It was so bright when they stepped out of the car, the sun stood high in the sky and Nora was glad to feel the warmth of it on her skin. There was still a large pack of snow lying around, but it didn't matter. Evair crept out of the care and sighed in relief, they were not stopped on their way here. It was not as if they had seen any cars that belonged to the council on their way to the palace, but they didn't stop them. Now they were standing at the bottom of a large staircase that led to the front door. Katia joined them. 

"I need to get some use to that bright light in the sky." Katia said breaking the tension. Nora looked at her with a great smile on her face.

"Well getting use to that will not be harder than getting used to dark." Abby snorted. Nora nodded and looked towards the front door. It was open, and she could see two men waiting for them. Mister Night and Master Goodwing. 

"Are you ready to face your father?" Nora asked Eviar, but he didn't give her an answer. She didn't mind this was the first time he saw his father, his mother had told him that he was his father. Nora still felt guilty for not telling him this, but then again she had decided not to tell Master Goodwing that she was pregnant of his grand child. It seemed fair in her mind, she only hoped that Evair shared that opinion. But she was not going to think about it now, she wanted to know how much time they had, and if her Coven already knew about the danger that came their way. 

"By the nine kingdoms." James stormed down the stairs when he saw his children. "I am so glad to see the both of you, safe and sound." He said. Nora could hear that his voice broke, he meant every word of it. "Abby I am so proud of you. Without a second thought, you grabbed Michell and made sure he was safe." 

"He is safe, in the Dragon King's palace." Abby said. "I have Dragon King Epoa's word that she will protect him, until one of use comes to get him." James wrapped her in his arms.

"Thank you." He said, and then he focused his attention to Jeffery. "It is so good to see you, my son." James stepped forward to huge him as well, but Jeffery stepped back. 

"Father, this here is my boyfriend. Lord Azeon Ombre, he is the cousin of Dragon King Epoa." Jeffery said, nodding towards Azeon. So he was not going to tell his father that Azeon, and he got married. Maybe he will do that later, she didn't know. She turned around and looked straight in the dark green eyes of Master Goodwing,.

"Nora, son." Master Goodwing said. "There are no words that can describe how glad I am to see the both of you." And Nora believed him. 

"Master Goodwing, please enlighten use?" Eviar said. "What are the latest developments?" Master Goodwing looked at his son and nodded. 

"Let's go inside, Dragon King Mira want to inform you herself." Master Goodwing said and all of them followed him inside. Over the time Nora had spent in Goticha was getting used to the palace there, and she thought that this one wouldn't affect her as much. She knew that she was wrong from the moment she set a foot inside. The hallways of the palace were light, the floor was covered with white tiles and the walls were painted in a light purple color. The banner of Achua hung proudly on the walls. Every five steps there was a vase with a bouquet of flowers, which filled the hallways with a nice smell. James and Master Goodwing led them through the hallways without a hesitation. They knew where they were going. After a while they stopped in front of a double door. The doors were already open and gave Nora a clear view of the throne room. This part of the palace was similar to the one in Goticha. It was a large hall, with a podium where the throne stood at the end. On the throne sat a young woman, with pale skin and fiery red hair. The green eyes of the woman were sharp, and probably saw through every lie.

"Master Goodwing, Mister Night. I thank you for bringing them to me." The woman said, with a sharp voice. Azeon stepped past them and bowed slightly. 

"Your highness, may I introduce me and mine." He said, he was the cousin of Dragon King Epoa, so it was his duty to do so. "This here are Nora Rane, Katia Summers, Abigale Night, Eviar Summers and Jeffery Night." Everyone bowed when they heard their name. "I am lord Azeon Ombre, cousin of her Highness Dragon King Epoa Ombre. At your service." He bowed deeper and stayed that way. 

"Rise up, my lord and know that you and yours are welcome at court." Dragon King Mira said. "Although I had hoped to receive you under happier times. Alias this is not the case." Azeon rose up and nodded.

"I agree, but what not is will come in time." He said. Nora understood that this was part of a costume between dragons, at least she hoped it was. She stepped forward. 

"Your Higness, I do not mean to be rude. But the fate of my Coven is at stake here." Nora said. She looked at Azeon. "I am sorry, but I need to know are they aware, and what are the latest developments."

"I do not count this as rude, miss Rane. But it may in somebody else's eyes. But I understand were you are coming from. To answer the first question, I am afraid to say that they do not know. Or rather they chose not to know. Sarotia Alure has ignored every attempt of a warning. I was hoping by sending you the message will become clear that we are not joking." 

"Unicorn Crap." Nora cursed, she hated her aunt for allowing them to be unaware. "I apologize for my language." Nora said quickly.

"Again, I do not mind." Dragon King Mira said. "I would be cursing too, if my family was in danger. Coming to that, we believe that council. Will attack the Negromanti compound in two days. At least that is what are little birdie told use." Nora nodded, so that have somebody inside the council tracking down their every movement. That was good, at least she thought so. 

"Then we will go there and help them prepare for the battle to come." Azeon said, and Nora agreed with him. Although her aunt will not be as glad to know that she had brought strangers to the compound, but she did not care. The Dragon King Mira nodded.

"It was a short but sweet visit. Please come again when this is all over." Dragon King Mira said and all of them bowed. 

"We are going with them, your Highness." James said. "For my part I want to be as close to my children as possible. After I lost my wife..." Nora's heart sunk, she looked over her shoulder to Jeffery and Abby. Who looked wide-eyed to their father. 

"Go, with my blessing." Dragon King Mira replied. James bowed and turned towards them. 

"We need to hurry." James said, he didn't explain why. But he didn't need to, from now on ever second mattered.

*******

It was strange looking upon the compound of the Negromanti, once more. Nora blinked some tears away. Never in her wildest dreams had she dared to hope that she would see it again. The village was surrounded by a fence that would only keep wild animal out. The buildings were made out of simple wood, as they were in the time of Haghor Rane. Only now they were filled with indoor bathrooms, streaming water, and electrical light. The car that drove Nora, Katia, Eviar and Master Goodwing stopped right in front of the gate. Decorated with the motto of the Coven, La morte è solo l'inizio, Death is only the beginning. Her aunt was standing right behind the gate on Nergromanti territory. 

"What are you doing here?" Aunt Sarotia asked. There was no love inside her voice, no joy that her niece was not died and buried inside some ditch. Not that Nora had suspected she would welcome her with open arms. But is still hurt.

"Nice to see you too, aunt Sarotia." Nora said bits. "I see that things have not changed around here." Her aunt narrowed her eyes.

"Do not fool me girl. My niece is dead killed by those hunters. And if she is not dead, then she has spilled all our secrets." Aunt Sarotia said. 

"Or I was lucky that I got the law on my side, I didn't complete the last test, which meant I was not a full Negromancer. So they were not allowed to kill me." Nora said, was her aunt really that stupid. Her aunt should have known this. Her aunt posture changed, Nora nodded. "So now that we have established that. Let me be very clear, how can you be so stupid to ignore all the warning the Dragon King has sent you!" Nora screamed so that the whole compound could hear her. "The council of the Elemental Coven is preparing themselves to kill all of you for weeks! And not by hunting use down one by one, no! They are planning to attack the compound!" 

"You are trying to scare use, the Dragon King will never allow that." Aunt Sarotia said, and Nora walked towards her. Until she stood right in her aunts face. She was going to make her angry, only Nora didn't care. It was her aunt who brought the whole Coven in danger by not listing to the Dragon King. 

"The Dragon King has sent messengers to you, to tell you that she can do nothing more than this. She has stopped them for as long as she was able, but she can do no more." Nora said. "We are all you have left now. There is no time to send the ones who can not fight away. All we can do now, is prepare for battle and pray to some God who is willing to listen to save use all." Nora looked to the people behind her aunt. "Lucky for use, I made some friends." She turned towards the cars, Eviar and Jeffery stepped out. Followed by Abby, Katia and Azeon. 

"You dare to bring Elementals to our compound?" Aunt Sarotia snapped at her.

"And some members of the Lunar Coven, in fact there are more on their way." Nora said. "I even brought a dragon." She pointed to Azeon. "It is time that we are going to make some changes around here, but first we need to win the fight." Nora stepped towards her friends. "Everyone meet Katia and Eviar Summers of the Lunar Coven. Lord Azeon Ombre, and Jeffery and Abby Night of the Elemental Coven." She pointed her thumb to the cars. "We also have Master Goodwing and James Night in the cars. They have fought against the council everystep of the way the last couple of days." Nora said. "I know who they are, and what they have done. But they have fought for use, so I a descendant of Hagor Rane are willing to give them another change." She didn't pay much attention to her aunt, but to the people behind her aunt. Those were the people who were kept in the dark, those were the lifes that were in danger. 

"No." Aunt Sarotia said. Now Nora looked at her.

"Do you really think that you have anything to say?" Nora snapped at her. "You have ignored warning, after warning. And those warning were not all brand new like the ones that could have prefented this. My father voiced ideas for reforming and you shoved those aside as well. Our magic can do so much more then bringing people back from the dead. We are able to heal people."

"You are as bad as he was, abonden all our traditions." Aunt Sarotia said. "All what Hagor and his son stood for."

"Hagor and his son didn't had a target on their backs!" Nora snapped at her. "We do and it is time we are going to change that. But for now, everyone harken to me. If you are wearing a bloodstone, dump that. You need your full magic powers, after you done that report to Eviar and Katia. They will teach you Lunar Magic, and yes you are going to need it. Those who are to weak or to young to fight, go to the bunker. Jeffery, James and Master Goodwing are going to put some protective barriers around it." Nora now focused on Abby. "You are going to train with the others on Lunar magic too." Abby nodded. "And I am going to put up some shields around the whole compound." Azeon raised his hand. 

"What can I do?" He asked. 

"You are going to keep her." Nora pointed to her aunt. "Company." Azeon nodded.

"Keeping me company? Why?" Her aunt screamed. 

"To keep you from intervering." Nora said and she got to work. Like everybody else.