Zak looked at the two boys cautiously. Pro, they seemed nice enough, con, they seemed nice. Ulraij and Francis. A greyman and a fish prince. Yipee.

"Did you just say you were raised by a mercenary?" asked Ulraij.

"Uh…"

"He did," said Francis. Zak blushed slightly. With all his training, his life was falling apart. When did this all start? Oh yeah, when he met Wadi. A small spark of anger entered his stomach. Well, if it wasn't for her, he wouldn't have done what he did.

"Okay. What I meant to say was missionary. Not mercenary," he said as smooth as possible. Ulraij looked confused. Francis cocked an eyebrow and pulled out a small computer.

"You're Zak Blackwell. One of the apprentices of Leonidas Van Rook. Am I not wrong?" said Francis trying to get Zak to trip up.

"But I'm not his apprentice," he said I'm his son.

"Really? You do realize who your family is don't you?" he asked. Zak cocked an eyebrow. The grey kid let a small smile escape his lips.

"You really don't know. That explains so much," he said in a monotone. Zak now looked confused.

"I know my family," he responded darkly. Ulraij stared at him.

"Well, maybe you know who raised you but haven't you ever wondered who shares your blood?" he asked patiently. Zak looked back at him. A thought came to his head.

"Why did you attack… uh, where ever we were at… and why did you kidnap me?" he said trying to avoid his unknown heritage.

"Oh, just removing Nagas so Kur won't take over the world. You know, trying to keep the balance," explained the prince. Zak resisted the urge to argue with this…fish stick. He felt compelled to argue with both of them. The fish guy because he was bigger and a bit more intimidating, and Francis because he was… Francis. Well, he just had an air that either pissed him off, or made him seem like an annoying brother.

"And the kidnapping?"

"Famous person plus small boy equals disaster. Well we didn't want to see the plus in this equation so we subtracted," said Francis. Zak's face turned unnaturally white.

"You…you…you…," he stuttered.

"Yes? Me, me, me what?" asked Francis.

"Sick minded bastard!" yelled Zak. Francis's jaw dropped and Ulraij looked confused.

"What in living creature's sake does that mean?" asked Ulraij. Francis looked away.

"I can't believe your language. How old are you?"

"Eleven."

"Oh my god," he said. Zak snickered. Ulraij looked at him.

"What? As prince of Kumari Kandum, I demand to know what is going on."

"I thought Grey men were atheists!" laughed Zak. Ulraij looked at them.

"You land dwellers and your strange words," he said. For a minute, Zak forgot he wasn't a normal kid. He wasn't focusing in on the two groups battling behind them. He wasn't aware that the Secret Scientists were battling Argost and the Nagas. At least, not until he felt a pain in his stomach.

He fell to the ground. His eyes burned. He recognized it but only barely. It was his power, yet it wasn't. He didn't register the two boys trying to get him off the ground. He only heard cries. Cries of Cryptids from the world. Wanting their old land back. Wanting to be rid of humanity. A pulse rippled through his body.

'Don't be afraid. You may be my enemy… But perhaps you are more?'

Zak listened to the voice. It was in his head. And it didn't sound human. It sounded… like whatever attacked him that night he had the Hand of Tsul 'Kalu. He grabbed at the hand realizing he still had it from when Argost gave it to him. And it was wide open. As if, it had awakened great magic. Or great evil.

…OH…My…God…

I never thought any of my stories would have 100 reviews. I love you guys. I will finish this story. Have faith and as always, be wonderful and review…

T-T (tears of joy)