"Hey," Jean spoke softly as she approached Emelia, her anger-fueled empowerment fading.

Emelia winced, covering her face.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Jean exasperated, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You have to keep your head in the game," Sydni warned, soon realizing it was too late. Her own power was fading as she felt sympathy towards her situation. Inside her mind she cursed, all too aware of how vulnerable they were now without her rage magic.

"Why did you attack mommy?" Emelia trembled.

Jean could barely look in her direction.

"Why?" Emelia repeated, choking up.

"Mommy isn't what you think she is," Jean answered, her vision clouded with all the tears. "Emelia, you have a brother, but they kicked him out. They left him out on the street to die."

"I have a brother?" Emelia glanced at their unconscious mother's direction.

"Mommy and Grandma kept him a secret. Sydni and I are trying to put me as Head of House so that we can get our brother back," Jean tried to explain.

Sydni stared at the two of them, unaware of just how much was at stake. She was under the impression they were merely overthrowing a tyrant, but it turned out to be so much more.

"Will everyone be happy?" Emelia looked up at her sister, gleaming eyes full of innocent hope.

"I hope so," Jean answered, wiping away her own tears. While in reality, she couldn't think of a situation where everyone came out satisfied. They were here to conquer.

"I'll go tell Grandma so that she can help us get our brother back!" Emelia cheered, teleporting down the halls.

"Wait!" Jean hollered, but it was already too late. A toddler with astral magic was truly the worst.

"Come on," Sydni ordered, already chasing after her.

"I swear if Maralyn lays a finger on her," Jean fumed, her fury allowing Sydni to gain back a portion of the power she previously possessed.

As they ran, the air grew stale around them, when a sudden gust of wind knocked them off track. The wind continued onward, hindering their progress.

"Honey, what are you doing?" Jean's great grandpa asked, his voice as smooth as silk. He was accompanied by Sara Starslayer, Jean's ruthless aunt.

The wind continued onward, spiraling out of Sara's palms. Darell stood by her side, quietly whispering into the wind.

His trance magic invaded Sydni's ears like an intense numbing agent, causing her body to begin to shut down.

"What are you doing?" Jean screamed, the wind pushing back against her. The same audible poison crept inside her, and her body eased, allowing the wind to violently push her to the side.

Sydni groaned, attempting to stand. As she looked around she could see Jean passed out beside one of the many cracked columns that miraculously still stood.

Peering down the gigantic hall that circled around Starslayer Manor, she saw a figure approaching her.

"Still awake?" it mused. "Astounding."

Overcoming her haze, she noticed Darell standing over her, clutching a blade. "I already took care of Jean."