a/n: here you go all you patient waiters and excellent reviewers! you guys are awesome! Thanks especially to WebofDreams, eleven-jewel, IssyArkarian, irule, and tupalicious, and whoever else i forgot! and sarah, my bff who's now reading this too!

disclaimer: Wish I did, but ownI don't.

"Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes."

Isabel

There's a meeting after school at Arkarian's chambers. Matt, I can tell, is especially worried. He's been quiet all day. Usually he's asked me if I'm too stressed or tired five times by now.

Even Neriah caught up with me in the hallway and mumbled "Okay…Matt hasn't asked me how I'm feeling all day. Only once this morning. What's wrong with him?"

This new, quiet Matt worries me.

He's not here yet, and neither is Neriah. Her mom has been living in Athens with the Tribunal for protection, and so has Neriah. I know it's stressful for her, having to travel back and forth between the realms everyday. Matt still lives with us, because he still doesn't completely trust Jimmy to watch over me.

Grrr. Not that I NEED watching over.

Don't get me wrong- I don't mind him living here. I'd miss him terribly, and he's become a lot better now that he's got Neriah and the rest of the Named to worry over.

Shaun and Jimmy are over by the sphere watching history unfold. Shaun's got a leg muscle that aches, and I can't heal. Arkarian says that that's old age in the making. Even with the extent of my powers, I can't stop the aches and pains that come with age. Lessen them, maybe, but never erase them completely. Maybe it's good that I'm never going to get old.

Rochelle and Ethan are sitting off to the side in chairs facing one another, only their knees touching and leaning towards each other, in deep conversation. Rochelle looks troubled- I know that Carter was the one to drag her off into the demons' pit to die so she wouldn't tell anyone (us) that he was the traitor.

Is a traitor actually.

I thought Lathenia had turned good or something, at least from what Rochelle said after she came back from death. I also know that Rochelle's step mom left last night. She got a job offer in New Zealand for a few months, an opportunity that she just "couldn't pass up". Even for her stepdaughter. Rochelle stayed to be near Angel Falls, and finish out high school. She and her step-mom were never close, but she still has an empty house to contend with.

And I know how much people leaving can hurt.

As I watch, Ethan reaches out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling gently. She smiles at last too, and pushes her cheek into his palm.

"Found them." Arkarian announces suddenly, coming into the chamber.

"Found what?" Ethan asks curiously.

"These things. Edible things." Arkarian holds up a large red bag.

"Snacks," I translate, snaking an arm around his waist.

"Since when do we have Doritos at these meetings?" Rochelle asks, taking a chip.

"Since Isabel went out and bought them." Arkarian puts his arm around my shoulders. "It's combat food."

"Comfort food." I correct softly.

"Whatever." Arkarian rolls his eyes in a remarkably good imitation of me. I smack his shoulder lightly. Honestly, whether they're 6 or 600, boys never change.

Matt comes in then, leading Neriah by the hand. In any other case, someone would make a crack about them coming in late together, but from Matt's expression now is not the time.

"Did you at least make the bed?"

Of course, that doesn't stop Dillon.

"What's going on, Matt?" Ethan says quickly, trying to save his friend's life.

It works. Matt sits at the head of the table and puts the typical could-screen on the meeting. "So Lathenia brought back Carter," he says calmly, as though announcing that it was sunny out. "To carry out her work."

"I don't mean to make light of this, but…it's only Carter." Jimmy speaks first. "He's not immortal, and he has no wizard now that Keziah is dead. He is only one of us, with a few wren."

"True. That being said, there is a choice to be made." Matt says softly. I exchange a glance with Arkarian. He doesn't look curious or anxious. Why am I not surprised that he knows exactly what's going on?

"We can always recruit new Guard members," Matt says. "And your part in the prophecy is done. By rights, I should let you leave the Guard if you wish."

The silence is deafening.

"Neriah and I are obviously in it for the long haul." He smiles and takes her hand. "Arkarian?"

"Even if I could go anywhere else I wouldn't. The Guard is my life. Whatever you need, Matt, I'm here."

"Thank you." Matt smiles gratefully. He's always depended on Arkarian's support. Besides, my boyfriend has a point: where else would a blue-haired, purple-eyed boy fit in? "Isabel?"

I don't even hesitate. "I stay with Arkarian. And my brother."

"Look, Rochelle, Ethan…" Matt turns to them. "You could have a normal life. College, kids, safety…"

"Sounds kind of boring." Rochelle says thoughtfully, looking at Ethan.

"Yeah it does, actually." Ethan replies, pretending to look just as thoughtful. "Besides, who says you can't have it all?" Rochelle smiles.

"That depends on who you are," Dillon points out. "I mean, I can have all the girls I want. But for someone like Ethan over here…well…"

The laughter breaks any remaining tension. "I've got all the girl I want right here." Ethan replies, wrapping his arms around Rochelle.

"Correction: all the girl you can handle-Ouch!"

Their voices are cut off by the world going black and readjusting. Searing pain fills the backs of my eyeballs. A hand grips mine, and I know it's Arkarian's. I hold on for dear life as the vision grabs hold.

The foul stench and scary darkness let me know that once again I'm in the demons' pit. Footsteps sound, and a man is running as fast as he can. Obviously he's been running and hiding for days, but even through the three-day stubble, I can recognize Mr. Carter. Oh, hell. Am I going to have to watch his death?

As it turns out, I'm not, for as the demon appears, backing Mr. Carter against the wall, there is a flurry of movement from above. Something huge drops down on the demon, and after a brief struggle, the demon stops moving.

Wait a minute. If Mr. Carter wasn't killed, then who…

He's looking up reverently at his hulking savior. I'm having a really bad feeling about who this is…

"Marduke." Carter says in a cracked voice. "What took you so long?"

"A few obstacles. Nothing that my mistress could not work around. Now get up, brother. We've got work to do."

The scene fades to Carter and Marduke standing in a chamber. Carter is leaning against the far wall. "What is it?"

Marduke is examining the thing at the center. "This, brother, is our future." At his finger snap, the thing jolts awake and I realize to my horror that it's alive. "A mixed breed of Wren and Demon-an obedient, ferocious killing machine."

It's about 6 foot tall, standing on two legs, the other two resembling human arms. It's a sickish brown-green, excellent for camouflage in the forest. From its back sprout leathery wings, and on top of the head are a few strands of stringy hair. It's truly a terror to behold.

Marduke is addressing it. "Who is your Master?" he asks.

"You are." Its voice is like gravel being crushed.

"And what is your mission?"

"To exterminate the Named."

Suddenly the vision lets me go and I am thrown backwards into Arkarian's arms. "What is it, Isabel?"

Unable to speak, I quickly begin pouring the images into the Truthseers' brains. It's all in glimpses and snippets, but the general idea comes through loud and clear:

It wasn't Carter than Lathenia brought back. Somehow, she brought back Marduke. And now, he's building an army.

"Wow," Ethan says, stunned after we tell him this. "Well, we sure as hell can't back out now."

"You can." Arkarian tells him softly. "No one will blame you. You've got so much left to do in life, normal things…going to the movies, shopping…" Arkarian is clearly going off the chick flicks that I've made him watch with me. "…Prom…"

And just like that, I see all thoughts of Marduke and demons leave Matt, Ethan, and Dillon for a second. And I don't need to be a Truthseer to read their thoughts:

Oh, hell. Prom.

duh-duh-duuh...as always, read and let me know what you think! exams are hectic, butI might be able to squeeze in a chapter this weekend. Imight just pray in math, because nothing else is really going to help...until next time...

-HaLo