Author's note: Hi :) just wanted to say thanks to the following people for their encouragement and support- Evergreen friendship, GilShalos, lady-water-dragon and JenL. I really appreciate it! Hope you like the next chapter!

Chapter 5: Confrontation

Cleao spent most of the day at the lake with Jeremy, who had prepared a picnic for them. Leki of course was also their company and had enjoyed himself by lazing around. When they had returned, it was almost sunset.

They walked into the house with Cleao's laughter filling the air. Tistiny was the first to greet them, " About time! We were waiting for you." She smiled.

"I'm sorry. It's my fault. I kept Cleao busy with the picnic," Jeremy apologized. Tistiny waved his apology away dismissively.

" No matter. Dinner's ready." They followed Tistiny into the dining room where a table for eight had been set. Everyone was chatting at the table.

" Look who decided to grace us with her presence," Majic joked and Cleao stuck her tongue out.

Tistiny sat Jeremy next to Hartia who was sitting opposite to Orphen. The only seats left were the ones next to Orphen and the one at the end of the table. Cleao looked at the two empty seats and then decided to make her way to the seat at the end of the table.

Tistiny cut her off briskly, " Now Cleao, you know I always sit here." Tistiny sat herself down and smiled at her daughter sweetly.

Cleao looked at her mother suspiciously, "Mother-"

"Oh hush, Cleao. Sit down already, the food's on its way." Tistiny interrupted. Cleao looked dumbstruck and reluctantly sat next to Orphen.

"Who'd like to say grace?" Tistiny asked and glanced around the table.

"I will," Hartia responded. He paused for a moment and made the sign of the cross. Everyone copied. " Dear Lord, we thank you for bringing us together on this special occasion. May you bless us and everyone we love." Hartia finished. Just as grace was said, Dortin came in with a tray of food. As he wheeled it in, Volcan came trudging in behind him. "We help prepare all this food for them and all we get are scraps from last night," he muttered.

Dortin placed an array of foods in front of the hungry people, " You know that's not true, Volcan. We have our own delicious meal waiting for us in the kitchen. "

" Shut up, Dortin. No one asked you."

Their meal ranged from roast chicken, suckling pig, sweet potatoes, salad and much more

"Smells delicious!" Majic said, eyeing the food hungrily. He turned red when his stomach grumbled. He laughed sheepishly and they all laughed with him.

"Well don't just sit around staring at the food! Eat up before it gets cold!" Mariabella urged as she herself began placing food on her plate. Everyone did the same and chatter filled the room.

"So did you get any more presents?" Cleao asked as she sliced her chicken carefully.

Mariabella stopped eating, " Mother gave me this beautiful necklace," she gestured to the necklace that hung at her neck. It was made of silver and had a heart locket. "Orphen gave me a box of chocolates- which are delicious by the way," she smiled at Orphen who smiled back, " And Majic gave me an exquisite bouquet of roses." Mariabella continued eating. Cleao smiled at her bubbly sister.

Majic was soon talking to Hartia about the Tower of Fang, Mariabella and Jeremy were talking about the day he had, Azalie was speaking to Tistiny about motherhood and both Orphen and Cleao were silent.

Cleao decided to try the mushroom soup. She poured some into her bowl and tasted a spoonful. Not bad, but it needs more flavour, she thought to herself. She wanted some salt, but it was out of her reach. She contemplated asking Orphen to pass the salt, but that meant contact with him. She decided against it and decided to ask Hartia instead- even though the salt was closer to Orphen.

"Hartia," she paused to make sure she got his attention. Hartia turned to face her. "Would you please pass me the salt."

"Sure," Hartia began to reach for it, but Orphen got to it first and passed it to Cleao. Orphen looked at Cleao and their eyes locked. The chatter around them continued. Cleao stared into his beautiful red-brown eyes and all the anger and pain she had felt seemed to rise inside her. She tried to remain expressionless and emotionless, but she felt hot tears brim her eyes. Before Orphen could stop her, she pushed her seat back and stood up.

"I'm so sorry. I seem to have lost my appetite," she mumbled a quick apology and ran out the back.

Orphen grumbled in frustration. Everyone's attention was now on him.

Jeremy was soon out of his seat and he headed after Cleao, " I'll go talk to her."

Orphen glared after him and followed immediately. I have had it! I'm going to find out what's wrong with her once and for all! His mind screamed. The events happened so fast no one knew what was going on.

Cleao wiped her tears away and sniffed. Leki whimpered beside her, but Cleao was too lost in her own thoughts to notice. She knew she couldn't keep avoiding Orphen forever and she knew that she had to deal with it sooner or later, but all she wanted to do was run away. Run away from all the pain she felt. Her mood brightened considerably at the thought. She was about to head back in and gather her things, but was confronted by Jeremy.

"Are you ok?" he asked in worry.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied impatiently, which came as a surprise to her considering it was Jeremy she was talking to. At the moment, she just wanted to leave. She quickly stepped around him and was stopped in her tracks by Orphen's solid form. There was a mixture of emotions in his eyes. She couldn't tell if he was annoyed, worried, angry or upset. But she knew she was in for it.

"Get out of my way," she snapped and tried to sidestep him. Orphen was too fast and kept blocking her way.

" I don't think so," his voice sounding so controlled.

" I don't have time for this, Orphen." Cleao retorted, losing her patience with him quickly.

Anger flashed in his eyes, " Make time. You have been avoiding me and I haven't even done anything wrong!" he exploded.

"I am sick and tired of your high and mighty magical ego! Don't you think you would have done something to make me avoid you! Oh wait, you don't think." She glared at him icily. Cleao seemed to have snapped and all her emotions were pouring out of her endlessly. They didn't realize that they had an audience until someone spoke up.

" Don't you dare talk to him like that!" Azalie screamed angrily from behind Orphen.

Everyone had come outside and were now watching them. She hated ruining her sister's birthday like this, but it was inevitable. " Shut up, Dragon Lady! No on was talking to you."

Azalie was taken aback by Cleao's outburst, but she wasn't going to back down now. " You're such a selfish little brat!" she shouted in annoyance. No on had ever irritated her so much in all her life! Everyone else knew better than to interrupt; Tistiny and Mariabella knew that Cleao could handle it.

"I'm selfish!" Cleao asked incredulously, " Wasn't your selfishness and thirst for power the reason why you turned into a monster! Come to think of it, you may look human on the outside, but deep down you're still the same monster you were back then! Orphen wasted his time and energy trying to save you when there was nothing worthy of saving in the first place!" Cleao's words shocked everyone and managed to shut Azalie up, which was the effect Cleao wanted. She started walking, but was blocked again. "Just leave me alone!" she pleaded with tears in her eyes, feeling emotionally drained.

Orphen's angry eyes softened, but hardened once more when he remembered the reason he was stopping her from leaving. " Just tell me why you're acting this way towards me."

"Why should you care anyway!" she replied bitterly.

"What?" Orphen was now confused. What was she on about?

Cleao rolled her eyes, "Would you like me to refresh your memory? Azalie asked you if you loved me and you said, and I quote, 'No! I don't love her!'" Cleao couldn't believe all those words had escaped her mouth.

To Orphen, that small statement seemed to click everything into place and suddenly it all made sense to him. Now he didn't know what to do. "I… I'm sorry…" he trailed off. Orphen was certainly not ready to admit his feelings for her-if he had any- when he couldn't even admit it to himself.

"What do you mean sorry! Sorry that I heard you!" Cleao felt her energy renewed. He didn't even deny it! How dare he stand there and apologize as if it'll make everything better! Cleao thought angrily.

Orphen was at a loss, it seemed that everything he said or did made her angry. "Cleao, I didn't-"

She cut him off abruptly, " Don't you 'Cleao' me! I don't want to hear your lame excuses!"

"I wasn't making excuses. Don't make assumptions, assumptions get you nowhere." Orphen was running thin on patience and Cleao looked ready to explode.

"Arrrgh! You're so irritating! I could just kill you!"

"Why go for the kill, when you can go for the pain?"

"What?" Cleao became confused when a new voice entered her little spat with Orphen. Everyone else looked just as confused as Cleao and they all turned to face Jeremy.

Jeremy smiled slyly at Orphen and turned to face Cleao, "Showtime." None of the things that Jeremy was saying registered in Cleao's head. Without any hesitation, he began to incant, "I call upon thy powers, O Mighty Serpent! I seek thy aid in my quest!" He shouted to the skies above.

The sky darkened and lightning struck the ground, its force causing the earth to shudder.

"Earthquake!" Volcan and Dortin screamed in fright as they ran out of the house to join the others.

An alarm sounded in Totokonta, notifying everyone of the emergency. Everyone lost their balance and fell to the ground, but Cleao was elevated into the air by an unseen force. Black energy bolts started surrounding her until she was encased in a black cocoon. Cleao's scream penetrated the night.

The Prophecy! The thought exploded in Hartia's mind. It was happening at this very moment and no one knew what to do. He had known something like this would occur, yet he was still caught off guard- as was Azalie. He stared in horror at the cocoon enveloped around Cleao. Her scream snapped everyone out of their trances. Leki howled sorrowfully.

"Cleao!" Letitia screamed and ran forward. Hartia stopped her before she could get any closer.

"What has he done?" Mariabella whispered in dread. Tistiny fainted and Mariabella ran to her side.

Hartia had to stay strong for the Everlasting's. He turned to Majic, who had paled. He put a firm hand on Majic's shoulder, " Take Mariabella and Tistiny inside and stay there." Majic nodded.

Dortin and Volcan opened the door as Majic helped Mariabella carry Tistiny inside. Leki followed. He glanced back at Cleao uncertainly and let out a final melancholy howl, as he knew that he wasn't powerful enough to do anything.

Orphen rushed to attack Jeremy, but was deflected by a force field. Cleao was in danger and there was nothing he could do. He had tried to break through the cocoon, but all his spells were powerless.

Azalie appeared at his side, "The magic he's used is too powerful. There's nothing we can do."

Jeremy laughed aloud, "Poor Orphen. The infamous Scion of Sorcery reduced to being helpless. How's it feel?" he mocked them wickedly. Jeremy's words struck a nerve.

Orphen's rage took over his actions as he attacked Jeremy's force field with energy balls relentlessly. He knew that there was some truth to what Jeremy's words. He really was helpless and he didn't like the feeling. "What have you done with her! When I get my hands on you-"

"Orphen, look!" Hartia exclaimed. Orphen turned. The cocoon had disappeared and all that was left was a smoke.

"Where's Cleao!" Orphen shouted, ready to attack again.

From within the smoke a soft giggling could be heard. They all turned towards the sound. Cleao's' silhouette could be seen as she approached them. She emerged from the smoke. Horrorstruck faces greeted her and she smiled.