Before they even knew,  they were in no man's land. The atmosphere was too thick. A green mist surrounded them. You could almost feel the shadow monsters creeping in. The trees seem larger and ever so green than the ones inside the barrier.

Helene was chasing Adam whilst Logan grabbed her by the hood making sure she can't move.

" I swear Adam next time you decide to lift me I'll make sure you won't have an arm," she yelled to Adam, who was now hiding behind Kiara making faces.

Damien held Luna in his arms so close, that Luna could feel his breath on her face. Damien looked at her to see whether she suffered any side effects from coming through the portal. But before he could speak,

"YOU! You 're the shadow prince" she said, pushing Damien away. She held her head as it began to ache so much she almost fell. " Mage Luna I think you shouldn't move so much, unlike your cousin you seem.... Damien said, coming to her assistant. "I don't need help from a criminal. Helene take your sword, we are taking him to the king" Luna said through gritted teeth. Damien quickly came and shut her mouth with his hands." Mage if we make too much noise we'll get company from the undead and none of us will meet the king '' as he said, they heard ominous cries deep from the forest. " Lulu are you ok? you look pale" Helene came running towards Luna who freed herself from Damien's grasp. "You're wanted by the king... you have committed unimaginable crimes'' Luna kept going about the crimes he committed whilst Helene was trying to comfort her. Damien rolled his eyes '' well you wanted MY help and if you think I'm going back to the border with you, my mage, I'm afraid that you are on your own '' he said turning back and started to look at the map.

"Lulu I know you are gonna hate me for this...but think about Lily, we need to get to her... god knows what will happen to her if we wait. Please.... we'll do something about him when we reach home safe with Lilly '' Helene pleaded with Luna as she could still feel the rage within her cousin's eyes. "Ok fine, rosey but only because of Helene. Don't try any funny business because I assure you, I will make sure you can't walk again!" Luna said, staring into Damien's eyes, who seemed to be uneasy after hearing her comment. "Oooo didn't know the royal mage was this bold on the first date did you rosey '' Adam began to tease Damien a bit.

ok

" Hey guys, Don't want to crash your party but we need to be leaving soon," Kiara said, breaking the tension. "I agree the sooner we leave, the faster we arrive at Viltarin. come on Damien" Logan said while placing his hand on Damien's shoulder. "Since we are done with these childish remarks. follow me and always stay together, because the no man's woods is not a place where you want be lost in, trust me" and with the word of the shadow prince they began their journey.

" Oh Adam, please shut it. You have been singing the same song for many hours. I think I'm gonna puke'' Helene said whilst holding her mouth. "To think thieves like you know the ballad of Dawn of the Shadows is really something" Luna grumbled under her breath. "Well I was simply declaring the glorious history of Otos and Viltarin.." Adam now had his arm around Luna. "you know the thief obsessed with power, calls the prince of Draven from the spirit world just to be killed off by some non magic human loser.. Must have been embarrassing. but I'm gonna say something and I'll die on this hill. I bet Emris was sooo hot back in the da-" before he could finish Luna kicked his leg. " Oh noo devotee of Emris how could you..." Adam was holding his leg pretending though as he lost a limb. "Adam that's enough" Logan said, giving a cold look.

"Also you that human loser was a hero. It was the thief who was in the wrong. His obsession with power would lead to many years of destruction..... but I need to know is it true?" Luna asked. "That the leader of our little party is a direct descendant of the thief's clan " she finished her sentence with every word pouring anger.

"Well thanks to certain people, all the books written about the shadow clan are no longer... so we'll never know, won't we princess?" Damien replied, subtly clenching his teeth. "And yet here you are... " and with that the troop fell silent for a few minutes. The tension of Damien's ancestor's betrayal was still alive even after a 1000 years.

"Any way fun fact did you know that logi boy was paladin in his year. Paladin of hunters Logan Stone"

Now Logan was annoyed. "Kiara, imagine that sexy face walking in the aisle and getting that medal damn... " Kiara was laughing as she and Adam were walking hand in hand. 'They seem pretty close... remember in academia when Mylo-'. Helene stopped mid-mindlink remembering their time as a trio. 'I know you miss him and being here is not easy, but I'll always be here with you.. stay strong hells.' Luna said, giving her a comforting glance.

"Everyone don't move! These woods are supposed to stop here" Damien said signaling the group to stop where they are. "That doesn't explain the deep misty forest now does it... pretty sure you aren't a good cartographer" Helene said trying to lift the mood but even she knew that something had gone wrong. She could feel it in the air, it felt as if something ancient, something powerful was waiting for them.

"Help! help! oh please someone! Anyone help us!" They heard screams all around them, some voices sounded old, some young and to their worst fear some sounded like children. " What's going on?! How come people enter the no man's land, it's strictly prohibited?" Helene said, sharpening her senses.

" Well mage Helene even though you lived a luxurious life some people simply want to 'survive', even if it means to go to the no man's land.... Could be some traders trying to cross to Viltarin secretly?" Adam said observing his surroundings. " Should we help them?" Kiara asked, looking at Damien who was rather adamant about helping anyone during a mission. After all they were in no man's land. Any monster could fool them from mimicking the screams of a human being.

Just as he was about to respond, they saw a little girl running around asking for help. " They are really people! They need help!" Without looking back Kiara ran off to help the girl. "KIARA! '' Damien ran after his sister; suddenly a black mist surrounded the gang. They were unable to see anything; all of what was left were the fading trails of their voices .

Everyone was wandering off to find someone, but little did they know they were slowly drifting away from each other. "Helene! Where are you?!" Luna yelled with all her might not caring about any undead souls possibly coming her way. " Help! Please help me! I can't find my parents.!" Suddenly Luna felt a tug on her right hand.

A little boy was looking at her with dove eyes asking for help. When she bent down to his eye level, the boy smiled bearing all of his pearly teeth. Slowly the grin grew wider and wider ,then the boy turned into a dark shadow monster. Luna jumped to her feet, scared about what's unraveling in front of her. Before she could process anything, she heard Helene's voice calling her. She looked towards the direction and started to run. What she saw, made her horrified to the core. "Luna how could you Luna! Why did you trap me with you! What did I do to you?" In Front of Luna was a pale translucent figure of Helene. It felt too real that she could feel her eyes burning with fresh tears. Helene's body was almost unrecognizable. Her face had deep cuts. Her snow-like hair was muddy. Her armor was ruined, blood spilling all around her torso. "No! You are not real!" Luna took a step back covering her mouth with her hands. Tears were spilling down her cheeks and her cheeks were already damped with her tears. Even though she tried so hard to think it's just an illusion and it's not real. It was too real at the same time. "You did this to me! Your stupid spells did this to me? I am trapped inside my own mind now because of YOU!"

The figure screamed and lunged towards the horrified mage. Luna closed her eyes and her hands closed her ears. She was praying to Emris, praying to Draven to end her misery.

"Don't cry or worry about something that will not come true. Stop wasting your time thinking about things that will not take place dear daughter."

Luna heard her mother's words and her breathing slowly calmed down. Yes, this is not true. This didn't happen. And it will not ever. Luna said to herself and opened her eyes. The figure was still there looking at Luna with her soulless eyes. "You_'' the entity's speech was cut short as Luna spoke while whipping her own tears." No you are not my sister! I am aware that I am the reason she is trapped inside the mindlink. You! Out of all I don't have to explain anything to me! And I will find a way to make her free again. I will protect her!" The entity's eyes filled with rage and Helene's face was now Turning into a dark shadowy figure. She conjured the fire of Emris and blasted the monster with every strength she could muster up. The monster screamed in agony as it went up in purple flames. Slowly the monster melted away till there was no evidence left to prove of its existence

Luna's whole body was aching as she used a lot of her mana, defeating the monster. But she has to find others. She took a deep breath to calm her heart rate and sent a quick prayer to Emris ,to give her strength back soon, and went to find the others who were possibly tricked by these beasts too.

"Kiara! Shit! How many times do I have to tell her to stay where she is?!" Damien searched around frustratingly. He was heading back to where they first arrived. Even Though he knew his ways around the woods, the woods being filled with monsters, beasts and undead spirits. "Damien..." he heard Kiara's voice nearby. But slightly different? "Kiara?" When he came to an empty spot in the forest he saw, little Kiara waiting for him. "What?" He looked at the little girl ,confusion evident in his eyes. He felt a deep shrill go down his spine and he saw a shadowy figure go near Kiara. It was none other than himself. His past self to be exact. The surroundings suddenly filled with screams. Ten year old Damien was holding little Kiara tightly and mumbling soothing words to her as she was bawling her eyes out calling for her mama. Everywhere Damien looked was surrounded by fire. It broke back memories he buried deep inside a very long time ago. The same day he vowed to protect his sister with his blood, sweat and tears. And the same day he lost his beloved parents to the same fire which is now surrounding him. Traitor tears spilled down his cheeks, he didn't even bother to wipe them off as it hurt him too much to even care. Then the girl was thrown into the raging pit of fire, when both the Damien's screamed, "NO!" at the same time. Damien was about to run towards fire but stopped on his tracks when saw the most dreaded thing he saw in a while. The little Damien was turning into a beast. shadows were spilling through his eyes and it was spreading throughout his body. His nails grew wider and darkened second by second..

"No..noo.." Damien took several steps back as he saw himself turning into a monster. The very same thing he was afraid to become. He felt his inner energy change and was going to shift any minute now. He closed his eyes as if to shut himself out from the world, "Calm down Damien. It's not real. Deep breaths." he felt a soft hand on his cheek and another soothingly caressing his arm. He never felt more relieved to hear that voice again. Just then they heard more screams. "They need our help. Can you fight?" Luna asked, standing up. She was now holding her bow and arrow. " Damien for Emris sake can you fight?!" she asked again he's clearly shocked. Damien finally snapped out from the trance he was in "this is something ancient..... I feel shadow energy from everywhere. It's too intoxicating" he said, putting on his mask, leaving only his eyes uncovered. Even Luna felt his aura shift.

Just then from the mist they saw a light beaming. "O my Draven Helene stay put" Luna shouted and grabbed Damien's hand and started running towards the light. "Have you learned nothing, it could be a trick" Damien shouted but Luna didn't seem to care.

But Luna could recognize that sword and position from miles away Belle. And just then they saw Helene and Logan beating the living daylights of what seems to be a tree . The tree Seems to be alive, it took the shape of long fingers and its Thornes seem to leave a mark on both Logan and Helene.

Helene was fighting with her trusty sword belle which was infused with magic that repelled against shadow magic. Even though it didn't seem to affect the tree as much as it did on spirits, it still caused a heavy load of damage. Logan had an axe, it was a hunters axe, made of blessed steel and with charms around its handle. His fighting skills were truly impeccable. Luna was in awe after seeing such a fearsome warrior fight. Just then a monster leapt from the shadows and it seemed to be targeting Logan alone.

Damien started manifesting a globe that was filled with darkness; you could see shadows swirl around the globe. "Logan give me an opening" as soon as Logan moved out of the way he threw the shadow ball to the monster, which caught on fire and turned to ashes. "Oh that was quick" Helene said, amazed by how quickly it vanished. Logan was on the ground breathing heavily, he was covered in sweat. Damien dashed near him and gave him his hand.

"Logan stand up... we don't have time.". Logan was so shaken up it was clear that he couldn't hear. Just then a vine from a tree reached for Logan, trying to drag him away. "Oh no you ain't" Helene ran towards them just in time and fully decapitated the vine. They heard an agonizing scream within the forest. It was calling for its vine back. Luna kept shooting arrows as long as roots were within her range. "What the actual hell was that... is the forest alive" Luna said. "Lulu remember when grandma told us about the malevolent spirits" Helene said, she was gasping for air after every word.

"What about it!" Luna said as she felt a pit in her stomach.

" Beware of Aieda, feasting on fear,

Its wine of misery binds you near"

"That sounds too much of a coincidence lulu... I'm afraid we met a new hungry ancient friend, am I right Damien?" Helene said glaring at Damien. "Kiara.. Kiara, where is she?

Logan did you see her" Damien was panting, shaking even. "I was following her but lost track and got stuck with the blonde." Logan said as he was getting composed. "Hey I saved your ass back there. How about a thank you.... Anyway Luna can use her tracking arrow, right lulu" Helene said to Luna who was already saying the spell "Damien do you have anything that belongs to Kiara that I could sacrifice" the main principle of mage magik was to gain you must sacrifice. Logan quickly gave them a scarf that he had tied in his arm." It's her scarf... she gave it to me... in case i get cold", the three gave him a look. "What?...Never mind, let's just find Kiara quickly " Luna lit her arrow on fire and threw the scarf into the fire as it turned blue. She aimed the arrow to the sky and plunged it. The arrow acted as if it had a mind of its own and went straight ahead leading a blue light like trail leading its path. Damien without question started running towards the blue light " yeah we should follow him" said Helene and just like that all three of them were off chasing the arrow.

The further they ran they could feel the air closing in. It became darker, the green like mist grew thick as it covered the ground, you could barely see where they were going. You could feel the shadows creeping in but funnily enough they did not encounter any spirits, it was almost like even the normal spirits feared what lay ahead of them.