Hello my friends! Thank you for all the reviews I love hearing from you guys and seeing how you are enjoying the story. The results of the poll are in and the top five you guys voted for are as follows:

#1 Sam

#2 Darkness

#3 Abyss

#4 Chand

And we have a tie for fifth place

Patrick and Ragnaroc!

Thank you all who voted, the surprise for the poll will be up June 19th :)

Now onto the chapter, enjoy.

(Castle Outré)

Imposing cobblestone walls rose into the blue sky, towering over the trees that surrounded it. Calm rippling water flowed around the base of the walls, a faux charade that hid the vast amounts of bizarre creatures that swam just beneath it's surface. A majestic wooden draw bridge stretched over the water filled moat to the cast iron door that was the only visible entrance into the otherwise impregnable fortress.

It was outside this moss and vine-covered castle that Darkness now stood

"Wow Gaal…I'm impressed." The shade glanced at the scientist who was beaming with pride, "Has this place always looked this cool?" Darkness pursed his lips, hoping the man would tell him honestly…since he couldn't bring to mind what the place used to look like.

Gaal smirked, "Oh I did a bit of renovating ole boy." his jagged teeth showed "But this is nothing Darkness, wait till you take a gander at the inside!" The spirit chuckled as the large tiger that had been rubbing against him leapt to a stone that was jutting out, settling its body on the ledge "Though I suppose Bilge is going to stay out here."

Darkness eyed the feline apprehensively as he followed Gaal across the bridge to the iron doors "That's fine with me, I got the feeling the whole time we were walking she wanted to eat me."

"Oh she wouldn't do that Darkness." The scientist grinned as the doors opened inwards, "Bilge doesn't eat junk food."

The shade paused, not sure if he should be insulted by the comment or take comfort in the fact he didn't have to worry about being a tiger's snack.

Gaal however didn't stop to give Darkness a chance to decide

"Come come I have so much to show you!" Gaal motioned for the shade to follow him down the corridor, "In the months you've been gone I have had a few breakthroughs."

Darkness shook his head at the man's nearly childlike excitement as they walked done the long corridors …silver eyes widened as he followed his friend into the first room, yes he definitely should have come back sooner.

The room was full of different glass aquariums, some huge some small. However, every one of them held some kind of weird animal crawling, slithering, or hopping around in their specialized enclosures.

"What the hell Gaal!" Darkness stared in disbelief, "Just how many abominations are in this room?"

Ivory teeth showed as Gaal's mouth widened in an ear to ear grin, "About thirty…give or take…"

Darkness sweat dropped, "Gaal…I don't really have time to look at them all I'm kind of in a hurry."

Gaal nodded, "Right right sorry." his eyes lit up, "At least let me show you my pride and joy…I created her just for you."

"For me?" Darkness raised his eyebrow slightly as they passed a tank holding a small spider with a monkey tail, "Should I be worried?" the shade cringed at the small red bug dressed in a frilly white gown.

Gaal chuckled, "Not at all Darkness."

Darkness stopped when they came to a large tank full of rippling water, silver eyes stared at the enormous shark swimming back and forth, "What…the…hell…" the shade stared at the pink nurse hat a top the creatures head.

"This is Sera Shurnk, or Sera for short."

"Ok I bite." Darkness watched the creature's body twist in the water as it turned and made another round around the tank, "What is it?"

"A nurse shark."

Darkness gave the man a 'you've got to be kidding look'

Gaal however didn't notice, the scientist now happily explaining his creation.

"I created Sera about three weeks ago." Gaal beamed with pride as he watched the creature, "I asked myself 'Self what are you going to do if Darkness gets hurt and you're in the middle of experiments'."

"Aaaaaand you thought a thirty foot 'shark' was the answer?"

Gaal made a face, "Oh you're right it was the wrong solution…I should have made her fifty foot…"

Darkness rolled his eyes, "Yes the size of the shark is the problem not the fact that you made a nurse out of something that eats anything and everything!"

"Oh good." Gaal sighed in relief, "Since I can simply feed her some surge vitamins to make her bigger."

"Sure that's all you need to do?" Darkness stared when the creature belched and a small human skull floated to the bottom of the tank.

Gaal took out a notebook, "Ok….so Sera does 'not' help patients who have a bloody nose."

Darkness pinched the bridge of his own nose, "Gaal…as much as I am 'enjoying' this I really need to get back to Burgess. Now if you'll excuse me I'll head to my room and grab what I came for." Darkness started to leave, stopping however when Gaal grabbed his shoulder

"Ummm ole boy I hate to tell you but…your room kind of got destroyed a few weeks ago."

"What…?" Darkness glowered at the spirit

Gaal stepped back a sheepish grin on his face, "Well let's just say one of my experiments got out…and your room was just one of the many casualties."

Darkness sighed, "Do I even want to know what atrocity you created?"

"A beautiful mix rhino and beetle dna."

Silver eyes rolled, "Did you at least save the leather pouch that held all my gems?"

Gaal rubbed his chin, "Let me see…. did I put it in the vaults…or perhaps the dungeons?"

Darkness exhaled as he followed the now mumbling scientist, "Gods this is going to take all day…."

(Burgess)

While Darkness was busy with the crazy scientist that was his friend, in the living room of the Bennett home Sam was busy trying to convince Rashana and Jack of the amazing thing that had just occurred.

"…and when she put her hand on it this bright light appeared." Sam watched as Rashana gently prodded his ankle, "And then it was healed!"

Sapphire eyes gleamed slightly, "I'm sure your ankle simply healed on its own Sam." Rashana smiled at the young teen as she gathered Sophie to her and began wrestling to put the girl's shoes on her

Sam shook his head, "No mam, it was Sophie who healed it."

"You sure Sam?" Jack glanced at the teen from his spot on the floor "It has been nearly a week and that is the normal time frame for that type of injury to heal within spirits." The winter spirit was having a hard time believing that his little sister had such a power.

"Jack I'm certain that Sophie healed it." Sam pursed his lips, the teen frustrated that no one was believing him.

Sophie nodded in agreement, her blonde hair bobbing "I made the boo boo go way."

"Well I am very proud of you Sophie." Rashana smiled at her daughter, "We must always help those that need us." She chuckled when the little girls face lit up with pride, "Now run upstairs and go grab you bag for school."

Jack watched his little sister, who upon being released by their mother, raced to get her kitty backpack, "I still say it doesn't make sense…she's just a little girl." The boy glanced at Sam who was sitting on the couch, "You sure you didn't imagine it Sam."

Crimson eyes went to the floor, "I'm promise…I'm not making it up…"

"Sam I didn't mean it like that." Jack felt his heart drop when the teen pulled his legs to his chest, a sign that the boy was shutting down, "I'm just amazed that Sophie has that kind of power, it's almost unbelievable."

Rashana glanced at the Sam who now held an air of despair at the fact his friend didn't believe him, with a sigh she decided to explain what she had hoped to gloss over without giving away her secret "Jack it is perfectly plausible for Sophie to be exhibiting such abilities."

Jack sat up slightly, noticing the look of seriousness on his mother's normally peaceful face "Mom?"

"You two must not breath a word of this to anyone."

Both teens nodded vigorously

Rashana inhaled, "Sophie is fated to be my heir." She sighed at the looks of confusion that came to the boy's faces, "Normal powers such that exists in Dryads simple soak back into the earth, however for spirit's whose powers are more influential that power must be embodied when they fade or else there could be cosmic backlash from their absence…."

"Wait…." Jack interrupted his mother something she having said finally triggering, "Fade? What do you mean fade?"

"Oh dear…I had hoped he wouldn't catch that." Rashana forced a smile at the worried look now on her son's face, "Don't worry Jack I'm not going to be fading anytime soon."

Sam whimpered slightly, "Then…. then why is Sophie showing power now?" the shy teen was horrified to think that the kind woman was going to fade.

"Oh sweetie." Rashana walked over to the teen and placed a hand on his shoulder, "It is only because I gave Sophie a portion of my power when she was born. That energy fused itself with her soul." She smiled when the boy visibly calmed, "That is why she is displaying power even as a mortal."

Jack pursed his lips, he could tell his mother was leaving something however before he could confront her the stairs thundered with the sound of Sophie returning.

"Mommy mommy we hav ta leave or we will be late." Bright green eyes gleamed with excitement, "Mrs. Turner said we are painting today!"

Rashana chuckled as she pulled towards the door by her daughter, "Ok Sophie we're going." She glanced at the two teens, "Jack be good."

"When am I not?" Jack grinned as the pair left, he glanced at Sam "Ok so what do you want to do to pass the time?"

Sam glanced at the floor, "Ummm I was thinking…maybe we could clean up the house." He hurried when Jack raised an eyebrow, "Your mom is so busy Jack, and I thought it might be helpful."

Jack grinned at the shy teen, "Sure it could fun to surprise her with a clean house." The winter spirit bounced up to his feet, "I'll take the laundry room, you start in the living room."

(Underworld)

While Jack and Sam were busy with a surprise for Rashana Pitch meanwhile was stewing in anger after having been waiting for nearly five hours to see the god of the Underworld…who already knew what they wanted but was being an 'ass' (as per Pitch). However, his brooding over the long wait had been pushed to the back of his mind, since at some point while he wasn't paying attention Patrick had managed to wander off to gods knew where. Now Pitch was desperately trying to find the wayward spirit since there were some pretty unsavory characters around that would have a field day with the fact the Leprechaun was essentially powerless.

"Patrick! Patrick where in this hell are you!" Pitch growled slightly as he walked the waiting area, scanning the throngs of spirit's for his friend.

A hiss of pain escaped the shade when a spike of fear hit him, golden eyes glowered at a group of spirit's whispering in hushed voices as he passed.

Pitch snorted at the fact the spirit's fear spoke of their terror of simply seeing him. He would never admit it, but Pitch had come to enjoy being around the Guardians due to the fact the spirit's never feared him. Not even when he had tried to take away the children's belief, then they had simply hated/ felt sorry for him but they had never feared him. (Though at the time that fact had irked him immensely)

Without looking at the group Pitch strode past them, he wasn't; there to make friends so he could really care less if these simpletons still viewed him as the villain. He was on a mission to find Patrick before something bad happened to the naïve idiot.

"Hold up!"

Golden eyes rolled when he was suddenly surrounded by a group of barbaric looking spirits, Pitch inhaled when he saw their hands all on the hilts of crude swords that hung from their waists.

"We've been watching you skulk about for the last hour." The one who was obviously the leader spoke, his broken and yellow teeth gleaming the torch light.

Pitch crossed his arms, leaning back slightly giving off an air of nonchalance "I'm flattered, do you want an autograph?"

The man glared, "Not at all monster, we actually came to ask you to leave."

"Oh ho." Pitch sneered, "And why is that? I have done nothing wrong."

Another of the spirit's snorted, "We aren't stupid shade, we know you're the Nightmare King spirit that killed thousands if not millions of humans during the Dark Age."

Pitch sighed, he could contest that fact explaining how he had not been in control how Darkness was the one using him like a puppet. However, such explanation was wasted on spirits such as these who were so consumed by stories and rumors they most likely wouldn't listen.

"Look I really don't want to have to kill you guys." Pitch smirked when his comment elicited angry glares

The leader glowered, "If you haven't noticed there are seven of us and only one of you."

Pitch nodded, "I can count. And even if there were twenty of you it still would not be enough."

"Why you arrogant little!"

It was supposed to be a surprise attack, every one of the spirits drawing their swords as one and lunging forward. Unfortunately for them the Nightmare King was very much aware of their feeble attempt to get the jump on him.

It took only the time of blinking for crackling sand to spiral from Pitch's palm, for it solidify into the spirit's favorite choice of weapon, and for the jagged curved edge to cut into three of the oncoming spirits and for the shade to sink into the ground.

Pitch rose outside the ring of spirits, his eyes gleaming with amusement at the three men screaming in pain as they held their bleeding stomachs the others staring in horror

"Awww you guys really don't look so good." the Nightmare King motioned to two demons walking towards them, "Perhaps you should see if they have a med bay."

He didn't wait for their response, Pitch deciding that he should make himself scarce before the guards came…since it was highly unlikely they'd take his side. After all he had been the one to kill Hades 'precious' Wraiths.

So Pitch quickly continued his quest to find his wayward friend, making sure he got lost in the throngs of spirits.

After weaving his way through spirits and mythics for another thirty forty minutes Pitch finally caught sight of Patrick's trade mark emerald suit, a stark contrast to dark grey stone.

"Patrick! You moron!" Pitch stormed to the spirit, who looked like he was lost, "Where have you been?"

Patrick grinned sheepishly, "Well looking for you."

Pitch snorted, "I'm not the one that ran off."

"I didn't 'run' off Pitch." Patrick pouted slightly, "I was simply having a look around and got turned around…" the spirit brightened, "But look what I found!"

Pitch stared as the man pulled a shirt from a bag

"They sell t-shirts!"

Pitch ground his teeth when Patrick handed him a black shirt with the words 'Waiting is Hell' written in crimson letters.

Patrick cocked his head when a low growl left his friend, "What…did I get the wrong size?"

"Patrick! We are not here for sovereigns!" Pitch glowered at the spirit

"Then…..you don't want the mug either?" Patrick grinned as he held up a coffee mug with the same saying.

Pitch 's eye twitched "That's it…I'm killing you."

Thankfully Patrick's luck came through for him at that moment

"Number 1,245! Hades will now see number 1,245!"

"Pitch that's us." Patrick's voice held every ounce of relief he felt

Pitch waved his hand, letting the weapon dissipate "It's about time."

Spirit's dove out of the way as the Nightmare King stormed towards Hades' office.

Please review and let me know what you guys thought. Your reviews keep me writing and updating so fast ;) Till next time.