Ni and Lage walked stiffly with their children clinging to their legs. It was only when they were in the safety of their own room that they felt better. Slowly but surely the children sprung back to life.
Merrit began to climb the walls of the room until she sat near the ceiling on a vine.
"Who is he, Mommy?" She said, a shudder went through her body.
"Big deal who he is," Coret replied swiftly.
That was when Riva and Nerio came sprinting inside.
"Aunty," Riva said, "Can we stay with you, please."
"Where are Kinntho and Kithel?"
"They have gone to talk," Nerio explained, "They said we should stay in our room but we got scared."
"With good reason," Oribella muttered.
Ni pulled her aside, "You didn't like him from the moment he came in, why?"
Oribella gave him a dark look, "He came from the deep earth like me, only he is much older and more powerful."
Ni took this in for a moment, then he left the room and sprinted back to the throne room, "Rara!" He called out.
There was silence throughout the castle. Rara was nowhere to be found and neither was Ilor. Ni stopped short when he saw her throne, it glowed redder than he'd ever seen.
Behind him, Oribella came up, "He has done something terrible."
They both watched as the throne pulsed with red. As they stood there in silence Oribella began to drift toward the throne. Her face was blank and her eyes burning.
Quickly Ni caught her arm and with great difficulty carried her from the room as she reached for the light. She did not fight him.
When they were a safe distance he put her down.
"What was that?" He asked.
"It was a calling, to me to join," Oribella answered softly, "It felt like nothing I've ever known, pure power."
Ni took Oribella back to his room and then brought everyone else. He told them of the glowing throne and Oribella's enchantment with it. Everyone grew wary.
"We must find them," Kithel spoke up.
"Rara could be in trouble," Lage looked teary, "We shouldn't have left her."
"We don't know enough about this man," Kinntho said.
Lage began to sob, "What if she's hurt! We let him kidnap her."
That's when Oribella spoke up.
"She went willingly, that I know," Oribella clenched her fists, "And she isn't hurt. If I were to guess I would say it is the opposite, she is in bliss."
"Why are we worried then?" Riva asked quietly.
"This bliss may be nice for her, but fire burns," Oribella answered.
"Then we need to find out what she is doing," Kinntho stood tall, "Me and Kithel will go."
Nerio and Riva looked at each other in fear.
"We will look after Riva and Nerio," Ni said, he put an arm on their shoulders.
"The sooner we find this trouble maker the better," Kithel muttered to Kinntho, "I have a feeling he has no intention of leaving us in peace."
"What makes you say that?" Kinntho whispered.
"He knew when he came what he wanted and it proved easy to get."