Chapter 24 is has arrived hope you all enjoy.

Chapter 24: Close encounters

The castle.

The Guardians were wandering around the castle they had been flying round the dark corridors for what seemed like hours now. Will was sure by now they were just going round in circles.

"Okay! It's official. We're lost!" Irma yelled out.

"And you're only just now realising this?" Cornelia asked sarcastically.

"C'mon guys lets not start fighting," Hay Lin said trying to keep team 'morale up. Being the carefree member of the group Hay Lin kindof of considered it her job to keep the others from feeling low. "Will 'what should we do?" Hay Lin asked trying to sound supportive.

"I don't know." Will replied simply. "Its like these walls are rearranging themselves. Making us go were they want us to," Will said touching the wall.

"Phobos's castle can do that?" Taranee asked not sounding entirely convinced.

"Must be a new feature," Irma smirked.

"So that means that wherever we go we'll eventually wind up in a trap?" Taranee reasoned.

"Hey whatever ol Phoby has in store for us we can handle it!" Irma said sounding full of pep.

"Uh huh. But shouldn't we have some kindof plan or something hey leader girl?" Cornelia asked looking over to were Will was standing. However instead of seeing their leader the Guardians found only a stone, wall. "Will?" WILL?" Cornelia yelled raising her voice in alarm.

"Were is she?" Hay Lin asked starting to panic.

"She was right here!" Taranee yelled. The Guardians all gathered around the wall everyone feeling its surface and desperately searching for some sort of hidden switch.

"Stand back!" Cornelia yelled placing her hand against the wall the others instantly obeyed backing off to a safe distance. The earth Guardian concentrated hard placing her free hand on her temple. A moment later a massive shock wave of green energy was washed over the wall, which seemed more like a small, localised earthquake. However the wall remained untouched. Cornelia tried again.

"Still no result.

"A third time. Another powerful blast this time seeming to shake the castle to its very foundations but still the wall stood firm.

"That's enough Cornelia!" Taranee said seeing her prepare for another blast. "This obviously isn't working. There must be some kind of spell on these walls or something," She reasoned.

"Well what do we do then?" Hay Lin asked.

Taranee looked thoughtful for a moment. "Why don't we split up me and Irma will go that way and Hay Lin you and Cornelia go that way?"

"Worth a try," Cornelia shrugged. The Guardians split into their assigned pairings and took off in opposite directions. Cornelia had to admit she was impressed by Taranee's display of leadership. She was normally timid and cowardly though she'd always come through in a pinch. These crisis's they constantly faced may have been life threatening but they certainly seemed to bringer out the Guardians stronger personality traits.

After barely a minute of flying the two skidded to a halt. 'Irma and Taranee who had somehow wound up right in front of them doing likewise.

"Hey! Were did you…? How did you guys wind up in front us?" Hay Lin asked barely managing to produce a coherent sentence.

"No wait a second we went this way! And you guys went that way!" Irma blurted out. She took off determinedly away from the group and a few seconds later reappeared behind Cornelia and Hay Lin.

"Great so we're stuck here!" Irma yelled out in frustration.

"Helloo! Anybody in here?" Will called out hopefully. Wherever she was now it was dark and best of all she thought sarcastically she had been separated from her friends. This area seemed to be a large cavernous room. Tall archways on the walls could be made out aside from that the room was very dark.

"I can barely see anything in here," Will hissed. "Say I know!" She declared has a light clicked on in her head. She held out her palms and concentrated for a moment. The heart appeared in her hand its warm pink glow lighting up the dark room. It didn't reveal anything especially fascinating but the light did help to regain her bearings and it was comforting in this hostile territory.

"Would you min putting that away?" A from voice the shadows asked bluntly. "Unless of course you need a night light," "This time the voice was accompanied by body to match it to. Though his features were difficult to make out in the dark.

"What's the matter? Are you afraid?" Will asked the shadowy figure holding out the heart threatening to unleash its power on her opponent. The figure chuckled a little.

"No I'm not afraid. Its just that if you don't put your precious jewel back inside yourselve…" The figure vanished being quickly swallowed up into the shadows. Will looked about frantically searching for him but it was hopeless in this damned darkness. She backed off slightly and to her surprise bumped into something... a person. Tall lean. She gasped spinning round and backing off. "Then I won't get to rip out of you!" he finally finished leaning out of the shadows allowing Will to see his luminous yellow eyes and lumpy forehead. He lunged at her going for her throat. Will easily dodged back flipping away and going into a fighting stance.

"Your that vampire the one who turned Caleb? Angel right?" Will called out to the darkness.

She stumbled to her knees has she received a hard punch to the back of her head. "DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Angelus yelled at her furiously. "My name is Angelus!" He said more calmly but still angrily.

"Good?" Will smiled. She 'side stepped another narrow punch. Performing a side ways back flip and managing to kick her opponent in the chin. "Just the vamp I wanted to dust," She grinned.

"Sorry red," Angelus said appearing directly in front of her. He kissed her forcing his tongue into her mouth and forcing her to experience his taste. She finally pulled away pushing him back. "But this was just an appetizer," He vanished into the shadows again. "The main is course yet to come," He called this time from a distance leaving Will alone in the darkness.

Coming next is chapter 25 probably on Wednesday when Cedric and Spike will be facing off.