Not being able to find out anything with his communication mirror, Oslac decided to leave his chamber. However, as soon as he opened his door a number of guards ran past him.

"Hey! What's going on?" The prince called after them. "I demand someone stop and tell me!"

One guard did as instructed, halting mid-stride. He turned and knelt before the teenage prince.

"Stars shine upon you, Your Highness," the guard said before lifting his head to look up at the royal's face.

"Guard, tell me, what is the situation?" Oslac demanded in the most authoritative voice he could muster.

"There is unrest in Tuanalis," the guard answered with no hesitation.

"Tuanalis? The Biabus-Lus' village?"

"Yes, Your Highness, word is that the Head of Draoicis-Lus has gone over to stir trouble."

The guard's information sent the prince's thoughts reeling. He couldn't help but imagine the worst. Visions of Beanni being attacked by those Biab lads flashed in his mind. He saw her curled up on the floor cuts littering her skin, the cobbled streets of Central City splashed with her blood. Worry took him by the throat.

"Prince Oslac?" The sound of the guard's concerned voice dragged him from his spiralling thoughts.

"The king has issued a violet beam warning," the guard said and instinctively tapped the fighting staff that was strapped to his side.

"A violet beam?" Prince Oslac repeated, then darted to the window, where he saw a distant line of violet light shooting up into the sky above the village in the north.

"I must go, Your Highness, and I must ask you to return to your quarters."

"Yes, I am aware of the violet summons protocol," Oslac retorted, not looking away from the window. "Go where you must."

"Thank you, Your Highness," the guard said as he got to his feet and ran out of the corridor. Moments passed and Oslac watched, through the window, that same guard run out of the Palace and across the grounds. He kept true until wisps of violet light surrounded him and made him disappear.

The loneliness of the empty corridor grabbed at the prince, as he made his way slowly back to his chamber. The very place he just left. It was useless being in there, sitting idle, just waiting to hear news.

An idea then struck him, making him halt on the spot.

There may be a way he could receive news faster, to see what was going on in Tuanalis. Of course he wasn't sure, he had never tried it before, but he had to give it a shot. He had to do something! He turned away from his own quarters and ran to the door that led him to the tallest tower of the palace.

He opened the door and was faced with a stone spiral staircase, which he began to climb. He took great care on each step, for the stairs were so old they began to warp at the edges, careless footing would end up with him slipping and he didn't want to risk falling, as there was no rail to catch himself on.

Along the rounded wall just above his head were lanterns that burst into bright, orange flames when they sensed his orb approaching them. They lit up the windowless stairway until he got to the very top. He stepped into the murky, cramped room that held no furniture, just a Trabem pool that was lit by a skylight situated directly above it. Today the pool was lit by a violet glow from the beam of royal light magic that now took over the sky above.

Oslac took his light orb out of his pouch and made it grow in his left palm. As his light magic grew, lanterns that were built into the walls around him lit up with dancing flames. He then slowly approached the side of the Trabem pool and looked into the glassy water inside.

"I hope this works," Oslac said aloud to himself as he held his light orb out in front of him. "Illuminare-Trabem, if you hear me. If you still listen to your people. Please help me. Please speak," he prayed with his eyes squeezed shut, then with a sigh, opened them again. He placed his glowing orb into the pool, focused on the subtle ripples that it made, and waited.

He waited and waited, but nothing, no visions graced the water and no voice made a sound. With a disappointed groan Oslac snatched his orb back with a violent splash.

"I knew it! I knew that was a long shot! Illuminare-Trabem doesn't speak anymore!" He kicked the stone side of the Trabem pool in a temper and turned away, then glared into the light orb in his hand, cursing how helpless he felt under his breath.

A tiny ribbon of violet swirled within his orb, reminding him of his royal privilege.

"Violet light!" he declared and turned back towards the pool. "Violet light!" A smile curled his lips and he stroked the smooth surface of his light orb, encouraging the stream of violet light to gather at his finger tip. He pinched it between that finger and his thumb, pulled it out into the air and brought it to his temple. The violet magic slithered like a tiny snake making its way behind his eyes, where it settled and made them glow; a glow not nearly as powerful as Beanni's the day she was blessed by the moon at Luna Lake, but there was indeed a useful power now harboured inside his gaze.

He looked into the Trabem pool again. The violet magic within his irises connected with the subtle glow of the water making it come to life. It swirled in perfect circles and summoned pictures from its depths. Oslac was then witnessing what was going on in the village of Tuanalis at that very moment. He saw the two heads of the famously feuding families being arrested. After he saw them disappear within wisps of royal magic, he turned away from the Trabem pool, instantly breaking the connection.

A sudden feeling of hopelessness crushed into the prince's chest. Beanni was nowhere to be seen in the vision. Part of him hoped she might be.

Where was she?

Beanni tripped over the threshold as Genelle shoved her inside the wooden doorway. Whilst catching her balance in a fluster, she took in the dark interior of a hut that held the bare minimum of necessities. The first thing that caught her eye was a small fireplace where orange flames sent out their warm glow, barely lighting the small room. In front of the fire were a handful of uncomfortable looking wooden chairs standing around a small square table.

"Come on, they've been waiting long enough," Genelle said, then led Beanni past the fireplace to a wooden door, which she opened without hesitation. She pushed her teen daughter inside and quietly closed the door behind them.

Beanni stood face to face with a large pillar of prophetic smoke that danced its way eerily from the dirt floor to the wooden beams that held up the ceiling. The forbidden sight disturbed her causing her breath to come out in short panicky bursts.

"Pull yourself together, Beanni," Genelle reprimanded her under her breath. "It's just the same as the smoke at Petra Marbh, just more of it."

"How could you?" Beanni said in a timid whisper, not able to tear her eyes away from the curling white smoke.

"Get over it!" Genelle barked and grabbed Beanni's upper arm, dragging her closer to the swaying pillar.

"Get off!" Beanni squeaked, she pulled against the determined Fiosolim's grip, trying to keep some sort of distance between herself and the prophetic smoke.

"The obedient Natanstrelle Civilian act is getting old!" Genelle hissed at the struggling teen and tightened her grip on her arm, which made Beanni call out in pain.

The sound she made caused the room to stir with movement as two men got up from the ground; it looked as if they had formed themselves out of the shadowy corners.

"Cousin? Did you succeed?" said the taller one, his voice sounded strange, as if he was talking in his sleep. The other man just stood there and stared past Beanni and Genelle, who stood only a foot from him; it was as if his mind was elsewhere - somewhere far away.

Gazing clearly takes its toll, Beanni thought as she took in the two men's unusual demeanours. Her heart began to hammer faster within her chest.

"Yes, Jerem, this is Beanni," Genelle answered with a smile. She grabbed her nervous daughter's shoulders and forced her to take a step forward.

"She looks like you, kind of," Jerem said, leaning down to take a closer look. "Too bad she inherited her father's blue eyes."

A sharp shush hissed into Beanni's ears, making her wince and she watched Jerem slink back with his hands raised in defence.

"Did she inherit the sight?" the other man piped up, making Beanni jump.

"She has and more, Luchan," Genelle replied and gave Beanni's shoulders a quick squeeze. "She has connected with the non-magical realm, we are closer than we ever hoped to be!"

"What have you found out, Cousin?" Jerem asked eagerly, stepping forward, back into his original place within the group.

"Not enough!" Genelle muttered. "I brought her here as soon as I could, the smoke at Petra Marbh could not handle the power given to her by Gealach Trabem."

The two men's eyes widened at hearing that detail, the small smiles that curled their lips were hard for Beanni to read. She had no idea what they could possibly be thinking.

"She must gaze for us! Right now!" Luchan enthused, his smile widening to an excited grin.

"No, please," Beanni turned to her biological mother, whose look of warning made her quickly change tact. "I-I'm tired."

Genelle let out an impatient groan, she then rolled her eyes and squeezed the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger. With a long sigh she returned her gaze to Beanni's pleading face.

"Fine!" Genelle gave in. "First we eat and rest, but then you will gaze! No argument!"

"Okay," Beanni whispered in sad obedience.

"Alright," Genelle said, then turned towards the door she pushed Beanni through only moments ago. "You can't say I don't treat you well," she added with a look of contempt, then led Beanni to the table beside the crackling fireplace.

Genelle cooked and served a hearty vegetable stew for the four of them. As it bubbled in its pot over the fire, the two men chatted away to Beanni, telling her stories of their family and made an effort to welcome her as their own blood relative. The smoke being on the other side of the door seemed to make an impact on them - they seemed much more human than what they came across as at first. Their stories made it seem like the stew cooked in no time at all. She was given a healthy helping and she dug in without saying another word. She was starving!

As Beanni reached the last couple of mouthfuls she could barely keep her eyes open. Genelle noticed this and reluctantly led her to another room where she could sleep. As soon as she was left alone she took off her trousers, draped them over an empty chair, then got into the neatly made bed. Once she was snuggled up it took no time at all for her to succumb to the overpowering drowsiness and slip into a dreamless sleep.

Oslac lay awake in his bed. Of course he couldn't sleep. He was beside himself. Not knowing where his best friend was was twisting and pulling at his insides. It didn't make any sense, none of it. Where could she have gone? Who would've taken her if it wasn't the Biabus-Lus? or maybe they did take her and managed to hide her even from the king?

He didn't know what to think anymore.

He needed answers.

Suddenly a thought came to him, there was somewhere he could get answers. He threw his covers off and jumped out of his bed. Then, without a second thought, he made his way out of his chamber. He tip-toed as quietly as he could, all the way down to the palace dungeon where the two heads of the feuding families were being held.

Once he reached the archway that framed the stairway down to the dungeon below, Oslac glanced over his shoulder, checked that the coast was clear then fished out his light orb. He made it grow in his palm and drew his royal family symbol upon his chest. Once he felt the warmth penetrate his skin, he alighted the steps to find the new prisoners.

Barred cells stood either side of him and he peered into the small subtly lit, dingy corridor. When he saw that there was no guard standing watch, he pressed his orb against his chest and the light of Samhun-Tealia left him.

"Draoicis-Lus?" he called, and listened out for a response.

"Who's there?" a gruff voice answered. Oslac followed the direction that the voice came from and stood face to face with a tall, dark man standing behind bars. The man's eye twitched when he saw Oslac there; it was clear that he was confused by his visit.

"Are you Beanni's father?" Oslac asked.

"There's that name again, I'm hearing nothing but that name lately!" A voice grumbled its way from a separate cell, making Oslac jump and turn around.

"Just tell me where she is, Lucas!" The dark man snapped back over the prince's head.

"I told you already I do not know where your daughter is! Why would her whereabouts ever be my concern?"

"You are a liar!"

"And you Lorrus, are a paranoid, mad man!"

"Stop!" Oslac yelled over the two arguing men. "Enough of this! Just let me think!"

"Prince Oslac, why are you here?" Lorrus questioned the stressed out teen.

"I came down here to find out answers," the prince replied. "Bay needs to be found as soon as possible!"

"Bay?" A scowl etched itself upon the head of Draoicis-Lus' mahogany brow. "You know my daughter?"

"Yes, we are friends." Oslac said then stared past the man's head, focusing on nothing in particular. "She's my best friend."

"I remember her telling me that she was with you weeks ago," the dark man growled towards the dusty ground under his feet. "I thought she was lying."

"Is there anybody that you do believe, Draoic?" Lucas Biabus-Lus scoffed.

"Tell me where she is, Biab!" Lorrus shouted, pressing his chest against his cell bars in a vain attempt to square up for an impossible fight.

"I. don't. know! Get that into your thick skull you foolish Troll!" Lucas matched his enemies stance behind his own cell bars.

"Stop!" Oslac shouted over them again. This time he held his light orb over his head, sending the calming violet magic to every corner of the dungeon. The men both took a step back and stood ready to listen to the prince.

"There is one thing I can do to settle this once and for all," Oslac announced, then turned towards the head of Biabus-Lus. "If you are willing to comply."

"Go ahead, your highness. I have nothing to hide."

Ignoring Lorrus' scoffs, Oslac made his way towards thd Biabus-Lus' cell, lifted his orb between the bars and pressed it against the man's lined forehead. Voices echoed within the prince's mind as the light within his hand drew out the truth from the Biabus-Lus' mind. Once he was done, he took his orb away from him and stored it back into his pouch.

"He's telling the truth. He doesn't know anything."

A smirk coloured the Biabus-Lus' smug face.

"I don't understand," Lorrus said in a trembling whisper.

Oslac bit his bottom lip and shook his head as disappointment took over his thoughts too.

"Oh my girl..." the head of Draoicis-Lus cried out in anguish. "Where are you?"

Oslac couldn't bring himself to say anything else. He left the dungeon dejected, leaving the two prisoners in their cells to soak in their confusion.

"By the stars!" He swore under his breath as he dragged his feet along the corridor that led back to his quarters, "That was a waste of time!"