Hello, everybody. Just wanted to wish everybody a Happy New Year! I hope that this year (of the dog, which I happen to be) brings y'all much happiness and joy and all that junk. So, in honor of the 2006, here's another chapter!

chyp: Obliged.

"What's this idea you've got?" Wesley asked Matthew as they drove in Wesley's red Ford Explorer towards Emory University's main campus.

"It's hot," Matthew replied as he continued to jot something on a notepad. "I'm stuck on this spell. What's a good word that rhymes with 'hidden?'"

"'Ridden?'" Wesley suggested. "Or 'bidden.'"

"Bidden?" Matthew echoed.

"It's a word!" Wesley claimed.

"So is 'intrauterine,'" Matthew spat. "It doesn't belong in a spell."

"Sure it does," Wesley defended himself. "It means the opposite of 'forbidden.' Don't get mad at me, Mr. English Major!"

"Humph," Matthew said as they continued driving.

It took about forty-five minutes to reach the main campus. It was pretty late out, so there wasn't as much traffic. Upon arrival, it took another fifteen minutes for them to walk back to the Chemistry building, where Dr. Gilkeson's office was. The building was locked since it was after hours. Matthew checked around before taking Wesley's hand and phasing them through the doors. They tiptoed up the stairs to their destination; Matthew was drilling Wesley on what to do once they were there.

"I know," Wesley droned. "I freeze the office and you say the spell to get us through the wall. We take the death elevator and fight him there. Blah, blah, blah."

"Don't freak out on me this time," Matthew said.

"Me freak out?" Wesley asked. "That was just one time."

On Matthew's count, he pushed the door to Dr. Gilkeson's office open and Wesley quickly shot a hand it and flicked it, activating his power to stop time on all things inside. He peeked his head in and saw that it was once again empty. He gave the okay sign to Matthew and they both entered. They hurried to the exact spot they had gone to before, where the other students had emerged. Matthew pulled out the piece of paper he had been writing on in the car and held it out for both him and Wesley to read.

"Hidden somewhere in these walls
Is the place where duty calls.
Open it now so we can enter;
Reveal this evil's epicenter."

The walls flashed white for a moment before the familiar ripple appeared. The two walked through the wall and once again found themselves inside the hidden elevator. Wesley covered his mouth just in time for the gravity-defying drop. The compartment slammed down with a thud and the doors slid open, revealing the same chamber as before. Inside, Matthew and Wesley heard the voice of Dr. Gilkeson, but what exactly he was saying was unclear.

They moved in slowly to get a better vantage point. They saw Dr. Gilkeson talking, chanting to the same flame that other students had passed through. Whatever he was saying was definitely not in English, and it was only serving to make the fire burn brighter and with more intensity. The flames began to lick his body before engulfing him completely, imbuing him with more power.

"We need to get him into the fire," Matthew whispered to Wesley.

"Are you blind?" Wesley asked, pointing to the Demonic Flame-engulfed Dr. Gilkeson. "Anyway, doesn't the fire destroy humanity? I mean, if he doesn't have any to begin with, then what good is throwing him in it gonna be?"

"That's why I wrote this spell," Matthew said, producing another piece of paper from his pocket. "Maybe it's a good thing we don't have the Book with us. It's forcing me to come up with more spells on my own."

"Pat yourself on the back," Wesley mumbled, turning to once again observe Dr. Gilkeson. "We need to make a move now or else I'm gonna get out of here."

"We just need to make sure that he's alone," Matthew said. "The last thing we need is a mob of brainwashed…"

Suddenly, something grabbed Matthew's back and threw him into the open space, immediately catching Dr. Gilkeson's attention. Wesley soon followed, landing hard on his stomach. They turned to see five students, eyes pitch black, glaring holes through them.

"So you've come back," Dr. Gilkeson said, walking towards them. "I see you've escaped the wrath of your brother, but you cannot escape me again!"

He extended an arm towards the Demonic Flame and waved it toward Matthew and Wesley. The flame obediently rose into the air and roared as it made its way to the two brothers. With a loud gasp, Wesley threw up his hands over his head and the flame stopped in midair, inches from him and Matthew. Matthew took the time and pushed Wesley out of the flame's path as he dove out of the way himself. The flame abruptly continued its path and hit the group of students behind them. They jerked back violently, but were otherwise unaffected. If anything, the flame only made them more demonic.

Matthew quickly sprang to his feet and sped toward Dr. Gilkeson. He threw a punch that was easily blocked and countered with a sweep that caught him off guard. Matthew flew to the ground, shaken but determined. He jumped up and resumed his fight with Dr. Gilkeson, throwing more punches and blocking more kicks. It wasn't very long before he found himself on the defensive, constantly having to block attacks more than give them.

Wesley had meanwhile gotten up from the ground, but was overwhelmed as he found himself surrounded by the five demonic students. No matter where he turned, there was someone blocking his path. He flicked his hands and the student in front of him froze, prompting him to sigh with relief. It was short-lived, though, as the student's body erupted in a strong flame that broke the effects of Wesley's power. Together, the five of them advanced slowly upon Wesley, who was now just about out of options. He flicked his hands again, this time more forcefully, hoping that the added determination would enhance his powers. The same thing happened, though, as the flame broke through once again.

Matthew barely dodged Dr. Gilkeson's fist as it sailed through the air, just missing his face. He grabbed it and delivered a kick to his foe's side, knocking him backwards. He took the time to regain his composure and a second wind, but in no time Dr. Gilkeson was back, throwing more punches for him to try and avoid. In catching Dr. Gilkeson's foot mid-air, he gasped as his mind filled with images that lasted for less than a second. He shook his head, remembering that he was in the middle of a fight, then realized what had happened. He had just seen his opponent's next move. He threw Dr. Gilkeson's foot down and stepped back, waiting on the signal that would indicate what Dr. Gilkeson was going to do next.

Wesley extended a foot out and kicked one of the students in the chest, knocking them both backwards: the student from the blow and Wesley from the recoil. Wesley fell back into the hands of another student, who grabbed him by the neck and quickly put him in a headlock. Wesley found himself unable to move without hurting his neck. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the other four students closing in. He closed his eyes and waited for the pain, but instead he found himself standing in front of all five students. He had instinctively glimmered away. He exhaled, thanking his mysterious power for saving him again.

Dr. Gilkeson crouched and disappeared in a ripple. Matthew smiled; this is exactly what Matthew had seen in his premonition. He rounded up all his strength and spun on his heel, transferring all the power he had into his right foot. It smashed into Dr. Gilkeson's jaw just as he was reappearing behind where Matthew would have been standing. The evil professor wrenched back and fell to the ground.

"Freeze him!" Matthew called out to Wesley.