt with both my hands, and it elongated into a large blue energy broadsword. I kicked open the door and ran in, prepared to kill a demon or fight Equinox. I was shocked, however, to see Carmen and a bunch of other people who I realized were her friends. Well crap, we had some explaining to do…

..-..-..-..

At the stroke of three I jumped out of my seat and ran outside. Adam followed close behind me. "Ms. Crunk is so strict!" He yelled.

"I know, right?" I said as I slowed to a stop. He jogged behind me and put his hands on his knees.

"Gosh, you're fast." He said.

I smirked. "Thanks."

"For a girl, anyways."

I turned to him. "Excuse me?"

His eyes widened. "I didn't mean it like-" I pushed him over. "Ow!"

"How's that for a girl?" I asked.

He got up and dusted himself off. "Fine, fine, you win. We should go check on Taylor now."

I agreed and we walked to our apartment. I loved how rarely it snowed here, because that meant warm weather all year long. It was currently 60 degrees. I laughed at how the people who lived here considered that cold. Try -20 degrees, people!

I said hello to the lady at the front desk. After getting in the elevator, I realized I didn't know her name. She was the one who set me up with my friends and boyfriend. I made a mental note to ask her. The doors opened and my thoughts switched to relieving Taylor.

"Hey, Tay!" I said as we opened the door. She sat on the couch, staring at the orb. "How's the UFO doing?"

She sighed. "It's just sitting here, staring at me. Where is everyone else?"

"Carmen's still with the police, Annette and Jerome are in detention, and where are the other two?"

"I think Mitch and Jason decided to go to a party, but I stayed with my lovely girlfriend." I saw the disappointment on Adam's face as he spoke.

"Relax. Last time we went to a party, we nearly died. Remember?" I reminded.

"I guess you're right," he grumbled.

I rolled my eyes. "Drama queen. Anyways, you can go meet up with the boys and we'll watch the orb now."

"No!" Taylor said. "I'm perfectly capable of watching this thing."

Adam raised his eyebrows. "You've been sitting here for seven hours. Take a break."

As soon as she crossed her arms I knew there was no way to win. She was nearly as stubborn as Carmen. I guess everyone in our room picked it up from Carmen, because Annette and I had that trait too. "Fine. Be that way," I said. "Call us when you're ready to take a break."

She nodded. "Don't expect any calls. I can do this."

She was so weird sometimes. "Adam, let's go to that party."

His face lit up. "Really?"

I smiled. "C'mon." We walked back outside and left Taylor alone. Big mistake.

Carmen POV

I fell onto my chest, my cheek scraping the pavement. "Look at her, at our feet where she belongs!" A voice called out. I felt paper balls hit me and I cringed. In a minute the throwing and insults seized and I got to my feet.

"Stupid protesters..." I mumbled.

Blaze looked confused. "You know, I'm not even going to ask what that was about. So what do we do now?"

I shrugged. "Didn't he say something about Taylor?"

Blaze looked at his watch. "One minute left."

My eyes widened. "Run!"

We sprinted with all our might to the room, but it was too late. I opened the door and saw remnants of a rock. One of our vases was shattered onto the floor. The window was also wide open. "Why?" I asked no one in particular.

"What?" Asked Blaze.

"Why does she want Taylor?"

He shrugged. "No idea. Listen, I'll call Taylor, you call everyone else."

I nodded and took out my phone. I dialed Mitch's number. He picked up on the second ring.

"Mitch, I need you to listen to me. I just broke out of an insane asylum, and there was a lot of explosions. Taylor was kidnapped by who knows what, and the orb is gone. Where is everyone else?"

"You broke out of an insane asylum?" He sounded impressed.

"Yeah yeah, I had some help. Now answer the question!"

"Right. Jason, Adam, and Megan are with me. Annette and Jerome got detention."

I sighed. "Could the four of you come here now please?"

"Be there in ten." I hung up and turned to Blaze.

"No progress." He said sadly. I sat down on the couch.

"Yet again, I've gotten someone hurt. Good job, Carmen." I scolded.

"It's not your fault." He said.

"Why does everyone say that?" I asked. "Can't I be responsible for my own actions?"

"Carmen-"

"I need a minute." I got up and began walking to my room. "I'll be out when they get here."

He sighed and let me go.

..-..-..-..

Solstice POV

Jewels was explaining to them what was going on: About how we were here to find and kill demons. She wasn't explaining the total truth, but… I was investigating a piece of shattered red stone. It was surely a teleportation stone, but I couldn't trace it. Damn it… whoever had done this was smart enough to know someone magical would eventually investigate this. They used a one time stone linked to another one time stone which teleported randomly and broke the instant the teleported people arrived… breaking any chance of tracking them. Even if I did find them, it'd probably just be a broken stone on a hill or in a cave.. It wasn't looking good, but I could recognize this magic. It was incredibly basic, but it wasn't any alive demons. That just threw me off even more… Cerbarium had been dead longer than Equinox had been banished. I pocketed the fragment I was investigating and walked over to a blood stain. It was tiny, but might give me some clue. There was a dart next to the blood stain, and the tip was covered in a grey dust. Was it? I picked it up and sniffed it. My eyes widened in shock. I suddenly noticed how quiet it had become. Turning back, I saw that everyone else, including Jewels, had been watching me.

"Jewels… this dart has gorgenite powder covering it." She gasped and her eyes widened.

"Gorgen –what powder?" Asked one of the guys. What was his name? Jason? Ya, that was it.

"It… basically… covers the person and their insides in stone, making them look like they're statues. They may retain consciousness, but… often they're trapped in their worst nightmares, but more likely unconscious. The person who made the powder can remove and re-cover the person in stone at will. And… it can control a person's body movements."

Equinox POV

I growled as Josh teleported in. He was carrying a statue, meaning yes, he had kidnapped someone… but… It was Taylor, that girl who had seen me materialize a few months ago. The look of terror on her stone face was priceless however… Luckily, I had planned for this when I had told him Taylor was Carmella's name. "You are dismissed, slave."

"Yes mistress." He said, bowing at my feet for a minute before I started tapping my fingers on the throne.

"I said you're dismissed."

He left the room, and I stared at the statue. It was laying on the floor, frozen in a moment in which it looked like she was dodging the dart. That look of terror… I'd enjoy feeding off her fear. I snapped my fingers, and her body from the waist up turned back to flesh. As she gasped for air, she looked around before her terrified gaze arrived at me.

"E-equinox." She stammered out of fear. "Where the he-"

"SHUT UP. Don't dare mention that place around me. Nether the less, welcome to the rest of you life as… well, that depends on how much you cooperate."

"I'll never agree to what you say." She spat at me. I grinned.. gotta love spite.

"Well… that rules out one option. Be my cooperative little maid. I even had a French maids dress! That leaves two other options: Become a permanent statue in my hall, for I do have to start rebuilding my collection. And the second option… I lock you up, because I have further use for you… and I can still enslave you mentally later!" I grinned at the look of terror on her face. Clearly she had put two and two together and relized that was what I had done to Josh. But the statue part was just a bluff. For now.

"So! I'm going to lock you up now, so just shut up!"

I snapped my fingers, and her arms forcibly went up in a diagonal direction before turning to stone.

"Hey! How did you ju-"

I snapped my fingers again and her mouth was covered in stone. Her face was that of pure terror now.

"Take her away."

The doors opened up, and two winged and horned humanoid demons in black cleric robes came in carrying chains. The attached them to her wrist and ankles, which were still covered in stone, and carried her away. I'd make that damn Carmen girl suffer…through her friends.

In the reviews, let us know how you think Carmen will react to all of this.

Bye!