Stroud walked slowly down the tower staircase with his head down. His mind swirling with worries and the pain of loss. He reached the bottom of the stairs, turned and put his hands behind his back. He paced down the corridor, minding every step until he approached Isabella. She sat on a ledge, hunched over and holding her arms. Her face expressed great concern for those involved with all that had happened and that what she knew was inevitable to happen next.

"My Lord" she said to him sorrowfully.

Stroud closed his eyes.

"I am so sorry, truly I am." she said to him compassionately.

"Forget it." he mumbled."Where's Julius?"

"He left while you were on the tower, he didn't say what or where." Isabella informed him.

Stroud's eyes narrowed as he processed the information. His mouth opened and he gasped. He plunged his hand into his coat pocket, feeling the contents. It was gone. Julius took the mana pendant.

"Damn him!" he cursed.

"What is it?" Isabella asked.

"Julius, that bastard, he took the mana pendant. What a fool I am. He used me! Somehow I knew all along that he was too good to be true but I did not want to believe it. I...'

"Don't beat yourself down, it's not your fault, you are still a great man with potential to achieve all that you desire." Isabella said encouragingly.

Suddenly a frightening, disgusting voice in the distance called out to them...

"Strange travelers approach the gates, skilled swordsman! Man your posts!"

Isabella and Stroud stood up to attention as the death jester appeared before them.

"Isabella, go and see what this is all about." Stroud commanded her.

Eagerly she obeyed.

Isabella confronted the Hero, Randi, on the bridge. He does not want to fight her, but she insists on stopping him for her "beloved". Isabella knows what's in store. Randi is here to fight Stroud to the death. Oh how she wants to prevent this from happening. If only they could run away from this all. She invested a lot of time in making a connection with him that she could not bear to lose him now. Something in her heart screamed to her that he might be the right man for her, not Lee. The voice of the death jester flowed through the air once more, ordering her to return to Dark Lord.

Isabella went to the top of the tower where Dark Lord and the death jester await her by the stone obelisks.

"What's the meaning of this? Afraid of a woman standing up for you sir?" Isabella scolded Stroud.

Stroud rolled his eyes.

"Enough already, I don't have time for this."

"Why did you call me back? Those kids are here and they are making there way to you, they mean business!" She exclaimed.

"Afraid I might lose? I don't think so." Stroud said. "I am way more experienced than that foolish fencer, he doesn't stand a chance against me!"

Isabella put her hands on his shoulders and looked him in the face, the hint of his eyes behind the mask.

"I hope you are right."

The End of It.

Randi and Purim approached Dark Lord. Purim pleaded with him to drop all this, she wanted to save him, she could feel the good in him. Deep in her heart she could feel that he was a man of kind heart.

Isabella felt the connection between Stroud and Purim, the history they shared. A vision of his previous interlude with her filled her mind. She became jealous. Stroud ordered her and the jester to not interfere.

"Understood." She nodded reluctantly and she teleported to the corridor.

"You are nothing more than weeds to me! Time for a trimming!" Stroud exclaimed as he drew his sword.

The heated battle commenced, Isabella paced back and forth. She could not stand it. She wanted to be there. Be there for him. As much as she liked Purim, she couldn't bare the thought of losing Stroud. Unfortunately romance takes precedent over friendships. Isabella's heart raced and she took deep breaths trying to dispel her anxiety. But then, a terrible feeling of dread came over her. Something is wrong.

"Ohhhhh forget this, I going to him!" She said to herself as she reappeared on the tower.

Her worst nightmare came true. Stroud lay on the ground. He was defeated.

"Dark Lord!" she cried.

"Dark Lord" Purim cried out as she rushed to him as well.

"Isabella, come closer." he gasped. "Take my mask off"

She knelt beside him and took it off, something she wanted to do for a very long time and now when it's to late she finally gets her wish. To her surprise, his face looks very familiar.

"What do you think? Just like my brother?" He asked. "The same face, but treated as though I were never there at all. And it's all Granz fault!"

"Dark Lord don't speak." She said hoping to cut off Purim's exchange of words with him.

"Isabella, you have to...stop...Julius...for..."

"You leave Julius to me." She said with a smile.

She lied. But here he was dying, she just wanted him to go peacefully.

"I'd wanted to travel the globe with you."

Stroud's last words shocked her. He did care for her after all. What a waste. Isabella boiled with anger as the death jester appeared to take his soul away.

"You low class mavole!" She screamed as she morphed into her battle cat form.

She attacked but it was no use. Death jester's underworld magic was to strong. He grabbed her by the neck with his boney, green, clawed hands and hurled her over the edge of the tower wall. His voice and hideous laughter filled her head as she fell to the world below.

"I will let you live Bigieu, the pain and regret you will suffer the rest of your life will be punishment enough for you!"

to be continued...