The ruins of my childhood home still sat there as they did 10 years ago - glamoured to the rest of the world with the lingering magic of my family. The magic that only I carry.

Nature has taken back much of the house in the 10 years that have passed.

It has been 10 years since I lived here. Since I left all this behind. I ran away, while my family died in the fire.

My brother.

It was Lucas' idea to portal me out of the house. But he chose to stay back.

It should have been him that survived, and he would have, if not for his stupid selflessness that came with being a keeper in a world of seekers. He was the only Casterwill keeper in our generation. Parents should have listened to him and evacuated earlier, but they didn't, so we were ambushed in the mansion. They probably died, rather than be taken by the organization. But there is no grave to visit or ashes to scatter.

Just ruins of the only home I have known...

"We have company, Soph!" Cherit warned, urgency in his voice as he flew back to my shoulder and stretched his snow-white wings. The gargoyle had spotted other seekers closing in on me.

Powerscan.

5 seekers and 3 summoned titans.

I debated going into the rubble of my home so they would have to split up to search for me and I could pick them off one by one, or to meet them head-on and test just how well I have learned the spell Cherit recently taught me - Dusksleep. It would disarm and put them to sleep and as long as I don't attack them myself, they would stay asleep until I'm out of range to keep it on them.

My power sang to me under my skin and I could feel it, urging me to fight and unleash it. The only compass that has never led me astray.

I guess today I am choosing violence.

"Don't put us to sleep!" a raspy male voice boomed from a distance. "We aren't here to harm you."

"Yeah, right!" I shouted back and sprinted for the ruins of my home. When I turned around to check if Cherit was keeping up, I saw him hovering high above the ruins.

"Cherit, get down!" I whispered, willing him to my side.

He… He tried to fight my command. That is a first.

Once he hovered to my hiding spot his eyes were wider than I had ever seen them.

"You can trust them Sophie. They are from the Huntik Foundation and they won't hurt you."

"How do you know that Cherit? How can you be sure" I asked, clearly distrusting his judgment.

"I would recognize Dante Vale anywhere. If they send him to retrieve you, things are really serious. You can't run forever," he explained.

"Go talk to him, if you are so sure. I am not getting out of here until I can feel all their titans recalled. Make him do that and I'll show my face. " I said and Cherit stretched his wing and flew off.

A few moments later I heard shouts. To make sure the titans were gone, I casted Powerscan, every few steps as I was walking in the direction Cherit flew in.

"You certainly know how to evade attacks, Sophie Casterwill. Cherit taught you well." a tall man with a ridiculous mustard trench coat shouted. "But you have been evading friendly faces as well."

"I don't know how 5 men and three titans encircling me is considered a friendly approach," is all I offered back, keeping a good 20-meter distance between myself and the seekers before me. "What do you want with me?"

"We want you to attend the Huntik Seeker Academy this year. We are desperate to find the rest of your family before the Organization does. Everything will come down to who can find the Casterwill elders or you for that matter." Dante Vale conceded.

"What are you going to teach me in your Academy? I can clearly take on most of your recruits. And evade all of the ones you sent after me in the past years,"

"We are going to teach you how to find your titans and when you are ready we will help you retrieve your birthright - the twin-titans Sabriel and Sorcerel. They will only bond to the Casterwill Heir after all."

"You want to find your family as well Sophie, this will be beneficial for both sides. Dante can teach you a lot more than I can," Cherit urged. I bet he told them about my plans with the titans as well.

I nodded my agreement regardless, when a shadow appeared by my side. I immediately shielded myself and Cherit.

Truthteller, I whispered and stomped my foot ever so slightly, sending a wave of power through the clearing.

Nothing changed, but the shadows which used to cover the woman next to me were revealed a young woman with dark hair and piercing green eyes. A blood mark was glowing on her wrist.

"You have a lot to learn, heir of Casterwill," was all the mysterious woman said as she made her way next to Dante.

"This is Zhalia Moon, one of the few very skilled Keepers at the Huntik Foundation," Dante introduced her.

Everyone, including the mysterious woman, stiffened when I took a step back, examining her mark more closely - the mark of the Organization.

"A Foundation Keeper, bearing the Mark of the Organization?" I snorted back at them in disbelief.

"She's a smart one, Dante. You don't give her enough credit," she noted, leaning on Dante.

"Zhalia is Huntik Foundation's best spy. And yes, she does have an Inactive Organization mark, for when she goes undercover." Dante explained.

He was telling the truth. I trust if I could uncover her glamour with my Truthteller spell, it was also working on Dante.

Cherit landed on my shoulder at that moment and clawed into my skin.

"We should get going, Gareon just alerted me that someone else is on her tracks. I would rather not get caught here," Zhalia urged, a large chameleon titan appearing on her own shoulder.

A portal flashed into existence next to the dark-haired woman.

"You can trust Dante and his team, Sophie. He and Eaton Lambert were your father's most trusted friends." Cherit reiterated into my ear.

"What will I get out of this?" I asked him back.

"You'll learn everything I can't teach you. And they will protect you," he replied

"Why, what do they want from me? Why would they protect me otherwise?"

"They just want to bring the Organization down and will want you to fight by their side. I don't think they will want much more from you. Mainly they just want you out of the Organization's clutches." Cherit explained.

"I guess it won't be too bad of a trade," I said aloud to everyone."I'm coming with you,"

I took a look at Dante and Zhalia once again. Zhalia was staring me down, and really intimidating, while Dante was constantly glancing between the two of us, worriedly.

I dared shrink the 20-meter distance I was maintaining all this time and stepped through the portal with Cherit on my shoulder, just like on that day 10 years ago, but this time we were followed by the seekers and Dante Vale. Zhalia closed the portal after she walked through it.

The building that was now in front of me was a near identical copy of what my home used to be.

"Looks familiar, huh? The Academy was a Casterwill safehouse some generations ago, but it was graciously gifted to the Huntik Foundation. You should feel right at home!" Dante spoke up, a little too cheery. I guess he was already celebrating catching me like some sort of trophy. They are seekers after all. But I could feel Zhalia's eyes on me still.

"Something's wrong with her," she barely whispered to Dante.

I was looking at the ruins of my home moments before, now before me was a near-identical copy. It was breaking my heart and messing with my brain.

"Welcome to the Academy, kid." was all Zhalia said, taking a step towards me. Everyone else fell into step behind Dante making their way to the entrance of the Academy.

My knees suddenly buckled, my vision blurred. All I heard after that was the soft steps of boots on the soft grass.