Kristi ran with Pharaun down the street, struggling to keep pace with the drow. "Remind me never to make your sister angry again!" She stifled a yelp as she dodged a spell.

"Quick, this way," Pharaun said, pulling her into an alley. He looked up to see a bolt of lightning coming right toward them. "Damn." He grabbed Kristi's arm again, pulling her along, "they have a wizard."

"They have a what!" She abruptly pulled against Pharaun, dodging the lightning bolt. "Can't we go through one of Jarlaxle's secret passages or something? He has to have one around here somewhere."

"It is too late for that, they know we are here and will attack if we go that way," Pharaun replied.

"You mean he does?"

"Come!"

"I am!"

"There is another entrance on the other side of the city," Pharaun said.

"Great," Kristi said between breaths, "I hope you're wearing your running boots."

---------------------------------------------------

Jarlaxle stroked his chin thoughtfully as he regarded Alex. "Any ideas on how to prevent you friend from getting into trouble?"

"You're supposed to be helping me," Alex said.

"I am my dear, I am helping you stay alive in a city that would normally kill you. Isn't that enough?" He tilted his head slightly, was that lightning?

Alex jumped slightly. "What was that noise?"

"Strange," Jarlaxle said, "it's not a house invasion."

"Then what could it be?"

"Magical in nature," Jarlaxle said. "More than likely, lightning from a wizard. A very angry wizard." Turning to Alex, "my dear, can you sense your friend?"

"Pharaun blocked us, remember?"

"From speaking yes," Jarlaxle said, "but not from each other's emotions and presence."

"I can try to sense her then," Alex said.

"Please do," Jarlaxle said, watching her closely.

Alex closed her eyes and tried to sense her friend. "I can't she must have used a spell on herself to block her feeling from someone or something." Pausing, "I know the risk, but I am going to try and contact her."

-------------------------------------------------

Pharaun pulled on Kristi's arm again, leading them into an abandoned house, as another assault of lightning barely missed them. He was amazed that he hadn't pulled her arm out of the socket yet.

Kristi breathed heavily, her lungs dying for air and an ensuing sense of vomiting as she hunched over and rested her hands on her knees. "Now what? Could we
lure some of them in here and collapse the house on them?"

Pharaun leaned heavily against the wall. "No, they are too smart for that."

Walking over to him she grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "Get a hold of yourself! We have to think of something!" Grabbing a scimitar off the wall, "I sure as hell am not going to die in here!"

"We won't die," Pharaun said, "just let me catch my breath."

A blast outside the door shook the foundation.

"Well, I don't plan on being tortured of sacrificed either!" She paced frantically. "What if we combined magic? You know, a spell or," pausing, "Pharaun, let me contact Alex. She could help!" She reeled a bit as she felt Alex pushing against her shields.

"The spell I put on you will hurt you. Whoever contacts the other will be in great pain. You cannot risk it now. We have to get out of this first," Pharaun said.

"Then what are we going to do?" She narrowed her eyes and blocked Alex, not wanting her friend to get hurt.

The house started to shake and debris started falling from the ceiling.

"On my word, I want you to run down to the ally that is 3 streets from
here. I'll meet you there," Pharaun waited a moment and then gave her a push. "Go!"

Kristi started running, taking one last look at the crumbling house before her legs took over and before the house collapsed into a pile of rubble.

Alex growled. "I can't reach her."

Jarlaxle called in his drow mercenaries. "Find out what's going on. I want a status report immediately!" He dismissed them with a curt wave of his hand.

Alex pushed harder against the block. (Kristi! Kristi! I know you can hear me. What's going on!)

(Alex! Um...I'm running to an alley, uh pissed off drow, shaking house! You don't want to know!) Her legs kept moving her to the alley Pharaun instructed her too. She cringed as the house fell.

Alex's muscles tensed in pain. (I know, but I had to make sure you were okay)

She arrived in the alley. (I am. . .I'm in an alley, is it anywhere near you? Pharaun is supposed to meet me here.)

Mercenaries ran into the room and whispered to Jarlaxle.

Alex gritted her teeth as the pain became greater. (You're alone!)

(Yes, and if the pain is too much you can stop, but I need to know where I can go that's relatively safe if Pharaun doesn't show up.)

(I'll find out.) She looked to Jarlaxle. "Where can she go?"

"Where is she?"

(Kristi, where are you? He needs to know.) She hissed slightly in pain.

(I'm at an alley three blocks away from an abandoned newly collapsed house.)

Alex closed her eyes and tried to ignore the pain. "Three blocks away from the collapsed house. Pharaun was supposed to meet her."

"Tell her there is a secret compartment on the 13th stone, it should be blue, tell her to tap it twice. It will keep her relatively safe," Jarlaxle said, moving closer to Alex.

(Kristi. . .13th stone…blue…tap it twice…) Alex fell unconscious as the spell of pain overtook her body. Fortunately, Jarlaxle was right there to catch her.

Where the hell is Pharaun! She winced as she felt the connection break and whispered, "Thank you Alex." She tapped on the stone and settled into the small compartment, shivering slightly as she gripped the scimitar that she didn't realize she actually grabbed from the house.

Pharaun ran into the alley, looking somewhat singed and battered as he looked from Kristi.

Kristi sensed Pharaun as he entered the alley. (By the gods you're
alive!)

(Barely…where are you?)

(Tap twice on the blue 13th stone. I'm in a secret compartment.)

(Thank you.) He stumbled to the stone and tapped it; practically falling into the compartment once it opened.

Kristi tossed the scimitar to the side as she caught the drow, a stunned look on her face. "Well, this is a change."

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah I'm fine," Kristi said. "What about you? How did you get out?"

"It wasn't easy," Pharaun replied. He tried bracing himself against the wall and held back a groan.

Well, now you know how I feel. "What's wrong? I've been around you long enough to know that you're not all right."

"My leg," Pharaun motioned to it. "I was cut by a falling piece of stone. It will not support me much longer."

Kristi tore a piece of her cloak and tightened it around his leg. "Then we have to get you to a safer place." She shifted as she felt a fluttering of Alex's pain.

"We cannot leave yet. They are inside the alley looking for us. We must wait them out," Pharaun said.

Kristi sighed. "Fine, I can wait. Patience is one thing I'm good at." She sat back and motioned for him to do the same.

Leaning her head against the wall. "I'm going to meditate. You might want to put yourself in a healing trance or something so they don't sense us," Kristi said, starting to imagine herself elsewhere.

Pharaun nodded, already a step ahead of her. "Of course." He sighed and relaxed his body, entering a light, but watchful reverie.

---------------------------------------------------------

Alex stirred and groaned in pain.

Jarlaxle had since laid her down onto a bed. "Are you all right my dear?"

Alex grabbed at her head and squeezed her eyes shut even more. "It hurts."

"If we can find Pharaun perhaps he could ease the pain," Jarlaxle offered.

Alex curled up on her side, tears starting to leak out of her eyes. "The pain," she trailed off, groaning again. "How long will this last? I can't take much more of this," she sobbed out. Her muscles tensed in a spasm of pain.

Jarlaxle placed his hand on her forehead. "I'm assuming this spell was meant for
your friend, though you must bare it."

Alex tried to nod, but that only sent another wave of pain through her and she cried out. "Yes, I knew the risk."

"You must bare the pain."

"Yes, I know," she groaned again, "but is there anything you can do to lighten it?"

"Though I am skilled I cannot bypass the spell of a wizard, especially one as strong as this. I can only stay and assist you through this," Jarlaxle replied.

"I.I..I can't take this pain. I know I must, but it's too intense," Alex whimpered.

Jarlaxle stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I know of a spell which can reverse pain to another."

Looking to him, "what do you mean?"

"Oh nothing," Jarlaxle said, "forget I mentioned it." He watched as her pain increased even more.

"Stop toying with me!"

"Well," he removed a darkened sapphire from his pocket, "if you hold onto this and the pain will transfer elsewhere."

"Elsewhere?"

"Just to the other half of the spell," he continued, "nothing really, I just remembered it." He noticed the pain was still increasing.

"Other half? You mean Kristi?"

"Yes, she would only feel slight pain, after all she is quite resistant to it by now," he said.

Alex cringed. "It...it will not affect her as it is affecting me will it? I cannot endanger my friend anymore."

"Of course not," Jarlaxle said smoothly. She has a fairly high tolerance of pain.

"And you promise me this?"

"I promise what I say," Jarlaxle said, his eyes glittering like the gem in his hand.

"Then I accept," she said, holding out her trembling hand.

Jarlaxle handed her the gem with a smile.

---------------------------------------------------

Kristi jolted out of her meditative trance and clamped a hand over her mouth as a scream of surprise threatened to let loose.

Pharaun came out of his reverie and looked over to Kristi in surprise. "Are you
all right, child?"

She shakily removed her hand from her mouth. "Yes, I'm okay." She felt an intense pain in her head, like a migraine from hell and it penetrated her mind, causing reality and images in her mind to blur. She saw Pain in her mind and she stared ahead, eyes wide.

Pharaun edged over to her. "My dear, are you sure you are okay? They did not touch you with a spell did they?" The last thing he needed was their position given away.

Kristi squeezed her eyes shut. "No it's not them...it's elsewhere..." She tried to shut out the images in her mind but couldn't.

"My dear tell me, what is the matter? I may be able to heal it," Pharaun said.

Kristi trembled and stared straight ahead. "But the ones looking for us may sense us if you try to heal me," she said weakly.

"That is a risk I am willing to take…now what troubles you?"

"It's Alex...she was," she stopped to try and sense her friend, "tricked…now she seeks to remedy it." Grimacing, "but it's too late."

"Too late?"

"The failsafe in your own spell of contact, if any one of us attempts to help the
other the other will only feel more pain," Kristi explained. She covered her mouth again as pain started taking over other parts of her body. "It's a puzzle…she has to want to wish
pain on me to make it go away," she continued, falling to her side to writhe in pain.

"But from what I have seen of the two of you, she cares for you deeply. She would not do such a thing," Pharaun said.

"Exactly," Kristi managed to murmur.

"Do not give out on me now," Pharaun said, slightly annoyed. "Not until we get back to my chambers, only then may you rest."

Kristi growled, "I'm not giving up."

----------------------------------------------------

"Oh yes, I forgot to mention that you yourself will suffer mental anguish and be physically weak once the gem is in use," Jarlaxle said nonchalantly.

Alex whispered weakly, "How could you?"

"I only promised what I said my dear," Jarlaxle said easily.

Alex sat up and tried to lunge at him, but only managed to fall forward.

Jarlaxle caught her easily. "My dear you'll have to do better than that."

"I.. I…" She dropped the stone and again tried to hit him, but failed.

Jarlaxle smiled as he caught her arm in mid-strike. "But the pain stopped, did it not?"

"It did, but now you endanger Kristi and Pharaun," Alex said.

"So? They are in a safe compartment," Jarlaxle said.

Alex groaned and fell to her knees as some of the pain returned to her.

"Now that's odd…"

Alex glared up to him. "What is so odd?"

"The dark sapphire is supposed to prevent all pain from the one who wishes it away," Jarlaxle said.

"I did wish it away, but not for my friend to be harmed," Alex said. She picked up the gem and tried using its energy to send the pain to him.

Jarlaxle sighed. "My dear that will not work. But," he smiled, "why don't you keep trying?"

Alex glared. "I do not want to harm her," she tried sending the energy toward him again, but then stopped. "Wait…if you do not feel the pain, then…oh good god, Kristi!" She dropped the stone. "You bastard."

Jarlaxle merely smiled.

---------------------------------------

The sending of the physical pain abruptly stopped and Kristi murmured, "Oh thank god." Mental pain however still fogged her mind.

Pharaun noticed Kristi's drow body relax slightly. "What happened? Did the pain diminish?"

Kristi stared unblinkingly. "She figured out the physical pain, but the mental...still rages on within me."

Pharaun extended his hands, placing one on each side of her head on the temples, and slowly, silently chanted a spell of healing. Kristi looked to him dizzily knowing this would weaken the both of them and fell toward him as her eyes rolled back into her head still slightly tormented with nightmares.

Pharaun caught her and cradled her in his arms, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. "You do make a beautiful drow."

Kristi tried murmuring a response, but Pharaun hushed her. "Kristi, rest. You need to rest in order to get out of here."

He finally stopped calling me child. Allowing the darkness to overtake her, she fell into a restless sleep.

-----------------------------------------------

"Why! I am too weak to attack you in any way. So just tell me, why!"

"Why?" Jarlaxle regarded her with a critical eye. If you remember correctly my dear, you must learn to accept suffering, whether it is your own or your friend's."

"You are nothing but a heartless bastard," Alex said.

"Really my dear?"

"What is it that you truly want from me? I can sense that you want more from me, but as to what. I do not know," Alex said.

"I want your obedience and cooperation," Jarlaxle said. And so much more…

"Obedience? You think that I am some kind of animal that you can display around and will listen and obey your every word?"

"I did not mean it like that," Jarlaxle said. "Then again, it is better to be an animal with freedom than one that is caged with no hope. Accept the fact that we are all animals being held by one leash or another."

"Don't give me that," Alex bristled. "What is it that you really want!"

"I don't want to be alone!" Jarlaxle stood in a rash emotion, half of him trying to figure out why he acted such and the other half justifying the outburst as an ulterior motive.

Alex was shocked by the comment and stared at him before speaking. "But, I thought to be a drow is to be alone. You told me yourself 'never trust another drow.' How can you say such and still want us to become like you?"

"It is true that I said that, but you must become like us to survive for now," Jarlaxle said.

"From what I read in the books you gave me, it is forbidden to have feelings for someone of a different race," Alex said. "And why me? What is so special about
me? I hold no powers."

"You do hold power my dear and that is what is so intriguing about you," Jarlaxle said. "In society we each have a certain amount of power, you overlook yours and somehow remain strong."

Alex looked to his questioningly.

"You seem puzzled."

"I...I do not understand what you mean," Alex said.

"Inside you have an 'inner power.' We do not have a word for it here, but I believe you humans call it a 'conscience'. Though it may hinder you, it keeps you strong," Jarlaxle said.

Alex sighed. "I thought it made me weak."

"It does," Jarlaxle said, "but it can also act as a source of strength."

Alex mumbled, "strength."

Jarlaxle turned to face her. "Yes a strength, you possessed it when I first met you but it has been shadowed. Look within yourself and find its strength."

"I have not been able to remain strong here," Alex said. "If it were not for Kristi I would have given in long ago."

"Perhaps, but consider this, would it not also be the same with her as well?"

Alex looked into his eyes. "Help me, help me be strong. Kristi's the strong one. She holds the strength for the both of us and she shouldn't have to."

"I have been helping you," Jarlaxle said walking to her. "And one day you should ask your friend what her strength is, consider that and maybe you will find yours. Until then I will continue to aid you."

-------------------------------------------------

Several minutes passed and Pharaun looked down. "Kristi," he nudged her awake, "can you move, child?"

Opening her eyes, "yes. Is it safe?"

"Yes," he said, then helped her to stand. "If we can make it to my chambers we will be completely safe."

"Let's go then," Kristi said.

"Come, we must move quickly," Pharaun said motioning for her to follow.

Kristi followed him through the compartment wall and tries to stealthily imitate his movements, which were barely hindered by his injured leg.

"We are almost there, only a few more streets to go," he said before ducking behind a building filled with orcs and other creatures.

Kristi just stared at the creatures in awed shock, so that's what they look like…

Pharaun led them into another alley, practically dragging Kristi behind him when he saw three drow passing ahead of them.

Kristi whispered, "Are they the ones looking for us?"

"Yes, stay close," Pharaun said quietly, his voice just above a whisper.

Kristi hid behind him and tried not to fidget in nervousness. She realized she was holding her breath and let it out slowly. "Are they gone?"

Pharaun peeked out of the alley. "Yes, come." He slowly proceeded ahead and Kristi followed. Sorcere could be seen in the distance.

"We will take the back and hidden entrance," Pharaun said.

"Good," Kristi said, "with our luck there's probably a trap set in front." Pausing, "but if they have a wizard with them, won't he know about the back, secret entrance?"

Now it was Pharaun's turn to pause. "You may be right, we'll just have to be quicker than them."

"Wouldn't it just be better to head back to Jarlaxle's hideout and think of something there?"

"You are right," Pharaun said after a moment. He motioned for her to follow to Jarlaxle's hideout.

Finally, we agree on something.

----------------------------------------------

"How are you feeling my dear?" Jarlaxle said, regarding Alex's silence. "Better I hope."

"Yes, a little better. It is just a dull pain now," she said.

"Good," he paused as a drow entered the room and whispered to him. "I wonder, where Pharaun and your friend are now? They're not in that compartment anymore."

"They aren't?"

Jarlaxle shook his head. "Perhaps they're trying to make it back to Sorcere."

"And if they are?"

"More than likely the ones that are after them have set a trap," Jarlaxle said.

Alex's eyes widened in shock. "A trap! We need to help them then."

"They can help themselves, if we were caught we would be in trouble for helping them."

"But if we don't help they could be killed!"

"Well, I doubt they would be killed."

"And what do you mean by that?"

"If they were caught they'd probably only be tortured, possibly sacrificed, but I have no doubt they have a few tricks up their sleeves," Jarlaxle said with a nod.

"Thank you for the very reassuring thought," Alex said with a roll of her eyes.

Jarlaxle smiled. "You must try to be optimistic."

"I am optimistic," Alex said.

"Your eyes betray your optimism," Jarlaxle said, "You worry about your friend."

"Am I not supposed to worry?"

"If they haven't caught them by now there's a good chance they're all right," Jarlaxle said, "hence there is no need to worry at the moment."

Alex just nodded.

"Do not worry my dear, I am sure that they're fine. Perhaps later you'll be able to contact them," Jarlaxle said trailing off.

"What do you mean by that? I can't contact her?"

"No you cannot, not mentally and without myself or Pharaun's permission," Jarlaxle said, "but with the help of a magical gem it could be possible."

"And there are no tricks involved this time?"

"No, but you must wait a bit and give them time to rest."

Alex mumbled, "but can I trust you this time?"

"I would have to be in the room with your conversation, but yes, you can trust me for that conversation," Jarlaxle replied.

"But why must you be present?"

"The gem reacts to my presence, I must be near it."

Alex nodded. "I see." She secretly started to plan a way around that problem.

"I'll go retrieve the gem. You stay here and relax," Jarlaxle said, heading to the door.

-------------------------------------------

Pharaun and Kristi walked for what seemed like an hour before they finally came to the entrance of Jarlaxle's hideaway."

"Finally," Kristi sighed in relief, "that drow must really be paranoid to have this long walk, but I'm glad for his paranoia."

"We will be able to return to my chambers from here," Pharaun said.

Kristi nodded. "Okay then, let's head there."

Pharaun walked down a corridor and stopped in front of a wall.

"Secret doorway?"

Pharaun nodded. "After you my dear."

Kristi gave him 'a look', but muttered a spell causing the hidden doorway to open.

The drow just smiled in reply. They walked a short distance and finally entered his chambers.

"So, now what are we going to do?"

"Rest," Pharaun replied, sitting down in his chair, "I think my sister was using a spell to drain me of my energy."

Kristi looked to his leg and motioned to it. "Do you want me to heal that for you?"

"You want to help me?"

Kristi shrugged. "Why not? I mean, you helped me out even though you may not admit it, and now I'll help you out--I mean it's no big deal to me at least, I help people out all the time."

"So be it," he quietly mumbled thanks, but said aloud, "Kindness is not known among the drow."

Kneeling next to his leg, "well, kindness is something I do. I don't need any society, human or drow to tell me otherwise." She covered the wound gently with her hands and chanted a spell of healing that she read. Closing her eyes, she removed her hands and watched the wound slowly mend itself.

Pharaun tensed at the short burst of pain, but then immediately relaxed when the pain disappeared.

"There," Kristi stood, "you should be fine in about an hour. I took care of that whole energy-draining thing too. You still might want to rest though."

"You should rest also my dear," Pharaun said. "You look pale."

"Can I contact Alex? I just want her to know that I'm okay," she said. And I want to make sure she's okay.

"After what we have been through today, I feel that I can trust you, but hear this. If I find out that you have plotted against me your punishment will be most painful," Pharaun forewarned.

"I'm too tired to plot," Kristi said. "Don't you have some kind of enchanted gem to speak through or something?"

Pharaun rummaged through his desk and handed her a gem and scroll. "Read the words on the scroll and you will be able to contact your friend. If I know Jarlaxle he will have given her the other gem."

"Thanks," she said, watching him head to his bedchambers. Unfurling the scroll she proceeded to chant, setting the gem aside so that she could see Alex within its reflective sheen.

Jarlaxle entered the room where Alex resided and handed her a gem. "Here, I believe your friend has one just like it. Since she is the one initiating the spell of contact, my presence is not required," he said before abruptly leaving.

"Thank you," Alex said looking to his exit oddly.

A voice sounded from the gem. "Hey Alex!"

Alex looked down to see Kristi's image reflected. "I'm glad to see that you're okay."

"And I you," Kristi said. She couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"Just the look you gave the door," she said snickering, "let me guess, paranoid Jarlaxle?"

"No," Alex said, "paranoid me."

"Ah," Kristi said, "I'm finding that paranoia seems to be a good thing down here."

"True true," Alex said. "What happened earlier?"

Kristi noticeably paused; trying to figure out the best way to word what happened.

"Pharaun took me to a tavern with nobles to 'celebrate,'" she made quotes with her fingers, "but his sister who wants to kill him showed up. I tried talking to her, but I think both he and I pissed her off, so we kind of ran. They chased us; we had to hide and finally made our way here. What about you? Are you okay?"

"A sister that wants to kill him? Wait, I don't want to know," Alex said shaking her head. "Yes, I am okay now. I'm sorry about what happened when you were in the hidden chamber."

"Trust me you don't want to know," Kristi said. "And don't worry about the pain thing, I'm fine now."

"I know you are okay, but it is the principle of the thing," Alex said.

"What happened?"

Alex looked away and then back to her friend. "I was tricked."

"That's what I thought," Kristi said, "but there's something else isn't there?"

"Jarlaxle said he had a gem to lessen the pain. I asked many time to make sure there were no hidden tricks, but he tricked me," Alex said.

"He's a tricky drow, almost as good as me," Kristi said. In a serious tone, "there's something wrong. What is it Alex? Please tell me."

"We need to get out of here ASAP," Alex said, "Otherwise I do not think he will let me go."

"What do you mean?"

"Jarlaxle was telling me about how he does not want to be alone," Alex said. "I know I must be strong and I am but-"

"You are strong Alex! You must believe that," Kristi pleaded, and then paused. "But what?"

"All this darkness is taking its toll."

"I know," Kristi said trailing off.

Looking to her friend sadly, "Kristi, we need to leave. I am afraid of what will happen if we stay any longer."

"I've been formulating an idea," Kristi said. "For one thing we can't meet with the Matron Mother It's too risky now. Jarlaxle can basically go to the Surface and make deals and such and Pharaun is an exile and the wizards here would have no problem probably let him jaunt to the surface…something like this could work."

Pharaun sat in his chambers with Jarlaxle and secretly listened in on the conversation.

"Interesting proposition she proposes."

"That it is," Pharaun said.

"It just may work."

Kristi sighed and rubbed her temples. "I'm too tired to plan anything more." Pausing, "I once heard an expression by Nietzsche, "if you stare into the abyss for too long it stares back into you". I'm really starting to understand what he meant."

"As strong as we may be, this darkness will eventually wear us down," Alex whispered.

"Not if we wear it down first," Kristi said.

"But can we risk it?"

"We may have to," Kristi said, "after seeing what happened today with a pissed off priestess, I'm not sure if we could take the wrath of the Matron Mother."

Pharaun smiled as he watched the two in his master gem. "It seems that they are not as tamed as we think."

"Perhaps," Jarlaxle mused.

"Should we let them be?"

"They grow more rebellious with each moment they talk."

"Let us see what they have planned," Pharaun said.

"What are you hinting at?" Alex squinted at the gem, "I can see that you're thinking of something."

"Nothing and everything my friend."

"The dark haired one is being cryptic again," Pharaun said with a sigh.

"Ever the sly one."

Alex stared, "you've lost me."

"I lose myself sometimes as well," Kristi said with a smile.

Jarlaxle shifted. "Do you think she may be on to us?"

"I doubt it, I put up a spell that would block her from sensing us."

"Didn't you mention that she snuck around in your chambers? Are you sure you know everything that she looked at?"

"No, I do not know everything. But do not worry, this spell cannot be dispelled, not even by the priestesses," Pharaun said.

"Yes, but what about a human?"

Pharaun visibly paused.

Alex smacked her forehead in frustration at her friend's reply and laughed. "You are really difficult sometimes, you know that right?"

"Yeah, I know," Kristi grinned, "but sometimes being difficult is easy, while being easy is hard. "Think about it, it may confuse some but to others… it confuses them even more."

Alex thought very carefully about what her friend just said, "I see what you mean."

"I'm glad," Kristi smiled.

"It seemed she does know and is trying to tell the fair-haired one," Pharaun glowered.

Jarlaxle sighed. "And Ii would wager that the fair haired one now knows."

"So what do you suggest we do?"

"Well Alex, just rely on ingenuity, a bit of luck, and the ever amazing tenacity of will and spirit. That and the fact that we aren't exactly the run of the mill people, but you already knew that."

"You do know that luck is hard to come by?"

"Ah luck, did I mention I don't believe in it? It just believes in me."

"Should we end this now?"

"I believe that we should. The dark haired one is becoming far too philosophical for my liking," Jarlaxle said.

"Don't remind me," Pharaun muttered.

Jarlaxle smiled at the mutter and went to retrieve the gem from Alex.

Kristi felt the power of the gem lessening and watched her friend's image start to fade. "Until we meet again Alex."

"Until we meet again."

Author's Note: I always feel some sense of sweet victory when I finish editing a chapter. The same can be said for the above. Thank you to those who have accompanied us on this journey so far…we have a long way to go. I'm sure you can endure.

Next chapter, Kristi and Alex undergo more training…so it's guaranteed to be action packed!