The deadly eyes of the man who had revealed his true self hours ago, shone brightly while he held onto the staff belonging to Zeno.

Frustration ate him up, rage filled him, whilst danger lurked around, rushing in from the walls.

No matter how hard Costa tried in summoning the powers of the staff, it just wasn't working.

In his hands, it felt empty. He had tried all he had in him, just to bring the staff to life, yet, nothing worked.

Zamarion stood at a corner of the room, hands placed above his crotch, while his head was bent low.

He couldn't stare Costa straight in the eyes, for fear of what could be done to him. All of his commands he obeyed.

"Something's wrong" He heard Costa say.

"What is it? My lord" He raised his head up to peer at him.

"Is it the staff?" He asked.

"No, not that" Costa responded immediately.

He dropped the staff, and then began advancing to the large windows of the room.

With his back turned to Zamarion, and his eyes staring at the scenery on the outskirts of the palace, he began speaking.

"I can feel a presence drawing closer" He uttered.

"It's near" He added.

Zamarion drew his sword out in fear, gazing around the room, looking at corners, even up at the ceiling.

"I'll protect you, My lord" He uttered to Costa.

"I wi-"

He didn't get a chance to complete his statement as a wild breeze pushed him off his feet, striking him face-first on the the hard surface of the wall, knocking him out cold, instantly.

Emerging from the halls into the chambers was Elpida, with her hands directed at Zamarion.

She dropped them immediately, seeing that he was out unconscious.

Her attention turned forward to Costa who still had his back turned to the doorway, not flinching at what just happened, instead, feeling amused, knowing already who it was that came in.

"Your powers have grown, Elpida" He uttered in a low voice.

"I'm impressed" He added.

Slowly turning around, he came face to face with her, staring into her eyes.

For a moment he shifted his attention to Zamarion who was sprawled on the floors, and then back at Elpida.

"Is this what you've longed for, Pavlos" Elpida spoke. Her voice wavering, while tears filled her eyes, staring at him.

"I'm quite sure it's now known that my name's Costa"

She watched him as he took few steps forward, shifting his eyes from one object to another.

"You'll always remain Pavlos to us, someone who cared" She uttered to him.

"There was never a Pavlos" He responded.

Using his powers, he pulled the staff into his hands, and then stared at her.

"I thought I gave an order for you to be killed" He muttered.

"Well, here I am. Much better than you think" She said to him.

"All of this is nothing, Pavlos. NOTHING!"

"Give a reason why you are doing this?"

"The power?" She questioned.

He only chuckled, hearing her words.

"You have no idea what happened in the past, so you're in no place to judge me" He said to her.

"All those stories you told about Cedric, it was you all along" She spoke.

"You fooled each one of us, acting a friend, a brother, only to spit in our faces in the end"

"You were quick to lock us up in chains, order for us to be slaughtered and thrown away, all for what?"

Her voice was already weak, hence, she remained silent, turning her face away.

"You will give the staff to me, Costa. You've got no business with it" She said to him immediately.

His eyes squinted, while he stared at her, his white hair, swaying side to side as he moved closer.

A slight grin appeared on his lips, as he looked at her.

"Never knew you were this much of a threat, Elpida. I always thought it was the boy Orion" He uttered, with the grin still on his aged face.

"I'll make sure I kill him, right before killing the others"

"He has done nothing to you!" Elpida spat.

"I'm sorry it has come to this, Elpida. You and I were very good friends"

"How's everything going?" He said

He smacked his lips and then turned his back to her.

"Leave while you still can. I warn you" He uttered in a very low voice.

When he didn't hear a response, and the room fell silent, he turned around to gaze at her, but got pulled immediately by something so strong, it made the mortality in him rush to the surface.

Her powers, he realized.

Pulling him closer to her like a magnet, Elpida used all of her strength to get a hold of him.

Her hands were still pointed towards him, when he snapped his head up, staring into her eyes and then threw her to the walls in an instant, with just a flick of his eyes.

She landed with a thud, groaning and slowly getting to her feet.

"I don't wanna kill you myself, that's why I ordered someone to do it" She heard him say.

"Then you'll have to kill me" Elpida croaked.

"Cause I'm not leaving without the staff" She added.

He scoffed lightly, turning away from her.

"Such shame" He muttered.

"You really think- he began but halted as he was drawn off his feet, pushed to the ceiling and then down to the floors.

The staff fell out his hands, while he laid down completely weak.

Slowly picking the staff up, Elpida moved over to Costa, peering down at him with tears in her eyes.

"I may not be a thousand old Wizard, but I've got something you wouldn't dare think of having. A heart"

"I won't kill you, Costa. For it's not by my hands you shall die"

She gave him one last look, and then hurried off out the chambers into the halls, completely unaware of what was to befall her.

Her feet barely touched the ground, as she ran, moving through corners, panting and gasping for breath.

The exit of the palace was just feet away from her, and right outside, not too faraway, she saw the rest, yelling for her to hurry, while they waited.

She could see Orion and Aiden pacing out there with weapons in their hands, while they kept watch for any attack.

Beside Bellona, stood another figure whom she didn't recognize.

Surprisingly, she couldn't find any guards in sight in the halls, and that, she was thankful for.

Probably fought off, she thought.

Her legs drew closer to the doorway and just as she was about evading, something sharp struck her right behind her neck, close to her right shoulder.

She gasped sharply, feeling the pain while grazing her fingers on the spot.

A tiny arrow had been shot at her neck, but from whom?

Costa.

He stood at the other end of the hallway, his eyes staring dangerously at Elpida while she escaped the corners of the palace.

He felt relaxed knowing he had struck her just as he wanted, right on the spot intended, and not even a sorcerer like him, could survive the hit of the arrow laced with poison, conjured by his powers.

Unknown to Elpida whose legs were still carrying her while she escaped the palace grounds.

She snatched the tiny arrow from her neck, hurrying away and grunting at its pain.

As she closed in on the others, random memories suddenly filled her head.

Faces of her mother and Father brought tears to her eyes, thinking back to when she was a kid and everything seemed normal for her.

Memories of her and Bellona going on errands together, discussing about the calm of spring and the beauty of trees didn't seem to escape her mind.

She remembered how they had always gone to the markets shopping for corset dresses, spending their coins on them all just cause they wanted to get prepped for a festival. One which they weren't sure if they could attend.

She remembered the first boy she fell in love with. Peter, was his name.

Around him, she thought the world just perfect, and nothing else mattered, but all of that soon came to an end, when she found him in bed with a woman old enough to be his mother.

She also remembered how Bellona took a liking to a young boy who came visiting Lorwich for just the winter. Though, she didn't make her feelings known to him, one could still tell the way she felt.

Growing up had been beautiful for Elpida, surrounded by friends, family, and joy. The perfect setting.

What she couldn't understand, was why all of these memories came to her now.

Her legs felt weak running, but she didn't bother stopping, not until she had gotten outside to the rest.

Crashing into the arms of Bellona, they hugged, stroking each other's face, smiling together.

"I thought you were gone" She heard Bellona say.

She nodded only, and then gave the staff to Orion.

"Are you okay?" Bellona asked.

She opened her mouth to speak, but dug her fingers into her neck, gasping for air, while choking.

It happened so quick, as she slumped to the grounds, her eyes shutting instantly and darkness filling her sight.