It was nighttime by the time Master Yama had finally given in to Reuben's stubborn determination to join their rebellion. Stell, meanwhile, apologized to Tak for lying to him about being a fire mage such as himself. He didn't seem to know many and had been genuinely excited to have met a female one. She did, however, make up for it by showing off her ability to make tiny fires at her fingertips. They weren't much, but they didn't hurt as much as the spells the Mallors forced her to do. The flames only singed her tips slightly.

Tak had then went on to tell Stell how Kabuto was trying to help him tap into the fire he seemed to be having difficulty controlling. The fire mage tried to snap his fingers to summon his fire, but nothing happened, causing the child to look at his hands in disappointment.

"Master Kabuto says it's just because I'm a late bloomer," Tak huffed, "but I think it's because my fire is so powerful that my body can't release it until my destiny is revealed!"

"Well you know what they say about late bloomers?" Stell asked with a chuckle. Tak looked up at her expectantly for an answer. "They become the strongest and most handsome of the blooms." Stell giggled as she pinched Tak's cheeks, much to his embarrassment.

"Ah, that's what Kabuto says," Tak rolled his eyes with a wave of his hand, "I'm already the most handsome man in Trapario, all I need is to get my fire blazing!" with this he snapped his fingers again, only letting out a tiny, rather pathetic, puff of smoke.

"That one felt hot." Stell smiled with a shrug.

When Reuben and Master Yama finally came out of a side room, the necromancer looked winded while the short elderly man remained blank in the face. Reuben called his fellow necromancers and Stell over to explain that he and Master Yama had come up with a compromise as it seemed Yama was too proud to work along side Sefloria publicly. Anyone who wished to join the rebellion from Sefloria was welcomed, but they were not to go to Kespain, leaving the kingdom to the shadows and whatever humans or creatures resided there. Stell saw no problem in that. She'd go to any other kingdom so long as it wasn't Kespain.

Lily and Lilith, the two girls dressed in black dresses- Lily the one in the short dress with Lilith in the long dress- lead the spell casters to their room, the only vacant bedroom they had. Lilith asked the four if they needed any sleeping bags, but Reuben told her they had it covered before he waved his cresent moon stoned staff, a wave of silver colored magic swirling in the room until four mattresses with blankets and pillows appeared in the room.

"Handy," Lily shrugged, leaning against the henge of the door.

"Sakura is making dinner tonight," Lilith spoke, referring to the pink haired girl in the bra and sweats, "we'll eat in an hour. Make yourselves at home."

"And, just as a warning, Sakura always makes a dish with nothing but vegetables." Lily rolled her eyes.

"That's fine," Reuben smiled kindly, "thank you greatly for your hospitality!"

Lily and Lilith shared a look before making their way back down the hall, leaving the necromancers and Stell in the room. Thorne fell face first on her bed in the middle with Harry holding tightly to her back to keep himself from falling off of her. Alia and Farkas went to sit on the bed next to Thorne's, Alia throwing her boots off and petting Farkas' head.

"While you girls settle in, I'm going to see if daddy can get us a new friend!" Reuben looked back, rubbing his mouth of the drool.

"I'm pretty sure if you flirt with that Kabuto guy again, he's going to kill you," Alia told the older necromancer with her arms folded across her chest, "literally kill you."

"Nah, he's just playing hard to get," Reuben waved, "sooner or later, he's bound to give in to this Reuben meat!"

The sound of someone clearing their throat made everyone turn immediately to see Kabuto leaning against the hedge of the door, glaring daggers in to Reuben. Tak stood at the shadows side, his light green eyes wide as if slightly disturbed.

Reuben began to greet Kabuto, but was immediately cut off by Tak's caretaker. "When you all leave at dawn tomorrow, Tak and I are going with you."

Thorne sat up with a whine about leaving at dawn, but was ignored when Alia stood defensively. "What do you mean?"

"If the Guardian is here in Kespain, I'd like to know what he plans to do about Alabaster," Kabuto answered as he placed a hand on Tak's head, "and I can't trust anyone else enough to make sure he doesn't get into trouble, so he's coming with me."

"I've been itching for adventure!" exclaimed Tak, his eyes shining with excitement.

Alia began to protest, but Reuben quickly silenced her by slapping his hand over her mouth. "But of course!" the older necromancer beamed. "The more the merrier, I always say! You must really be against King Alabaster if you're willing to join four Seflorians to get answers."

"I don't care if you're all a bunch of trolls in disguise," hissed Kabuto darkly as he glared everyone down, "Alabaster is ruining the very legacy our previous king left behind and I'm willing to risk anything to make sure he suffers a million deaths."

The very sound of Kabuto's voice made Stell shudder at his, not even a threat, vow. She thought she hated Alabaster, but this man wouldn't even give the shadow king his title in a statement. Did other shadows hate Alabaster as much as he did? What was their previous king like? What morals did he stand on before Alabaster arrived?

"Also, Stell is able to use fire," Tak spoke up, "even if she ain't a fire mage, maybe she can teach me how to set my head on fire!"

Interrupted in her train of thought, Stell blushed at Tak's words. He meant well, but it was still an embarrassment to have run away screaming with her head on fire. If she had just kept her cool, Reuben or Alia would've known how to put her out and they wouldn't be in this situation.

"How did you set your hair on fire anyway?" Tak asked with wide, curious eyes.

"You seemed pretty angry about something," Thorne pointed out, "what were you thinking about to make fire pop out your hair?"

Stell flinched with uncertainty. As far as these people knew, she had no true reason to feel pure, unadulterated hate towards the Mallors. She already felt Alia and Kabuto's distrust in her from only knowing them for a day. If she broke from her story now, they'd definitely ask her questions she wouldn't be able to answer without giving away her slavery to the shadow king.

Stell then thought of something quickly, before anyone could change their looks from curiosity to suspicion.

"I was just so angry that Alabaster was using forbidden magic to make his army stronger," Stell lied, "I love Sefloria greatly and just the very idea of the shadow king touching my home to gain forbidden spells to spread his darkness faster, boils me to the core. I'm just not good at using my magic yet."

"Oh, thank God!" sighed Thorne in relief. "I thought I was too old to not have full control over my powers, but seeing you can't control them, makes me feel so much better!"

"Amen!" Tak agreed.

Stell wasn't sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult, but she shrugged it off and assumed the latter.

"So you're saying that if I'm angry enough, my fire will finally be powerful enough for me to use?" Tak asked.

Stell began to correct the young fire mage, but was cut off as he began scrounging up his face, looking like he was trying to give birth. Everyone watched in silence as Tak tried getting angry by just seeming to push it out, only for his face to turn slightly red. Though Stell thought that was only because of the strain Tak was putting on himself.

"Alright, stop before you hurt yourself," Kabuto ordered. Tak immediately relaxed himself, looking down shamefully. "We're going with you and we leave at dawn."

With that Kabuto and Tak walked out the room, slamming the door behind them and leaving the three necromancers, their Familiars, and the witch.

"God, he's a fox," Reuben purred, wiping his sleeved arm across his face. Alia and Thorne giving him quizzical looks while Stell tried thinking of ways to make the trip move faster.

§§§

While it had been one of the better nights of Stell's life since her escape, it was still the strangest one she was sure she'd ever see in her life. Sakura's meal almost made Stell cry as it was the best meal she had in years, but she held her tears back as to keep the others from asking any more questions she didn't feel like answering tonight. It was just a plate of leaves, fruits, and stalks.

Lily and Lilith, who happened to be twins, both were being courted by Gunshot, the man in the hat and black jacket. Watching them both feed him and run their hands down his bare chest made Stell almost gag on her food. She had never seen three people in a relationship and two of them being sisters and all of them being okay with it. It was... Uncomfortable to say the least.

The guy in the eyepatch, Tatsuo, apparently had an addiction to explosives as he never stopped talking about them while everyone ate. He even had some hidden in his brown coat that he explained had different strengths. One of the dynamites even had the strength to level the entire land around them for miles.

Master Yama hadn't joined them, Tak explaining he never really ate and when he did it wasn't with everyone else. The short martial arts master always kept to himself, only communicating when it came to training the rebels.

Kabuto had left early to go talk to the elderly man to let him know Kabuto and Tak would be leaving tomorrow with the Seflorians to find the Guardian and his wife. Stell felt strangely better to see the two shadows nowhere near her, probably arguing about one of them leaving with a witch to find another witch. Hearing shadows fighting amongst one another filled Stell with a strange joy she never felt before.

The sound of loud cursing and food hitting skin snapped Stell back to the dinner table where Tatsuo was furiously wiping leaves off his face. He turned an angry eye to Thorne whose face was full of guilt, her fork in her hand as both her hands were slapped over her mouth.

"I'm so sorry!" Thorne apologized as she shot up to her feet. "I have to go!"

Both Thorne and Harry bolted out the room, leaving a group of baffled rebels and a witch. Reuben and Alia shared a look before excusing themselves and running off after the youngest of them.

"What was that all about?" Sakura asked. Everyone turned to look at Stell for answers, but all she could do is shrug, knowing just as much as they did.

§§§

"Wake up," a voice exclaimed, waking Stell from the same vision, only this one was more clearer and it was easier to see, but she still couldn't make out many other things. "Get up all of you, we're leaving."

The young witch sat up, her body pleading for more sleep. The necromancers near her groaned groggily as they awoke, the Familiar growling from the sudden movement below them.

Kabuto and Tak stood at the door, Kabuto looking the same as he had yesterday while Tak was hunched over looking exhausted. Reuben greeted the shadow with a wink, only to receive a death glare back.

The four Seflorians straightened the cloths they slept in and cleaned their faces, grooming their hair as they did so before grabbing their stuff and leaving the room. Reuben used his staff to make the beds they slept on vanish before he made the stick with a cresent moon shaped stone vanish as well.

Kabuto and Tak said their goodbyes to their fellow rebels while Master Yama watched from the front door. The old man glared at Stell, receiving the same from Stell. The sooner they found the witch the better.

Finally, after being told countless times to take care of himself from Lily and Lilith, a friendly punch to the arm by Sakura, a high-five from Gunshot, and a tight arm embrace from Tatsuo, Kabuto lead Tak to the group which Reuben lead to the woods once more.

"This is perfect!" Reuben exclaimed when the house was far behind them. "Now that we have a shadow, we should find the old capital here no problem! So, Kabuto, any idea where we can find Kespain's capital?"

Kabuto gave Reuben a glare before stopping and pointing to the right. "If you're looking for the capital of Kespain," the shadow spoke, "it's that way."

Reuben stopped, causing the others to stop as well and everyone turned to Kabuto, who leered at them all, his hand still pointing. Alia turned to Reuben with a frustrated look while Farkas growled up at him.

"It'll take us most of the day to get there," Kabuto told them as he crossed his arms over his chest, "that is, of course, if we don't get stopped by Alabaster's men or his zombie soldiers. There's also a few paranoid shadows out there who have lost their minds after Alabaster took over, so that could hold us back as well."

Reuben chuckled nervously as Alia and Thorne gave him hard glares, Harry and Farkas looking to him unenthusiastically. "And that's why I'm glad you joined us!" the white-haired necromancer smiled. "Why don't you lead the way?"

Kabuto rolled his eyes before making his way in the direction he had pointed toward. Stell hesitated as the others followed, not sure she liked the idea of following a shadow, but she gave in and followed. She just kept telling her they'd find the witch soon and she'd leave Kespain forevermore. No more shadows was going to be a dream come true.

The ground was silent as they trudged through the land, the sun high in the sky by the time anyone said anything and it was Thorne complimenting Kabuto's muscular legs as they made their way through some marshes. Reuben and Alia quickly told Thorne to settle down. Stell turned to see Thorne shake her head furiously and look to her comrades in concern. Reuben comforted her as he gently shoved her ahead to continue their trek.

Stell felt a strange pang in her chest as Thorne and Reuben passed her. There was something odd about the young girl. Stell knew she couldn't be a normal necromancer since Reuben took her in as his student, but there was something more off about Thorne than Reuben and both he and Alia seemed to know it. First she flung food at someone, running off when she did and then she seemed to be infatuated with Kabuto, but immediately didn't seem like she knew what she said.

"Is Thorne okay?" Stell asked quietly to Alia when the red-haired girl stepped up to her side. "She seems... Different today."

Alia bit her lip in hesitation and looked around in thought as if thinking of a response. "Thorne is... Not like most necromancers her age," she finally answered, not looking Stell in the eye, "she's different and her... Uniqueness is a little unstable, so Reuben wants to keep a close eye on her so that she doesn't end up hurting others or herself." Stell looked to Alia in worry, unsure of what to say or if she should even ask about Thorne's "affliction". "Look, all you need to know is that Thorne has three different... Personalities. One that's only out to fall in love, one wanting to reign chaos on everyone she meets, and the one that's really her. If either of the two personalities takes control over her body, they could cause some major damage to Trapario and may even get Thorne arrested, killed, or worse."

"What's worse than death?" Stell jerked her head immediately to see Tak standing next to Alia, looking up at her with big green eyes. The necromancer sneered down at him; she was speaking quietly enough for only Stell to hear and now Tak was listening to her talk about her comrade like she had some kind of disease.

"I can think of a million other things," Alia told the fire mage darkly, "one of which is banishment to the Abyss in the middle of the ocean!"

Tak cringed before running up to walk beside Kabuto again. Stell thought that fire elemental mages must hate water, since they do focus much of their magic on flames over being wet. This made her even more spiteful toward Kabuto and Master Yama for letting the poor boy go to the river to fetch everyone some water. All the rebels, including Master Yama, looked perfectly well enough to get water themselves.

The trek continued in silence once more. Thorne played with Harry by twirling her staff around to summon butterflies for her Familiar hare to bounce around and try catching. Farkas remained by Alia's side with the same hard glare as her. Reuben had taken out a few papers from inside his jacket to flip through as they walked, looking around him as if taking notes about almost everything he saw for miles. Stell showed Tak more fire spells she knew, spinning fire balls around his head and setting her hands on fire, the licks of the flames not harming her as they touched her skin.

Using magic at her own pace and having a clear head felt much better to Stell the more she practiced her magic. In fact, it felt amazing to use her magic. The feeling of it rising from inside her and showing its violet color made her feel free and like she was being herself. Being forced to use forbidden magic and having to use it all at once without taking the time to relax oneself did nothing but harm the person using it. Any longer with the Mallors and Stell was pretty sure she was going to burst into dust.

As it was getting darker, Stell's magic light began to brighten and she could make out faded specks of white within her purple aura. Tak watched wide eyed as Stell formed a flame into a dragonfly, at which point Kabuto slowed his pacing to watch as well.

"We've never seen Seflorian magic in person before," Kabuto spoke, almost breaking Stell's concentration, "we've only read about them in books."

"And they don't make it as cool as it is in real life!" Tak exclaimed, his eyes sparkling. "All we've ever read about is that they use weird stuff in potions and cast hexes on people they don't like."

"Well, you have nothing to worry about with that," Stell giggled at Tak, "I don't plan on using my magic for curses or hexes."

"What exactly do you witches use your magic for?" Kabuto asked, the same unreadable steely look.

"I can't speak for all of us," Stell answered flatly, "but my mother used her magic to calm me down whenever I had a bad dream, zip my dad's mouth shut for a couple minutes whenever they got in an argument, and tell me stories through specters like this." Stell pointed to one of the fiery dragonflies she still had out.

"Your mother zipped your father's mouth shut?" Kabuto eyed her like she just said something insane.

Stell shrugged. "My mom was a very head strong witch. She was a good wife and mother, but a child at heart. But, just looking at how they would look into each other's eyes, I knew they really loved each other."

Stell trailed off, remembering those sweet days of her parents looking into each other's eyes, the spark between them the most beautiful thing Stell ever saw. She lifted her hand to clutch her locket tightly, the only thing her mother left behind. What she'd give just to feel her mother's silky black hair again and be tucked into bed by her father.

"I didn't think witches and wizards could be so..." Kabuto trailed, his eyes glancing off to search for the right words. "Loving."

"My father wasn't a wizard," Stell told him, still clutching her necklace, unsure of whether to take Kabuto's comment as an insult. "He was a human."

Kabuto looked to Stell before picking up his pace up a hill and stopping. "We're here."

The others quickly ran up to stand up beside the shadow and look down to see a desolated village, a crumbling castle looming over it. Houses were covered in vines, windows shattered, gardens dead in backyards from lack of care. In the distance, Stell could make out an equally decrepit farm. There was no life for miles.

"We must have just missed them," Tak spoke as he looked around in disgust, "this place looks like someone spat it out after a really bad meal."

"This happens to be my old home, Tak," Kabuto told his young companion, "as well as many other friends I once had growing up here."

"Oh, and it is lovely!" Tak immediately shifted, though not very believable in enthusiasm. "I mean, that castle looks awesome and I bet you set plenty of fires in that barn over there and... I like that tree," the fire mage smiled as he pointed to a dead, burnt tree not far from the hill they all stood on, "that's a nice tree."

"What are you blind?" an unfamiliar voice cried out from behind everyone in the group. "This place looks like Hell! Believe me, I've been there!"

Stell spun with everyone else to see two newcomers standing behind them, a man and woman. The woman clutched a broom in her hand, her curly black hair flowing in the sudden gust of wind, her jacket a midnight blue with stars scattered all over it. Her eyes were a stern purple, a long scar running down the right side of her face from her forehead, over her eye, and to her chin. The man in a sweater and glasses placed over his brown eyes. His hair short and brown with sideburns running down from his hair to his jaw.

Just the mere sight of the woman looking down at her made Stell feel weak and small. She had never known a witch to emit so much power from her body with just one hard look.