His name caught under my tongue. The shock of knowing a man who never led me to Anita, or alerted me about the torrid truth the half-stone piece applied.

The Orre never accepted my pleas to talk. I stood outside his door. At times, I needed him. But what I just heard from Talaus—who himself hold secrets that I'm wary. Both their lies, I can't stand. One who tricked me into believing he was helping me. And the other, the malefic who pretended to be a mage.

Why should I trust either of them now?

Even so, I have this other need. This need wants to know the truth. I want to know how The Orre sees my arrival here predestined. How this creature, Talaus, knew the dark events that would shape me into who I am now...a damaged kid, a harbinger, a boy who seemingly has no identity.

I muster through my unmeasured hesitance. Stepping forward, my feet pace on the wooden-like floor. "Why did he meet you?"

"You mean..." Talaus tries to say it.

"Yes, how you saw The Orre."

Terra warns him. "If you want to survive, you shouldn't lie to us."

I know she wants answers to how and why The Orre knew this without telling them. And yet won't know because he's still missing. I turn to see Terra aiming her right bowgun to Talaus. She doesn't want to fire, but she might need to if this creature is making us look like fools. But I know he understands.

Talaus smirks after what Terra said. He keeps smiling, "This is how I knew The Orre." He explains, "The Orre met me many centuries ago. He knew about the rare ability I have."

I soon think about that ability, to see into the future. I mention if that's his power. Talaus just grins.

"No way." Silas taken back; seems I'm right about this prediction thing. He tells us that Gremdaunts usually don't see into the future. And how a stiff like Talaus could have that power. Then Talaus stuns us when he mumbles, moving shifty. Right to me.

"I saw a vision. A vision where a boy will have no home, caused by an element. Yet it wasn't spontaneous, it was meant to harm." Talaus grins a little. He continues, "I saw something else as well, but before I can ushered anything. The Orre came to me. He told me to stay quiet. He told me to keep the secret about the boy to myself."

I know I'm this boy. But what other things Talaus saw. I continue to get closer towards him. Talaus quickly sits back up.

"Listen Naven, I know you're wondering what I saw."

"What was it?"

"I can't."

"What you mean you can't!?" Talaus won't say it, he keeps ignoring me. "I want the truth! What is the secret?"

"I promised the old man." He says flustered.

Then I lift my head partially up, The Orre knew something. But what is the promise. Then Terra comes at Talaus, aiming her right bowgun at his forehead.

"Listen Gremdaunt, I don't have time. Tell us everything about the promise. If not I will shoot."

Guess her sister's stubbornness is rubbing off on her. I know Camille is hard to control, yet to see her. I understand why Terra wants to be the stable one. Talaus looks like he doesn't want to say it. His gremlin-like, puffy lips haven't close.

And then as I see Terra forcing Talaus to reveal the truth. Suddenly I remember another fact about the story. 'The boy believes his life is normal but is not.' And odd enough, that's what The Orre told me once.

Just because you're a noblood, doesn't mean you are.

I mull that remark over as Talaus finally speaks more.

"I saw something unbelievable, but I couldn't speak of it. I promised this Orre. He wanted me not to speak, but to keep it to myself. Though my voice was silenced, I wasn't completely withheld."

And with that, he created the story about The Raver. He made his vision of me into a fable.

Silas murmurs quietly nearby, having no idea. I'm stupefied.

What is The Orre hiding from me? How much more is he keeping locked? I then walk closer, inches to Talaus as he is still sitting down on the stool. Terra is right by, still aiming at him. Wanting to make sure he's not lying to us. I mention this 'not a norm' notion. I ask Talaus what is this about.

"You have no idea what you truly are. What was taken from you?"

I recalled that meeting I was forced with Raudan. He mentioned that to me. What was taken from me, what I always needed. Raudan knew this somehow. I don't know what else he knew other than the fire and me being this harbinger.

Talaus has the answers. I then forcibly grab hold of his vest. I pull him towards me, yelling at him. "What was taken?!"

Terra places her hands over my right arm. Wanting me to relax, to ease my grasp. However, I won't let go. I won't end until I find out what was taken from me. I have this indication what I lost. My parents were taken from me, as well as my normal childhood. The pain of the past fighting me hard.

The pressure I have on Talaus tightens, as he tries to swarm. After many times he yells at me to let him go, I want to. And then he offers me a solution. My patience over this slipping, but I wonder. He wants me to let him go so he could show me something. However, as I lessen my hold. Talaus jumps down on the floor. He then rushes off, scavenging through a pile of old books that are stacked up in long towers.

I see Terra concerned. "Naven, are you sure about this?"

"I'm certain."

As I stare at Terra, I then hear Silas needing us to check what Talaus is doing. We turn to see him grabbing something out of a dusty, torn book. He squeals happy, "Hah!" He screams.

I startle worrying what is up with him. Then as he runs back, he gives it to me. Rushing it into my right palm. He's not telling me what the object is. Glancing down in my hand, I see that it's a dark blue gemstone.

What is this?

"The Orre told me to give that to you." He states.

"What's with the small rock?" Terra asks.

"Only Naven will know that. The Orre told me. That's it." Talaus then gulps, not showing his smiles. "Don't be disappointed Naven you think you came here, and you left with nothing."

I try to nod.

"You have the first biggest clue. The Orre wanted me to tell you, one last thing. You have to be..." And then his face shows a blank stare, "And you're not alone." He says confusing all of us.

"Excuse me?" Silas questions what he meant.

Talaus feels a bit jumpy and then from out of nowhere, a bestial paw comes out from beneath the floor. Wood pieces fly towards us, not getting a good shot at the thing with the paw. I react stunned and harrow at Talaus's cries. The unknown creature grabs hold of Talaus' right foot and drags him down in the hole. Soon his screams become echoes. I'm left speechless in what just happened.

Is Talaus dead?

I ask that in my head, hearing a violent roar. That creature must have eaten Talaus alive. I shake in fear, gulping as my nerves tie me down.

"I know that claw from anywhere." Terra says. "We need to run now!"

"Why?"

She then runs to me, holding my right hand. I feel her tenderness soothing my nerves. I then hear her valiant voice slowing down. "We just have to."

Seeing no other choice, I comply. I place the gemstone in my cargo pocket. Keeping that safe. The precious seconds we have left, we use to escape the hut. As another rocking roar shakes up the floor. We exit the hut, running down the steep hill. But as we run, a creature bursts out of the hillside. Pieces of rocks and dirt explode. I look over to see that the thing is a beast, looking like a tiger. Its white scary fur rising up alarmed. The beast has razor-sharp claws and fangs. Wild hair sticks up on its head. It has a tail with an end shaped as a curved hook; and has gills on the side of its neck.

I'm petrified in fear. And then I hear Terra yells, "Watch out, it's a bygor!"

I wish she could explain more about this. How that bygor killed Talaus. Terra screams at me to run. We do, we race back to our trail we created. We sprint hard. Once we make it back into the marketplace, we're close to leaving.

As we run into the center by the well, bystanders look on. I follow Terra and Silas as we try to make it back to the gate door where the Harpies are on the other side. However, as soon as we move pass the well. A few more bygors burst through the surface. One coming out of the well and another out of a mud brick house creating an explosion. The pandemonium causes many Ferrum citizens to flee.

They are yelling frantically, some heading back to their homes. While others try to find places the bygors have yet to touch. Then I veer to the far right, a young girl about a few years younger suddenly falls to the ground. During the mayhem, she's getting crumpled by a stampede of screaming colonians. As Terra and Silas fight off some of the bygors using their weapons, the things are being aggressive roaring and trying to swipe their claws. As the young girl still on the ground yelling in pain, to my amaze no one is helping her. Seeing that I have no weapons, I let the others handle the beasty freaks. I rush towards the girl even bumping into people to get to her. I then bend down, helping her back up to her feet. Seeing she may have some minor, treatable wounds. I hold onto her as I can carry her around my back.

Her arms wrap around my neck, her legs grasp around my waist. I tell her to hang on. I then look straight as Terra's holding well. However, she yells at me to look out. Stupid, I turn back around and then there's a bygor chasing after me and the young girl. I can smell that rotten stench the bygor is giving off. I yell at the unnamed girl to hold on. She holds on tight, as I begin to sprint. I turn briefly around, and the bygor is coming closer. I rush further along a series of mud brick houses. I eventually head into a tight alley between two mud brick buildings.

When I see a concerned Ferrum male offering his arms up, his attention is for the safety of the young girl. I let the girl get off me. She lands on the ground, walking towards the male. He tells me he will take good care of her. As more yells is heard from the background, I try to regain focus as I see the young girl. The girl runs up to hug and kiss me on the cheek. She thanks me. I then smile at her. And then out of the blue, the bygor that was chasing me suddenly appears again.

I quickly get up screaming at them to get to safety. I don't know about Terra and Silas, but I hope they are doing more success warding off these bestial freaks. However, I have mines to worry about. I spot the girl and the man heading inside a building, they're fine. I then run away having that bygor get to me and away from them. Once I race around the alley to get back into the well centre, I quickly focus on a stick with a live flame. Grabbing hard on to it, I then swing it at the beast. The bygor stands back a little, roaring at me. But I try to do my best to repel it. However, I can hear the other yells some in pain. And then there's one scream I hear. Someone that sounds familiar.

Terra

Not focusing on the creature, the bygor lunges at me. I lose control of the only weapon I have. The creature comes trying to swipe at me with its claws. I race back to grab the burning stick. I then get pounced by the creature. Its' ravenous paws restraining all my limbs down. I can smell its' stench. I squint, my lips closed. I turn my head away, not trying to look at it. And then as the bygor's head moves close to my face. I then hear the loudest roar I heard in my life. As it gets ready to strike at me, out of nowhere the bygor gets hit by one of its own. The two crashed and are thrown further down the alley. They both are down on the ground unconscious. They should be dead.

As I try to get up, patting away the dirt, I then turn to see Silas's right hand lowering down. I'm ecstatic.

He used his powers.

I thank him.

Seeing we have a little time left, Silas and I reunite with Terra. I almost swear she looks like she just limped. But she then tells us that we should focus our attention on keeping the colonians here away from danger. As the bygors are on the ground some injured while others are unconscious. They're not done.

As we push everyone to get to safety and to head back home, close their doors. We keep doing it, but as we are we notice some dead bodies—scratched beyond remembrance. Soon a male leader tells us we should head out now, for our safety. He thanks our service. He and the others will help with the dead. But we need to go. Just like that, we rush back to the cycles. As we hop back on, we turn the inside handles clockwise and pull it forward. We begin to zoom away. However still on the road, I turn back to see the bygors coming after us. As we increase the harpies' speed, we lose the bygors. And then as I glance back, seeing one more look at Ferrum. Fearing those things might return. We should turn back and help the people.

Only to my amazement, the bygors mysteriously dig their way underground. Not to be seen again.

They weren't attacking the people in Ferrum. They were just collateral damage. We were the ones those things were mainly after. As we take a minor break stopping our harpies, Terra is able to tell me more about those things we just faced.

Bygors are vicious malefics, hard to kill. She mentioned they have faced those beasts several occasions in the past. Silas also added the fact; those things had a nickname to go around the Outerlands. They are also known as "Terror Beasts". Rarely, they attacked Dawning, but I seen some Ferrum citizens got killed. Their bodies clawed and necks bitten off. And weird, if the bygors didn't attack inside Dawning. I reflected back on Rufus. His wounds eerily matched those who got killed today, by those same beasts.

Unfournately, whatever else I wanted to know from Talaus died with him. He was just another obstacle. The Orre had known more than he led on. I'm tired of this. I already lost friends and innocents. I won't lose my sister and my aunt in this game of his.

Once we find The Orre, maybe he will finally talk. And stop lying to me. I need to know the truth from him. He might have an endgame, and what it can be depends on me.

Terra soon mentions that we should leave now before sunset comes. Hopefully, we can head back and lend in a hand to help find Emmet and The Orre. As Silas heads out first, Terra nods at me and begins to zoom out. However, as I follow suit. I pause when I notice her back.

Scratch marks piercing the back armor, and specks of dried blood on the razor-cut marks. I can't know what a bygor's scratch felt like. It must have been painful.

I heard her yell back in Ferrum. Yet relieved that it only was a scratch, she should be okay.

I wouldn't know what would happened if I lost her.

***

Yelling out The Gentleman's name, my hands form a shape once I place it by my lips. I call his name again.

He had to found them, with his powers and connections. He had the ability to help in the past. I had never doubted him before. However, the many attempts I yelled. He hadn't responded to either of them.

I begin to lose hope. As I trudge, leaning over to the slab table. My hands I treat as my balance. Terra walks over as I hear her voice.

"We're going to get through this." She says softly.

I shift towards her. Seeing those emerald eyes again, I would thank her for being there. And then as I see Silas in the background, heading to the Grub area to get something to eat. Icarus is seen coming out of the Infirmary.

"You're here?!" Silas look stunned.

"Huh uh. We made it back a few hours ago. Yet Emmet got injured." Icarus states.

"You found him!"

Icarus nods. He then let us know, our British pal took them to where Emmet was at. He then tells us the injury Emmet sustained looks somewhat bad. He lost some blood, but the biggest loss is two of his right fingers.

"What happened?" Terra walks over to him. Icarus just shakes his head.

"A bygor got him."

His response sends shockwaves to us. I can see Silas and Terra's faces flummoxed.

As if the bygors we faced in Ferrum also faced the others. I lean my head wondering this was an ordered attack.

"Where were you?" Icarus asks. I step up telling it's a long story, but I then mention to him those he and the others fought, the ones that hurt Emmet were they really bygors.

Icarus shrugs, "Ah, yeah!"

He tells us more that he and Camille fend them off the best they could. However in his words, "Those bloodsuckers are tough to bring down." Then Silas lets him know that we had a bad encounter with them. Icarus asks us panicking, "How? Where?"

I mention Ferrum. He seems confused and asks why we were there.

"Remember long story." I say as I don't want to look back on what Talaus said to me. And soon I begin to think about The Orre. Terra asks him about Camille, if she's hurt. Icarus calm her down and give us a notion that they're both fine.

As The Orre is still in my head, I ask him. Icarus doesn't respond. He stays quiet. And that's when I get hesitant in what to tell him next. However, a few seconds later. I try to ask again. But then the Man with the Cane appears out of nowhere. He stands in front of me.

"I'm sorry I have to say this." The Gentleman holds onto his cane, he then takes off his hat and presses it on his chest. He wastes no time. "The Orre is gone."

I hear gasps around the room. He can't be gone. My mouth remains open, as a reply is stolen by the shock of what I've heard.

"The injuries he suffered from those bygors were more severe. There was nothing I could do." He says as if that's some kind of consoling.

I finally reply, saying what I could think of. "How about going back to your Pentacle friends. Have them do something." If they're powerful as he claims them to be. They should help.

"I hate to say this, but The Orre's death is what best for the greater purpose." He bluntly states. I can feel a tear going down to my cheek. Embittered he said that. He can't be serious?

The Gentleman walks close to me. He understood what I found out. That I need to give it time before I can handle the rest. There's more. I then look back, as The Gentleman sort of whispers into my ear. "When you learn the truth, you will be better off not knowing."

I then retract my head. And then the next thing like a blink, The Gentleman disappears. What he mean by that statement.

Better off not knowing.

What's going on? What are these people keeping from me? I stand unmoved as I then watch the guys heading to the Infirmary. Terra doesn't follow them. She comes back to me. She wonders if I'm okay. I don't know. She wants me to come, see Emmet and The Orre's body. Terra tries to touch me, but like an idiot I step back. My hand refuses hers. Terra looks stunned.

"Just go, I'll be fine." I say depressive.

Terra apologizes for not believing me the first time, but she wants me to know one thing. "Whatever The Orre knew, let's hope it didn't die with him." She says as she turns back around. I view her heading to the dorm, heading to the Infirmary. I agree with what she said.

Some part of me wants to blame Raudan in this. He has to be behind the bygors attack. And now without the Orre, the Shadowhawks are blind with no magical assistance to guide them. Only the dubious help of the Man with the Cane. But I can't fathom the truth.

The Orre is dead.

He lied to me since day one. He knew everything about my life and refused to tell me. He told me I wasn't ready.

Now as I drop to the floor leaning my head against the metal table's arms, am I ready.

Can I be ready to face the remainder, the truth everyone is afraid of?

I know I am.