A fall of dust decended from above the High Lady's son. Atarka's eyes snapped open from his meditation. Forcing more power into his shield, he stood up from beside his father's marble coffin and levitated towards the back of the tomb. Raising his hand, he channeled his power into what seemed like a wall. It slid open. Immediately he clambered into the small makeshift alcove that opened out and disappeared behind the wall...

"I'm sure someone was just in here."

"You're turning deaf, Gaddin. Look here it is!" the Thieves? Atarka felt anger rise but then it ebbed as suddenly as it came. These people can't be the average Thief if they got in from the front entrance. They must have some magical power... Unless they have a Magician with them. Atarka shifted his position slightly to the left where there was a crack in the stone wall. Two men wrapped up in navy cloaks circled his father's grave, searching up and down.

"I thought you found it!"

"No, idiot I meant the grave."

"Anyone can find it, it's big, solid and in the middle of the room!"

"Shut up, you fool. Do you want the Magicians to come down here and skin you alive?" we have that kind of reputation? Atarka mused to himself but his smile fell as the two men tucked their hands underneath the coffin.

"Found it!"

"Are you sure you have-?"

"Look at it!" Atarka squinted against the wall. In one of the men's hands was a dagger encrusted with jewels. Atarka's throat constricted, they have found his father's Ichani dagger...

Hewend panted. Crap, they're stronger than they look.

"'s that all you got, boy? I thought Black Magicians were supposed to be stronger than this!" the man holding Etaria captive sneeered, pushing his knife further up the girl's throat. A small trail of blood trickled down her pale throat. Hewend's eyes narrowed.

"You're not a very honorable fighter, having a girl held captive as means to cripple me," Hewend said as casually as possible whilst searching for weak spots in his enemies' shield. He knew he had to tred carefully. At the moment, the kidnapper is draining Etaria's power out slowly using Black Magic, there's no way she could defend herself. The Novice Black Magician's heart clenched, these could be Ichani!

"Oh? I would call this tactic, boy. It's working very well too. Tell you what, I'll offer you a trade. All we want, is the High Lady. If you can tell her to get here before I drain this pretty girl's power dry, I'll release my captive. If she doesn't, well, do I even need to spell it out-?"

"Spoken for?" Hewend spun round. He didn't even notice her presence. Behind him stood the High Lady, her black robe billowing fiercely around her thin frame. Despite her body, her face was framed with cold, raw anger.

"You wanted me? What makes you think that you have the superiority let alone power to claim me?" Sonea's voice stretched out deadly soft but with command.

"Ah, the price is here! Let's get down to business then!"

SORRY FOR THE WAIIIIIIIIIT. Lots of things preoccupying me reccently, dearly sorry faithful readers! Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter, IT WILL BE FINISHED!

Shaari