Eddie woke up with a gasp for air as he shot upright. He was in his bed, everyone waiting for him to wake up. He looked at everyone staring at him. All seven of them, focusing their eyes on him.

"What?" Eddie asked, swallowing.

"You're pale," Patricia admitted. She touched his arm. "And cold."

Eddie looked at his arm with all the hieroglyphics covering them. "Do you still have yours, Nina?"

Nina shook her head. "No...mine are gone."

"Fabian, where am I on the pocket watch?"

"Eighth hour."

Eddie flashed in and out of a vision for a split second of Apep's hand reaching out of the darkness, towards him. He flinched and gripped the sheets, and Nina leaned against the wall. Fabian comforted her.

"You saw it too," Eddie claimed.

Nina nodded.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's Apep, not either of us."

"So, where do we go from here?" Amber questioned. "What now?"

"We definitely need to find out what those obsidian necklaces do," Joy declared.

After further discussion, everyone parted ways to get some rest that they all surely needed. The only people lying awake were the Osirion and Chosen One. Nina had to be the most worried about Eddie's sake, and Eddie feared his fate. He was fast approaching the twelfth hour on the pocket watch, and he was scared what would happen when he got there. He wondered how it would feel to be ruthless, wicked-he wondered if he'd feel any remorse or if he'd feel none. He was a danger to the entire group-he knew that for sure. Maybe if he got far away enough, deep within the woods, he couldn't find a way to hurt them.

He grabbed his flashlight and planned to stop by the kitchen to get food and then head on his way. As he tip-toed down the hall, the floor creaked. Nina heard his, and for some reason she instantly knew Eddie was leaving. She was still laying in her bed, and a single tear drained out of her left eye. Eddie felt this burn his skin as well-this same tear, even though he hadn't cried at all. He looked over at Nina's door and considered saying goodbye to her, but she already knew. He knew that she understood.

He continued to the kitchen to get some food, and then he headed out the front door, opening and shutting it as softly as he could.

~~~~~
Everyone woke up in the morning, ready to get back to business. Nina prepared herself to brace the others once they realized Eddie was gone. Everyone was called to the kitchen by Fabian.

He was holding the obsidian necklaces and the pocket watch.

"Ok, so far, Eddie's hand hasn't moved from the eighth hour-wait," Fabian paused, "where is Eddie? Still asleep?"

Nina stayed silent.

"I'll go get him," Patricia volunteered. The others waited until she returned and said, "he's not in there."

"Maybe he went back up through the trap door and the chamber?" Alfie suggested.

"Let's go check there then," Joy said.

"Wait," Nina sighed before they went anywhere. "You'd just be wasting your time."

"You know where he is," Jerome figured.

"He ran off...into the woods. He wanted to get far enough away so he couldn't hurt us."

"He told you this?" Amber questioned.

"No. I just know."

"And you didn't tell us?" Patricia frowned. "You didn't go after him? You didn't wake us up to go after him? You couldn't have stopped him? Nina, what were you thinking, just letting him go like that?"

Nina began hearing faint whispers in her head, deterring her attention from Patricia. She felt weak and dulled and almost fell out her seat until Fabian caught her and helped her back up.

"Nina? Are you alright?" Amber asked. "What happened?"

"Nothing that the Internet can't find out," Jerome stated suggestively.

Fabian went and got his computer, searching with different key words of all the possibilities until he found the most likely answer.

"Ok, here it says:

'In ancient Egypt, the Egyptians believed the Osirion and Paragon had stronger connections than what could be seen. There'd also be cases in which the Osirion's circumstances could effect the Paragon directly, as well as vice versa. Such as, if one of them were to act as an opposing force, in other words, becoming evil, the one who was still good could be weakened substantially in life and/or in power.'

And down here, it mentions something about external objects-" Fabian scrolled under that subtitle. "-Here! It mentions the obsidian necklaces:

'Obsidian necklaces are used to give either the Paragon or Osirion stronger power. Though, this comes with a price. The power granted to them by this object is dark power and should only be use in cases of crises and if the bearer is positive they can handle it.'"

"So, was it the necklaces that knocked me unconscious maybe?" Nina asked. "But why would that cause Eddie to turn evil?"

"Maybe it wasn't exactly the necklaces," Fabian told her. "The best I can really think of is a curse or something by Apep."

"Let's just go with that," Jerome declared, "because the real matter at hand is Eddie and Nina's current condition right now. By the looks of it, Nina may have to use that necklace."

"What makes you say that?" Alfie asked.

"If Eddie becomes completely evil, the only person who can fight him off is Nina. And if Nina is weak and we have something that gives her power...where's the disconnection here?"

"But it's dark power," Fabian reiterated.

"Do you not have faith that she can handle it?" Jerome faced Nina. "Do you have faith you can handle it?"

"I know I'll do whatever it takes to protect you guys and save Eddie, so if it comes to it, and that's the only option...I'll use it."

Fabian grew red as anger welled up inside him. He stormed out the kitchen and Jerome went right after him. They stopped right in the main foyer, and the others opened the kitchen door to watch them, some of them stepping out of the kitchen.

"Why do you doubt her?"

Fabian turned around. "I don't doubt her."

"Then what's the problem?"

"What if she can't handle it? What if she becomes evil? She's my future-wife, and it's my responsibility to keep her safe with as much ability as I have to do so."

"Yes, it is your responsibility, but she's the Paragon, Fabian. She can't rely on your protection all the time when she has to go and save the world. I don't blame you for caring about Nina, but when it comes to being the Chosen One, you can't make her choices."

Fabian swallowed and didn't reply. He looked past Jerome at Nina who was still sitting in the kitchen, staring back at him. Fabian nodded and looked back to Jerome.

"Ok," is all he said.

He went to his room and shut the door. Jerome faced back towards everyone who was emerged in their discussion.

"Would this be an appropriate time to say, 'one point for Jerome'?" Alfie questioned.

~~~~~
And here is another chapter! I hope you're enjoying this, and there's much more coming to further enjoy!

Should Eddie have left them?

How do you feel about what Jerome told Fabian?

Should Nina use the necklace if it comes to a time when she has to?