Remember your training, especially when you're scared. Don't let fear control you. Stellan's words somehow floated out of the mess in Merryn's head.

A flicker. A murky form of a man stood before her coming in to view, it lashed out in front of her, a short sword breezed by her nose. On jumping back, she back pettled and fell off the path and rolled down the side of the hill, landing in a patch of thorns.

The ground rumbled. Off ahead the dome that reached far above the tree line quivered and shimmered. Thunk.

He sped through the space between them, bent down, wrested her out of the thorns and tossed her overhead back onto the path. He sprung back, his body nothing more than a blurred streak, and blocked the road.

She yelped.

He wagged a finger back and forth. "Take me back inside. Now." His voice had a quality about it. The shadows from the sun hitting his face moved away and spun down his chest they sank inside.

Gaping-harpy hell's. This wasn't right, none of this was right. Who the heck is this? "I'd rather hop into a live volcano than do that."

"Silence! What! Are you stupid? I haven't done anything yet."

"You don't need too... This is awful. You're being awful." She swallowed a lump in her throat.

"You will help me." He took her by the hand almost crushed her fingers and pulled her though the forest, down the path and back to the barrier. Rocks along the path crunched under foot, one knocked away and bounced on the grass. it rolled down to the barrier and disintegrated.

Help with what? This is too flipn' weird.

"Now go be a nice youth and have the guard let us in. And be quick about it."

Youth? What way? Is this the right way? I don't know! What's going on here? I'm going crazy? Is this real? In a grip of steel, the joints in her hands cracked and popped as she wrong them, each step far too hard. She stopped. That's it. I can't. I won't.

"I won't." She took off in a sprint—her poor lungs telling her all about it—she followed the dome along its edge. If, I could just get to the next opening on the other end before he realizes what I'm doing...

He cut her off and stopped before her. The murkiness parted from his form, a ripped black embroidered sleeve hung in shreds. "Really now. This is pointless. Go back over there and have the guard to open it."

She jolted her head back and placed her hands on the side of her face shaking her head. "I can't!" She stared at the sleeve, backed away then took a step forward. "You're not... acting normal... Tristan." That can't be him!

He smiled, far too wide, then looked away. "You're making this into a bigger problem than it needs to be." He went over to the barrier and jabbed at it, it crackled and sparked under his finger tip. "Let me in or I'll break it down, permanently. The others would like that even more."

"Can't you just, go in yourself? Why make me do it?

He straightened, his eyes glinting, then he turned to head back to the first entrance. "You won't like what happens. But, it's your choice."

"You... won't hurt anyone right?" She looked down. "You need to see a healer."

"Of course not. Go on, have him open it."

Nothing could get in without the elders say so. Should I let him back in? He isn't well and needs help. Can't go in and can't stay here. No don't want to stay out here. But...

"I have no choice, do I?" Merryn bolted back up to the barrier her back against it, her robes sizzled and smoldered a fine stream of sour smoke wafted around her. Clenching her fists she stayed put, not close enough to self-destruct, yet. "Keep pushing. I'll do it."

Tristan approached her, his pupils dilated to an wild amount turning most of his eyes into a drowning black. "You pitiable stone head! Get away from there!" He crouched low, struck out a leg and drop-kicked her.

She fell on her side he was on her in an instant. The pain didn't register for a handful of seconds, she struggled. He boxed her hard on the back of her neck, the blood rushed in ears. She blinked face down in the dirt, and watched the world spin. The training is useless, I can't...

"You really are a good-for-nothing. And such an incessant—little Miss Prim!

"Under-gods burn you! What happened to you, you're like a stranger, stop this!" Any attempts to break free, were met with him wiggling his butt and pretending to get comfortable.

"You make a nice chair. I've got all day. It's your play."

"Okay, let me up." If, I can get the guard to understand... that might work.

"Okay what?"

"I'll have him open the barrier."

He got off his knees cricked and went closer to where the guard stood.

She knelt on a knee. The grass spun, and a pit of acid rose into her mouth. Please let this work... just a little luck.

"A zombie would be faster than you. Hurry up."

She went over to where the guard stood and before she touched the one safe spot to signal him she drew her hand back. He should know about this everyone does, he can open this himself. There's no point in making me do it. "Why don't you open it instead?"

A soft swish of cloth, then cold steel cut a thin path against the side of her neck. "You don't need to know. Open it."

She went toward the barrier, Her heart thudding in her chest. With him so close, the tips of his fingers lightly brushed her neck. Her hand filled the small glass-like space, she pushed on it and and it glowed blue as it spun in the barrier, separated and shot off in the direction of the guard a foot away. He turned around, and opened the barrier, then stepped aside.

"Ah you found him, just in time too. Good job."

Each foot dragged, unable to walk normal she fixated on the ground unable to meet the guards eyes. Quakes strained her body, the further she went inside.

"You seem distressed, it's alright you got back in time."

His name... what was it? Ray... Raymond. "Ray..."

Tristan cut down the space between them, and slapped her back. What happened to you? How can you be so cruel? She glared. He ushered her further away to the little arched bridge over the stream beside the cobblers building. Few people were out, a couple shared a meal under the flowering willow tree further off, the man—it was hard to tell—might be Larxur the farmer's son--they weren't within hearing range.

"The others want to save you for last, your spirit will be a feast."

There's got to be something I can do! She glanced left, and right. One minute he was there the next he stood under the willow tree and yanked on Larxur's shirt, pulling him off the ground and to his feet. A sploch of shadow underneath his shirt grew out of this a Calcine separated from him.

Her body quaked, moments passed without breathing. Finally, a tremulant breath escaped.

It leaned over, pushed open Larxur's mouth reaching in with a clawed hand. It pulled out a shade of the man. He collapsed on his back, eyes glazing.

"Stop! Stop it!" Merryn feet took on a mind of their own, she ran over to Larxur; she bent down watching for anything. His chest rose, once thrice then stopped and started again. He won't last long.

Larxur stopped breathing. "Safe journeys, stay the path, Elaema guide you," she said in a low-pitch. She couldn't quite kick the habit of at least blessing the dead, that kind of thing never went away. She eyed him. Even with a nightmare-once-friend walking around, it would hurt to keep some distance, friend or no. Thinking about it too much brought on a quiver in her chin. Mother, my friends, sister are all here, will he do the same to them?

Without even a sideways glance or word, Tristan walked away back to the bridge and strolled about the town.

How beautiful this day was, and how ruined. Poor Farmer Nat! Larxur always helped plow the grain. Nat can't do it alone with that bad back... starving to death this winter doesn't matter if everyone dies!

She took a step toward Tristan.

Run away? Mom. Dad. Everyone. No, I can't. I'm home asleep in bed nice and warm and safe.

She took several steps.

And mom is making griddle cakes with crystal-berry jam.

She wiped the snot dripping from her nose, while following close behind.

I've fallen down, and she's holding me until I stop crying.

Catching up to him, she landed a swift kick to the head, this propelled him smack into Jonathan's bakery, right into the stone steps.

She checked under my bed for monsters.

He shook his head, jumped back up and growled low and deep.

She stood up for me when the bullys framed me for stealing.

She sniffed. "No you don't. Not one more." Whatever you are.

A little boy—Slepuo—pranced out of the bakery, he held a bag of goodies to his chest and grinned.

"Run Slepuo! Get out of here!"

Tristan spun around and immediately went after him. Another one separated fully formed and lept out from Tristan, it swiped at darling Slepuo who fell back end over end, and the pastries tumbled out onto the ground.

He bounced back up, "not fair! I cleaned for those! You jerk!" He stared for a time, his face bleached a shade, and he turned about running off and headed straight for the temple by the elders live wooden mansion. He'll be safe there.

He bent down on one knee his skin warped and flexed, he opened his mouth. Merryn looked a his face, mouth wide open in a soundless scream, his chest heaved with each soundless intake of breath. The veins stuck out on his neck and temples, he turned as bright as a prick-thorn.

It went on all fours and lopped off down the streets.

Oh. Oh. Oh! Inside. Ack, they're inside! I have to get help, should tell the adults. She pulled on her ear, bent it forward and let it spring back. What if they don't listen?

Tristan's eyes rolled back into his head swayed, and crumpled forward. She hurried over and caught him under his arms. His weight started to pull her down with him, she twisted about and landed on her butt.

Far off shouts all over the city, hissing and growling, racing footsteps and the whir of magic spells cast. Pinned. I'm sitting here pinned and those things are running amuck! Get up!

Even as she wriggled and titled, his mass didn't want to move. She huffed and shoved him off a touch too harsh.

He shuttered and groaned, but didn't awaken.

Too many questions. Too many how's and why's without enough time. I don't want to leave him here! Mother will listen to me. Hope she stayed home today. She took off one way. No not that way! And, circled around off in the other direction.

On entering the school and arts district several knives darted by just missing an eye. She yelped. "Hey!"

Advisor Quain without looking at her continued to fight a Calcine, under a tent in the schools' rest area, beside the school. "Hurry, run home and stay inside!"

"Forget it!"

"You, must! I'll place a becon stone on him, a priestess will grab him if she can." He stopped over Tristan and placed his hand on his chest. "He's alive. You need to go, now."

"Watch it!" Instructor Stellan's voice shouted above. Scuffle and sliding on the rooftop of the school. He climbed over the peek and slid off dropping to the ground.

Towards the side of the school, another one shuffled in the shade, and swiped at her, growling. She moved further away over to Quain.

"Well? Get going!" Stellan slashed at it the dagger denting the creature a little.

It guttered and chittered and backed further into the shade, then bent down. Its arms stretched and flattened turning the same gloominess of the shade. Its arms stretched beyond the tent staying in the shadows of the school. It followed the thin strip that stuck to the front its hands became impossibly long and burst forth at her.

Quain tackled her the force of it knocked them both back almost to the fence.

He helped her get up and immediately faced it again. "They can't go into the light. Keep that in mind."

She nodded. "Is there anything—"

"Actually, I'm glad you're here now, consider this emergency training. I can't say what I'm going to do. I've read the history scrolls so just follow my lead."

"You're responsible for her then." Stellan said.

"Worry more about stopping the invasion then what I'm doing, that's an order." Quain dismissed him.

"Yes sir!" Stellan smiek vanished and he ran off after another Calcine, it whipped it's tail, cracking the air. He jumped at it—

Quain pulled her around. "Don't look back."