Chapter Nine

Tristen opened her eyes feeling her 'pillow' stir beneath her. Carefully she swung her legs out of the bed and eased herself to a standing position, Cam didn't notice and continued to sleep peacefully.

She felt sick, yesterday she had been fairly confident of what she was about to do, but after her spat with Cam she had suddenly become more afraid, there was more at stake now than just her own life.

Trying not to wake Cam, Tristen dressed and left the room quietly closing the door behind her. She didn't want to stay in Ninja Ops. In all honesty she had no idea what would happen and she didn't want to be the cause of an explosion or something.

Tristen walked deeper into the forest surrounding Ninja Ops. The amulet was cold against her skin, what had once been her ally now seemed like a dead weight around her neck.

She stopped at a small grove, it was still early and the sun was low in the sky. Tristen lifted the amulet over her head and held it in the palm of her hand.

'Life Force powers, here combined, become one with me, body, soul and mind.'

Cam woke up, he rolled over slightly expecting to see Tristen - but she was gone. Panicking he leapt off the bed and grabbed his trousers, pulling the on roughly. Yanking his t-shirt over his head he ran into the main room.

'Tristen!' he yelled getting no reply.

Sensei came out of his little house.

'What is it my son?' he asked sleepily.

'Tristen, have you seen Tristen?' asked Cam frantically.

'No, but you must find her,' said Sensei quickly as Cam sprinted out of Ninja Ops.

Tristen felt her body convulse as waves of energy coursed through her body. She sank to her knees, dizziness washing over her. Her limbs were heavy and she felt incredibly weak. More pulses of energy continued to spread from her hand where she still clutched the amulet, unable to let go. Struggling to breath she felt her mind cloud, her vision went blurry as a huge darkness shrouded her. Her body was on fire and ice cold all at once. Cam had been right she wasn't strong enough. She tried to let go of the amulet, to end it now but she couldn't, she slipped slowly into unconsciousness.
Cam ran through the trees unsure of exactly where he was heading. He was sure he could feel pulses of energy and he followed them still they got stronger.

Tristen lay on the ground her body still convulsing with the bolts of energy. She was unconscious.

Cam felt his heart lurch as he skidded down next to her. He prised the amulet out of her grip and flung it away from her. The convulsing stopped and he clutched her body to his chest.

'Tristen please come on,' he begged, tears welling up in his eyes.

'I shouldn't have let you do it, it's all my fault,' he confessed pointlessly the tears now flowing down his cheeks.

Cam gasped when he heard a voice...

'I don't see why your making such a fuss,'