[SpringsSong]

Kria thought for a moment, and then, she nodded, her eyes brightening.  "Ghia... that's... precisely correct.  I did tell you that once... that the only reason I hated her was for that... well, and for Chloris, but... that is now in the past.  She and Chloris were meant for each other... just like... like..."

"Like what, Mother?  Like what?" Ghia said, her ears suddenly perked with curiosity as the thin layer of ice melted from her fur.  She watched as the older Lucain thought for a moment, her eyes confused at first, and then, brightening up like lanterns on a dark night when the sky was clouded.

"Like Verano and I." She said at last, smiling.

"Surely, Kria, you are kidding me.  Surely you'll remember that he is an assassin teacher, and that disqualifies him from getting close to his students in any way?" Alyan said, smiling as he sauntered around her.  "Surely you'll remember that he said that true assassins have no emotional connections to anyone for any reason whatsoever?"

"Then why are you stalking me?" Kria retorted.

~*~*~*~

The blind Magistrey's eyes lit up when she got this response.  "If danger is what you live for," she said, smiling, "then it is danger we shall seek.  Come, I know of a way to get back up to my chambers.  I keep a store of weapons here... just in case."

"Alisha, you sly blind monk girl!  Why didn't you tell me we had weapons here all along?" Lian?¶ said, playfully swatting the Magistrey with a paw as she flattened her ribbon into a hard and protective armor.""Let's go!"

Chandani smiled as she nodded, standing up and shifting forms as she followed after Lian?¶ and Alisha.  "It still amazes me to no end," she said, chuckling, "how you two can do this... without sight."

"It is because we have lived here for so long, we just learned how to navigate the whole place simply by its feel--and by that, I mean by using Lifesense." Alisha said, smiling slyly.  "That's how I was able to sense that you and Chloris were no threat."

Chloris chuckled.  "I would have suspected as much... I mean, that would explain why Lian?¶ knew it was us even though we wouldn't know it was her... I get it now..."

[9.1][4.1][8.4][8.4][3.3][3.0][2.3]

[SpringsSong]

Kria watched as the Shielupe before her growled, his white eyes becoming like the white fire she could wield.  "I, ah... wanted to call that a mutual partnership, more like; not an actual relationship, Kria..." He said through clenched teeth.  However, it was Ghia who answered him.

"Oh, sure, it would be a mutual partnership.  Do you think we females are blind to the tricks you play to ensnare us just so that you can use us?  Do you think we're completely stupid, Alyan?" Ghia snapped.

"Kria, I see your daughter inherited your lack of control over what she says." Alyan said.

"Oh, I wouldn't call it that, Alyan.  I'd call it the guts to stand up to a professional assassin and tell him to his face that he's hitting on her mother and lying about it at the same time when both female entities can feel it.  You so don't know me, Alyan... and it turns out that I don't know you at all." Kria growled.

Ghia looked at her mother in shock, but then in pride.  Maybe freezing her actually did the trick this time!  She actually seems like she's getting it! She thought to herself as she watched the flames surround her mother with such a fury, she could see the plants twenty yards away catch on fire as she prepared to pounce on Alyan.

~*~*~*~

The group silently padded up countless stairs, resting only when everyone was positively unable to continue without some rest.  Alisha would keep urging the group ahead; "Come on; we're not that far away now, friends.  My quarters are right up here..." She said, pressing in a small, round stone by the door; which released it.  "Come, inside.  We haven't any time to lose.  I sense one entity of fire has already been angered beyond her control."

"What do you mean, 'one entity of fire'?  Another fire elemental?" Chanda asked, looking down at her paws.  Indeed, there were tiny flames there even as she spoke.  "But... the only other entity of fire I know of is... my sister." She said, stopping.  "Wait a minute... could it be...?" She asked herself, walking to a mirror.

Lian?¶ smiled.  "We use that mirror to look into the past, Chanda.  Maybe you could discern something of Alani through it." Chanda nodded, and then, looked into the mirror.  Alani... where are you...? She thought, looking into the mirror.

The sight that met her eyes completely astounded her.

The mirror shifted to show two pups--one purple, one blue--in front of an emporium in Nabias, soon followed by a grey pup.  She noticed this time, however, that her father... looked slightly different this time.  His eyes seemed to linger on the little grey pup, and then they rose to meet the pup's mother's eyes, and then they fled.  When she saw the telltale markings on the grey pup, her eyes glued to the mother's leg.  Sure enough, under the celestial, there was a faint trace of Dweller.

"It can't be..."

[9.2][4.2][9.0][9.0][3.3][3.1][2.4]

[SpringsSong]

The angered fire elemental leapt at the Shielupe, but she would be shot down by a stream of water coming from the Shielupe.  The Lucain growled as she stood again, her eyes glowing dangerously.  "Ghia!  Cover for me!" She barked, circling around Alyan, snarling.

"You got it, Mother." Ghia said, letting an icy aura surround her.  "I will gladly assist you." She said, grinning as she let a ball of ice fly towards the Shielupe quickly, giving Kria a chance to strike.

"You obviously have much to learn, Kria.  You forget, I am a water elemental.  Your attacks will have positively no affect on me whatsoever." Alyan said, chuckling darkly as he grabbed Kria by her throat.

~*~*~*~

Chloris, Alisha, and Lian?¶ all gathered around Chandani as she murmured, "It can't be... no, it can't be..." She rocked back and forth in her chair before she said, "Mother... Father... why did you lie to me... to us...?" She said, tears falling down her face.

"What?  What do you mean, Chanda?" Chloris said.  Chanda sighed and said, "Do you not remember... when we first met, Chloris?  Do you not remember seeing Kria there as well, with her mother?  I'm not sure if you noticed, but... her mother was glaring at my father in contempt, and my father seemed to keep his eyes fixed on Kria... as if he knew her..."

Chloris nodded slowly, and then, he gasped.  "But, Chanda...!  That would mean...!"

Chanda nodded.  "Yes... that would mean that Kria and I are half-sisters." She said, shaking her head.  "I never realized..."

"I don't think any of us actually realized this, Chanda.  This definitely makes things interesting.  Show us Kria." Lian?¶ said, and the mirror rippled to reveal a scene in the lower level of the temple; a Chaos Shielupe holding a Lucain on the ground, and a third figure--Kria's daughter, Ghia--snarling viciously.  Within an instant, Chanda was up.  "We have to go down there now!" She said, standing up.

Chloris nodded.  "I agree.  We have to help Kria." He said.  Alisha nodded and moved gracefully to the hidden panel again and pressing a button.

[9.3][4.3][9.1][9.1][3.4][3.2][3.0]

[SpringsSong]

There was positively no hesitation in the others to grab a weapon from the drawer that appeared when Alisha pressed the button.  Chandani and Chloris, however, opted not to take weapons.  "We will fight with our elemental powers and prowess against this Shielupe." Chloris said, and Chandani smiled.

"Let's just hope that Kria doesn't decide to attack you, otherwise you're dead meat, Chloris." Chandani said, playfully slapping Chloris' shoulder before shifting her form.  Her mate merely nodded, and their two blind companions tilted their heads.

"What on earth do they mean, Lian?¶?" Alisha asked quietly.

Lian?¶ chuckled.  "Chloris is a grass elemental.  His attacks should virtually cripple this water elemental, but if Kria attacks him, he's as good as done for." She said, smiling as they ran within the temple.

Ghia seemed to sense something, and in turning her back to look, she made herself vulnerable to attacks from behind--and Alyan took that opportunity and blasted Ghia clean out of the room...

...and into the unsuspecting Chandani.

"What...!" Chanda said, letting flames gather around her paws.  When she saw who it was, however, she let the flames die and she crouched next to the other Lucain.  "Ghia!  What's happened?" She asked, her voice frantic.

Ghia groaned at first, but then, she looked up and saw Chanda.  "Mother... being attacked... Alyan... be careful, he's a water... element..." She said.  Chandani nodded and said, "I know... my niece." She said.  Without waiting for Ghia to respond, she bolted off.

Kria groaned as she felt Alyan's paw press down harder on her neck.  "Let... me go..." She gasped as the paw only pressed down harder.  "No.  I won't let you go.  I haven't worked to get this close to you just to hear that you are in love with our teacher!" He growled.

"Let her go!"

[9.4][4.4][9.2][9.2][4.0][3.3][3.1]

[SpringsSong]

Alyan paused for a moment to look up to see whose voice had made that forceful demand to release the fire elemental.  Kria, too, looked up, and when she saw who was there, paws flaming, she gasped.

"Chanda...?"

"Yes, Kria.  I'm here to help you... and there's also something you need to know... but that can wait." Chanda said as she began to circle Alyan.  This new diversion seemed to draw Alyan's attention as he said, "So, Krishna... we meet again."

"That's Chandani, Alyan.  I gave up the assassin life a while ago." Chandani said, growling.  Kria stood up and began to circle behind Chandani as she hissed in a whisper, "I already know about Lian?¶.  I'm sorry I accused you of it..."

"Not that, there's something else." Chandani said, growling as she dodged a stream of water.  "Something... more important than just whether or not I had killed one of our friends."

Lian?¶, Alisha, and Chloris hung back for a moment before Ghia walked up behind them.  Poking Chloris, she asked, "What did Chanda mean when she called me 'niece'?  Are we sure she hasn't gone crazy?" She asked

"We're certain she hasn't gone crazy, Ghia.  You see... Chandani's been looking for her sister for several years.  But... we found out just a few minutes ago... that Kria is Chandani's sister."

"But how can that be...?" Ghia asked.

[10.0][5.0][9.3][9.3][4.1][3.4][3.2]

[SpringsSong]

Ghia blinked as this registered in her mind.  "But... still, how can this be...?" She asked, her blue eyes curious and lost in the whole situation.  "Kria told me that she never had a sister, and that her father abandoned her for... for another Lucain named Lina..."

Chloris nodded.  "Yes, Ghia.  Lina is Chanda's mother, and Kria and Chanda's father was a Lucain by the name of Leon." Chloris explained.  "Leon was a grayish-based Lucain with red Dweller and midnight purple Shadebane.  Chanda's mother, Lina, was a dark purple Lucain with red Celestial and a pale purple Shadebane--but this was hidden under her Celestial.  Kria's mother--I cannot remember her name for the life of me--had invisible Dweller under purple Celestial."

Lian?¶ blinked as she took this in.  "This all seems so... so unreal right now... so I am being told that who used to be my best friend's enemy is her half-sister?  What else could happen in a day?" She asked.  The blind Magistrey beside her laughed.  "Oh... I can think of several things that could happen, Lian?¶... some of which you wouldn't expect."

Kria, meanwhile, shook her head.  "Chanda... you're making no sense.  What else would be more important than that?  I mean, I...  I forgive you for doing that, even though it was not your deed..." She said.

"Tell me who your parents were.  Don't ask, just do it." Chanda said, leaping to dodge a stream of water that came from Alyan.  The Shielupe laughed as he said, "This is useless, you two.  You know that you have no advantage over me, a water elemental."

"We might not be able to..." Chandani said, smiling insanely.  "But we know someone who can!"  Kria, meanwhile, ran up beside Chandani and whispered, "My mother was known as Lisa and my father was Leon."

[10.1][5.1][9.4][9.4][4.2][4.0][3.3]

[SpringsSong]

Chandani smiled as she turned back and whispered, "My parents were Lina and Leon." She then returned to keeping her eyes firmly glued on Alyan as she circled him.  "If you think in any way you have the advantage over us...!"

"Wait... Leon was your father as well, Chandani?  But... that would..." Kria began to say before she jumped out of the way of a stream of water again before she continued her thought.  "That would make us sisters then, Chandani... even if only half-blood..." She said, suddenly shuddering.

"I know, it suddenly kinda makes our little triangle that we used to have a little awkward, doesn't it?" Chandani said, but she ought to have kept her mouth shut, for Alyan cackled evilly and sent Chandani flying through the air with a burst of water.

"No!  Chanda!" Lian?¶ cried, running over to her friend and placing a paw on her forehead.  Looking up, she glared at the Chaos Shielupe as she said, "You will pay for this."

"Oh?  And what will you do to me, since you are blind?" Alyan said, walking towards her and grinning.  The female Shielupe chuckled lightly as she said, "Oh, I'll just merely tell you two things for now--one, you failed to complete Chanda's mission for her, and two, I ought to kill you for what you did to her and myself--and Kria."

"B-But... you can't be Lian?¶... Lian?¶ was a Kuhna..." Alyan protested.

"The Gods and Goddesses gave me this body to return in.  Now give me three good reasons why I should not kill you." Lian?¶ said, her voice dark.

"Because I will."

Ghia and Alisha stared in shock at Chloris as he began to advance towards Alyan, growling.  "I wonder what Ch-Uncle Chloris has planned..." Ghia wondered.  Alisha chuckled and said, "Oh, knowing your uncle, he'll have a few surprises for Alyan."

[10.2][5.2][10.0][10.0][4.3][4.1][3.4]

[SpringsSong]

Alyan chuckled darkly as he circled Chloris.  "I should have expected Chanda's beau to come to her rescue--yet I wonder why you opt to defend both of them when one of them could have caused your death not all that long ago?"

Kria growled.  "That was just me not being able to control my anger back then, Alyan... I never would have killed Chloris intentionally.  I could never bring myself to then, and I certainly can't do it now." She said, moving over to help Chanda up.  "I know I remember Mother mentioning something about Father leaving her for a childhood friend... I just didn't realize that it was..."

"Yeah, I know.  Mother always told me my sister's name was Alani and that I'd never find her anywhere because the girl was an undercover assassin that never revealed her identity to even those closest to her." Chandani said as she smiled weakly.  "And man, I forgot how much damage a water elemental can do to a fire elemental..."

"Now don't go talking like that, Aunt Chanda.  And okay, this is weird, referring to you as a family member now instead of one of our targets for today's mission..." Ghia said, walking up to her.  Kria looked down and away from Chanda as she said, "I, too, have failed my first and only mission as an assassin.  I cannot kill she who is of my blood."

Chloris kept his eyes fixed firmly on Alyan as he said, "I shall defend all who I care for--whether or not she once would have killed me, Kria is a part of my family.  And I shall avenge the pain you caused Chandani." At this, the male Lucain stood perfectly still and closed his eyes.

"What's he doing, Alisha?" Lian?¶ asked, tilting her head as she tried her best to read the aura around Chloris.  She'd never seen this aura around him before... and it both comforted her and distressed her.

"Just watch, Lian?¶." Alisha mused, chuckling.

[10.3][5.3][10.1][10.1][4.4][4.2][4.0]

[SpringsSong]

Chandani looked up.  "Wait... so Chloris and I were... going to be...?" She asked, her eyes widening.  Both Kria and Ghia looked away from Chanda, shame all over their faces.  "Unfortunately... yes." Ghia said.

"But then again, that was also before Alyan came in and started acting all weird around me, especially after I mentioned Verano..."

This was all Kria could say before a blast of water knocked her against the pillar nearby.  "You'll pay for this, you know, Kria.  You know that Verano is a true assassin, and therefore would never accept a mate.  This is why females," he spat the word like it was venom, "are not meant to be assassins.  They always let their sentimental feelings get in the way."

"We do not!" Ghia said angrily, her fur bristling.

"Now, let's not get our fur in a knot, Ghia.  It's time to let Chloris and Alyan battle properly." Alisha said, smiling as Lian?¶ tilted her head again.  "I still do not like this aura I sense around Chloris.  It seems... darker than he normally is."

"That is because this is the first time in which his elemental powers have been awakened... this is the first time that he will have to battle solely with those powers and not with anything else..." Alisha said, grinning.

"Well now, Alyan... let us see if you are as strong as Chandani has hinted your powers to be." Chloris said, smiling as he opened his eyes at long last.  For once, his eyes were green instead of yellow, and they seemed to be glowing.  He swiped his paw in front of him, and almost instantly, leaves shot out of the air and straight towards Alyan.

[10.4][5.4][10.2][10.2][5.0][4.3][4.1]

[SpringsSong]

The water elemental seemed shocked as the leaves came flying at him.  However, he tried not to seem phased as he unleashed a jet of water.  Chloris merely stood, unfazed by the water that was washing over him as he watched the leaved cut into the Chaos Shielupe's skin.

"This cannot be!  How... an earth elemental..." Alyan said, stumbling slightly.  At this instant, Ghia leapt into the battle and smiled.  "Did ya think I'd let you have all the fun, Uncle Chloris?" She said, smiling.

Chloris laughed in response.  "Well, then... your attacks should be normal against him now.  Come, let us see your powers, Ghia Fuoca!" He said, speaking her full name as if to evoke the full power of both of her elements.

Chandani ran over to Kria, her red eyes gleaming strangely as she said, "Are you all right... sister?" She almost shook her head at this statement, but Kria chuckled.  "I had only imagined having a sister before now--much less having a sister that would actually be concerned for me..." She said, almost weakly.  Chanda shook her head and pushed at Kria's head with her own.  "Come on now, Kria.  You can't do this..." She said in a pleading voice.

Lian?¶ came up behind Chandani and whispered, "We need to get her somewhere where we are safe from these elements.  I know that Chloris cannot do any damage to you two--but it is not him I worry about.  I fear about this Alyan.  He seems determined to claim Kria.  We need to move."

Alisha nodded as she moved behind Kria.  "I agree with Lian?¶.  We cannot stay here.  Come, we must leave while they are distracted.  We need to get back to the haven--I have remedial herbs there--but we must hurry."

[11.0][6.0][10.3][10.3][5.1][4.4][4.2]

[SpringsSong]

Chandani nodded as she looked over to where Chloris, Ghia, and Alyan seemed to be locked in a battle to the death.  Ghia would release a ball of fire, and then follow it with tendrils of ice, while Chloris stuck to the grass- and other earth-type attacks.  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to Chandani, Lian?¶ came up and gently poked her.

"We need to get out of here, Chanda!  If we do not leave now... I fear the worst for Kria." This was said in a voice that made Chandani shiver as she lowered her head for a moment.  When it slowly began to rise again, she said, "I haven't searched for my sister all these years just to lose her now." She said as she launched a fireball into the field before running.

"That might not have been the wisest choice, Chandani... fire beats both earth and ice.  You could have just severely hurt Chloris and Ghia, as well as alerted Alyan to the fact that we are fleeing." Alisha said, her voice firm and sad.  Chandani shrugged as she said, "Right now I'm more concerned about finishing one assassin mission--killing that Shielupe... or at least getting my bounty onto his head."

Kria seemed to groan as Chanda eased her onto her back.  "Don't worry, Kria.  We'll get you some medicine soon." She said as she cast a glance back.  Chloris had sent a whirlwind of leaves and sand around Alyan, and Ghia was working her magic with her ice tendrils.

However, it was in Chandani's hesitation that she made her mistake.

She caught a glimpse of the Shielupe's white eyes, and they had obviously seen her, for now, there was a column of water shooting out towards them at full white water fury.

[11.1][6.1][10.4][10.4][5.2][5.0][4.3]

[SpringsSong]

"Chanda, move!  You've got to get out of the way of that!" Lian?¶ cried, trying to push her friend back some.  However, the Lucain seemed frozen in fear, with her horribly wounded sister on her back.  The female Shielupe shook her head as she shouted, "Alisha!  Take Chanda and Kria now!  I'll stay back and distract Alyan!  Take Chanda in your talons if you must, just get her out of here!" She said, flattening and hardening her ribbon around her.

Alisha did precisely as Lian?¶ suggested to her, picking up the two Lucain in her talons.  "No!  Put me down!  I have to battle against Alyan!" Chandani cried, struggling in Alisha's talons.  The Magistrey merely gave Chanda a firm squeeze and said, "You need rest and medicine as well, Chandani.  You are not facing him in this state."

Ghia noticed both the fireball and the commotion on the sidelines, and as she sent tendrils of ice snaking towards the Chaos Shielupe again, she looked over and tried to see through the smoke.  She could hear Chandani's distressed voice, and she could hear Alisha's commanding one, but... where was her mother's voice in all of this?

"Ghia!  Focus!" Chloris warned, just in time for Ghia to sidestep a geyser-force jet of water that was coming towards her.  The male Lucain sent more leaves towards the Shielupe, but something didn't feel right as he continued to battle.

There was someone else entering the battle... and he didn't want to imagine what would happen if Alyan ever noticed her presence in the battle.  He wasn't about to let this particular Shielupe die a second death.  Not when he was there to prevent it this time.

[11.2][6.2][11.0][11.0][5.3][5.1][4.4]

[SpringsSong]

Down, down, down.  Alisha flew down a spiral staircase while keeping Chandani and Kria held firmly in her talons.  Every now and then, Chandani would try to fight; insist that she had to go back and help Lian?¶ and Chloris and Ghia, but it was then that Alisha would give her a firm squeeze.  Finally, they arrived at the place where Lian?¶ had decoded the rune there, and Alisha repeated the words as she remembered them.  The door slowly slid open, and the Magistrey flew in, carrying her two charges.

Chandani wasn't too damaged, but she had suffered some.  She didn't have any physical scars, but those were not as important as her stamina.  The jet of water that she'd been hit with was almost deadly to her, being a fire elemental.  The fact that she wanted to keep attacking him only made it worse for her.  She was able to walk, though, as well as help with Kria.

Kria, however, was far worse for the wear.  She had endured several water attacks, and had almost been choked to death.  Her breathing seemed to be weak; fleeting and thready.  Chandani shook her head as she whispered, "You can't leave me, Kria.  I haven't looked all over Evelon for you only to lose you now."

"Her fate is in the hands of Zu'hai and Yepha now, Chandani." Alisha said, bringing out a few vials of liquids and some herbs.  "I can do what I can for her, but her fate is in the hands of the gods now."

~*~*~*~

Ghia nodded as she sent a wicked fireball out ahead of snakes of ice while Chloris created a sandstorm around Alyan.  "You cannot escape us now, Alyan.  You might as well give up." Chloris said, his voice hard and cold.  However, the response that he got did not surprise him in the least as he felt the Shielupe's anger.

"I will never surrender!"

"So be it!"

Chloris did a double take as he heard this voice.  The next thing that crossed his mind was, Lian?¶... I sure hope you know something that Ghia, Chanda, Kria, Alisha, and I don't know... otherwise he could kill you--again.

[11.3][6.3][11.1][11.1][5.4][5.2][5.0]

[SpringsSong]

Chandani's head lowered as she said, "I know I should just accept that and let you do what you can for her... but I haven't ever thought of abandoning the search for my sister even when I was told the first time that she was dead.  After all that she and I have put each other through... I can't let her die." The Celestial and Shadebane Lucain shook her head as she sat down beside her sister, gently stroking her fur as she whispered a single sentence:

"Kria... can you please forgive me for all I put you through?"

Alisha shook her own head as she crushed up some herbs.  "You need to have a little more faith in the gods, Chanda.  It might not be her time to go at all, just like they sent Lian?¶ back here, albeit in a different form, because her time was not truly over."

~*~*~*~

Ghia's eyes widened in shock.  "That... that wasn't your blind Shielupe friend, was it...?  Because if it is... then... wasn't she the one that Alyan had killed after slamming Aunt Chanda for not being able to take on her mission?" She asked.

Chloris nodded.  "Unfortunately, it is her." He said.  "Also unfortunately, she wants to avenge her own death and the shame he caused Chandani in what he said at Lian?¶'s funeral.  I sure hope she knows what she is doing..." He said.

Lian?¶ was not paying attention to this conversation, however.  She was circling around Alyan, shrouded by the dust that was encircling them both.  She would wait until she was behind him to strike, and then, she'd jump back just enough to become encased in the dust again.  Alyan roared in fury, but he could do nothing as he could not see Lian?¶ at all.

[11.4][6.4][11.2][11.2][6.0][5.3][5.1]

[SpringsSong]

Chandani's head lowered as she said, "I know I should just accept that and let you do what you can for her... but I haven't ever thought of abandoning the search for my sister even when I was told the first time that she was dead.  After all that she and I have put each other through... I can't let her die." The Celestial and Shadebane Lucain shook her head as she sat down beside her sister, gently stroking her fur as she whispered a single sentence:

"Kria... can you please forgive me for all I put you through?"

Alisha shook her own head as she crushed up some herbs.  "You need to have a little more faith in the gods, Chanda.  It might not be her time to go at all, just like they sent Lian?¶ back here, albeit in a different form, because her time was not truly over."

~*~*~*~

Ghia's eyes widened in shock.  "That... that wasn't your blind Shielupe friend, was it...?  Because if it is... then... wasn't she the one that Alyan had killed after slamming Aunt Chanda for not being able to take on her mission?" She asked.

Chloris nodded.  "Unfortunately, it is her." He said.  "Also unfortunately, she wants to avenge her own death and the shame he caused Chandani in what he said at Lian?¶'s funeral.  I sure hope she knows what she is doing..." He said.

Lian?¶ was not paying attention to this conversation, however.  She was circling around Alyan, shrouded by the dust that was encircling them both.  She would wait until she was behind him to strike, and then, she'd jump back just enough to become encased in the dust again.  Alyan roared in fury, but he could do nothing as he could not see Lian?¶ at all.

[12.0][7.0][11.3][11.3][6.1][5.4][5.2]