((okies next bit)

Kye looked to Niko "I have to go, the sooner that I can get him behind bars the sooner I can get on with what I am here for". As he was talking Niko had moved and stepped inside the house door, he retrieved his Mage kit. "I will come with you, I may be able to help" Kye nodded. "I'll come to" Tris said standing by the wall. She almost laughed when they turned to look at her. "Tris it's not safe" Kye told her "This man, he has killed women with out mercy" Tris looked away for a moment and back at Kye, "I have seen death" She paused her voice quiet "And I have caused it myself" Kye said nothing he'd caught her tone. Tris raised her chin defiantly "Besides" she told him "I am a mage and I may be able to help" Kye nodded and looked at Niko who also nodded, though Tris could not see. "Right then lets go" Kye said and turned and walked out into the street following the runner who was running like a man possessed. Zav ambled out of the courtyard slowly following them.

As they walked Niko and Kye walked amongst themselves. Tris walked behind with Zav. As the runner slowed they caught up with him a the entrance to an alley way. The Runner stopped panting and pointed down the Alley and then ran off again looking over his shoulder to check that Niko and Kye were not following and then he went out of sight. When the runner had gone, they walked into the alley. They were greeted by the sight of a dozen of the guards all milling round. A guard captain in Chain mail came hurrying up to them. "Where have you been,? You said you would help us and then you vanish. What are we meant to do? " Kye held up his hand to stop the captains tirade of questions "I was busy" he said coolly "Now I am here what do you want me to do"?
The guard blinked and then pointed at the warehouse at the far end of the alley. "The ghost tried to kill one of our undercover guards, we chased him in there." Kye listened not saying anything. "Now we cant get him" During this Tris had been looking round. She spotted Keth and walked over to him, he was looking stressed and worried he was looking at the warehouse, one guard was in front of him, holding him back.
"Why don't you go in and get the man then" Niko asked the captain. The captain blinked stupidly for a moment and then answered "He's got a girl in there, he says if any of our mages go in, he says he will kill her" Kye glanced round looking for Tris he spotted her next to a glass worker, it was Keth. "how do you know that the girl is still alive" he asked turning back to the guard.
"Because" The guard said dryly "Dead people don't scream" as if on que a scream echoed down the alley.

Tris had been talking to Keth, "What's the matter" she asked him gently. Keth opened and closed his mouth several times before he could answer "He has her" he says his voice filled with grief and guilt "I said she shouldn't play in there but she liked the birds. I said I would protect her, he killed her mother" Keth said, his worlds all jumbled. "Has who" she asked gently "Kora," said Keth and when a scream sounded he went into another round of sobbing. Tris looked round "Come on" she said grabbing his hand "you have to tell all them, they need to know" Keth looked and then shook his head, "Mages. Wont help me" he said "Most of them don't know we exist" he said shaking his head.
"Come on" Tris insisted "They are not like that" she said "They will help you" she pulled Keth across the alley.

The guard captain saw them coming, "you" he said angrily "you should have kept that brat under control" Keth went into another sobbing fit. Tris pulled him to Niko and Kye ignoring the captain. "Niko, Kye, please listen to Keth he needs help" Kye turned putting his back to the captain. Keth was wringing his hands "please sirs they have Kora, she was only playing in there, they don't use it no more, she goes to play with the birds in there.
Kye listened his heads on one side, "How old is Kora"? he asked gently Keth blinked "Six, sir" he said. Kye looked at Niko and something passed between them, then they turned as one and headed down the alley. Tris who had been comforting Keth hesitated and then followed. The guard captain hurried in front of them trying to block them. "You cant go in there" he said "he'll kill the brat. No to much mess for me afterward" the guard stood there shaking his head. Kye looked at the man, he raised his hand and mage fire flared on his fingers. Outlining his hand. "If you don't get out of my sight now, I will do something, that you may not like". The guard gulped and then edged past them and near ran back down to the other end of the alley.

Kye closed his hand and the flames vanished. When they reached the door, Kye turned to Tris, "I need you to stay here please, if he gets out first I need you to hold him and stop that fool from killing the ghost. Tris opened her mouth to protest and then didn't. Kye then turned to Niko, "Would you please make ready some spells. I need you to get the girl out, I am going to deal with this ghost." Niko nodded. Niko opened the door and then they went inside leaving the door open.

When inside they spilt up Niko went into the shadows by the side of the door whilst Kye walked into the light of the single candle. Niko made his spells ready whilst Kye turned a slow circle looking into the shadows, when he spotted shapes on the far side he stopped. And nodded with his head, Niko caught the movement and nodded in return. Kye walked towards to shadow. "I said no guards" Came a high whingeing voice. Kye stopped and held out his arms "I am no guard and I am unarmed" he told the ghost. Even with his better eye sight Kye could only just make out a small shape on the floor. Kora!
"They send a unarmed man to talk to me, they must be more dumb then I thought" the man went on unaware that Kye was not really listening. "I think I will kill you now and throw your body to them" The ghost stood and walked towards Kye waving a knife he stopped when Kye smiled. "Is that a promise" he taunted the ghost moving back a step. Unsure when Kye had spoken the ghost had stopped then when he had moved he found new courage. "your just a scared man" The ghost taunted jabbing with the knife, they were now in the middle of the warehouse, Kye could see Niko moving slowly toward Kora. "No, I am your worst nightmare" Kye told him and then he sidestepped into the shadows and vanished. The ghost lunged at where Kye had just been jabbing with is knife, Kye appeared on his other side. "I will make you pay for what you have done and that is a promise" and then he was gone. The ghost whirled round and jabbed with his knife but all he hit was empty space.

Kye reappeared in front of the ghost, "your not scared of an unarmed man are you" he taunted walking backwards, the ghost followed. "They asked for it" the ghost said in his whinging voice. "They sell themselves and they look down on the lower class. Just because I was in the six class they thought they were better then me, wouldn't talk to me, wouldn't lie with me" he said moving closer slowly.

Kye brought his hand up and the Mage fire sprang up again making the ghost stop, "you would kill women because they would not lie with, I am going to do things to you that would make you unrecognisable to your own mother and ensures that you never hurt another person again" Kye said softly his voice dangerous. Then he made the fire brighter dazzling the man. Giving him chance to see Niko, who had now reached the girl but she had seen Kyes fire and was to scared to move. Kye obliged by making it go out and punching the ghost so he fell to the floor and dropped the knife. Niko had picked up Kora and now ran to the door with her and gave her to Tris, before coming back inside. Tris hugged the frightened girl and then broke free to run to Keth who grabbed her and looked as though he would never let her go.

The Ghost scrabbled round on the floor for his knife but Kye kicked it out of the way. The ghost stood and stopped Niko, "I'll kill him instead then" he raged and lunged at Niko. Niko was ready and threw a spell at the ghost which hit him full on, the ghost staggered and then sagged to the floor. Refusing to be caught the ghost staggered into the street and made a desperate lunge for Tris. She stepped back and the ghost fell to the floor and tried to crawl away. Tris called her lightning down surrounding the man. "You would kill a child to avoid capture" she said her voice tight, she made the lightning close in round the ghost. The man spun round looking for help or escape from the lightning bars, she moved them closer, the rocks of the alley floor begin to melt.

"Tris, don't" Kye called from the wall, not wanting to approach her.
"Please Tris, if you kill him in cold blood you will be not better then him, or the pirates". Niko said desperately. Tris stopped the lightning. Niko was right if she killed this thing, then she would be no better then him. She closed her hands and the lightning wall dropped freeing the man, straight into the hands of the waiting guards. As they took the man away Tris sagged and Niko caught her, "I was going to kill him" she muttered. "No" Niko replied "you wanted justice but, that is best left to those he has hurt" Niko put his arm round Tris and they started to walk out of the alley.

Kye had not been listening he was watching Kora. Who was knelt petting Zav, Keth was fussing round her. She was now unfazed of what happened she giggled as she stroked the dog. "Kye are you coming" Niko called. Kye shook his head, "I'll meet you back at the house, I have something to do" Niko looked where Kye was looking and then steered Tris out of the Alley. Kye walked over to Kora he spoke to Keth for a moment and then he crouched down and talked to Kora, chatting away with her, as she talked to Zav.

((please review, I need reviews, the last chapter will be up soon))