Jacob paid attention to words about this Gatekeeper. It sounded like something out of pure fantasy. A creature that never died, and knew all there was to know about magic, including all who wielded it. He wanted to scoff, but ended up squirming. Many secrets he kept buried in his heart to avoid pain, and rarely if ever released those caged birds of his thoughts, and dreams, and fears, even to his closest companions. If what she said was true, that creature would know some of those secrets without his consent.

Jasper watched his brother curiously, despite his previous warning to the man in question not to stare. "Jacob?" he asked and moved forward.

As was his habit, the other grey user pushed his twin away again. "Don't come near me," he said hoarsely. Strange things already happened to him in his brother's presence and he couldn't trust what would happen if he touched him. Besides a stranger or monster knowing secrets about him was frightening enough.

"How can this be true? How can a creature know secrets that no other does? How can all of magical history be recorded in one place? What great power could be hidden there that so many chase it? Is that what you're really after in the Fortress?" He met Wyatt's eyes on the last question, cold again as ice, but the questions were honestly asked.

The healer only wondered what about this monster had caught his brother's attention. Sylvana already said it was a creature of nightmares, which held him back from asking questions about it. He admitted to himself he'd be interested in finding the place, but did not speak of it. He could barely handle his own magic, and certainly had no chance against a monster of ancient history, not to mention all the other hunters at the door. "Dangers assail at every turn. Is there no hope?" Immediately he felt guilty for the complaint as Sylvana and Wyatt actually lived through these events. He did not, but he felt the weight of them added to his burden for his family and his weaknesses.

Both the white and black magic users watched the two siblings. Wyatt caught on quickly that Jacob paid much more attention about the Gatekeeper than anything else. What he wasn’t sure about was whether it was because he wanted the information so he could get into the cavern for himself or for the Shadow Sage. Even Milla, to his knowledge, had never told anyone in the organization where it was.

“The creature is called The Gatekeeper. And it knows only one thing. To defend the entrance to the cavern from all magical users who come too close. For only those strong enough to defeat it can gain the knowledge from within. And it’s been my belief that Gordon set up the cavern to stand as a record for himself. But since it was his magic that was passed down, everyone who possesses magic now is there as well. I could very well be wrong.”

Sylvana took a small breath to collect herself and her thoughts. She was giving away some of the most valuable information she had outside of the orb and worse it was to someone she didn’t like, someone she couldn’t trust.

“Its not that there is great power in the cavern and very rarely is it ever found. You see unlike the Witches’ Fortress very few people know about it at all let alone its general location. The only thing to be found in the cavern is knowledge. Most people especially those within the higher ranks of the Shadow Sage crave only one thing. Power.”

Wyatt looked at his old friend when the conversation became pointed at him. He shook his head with a sigh knowing that he wasn’t likely to be believed. “The Witches’ Fortress has things we could all learn to use for our own abilities. If the Fortress were opened again maybe the control the elders have wound wane. But no, the Fortress is a curiosity as it were. I don’t know what’s there, but I’m going to find out.”

“If we live through this and there is no other way for you to believe the story, I will take you to The Gatekeeper myself. Maybe you’ll be allowed to walk through with us; maybe you two will have to fight it on your own. That is up to the creature to decide. It might have to judge you worthy or not. Unlike Tomas and Gemina who sneaked in right after we had decided the creature.”

“This is where we catch up more to the present if you’d like to know, Jacob. You’re questions should be answered soon enough. If not we’ll address them more fully.”

“The twins used us to gain access to the cavern so they could learn fully how to put their plan into motion. They wanted to take the powers of other witches and put it into their own. What they had been trying before hadn’t been working properly. They needed more knowledge to make it work. We fought against them, but having used pretty much all of my powers to get into the cavern I was done. Xin couldn’t fight both fully powered blue magic users as well as protect me. So we did the best we could until we could at least get them to leave and they would have to find The Gatekeeper themselves.”

“We headed back to the cave to recover from our wounds which took a few days. Afterwards while trying to relax and figure out what to do… we decided to try and be kids again.” The black magic user was treading lightly. Jasper would be extremely interested in the upcoming part, but he wasn’t sure how to explain any of this without stepping over Kyla’s toes and exposing her family’s secrets.

“Needless to say our wrestling match wasn’t done in the smartest of places. We got carried away and Kyla was injured. Badly. In our defense, I can heal her to an extent, but the damage was bad enough that I could only get the minor things. I had to end up taking her back to her family and face the very people who hated me. Her mother can back with something in a small vial and told me to give it to her. Another family secret she said and let it at that. Once I’d given it to her, I was kept under guard. Not like any of them could have stopped me, but I let them do what made them feel safe. Whatever was in the bottle healed everything. Soren called it ‘Angel’s Dust,’ I believe. My memory is hazy.”

Sylvana just stared at the ground. She couldn’t remember much of the event even to the present day. She remembered the fall, screaming, and pain. She remembered Wyatt’s healing hurt just about as much, but she didn’t remember him taking her home or any of the other events. What was hazy to her was the warmth she felt, the surrounding comfort before she woke up healed.

With a heavy sigh she turned back to the two gray magic users. “Next we head to the Shadow Sage. What you are most interest in, Jacob. It’s coming, but you’re not going to like how they betrayed you and are likely continuing to betray you.”

Sylvana's offer to take him to the Gatekeeper stirred something in Jacob. She got under his mask again and his eyes lit up. Of course there were strings attached. He slumped his shoulders and replaced the hard mask. "If they all got out alive..." Jacob couldn't promise that, because he needed to kill Wyatt to be allowed back home. She would know he did it and would never offer him anything again.

His brother actually sat up straighter. The healer was also impressed with the offer, and he did indeed want more knowledge, but it troubled him that he may have to fight the beast. He could barely handle his own magic. What chance did he stand against an ancient guardian? Those thoughts weighed heavier on his heart, and he couldn't wrap himself any tighter in his cloak.

Further warnings about Shadow Sage didn't phase him any more, as Jasper already understood them as a threat, and never wanted anything to do with them. He, at least, didn't expect to be surprised at the depths of evil they could reach. Jacob he knew wouldn't take it well, and expected a new battle over the criminal agency he loved. He feared he would need to work as a mediator if it came to that, since all three of his present companions were fighters in personality and position. The healer rarely needed to fight, but... he looked to his brother. That may be changing soon.

Amidst it all though, Wyatt's statement about the Witches' Fortress gave him hope, a weak hope, but hope nonetheless. If they could rebuild the original witch training school, Shadow Sage's power would wane with the competition. Good witches could gather together and grow stronger to overcome! Perhaps, the growing numbers of resistance to Shadow Sage could end this worthless war and no longer require witches to hide and run. A brief smile flitted over his face, and his growing fatigue at the lengthening hours lifted slightly. With new energy, he started on boiling water for that tea he thought about earlier to help everyone sleep. Still he tried not to be a distraction, and listened more to the story, which it seemed would be ended soon. Sylvana and Wyatt said that the next section would catch up to the present and finally answer whatever questions Jacob asked earlier.

Jacob muttered, "It's about time!" at that promise to finally answer his original questions. He shook his head at the comment that he won't like what they're going to say. "I haven't really liked anything you've said until now, anyway, so I have no reason to expect anything I will like."

The healer groaned at his brother's rebuilding his walls against them. He only knew the other grey user for a few days, but he already recognized his moods and quirks. He perked up at the mysterious healing balm. "Angel's Dust?" He repeated in a whisper, but added a little louder, "Is that another thing we aren't allowed to know about?"

At least Jasper was one who understood the points to the story. Sylvana nodded her head at him as he poked around the fire, making something that she guessed was his tea. She vaguely remembered him saying something about it.

“Yes. But even I know don’t really know anything about it to be frank. Since my mother is still alive, she is the one who holds all the family’s secrets. Before she passes it will become my burden, but until then it is her’s alone.”

She was tired, her body ached. She didn’t like the fact that they were having to tell their entire past to someone she knew they couldn’t and shouldn’t trust. What more was there to do, but to keep going? They’d already started down the path, might as well finish it.

“I’ll take over for the most part here since Shadow Sage was my birthright,” he let the final word hang in the air for Jacob to understand. What happened down in the dungeon was personal not just for his father, but for the elders. “Once Tomas and Gemina were defeated, their plans stopped we felt like the war was finally over. Once Kyla had been fully healed and recovered strength as well as extra training, we’d brought the fight to them. It was hard one, but we left them where they’d laid for dead, as much as she didn’t want to do that. It was poignant as they had been left us in the same state during our first fight.

Not long after we took time to gather our strength back Milla contacted me saying that Shadow Sage had made its decision concerning Kyla joining. We transported back to the house where she was blindfolded and then we headed to the command post. Once we were there, the blindfold was removed. Both of us were taken before the entire panel of elders, including yours Jacob.

They wanted demonstrations of my power. They sent witch after witch against me, but Milla had already told me to hold back. They tested Kyla in the same way. This was the first time many of the Shadow Sage members were seeing the power of a white witch. Many didn’t like the fact that she had the power to kill us if she tried to heal one of us. They put us against each other and as a team. We impressed the elders if you want to go that far.

The elders considered the fact of who Kyla’s family was and with her power level decided they would rather have her working for them then possibly trying to kill her or her out there against them. So she became my partner for most missions unless it was something of higher rank than she was allowed.”

As Wyatt finished taking over most of the story since the Shadow Sage had always been his territory, Sylvana glanced around the ice cavern with a heavy heart. But there was still so much more to the story. And while the past had been difficult to get through, this part was almost just as hard.

“Xin failed to mention one thing. One very important thing. They wanted to know what had happened between Milla and Akane’s house to when he was contacted to come back. Why his sister Jord had responded to a summons. We told them nothing. They didn’t like it. It was something we had already discussed not to mention. They didn’t need to know about the blue magic users.”

The black magic user nodded his head in agreement. “Eventually Raven came to me and said he wanted you vetted. He had plans for you. At the time I didn’t think anything of it and started bringing you onto missions where Kyla normally would have been my partner. Tracking down rogue witches, many times either ones like Jasper, or others who had left the Shadow Sage. Tried leaving. Kyla was put to supply runs.

This went on for a while. You know this. But that mission you want to know so much about? The one where I let the boy get away? Right before we’d been sent on that mission I had been allowed into the upper towers where they were taking the witches we brought back. I saw what they were doing with them. The very thing we’d kept them from knowing about from Tomas and Gemina they were trying to do on their own. I let the boy get away because I wasn’t going to be the cause of another witches’ death.”

Even though he expected it, he shuddered at the latest revelation. They were hunted and devoured like animals, by their own kind. He paused in his task, feeling sick. As a healer, he could handle blood and a variety of devastating injuries, but one thing he could never accept was people intentionally hurting and killing other people.

Also as a healer, he knew they would all need sleep, which is why he started this brew in the first place. Jasper struggled to force his attention back to his task. If he did it right, no one would have any dreams or nightmares, which would make a huge difference in how well they rested. When ready, he stood and passed it around starting with Sylvana. "To help relieve stress, reduce pain, and restore strength," he whispered as he handed it to her.

Not only was she the only woman in their group, but she had dealt with a lot just today. She had been severely injured, and then pushed to tell a hard tale to one that just didn't want to believe it.

Meanwhile, Jacob had nodded his head to the statements about their testing. "That's normal practice. Even witches raised in the Shadow Sage have to show what they can do at some point, including me. The test isn't always in front of the whole panel, though. I only had to prove myself to Raven." He paused and hugged his bag to his chest, looking away from everyone else and no longer paying attention until he heard Raven's name again. His eyes lit up again briefly, and faint color came to his face. Raven had plans for him! Why did he tell Wyatt, an outsider first? Focus!

As the black witch continued, the expression hardened again. "Yes, I know how many missions I went with you, and I knew why." Even before his first mission, Jacob had recognized that Wyatt was stronger than him, but in his innocence at the time, he admired him for it and felt proud to go on a mission with him, outsider or not.

Five years ago, it all changed.

He crossed his arms, waiting for Wyatt to get to the point. He didn't have long to wait, but it didn't improve his mood. "I don't believe it. Wild witches come in for training, because Shadow Sage is the only place that trains them anymore. That's why he had to come in. Only weaklings and traitors die. Without Shadow Sage, what do you expect to do with all of them? Are you going to train them all yourself? How will you handle that one?" In a huff, he jerked his thumb towards Jasper.

The healer, sensing he was being discussed, lifted his head from his cup and was none too happy about it. Jacob spoke about him like an object or some strange creature that needed to be dealt with in a certain way. Even more than the tragic story he heard today, that statement showed him how the enemy thinks and stirred up feelings he didn't know he had: disgust, anger, loathing. Yes, he loathed the Shadow Sage, and what they were doing; what they had done to Jacob, and to others like him. He gritted his teeth, and balled his hands in fists.

Realizing himself again, he paused and took a deep breath and remained silent, until he recalled the general flow of conversation. Wild witches and training, a possible suggestion to train him. "If you are willing to train me, I am pleased to accept, and I will help as long and as well as I am able."

Jacob lifted up his head and turned on a big grin. "Excellent! I'll take these two to the Witches' Fortress, like they want and then you'll come back to the tower with me. We can be family again!"

"No, Jacob, I will never, under any circumstances, do anything to help those criminals who took you away from me in the first place. You are my brother, and I love you. Because I love you, I can't let you go back there. You shall lead all of us to the Witches' Fortress and stay there. Only outside of the criminal agency can we be family again."

Immediately the bright smile turned into anger, "What! You can't do that!"
Jasper raised his eyebrows, "Hmm... Why not? You want a family don't you? A real family. Real family cannot be found in the halls of murderers."

"He's not! They aren't!" Jacob shook his head vigorously. "He called me son... Raven. He won't hurt me. He won't!"
Jasper rubbed his forehead, but there was no use arguing with his confused twin. "If you say so," he answered with a sigh. "I just want you to know one thing. I love you, Jacob my brother, and I promise never to lie to you or abandon you." With a heavy sigh, he returned to his place by the fire.

Sylvana smiled at Jasper lightly as she nodded her head in thanks. “You do too much for us already. I will never be able to thank you for what you have done especially since you didn’t have to do it.” She took the cup from him and held it in her hands thankful for the warmth between her fingers. She hadn’t realized just how cold she had gotten sitting in the cavern. And she wasn’t entirely sure if it was from the cold or not. The fire was doing its job to keep the small space comfortable, so it was more than likely the stress, her lack of strength, or the fact telling a truthful story to someone who didn’t want to believe was taking all of her willpower to just stay through it all.

The white magic user glanced over at Wyatt as he started laughing at something that was said. Her brows furrowed knowing she needed to stay out of her own head more than she was.

Wyatt?

Yes.

What’s so funny?

Jacob seems to think that the Shadow Sage trains the witches we went after.

“Oh…” The words escaped her mouth instead of through the link she had established and she buried her own laughing smile into the cup.

“I expect we’re either going to leave them in peace or find someone neutral to reopen up the Witches Fortress to train them. Because,” Wyatt sat up straighter and leveled his gaze at the gray witch. “Shadow Sage does not train many witches as you think they do. Typically it is only black magic users who have a high enough level. The other witches we brought in were never trained nor were they ever meant to be.”

Sylvana repressed a gulp as she knew what was coming. Judging from the passing looks on Jasper’s face showed that he understood exactly what they had been saying. He knew what the Shadow Sage was doing, but Jacob on the other hand seemed to not either grasp it or refused to accept it.

“They take the witches up to the towers were they torture them until they have pulled out their powers. Do you know what happens to a witch when they’re powers have been stripped? They became husks, dead. I was tasked with taking their bodies to the mass grave where they put all the bodies and to burn them. And yes, I will help train him if I must.”

“But the intention is for one of the greatest gray magic users to train him even though the base magic is like yours and not Jasper’s, my father Ondin.” The female listened to the exchange that followed nodding her head a few times. Jasper was right about it all and the sooner Jacob learned it the better.

Wyatt smirked as he leaned back against the wall of the cave. “So you think. Raven asked me not long after I was officially brought in to train you. He said he had a special project for you since he saw the depth of your power that you couldn’t touch and he wanted it. He planned to train your abilities so that he could strip them away from you and have me put your husk into one of those graves to burn it. I refused to do it. I let the boy go. I left the organization so I wouldn’t have to do it. I wanted no part in it anymore.

You see I learned something in that dungeon which made so many pieces from my past fall into place. Akane has Milla’s powers within himself. How the Shadow Sage managed to put her powers into another person, still allow her to use them as regulated by the other person, and not have her be a shell when they can’t do that with the untrained witches beyond me. But I know the truth even more than before. They will pay for what they have done. One way or another. The whole of the Shadow Sage will pay. I will see it happen. They wanted me for their ultimate weapon, but their actions will cause me to be their destruction.”

"NOOOOO!" Jacob shrieked and charged at Wyatt, flinging his fists. "Don't talk like that!" His voice was hoarse and his face wet, but it didn't matter.

The pain in his head from dealing with Jacob's agitation increased, nearly blinding him. "Stop!" he gasped and struggled to his own feet. Focusing on the torrent, Jasper stole behind his brother and clutched the boy to his chest. The slighter witch snarled against his sudden inability to move, but he didn't realize his brother was holding him.

One of the great weaknesses to his magic or his personality, he wasn't sure which, enabled Jasper to often feel the pain of his patients when he healed them. He never became physically ill himself, but the things he could feel were all the greater: fatigue, hunger, fear, pain. In this moment, with his slighter and possibly weaker brother pressed against him, he felt like he was being torn in two. "Oh, Jacob..." Tears flowed down his own face, even as he softly sang a song his mother sang to him as a child.

The two remained until Jacob stopped struggling and Jasper could actually talk to him. The healer sat up, bruised from the struggle and resulting fall, and handed Jacob his mug again. In his fit, he spilled some of it, and Jasper only hoped there was enough left to retain the effects. He was too tired to start over, and realized that his twin needed it just as much as any of them. "Please, drink this. It will make you feel better."

Numbly Jacob took it and drank a deep draught of the tea before coughing. A weak smile crossed Jasper's face, and he chuckled. "It's still hot. Slowly, please." Jacob responded and even though the healer didn't want to, he allowed distance between them. He was aware of himself again, and he didn't want him to push up his walls against them. "I wish it never happened, just as much as you do, whether you admit it or not. I'm sorry, Jacob," he whispered.

His latest struggle left the healer bone-weary, but he had at least one more thing to do before he would allow himself rest. To achieve it, he gathered his own teacup and moved closer to where Wyatt stood. If he hadn't heard their tragic tale, he would have probably returned to the anger and mistrust he held when they first met. What just transpired showed the terrifying darkness surrounding Wyatt again, but the story answered his own questions about Wyatt that he never asked.

The black user frightened him when the shadows fell on him, but even in that darkness there remained a light. Wyatt's life had hardened him to be the unrelenting soldier the enemy wanted, but he turned his back on them for the sake of others. It was the soldier who spoke to Jacob, unsettling him so badly. He had to keep that in mind to still his own frightened trembling and keep a civil tongue. He had more reason to trust Wyatt than Jacob, but it angered him that Wyatt had upset his twin.

"First, I must say thank you. Thank for telling me your story, for trusting me in these less than ideal circumstances. Thank you also for explaining your plans, either implicitly or explicitly, and offering me a chance to master my magic. I have some of the same goals you do and will work with you to achieve them. I hope to have time to overcome my one greatest liability, or two liabilities." He glanced to Jacob, curled in a corner muttering to himself.

He sighed and turned back. "I'm nervous about one plan though. I'm nervous about training under your father, Sylvana. Things you've said today worry me. Didn't he, with your mother, lock you in the house all the time? Where was he when..." He paused swallowing bile in his throat. "...that other person was hurting you?" Jasper dropped his head embarrassed. "I probably shouldn't be thinking this way. He is your father, and you trust him and love him, and he is a grey magic user, a very powerful grey magic user. I suppose grey magic users would know better how grey magic works." The healer's own face hardened and he continued with more confidence, "No matter what, I must learn to use this power if I am to stand against the enemy and the Gatekeeper. And Jacob, I want Jacob to come with me."

"Uh no! You don't want to go back to the tower with me and I don't want to go to any white witch's house." Stubbornly turning his face away from all of them, Jacob rolled out his blanket and he prepared to sleep. The tea did make him feel better as his brother promised, but not enough to rid him of his sour mood and unwilling involvement in their treachery. "Black traitor, the only question I had left to ask is what have you been doing since you left, but I don't need that answer anymore. You already confessed. May I be damned, I will still take you to the fortress, but don't expect anything beyond that." He huffed and turned his back to them.

Jasper sighed, his confidence deflating. "Ondin probably won't trust him anyway, just like you still don't trust him. I know he makes it difficult, but just like I learned much more about you, I learned more of him also. In just one brutal moment, I learned that he is wounded already, though he still breathes and his heart beats. Pray, deal gently with him." The healer's voice faded out and he watched Jacob sleep until he finished his own tea. He rolled out his blanket next to his brother, but not close enough to set the boy on the defensive. "It doesn't seem right to sleep after hearing and telling a painful tale, but the night is well on and we all need rest for the next step on our journey."

Wyatt held his ground and hadn’t moved in inch when Jacob had jumped to his feet. He had expected nothing less from the other witch. He had had a hard enough time accepting the truth himself back then, but after everything he had seen in the real world, the things with Tomas and Gemina he believed it. There had been nothing but to accept it as truth. He allowed Jasper to handle his brother, but was fully prepared to take care of the threat if necessary.

The black magic user glanced up at Jasper with a single arched brow. He didn’t say anything at first. He could sense something was going to come from the other male. He had his ideas, but without asking or waiting to hear what might be coming there was no way to be sure of anything. He could feel Sylvana shifting by his side. Jacob’s anger at the truth was what she had feared from the get go, but at least for now it had passed.

Nodding his head, he took what Jasper was saying and said nothing. There wasn’t really anything to say. He had half expected to get a lash back for how he had presented the blunt truth, but hey, he would take what they got in this time.

It was Sylvana that hadn’t expected something to be addressed to her. She frowned at his words before she managed a weak smile. “I love my father dearly. And I understand why my parents did what they did. All to protect me because they feared what Milla and Akane would do to us. I don’t fault them for it now. You will get along wonderfully with Ondin. He hates the Shadow Sage as much as you do. Although, my mother does believe that he might have been the reason why Milla left the group as they never trusted each other.” But that was an even older tale, one she didn’t know very well.

Wyatt briefly nodded his head. “We’re taking him with us even if we have to hog tie him the whole way. You can count on that.” He was almost amused at the other gray witch’s behavior. Spending time with Soren and Ondin was going to be less of a pain on all of them then going back to the Shadow Sage. Jacob would soon learn that. Sooner was going to be a lot better and easier on all of them.

There wasn’t much left to say. Their history had been told. The truth was completely in the open. All that was left was to travel further north, get to the fortress, hopefully find something they could use, and then head to Sylvana’s family. The black magic user shook his head at it all. He never thought they would be where they were now. He glanced around the ice cavern and then wrapped an arm around the white witch, pulling her closer. He knew what she wanted even if she never said a word.

Sylvana glanced up at Wyatt for a brief second and closed her eyes again as she buried her head in his chest. She was finally relaxing. It wouldn’t be long until she was asleep. Wyatt would only rest his eyes, knowing that he could never sleep well, but he would still recover his own strength, but it was his mind still seeing what had happened that kept him awake. His arm tightened instinctively around the young woman and he had to force himself to relax. She was alive and tomorrow was another day. They would get through it and save Jacob.

Jacob woke earlier than the others, but he also went to sleep earlier, so it was no surprise. What did surprise him was how quickly he did fall asleep after all that happened the night before. That terrible and incredible story. He still couldn't believe it, and Wyatt already confessed to conspiring against the elders of Shadow Sage. He confessed to being a traitor. How could Jacob keep going? How could he still be doing what the traitor wants? Didn't that make him a traitor too? Despite the cheerfully burning fire, he shivered and rubbed his hands together. Cold fear pierced his soul. He looked around and noted his brother stirring, but he fled from him.

Still trembling, Jacob took his bag with the mirror and went outside. The sun was bright in the sky, where it pierced through the grey sentinels of naked trees. Still the evergreens allowed for a bit of cover and Jacob hid himself under one of the larger conifers. He usually didn't like the closed-in feeling forests and crowds gave him, but this time he needed it. He couldn't tell the traitors or his brother about this mirror, but he was also afraid to say anything to his master. What if either his mother or Raven, decided he was becoming a traitor? "NO, I'm not. I have to keep hidden to complete my mission. That's it. That's it."

If he didn't complete the mission he'd be dead anyway. Either Wyatt would kill him in their final battle or... Jacob stopped the thought and curled up in a ball. Raven wouldn't, would he? Morgana already told him she can't kill him. Jacob knew her magic was weaker than his, but he still fully believed that his natural father abandoned him and she saved his life.

If she saved his life once, he also thought she would never try to take his life. She was his mother, his rescuer. She must love him, and people don't hurt those they love. Jasper said he loved him, but where was he nineteen years ago? Or ten years ago? Or five years ago when he lost his only friend? When his friend betrayed him? When he suffered more pain than he ever knew? His friend... Wyatt had been his friend. The slighter grey witch grabbed his head.

"Jacob..." Jasper pounded on the door, or the space in the wall where he last saw Jacob disappear. The other grey user was apparently still emotionally raw and it was suffocating his brother. "Dammit! Jacob! Stop running and hiding! Stop pushing everyone away." He couldn't read his brother's thoughts yet, but he felt where those thoughts were taking him. It wasn't a good place, paralyzing fear and sadness. "Please... Jacob."

Darn it! Those weird feelings were bothering him again. He uncurled from his ball and stuffed the mirror back in his bag and tossed it over his shoulder to answer his annoying brother's demands. The dumbbell needed to stop and be quiet lest they're found. With the leader of the tower incapacitated, they weren't likely to be pursued yet, but that didn't stop others already on missions returning this way. Those others would be suspicious. None of them could risk that.

Jacob stood up and opened the door, startling his brother. The twin stood back and gasped. Jacob gave him a smirk and said, "I told you it can only be opened with my magic. Oh, you didn't hear that, did you? Well now you know." The statements didn't really require an answer, so he didn't wait for one. He continued with more confidence than the near breakdown he just escaped from would suggest. "Since I'm supposed to lead you to the fortress, I'm in charge until we get there, understand?"

His brother grimaced at the obnoxious declaration. He crossed his arms and prepared to argue, but he realized before the words left his mouth, that he couldn't actually say anything against the statement. He gritted his teeth, and responded, "So what do you plan on doing?"

"The tundra isn't a forgiving place. It's harsh and barren and colder than you've ever known. I lived there my entire life, so I know best how to survive. You have to trust me for that." He paused and sighed before continuing, "You've been the official healer since the beginning of your trip, I can assume; so you keep it up. That's what you know best." Jacob grimaced at that admission, but he too couldn't say anything denying it. "You're in charge of the white witch for now. Make sure she doesn't get hurt and can still keep up the pace." Protecting the inferior witch still made him squirm, but he had no choice. He must stay hidden.

"That's what I do anyway."
"I know." Jacob didn't want to take that any further. "Because it's warmest in the middle of the day, that will be the best time to go. Before then, take inventory of the food supplies, and I'll cook something to eat before we leave. To survive the extreme cold and harsh environment, we'll need to eat to preserve body heat and energy. I know what foods serve best for that end. You, in particular, brother also need to regain your magic strength. I know how to do that too."

Jasper paused, suspicious again, "Why are you doing this?"
"I know it's true, now get to work!" He snapped, not wanting to explore that question yet.

It was cold. So cold; but in truth it was no where near as cold as it could have been. The fire within the small cavern managed to heat the ice walls around them nicely. It still didn’t change the fact they were completely surround by ice on all sides. The thing that made it the hardest to keep warm was that they depended on Jacob’s magic to get them out. Sure, they could probably transport themselves out of the place, but it would take a decent amount of magic to do so.

Sylvana shivered slightly underneath of the cloak wrapped around her shoulders. She shouldn’t have been cold. Physically she was close to the fire. She was leaning against Wyatt and he was normally a space heater for her. Obviously it wasn’t the physical cold that had her shaking. It was fear. Sure since both she and Wyatt had fled the Shadow Sage they had been living moment to moment not knowing if another member was going to be right around the corner or not, but this time it was completely different. The white witch had never trusted Jacob and now they had to put their faith into him to lead them to the Witches’ Fortress without any issues. He could betray them at any time.

Wyatt rubbed her arm as she looked up at him. She could still see the hurt behind beneath the darkness of his orbs. He was good at hiding it, but she could still see it. The black magic user blamed himself for what happened back in the dungeon. She didn’t. And there was no way she was going to be able to convince him that it wasn’t his fault. He had always had control over his magic, but having the magical restraints that kept him from accessing it had allowed the beast within to take control. She would never blame him for any of it, but she knew he always would.

The door to the ice cavern opened up with Jasper standing nearly nose to nose with his twin. Both of the former Shadow Sage members glanced up. They were fully awake now especially as the only member of their group still loyal to the Shadow Sage started speaking. Wyatt huffed at Jacob being in charge. Sure, he was the best suited to lead them to their destination, but that didn’t mean he was going to follow orders blatantly. There were just some things he didn’t do anymore.

As the conversation turned to her, Sylvana frowned as she glared at the gray magic user. “I am fully able to take care of myself. I don’t need a babysitter. I am more than fully capable of taking care of myself even over the likes of you.” To say she couldn’t stand nor trust Jacob was an understatement. They had been captured because of him even if she had done a stupid move trying to protect Wyatt.

“Sylvana, enough. Be thankful he seems to care at all even if it is faked. He is the best person for this part of the journey.” Wyatt inclined his head to his old friend. He had said it as much as for her as Jacob to keep a fight from starting. “Handle the supplies after he makes something to eat and be ready to go as soon as he says.” The white magic user didn’t seem to like it, but she accepted the orders. They would be leaving very shortly, but the time wasn’t coming fast enough.

With eating, checking supplies, repacking and bundling up for the journey out of the way, the small group of mismatched individual witches were on their way up the mountain. It was getting colder the higher they climbed, but it was getting them closer to their destination with every step they took. Sylvana could finally see just how hard this trip was going to be especially after the beating she’d taken at the hands of the elders. The healing had helped and she was determined not to slow them down at all as they climbed the mountain for the Witches’ Fortress.

Jasper rubbed the back of his neck as Sylvana joined the argument. "I'm sure it isn't personal. I am a healer and you were injured. If I didn't look after you, I wouldn't be doing my job." He also nodded a little towards Wyatt who tried to defuse the situation, in his own blunt way.

Jacob gritted his teeth, but he didn't argue any further with either of them. It was true that he didn't really care about the white witch, but he would never say that out loud. She was a means to an end. Protecting or even pretending to protect her was supposed to get the other two on his side, but Wyatt did know him better than his brother. "We'll leave as soon as the meal's eaten and the fire out, and each of you will carry your own bags. So gather all your things together while it's cooking." He stopped and glared towards Jasper. "You, do any last minute checks or medicine distribution now."

The healer gritted his own teeth, but he kept his mouth shut, and just did what he needed to do. "I have an ointment that's supposed to help prevent frostbite."

"So do I, but I also have something else you're going to need. Stay still." Jacob lifted up his right hand over his brother's eyes, without touching him, and set his veiling spell, the spell he always used to prevent snow blindness out on the tundra. "The middle of the day is warmest, but it's also when the sun is brightest. You can go blind without eye protection." He squirmed further when he finished the job on his brother and himself and then turned to the other two. "Do you know the right spell? If you do, use it." If they didn't, he'd have to do it himself. That's what made him squirm; casting a protection spell on a traitor and an inferior witch made him even more uncomfortable with his standing at the tower if they ever found out.

Once everything was finally settled, they set out. Because Jacob's magic was the only thing to open the door, he opened it and held the spell until everyone was out of the cave. The door slammed shut behind him and once again the cliffside was perfectly solid. No one would suspect anything behind it.

[edit not working]

The healer gritted his own teeth, but he kept his mouth shut, and just did what he needed to do. "I have an ointment that's supposed to help prevent frostbite." He showed the group the bottle and prepared to distribute it.]

Jacob refused the offer though. "So do I." He paused and said in a gentler tone, with a slight smile "My mother gave it to me before my first mission. I never leave home without it." He returned to cold seriousness again, hopefully before any of the others noticed. "I have something else you're going to need. Stay still."

Jacob lifted up his right hand over his brother's eyes, without touching him, and set his veiling spell, the spell he always used to prevent snow blindness out on the tundra. "The middle of the day is warmest, but it's also when the sun is brightest. You can go blind without eye protection." He squirmed further when he finished the job on his brother and himself and then turned to the other two. "Do you know the right spell? If you do, use it." If they didn't, he'd have to do it himself. That's what made him squirm; casting a protection spell on a traitor and an inferior witch made him even more uncomfortable with his standing at the tower if they ever found out.

Once everything was finally settled, they set out. Because Jacob's magic was the only thing to open the door, he opened it and held the spell until everyone was out of the cave. The door slammed shut behind him and once again the cliffside was perfectly solid. No one would suspect anything behind it.

Because he knew they remained in Shadow Sage Territory - he brought them to the nearest hideout when he found them for the sake of expediency - he threw off the sentries and any soldiers tat might be out looking for them, by taking narrow winding routes that would be treacherous for anyone who didn't know what they were doing. Some of the paths wound over sheer cliffs; others were slippery with ice, and still others were almost invisible game trails.

Despite the bitter cold nights and short days, several species of hardy animals still survived out here. Most were below the tree line, because beyond that nothing can grow. Until they got that high, they would be able to hunt as they pleased. They would be able to hunt if Jacob let them, but he kept an intense pace and grumbled when the rest of the group fell too far behind for his comfort. He stopped and called back, "I want to get to the next outpost by nightfall. It isn't safe to sleep out in the open, since you don't know if you'll wake up."

Jasper was already tired, but he stayed close to Sylvana who, even though she tried to hide it, he knew struggled with the pace and the climb. "You said yourself, you know the territory better than anyone," he countered huskily.

"That's why you need to keep up!" His twin snapped back, showing no sign of struggling at this pace or terrain. A foot tapped impatiently, and his eyes flitted around searching for any other travelers. Even though he was uncomfortable, he did wait for them. The only reason he even went this way was because Wyatt tricked him into leading them to the fortress. This wasn't the most direct route, but it was the safest to keep the Tower Watch off their backs. He didn't want to run into any of them, any more than the traitor and his friends did. He didn't want to be seen with the traitor. Morgana and the guards know that they escaped, and he can't be helping them.

It was easy to see that Sylvana didn’t like the situation they had found themselves in. Only a few weeks ago she had still been traveling by herself. She never would have thought she would run back into Wyatt again, let alone get captured by the Shadow Sage, and now be at the mercy of Jacob as he led them through the snow covered mountains.

The hours seemed to stretch by so slowly and the snow just kept going up and up. If someone had told her it was never going to end, she would have believed them. The white magic user wasn’t even sure exactly how much time had passed. All she knew was that Jacob said tomorrow would be the last leg of the journey. They would be at the Witches’ Fortress.

The small group was now sitting in around one of the gray magic user’s many ice caverns. If she never saw another one, saw anymore snow she would live out the rest of her days happy. Her stomach growled at the smell of cooking food. She couldn’t wait until she could eat. The young woman had gone through a lot during her life, but she never would have thought traveling up a snow covered mountain would be this hard.

She had to give Jacob his due. If he did this very often by the pacing he was setting then he deserved the credit. She never wanted to make this trip again. And she wouldn’t. Once they had been to the Fortress once, they could just transport all the next times. And transporting is exactly what she would do.

“Sylvana.” Wyatt’s voice yanked her out of her thoughts. She glanced over at her friend as he handed her a bowl of food. She must have dozed off. She readily accepted it and started chowing down. One more night of hard journey and they would finally be at their destination. Just one more day and they would see if it was all worth it.

Jacob chuckled to himself as he noted the rest of the party half dozing when they finally arrived at the next outpost. They would never survive out here without him, and he admitted only to himself that he liked it. He liked this odd group of travelers depending on him to get them where they need to go. Those rare pleasant thoughts were quickly squashed, as he reminded himself of his mission. He frowned and turned his back to them, hugging his own food bowl against his chest.

Shadow Sage, his family, needed him to kill the traitor. The traitor who used to be his friend; but could be no more. He killed two elders and severely wounded a third. He admitted to plotting against them for years. He can't be trusted. He can't be allowed to live. Why was Jacob hesitating though? Why was he leading him to the fortress? No one was out on the tundra now. No one would try to cross it alone and expect to live. He has more than enough opportunities. He’s responsible for their food and he’s responsible for guiding them on the safe and right path. He could do all manner of things, and make it look like an accident. If it’s an accident, the white witch and his wild brother couldn’t blame him for anything. What’s holding him back?

Jasper leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. He was so tired and sore. The healer thought Wyatt’s pace was difficult, but he’d prefer it right now. He never expected this kind of pace from his apparently weaker brother. The other grey witch did appear sickly with his slight frame and pale skin, and Jasper, on more than one occasion, has physically subdued his brother, but this pace was harder than Wyatt’s had been through the woods and it was trekking through mountains, snow covered mountains even.

He held back a groan. It had been a hard day but they weren’t done yet. He wasn’t done yet. He noted Jacob turning his back to them and as usual separating himself from the rest. Jasper shook his head. There wasn’t anything to do about it right now. He didn’t have the strength or wish for another argument. Stumbling to his feet, he reached for his medicine bag, and slipped. Jacob, of all people, caught him with a similar spell to the one that created the glass shield in the dungeon. “Be careful,” the other grey witch hissed. “No one else can open the door, but anyone passing by could hear a crash or smell those herbs.”

“But they can’t smell the stew or wood smoke?”

“Anyone traveling out here would be a fool not to have their own stew and wood for cooking. It’s good practice to keep well stocked.” Jacob indicated a pile of wood in the corner of their latest cave. “Especially since tomorrow we’ll be heading beyond the treeline. Beyond the treeline is the most barren place out here. Nothing grows, so there will be no animals for hunting nor wood to burn. We’ll take some of that with us to the fortress.” He pointed to the wood again.

“Not even I know what that place is like now. Your food might last a week maybe two, but wood you won’t find. It’s actually a good thing you left from the tower. Otherwise you would have either starved or froze to death by now.” He growled under his breath. “but just like I said before, getting to the fortress is all the help I’ll give you. After that, you’re on your own.” He released his spell with a flick of his wrist and turned his back again.

By then Jasper regained his footing, so no harm came to his medical supplies and he moved to Sylvana. “How are you feeling now? Any pain? Weakness?”

The trek through the snow covered mountains was taking more of a toll than he had ever believed it would. He had to give Jacob credit. While he didn’t look like much and was weaker than most of the people he knew physically, his endurance for stuff like this was uncanning. It made sense given the fact that this is where he had been “found.” It certainly had been where he was raised his entire life.

But in a way it also worried him. While both he and Sylvana could defeat him on a physical level and magically level, when both of their heads were clear; out here being worn out left them at a great disadvantage. One in which Jacob had the upper hand in every category. Needless it say it was disturbing having to put so much trust in a person who wanted them dead, especially him.

The black magic user watched and listened to the exchange between brothers. Again while he didn’t much trust Jacob anymore most of the things he said about being out here were correct. He, himself, had been raised in the woods. He’d learned to live off the land from the cradle. But out here was completely different. The hunter in him said to store as much as they could, which included wood, so likely he was going to be the pack mule. He wasn’t going to complain about it. It was just going to leave him at more of a disadvantage. Of course, once they reached the Witches’ Fortress, any of them could just teleport to someplace where there was wood and come back. A relief on not having to travel back down and back up over and over again. Being a witch had its advances sometimes. At least when one wasn’t being hunted for having been born different.

“When we’re done eating I’ll go out and hunt as well as bring more wood back for the journey.”



Sylvana listened to Wyatt’s words knowing they were more than what they were. He was telling her to be careful when he stepped out. Jacob could try anything to the two left here. Or he could simply not allow the black witch back into the cave and let him die. But it was a risk they had to take if they wanted to survive the rest of the journey.

She didn’t have to like it and she didn’t. But she would suffer it in silence because she had to. She took a deep breath to settle her stomach. She really didn’t want to be left alone with the gray witch. Jasper was one thing. Jacob was a whole other monster.

A few minutes later she realized that she was being spoken to and she turned to the healer with a small smile on her face. He didn’t need to worry about where her thoughts traveled to. He had enough on his plate to deal with. Being blood related to Jacob was hard enough. Having shared a womb was another story entirely.

The young woman nodded her head. No need to make life any more difficult. “I’m good. Really. Just tired. More than I should be. Once we get to the Fortress I’ll get lots of sleep, but until then I’m good. Stop worrying so much. You’re a good healer. I’m going to live.”

The traitor's voice broke through Jacob's unpleasant and confused thoughts, but did nothing for his attitude. He put his dish down and stood up. "Didn't you hear what I said about being out after dark?" he snapped.

At the same time, it sounded like the perfect solution to his problem. If he goes out there, gets lost and freezes, or is attacked by wild beasts, all of Jacob's problems would be solved. No one can blame him for Wyatt dying from the elements. He made the choice to leave when he knew it was dangerous. Hmmf!

He dropped his head and his mouth twisted in a grimace. His superiors would still want to see the body before letting him back. Jacob reached his limit for mistakes by now. Isn't that what his mother meant, he'd be dead if he failed? A knot twisted in his stomach and he sat down again. "If you want to get killed, so be it!" He leaned against the wall near the door, ready for when the traitor wanted to leave. There he sat, and drew up his knees to his chest. He picked up the dish and stabbed at his food. Even though he didn't meet any eyes, he saw all that happened within the cave, but didn't protest any further.

Jasper sighed at the new argument going on over his head, or more like Wyatt making a simple statement, and Jacob getting agitated for unknown reasons. He rubbed his head. "Do you have to complain about everything? You just said you don't think our supplies will last very long, yet when someone offers to replenish them you protest. What is it you want?" Jacob grumbled but didn't answer the question, and the healer huffed.

When Sylvana answered his previous question, he gave her a weak smile. "Because it's been a rough day, I just want to make sure you haven't been reinjured. Such an injury on top of what you've already..."He paused and swallowed, shivering against the memory of what she looked like when he found her. He placed his medicine bag on the ground and opened it, rifling through to get himself back together. "An injury on top of what you had already will be harder to heal."

For now, he was grateful, she was unconscious and can't remember it. Well, he didn't think she remembered. He shook his head. Not now. He can't act like this now.

To say that Jacob was being even more volatile with the suggestion to go get more wood. Sure, he understood that it was dangerous and went against what the gray magic user had just said, but the fact was that they needed to make sure they had enough supplies for the rest of the trip. While Jacob would be much more qualified to go out in the terrain he knew best and leaving both Sylvana and Jasper alone with me, it was still something that needed to be done. His magic could carry the most wood back. He was more worried about leaving the two unprotected than the danger of the wilderness for himself.

Wyatt pulled himself to his feet. He made sure his cloak was secured around his neck before glancing back at the other two members of the little, rag tag group. When the white witch caught his gaze, he nodded his head to her. They could make a link to each other if they needed it, but he had to trust that Jacob wouldn't try and kill them while he was gone. Because once he was outside of the cavern there would be no way back in without the gray magic user letting him back in. It was a risk he had to take if any of them were going to survive any longer.

With nothing more to be said, the black magic user waited until he was allowed outside and headed to grab more wood. If he happened to come across anything they could eat, he was going to grab it too. Hunting was one thing he was extremely good at. Milla had made sure of it. Thinking of his mother, now that he was alone gave him time to think about the situation he'd uncovered about Akane and his mother. All these years... now everything made perfect sense. When they were done with this, he was going to fix everything - starting with getting Milla back in control of her own magic and then killing the man who had been forced to sire him.

Slyvana watched as Wyatt walked back out into the freezing cold. While she understood what he was doing, didn't mean she liked the idea at all. She was alone in the same room with Jacob nearly by herself. They both hated each other. If anything was going to happen she felt like it would be now. So all she could do was hold her breath and hope he didn't try to betray them.

The young woman turned her attention back to Jasper as he started speaking. She gave a small sigh and then smiled lightly. "I guess this won't come as much of a shock, but I've had a lot worse. My brother, Eth... when he tried to kill me all those years ago and I actually had a heart problem... Things were much more difficult. I didn't have the ability o fully use my magic like I do now. And please, don't blame Wyatt for what happened in there. That wasn't him. That was... his magic. Pure, raw, uncontrolled. It's why he has to stay in control of it at all times. It's constantly fighting him for dominance. And with every full koon when his power levels rise... it only gets worse. I am a creature of light and him of darkness... the magic saw the light as a threat. Please, don't blame him."

Wyatt stood up and met Jacob the door guard. The black magic user looked over his shoulder and nodded toward Sylvana. Jasper assumed they conversed mentally and made no comment. Jacob let him go without another word and seemed to simply resume his door guarding. The healer sighed. He doesn't know how to relax, does he? Though Jasper hadn't been very relaxed over this trip either. Fears and stress hounded every move.

Still he never denied his own concern. Why didn't Jacob go out or at least join him? Jasper paused with that thought. Considering their anger toward each other, it might be best Jacob remained. The smaller grey user didn't know how to control himself very well, as was obvious almost since they met him, just like a small child. Jasper mused on that. An adult with great power acting like a child is a bad combination. He shuddered and returned to sorting his medicines.

Sylvana spoke again, and the healer looked up. Of all things, the patient comforting the doctor. Initially, he didn't know what she referred to, since he distracted himself with other musings. The connection returned easily nonetheless. She did see him watching Wyatt leave. "I... I..." he paused to make sense of what he knew. He stopped and dropped his head. "I admit, I'm afraid of him and for him, but I don't want to fear." He lifted his head with a sigh, and added, "I also find it hard to believe that anything could be worse than what I saw in that room..." He opened his mouth to say more and then shook his head. "I don't want to frighten you, so I won't talk about it further."

Jacob heard that part and decided to comment finally. "A minute or two more and you would have been another body to clean up." he said bitterly. "Half the dozen guards and the elders were all among the casualties. Crazy traitor bastard!" He spat at his feet.

"Jacob, please don't start," Jasper pleaded. The unrepentant response already turned the healer's skin pale. His hands shook as he sorted through his medicine bag again.

Sylvana glared over at Jacob. There were so many things running through her mind that she wanted to say to him. All of the things that should have been said so long ago. Now they fell on even deafer ears than they would have then. So she did her best to compose herself before she began to speak.

"Let me explain something. I've died before. Ask me if I am afraid to die again." Only instead of it being Eth who killed her out of jealousy, it would have been Wyatt. The black magic user would have been hit the hardest from killing her. He loved her. She knew it. She loved him. He knew it. There was nothing either one of them could do about it until the overall threat was taken care of. They'd spent so many years apart from each other that she had started to forget up until she had been slammed into the tree. Memories had come flooding back and hadn't stopped.

"Xin isn't crazy. Nor is he a traitor. Not in the way you think, but if you want to go on believing and calling him that then by all means go ahead. But if you value your powers more than your life listen to me," the white magic user was standing by this point. One fist was clenched into the side of her skirt. "They are taking witches like you and draining them of their powers so they can have more for themselves. Raven choose you. He wants your powers for himself. He knows what potential you have. Don't you see they're using you. All those witches we hunted down met the same fate. I can show you the mass graves for the husks if you want."

A few tears slipped down her cheeks as she fought to control herself. Now wasn't the time to get into an argument with the only person who could get them out of the cave. So for now she was going to have to reign herself in. Later when they were at the fortress they could have at each other, but not until then. They had to survive this ordeal first.

"Now enough. We can just sit here in peace until Wyatt gets back and then be on our way when you deem fit."

Jasper stopped his ritualistic, repetitive sorting of items and put aside his medicine bag. He thought he'd have to be a mediator, but he didn't expect it between Sylvana and Jacob.

He should know better with two sisters of his own. Women and girls can be just as and sometimes more stubborn and vindictive as men and boys. This woman in particular had been through hell and back, which made it worse. The boy she argued with was still living in hell and couldn't see heaven through the fog. Just listening to it wore him down.

"I already said I don't believe that fantasy horror story." Jacob growled back to the angry woman and clenched his own fists. "I listened to it, because I didn't have a choice." He pulled back to an offensive battle stance. "I have a choice now though." He snarled. Opening one hand slowly, he revealed a grey fireball and pulled back to toss it at the girl, when Jasper grabbed his arm. He turned his blotchy angry face to the other grey witch, and hissed. Damn! he forgot the guy was there!

"She may not be afraid of dying, but I am. I am also afraid that we can't trust you now." Jasper waited until Jacob's fireball disappeared, and than tied his hands together with a scrap of rope from an empty packet of meat. "It may not be as effective as the chains in the tower, but it should remind you of your new place as my prisoner."

"I don't need my hands to use magic," he growled back.
The healer shrugged, "It doesn't matter to me whether you can use magic or not. I just can't allow you to harm my patient and friends."

He took a deep breath and turned to Sylvana, speaking in a gentle tone, "Because you are my patient, I must insist you lay on the other side of the fire out of harm's way. I'll stay here until this boy calms down or Wyatt returns, whichever comes first." He did realize that could be a long night, but by the time they arrived at the Fortress, he hoped to have more than enough time to sleep as well as a real bed. If it was a school before, it should still have dorm rooms, because the location doesn't really allow for a lot of traveling back and forth. Even though they haven't arrived yet, he was certain of that. He sighed as he waited, still holding Jacob's arm. "You may not know it but I'd be a more merciful warden than the one whom you left to me."

(Decided to rewrite instead of delete)

Jasper stopped his ritualistic, repetitive sorting of items and put aside his medicine bag. He thought he'd have to be a mediator, but he didn't expect it between Sylvana and Jacob.

He should know better with two sisters of his own, and he also should have known better from his own experience with her when they first met. Sylvana was a fighter when she felt something needed to be corrected, not unlike certain other women and girls he's met in his life. On top of that, she'd been through hell and back, which would definitely make that tendency worse. The problem is the boy she argued with still lived in hell and didn't know any better. He couldn't see heaven for the fog of pain and confused anger.

"I already said I don't believe that fantasy horror story." Jacob growled back to the angry woman and clenched his own fists. "I listened to it, because I didn't have a choice." He pulled back to an offensive battle stance. "I have a choice now though." He snarled. Opening one hand slowly, he revealed a grey fireball and pulled back to toss it at the girl, when Jasper grabbed his arm. He turned his blotchy angry face to the other grey witch, and hissed. Damn! he forgot the guy was there!

"She may not be afraid of dying, but I am the healer on this mission. As such, it's my job to make sure no one dies." He said the last with a sideways glance to Sylvana herself and a hint of warning to both of them. He paused while Jacob flexed his fingers. To be sure of him, the healer directed his stubborn brother's firing hand away from Sylvana. "Unfortunately after that episode, you can't be trusted."

Without turning away from his brother or releasing the boy's hand he removed one of the empty wrappers for their food and tied the rope holding it tight around Jacob's wrists. The fireball dispersed as Jasper, the 'weak' healer, took charge of the situation. Even if the boy didn't want to be around his brother, he knew his master wanted him alive. He growled and resisted, but again his twin was stronger.

Jasper sighed and tested the knots. He didn't want to hurt Jacob, but this was getting too much. "It won't be as effective as the chains in the tower, but it is a reminder that from now on you'll be my prisoner. I can't leave you loose with murderous intent, but we still need a guide. You weren't lying when you said you knew the territory." Jacob growled again, and Jasper tugged the rope. "Don't worry, I'll be a more merciful warden than the one you left me."

Though the smaller grey witch still bristled, his twin turned his attention to Sylvana. "For now the situation is under control, so please get some rest. I'll stay with the boy until Wyatt returns."