This chapter is dedicated to all those who have ever reviewed my story: Sereneblaze Missss Dragon Fairy Kiya Kat Thundersenshi17 Empress Yue Esca Chick Jenny-fer AND Kirsten Smith (ur a meanie, but I love ya anyway!) Fitz20 ZEmpress Magicman Vanessa St. Cloud Icerosemelidy82 Angel of Light Kara

Thank you everyone, you're the best, and I'm very sorry that it's taken me so long to update. I love you all! Very Evil (well, not so much at the mo!) Daughter of Lord Voldemort, Juliet Riddle.

Chapter Nine- Dilandau Discovered

It was late, and the only light left in King Chid's palace was a small candle, burning brightly, barely enough to make out Lady Tollarna sitting near it. They were in the Royal Library and Lady Tollarna had on the table in front of her a large, leather bound book. Only she and the King were allowed access to this book- The Scared Book of Spells. She wanted to be ready for the ritual tomorrow. It was her duty as the leader of the Circle. She slowly turned the thick, yellowed pages until she reached what she was looking for. She began to read. "The releasement of power, the ritual of the Gods, is dangerous and powerful. Beware stranger, use not this power, this cursed power of Atlantis." Lady Tollarna was not fazed. She had confidence in herself and the other members. "Do not desobey. If you do, then you have fogotten. And those who forget the harsh lessons of history will one day be forced to relive it." Lady Tollarna sighed. The ancients had always worried and fretted, warning and predicting of the terrible things to come. Such warnings just annoyed her. She quickly skimed over the page and found the spell. "To strip a God, person or demon of their powers, first of all, the door to their power must be opened. To open a door you need a key. The key is a feather of one cursed by the Gods, springled with the blood of an innocent." Lady Tollarna stopped for a second. Where on Gaea would she be able to find the feather of a draconian? "Place the key in a bowl under a fire. As the blood boils, reach to the object of your spell and wait for the blood to evaporate. Once there is not blood left, the door will be open. Place a royal chest of Freid in front of you. "You must then recite: 'Release this being not of their spirit, and not of their history. Release them of power, let them no longer weild the magic of the land. Oh Atlantis, my gift to you, accept, the blood of that you are not.' Lady Tollarna sighed. She was getting tried. None the less, she must be knowledable of this ritual by tommorrow. "The power will then seep into the chest. The chest must be closed at once with the ancient Atlantian words: 'Fermo la porte der povoir,' The door to the victim's power, the passage to their soul must then be closed, for it may easily become invaded by Our Cursed Power, and their will no longer be their own. To do this, throw the feather into the fire. Once the ritual is over, the only way to return the power is to have the chest smashed, and to draw the blood of the victim with a piece of it. May the Gods favor you, stranger, for you who will perform this ritual, you are damned." Lady Tollarna stood up. She carefully picked up the book. It would stay in the Royal Circle's meeting room until the ritual.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Hitomi's footsteps echoed down the hall. No one was around, which was perfect for what she wanted to do. She stopped at Dilandaus door. It was closed, but Hitomi could just make out the sound of voices. She crouched down and pressed her ear to the lock. ".I'm certain. My sources inform me that Van Fanel is indeed coming to Ziabach." Hitomi felt an equal amount of joy and sadness at Dilandau's words. "Do you have Lady Hitomi?" An older man had spoken. "Yes," Dilandau answered. "And what fine bait she is." Hitomi pressed her hand to her mouth in horror. So! That was why she was here! The Lady Lessons had just been an excuse. "And is my daughter having the desired effect on her husband?" "Certainly, Your Majesty," Suddenly Hitomi knew who the man was. She felt sick with horror. Von had fallen in love with the daughter of his enemy! "He worries for his love, Lady Hitomi- his mind isn't on battle." The man - the King of Paymere- commented. Dilandau sighed happily. "What pleasure I'll have when I kill him." Hitomi's mind was a whirlpool of surprise and confusion, danger to Van making her half-mad with fear. She vaguely heard them exchange formal goodbyes and the King exit through one of the many secret passages in the house, but Dilandau's footsteps towards the door only registered until it was too late- Bam! The force of the door sent her sprawling across the cold, marble floor, and for a few seconds, everything was black. "So, you were listening, were you?" A mocking voice said somewhere above her. She squinted above her, and just made out a fist flying towards her, and smashing into her stomach. She lay, winded, for a few moments paralysed with pain. There was a screaming in her ear and something strong and vicious shaking her. She realized the screaming formed words, and the strong, vicious thing was Dilandau. "You ruined it all!" He screamed. "You defeated Ziabach! Without you, Fanella would be mine and Van would be dead! You did it! IT WAS YOUR FAULT!" He leaned closer to her, and stared into her unfocused, suffering eyes. "How would you like it if I were to slit that pretty throat of yours? How lovely it would be to have your blood spill on the floor, to see Van's horrified face." He chuckled, delighted at the thought. Hitomi whimpered, and blinked. The world slowly came into focus again and she trembled with fear at the fire in Dilandau's eyes. ".Van." Her voice cracked. Her eyes closed for a moment as she gathered strength. "This was just a trap. You're going to kill him," A sob rose up in her throat. Dilandau smiled. "Yes," He whispered. "It's so close, I can almost feel his flesh against my sword, hear his scream." "Oh, God," Hitomi gasped. She felt sick with a deep, all-powerful feeling of terror and helplessness. Tears slid out of her eyes and down her cheeks. ".how.how did this happen?" "Well, The King has been most kind as to force King Van into marrying his daughter, you then ever so convenientely went back to Gaea -that's thanks to the transporter by the way- and found out. Van's little sidekick, Merle spends almost all her time at the market place, and so of course saw you, as I knew she would, and told Van, which of course worried him. I then sent you to Gaea, to learn to be a gentlewoman. I wanted Van to think you'd married me, but it was too obvious that you still loved him, so." "You used me as bait instead." Hitomi whispered. "Yes. I have spies everywhere- thanks to them I have organized an ambush. It'll be easy to take him, after all I've done to him- A forced marriage, his one love in grave danger.as I'm sure you'll agree, Van is a very complex man. To kill him, you have to start with the inside.once he's lost you, and when Fanelia has once again been destroyed, then, and only then, when his spirit is broken and he has no reason left to live, will I kill him." Hitomi's blood ran cold. "I'll have my revenge," He whispered. His ruby eyes gazed briefly into hers. His grip tightened. "I'll have my revenge!" He shouted, and literally picked her up and threw her violently across the corridor. "FOR DAMAGING MY BEAUTIFUL FACE!" He stalked towards the light, motionless body that lay on the floor, with the fire of bloodlust in his eyes.

For a few seconds, Hitomi was in a dark, quiet place. She started to rise from the depths of unconsiousness, and suddenly realized every single cell in her body was screaming: Run. Get out while you still can. She struggled to get up, knowing every second she wasn't running was bringing her closer to her death. Dilandau stopped just a few centametres in front of her. Painfully, she forced herself up and met his gaze. He was between her and the front door. Between her and her freedom. She seriously doubted she'd be able to make it, but it was her only chance.

She remembered in net ball how they'd taught her to faint dodge. That's what she would try now. She leant slightly to her left, and took a mini step in that direction. Dilandau immediately feel for it, but at the last second she shifed her weight and flew to the right. Her feet where pounding beneath her, the door was coming closer and closer, she left as though she were flying. Dilandau gave a sudden grunt of effort and lunged at her, his fingers clawing at the fabric of her dress. Finally, when she was almost out of his grasp, he got a firm hold on her skirt and gave a hard tug. She fell. In a second Dilandau came behind her and gripped her by the waist. With a sinking heart, Hitomi realized she wasn't going to make it. No! She wasn't going to give in without a fight! "LET GO OF ME!" She screamed, kicking Dilandau in the shins. Dilandau ignored her, and threw her to the floor, with her hands held tightly behind her back. "YOU CAN'T DO THIS! I WON'T LET YOU KILL VAN!!!" "WATCH ME!" Holding her in this fashion, he began to drag her towards the dungeons. Hiitomi struggled to get away, but it was no use; he was too strong. The smooth, polished marble made it hard for her to get up. She felt a wave of panic as he dragged her down the steps to the dungeons. "Dilandau, please." She whimpered. "Shut up!" He snapped. He paused for a moment as he opened one of the door to the cells. He lifted her up and sneering into her face he said: "Don't worry, Hitomi. You'll soon be joined by Lover Boy!" He threw her into the cell, and she looked up in time to see his grinning face shut the door on her. She heard the key turn in the lock. She scrambled up and threw herself againt the door. "Dilandau, open this door NOW!" She screamed furiously. She heard his mocking laughter and his fading footsteps. And then.silence. She leant her head against the thick wooden door, in a true and utter state of complete dispair. In a few hours, she knew, this door would open once again, and Van would be pushed roughly into this awful cell, where Dilandau would kill her in front of him. She would never again see the deep blue sky on a summer's day, never again see her mother and father joking around together, never again see her little brother playing with his friends, and never again see Van smile. Alone in the cold and dark, with only her death to look forward to, she started to cry.