Loneliness gripped Demetrious as Dante left his room. It was slowly sinking in for Demetrious that Aretha had left him. He hardly had time to come to grips with his beloved's departure before Dante had dragged him to his trial and had thrown hundreds of snake eye spheres at him making him know nothing but poisonous and bone crushing pain in his body for hours and hours. The last contact he had with Aretha was during that trial when he had communicated with Aretha through the bond where Dante couldn't intercept or pry on even if he extracted his memories. She had shown him the beautiful visions of their wedding day next to Missisipi river. It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen in his life.

Thinking of the wedding scenes, made him want to hear his beloved's voice but he wasnt sure if he could take the pain of hearing her voice but not being able to be with her. In the end he gave into his desires and whispered "I miss you Aretha. I want you to come to me."

Aretha whispered back from a distance "Why dont you come to me. I told you we want you to join us."

Demetrious smiled weakly "I love you sweetheart but ...." He then spoke in a painful tone "I cant come to you. Not yet. I believe, i have a duty to fulfil here. I feel that I need to be here."

Aretha spoke with irritation "You cant stop your brother. He will hurt you even more if you try to oppose him single handedly. You can't take him on my love. Do you know how hard it is sensing that you are being tormented and I cant do anything about it. Please Demetrious. You have to come to your senses. You must leave Arkansas. You must come join me with the ancient society before ...... its too late and he hurts you even more. Just come to sacred river in central territory and we will find you."

Demetrious became thoughtful "My love as much as the thought of being with you makes my chest burst with excitement, I cant leave Arkansas. I must try to do some damage control for all the horrors my brother is bringing on the rest of the world."

Aretha sighed "Do what you must but you are only one man but your brother has an army. You cant undo all of his cruel and invasive acts all by yourself."

Demetrious spoke "I have to try my love."

And it went all silent. Aretha's voice was gone. Demetrious felt lonely again. He couldnt help the tears clouding his eyes. His beloved was miles away. He couldnt see her. He couldnt touch her. His life was back to being hell just like how it was before he had met Aretha. He felt totally crushed. He was sobbing and shaking hard. Aretha's words kept replaying in his mind "You cant undo his acts by yourself. He has an army. you are only one man."

Suddenly he heard someone knocking. Demetrious wiped his tears and tried to pretend all was well. He was used to putting on a brave front all his life.

It was Octavian who entered "I know you are recovering but may I speak to you?"

Demetrious remained motionless on his bed. He turned to the door looking at Octavian "I dont think I have much of a choice. I am healing and cant leave this room so might as well speak to some company. So what are you here for"

Octavian walked to Demetrious's bed and took a deep breath "I need your help."

Demetrious raised an eyebrow "Why do you need my help. You see I am not much use to anyone at the moment in my state. You saw how many snake eye spheres was thrown at me. What could I possibly do for you?"

Octavian sighed "Look. I need you to ..... convince Dante to allow me to take Donavan to war with me tomorrow."

Demetrious looked at Octavian with a baffled expression "Why do you need to take him with you when you have the choice of every other commander? Never mind that. You are the leader of this mission. Why dont you ask him yourself?"

Octavian looked troubled "I did. The answer was no."

Demetrious spoke "I am not surprised. Donavan is a high class prisoner. Even in the infirmiray a whole division of Tanya's trackers and Dylan's fighters are guarding him. He is too valuable to be released. But tell me this. If Dante has said no to you, then ..... Why are you asking me? If he said no to you why would he say yes to me. In case you havent noticed, I am not his favourite person at the moment."

Octavian spoke"Do I have to spell it out? Because you are a knight like me."

Demetrious laughed nervously "You are not thinking about doing what i think you are. Are you? Its very risky."

Octavian rolled his eyes "Where is the risk? Its a simple law. Once the leader of Arkansas makes a decision, it is final but the knights can appeal to the leader to change any decision if they come to a unanimous agreement....."

Demetrious spoke "Lets say Dante agrees to consider this appeal. Then have you thought about the consequences for you if things go wrong? If you take Donavan with you and he messes up...."

Octavian spoke "I know. I know. Then all three knights will take the punishment. Its worth the risk. I am sure you dont mind the pain anyways even if Donavan messes up in the mission. You are used to getting tormented. Right? and Diodora is also of a tough bloodline. She can handle your brother's wrath. She said yes. If you say the word yes, dante would consider the appeal. You dont even need to leave your bed and go to him in person to say it. I will show your images to him now."

Demetrious spoke "If she said yes, then I say yes too to taking Donavan with you. But tell me why you need Donavan?"

Octavian spoke "Your verbal agreement is all I needed. You will find out why tomorrow. Only Tiberious and I know why. He was actually reluctant to co-operate and give me much information to work with but I used some threats and persuasion and he told me some inetersting facts. I will see you at the commemorations Demetrious."

Before Demetrious could protest, Octavian left. Demetrious was frustrated now. He murmured "What the hell is wrong with him?" He then shook his head and threw a burgendy coloured stone to the floor and made a summon call.

Minutes later, Edwin appeared in the room and gasped at seeing Demetrious. But the young Ronas didnt let him start with any formalities "We dont ahve time for greetings. Help me up and take me to Tiberious. You are a commander and have access to him."

Edwin stuttered "But knights can see him too at his chamber in the castle..."

Demetrious forced himself to sit up with a groan and spoke "Dont you see the state I am in. It takes so much energy to get into Castle of Spears as you know even when there is an accessible area. I am really weak. I need you to take me there to him. You owe me Edwin. I have helped you many times in the past." He then stood up on his feet with another groan and took a deep breath and looked at Edwin expectantly.

Edwin was speechless but he managed to pull himself together and shakily spoke "Its not that i am reluctant to help. You aura ..... is very similar to our master's. Also you are master's brother. I fear that I may insult you in any way."

Demetrious rolled his eyes. "For the last time. I am not like my brother. Why cant you look at me in the same way that you used to years ago. I have no idea whats changed since I turned eighteen. Now take me to Tiberious. i have to see him."

Edwin nodded and took Demetrious's hand and both youngsters were teleported away to one of the most highest towers in the castle. As they touched the ground, they felt waves of distress hitting them hard.

Tiberious was sitting on the floor and weeping. " What have I done?" he kept repeating to himself.

Edwin and Demetrious looked at Tiberious with worry and walked towards him and knelt on the floor to be at his level. Demetrious spoke carefully "Tiberious. Tell us exactly whats happened? Is your despair to do with what you have told Octavian about Donavan and taking him to Transylvaia?"

Tiberious covered his faced with his hands and shook his head. his voice was muffled now "I wish I was never born."

Edwin spoke "Look. Tiberious. I don't know whats going on here but its clear what you need to do now. You need to answer to Demetrious. He is not in a state to be teleporting around. he is recovering from his punishment. he has come all the way here to see you. The least you can do, is speak properly and tell him whats happened."

Tiberious removed his hands from his face and he stopped sobbing and looked at Demetrious "Please tell me you didnt say yes to his appeal to take Donavan to Transylvania. Please tell me you said no."

Demetrious spoke "I am sorry..... I said yes."

Tiberious shouted "No. No. No. Someone has to do something." He then got up. Edwin and Demetrious got up with him and followed him with their stare as he telported to the other side of the room standing at his window looking outside "Tomorrow, i will have blood on my hands. I wish I didnt exist. I wish I wasnt gifted. I wish I wasnt a rare wisdom sorcerer that appears once or twice in any century. Why do I exist? I cant even kill myself. I tried. It doesnt work. Only a Ronas is powerful enough to kill me." He then turned to Demetrious "Kill me now Demetrious so i wont cause any more deaths."

Demetrious and Edwin walked towards him slowly. Edwin spoke "Look. You are being irrational. You are not doing any killings tomorrow. Its Octavian....."

Tiberious shouted " I am a killer. Thats what I am. I just told Octavian which bloodline possesses the power to break through the walls of the Bran castle. Once that castle falls, there will be so much blood shed. There will be just pain and suffering for all those who refuse to kneel to the Ronas."

Demetrious's eyes widened "What are you saying? is Donavan is the key to that castle?" He was now standing in front of Tiberious towering over him looking at him with concern. Edwin was a step behind him.

Tiberious trembled as he spoke "He is one of the keys. Marcus's bloodline can break down the enchantments that Eric Ronas has put in place. Eric has used Vampire enchantments that no one but his bloodline can break. Of course Eric himself, his family and anyone his family summons into that castle can enter but apart from that, there is no other way inside. The last way was through an ancient ring he had given me that he had enchanted. I was meant to join his family in that castle and help him defend that castle one day but I was too afraid my family could be executed if I commited treason this way. So I gave that ring to Arethusa. Well she is a Ronas's blood match. She has immunity after all. Now you see why I deserve to die now. That castle was sealed with the most ancient enchantments Eric had found in Transylvania. Now its going to get opened. Its all my fault."

Edwin whispered "There must be a way to stop them. But Donavan is unconscious in the infirmary anyways. He cant do anything. He is totally knocked out from all the torments he has suffered."

Tiberious spoke "But not for long. He will wake up. They need him to use his blood to open the portal and a spell that he can perform when he regains consciousness. He doesnt need to be fully healed to perform this. He just needs to be awake......"

Demetrious spoke "But there are four gates to that castle...."

Tiberious spoke "True. There are four gates to that castle and all must be opened before anyone can get access to the castle. Octavian has to use the four most powerful witches and warlocks in Marcus's bloodline to open those gates fast enough to get results in his battle. That would mean, Dylan and Donavan who are Marcus's sons and of course Marcus's nephew and niece Rowlen and Roxana. They would need to add a few drops of their blood on the gates and cast a spell and thats it. Its over."

Demetrious spoke after thinking hard. "All hope is not lost. Its not going to be a blood bath tomorrow. Donavan may remain unconscious for a while. He cant cast any spells for now."

Edwin spoke "There has to be a way to stop this. What if .... we can get Donavan out of the infirmary."

Demetrious spoke "Impossible. He is heavily guarded. The trackers wont let him run away. I was planning to rescue him but I couldnt find a way to get him out from there and avoid his re-capture. Maybe I could get a way but he couldn't. Especially, not in his state."

Edwin asked "Tiberious, come up with a way to solve this. There has to be a way."