Dear All,

Here comes a new chapter of this story and soon it will approach its end, as the contest's deadline is set on January 31st. We will see how the story and Conor's adventure will conclude...if they will conclude.

I hope you will enjoy it and as always, let me know with your comments that I always love to read: thank you :-)

I would like to dedicate this particular chapter to Crypti, as I believe you will like my friend and as a way to thank you for your wonderful support!

And now, enjoy it.

Lots of Love, Magic & Meows to you my dear readers,
-TheWitchAndTheCat-

Conor could not believe at his eyes when they all stepped into what he would call a Great Hall, but he wasn't sure if that word could be applied to the place he was staring at with wide eyes. It held a majestic air and it was beautiful, carrying a general gothic style and atmosphere, even if it showed another touch...a style that couldn't be defined, but that it seemed to belong to Heletya in particular. It communicated ancient magic and power, and Conor felt as if the same breeze he had encountered in that black long tunnel was still caressing his neck. He felt like smiling at the sensation, but he had a heavy feeling pressing on his guts, as if he knew what he was going to discover.

He was scared of what he was going to discover and he couldn't help to flinch at his own cowardice.

The floor was paved by black and white squares of marble that gave the impression of walking on a large chess board; on the sides stood columns that connected the tall ceiling with the floor and they were made of a black material that resembled dark onyx and weathered stone at the same time; on the walls hung tall mirrors that followed all their steps silently, and they seemed to radiate a discreet light. He peeked in one of them and almost fell on the ground as he saw a figure staring back at him that wasn't Conor at all. He paused a moment and looked back, but only his startled and wary face glanced back.

Who was that one staring back at him with such searching and blazing eyes?

"These mirrors are impudent and enjoy tricking us," Kassius explained while he combed his hair with his sharp and long nails. Also those were not lost in the transformation and Conor instinctively eyed them; they could surely inflict a lot of pain.

"You like my claws?" He asked wittily, hiding his smirk behind a long and thin-looking hand. "Be careful, human, you seem attract to dangerous things and I definitely bite."

Conor didn't know what to reply to that, given he never received attention from the same gender, but he felt stupid as soon as he considered that: Kassius was simply playing around with him and that was plainly evident in the haughty expression touching his lips. There was something off with his general behaviour, as if part of his personality changed with the shifting into this form, but he wouldn't bet on that. He might have been wrong, as everything in here was confusing and left him feeling lost. Everything but her. He swallowed down and averted his eyes from Kassius's.

"There is always a touch of truth in them, though," Azhelo replied with calm and deep voice, distracting Conor from his considerations. He found Azhelo intimidating, but there was a dignified and collected aura emanating from that extraordinary creature that somehow soothed his fears down. "I advise you to not look into those mirrors for now, and I advise you to pay close attention with whom you play around. Some are very shameless and dangerous."

"I feel deeply offended, Azhelo. When have I ever behaved shamelessly? I know nobody with my respect for education and proper manners. I even taught them to Conor when he did not introduce himself properly. Have I not, Conor?" Yeah, he definitely remembered that bizarre conversation and how lost he felt in trying to follow his rather absurd way of reasoning. "You remember, indeed. But I must point out that my way of reasoning is not absurd at all." Azhelo seemed to move his lips in a very faint smile and then spoke to Conor, wanting to conclude this pointless discussion, in which his friend was an absolute master.

"After our training perhaps, you might be ready to face the mirrors."

"Training?" Conor asked not sure he had understood or heard well.

"Yes, you will need it, believe me."

He decided to not contradict the warrior, for he couldn't shake the feeling that Azhelo must have been a very formidable and lethal fighter and there was a different form of power emanating from him...it was raw, barely leashed and it seemed very fierce, and it seemed to differ from what he had felt until now. It was ancient, yet it felt feverishly restless. The two exchanged a quick, but meaningful look and Azhelo caressed the two long knives strapped at his right side, as if giving a mute answer.

When they walked through the long and royal corridor, they met nobody, but Conor was sure of hearing whispers and swishing, light sounds coming from the shadows creeping around the corners and behind the tall columns. They passed several doors, until they stop in front of one that reached the ceiling and was made by dark, intricate wood where incomprehensible signs and probably words were carved in it. Heletya gracefully turned around and spoke to him.

"Do you wish to first refresh yourself and perhaps rest, before we discuss what you need to know?"

"No, thank you. I prefer to hear what's going on and why I had been taken to your world and..." Conor swallowed down and suddenly felt terribly cold, a sort of cold that wrapped around his heart and mind, making him almost gasp for air. He tried to regain some control over it and so he spoke with less uncertain voice than he thought. "And I want to know who that sort of demon is."

She nodded and with a mere, sharp jerk of her wrist the door entirely opened wide in front of them, showing a large and astonishing space that almost took the breath out of his lungs. What was that place?

"This is our personal quarter, Conor, and this is the perfect place where to discuss about such delicate matter. After, I would be very pleased if you will decide to restore yourself. We do enjoy the pleasure of water and of food on this world, but I am afraid our food might not taste as delicious for you as it does for us," Heletya explained to Conor with a very calm and almost reassuring note in her voice. The same voice that had called him in his worst nightmares.

"Thank you, Heletya" he only said, bowing another time. Pronouncing her name gave him a very good feeling and her name tasted strangely nicely on his tongue.

She walked in first and they all followed her, going to sit in front of a fireplace that emanated tepid warmth and where the fire was violet and deep blue. The grand door closed behind them and the same cold seemed to grip at Conor's heart and mind. He took a levelled breath and forced himself to observe the room. There were tall and majestic, stained-glass windows on one side of the grand room, picturing creatures and probably their history, and they reminded him of those gothic rose-windows he had seen many years ago in a church. The outside light filtered through it and it formed curious patterns of the polished floor. He couldn't help looking at the window, standing on his feet and wondering what was behind those glasses. His eyes wandered around the place, but he didn't have time to observe everything as a Kassius called for his attention.

"Conor," he said and once he turned to look at him, Conor jumped out of his skin and stumbled against a comfortable armchair where he fell on, as he saw the same over-grown and wild looking cat staring back at him with the fangs exposed. Azhelo exhaled out and sat beside Heletya, leaving the long sword and knives at his feet, probably a gesture that indicated the lack of threat in that place. "I wish I could paint the look in your face now, Conor. I always enjoy this," he chuckled and then he closed his eyes and he was back in his...male more human looking form. And he was completely naked and stalking him. Conor looked around and Heletya had a calm and almost bored look on her face, while Azhelo simply observed Kassius with an unreadable eye. "Do you think I could sit there with you?"

"What?" Conor only blurted out, desperately eyeing the discarded clothes lying on the floor and Heletya took pity of him.

"Kassius, you should give him more time to get accustomed to your divergent personalities."

But instead of listening to her, the shifter sat on the human's lap and stared deeply into his eyes with a smile that made Conor's blood freeze. Yes, he had been right: Kassius could be as lethal as his sister and Azhelo, probably even more lethal. Yet...he smiled at him.

"Thank you, Kassius," he calmly said, allowing himself to quickly touch his beautiful face. Conor realised how somehow the shifter managed to stir away part of his cold and sense of heaviness. His gratitude was acknowledged by a quick flash of fangs and before he had the time to see it, the feline-shaped creature was comfortably relaxing not far from his feet, in front of the fireplace. Heletya let her lips crease in a faint smile and nodded at her brother.

"Lady of the Shadows, could you please explain me why I am here and who is that...thing?"

"The rather foul creature that you encountered in your recent nightmares and that appeared to you when you were tested is part of your inner self. It is not you, Conor, but it comes from your inner self. It is hard to explain it in a way that can be believable, but do not doubt my words," Heletya spoke to him, never leaving his eyes.

"That demon is part of me? How is that even possible?"

"Our world is rarely connected to yours, but in rare occasions, some human beings change into what they really are, embracing their true natures, and thus found themselves in here."

"What do you mean? I don't understand it."

"It means that some human beings are not human beings in truth, but different beings trapped in the wrong body and world. We still do not comprehend why this happens and it creates some problems occasionally, because it endangers the delicate equilibrium of our world. In some other instances, humans have a double personality, if you allow me call it as such, and this double personality might be strong or weak, might possess a will of its own or not. This double can break free if strong enough and trying to make the human commit all the things it wishes to do, to follow its true nature and needs; yet...in some cases the human fights it unconsciously."

Conor went to talk, but he dropped completely silent, as if made of ice, staring at them at a complete loss. He didn't utter a sound or a breath for long time, until his mind felt like exploding for the many questions and for the emotions crushing inside of him. It was not a nightmare: he really had seen that tremendous and evil creature and he had spoken to him through the mirror. Oh dear Lord, Conor had such vicious alter ego hidden in his heart and mind? How was that possible? He had never been a violent person or a sadist. His eyes were staring at the flames and he forced himself to move them to Heletya. Hearing this was not easy, because he couldn't believe it. No, it wasn't easy because it scared him very much.

"You mean that what I have witnessed before, that madman that laughed like a maniac on some damn drug and that had almost erased his own followers out of spite and that is now trying to wreck your realm was created because of me? I am the cause of that...of...me? Was that thing me?"

He had looked like Conor and for a moment he thought his sanity had cracked and left him. For a moment he had thought that it was just a dream because he would never allow himself to reach that level.

"Apparently it was inside of you and you always repressed it, until it broke free," Azhelo said with measured voice.

"That thing is part of me?"

"In part yes, he is part of you, but in part no, Conor. I am sorry I cannot explain it in more clear terms, but the problem is that we never encountered anything of the sort before and we have to admit that we are not entirely sure of his true nature. However, he broke free from you and it is thanks to your will and your inner strength that such evil creature did not grow stronger and more powerful," she explained with her eyes searching in Conor's mind. She felt the fear and the horror crawling in his blood, but there was nothing she could do to sooth it. He had to hear the truth and he had to know what he might be required to face. "That foul and blood-thirsty creature is a very evil part of you that managed to become real and that I cannot kill. It seems that there is something in him that keeps alive no matter how hardly I hit him, no matter what sort of magic I unleash on him."

She paused a moment and decided he could take the rest of the truth. Yes, he was ready for it.

"You only can erase that creature and the longer we wait, the stronger he grows. The longer we wait, the weaker you become. You have no choice, Conor. You must indeed face your worst and darkest nightmare and this time, you must face it for real and not in your slumber. This is why Azhelo spoke of training and this is why you were tested. I am sorry for bringing it down to you so harshly, but I believe you would not appreciate to hear half truths, am I right?"

He swallowed down as he never broke eye-contact with her and he couldn't control the trembling of his body, the beating of his heart that increased and the pace of thoughts his mind took as she spoke those words. He had to fight and kill himself and the most dreadful part was that he had no idea how he could do it.

"You're right, Heletya," he replied swallowing down and feeling his shoulders slumping forward. "I...will I die?" he asked with a certain degree of hesitation.

"If you kill him?" she asked back and he only nodded. "No, but you shall die if you will not. Eventually he will take over you and engulf you in his more powerful self."

She doubted that possible, especially if Conor was who she hoped for. But it meant that he had to connect with his real self and his real power...not to mention, his real past. That maybe explained why such vicious and blood-thirsty creature was born and then broke away from a human being.

"I have no choice," he murmured out lost in her eyes. "But...how? I...I'm nothing. I have no magic or anything...I'm a coward, I had been my entire life." The reality of his words tasted bitter on his tongue and they stung him painfully. He had felt repressed and caged for his entire life, wasn't that true? Why hadn't he realised it before?

"Look at your hands and look at your face reflected into my eyes: are you the same human being that was taken into my realm by Kassius?" She asked with firm and almost commanding voice.

He shivered at her voice, feeling the authority in it and for a moment, a flash of an image blazed in his mind, seeing her on top of a hill with her hair whipped by the wind and her right hand carrying a long, black sword, ordering her soldiers to forget about mercy. They eyes locked and Heletya conceded a quick smile.

Conor searched in the reflection in her eyes and almost gasped out loud. What he saw in them really was him? It couldn't be possible...it couldn't be possible...unless...

"Unless what you believe is correct," he said with a voice that he almost didn't recognize.

"Yes, Conor," she slowly spoke, inclining her head to the side and studying every detail of the human being.

"Who am I, Heletya?"

Azhelo and Kassius carefully assessed them both and waited for her to utter an answer, but they knew she would not dare to say anything yet. The human was not yet ready to cancel and forget about a life that never really belonged to him. At least not today.

And then Conor suddenly blacked out.