Horvath was sitting at the table watching Terra teach Penkral Pure. The shadowy snake slithered through the room and attacking Terra who would retaliate with a high degreed attack that would send Penkral flying into the farthest wall. Terra would shout at Penkral and demand that he get up and come at her harder. Sometimes the boy's temper would get the better of him and he would storm off in anger.
Horvath looked over to see Terra glaring at son, her black eyes looked at her son as Penkral gathered up energy to do the spell again. Just as he was ready to release pain waved over his body and he fell to the ground as blood dribbled from his mouth. Penkral placed a shield around himself just in time as a volley of spikes came at him. Penkral raised his hands and dark energized power pulses slammed into Terra's shield and broke it completely but Penkral didn't stop. He allowed the pulses to continue as Terra tried to protect herself. Horvath jumped up from where he was sitting and slammed his cane on the ground. Spikes forced their way through the concrete and one threw Penkral off balance and the pulses stopped. Horvath helped Terra up and saw the one of the binding cuffs was broken right off and vanished into dust.
Likilia, who was perched on the metal beams up high, swooped down and nuzzled Penkral while singing a healing tune. The graze on Penkral's leg started to heal and Penkral could feel his energy come back to him.
"You must save energy," Penkral said softly.
Likilia cawed and continued to nuzzle him. Penkral was ready to get up when invisible bonds tied him to the back wall and a hand swooped down and grabbed Likilia. Penkral looked up to see Horvath's cane an inch from his face and Terra's hands holding Likilia so that only her beak was visible. Likilia tried to peck Terra, but the woman only squeezed on the bird's neck. Penkral struggled and shouted curses and names at the two sorcerers in front of him.
"You love a Puppeteer more than me," Terra said stroking Likilia a little too hard.
"Let her go!" Penkral cried, his voice was shaky.
"What if I broke her neck?"
Terra applied pressure to Likilia's thin neck.
"What would happen?"
Likilia gave out a strangled cry. Terra was ready to snap the raven's neck when a sudden shutter ran through her body and Becky's light eyes appeared.
"Where…"
She remembered what had happened and she backed up as Horvath raised his cane. Becky turned and ran but Horvath had thrust his cane and Becky felt an invisible pressure push her to the ground. Horvath could sense both auras going full at it inside Becky's body as her eyes changed constantly from one to the other. Penkral got up to see that one of the binding cuffs had broken when he had attacked his mother. He watched as vines broke through the surface and tied Becky down. Horvath placed his cane on Becky's wrist and the girl thrashed even harder until a black band tightened around her wrist. Becky's body went slack and Horvath picked her up bridal style and placed her on the bed. He placed a hand of the girl's forehead and sensed the Terra was taking over completely once again.
In Dave's hideout, he had difficulties. The spell for Conquer was hard enough, and to summon the bloodied warrior took everything Dave had.
The bloodied warrior resembled the fact that the Merlinians always defeated evil, and that they never lost. Dave felt that he was losing everything his life had to offer. Becky was being possessed by an evil sorceress and Balthazar was trying desperately to make this work for Dave, but was obviously running out of ideas.
"Again."
Dave took a fighting stance and took in some deep breaths. He could feel his energy already start to drain but he kept on going. The form of the warrior came first, the spiky helmet, the long sword, the large shield with Merlin's coat of arms on it and the armour. Dave kept up the spell but he could feel an immense pain within him building and building. Then Dave felt as if invisible strings were attached to his fingers allowing him to control the movement of the bloodied warrior. But Dave only managed to control the warrior for about five seconds before collapsing. It was the most time Dave had managed to hold the spell up, but it wasn't enough.
Balthazar and Veronica rushed to Dave's side and pulled him out of the Circle.
"Are you alright?" Veronica asked.
Dave nodded and then sighed, "How was that?"
"Five seconds."
Dave cursed and got up. Dave was slowly went up a degree but he was far away from just the hundredth degree much less the hundred and fiftieth.
"Let's take it slow," Balthazar said.
Dave got into the training circle and did target practice with fireballs, water orbs, wind funnels, poison kicks, ice spheres and hydro blasts. Every target was destroyed and Balthazar attacked Dave directly. They clashed for about a minute until Balthazar delivered a poison kick and Dave flew back into the large metal fan.
"Come on Dave."
Dave got up and sent a quick power pulse which Balthazar dodged. Balthazar sent a line of fireballs and Dave placed a shield over himself just as the fireballs were inches from his face. Once the fire extinguished, he sent a hydro blast which slammed into Balthazar who back flipped over the table. Silence went over the hideout as Balthazar got to his feet.
"Better, but remember you can't be lazy on your timing."
Horvath looked over at Terra who was still asleep. He raised his hands and the power stones he had rose and fell into his open hand. He looked at Terra and could sense Becky's aura dying slowly. Horvath walked over and was ready to crush the stones when Terra's hand flew up and grabbed his.
"Why did you keep those pathetic stones?" she asked, her eyes were still closed.
"You need it," Horvath replied, "Penkral is getting stronger on the Pure, I am finished with the Sacred and you are close on the Nobility."
Terra breathed in deeply and said, "I'm fine Horvath, just a few bugs."
"This will help speed up the process."
Horvath picked out one stone and placed it in Terra's hand. The sorceress crushed it and her body soaked in what the stone had to offer.
"I feel it Horvath," Terra said, her eyes flashed open, "The power."
"When do you want to do the Sequence?"
"Three days from now."
Horvath bowed and was about to leave when Terra got up.
"What will happen when I have my body back Horvath?"
Horvath turned and looked at Terra who smiled slyly at him.
"Tell me."
The sorcerer looked at Terra and said, "Nothing."