Sorry this is late, my computer froze up, and then when I restarted it it froze again. (sigh)

Conception.creation: I'm glad you like Algus! Thanks for reviewing!

Shadowfire: Haha, don't have a heart attack, there. Thanks for the review! Oh, and for your second review: Yeah, I hate it when author's be mean. In a series of books (not fanfics), I've been writing and hope to get published someday, my sister's trying to convince me to kill off my protagonist, but I tell her that everyone will finish the book unhappy, then. Blah.

Ari: Can I call you that? Haha, I know how you feel, but it is fun to be a part of a fic as it's being created. Welcome to my fanfic! Thanks for your review!

Joeylejoker: Yeah, I don't much care about chapter length, but really long ones get on my nerves. Welcome to my fanfic, and thanks for reviewing!

Rated T for violence, language, torture, and darkness

Disclaimer: I don't own the Bartimaeus Trilogy, or the title, which is a song by Dragonforce. Any OC's, including Algus, Jard, and Gaia, are mine.

CH. 5

Much to my dismay, Gaia and Jard left and I was stuck in the pentacle.

I managed to semi-amuse myself. I changed forms and tried to peer about the dark room. But I couldn't find anything to help me unravel the Gaia Mystery.

I had to have sat there for hours, and was about to die of boredom, when I felt tugs on my essence. I was being re-summoned to my master.

Great.

I momentarily tried to resist, but it, of course, didn't make a difference. I appeared in a pentacle in a fancy-looking apartment.

Gaia looked at me levelly, his cold green eyes burning.

"Bartimaeus," he said, "I have a charge for you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kitty and Algus, under a man's guise, managed to question Mark Smithson. It wasn't easy to get into the prison, and they had to do a lot of sneaking and lying, but eventually they got to him all the same.

He proved only to be half-sane. When they asked why he was in prison he responded that he'd "returned to London to wreak quintessential revenge upon the blasphemous politicians" who had banished him for being insane.

Realizing Mark Smithson truly was crazy, they left for Spain and Stephen Hack.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

From my vantage point on top of a roof, I eyed the Coliseum, sitting there like the big, round target it was.

I glanced about, crouching low so I wouldn't be spotted. They city was crowded, of course, but it seemed the Coliseum wasn't open for tourists yet.

In case you hadn't guessed it by now, my charge was to attack this place. Much to my horror, Jard had been sent to accompany me.

"This is so exciting!" the ugly little fat blue imp squeaked. I hadn't heard him talk before. Unfortunately , he seemed rather fond of it now.

I continued surveying the structure, deciding where I'd hit it.

Jard scrunched up his piggish face. "Why do you always wear that ugly form?"

I looked at him. Since I was with Kitty, being Ptolemy almost felt effortless. I never really noticed. And now Ptolemy's official uniform was London clothes (I hope he doesn't mind). No more white loincloth, as handsome as he was in it. Also, being Ptolemy reminded me of Kitty, and I missed her so much.

The fat imp frowned, a big line in his rolls of chub. He was probably about to say something, but I stood up and fired a Detonation. It smashed into the Coliseum.

The spirit equivalent of adrenaline burst through my essence. I fired more and more, hitting the building all over the walls.

Panic broke out below me. People began screaming and running.

Jard too let out a scream, which momentarily surprised me. I didn't have long to think about it , however, because I was slammed into from behind.

Me and my attacker flew forward, hit off the top of the Coliseum, and landed on the inside.

I hit the ground, in the middle of the maze of walls, which were also cages. My attacker blasted me with magic, and I was thrown back again.

I sat up. I had been assaulted by an afrit in the form of a black bear with spikes along its back. I have one word to describe him: scary.

I guess the local security was magicians. I stood up, preparing myself.

The bear was on me like lightning. A heavy paw knocked my chest and I crashed through the stone cages. Big and fast aren't a good combination.

I jumped up on top of a wall to avoid another attack, firing three Detonations.

They sent him sprawling back, but he still managed to shoot his own magical attack.

I tried to dodge, but it caught my side. The sheer power of it sent me flying into the audience stands, making a nice hole in the rock.

I looked up to see the bear coming at me again, sailing through the air on huge black wings (holy sh-!).

I threw myself to the side as he landed where I was, snarling. He wasn't much of a talker.

I ripped up two slabs of stone and hurled them at him. He knocked one wide but the other crashed into his jaw.

Jard was flying in panicky circles. It was really annoying, so I was glad when he flew off.

The bear lumbered towards me, red eyes burning. This guy was, to put it in mild terms, lethal.

I turned and ran. I can move much faster than any human, so my surroundings whizzed by me.

I could hear the afrit's paws pounding the stone close behind. I needed a weapon. I needed silver. There was none around here, obviously. But maybe nearby . . .

I launched myself onto the edge of the Coliseum, looking down at the city. I quickly spotted what I was looking for and jumped down.

I ran over to a rich-looking lady who was unfortunately wearing a shiny silver necklace. She looked at me (snootily, I might add) as I raced up.

In one move I gripped her necklace (ow!) and ripped it from her neck. She screamed. I launched myself back onto the top of the Coliseum (ow!ow!) and glanced around for the bear.

But the bear found me first. A blast of magic sent me slamming into the audience stands, rocks flying. The necklace flew from my hand.

The afrit was immediately over me, claws sinking into my essence I screamed. I struggled to get away as he tore at me. It hurt so, so bad. His teeth sank into Ptolemy's shoulder and threw me.

I hit the rock and rolled down a few levels. Once I stopped, I didn't get back up.

The afrit lumbered over to me, teeth bared. I suddenly realized I was going to die. The fact should've been calming, a relief almost, to the pain and the overall bad situation I was in. But instead, it filled me with panic. What would Kitty do if I was gone?

I glanced around helplessly when something shiny caught my eye. It was the silver necklace. I stretched out my arm towards it, and Ptolemy's middle finger barely got it.

As I yanked it to me, the bear noticed and charged forward. With a shout I hurled it forward into the bear's open jaws.

The effect was immediate. He pulled up, roaring in pain. He began to fold in on himself, turning mushy.

I rested my head back, closing my eyes. Relief washed over me.

And then I was resummoned. Damn, it was so painful, but I didn't want Gaia to see. As I appeared in the fancy apartment, I gritted my teeth, resisting the scream that was trying to claw its way out of my throat.

Panic seized Gaia's green eyes.

"Oh no!" Jard squealed. "Oh no, oh no!"

I lay on the floor, squeezing my eyes shut and slightly writhing. I was in complete agony.

A jumble of words came from Gaia's mouth and then, as luck should have it, he dismissed me.

Please review!