"It's obvious you aren't able to put a scratch on me so please stop trying. You're just wasting your energy." Lyrica growled, as Leif raked her claws along her shoulder.

"Let me go!" Leif retorted.

"If you stop, then I'll let you go." Lyrica replied. "What happened to working together moments ago?"

"That's never happening again! And it was all your fault, turning my friends against me!" Leif shot back.

"Pssht! I did nothing of the sort. If anything, I was forced into escaping. It was all her own business." Lyrica replied in amusement.

"What do you mean?" Leif spat, looking over at Manx with malice in her eyes.

"I mean that I was totally compliant and willing to turn myself in when your little pets found me, but Manx didn't want it to go so easy. Of course now I'm grateful that she gave me a chance, because if I'd turned myself in then, I wouldn't be here to warn you about Celyn." Lyrica replied.

Leif narrowed her eyes, glaring at Manx. "How could you, after everything I've done for you?!"

"I..." Manx started.

"Oh, please, Leif. I know there's a possibility of you trying to kill me, but your own subjects? I mean, you've already almost killed the poor girl once today. I think twice would be stretching your limits." Lyrica said.

Leif bared her teeth in a snarl and said, "Try me!"

"What exactly would that accomplish?" Lyrica scolded.

"You have no right telling me what's right and wrong for me to do! I decide..."

"Oh do shut up!" Lyrica replied. "Like I said, you always have to be right, don't you? 'My word is the law'! Ring a bell? Well, tell you what, not everyone else plays by your rules, Leif."

"At least I follow a set of rules!" Leif shot back.

"Oh please, it really doesn't work like that. There are some things that happen despite all rules against them, and following the rules will only bring you far behind. If your word really is the law, then you can make or break any rules you wish! But that won't make others listen." Lyrica said.

Leif glared up at Lyrica, smoke trickling from the sides of her mouth. Lyrica narrowed her eyes and said, "Will you just cut the drama already? I really will let you go once you stop bloody trying to kill me."

Leif took in a deep breath, glaring as furiously as she could up at Lyrica.

Lyrica rolled her eyes and said, "That will do for now." before she released the Empress and allowed the smaller dragon to get to her feet.

Leif glared at Lyrica. "Why should I listen to YOU?!" she snarled, flexing her claws.
"You shouldn't..." Lyrica began. "...Unless you want to survive the inevitable."

"What in the blazes makes you think I will EVER trust the likes of you?!" Leif said with a menacing snarl.

"Oh, I know you won't, Leif. You're too predictable. But I do know that you'll risk life and limb for this world and its people no matter the cost. And the coming war could be one we all die fighting in." Lyrica replied.

"Why are you all of a sudden saying you'll help fight whatever it is you say that's coming when you've spent your entire life trying to destroy me and everything I hold dear?!" Leif growled, circling Lyrica like a hungry shark.

"Because for once, we have a common enemy." Lyrica said, holding her head high.

"And you think there's any chance in all the lands of this world that I would believe you? If you can't die, then leave! I HATE YOU! YOU'VE MADE MY EXISTENCE MISERABLE FROM THE START, TAKING EVERYTHING I HELD DEAR AND RUINING IT!! HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY THINK I WOULD LISTEN TO YOU?!" Leif screamed, pinning Lyrica beneath her claws.

"I knew you would say that." Lyrica replied, pushing the smaller dragon off of her with ease. "Just, whatever you do, don't light a candle by a mirror."

"Do you take me for a living JOKE?" Leif roared.

"I'm going to leave you alone for now. But when she comes, and she will come, you'll know where to find me." Lyrica said solemnly, spreading her wings.

Leif watched her fly away in shock and disbelief, almost wanting to chase after her but deciding not to. She stared at the sky for a long while. She then turned to Manx, who had been listening through the entire exchange with wide eyes.

Manx cringed as the Empress' pupils narrowed to slits as the dragon dropped down low like a prowling panther. "YOU!" Leif snarled, smoke pouring out of the sides of her mouth, fire glowing in her throat. Manx shrank back, adrenaline racing through her veins.

"Empress, please!" Manx whimpered, walking backwards as the dragon prowled towards her.

Flames leapt from the dragon's maw, icy blue and searing hot. Manx closed her eyes as the heat poured around her. She leaped backwards out of the way as the heat began to sear her flesh. Losing her balance, she let out a cry of alarm. But instead of feeling the fire consuming her and the hard ground beneath her, she fell onto something soft.

"What the...?! Manx?!" Vaskin yelped in surprise and alarm as she quite literally fell backwards into his arms.

Manx groaned as he pulled her to her feet.

"Easy there. Are you okay?" He asked. Manx turned around, taking in her surroundings.

"Manx?" he asked with concern.

Manx crumpled into his arms, burying her face in his shoulder and clamping her arms around his waist. Vaskin stood there, startled for a moment before returning her embrace.

"Manx, what's wrong?"

"We have to go!" she replied, a tear trickling down her cheek.

"Manx...?"

"It's the Empress. She's...she's changed! And I know that anyone close to me is in danger. We have to go! Now!" Manx said.

"Manx, are you sure? I mean, I know Leif pretty well and she'd never..."

Manx gazed into his eyes.

"Alright, we're going!" he replied, backing up and grabbing her by the hand.

"Wait! What about my parents?" Manx yelped

"We can pick them up on the way." Vaskin said. "C'mon, let's run!" he said as he pulled her forward.

"Vaskin!"

"What?" he asked, catching her as she stumbled over a rock.

"Hold still!"

"Why?"

Manx glared at him and pulled her hand out of his, indignantly crossing her arms.

"What?" He asked in slight exasperation.

"I can teleport!" Manx replied, stepping forward and awkwardly putting a hand on his shoulder. The shadows swirled around them as she closed her eyes in concentration. Vaskin looked at her with concern etched across his face.

Manx opened her eyes again, nervously looking around.

"Where?..." she muttered.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't see them!" Manx replied. "This place looks familiar, but I don't know where we are."

"I thought you could only teleport to places you knew." Vaskin said.

"It isn't exactly like that. How I feel, or who I'm thinking about, directly affects where I teleport." she said.

"My my, what have we here?" a smooth voice purred from behind them.

"You!" Manx snapped in surprise, spinning around to face the large black and white cat.

"You don't look happy to see me my dear, when it 'twas I who rescued you from the clutches of that reaper moth." Perseveld replied.

"You didn't save me! You were stuck there yourself, and you left Ravenna stranded! She was the real hero. Now what do you want, because I don't have time for you and your idiocy right now." Manx retorted.

"I overheard the Empress speaking about raising the bounty. Now if you would kindly come with me, I'm sure we could..." Perseveld started.

"NO!" Manx yelled back.

"I beg your pardon?" the cat replied, somewhat surprised.

"I said no." Manx said, gritting her teeth.

"I don't think it matters this time if I were to retrieve you dead or alive. And I am sure it would be in your best interests to come quietly." Perseveld purred, flexing his claws.

"You aren't going to lay a hand on her!" Vaskin yelled. He stepped in front of Manx, glaring at the menacing feline.

Perseveld grinned. "I couldn't, since all I have is paws. But if you want this to go down the hard way I'm sure this would make for an entertaining fight. After all, what can one paraglisp and one withyr sprite with a silver helix ability do against me?"

"I vow to defend her until the day I die. If you want Manx you're going to have to go through me!" Vaskin retorted.

"That might very well be today. 'Tis a shame though. Such a valiant lad like yourself has so much to live for. You could have just as easily stepped aside." the cat replied, slowly prowling forward.

Manx watched in horror as she saw the cat's haunches twitch in anticipation. She opened her mouth and yelled "STOP!" but it was too late. Vaskin was on the ground with the cat tearing into his left shoulder. Vaskin grabbed at the cat, trying to throw him off as the feline bit into his flesh. Manx ran at them, grabbing Perseveld around the waist and frantically trying to yank him off of Vaskin.

"Leave him alone!" She shrieked as the cat's jaws snapped inches from Vaskin's neck. "It's me you want, not him! Take me! Just don't hurt him!"

"My my, you really are pitiful." Perseveld snarled, turning on her. "And just when I thought I would get to make a kill. But if you must..." he stepped off of Vaskin's chest and began striding over towards Manx.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Vaskin yelled, sitting up and clutching his bleeding shoulder.

"I don't have to." Perseveld said with a grin.

Vaskin pulled himself to his feet, his tail poised and ready to strike. "I won't let you take her!" he snapped, running towards the cat. Perseveld turned and looked at him, raising a paw and muttering something under his breath. Instantly Vaskin was yanked into the air like a rag doll and thrown against a tree as if some invisible force was throwing him backwards.

"VASKIN!" Manx yelled, teleporting to his side.

"A deal is a deal. Now that he's out of the way you can come..." Perseveld started.

"What did you do to him?!" Manx spat, summoning a spear out of the shadows.

"He'll live. That is, as long as you come along like a good little girl." Perseveld purred. "And really, where do you think you are going with that? My power far exceeds yours and I'm afraid what you just witnessed was just a nibble of what I can do. Now come along."

Manx glared at Perseveld before putting a hand to Vaskin's chest, pausing in shock for a moment when she realized he wasn't breathing. "How could you?!" she screamed, tears welling in her eyes.

"Now now, you brought this upon yourself. You could have just come quietly in the first place." Perseveld replied. Manx raised her arm and threw the wispy spear towards the cat. Perseveld raised a paw and the spear stopped mid air as if frozen in time.

"Do you really wish to toy with me?" he growled. He turned his paw around slowly and the spear turned with it until it was pointing directly at Vaskin's heart. "The second I release my hold on it, the spear is going to continue its flight. I'm sure you wouldn't want that, now would you?"

Manx clenched her jaw. "You wouldn't!" she hissed.

"You doubt my capabilities." he purred.

Manx closed her eyes, concentrating with all her might on dissipating the spear. If she could summon it then she could destroy it just as easily.

The cat laughed at her and said, "That won't work. Not after I hold it under my power. You would be wise to cease your piteous plight before my concentration slips and the spear flies."

Manx took a step forward, narrowing her eyes.

"Oops." Perseveld said with a wicked grin. Manx leaped in front of the spear, hoping against hope that maybe her body would be able to block the blow. Manx felt it graze her arm, just before there was a sickening thud behind her. She pulled herself to her feet and spun around in horror.

"NO!" she screamed, running to Vaskin's side. The spear was imbedded in the tree inches above his head, and he lay crumpled beneath it. Blood glistened on the shaft of the spear, blood and a chunk of yellow fur and flesh.

"Vaskin!" Manx gasped, gathering him up in her arms. He took in a wheezing breath and coughed.

"You're alive!" she said, pulling him closer and stroking his hair.

"Oww!" Vaskin groaned, putting a hand to his chest.

"The spear missed! I don't know why but it..." Manx started, gazing at the shaft embedded in the tree above them. She turned around, looking for anything that would explain the phenomenon. Vaskin dragged himself into a sitting position and coughed again.

"Khashmyr..." Manx muttered, deep in thought.

"Well that was unfortunate, but I assure you that you won't be as lucky next time." Perseveld snarled. Manx glared at him, a new spark of confidence deep within her eyes.

"What's with the sudden change of face? It's just you and me, Cheri. I doubt your friend is capable of fighting for himself given his current condition." The great black and white cat purred.

Manx looked over at Vaskin, her steely countenance wavering for a second. She straightened herself up and clenched her fists.

"Oh, you still wish to fight?" Perseveld sneered. "Very well. Although I doubt you will make it out alive."
"I will." Manx said calmly.

"What?!" Perseveld said, pausing in his tracks. "You really think you can survive this, when I'm barely getting started?"

"Yes." Manx nodded. 

"Oh really? Are you sure you want to test that?" Perseveld growled, gazing into her eyes and looking for any sign of weakness.

"I don't need to test that. I know I'll live. We both will." she said, noticing a flicker of movement behind Perseveld.

Perseveld noticed the shift in her eyes. He spun his head around to see what it was she was looking at, but it was too late for him to stop it. Khashmyr appeared out of thin air just as she tackled Perseveld with her claws extended.

Perseveld yowled in surprise as Khashmyr wrapped her paws around his neck and shoulders, knocking him over and raking his underbelly with her claws. He rolled over and pushed her away, managing to knock her off of himself. Khashmyr lunged at his face, teeth bared and claws unsheathed. He batted her away and pinned her to the ground by her shoulders. Khashmyr screamed in pain as his paws held her down, despite the fact that his claws were sheathed.

"You're hurt, aren't you? You jumped in front of that spear, now didn't you?" Perseveld cooed softly.

"I will not hesitate to kill you!" Khashmyr roared as she kicked him off with her back paws, leaping to her feet.

"Now I'm sure there is a civilized way we can handle this, madame." Perseveld replied, sitting down and tucking his paws beneath his chest, trying to appear as small and non-threatening as possible.

"You threw out any chance of me being civilized about this the second you threatened my charges. Now leave, or I will kill you!" Khashmyr spat as she arched her back and bared her fangs.

"Now, m'lady, you and I are one and the same. You should assist me in bringing the girl to the Empress." Perseveld smoothly purred.
Khashmyr yowled and leaped at his throat. "We may be the same kind...'she hissed as she slashed his face with her claws. "...but that does not by any means make us allies!"

Perseveld screeched in pain and alarm before turning on her with blind fury. As he pinned her to the ground, Khashmyr snapped at his neck before he slammed her face into the ground.

Khashmyr twisted under his paws and threw her weight under his legs, forcing the two of them into a roll. Perseveld grabbed Khashmyr by the shoulders as she locked her paws around his and the two of them bit at each other's heads and necks while kicking with their back legs. After a few moments of this, Perseveld broke out of the battle and the two of them stood glaring at each other with their backs arched and teeth bared.

"You make a worthy opponent. I'm sure you would make an even worthier ally." Perseveld said, lowering his back and trying to break off the fight.

"As long as you choose to harm my friends..no, my family, you will see no ally in me." Khashmyr retorted as she lunged for his throat once again.

"'Tis a shame. I would have loved to have taken you as my mate." Perseveld replied, dodging her attack.

"Leave now if you value your life!" Khashmyr hissed.

"Very well, if that's how it is then I shall." Perseveld haughtily replied, licking at a deep gash in his chest. He turned to leave, before looking back over his shoulder and saying, "We might very well meet again someday, I hope."

"If that day comes it may very well be your last." Khashmyr replied with an icy glare as he disappeared into thin air.