This is the third book in my series, Battle camp. If you want to read this I suggest you read the first, Battle camp: the rebellion, and the second, battle camp: the enemy. Other than that, enjoy and don't post here, I will provide a feedback thread for that. Chapter one: the plan TALON The worst possible thing happened to Talon. He refuses to eat, refuses to sleep, refuses to do anything until he saves Rora. He's a man on a mission. "Well more boy than man." Shadow mutters to himself as he writes the letter. He finishes it up and using a simple transport spell, sends it to the king. ~ Talon pours over the map again. And again and again, trying to find a weak point in the castle of Yedasriam. He jumps when Synphoney thoughts his shoulder. She's been crying again, Talon notes. "I... I think I have a plan to rescue Rora, and save... Sho-Shorlorn." she bursts into tears. "I'm listening." "Well... You see, when Matthias found me, he fell in love with me, but when he found out I was in love with Shorlorn, he wiped my memories. So the only way to get Rora back, and the elixir to bring Shorlorn back to life, is to trade. Me for Rora." "No Symphoney! There must be another way!" Talon cries. "This isn't the battle field Talon! This is real, and we don't need bloodshed!" Symphoney shouted. Talon sits and thinks. He opens his mouth several times, but nothing comes out. At last he says: "Very well. But Symphoney?" Talon asks. "Yes?" "When you said you knew Shorlorn, what did you mean?" "Well, before all this happened, we were in a relationship, we were engaged. This shocked Talon. He knew there was something between them, but he had no idea how serious. "I'm so sorry." Talon apologizes. "It's ok, if all goes well, he'll be back with us soon." "And you'll be at the mercy of Wolf and Matthias. I still don't like this idea, but I'll go along with it." "I won't be there for long." Symphoney assures Talon, "Shorlorn won't rest until he saves me." "That's true. I know from experience." Talon chuckled. "We should tell Shadow." Symphoney says. "What if he objects?" "We'll go along with it any ways."
Chapter two: More memories RORA Rora kneels in an empty room, meditating. Slam! She hears. "You'll never get out, might as well stop trying." Wolf laughs at her. "And don't think you can save your friend Shorlorn, my dagger pierced his heart, he's dead." "Anything hurt can be healed." she replies. "She's right, you know. Anything hurt can be healed." Matthias mentioned. "So you can bring back the dead?" Rora prompted. "No, of course not! That goes against all the laws of magic." Matthias said quickly. "Then I guess I'll have to do it myself." "Ha! I doubt you even know the basics! Is it a spell or a potion?" Matthias asked. "A spell." Rora guessed. "No, it's an elixir, but you wouldn't be able to make it, you need blood from all three high ones." The words 'The high ones' sent Rora's mind spinning. Forgotten memories were uprooted with three little words. Unfortunately, everything she remembered she said out loud. "The high ones are immortal and the beginning of magic." she said. "I already know that." Wolf said, but Rora paid him no mind. "There are three high ones, Death, Life, and the most powerful of all, Knowledge." "That's debatable! Knowledge isn't always considered the most powerful!" Matthias protested, but again Rora paid him no mind. "Once in a while they would fall in love with a mortal, and have a child." "I know! That's how you get their blood! We know all this!" Matthias exclaims, but Rora continues. "Their children have the strongest magic." then Rora gasped with realization, "I'm the daughter of Knowledge!" Rora cursed herself for giving up such valuable information. But, truth be told, she had not known any of this, her mother Knowledge, must have been keeping this from her until now. "Time to go see the king." Wolf said with a smile. "What! No! I refuse to go!" Rora shouted. She tried once again to use her magic, but it was no use. The room was made of pure marble- the natural enemy of magic. Basically it sucks the magic out of you. "Yes, you will." said Wolf tugging her down a marble hallway. They led her into a large room- made of pure marble. Sitting on a thrown sat the king of Yedasriam.
Chapter three: Royalty LUKE Talon and Symphoney came running up to Luke. This surprised Luke because Talon hadn't left his room for several days. "We've got a plan to save Rora and Shorlorn!" Symphoney said excitedly. "Shorlorn?" Luke asked flabbergast. "Yeah, come on, we're going to tell Shadow." Talon called. "Ok." said Luke, doubtful. They pried open the secret door in the dining room, and knock on Shadows door. He opened it, in one hand he held a letter he was reading furiously. "Oh, it's you three, get Mark, we have to leave now!" Shadow said. "What! Where are we going?" Asked Talon. "We're going to see the king of Trellion." They brought Mark into the room, and before anyone could say a word, Shadow said a transporting spell, and then they were in a huge chamber. Up on a thrown, the king himself sat. They all bowed down instinctively. "Rise my children." said the king. Luke did not rise. Who's he talking to? Luke thought. "Rise, no need to bow so low or long to your father." he repeated. When no one got up, he said: "You didn't tell them Shadow?" "There was no time, your majesty." Shadow said. "You all may rise." The king sighed. Luke looked at the others and saw that their expressions mimicked his own, confusion was written all over them. "Symphoney, Talon, you are my children." The king explained. Talon looked at Symphoney, and she looked at Talon. The only similarity that Luke saw was there eyes; they both had odd amber colored eyes, but the king had blue eyes. "Do you have any questions?" the king asks, everyone stayed silent. "Odd, most children would be drowning with questions." "They are hardly children." Shadow scolded. "Very true, all four of you have been through so much. And I'm going to get Rora back for you." "Really? How!" Talon asked. "I'm thinking perhaps a trade." Talon and Symphoney looked at each other with shocked expressions. "Perhaps Rora for a large sum of money." He continued. "That won't work! They don't want money, they want to lure Talon their!" Symphoney exclaimed. "Well what would you do?" Asks the king. Talon and Symphoney glance at each other once more, and Talon nods. "Well, Wolf fell in love with me, and I think he would trade me for Rora." Symphoney says. The king laughs. "You still think that Wolf is a mere child? No, he's much more than that, he's the prince of Yedasriam! You'd be dealing with the king, not just Wolf. Even if Wolf would make the trade, his father would never allow it." "What if we could get Wolf on his own?" Talon suggests. "It would still be much to dangerous." They were dismissed and led to their quarters by servants. They briefly decided to meet in Talon's room at midnight. "We're still going." Talon said at midnight. "What! Are you crazy, even the king thinks it's dangerous, we should stay!" Luke protests. "Fine, suit yourself." Mark said, "I, on the other hand am desperate for some adventure." Luke felt conflicting emotions. Common sense told him to stay, but he couldn't let his brother walk into danger alone. "Fine." Luke muttered, "I'll go." "Let's leave now." Talon said. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we'll get Rora back." "And Shorlorn." Symphoney reminded him. "Right, and Shorlorn."
Chapter four: Escape MARK Mark was sweating hard as he snuck around the castle. They were in a formation that Talon had come up with. They could just barely see each other in the dim light, and if one of them was confronted, the rest of them wouldn't be discovered. "Talon, the king said no. I should have known that you would have snuck out anyways." Mark hears Shadow say. Talon draws his sword. "Talon, you really don't think you can beat me do you? I taught you everything you know." "Not everything. You didn't teach me how to best your own spies that you sent after me, did you? I taught myself that, and Lina helped, but you didn't." Talon said. Although Mark didn't know who Lina was, he knew a distraction when he heard one. He nocked and arrow and silently pulled back the string. "You still can't best my magic." Shadow said. "True, but would you fight both of us?" Symphoney reveals herself. "Of course." Shadow said. "But you could hurt us, and we are royalty. I'm pretty sure that's against the law." Talon said with a smirk. "And besides," Luke said, "If you even touch your sword you'll get to feel my knife in your arm." "And if you persist to fight us, I'll shoot your leg." Mark added. Shadow cursed. "Very clever Talon, you got me this time. I can not stop you with out getting injured or calling for help, so I find I must let you pass." Shadow admits. We continue to move. Through the castle, passing through hallway after hallway, until we come to the stable. They choose their horses wisely. Mark is instantly attached to a horse named Whistle, while Talon checks out one named eagle. Mark almost laughs at Talon. Eagle, Talon, oh the irony. He also notes that Symphoney looks at a horse named Music. He looks to his brother who is already on the horse Whisper. "This horse has a note addressed to me on it." Talon whispers. "Yeah, so does Music." Symphoney mutters. "Shove it into your pack and let's go!" Mark whispers fiercely. They do as Mark suggests and begin to gallop at full speed out of the castle. Little did they know, on a black horse called Darkness, Shadow galloped a safe distance back. IN SHADOWS ROOM: "Shadow!" the king bellows. "Well, if he refuses to let me in I'll have to see what he'd up to." He turns the knob and enters Shadow's room. He finds a note attached to his work desk addressed to him. It said: Your highness, Talon left, I've gone after him, do not follow. -S The king cursed his stupidity. Shadow had warned him that the child didn't listen to authorities, but he'd thought that common sense would work. If he gets out alive he'll be punished! And Symphoney too! They can't go running off like this, don't they realize they'll have to rule this kingdom someday! The king thought. I'll teach them responsibility, mark my words, he promised.
Chapter five: castle break in SYMPHONEY They rode long and hard, not stopping to rest at all, and by dawn they had made it. They stabled the horses in the town by the castle. Then they looked for Wolf's room. It wasn't that hard, there were many windows, but only one that had "WOLF" painted outside it and wolf skins covering the window. Talon grasps a rock and throws it. It misses the window by a mile. "Oh please Talon!" Luke scoffs, "Let me, the knife thrower do this!" "Right." Takin agrees. Luke throws a knife with perfect accuracy, then another and more. "Why so many?" asks Talon. "If I threw correctly, it should say "TALON", I thought it was appropriate." "Very." Talon says. They wait fir a while, but then decide to sneak in instead of wait for Wolf to come to his room. It was very easy, Talon had studied a map of this castle many time, and knew every possible way in. Soon they were sneaking around. "Pure marble." Symphoney observes. "Rora will be powerless." The castle seems to be empty, but then they here some voices. "... Blood to raise him from the dead to win this war." They here a voice say. "I won't give it to you!" Rora says. They here a smacking noise, most likely Rora being slapped. Takin winces as if he feels Rora's pain like it's his own. "We already have deaths blood, thanks to Matthias, but we need Knowledge and Life's blood." Wold says. "What in the world are they talking about!" Mark whispers. "The three high ones, the credited of magic." Talon answers. "How do you get the blood from me?" asks Rora. "You have a token from your mother, Knowledge. It contains a drop of her blood. I believe you have a ring?" The strangers voice inquires. "Wait- Rora's the daughter of Knowledge!" Symphoney gaped. Talon fingers the ring he wore around his neck. Symphoney realizes that this is the ring they were talking about. "I don't have it." Rora says to the stranger. "It's true." Wolf mentions. "Talon took it." And of course Talon couldn't resist. He walked into the room, with a smirk on his face and said: "I think you mean Prince Talon, Wolf. Please, show some respect to your equals."
Chapter six: Daughter TALON Everyone stared at him open-mouthed. Then Rora came running toward him, no one tried to stop her. She leapt into his open arms and hugged him. Talon placed the ring into a pocket in her dress, without Rora realizing it. "Guards!" called the stranger, who appeared to be the king of Yedasriam. "Father, you let them all have a day off so we could meet in private, remember?" Wolf said. Rora clung to Talon. "Sister, come on in!" Talon called. Symphoney walked in with a smile threatening show on her face. It was quickly wiped away when she saw wolf. "You!" Wolf cried out, with what seemed to be agony, he must have really liked her. "We might not have to trade." Talon whispered. "We still need the elixir." Symphoney reminded him. "The elixir? Why do y- oh, Shorlorn." Rora realized. "They haven't made it yet, they need blood from all three high ones." "We heard." said Mark, who had joined them with his brother. "Well, we must be going." said Talon with false cheer, and to Symphoney he said: "We'll wait around to get the blood, and make the potion." But just as they turned, ten guards blocked their pathway. "What," Talon scoffed, "You think these guards can stop me? I could take them all without any help." "That's not how I remember it, didn't you have trouble fighting just me?" Wolf reminded him. "That was before I got my memories back." Twenty more guards joined the ten. "Ok, now we're screwed." Talon said calmly. "Give us the ring." Matthias ordered. "I don't have it." Talon said. "Search them." Wolf told the guards. The did, but they weren't gentle about it, and to Talons relief, they didn't search Rora. "No sign of a ring, sir." A guard told the king. The king swore. "Then let's execute them outside in front of the whole kingdom." Wolf suggested. "We'll keep Rora and Symphoney though." He added. "Very good, that's my boy. Thinking just like the old man." "Who told you!" Luke muttered. "Ok, you were right, this was a bad idea." Talon admitted. They were roughly led outside, but before anything could happen, a man wearing entirely black came to their aid. He wielded he swords with strength and skill. He also used magic constantly. Now that they were outside, magic use was possible, but Rora struggled to use hers. Matthias was restraining her using all his power. Although the man clad in black fought hard, and killed many, he was no match for the many guards. He was eventually overpowered. They removed his mask. "Shadow!" Talon groaned. "You know I couldn't let you go off on your own. I have a duty to your father." He replied. "Are you a son of life?" Rora asked, "It would provide an explanation to your amazing magical skills." "No," He panted, "I am the grandson of Knowledge, but I do know who is born of Life." "Who!" shouted Matthias, "Tell me old man!" "Me." said a small girl, in a deep red cloak. "I am the daughter of life." Shock filled Shadows expression, and he stopped struggling. A guard grabbed for the girl, but she vanished, and re-appeared slightly to the left. The next time the guard tried, he managed to get her hood off. She had black hair and rosy cheeks. Her lips were full and pink, and although she was short, it was clear she was in her late teens. "Madeline! You can't be here, I left you where you would be safe!" Shadow cried with anguish. "You mean up a tower with not a spell to study!" She cried outraged. Another guard lunges at her, but again she disappears and re-appears by her fathers side. "It was for your own good." Shadow said calmly. "Mother didn't think so, she taught me and got me out." Madeline said. Shadow moaned. "Please, do not speak of her." "Wait, you have a daughter?" Talon asked. "Yes, meet Madeline." Shadow said. Madeline transported to right in front of him. "You got a problem with that?" She asked, leaning close to Talon's face, and narrowing her eyes. "What if I do?" Said Talon calmly. "Then you're going to have to deal with it!" She spat. While she was distracted with Talon, a guard managed to capture her, and with the help of the kings magic, she couldn't transport away. "Right, on with the execution." Wolf commanded. Then all of the guards, and Wolf and the king, fell to the ground, dead. Talon spotted Rora and Matthias amongst those that had fallen, and ran towards Rora.
Chapter seven: snatched RORA Rora knew what had happened immediately. That- that witch! She thought. Madeline had been borrowing her powers, and not just now, for the transportations as well! And to think she had been impressed with her so called skill! As Rora began waking up, she heard: "What did you do to her!" It was Talon. "Relax, I just borrowed her and Matthias's powers, we're related, so it's possible." Madeline said calmly. "You left out the fact that I could have died." Rora croaked as she sat up. "Oh!" she cried and fell back down, she was dizzy. "Ok, so there was a slight chance of dea-" Rora cut her off. "Slight! The risk is over fifty percent!" Fueled by her rage she stood up, her whole body alight with sparks. "Rora, calm down." Shadow said, concerned for his daughters wellbeing. "Thats r-raw m-m-magic." Madeline stuttered. "So you know the risk of you surviving if I turn it on you." Rora said with a scarily calm voice. "I won't survive?" She asked. "Even your best shield wouldn't stand a chance." Shadow confirmed. Soon Rora's momentary strength wore off and she collapsed into Talon's arms. Talon reached into her pocket and took out the ring! "I didn't even know you put it there." Rora said. "That was all part of the plan." He replied. "We've got to leave," Madeline said, "They'll wake up any minute!" "One second." Rora said. She walked over to Matthias and plucked a necklace made of bones off his neck. Then she stumbled over to Madeline and plucked a bracelet, that looked as if it was made of real leaves, off her wrist. "Now that we've got all the blood, it shouldn't be that hard to create the elixir to bring back Shorlorn." Rora smiled. The joy shone like sunshine on Symphoney's face. "But seriously, we HAVE to go!" Madeline exclaimed. "Ok, ok!" Talon sighed. Shadow began saying the transportation spell. Talon closed his eyes, and when he opened them again he was back in the palace with Mark, Symphoney, Shadow, Madeline, and Luke. Rora. Where was she! "Where's Rora!" He cried. "Matthias must have woke up and snatched her!" Madeline said! "This isn't happening! Not again!" Talon said with tears streaming down his face. He sat down on his bed and remembered once again that night. He had been walking in the woods with Annabel, his hunting partner, the one that had kissed him. She had refused to leave his side ever since Shadow's men had tried to abduct him. They were walking back to the hut they had created when Talon sensed that someone was following them. He communicated this to Annabel with a glance. She places her hand on the hilt of her sword. They both put the hoods of their cloaks so their attacker wouldn't know who was who. The woman stalking them grabbed Annabel from behind, thinking she was Talon, and was gone before Talon could draw his sword. He never knew what had happened to her, and he decided he wanted to know. "Shadow?" Talon asked. "Yes?" "Did you capture a girl named Annabel?" "No, we captured no one but those that you met at Battle Camp." Cold fear swept through Talon, making him shiver. "You mean you never sent a single woman to capture me and accidentally got a girl instead?" Talon whispered. "No, I always sent them in pairs." Shadow looked puzzled, "Especially for you, because few returned, and those who did brought bad news." Talon closed his eyes and hoped for the best.
Chapter eight: Symphoney's the best LUKE After Talon muttered something about a girl named Annabel, Luke followed Symphoney, who was going to try and raise Shorlorn from the dead. She removed the lid of his coffin, revealing the pale, but well preserved body of Shorlorn. Luke stood back, frightened of magic. Symphoney mixed the blood in a dish and let some of her life source flow into the elixir. She tipped it down Shorlorn's throat and waited. Luke watched as she waited for half an hour. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she replaced the coffin lid, all hope abandon. Luke had also hoped for the best, and now he felt foolish. They met up with Talon at lunch where Symphoney said: "I tried to bring Shorlorn back, it didn't work." Talon just nodded, but his eyes betrayed his pain. Just then Madeline joined them muttering: "First he locks me in a tower, and now he makes me sit with you guys, I don't know which is worse!" "Hey! I heard that!" Said Mark. "It wouldn't have been much of an insult if you hadn't." Talon and Madeline said at the same time. They looked at each other, and then continued eating. "Why do you hate your father so much?" Talon asked after a minute of silence. "Why do you think? He practically kidnapped me!" She said with a huff. Talon was the first to smile, and Luke soon followed suite. They were laughing in no time, the other three stared at them confused. "It's not funny!" Madeline cried out. "Yes... It is!" Talon said between fits of laughter. "If you're going to laugh at me, I'm leaving!" Madeline said, hurt. "It's not that," Luke informed Madeline when he recovered, "It's just that we were kidnapped by Shadow as well, and-" "Wait for it..." Talon interrupted. "And we got our memories wiped by him." Luke finished, "So to us, you're being kind of a drama queen. Madeline looked at them curiously and asked: "Why do you call him Shadow, his name is..." she trailed off. We all leaned in close to Madeline, waiting for her to complete her sentence. "His name is..." Talon prompted. "Oh, I don't think I'll tell, you. Did I get your hopes up?" she said with a sly grin. Talon looked amused, and Luke knew that she'd started a war, a war to see who was the best. Madeline walked away with a smirk on her face. "Oh my gosh Talon! She's just like you!" Symphoney said laughing her head off. "I heard that!" Madeline said angrily from across the room. "It wouldn't have been much of a compliment if you hadn't." Talon said, managing to turn this battle in his favor. "Oh Talon, ever the god, aren't you." said a voice behind Luke. Luke turned and couldn't believe what he saw. Symphoney leapt up, and stared at him, Talon's face lit up with happiness, and Shorlorn said: "But I must say, being risen from the dead puts me at the top." "I did that." Symphoney said hugging him tightly, "So I'm the best today." No one disagreed.
Chapter nine: Another rescue mission MARK Mark hadn't know Shorlorn that well, but he was happy he was back. Talon insisted that they tell Shadow before filling Shorlorn in on all that had happened. They searched for Shadows room, but couldn't find it, and before long they were hopelessly lost. "Um, do you know where Shadow's room is?" Talon asked a maid. "What authority do you have to be asking that?" The maid said. What Talon said surprised Mark, he assumed he'd tell her he was the prince, but he just said: "I was one of his students." "You survived?" she asked incredulously, "Never mind, that's none of my business, this way to master Shadow's quarters." Mark wondered what she meant by survived, bur he followed her anyways. They entered a room with a black door, and entered. "Ah, Talon I was just talking about you." Shadow commented. Mark glanced around the room to see who Shadow was talking to. His eyes fell upon the king who sat in a stylish red velvet chair. "No doubt telling this man what a god Talon is." Shorlorn said. Talon, Luke, and Shorlorn cracked up, but quickly quieted down. "Shorlorn? The elixir worked!" Shadow smiled. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now back to me!" Talon said, which got him Shorlorn and Luke laughing again. The king and Shadow looked at them curiously, but said nothing. "Where's Rora?" asked Shorlorn. "She knows how much Shadow talked about you." The mention of Rora silenced Talon, but Shadow began to talk. "How did Rora know I talked about you?" asked Shadow. "Don't you remember how we spied on you?" asked Talon. "What!" the king said, "Four kids spied on the spy master?" Shadow looked very embarrassed, but Shorlorn grinned wide. "But seriously guys, where's Rora?" asked Shorlorn. Talon quietly filled him in on how Rora was kidnapped. Shorlorn sat in silence, his face betraying no emotion. "Well did anything good happen while I was dead?" asked Shorlorn, quietly. "Well yeah, I found out I'm sort of a prince of Trellion." Talon muttered. "And I'm his sister." added Symphoney. "Wait, so your related? Wow that's going to take some getting used to. But I guess I see the resemblance, you both have amber eyes." Shorlorn said. "Yeah, and Shadow has a daughter named Madeline, although that's not a good thing." Mark said. "Um..." Shadow said, not sure whether to stand up for his daughter or not. "I heard that!" came a cry from within the bedroom. "It wouldn't have been an insult if you didn't!" Talon called. "But you didn't know I was here." Madeline replied. Madeline transported herself to right in front of Talon. Talon gave her a look that clearly stated; you've won this round, but watch your back. "She's just like Talon, personality wise." Symphoney said smiling. Shorlorn groaned, and said: "Dealing with two Talons? That's going to be an experience." "I am not just like him!" Madeline muttered. "Relax! It's a compliment." Talon smiled. "You do realize if I'm just like you, that means you're just like me?" Madeline asks. "Oh, I see your point. Symphoney we are so not alike in any way shape or form." Talon told Symphoney. "I so totally agree, I mean, come on! I'm not that full of myself." Madeline points out. "Are you sure they're not related?" Luke asked Shadow. "Positive." Shadow replies. Talon glares at Luke, who just smiles. "Oh Shadow?" Talon says to change the subject. "Yes Talon?" "The maid we asked for directions to your room seemed awestruck that we survived your training, what was that about?" "Well, after a year of training with me, you go on a mission to Yedasriam. If you active your goal and make it back alive you get to become a scout, assassin, soldier, or in your case, a commander. My students are the best of the best, but many don't survive." "Do we need to do that?" asked Luke. "You already did, although you weren't supposed to." Shadow muttered. "But we didn't bring Rora back." Symphoney said. "We got the elixir to save Shorlorn, but Rora's still there, and the initial goal was to save her." "So we're going to have to go back." Talon said simply. "Absolutely not!" The king exclaimed, "I will not allow you to put yourself in danger!" "I'm sure he'll find a way out anyways, might as well give him proper supplies, and present them with their horses." Shadow said. "Is my horse named Eagle? I found a note on him that was addressed to me, but I didn't get a chance to read it." "He was supposed to be a gift." mutters the king. Talon smiles apologetically and shrugs. "Well, let's plan our next rescue mission." Mark says. "You can count me in." Madeline says. "No way." Shadow says firmly. "You can't protect me forever!" Madeline reminds him. "Fine." Shadow groans, concern written on his face. "But you will obey Talon's every order." "Ok, I think I can deal with that." Madeline says. "So what exactly do you do on a rescue mission?" She asks. That makes us all laugh, including Madeline herself. "Isn't I obvious? We rescue Rora." Talon said.
Chapter ten: Hopelessly lost SYMPHONEY Symphoney was having a great day. Shorlorn was back, and they were going to rescue Rora. On there way towards the commanders room (where they were going to plan the rescue) Symphoney filled Shorlorn in on all he had missed while he was dead. "Ok, we're here." Shadow announced. They entered a room with a table that had many maps of Yedasriam sitting on it. They all took a chair and sat. Shadow handed Talon a map and asked: "What is the best route to Yedasriam castle?" "The route we traveled on last time." Talon said pointing it out on the map. "Very good, and how would you breach the castle with only Mark, Symphoney, Shorlorn, and Luke?" "I would leave during the day this time, so we'd arrive at night. I would leave Wolf a message to meet us somewhere, so I wouldn't have to breach the walls." "I feel like we're back in tactical strategies class. Questions that only Talon knows the answer to." Luke mutters. "When you write the message don't forget to mention the trade." Symphoney reminded him. "What trade?" asked Shorlorn. "We're going to trade me for Rora, but don't worry, they'll come back to rescue me." Symphoney explains. Shorlorn's expression is pained, but he doesn't protest. He knows this is for the best, Symphoney thinks. "Well, if you can get Wolf on his own, it could work." Shadow agrees. "It's getting late, the kids need to sleep." The king says. Strangely Talon agrees with him. "You're right, we do need sleep." he grins. In the hall he says: "Meet me in my room. Midnight." Short and to the point, must be serious, Symphoney thought. But when she arrived it was all but serious. Talon was asleep in his bed, and everyone else just stared at him, as if he would wake up. A few minutes before midnight, Madeline joined them. "I wonder if he'll wake up." Shorlorn whispered. We decided that we'd wait until midnight exactly, and then wake him. We were just about to wake him when he sat up in bed, the silken covers sliding off, showing us that he was still fully dressed, and hadn't been sleeping. "We're going to-" Talon began. "Wait for it..." Luke interrupted. Talon glanced at Luke with a smile touching his lips. "We're going to walk around the castle." Talon finished. "Why?" Symphoney asked. "Well, it's my home, and yours too, now. So we're going to wander around until we're hopelessly lost and then try and find our way back." Talon said, his face completely serious. "Awesome!" Madeline shouted, pumping her fist in the air, "Let's do it!" "See, you guys are sooooooo alike." Symphoney teased them. "Are not!" Talon and Madeline protested together. The others laughed at how similar the two were. "But isn't wandering around the castle at night kind of dangerous?" asked Mark. "Yep, that's why Talon wants to do it." Shorlorn explained. "So let's go!" Talon called, already halfway out the door. Symphoney shrugged and followed him, and the others followed suite. They followed Talon around corners and through corridors, until they were completely lost. "So... What now?" Luke inquired. "We find our way back." Talon replied simply. Once again they followed Talon, but soon they were arguing. "We've been here before!" Madeline insisted. "You don't know that for sure." Talon retorted. "Well at least admit that you don't have a clue where we are." Madeline groaned. Talon stayed silent and kept walking. "Oh for Pete's sake!" Madeline exclaimed. "Hey, look a door." Talon said, excited. "Yeah, we've passed a lot of those." Madeline said sarcastically. "But not all of them said treasury." Talon smiles, and opened the door. Then the arrow came flying straight at his head.