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Flora ran down the hall breathlessly. “Tornado! Rook told me to find you. Dark ethereal were sited. They’ve entered the city!”

“Where is he?” Tornado asked standing.

“He was heading for the northern edge of the city.” Flora explained.

“Okay. Both of you find a safe place to stay.” Tornado commanded and looked towards Aero.

“I’ll stay here.” Aero answered him with a sad smile.

“Good.” He answered thankfully as he spread his wings.

“Be careful.” Aero requested as he left.

The sounds of battle could be heard from the safety of where Aero and Flora sat.

“They’ve gotten close. Do you think we should go further into the palace?” Aero asked in a whisper.

“I don’t think it would be a good idea. We might be seen if we go through the corridors.” Flora explained in a foreboding voice. “I think it’s best if we stay hidden.”

The eerie laughter caused them both to shudder as many more noises echoed after. “What was that?” Flora exclaimed fearfully.

“More dark ethereal must have come.” Aero shuddered. “Are they going to be okay?”

“I’m not sure.” Flora added. “Wait! Listen!”

Footsteps sounded down the hall.

“They’re back!” Aero said happily getting up.

Walking into the room was a boy about their age with brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing the dark army emblem on his armor and revealed his deep brown wings.

“I found them.” He called back down the hall.” Two creature dark ethereal ran into the room towards Aero and Flora.

“Run!” Flora exclaimed grabbing Aero’s hand and running to the exit across the room.

“Where can we hide?” Aero asked frantically as the creatures gained on them.

Flora commanded a wall of earth to form behind them covering the hall. “That should keep them busy for a while.” Flora told her breathlessly.

The scratching of the creatures could be heard behind the wall.

“Move aside!” The boy’s shouting could be heard past the wall. The center of the stone wall turned black as the air got hotter. The stone began to turn red as it steamed.
“It’s going to burst!” Aero called to Flora. They ducked away from the rubble but ended up on different sides of the crossroads.

Flora shouted to Aero. “Go that way. I’ll go this way. Find somewhere to hide.”

“Be careful.” Aero ran as smoke cut her off from view.

Flora turned the corner and flew up to hide in the space between the roof and the pillars. She watched as her pursuers ran by. She wondered. “How did these dark ethereal get past our forces? Were they defeated? No, that can’t be! Can it?”

Aero ran faster as she heard the padded footsteps behind her. She turned a corner swiftly. To her horror she faced another group of dark ethereal. Spreading their two sets of bat wings as they laughed their creaky eerie way. Aero skidded to a stop and turned to run the other way. They chased her down the hall biting mockingly at the air. Ahead she saw another group coming towards her. They were closing in. She stopped suddenly and jumped though one of the windows of the corridor. Dark ethereal swarmed around her as she spread her wings to fly. She tried to push them away with the wind but the air stayed still.

“What’s going on?” She asked frantically. A red moon hung in the sky above her. “They were waiting . . .” She realized to her horror as many of the creature ethereal landed on her wings as others circled her blocking off her vision. The lunar eclipse had cut off the light of the moon and left her powerless.

She continued running pushing the creatures aside. There was no where to go as they chased her through the marketplace. All of the dark ethereal suddenly flew away eerily laughing as a growl sounded. She turned towards the noise as, to her horror, she realized she had acted just as the ethereal had hoped.

Flora ran back through the corridors trying to find Aero or her pursuers. She heard someone land behind her and commanded the rose vines into the windows.

“It’s me.” Rook told her bending them back.

“Rook!” Flora exclaimed. “I can’t find Aero! We got separated when the dark ethereal came after us.”

“I’m sorry Flora.” He explained sadly, “We weren’t able to hold them off. We have to find Aero and Tornado and get away from this place. It’s not safe here anymore.”

“Where will we go?” Flora asked fearful of his answer.

Rook looked to the ground. “We’ll have to go to the capitol. And once we get there . . .”

“What?” Flora asked worriedly. “What happens then?”

“We shouldn’t worry about that now.” Rook told her seeing ethereal in the distance.

Tornado flew low against the tops of the trees. He wasn’t able to find Aero in the palace or in the marketplace so he went to search the woods. A clearing appeared surrounded by the dark ethereal. “Aero.”

Aero was attempting to defend herself against the beast. Tornado dove towards the fight as fast as he could. Anger built up inside of him as he recognized the dark ethereal that was attacking Aero.

The beast turned slightly to see Tornado coming. He lunged at Aero and slammed her against a tree with his large paw. She gasped as she struggled to catch her breath under the pressure caused by the paw holding her up off the ground.
Tornado unclipped his kamas as he landed. He sprinted towards the beast angrily. Patiently waiting the beast watched for the right moment. Suddenly, the dark ethereal spread his large wings slamming them against Tornado. He crashed into the ground forcing up clouds of dirt.

“Tornado!” Aero shouted fearfully. She then determinedly pushed against the beast’s paw while kicking at it’s body.

“You are both such foolish children.” The dark ethereal laughed into Tornado’s mind.

“Let me go!” Aero yelled as she struggled to get free of the paw.

The beast pressed down harder against her chest as he brought his wolfish face in front of hers. “You’re being a troublesome girl so you’re going to have to be quiet for a while.”

Aero gazed into the beast’s yellow eyes in horror. This was the first time she had heard one of the creature dark ethereal speak. Pain filled her body as she got short of breath.

“Tornado.” Aero called out in pain.

“Aero!” Tornado shouted in fear as her arms fell limp. “Let her go!” He demanded of the dark ethereal gripping his kamas.

“You obviously don’t know how this works.” The beast explained. “I have a hostage that I could kill in an instant.” He pressed his claws against Aero’s throat. She shuddered gasping for breath. “You listen to my demands and once we’ve agreed I’ll let her go. In other words ‘do as I say or I’ll kill her.’” Her whole body fell limp.

Tornado stood horrified. “Let her go now! She’s going to suffocate!”

“Then I guess you’d better listen and do as I say now.” The beast retorted. “You’re going to come with me to the dark realm and serve in the dark realm army. You’ll do everything just as you’re told and follow the realm law or we’ll kill Aero.”

“What?” Tornado yelled. “You expect me to- ”

The beast dug his claws into Aero’s throat.

“Stop!” Tornado screamed dropping to his knees. “I’ll do as you say!” he begged. “Just, please, don’t hurt her.”

“That’s more like it.” The dark ethereal pulled back his claws.

“How much time do I have here?” Tornado’s voice creaked as he spoke.

“Two days.” The beast answered. “We’ll meet here in the evening of the second day.”

Tornado stood. “I’ll go. Just release Aero.” He walked over and the dark ethereal let the unconscious Aero fall into Tornado’s arms.

“When I go all the other dark ethereal will leave.” The beast added. “You may never see this place again.”

“What does the dark lord have planned for me?” Tornado asked holding Aero close.
“You’re going to be the dark lord’s pawn.” He explained. “We all are but I think you will have a special role.”

“Why?” Tornado asked forebodingly.

“If you don’t already know it’s probably for the better.” The dark ethereal walked away from Tornado. “Besides, it’s not my role to tell.” He howled up to the sky calling all the dark ethereal. He turned to Tornado. “This wasn’t how I wanted to fight you. The next time we meet will truly decide who is stronger.” With that the beast was surrounded by darkness and returned to the dark realm.