"How much longer we goin' to keep 'er here?"

"As long as we need to."

I open my eyes. I see nothing—just darkness all around me. I'm lying face up on something soft. I sit up, then feel surprised when there isn't any pain from the effort. I put a hand to my back. The scar is still there, but it's covered by something greasy. I smell the substance on my fingers—the scent is some kind of like an essential oil. How did the wound heal so quickly? Maybe I've been here for a while, unconscious.

"You gettin' the reward for catchin' 'er? She don't have a dark gift, that be sure." He spits.

I listen for the other's reply as I scan the place I'm in, trying to adjust my eyes to the darkness. Am I dreaming? I spot a small amount of light seeping from a crack—and then see the faint outline of a door.

"Why d'ya brung 'er in anyway? Ya know the law."

"I have my reasons." The voice replying has a Filipino accent.

"Well, I hope so." There's a creaking sound, like a door being opened.

"Good luck hunting the zeraphyx."

The other man laughs. "And good luck explainin' why ya have her here 'stead of the castle. Just don't 'xpect me to be coverin' for ya." There's a loud slam.

I step down from the bed I'm on. I hear a rhythmic clinking accompanied by a humming of unfamiliar tunes. I have to get out of here. I put one eye to the crack in the door—a man's back is turned to me and he looks like he's working on something. I hear a fire roaring somewhere in the room. It's just one guy—I think I can make a run for it. With my eyes adjusted to the darkness in this room, I look around for some kind of weapon to use in the likely case that I'll have to fight to defend myself. The room is empty except for the bed. I tiptoe to the door.

Slam! I jump back slightly as someone pounds on the front door not far from the stranger. "Open up, commoner!" a voice demands.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" he answers in an annoyed voice. The door opens and the callers' boots fall heavy on the floor as they enter. All of them have pale white faces that make them look like zombies, except for one, who is wearing a mask.

I look at their right arms instinctively and see the familiar blood red skull.

“Elor—I trust you haven't seen anything suspicious? No one acting out of place?" He folds his arms across his chest. His voice sounds familiar. All of them have a belt around their waists with a pendant of a skull. One of the white faced guys has an axe slung over his back.

"No one who doesn't have the dark gift, if that's what you mean. Still looking for the Outdweller, eh?" The guy with axe spits on the ground.

"Haven't caught her yet. But she's here in the Underworld, and so is the rest of her family. We'll find them."

I heave a sigh of relief. So they are safe after all. At least from these guys who are apparently enemies.

"You sound confident enough," Elor's voice is full of sarcasm. "So do me a favor and don't come bellowing and slamming on my door."

The masked man smirks. "You forget your place, commoner."

"Forgive my neglect to remember," the stranger answers with more than a hint of contempt.

The masked man tilts his head, an unforgiving smile playing on his lips. “Farius," he says in a commanding voice, "see what's in there." He nods with his chin towards the room I'm in.

As the guard or whoever he is walks in my direction, I back up slowly, trying to decide what to do.

Suddenly the room disappears and I'm facing a wall. I look around me, confused. Small houses surround the place I'm standing. I must be in the village I saw earlier.

I look back towards the wall. I can see right through it to the guy that entered. How am I doing this? It lasts only for a few seconds, then all I see is the wall. I try to do it again. The wall vanishes, and I can see the guy leaving the room, letting the door stay open behind him.

"No one is in there," he reports to the masked man who is still facing the stranger.

"I'll be watching you Elor," the masked man says, turning around to leave. The others follow and the door is slammed shut behind them.