"Are you sure you want to go on?"

Even Noah was uncertain. "I am sure you could use a break."

Ahsid firmly protested,"I have to train harder. Nobody in the battlefield will show me any mercy on me just because I am a human."

Futo laughed,"Man, where did Dane get you from? You have so much of spunk!"

"Okay, so, you can go for training with me and Noah,"offered Zion. "Or you could do it with Futo and Harry or learn something from Kayla,"he continued.

Lola perked up,"You could come with us too. We could help you with magic."

"I am guessing, if I train with the vampires and werewolves, I will be in for more physical training, right?" Harry nodded.

"If you all don't mind, I would like to go with Dora and Lola. I just don't feel like running more rounds."

Ahsid saw a cut on her elbow but didn't say anything about it. The others nodded.

"Well, see you in a few,"said Zion and the group parted their ways.

"We are glad you decided to come with us."

"We will try to teach you everything we know,"said Lola.

Ahsid nodded, the adrenaline starting to flow through her. They came to a quite secluded spot, where a small stream ran by the side of huge peepals and banyan boughs.

"Right,"said Dora,"Ahsid, we will start with something very simple, like you interacting with the mana around you and harvesting it into your body."

Ahsid nodded. Lola spread out her hands.

"Feel the winds whipping around your face, the tinkling of the water and the soft tender movement of the leaves. Try to be one with your surroundings."

Ahsid closed her eyes, imagining herself flying with the wind and touching the clouds, an abyss of blue swirling around her. Two minutes and she opened her eyes.

"I feel no difference at all,"murmured Ahsid.

"That is because your mind is not steady,"remarked Lola.

She looked at her twin sister who only smiled in response.

"Could it be possible that I just can't do this magic thing?"

Dora answered,"Your body has not yet understood the subtleties of the mana around it. It takes time to pick out the individual energy and feel it, let alone channel it through your body."

Sighing, Ahsid closed her eyes once again. Twice, thrice and then five times but each time she opened her eyes, dejected. This was boring! Ahsid stamped her foot in frustration.

"If you want, we could help you in one way."

Ahsid waited.

"No, Dora, she is too new to be doing this,"said Lola, her eyes widening in terror.

"What, is there some way to speed it up then? You know she wants to learn magic,"said Dora. She turned to Ahsid. "Sometimes, some people need an extra push or a catalyst to get to the mana around them. I know of a certain spell but it will bring out your darkest fears in front of you."

Ahsid contemplated for a while. She clenched her fist. "Let's do this."

Dora smiled but Lola only shook her head mutely. The smile from her face had evened out. Dora whispered,"自分自身を見つける(jibun jishin o mitsukeru)"

Ahsid opened her mouth to speak,"Is that...."

Dora had disappeared.

"Dora? Lola?"

Ahsid stood up.

"Dora?" She saw that she was no longer in the Coetus grounds.

Frantically, she began to run, screaming,"Dora? Lola? Zion?"

There was no answer. Suddenly, she saw a person standing with his back to her. He wore a blackish brown coat with red cuffs.

"Dane?"

The figure turned around.

"You failed me."

Ahsid's eyes widened. "Dane, what are you talking about?"

"You are useless. It's because of you that I lost my friends, the only family that I had left."

Ahsid's eyes stung. "Dane, please, listen..."

She felt a sharp, painful jab and looked down to see the katana sticking out through her stomach. Tears trickled down Ahsid's eyes, as she fell to her knees. Suddenly, the scene changed and this time, Ethan stood before her.

"Ethan?"

"I never understood you, Ahsid." His eyes were a fiery red.

Ahsid stepped back in fright.

"I hope you leave my life and never come back, you useless girl."

"Ethan, why are you..."

This time, she found herself in an old abandoned building. Her eyes widened at her childhood memory. "Please play with me,"said a beautiful childlike voice.

Ahsid whirled around to find her childhood self staring at her. But as she walked to this image, she saw herself pass through her childhood body. She whipped around.

"Please play with me,"she said again.

She suddenly saw the other children looking at her.

"No,"one of them yelled,"we don't want you. You are wierd."

"Yeah, you're not one of us,"another agreed.

She saw her childhood version crying, muttered the only word 'please'. Before, she could do anything, she found herself falling through a dark void. Grey, black and brown mists surrounded her as she floated around aimlessly.

"You are a weakling,"yelled someone.

"You will never accomplish anything,"said another.

"No matter how hard you work, you will never be one of us,"said a third.

"Stop it,"Ahsid yelled.

"You will never have somebody who will understand you,"mocked a voice.

Ahsid began to yell. She screamed and began to flail her hands about.

"You will never be yourself because nobody likes your true self. You are so shallow," someone teased.

"STOP IT! I AM NOT GOING TO LET ANYONE DICTATE MY LIFE!"

But the voices did not stop, taunting her. Shadows of myriad dreams and nightmares engulfed her. Ahsid yelled and kicked and screamed, crying profusely.

"Dane,"she called out, her hand raised up above her. She began to loose consciousness when suddenly he heard a voice.

"You can do this, Ahsid."

That voice....Was that Dane and Harry of all people? She screamed and suddenly her palms began to glow. Ahsid bellowed at the voices,"I WILL NOT GIVE UP!"

She felt a green blue light emanating through her and she clamped her eyes shut, a sharp, hot pain searing through her body. A scream escaped her lips and then someone was shaking her.

"Ahsid, Ahsid, can you hear me? Ahsid,"the voice was frantic and pleading.

Shaking and trembling, Ahsid's bleary eyes tried to refocus on the figure. She groaned in pain. The figure placed a hand under her head to provide support.

"Ahsid..."

Her eyes finally fluttered open. "Dane...."she whispered, for those bright yellow eyes she would have recognized anywhere from. She could feel her hands shaking but as Dane tried to embrace her, she sprang back, crouching on the ground.

"Stay....stay back,"she whispered weakly.

Dane's eyes widened in shock. He kept his face neutral, but his eyes had turned a tad shade of a dark yellow. "Ahsid..."

But, she only felt terrible terror around her. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Noah was beside her. He promptly placed his fur around Ahsid's slumping shoulders.

"Let's get you inside,"he said ever so gently.

Ahsid tried to stand but it was of no use. Noah gathered her in his arms and began to walk towards the mansion.

"Ahsid,"called out Dane, his hand outstretched to her but she only cowered in fear.

Lola placed a firm hand on his shoulder. Dane gazed into Ahsid's eyes, but she immediately buried her head near Noah's neck. He gave a single look at Dane and then continued hurriedly on his path. Dane felt an intense pain in his chest. He turned on Dora and Lola, his voice cold and devoid of any emotion.

"Explain yourselves and make it quick,"he snarled.

Dane cursed himself mentally. Who knew what untold scars Ahsid had suffered from?