Rollan stood at the bow of the ship, looking out at Greenhaven Castle. It was a beautiful day for his return, Essix was out circling ahead and he felt good to be back.

Then he remembered the message that he had received from Conor and Lenori. Rollan was visiting his mother in Concorba with Meilin after defeating the Oathbound and clearing the Greencloaks from crimes that they didn't commit. After Meilin left to visit Abeke, a messenger pigeon came to him with a note written on onion skin. It had said:

Rollan,
Return to Greenhaven as soon as possible.
More visions, possible danger ahead.
- Conor

Rollan had suspected that Conor was having more visions. But why? Erdas had been through so much over the past year, what else could happen?

Forgetting about the message, Rollan felt excited to see his friends again, especially the other Great Beast summoners. He wondered if they had been called back too. Out of everyone though, he was more looking forward to seeing Meilin again.

The ship docked at the port of Greenhaven. Essix shrieked and landed on Rollan's shoulder.

"Have a nice flight?" Rollan asked as he stroked the falcon's feathers.

Essix eyed him and pecked his finger.

"Ouch! What's gotten into you?" frowned Rollan.

"Rumour has it that the castle is haunted," another Greencloak said.

"What?" Rollan questioned, confused.

"I haven't been here in months. Last time I was here, I was locked up," he moved passed Rollan.

With a pang of sorrow, everything started coming back to him. The Second Devourer War, the Wyrm and then the Oathbound. Rollan grabbed his suitcase and made his way off the ship and to the guard.

"Hello Rollan," the guard said. "I'm afraid I must search your bags, is that alright?"

Being the summoner of Essix, Rollan also remembered that he was basically famous. "Sure."

As the guard searched Rollan's luggage, he looked up at the castle again. Even though the day was sunny and clear, Greenhaven castle looked as if it was falling apart, which was somewhat true as there were broken windows and holes in the walls. Vines had also grown over the castle.

"All done," said the guard. "You may be on your way, but be careful... the castle is not the same."

Growing more suspicious and aware, Rollan nodded. That's the second person who said that something is not right with Greenhaven.

Essix shrieked again and flew high into the air, staying above Rollan as he made his way up the steps. As he approached the castle doors, he was stopped by two more guards.

"Welcome back, Rollan, summoner of Essix," a woman greeted.

"Yeah, hi. I'd like to enter?" Rollan was unsure what to say, as there wasn't usually this many Greencloaks on guard.

"Yes, we warn you about the castle," the man next to her said.

Rollan sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I heard there's goblins and stuff in there."

The woman frowned. "This isn't a time for jokes, it's serious. Be careful and watch your back."

Rollan almost rolled his eyes. He didn't believe in the supernatural at all, but he also didn't believe in walruses either until he encountered one. He shuddered.

The guards opened the castle doors that led inside. Rollan stepped in and made his way to Olvan's office. Along the way he could see features that weren't in the castle before, including bloodstains that hadn't been cleaned up, cobwebs, broken glass, there was so much that was out of place.

He approached Olvan's door and knocked, Essix landing on his shoulder. He was expecting Olvan's voice to reply, but it was Conor's.

"Come in."

Rollan opened the door and stepped inside the room. There, at the large meeting table sat Finn, Lenori, Conor, Meilin, Abeke and Anda.

"Rollan!" Meilin raced forward and wrapped her arms around him.

Rollan returned the gesture, his face turning red and his heart skipping a beat. "It's good to see you guys."

"Welcome back, Rollan," Abeke smiled warmly.

After greeting everyone and sitting down at the table, Rollan looked at Conor.

"So what's happened? Everyone's been saying that there's fairies in the castle now."

Conor shook his head. "This is serious."

"And by the way, shouldn't Olvan be here?" Rollan asked.

Lenori sighed. "He is... still recovering."

Rollan looked at the woman. "Still?"

Conor nodded.

"But it's been ages!"

Rollan remembered that Olvan had been bitten by Brunhild's stone viper, but it seemed like many months ago. Something did not sound right, someone was not telling him the truth.

"Conor is in command now," Finn put in carefully.

"Conor's in charge?!" Rollan stood up, shocked.

"Look, I wanted to tell you about my vision," Conor said carefully.

Rollan sat back down again, feeling tired. Conor started from the beginning, with the enchanted forest, then Nightshade Island, something about a witch, Barlow and finally King Feliandor. Rollan's eyes were wide as he listened. Once Conor finished, no one spoke.

All of this to happen would be impossible.

"Are you sure you aren't just having a repeated nightmare?" questioned Rollan.

"I wish it were, but I'm afraid it's not. It's a vision, Rollan. Something is happening that we don't know about." Conor said quietly.

"Even worse... we have evidence to prove that Conor's vision is real," Lenori admitted. "News comes from Stetriol that they have captured a boy that claims to be Feliandor himself."

Everyone stared at Lenori, silent.

"And who said that?" Rollan blurted.

Lenori took a deep breath. "Tasha sent a message. She is one of those who aren't here right now. She said that she fought him and that his crocodile was huge, much bigger than Shane's."

Abeke tensed at the mention of Shane.

Rollan shook his head, unable to understand. "So what, Feliandor is alive... then does that mean Barlow is too?"

Conor eyed him for a moment. "I don't know."

"If he is, then who else will be? And how?" added Finn.

"What did you say about a witch, Conor?" Meilin asked.

"Oh, I'll believe in witches when pigs fly," Rollan snorted.

Meilin smacked Rollan's arm. "You'll believe the first Devourer is alive, but not a witch?"

Rollan did not reply.

Anda cleared his throat. "There's been a strange fog looming over my home. It only came recently, before Conor called me back."

"Fog?" Lenori repeated.

"Yes, well it looks like fog. It's just a lot darker than fog," said Anda.

"Smoke?" Abeke asked.

Anda shook his head. "Can't be, smoke doesn't move like that. It sort of just has been staying in the one place."

Rollan rubbed his eyes, still thinking about how dead people from the past could be alive.

A cold, slow wind brushed passed Rollan's face making him jump up.

"What on Erdas!" Rollan stood up again with his dagger drawn.

"Relax," said Lenori. "It's just wind."

"Can't be, there's no wind in here!" argued Rollan.

No one else said a word after that. Rollan remembered how the castle is apparently haunted, but how?

Meilin pressed her hand on Rollan's. "The castle has changed, not physically but the energy has changed."

Before Rollan could reply, something drifted down from the ceiling.

"What is that?" Abeke asked hesitantly.

The object landed in the middle of the table. Finn reached in and grabbed it, revealing a large black feather.

"I think we are being watched," Finn whispered.

~~~

Rollan made his way to his room with his suitcase, Essix on his shoulder. He was so excited to come back to Greenhaven, now all he wanted to do was go back to Concorba. The meeting was a little too much for Rollan. He was now more alert, and seeming to jump at every creak and crack in the walls.

Finn had given the black feather to Lenori for her to study. Unless there was a raven in the room, the feather had appeared out of no where. As he turned the doorknob on his door and opened it slowly, he peaked into the room to make sure that nothing abnormal was there.

Rollan sighed with relief and entered his room, pushing his suitcase into the corner and laying down on his bed. Essix perched on the windowsill.

"Do you think Conor's vision is real, Essix?" Rollan looked at the falcon.

Essix was still, which was unusual for her and it made Rollan worry even more. As much as he'd love to see Barlow again, would the man be the same? Would other Greencloaks come back too?

He couldn't figure out how they could come back to life without the help of a witch.