Wyatt watched the computer slowly and thoughtfully.

Next to him sat Cassie, who was busy scribbling notes and mumbling as she crossed out answers. Chase was completely relaxed. He leaned back in his chair and slowly took a sip of ice water as he examined the lady next to him. Crimson Ryder. She had joined around two months ago, and now she sat at the head of the table like she had every right to do so.

Royce paced back and forth. "There's been an assassin killing some of my men. We need to get rid of him. Wyatt, Chase, and Cassidy, I've appointed you three for this mission. Come back by five and that person had better be dead."

Wyatt nodded and went off with his two best companions out of the door. Such missions were no surprise to Wyatt. Royce gave them similar missions twice a week.

He trudged through the grass and rocks, kicking up sand in the process which sent up dust clouds that caused Cassie and Chase into coughing fits. They glared at him with annoyance and chased him around while he ran around, laughing. Those were the few moments that could still bring a smile to his face.

He hasn't really smiled since his mother was murdered.

They had walked onto a side road, popular to bikers, hikers, and tourists.

Wyatt suddenly felt cold settling into over him. The voice in his head laughed, "Oh, yes, this is a perfect spot. Why don't you take your anger out here, Wyatt, and kill someone?"

He shook his head.

"Oh, boy, I'm gonna have a hard time here. Wait, I changed my mind. I feel that I can control someone as weak-willed as you. Now, just relax and I'll do the work. It's been eons since I've killed anything. Hell is a little boring if you spend your days sitting in the council and listening to whiners with half your coworkers plotting to prank you with something bloody. You are the most entertainment I've received in a while."

Wyatt put his hands over his ears. He panicked as a burn in his chest settled and he fell to his knees.

"Wyatt, are you OK?" Chase asked.

"I believe that killing your brother will toughen you up a bit. What do you say, my dear Wyatt? Shall we kill your beloved twin?"

Wyatt shook his head. "No! Don't kill him! Stop and leave me alone!"

"You sound like a six year old child." The voice sighed. "I suppose I have to do everything here."

Abruptly, the pain stopped. Wyatt almost sighed in relief until another pain in his head started. It felt like a brain freeze times ten, like he'd eaten forty pounds of ice cream too fast and now suffered the consequences. He clapped his hands over his head.

"Death Magic," the voice commanded, "Dome."

He felt a prick of fear and yelled, "Cassie, Chase, run!"

Cassie turned back and shrieked, immediately forming a shield of electric charges that blocked them protectively.

Wyatt felt a cold, seeping feeling as a black cloud expanded from the eye. The eye was him.

Wyatt saw a horrifying sight. The plants wilted and died the moment his magic touched them. The animals ran away fearfully and those who didn't disappeared. A pedestrian walked by and gasped as he stood, rooted to the spot while Wyatt's magic surrounded the man in black fog.

As abruptly as it had started, it ended. Wyatt let out a breath and stood up, staggering around, surveying the area with no emotion.

His head echoed with the voice's evil cackle.

He noticed Cassie's electric field flicker and then die as she fell to her knees with Chase, her skin pale and clammy with sweat.

He finally turned to the place where the man had once stood. His stomach refused to digest anything when he saw the scene.

The man was completely gone, reduced to a great, smoking pile of ashes that resembled a pile of charcoal. There was nothing around the ashes except for a bright red blood stain, forming a circle.

Bile rose to Wyatt's mouth as he turned away and threw up.

From behind, Chase said a word worse than "Crap!" and ran to his brother.

Cassie stood, staring at the pile of ashes and turned away, shielding her eyes.

As Chase helped Wyatt up, she stated, "The police are most likely coming. We have to get out of here."

She took Wyatt's arm and wrinkled her nose at the smell before breathing through her mouth as they headed home, leaving nothing but a pile of a dead person and the tears of the forest spirits, wondering who had wrecked their perfect life with the essence of Death and Despair.

*****

Royce Hunter

He watched the black cloud take over thirty acres of the forest and smiled a little happily, a little sadistically. You could never tell how Royce felt.

Yet, as he continued to watch the glorious show, there were two clear emotions etched into his weary face.

Happiness. "Yes, my plan is working to perfection. By the time I activate my plan, in a month or so Wyatt will be a perfect weapon or dead as a doornail."

Yet, there was an indirect emotion reflected in his red, slanted eyes, not very noticeable unless one took a picture and studied it.

Fear.

Fear of the Death Magi.

Fear of his rebellion.

Fear of what would happen if all went wrong, and Lucius found out his true plan.