On the other side of the bars a whole has been torn in reality and I can see something crawling out. It resembles a dog, but it is anything but Man’s Best Friend that comes out. It stands almost as tall as a man and looks gaunt and I can actually see fire glowing beneath its skin. It gives the woman in the arena a hungry stare and in that moment I hear the lock clatter to the floor. In a flash, Wanderer is standing between the woman and the Hell Hound with her sword drawn. Seeing the beast is being handled and knowing it will be dismissed if the wizard is killed I tell Sylvia to after him. She moves with the same lightning speed Wanderer used but the wizard saw her coming and with a wave of his hand stopped Sylvia in place with a Hold Person spell.

Lately I prefer to fight from afar using my arrows, but I know wizards really hate it when you get in their faces. I draw my sword and charge him and as I do I see him start casting again … he’s trying the same spell. I feel his magic pressing on me, slowing me down, but I’m able to push through it and deliver a slash across the man’s chest. He hisses in anger and pain as his blood hits the ground. He backs away trying other spells but I continue to press the attack. I hear the sounds of screams and fighting behind me and I know Wanderer is not having an easy time. I throw a glance back to asses the situation and it’s not Wanderer fighting the Hell Hound at all, it seems Sylvia has broken free of the spell and is battling the monster.

I was distracted for too long, The wizard has started putting me on the defensive as he fires scorching rays at me and presses me back; he is sneering and bloodied, but for some reason a smile curls up on his lips. I begin to wonder why as I topple over backwards; I’ve just tripped over Wanderer’s unconscious body. As I look up I’m blasted by a flash of bright light and colors exploding across my vision, blinding me. I swing uselessly, really just trying to keep him away from me in my moment of vulnerability, but as my vision returns I can see he had no intention of using the moment to harm me, but only to escape. I look around, trying to find him, and turn only in time to see Sylvia deliver the killing blow to the creature brought down on us.

I climb to my feet, the rush of adrenaline leaving my body and making me weak as a child, I realize someone is shaking me and screaming at me … it’s the woman we saved. I can’t understand her at first but her words become more clear as she frantically screams, “HE TOOK LIANA! HE TOOK LIANA!”

“Who?” I manage to force out.

“Liana! He took her!” the woman begins to sob uncontrollably.

I decide she must be out of it … it is a lot of shock after all. I look around to find The Wanderer, but I don’t see her. I turn to Sylvia and say, “Where is The Wanderer?”

Sylvia gives me a puzzled look and says, “Cayden … the wizard took her.”
The realization hits me so hard I actually fall back on my butt and I say to the heavens, “He took her …”