[Author's Note 11/10/15]: Obviously, as you can tell, I've been updating the chapters to make them a little bit better. The title of the chapter and theme is Evil Angel based on the song by Breaking Benjamin. You should give it a listen! Anyway, enjoy the chapter.

Chapter Five: The Evil Angel

"Well, she wasn't in there," I stated numbly to Sam. We just came out of the tower at the back of Sunken City. We were so tired from that last fight, we had to sit down right in the park area. I flopped onto the bridge and sprawled out. Sam sat up against the pedestal with the Wraith and closed her eyes, leaning her head back.

"Well... There's only one place left to check if the other two went to the other towers already..." she started. And as much as I knew she was telling the truth, I didn't want to believe it.

"Hang on, I'm getting someone," I said, sitting up. Suddenly, Ryan's voice was in my head. Using magical communication whispering. MCW for short.

"Cole and I searched the first tower… no luck. We're headed out to the second one now."

"Got it. We're heading to Grubb."

"Good luck."

"You too."

I stood up and cracked my neck.

"Alright... You ready Sam?"

"Let's do this," she said, cracking her knuckles.

We hopped on our mounts and took off toward the castle. We used the key once we got to the gate and stepped inside.

At first, nothing happened.

"That's funny," Sam said. "Doesn't he usually appear right here?"

"Yeah…." I held up my arm to block her path and looked around. "I don't see him anywhere." I dropped my arm and let her walk. "Maybe we should split up."

"Good idea. I'll go this way. You take that way."

"Okay..."

Sam went cautiously toward the room to the left of the main entryway, and I broke right. I peeked in the doorway and slowly stepped inside; there was no one there.

That part of the castle was enclosed, and it was pitch-black. The only light I had was from the glowing end of my staff. But it only allowed me to see about a foot or so in front of me. I held it up high to be able to see more clearly when I saw vague movement.

"Who's there?" I said as loudly as I could muster.

But no one responded.

I continued walking around for a few minutes when I heard a low groan.

"WHO'S THERE?" I shouted this time. But when I only heard a groan again, I responded, "YOU'D BETTER TELL ME WHO YOU ARE OR-"

But then I heard the faintest of whispers in the dark.

"Mal... orn...?"

I could recognize that voice anywhere.

"Nicole! Nicole, it's me! Where are you?!" I yelled. I waited impatiently for the response, but it didn't come.

"Nicole!" I shouted again. Still nothing.

"Nicole!" I shouted, slightly louder this time, but I still gained no response.

"NICOLE, PLEASE!" I was practically begging now. I waited for a few seconds before finally hearing the voice again.

"Turn...a...roun..." Her voice trailed off, but I got the gist of it. I spun on my heels and ran toward the voice.

I gasped in shock.

Nicole was slumped up against the wall, her arms strung up, held by rusted, metal chains. Her clothes were ripped and torn, and she had bruises all over her bare skin, caked with dirt...

"Nicole..." I dropped to my knees and grabbed her in my arms and laid my head on her own. I turned my head slightly and kissed her on the head. She then buried her face in my shoulder and sobbed. She couldn't speak, so I just let her stay there in my arms, neither of us wanted to let go.

"Never leave me again," I breathed into her hair. Her scent of Lava Lilies was only a mere trace now. Every part of her had changed in one way or another. When I pulled back and looked into her eyes, I didn't see the eyes of a little girl anymore.

She was a woman that had been put through a living hell.

She stopped crying then and just stared at me with longing in her eyes. She still couldn't move, so I let her lay her back against my chest and her head rest in my right arm. I reached over and combed my fingers through her now dirty, wild hair. But I didn't care. She was safe here in my arms, and that's all that mattered.

"Any luck?" Sam asked in my head.

"I've got her."

"Yes! Nicole!" I then heard Sam's footsteps running through the palace. In a few seconds, she was sitting next to us. "Oh thank goodness!" She bent down and hugged Nicole. But Nicole groaned and Sam released. When she let go, I could see her eyes clench and her body tense.

She was in that much pain? I bent down again and kissed her forehead. She looked up at me and smiled.

"I've got her," I told Ryan and Cole. "She's badly hurt, but she's safe."

"Finally!" Cole thought with joy.

"Oh, thank the Titans!" Ryan thought, in a sigh of relief.

But then we heard a loud clanging noise.

Nicole's reaction came first. Her body tensed up, and as she did so, she groaned in pain. But she didn't stop there. She picked her head up and looked at me wide-eyed.

"He's... he's... b...back," she stuttered. My eyes grew wide when I realized that it must have been him.

I set Nicole down on the floor and kissed her on the forehead again. "You stay here. We'll take care of Grubb." I readied my staff as a small light – what looked like a lantern – was growing bigger and brighter in the dark.

"N...n...no..." Nicole whispered. "Not... not... Grubb."

I did a double-take and looked from her to Sam.

"Did she just say what I think she said?" I asked Sam. She nodded. "Well, if it's not Grubb, then who the fu-"

And then I heard the most sickening, laugh I'd ever heard in my life.

My stomach dropped when I realized I had once known that laugh very well.

"My dear boy... How I've missed you." And with a wave of his staff, the room – much bigger than I'd remembered – lit up completely, revealing the one person that I'd wanted to take my revenge on for years.

My father.

"You!" I sneered. "This is all your fault!" I felt my power build inside of me, the way it always did when any Wizard became angry. Death Wizards particularly have a cool, chilling sensation go up their spines. And this time, I even felt my eyes start to burn; they were redder than usual.

"Silly boy," he snickered. His voice was ice-cold, like the hissing of a snake. "Of course it is. And do you know why?"

I just stared him down, baring my teeth, my eyes now glowing red. As my eyes grew brighter, his eyes… I could have sworn they widened the slightest bit, but I couldn't be sure. He regained his composure too fast.

"I see you've made some friends at the stupid school of yours," he said, gesturing toward Nicole. I growled in frustration. "She was very useful to me, you see. She, of course, wouldn't give me any answers, but she did in fact lead you right where I wanted you... with me."

"Is that a challenge?" I jumped into a fighting stance and glared. But he only laughed at me, and I felt my anger rise to the brim.

"Dear boy, that is certainly not it at all! You see, you're my son, and I've missed you, Malorn. You know you were named after me, don't you? Malorn… Malistare. It all means the same thing, you know…. Bad."

"Don't lie to me!" I shouted. I crouched lower in the fighting stance.

"I'm not lying to you. Why would I lie to my own son?"

"Because you said you loved her! You said you loved Mom! BUT YOU KILLED HER!" I screeched. Sam clasped her hands over her ears and Nicole winced. My anger was spinning out of control. My eyes started to glow brighter and my body started to mist out black smoke. I felt my powers going out of check, and I struggled to stay in control.

Just then, Cole and Ryan appeared behind Malistare. He spun on them and shot them against the wall with a shock from his staff. They laid there on the floor, powerless, while Sam stayed with Nicole behind me. Even after what took place just then, I still couldn't move.

Why couldn't I move?

"Join me."

The words were cold, but determined. I'd never heard more painful words in my life. But the thing was...

I had to fight for my sanity. I was about to lose control of myself. But I struggled to stay in control; I knew I could hurt Nicole and everyone else.

Then something happened.

I suddenly dropped to the floor on my knees, and my head hurt worse than it ever had before. I clenched my eyes shut in pain. In the back of my mind, I knew Nicole was hoarsely screaming my name and asking me what was wrong, but I couldn't respond.

My eyes turned completely red and glowed so bright, it lit the entire castle. The guys had to shield their eyes, but Nicole didn't dare to look away. Malistare just smiled at me.

"Do you see your power, child?" he asked. "Do you see what lies within you? It is a great power that only I can teach you. Join me and I shall."

I stood up, taking a step forward, my eyes still glowing. Malistare smiled.

What are you doing, you asshole?! Back UP!

But as much I told myself to stop moving toward a great power I may never know otherwise, I took another step. His smile grew wider.

"Malorn!"

I spun on my heels and saw Nicole, standing... barely, holding onto Sam for support, but she looked me dead in the eyes with such a force that no matter how strong that other power was...

I couldn't look away from her.

I turned back to him, my eyes still flaring red, but this time, I smirked and summoned a Wraith... the biggest one I ever had.

It then sucked as much energy out of Malistare as it could, leaving him dropping to the floor. I fell too from using all of my strength and stayed on my hands and knees. Nicole rushed over with Sam and they bent down at my sides.

"You win this round," he called. He summoned up the last of his energy and left without a trace. But then his voice rang out all around us, seeming to come from nowhere and everywhere. "BUT YOU WILL JOIN ME SOMEDAY!" he bellowed.

"Not a chance," I huffed out. My breathing was rapid, and my head started to spin.

Then I heard a groan, and Nicole fell over beside me, and it seemed as if the whole world was about to end. I caught her in my arms, nearly falling over too.

"No!"