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As the day wore on, Adgertesse' made her way back quietly to the battle at the cave's mouth. Among the remains, she noticed the jagged, dark blades that had been used by the attackers, noticing the age in the worn weapons as well as the blue tinge along the blade's length. Curious, she thought as long dark grey fingers wrapped around the handle and raised the sword for closer inspection. Long years of study in the use and application of poisons piqued her curiousity as she smelled it. With recognition came alarm as her eyes widened. The compound created wasn't readily known but the base component was. Aconite. Lowering the sword, she moved to the bodies of Breagan's guards and carefully studied their wounds. Along certain cuts, she noticed a burning which could have been from the aconite but, could also be from the wielder themselves. Wraiths' icy aura normally added cold to their attacks, not fire she surmised. Perhaps this weapon wasn't meant for the men, she thought as her mind raced, standing as she turned her attention back to the cluster of robes and where they had fallen as opposed to where their guards fell. Someone else was here fighting this battle as human remains were scattered. Wraiths didn't have that power, but a demon did. Hopefully Kailee's abilities hadn't gotten to the point where she no longer could discern between friend and foe.

Not being an alchemist herself, she moved to the fallen sheaths within the grey robes and chose one. Searching within, she noticed that it hadn't been coated from all of them. Only one of these had bore the assassin's weapon which she finally found amongst the detritus and picked up then replaced the blade into it. Keeping the evidence would be the only way to find out what was used and what she was up against. Or what was used to render Kailee unconscious. The next issue was, who could she inquire about the poison? Very few in her profession came to mind; few she could trust. Nervous adrenaline flowed as she gazed out through the distant entrance as daylight gloriously shined upon the greenery in concert with bird song. Sighing, she only hoped they could find her friend before it was too late as she turned and headed back to her charge who would be waking in a few hours.

* * *

"Anything new," Brittany inquired as she scooped up the dirt within her wooden bed into a leather sack, then tied it closed.

"Nothing other than a possible assassin's weapon," Adgertesse' explained as she rose from the boulder she had been perched on for some time, contemplating their recent chain of events. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about poisons, would you?"

Brittany rose as she shouldered her backpack. "I thought that was your realm."

"It is, but this particular poison wasn't created by an assassin. I think they had an alchemist create this one which makes me nervous."

"Why?"

"Kailee isn't a normal target," Tess stated, worry in her voice as she gathered her things and started for the exit.

"Hmm," Brittany sighed as she followed. "We have any other leads that we could follow?"

"Idanac. Ever heard of him?"

She thought for a moment. "No. Who is he?"

"The last guard we killed said his name which is probably the one that sent them. He's more than likely the one who has our friends."

"Or at least be able to point us in the right direction."

Adgertesse' chuckled. "I don't think he's going to do that willingly."

"I didn't say that." The darkness around them intensified as the vampire's sense of humor was in tune with her own. If their friends were harmed, Tess would enjoy making this individual suffer also. Walking into the cooler night, they turned southward and moved into the thick forest, keeping their senses piqued for anyone still looking for stragglers. Hopefully, their enemy would be satisfied that those who weren't accounted for were dead.

'How far can you travel in a night,' Tess mentally asked.

'Some leagues. Why?'

'I don't think we should use magic until we vacate the area but, as soon as we make some distance, we're going to need to pick up the pace. I can't gate and we're a long way from anyone that I can ask about either of these things.'

'Okay. Where are you headed then?'

Adgertesse' wasn't sure she could use the first name that came to mind but, they would try a second, less well known member of a distant society. 'Davos.'

'You out of your mind? I can't go there.'

'You'll be in hiding while I talk to him. Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you as long as you stay nearby.' Hoping the last point hit home, she let it go at that.

'You don't have to point any fingers, I should've been with them.'

'This was going to happen no matter where you were. This way, you and I are both alive to help them. Things have a funny way of working out that way sometimes.'

Brittany quietly followed until they finally got far enough away, then mentally teleported along the distant shoreline, down the length of the Valga's eastern border until reaching within sight of a town. Within several days, they eluded capture until reaching the outskirts of the capitol city of the Kingdom of Davos and the home of one man who could shed some light on their predicament. At least Tess hoped so. Once Brittany was safely hidden within a small cave, the entrance only large enough for a rabbit, Adgertesse' continued on to the large walled city. Nervously, she approached and stopped within sight of the long, grey line broken up by tall towers. Reaching out with her powers, she tried to find him. Soon, she noticed the magical barrier protecting the palace and realized he was probably safely tucked within. Exasperated and tired from their long journey, she turned and headed back to the seclusion of the forest.

Wrapping herself within the thick, dark green blanket, she closed her eyes.

* * *

Awoken to movement, she quietly moved her hand to her sword and waited. In the dim light of evening, she could hear crunching of leaves indicating two approaching from the southeast and closing fast. Her heart beat out a tempo that she quickly calmed.

"I saw it this way," the younger male voice stated excitedly. "You'll believe me when you see her."

"I hope this isn't another of those mermaids that you keep talking about," another male voice chided. "I'd hate to tell the magistrate to have you locked up."

"She's right over here," the nearing men made Tess draw up and ready to attack. Deftly hidden within the thick bushes, she wondered how she had been discovered. With each passing moment, she listened to their approach and soon neared the tree that she lay before, weapons in hand as her eyes turned to look below the thin grey trunks to both sets of boots as they walked up and slowed down. Jumping up, she lunged at the first, grabbing him by the collar as both boys screamed.

"What are you doing out here," she angrily pointed the blade in her right hand to the friend as she kept ahold of the first one's shirt.

Wide-eyed, they both froze. "Nothing," the brown haired one stated, reeling from her grasp. "Just looking for the statue that I found earlier," he pointed towards the shoreline. "Over there." Reading his surface thoughts, she realized the mistake and relaxed as both men began to smell of urine.

"Who are you," the second asked, blonde dishevelled hair hanging wildly about his neck and ears.

She released her grasp, allowing her captive to fall to the ground. "No one," she backed, lowering her weapons. "I'm no one. Understand?"

Both nodded their heads, gasping for breath as the first one stood, dark brown pants now darkened down the inside of the thighs. "Sorry to disturb you. We won't tell anyone, promise."

"Good. Because I now know where you both live." She let their imaginations run wild as she backed to her gear and blanket and picked them up, shouldering her pack and drifted into the shadows like a wraith, blending into the darkness to accentuate her threat.

"I told you," the blonde hit his friend in the arm. "You're always getting me into trouble, now that ghost is going to kill us."

She chuckled to herself as she retreated towards Brittany's hide to soon find a good place to eat something for breakfast, late as it was. Running with a real vampire corrupted her eating schedule. Once done, she watched the waning daylight as the lapping of waves calmed her spirits while seagulls glided above. Soon, the misty form seeped from the small entrance and morphed into the familiar brunette.

"Any answers?"

"No. I couldn't contact him in the city," Tess revealed as she rested, crosslegged in the thick grass.

"Alright. I'll be right back."

"Don't go for humans, please. There's a lot of farms in the area so maybe you could find a deer or something."

Nodding, the vampire chuckled. "I'll won't get us in trouble."

Adgertesse' watched as her companion moved into the forest and disappeared and hoped that no one was out walking or hunting that would find her trail or hear the cries of an animal being attacked. She hated this part, even when Kailee went out for she remembered how she and the one she now called her sister, met. Suddenly, she heard the approach of footsteps which prompted her to rise and draw her weapons.

"Tess, it's alright. It's Bernard, sorry it took so long to get to you," he greeted as she noticed him emerge from the covering foliage. "I had to make sure no one had followed you or me. Where is Kailee?"

"I was hoping you were more knowledgable than I but, apparently you're not as well informed as I had hoped. She's been kidnapped by someone named Idanac. You know him?"

His eyes looked downward as right hand went to chin in thought. "Yes. He's a demon lord from the Shadow Range," he looked back to her. "When did this occur?"

"Four days ago," she revealed nervously.

"Who else was taken?"

"Kristal and the remaining girls. Brittany is with me. Her men and servants were killed in the attack." She produced the poisoned blade still within the sheath and handed it to him. "I was hoping you could find out what was used."

Receiving the weapon, he nodded and straightened as he sighed. "Alright."