Alderich and Alfonso both woke up the next morning around the same time, both entirely too weak to move, but powerful.

"Where am I?" Alfonso asked anyone in earshot.

"Bruma's Mages Guild," Isaiah replied from the darkness.

"Why can I not see?" Fons asked panicked. "Am I blind?"

"No idiot," Makenna said conjuring a fireball in his hand to light the room, "there are just no candles lit."

"Well, since I am on a roll with stupid questions anyway," Fons addressed Isaiah, "why can I not move?"

"Because," Osis said while lighting candles around the room, "you should both be dead."

"Well," Alderich said, "us beating the odds again. Anyone want to help me stand?"

"You should both stay put," Ryan said from the corner of the room.

"Fine," Alderich said, annoyed at the Breton, "I will arrange my own help. Xander, a little assistance?"

Alderich held up a hand and the temperature in the room dropped. A vortex of ice appeared on the floor next to Alderich's bed. The others watched as water separated from air, freezing as it did so. Feet and legs formed, a torso, arms and hands, all covered in icy spikes. Finally, a head. The Frost Monarch offered Alderich his hand. "Of course master."

"So you are already aware of your abilities?" Ryan questioned Alderich as he was supported by the Monarch Xander.

"Obviously," the elf replied, his irritation with the battlemage doing anything but subsiding. "Is Alfonso aware of his?"

Pryde stepped forward, "No, and you are not going to tell him."

Alderich turned to Fons, "How would you like to stand?"

"What? He going to help me?" Fons asked nodding at Xander.

Alderich shook his head. "Regardless of the fact he would freeze you solid on contact, no. You are going to help yourself."

"Alderich, stop!" Ryan shouted. "We do not know if he can control himself!"

Alderich raised his arm. The temperature rose. A vortex of flame appeared on the floor. A female figure sprouted from the swirling fire, a female figure covered in white hot flames. Daria stood to Alderich's left with arms crossed while Xander supported him from his right.

"We have it covered," Alderich said simply.

Ryan looked to Isaiah and Makenna who both nodded. Pryde submitted.

Alderich turned to Furey, "Let me ask you something Fons. Do you remember what the last thing that happened before you blacked out was?"

Alfonso thought about it. "I was... bitten by a vampire and a werewolf... But would that mean...?"

"Yes," Alderich answered, "it would."

Fons began roaring. Black fur sprouted all over his body and his muscles expanded. As he stood, his teeth turned into fangs. His snout did not lengthen as it would in a werewolf, but his canines continued to grow like a vampire's. Alfonso, now in the form of a vampiric werewolf, stood silently and looked himself over. To everyone's relief, he did not attack.

Alderich looked at his Monarchs, "Thank you very much you two, you are dismissed."

"Anytime Alderich," said Daria.

"And thank you for your assistance in our ascension," Xander said appreciatively.

"Not a problem," Alderich replied.

Just before the two Monarchs left, Jeanne Frasoric opened the door and looked in. "I hope everyone is feeling-" as she noticed Alderich's companions and Alfonso's... state, she backed away and slammed the door.

Xander and Daria disappeared to Oblivion in respective explosions of hot and cold laughing. Fons regressed back to his natural form, also laughing. "Now we know how to get rid of her," he said.

"I am impressed," Makenna said, "it appeared as if you had full consciousness."

"I do not know exactly what you just said," Fons returned, "but yeah, I knew what I was doing."

"Alright," Alderich said, irritation returning, "and my Monarchs are nothing."

"No one said that," Isaiah told him in response, "we are all just glad we did not get torn to ribbons."

"Now that you are both up and about," Makenna started, "how about we get to the hideout?"

"Sounds good," Alfonso said. Then he looked around the room. "Where's Thurod?"