"Aarrgghhh!" Lazarus cried in pain. He knew it was going to be painful but nothing prepared him for the jaav ukon's bite. The half-grown orc was strong!

The jaav ukon's sharp jaggered teeth clamped down on the Ghost Lord's hand firmly puncturing and tearing more holes around the open wound. His rough black tongue licked the bright red blood tentatively. He swallowed. The creature's blood tasted funny. It was a strange mix of sweet sour herbs, tangy wild meat and something else, something grainy. It also had a very strong rusted iron aftertaste, stronger and sharper than any game which he had hunted with his father and brother.

The orc prince sucked and swallowed again. Miraculously, the pounding headache seemed to lessen. With more enthusiasm, the orcling prince started drinking.

"Laz!!" Valentine and Constantine yelled.

"It's o'kay. I'm o'kay!" Lazarus winced and replied quickly. "He is drinking!"

Upon Lazarus' confirmation, everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. Now all they had to do was wait. Valentine started recounting the events when Lazarus recovered from the Annazzosh. Would it be the same for the orc prince?

Lazarus gritted his teeth and tried to maintain his position but it was difficult. He could feel his life draining from him as the orcling sucked hard, gulping mouthfuls of his Lifestone infused blood. He swayed and sat down heavily on the floor beside the jaav ukon.

"Oh Gods. Please let this work," prayed Lazarus. He was beginning to feel extremely dizzy and nauseous. His vision was blurring and darkening dangerously. If the Lifestone in him didn't do its magic soon he would surly pass out. The Assassin blinked and shook his head violently trying to stay alert.

Suddenly, the jaav ukon pulled the human forward in a bear hug. He sucked hard, guzzling on the life sustaining liquid urgently. The human's strange blood made him feel weird but miraculously the terrible pain was actually subsiding. The only downside was that he suddenly felt extremely thirsty. Only this human's blood could fill the thirst which sprang from within. Desperately, he gnawed on the small hand, enlarging the wound trying to get more liquid. The blood flow seemed to have lessened. Was that it? Didn't the small human have more?

"Aarrrgghhh!" Lazarus started seeing back spots. He squeezed his silver eyes in pain. The crazy greedy jaav ukon was actually eating him alive.

"C'mon, c'mon ..."

The Gatekeeper started glowing as the Lifestone in him activated. To the onlookers, Lazarus pulsated with a soft light as Energy was used to make more blood in him. The Assassin saw his Energy levels reduce as his Health increased. The Lifestone was not about to let its host die from blood loss.

But the orcling was draining the Hero faster than he could heal and generate blood. He closed his eyes against the pounding headache and sudden onset of vertigo. Even the solid floor seemed unsteady. Why was the floor rolling around like waves? It made him want to puke.

At least if he died here, the orcs would not be able to fully blame him, right? He did try to save the orc prince.

"Aaaaaaahhhh!!" the jaav ukon opened his huge maw and gasped for breath. He tossed his head backwards in satisfaction and ecstasy, eyes closed. Bright red human blood trickled from the corners of his lips to drip down his grey chin.

Lazarus stared in morbid fascination at his mangled arm. The pink raw flesh was ragged and quite dry where the jaav ukon had attached himself earlier. He supposed it would take some time for whatever blood he had left to reach that part of his body again. Aaaahh! His heart had started palpitating painfully as it worked extra hard to pump what little blood he had left.

After catching his breath, the orcling gave a piteous cry and pulled Lazarus roughly back to him. Survival instinct took over. He needed more of the creature's pain suppressing fluid. The internal pain was still driving him crazy. Savagely he bit into the human's neck and sucked hard. Blood gushed out dripping down Lazarus' pale neck soaking into his collar. The jaav ukon gave a sigh of relief and continued drinking.

"Aarrghhhh! Hey wait ..." the Hero yelled in shock. This was not happening. Wasn't the orcling supposed to just drink from his arm? Another wave of dizziness hit him and he squeezed his eyes tighter. Any doubts he had about dying here was gone.

Lazarus' first thought and instinct was to escape from the orcling's clutches and save himself. He could too if he really wanted to. All he had to do was jab hard at the jaav ukon's nerve points, stunning him and slip out of his embrace using Speed. Luckily the Assassin stopped himself before he could put his thoughts into action. He had to let the jaav ukon feed. He had to heal the orc prince or there would be chaos between the Realms. He didn't really have a choice. If he pulled away now, all would be for naught.

He could hear Valentine and Constantine shouting something but he could not quite make out their words. A loud buzzing sound had started in his ears blocking everything else out. Even Thalasis' urgent words sounded more like hissing than actual words now. She was trying to warn him about something but what ...?

Lazarus really couldn't focus on anything other than staying conscious. All he was aware of with his Perception was that everyone was agitated.

At the door, the Overlord was trying to get in but the Warlord and his warriors were forcibly keeping everyone at bay. Even the Bello in the corner of the chamber was distressed. She had risen onto her tentacles, her human body rose high above everyone else. Her human hands were on her shapely hips and she had a murderous expression on her face. Her purple limbs were waving about agitatedly, the bright blue rings pulsing warningly. It looked like she wanted to attack something? The Witch was frantically trying to calm down her charge.

The chaos and intense agitation in the chamber and the ante-chamber was almost tangible. Orcs and humans were ready to fight. One party wanted to stop the jaav ukon from killing their friend, let him recover before continuing. On the other hand, the orcs wanted their prince to drink quickly and be fully healed, even if it meant the Ghost Lord's life. The process should not be stopped halfway. Who knew if the human would change his mind after getting some 'rest'.

The Bello was ready to attack the jaav ukon. He was killing her human!! She could sense the Ghost Lord's life force dwindling to almost nothing. It was fading fast. If she did not stop the gluttonous orc from draining every last drop, her human would die and she would not be able to follow him back to his home. She would be stranded in the orc realm. The Witch was desparately trying to calm the monster down. If she attacked and hurt the orc prince, all their lives would be forfeit immediately.

Tension was very high. Everyone was on edge. Everyone was straining and trying to do 'what was best' depending on their interests.

Lazarus hoped no one would worsen the situation. He would just have to hold on and live as long as possible, providing as much of the antidote to the orcling before he died. Hopefully it would be enough to cure the prince and avert a disastrous war.

He would re-spawn back at home ... pain faded with consciousness. Lazarus' vision darkened but his lips curved up into a sweet longing smile. Yes, that is what he should do. He should die here, save the jaav ukon, avert a war and make his escape from the orc realm. Gods! How he missed his City and his own human Realm. He had been away for too long. Soon, he would be back home with Anya, Pixel, his Battle Master and Keeper ...

A surge of energy jolted his mind, shaking him from fading consciousness.

"CHOSEN. I am here!!"

"Anya?"

"Me!"

"What?" Lazarus asked in confusion. His brain had rebelled and refused to work.

"I am here for you."

Once the white wolf was certain the mind-link was stable, she sent another surge of Energy.

"Aaaahhh." Lazarus took a deep breath feeling better immediately. Boosted and more alert, the Hero repositioned himself slowly, easing his posture so that it was not so awkward and painful. The orc prince kept sucking and drinking from his jugular.

Meanwhile, Anya kept sending her wolfy Energy to replenish him. Coupled with his own recovering Energies he could now maintain awareness. Now that it had something to work with, the Lifestone in him got to work transforming the fresh Energies into Health and blood.

Sudden Lazarus stiffened. Something was wrong.

"NO!!" yelled Lazarus in a strangled voice as he felt death.

Anya, his beloved familiar had exploded, dying heroically as she transferred the last of her Energies to him. She howled in agony as she died, her dying cry echoing along the mind-link in Lazarus' mind.

Tears flowed down his pale cheeks. The backlash of her death was terrible. It transmitted through the fading mind-link to engulf the Assassin almost driving him crazy. Waves of pain washed over him but even that could not overcome the throbbing ache in his heart. Why did Anya do that? Were familiars so loyal in the Game that they would do anything for their Chosen? Simtrixx was crazy. Tears of anguish splashed down his cheeks to mix with the blood on his neck. He was devastated.

Anya had sacrificed herself for him.

The Gatekeeper gasped when he felt Anya again.

"No ... Anya, what are you doing?" he cried. "No, no, Anya. Not again. Please!" he begged. When he felt her presence again, he knew what she was going to do. Anya was going to keep re-spawning and feeding him her Energy until he no longer needed her support. Her sacrifice was too much for him to bear. Fresh tears fell from his silver eyes. 

"Please, please Anya, don't do this. You will be hurt over and over ..." he sent brokenly.

"You are my Chosen," she said simply. Her statement was sent full of love and warmth. She did not resent him. "I am here for you."

Lazarus had no choice but to accept his loyal familiar's sacrifice. He could not reject her. Resigning himself to the vicious cycle, he focused on the job at hand; keeping himself sane in this crazy situation.

As the Ghost Lord's loyal familiar re-spawned and re-established the mind-link again, he could feel his body buzzing becoming numb. His mind was pulsating erratically, steadily building up a massive headache. It was difficult trying to wrap his mind around what was happening. His heart was palpitating wildly, painfully beating out of rhythm as Anya continued with her crazy plan.

Lazarus was being assaulted physically, mentally and emotionally.

He was having a break down. He was going into shock.

The Lifestone took over the failing human body in the emergency.

The Lifestone worked at top speed ensuring that its newly acquired host would not be useless. It reached for the incoming Energy source eagerly, forcefully combining it with magic to convert it to the life sustaining liquid that it's host sorely needed ... the liquid that was being drained as fast as the Lifestone could produce. It flared at the challenge; nothing was going to beat it. It was going to do all in it's power to sustain this life.

Lazarus groaned going limp in the jaav ukon's tight embrace. All he could do was endure the torturous sensations of his blood being drained forcefully and his body's intense regeneration of it. All he wanted to do was vomit and pass out into peaceful oblivion, but the Lifestone would not let him.

And Anya ... he could clearly feel her desperation in his mind as she kept stubbornly at her plan. Every time she re-spawned and sent her Energies, Lazarus felt better. But each time she died, he crumpled in the backlash.

To the onlookers, Lazarus was glowing in a luminous soft blue, so they knew that the Lifestone was working. But that was all they could see. No one knew what was really happening or how the Lifestone worked. It was saving his Life, yes? But how?

"How?" Constantine asked in a low voice. He wanted to know the magics involved. He felt that there was more than just glowing.

"It's Anya ... she is helping him," replied Valentine in awe. Tania had mind-spoken him and brought him up to date. She wanted to help but Anya refused her. It was very personal, the sharing of one's life Energies.

After what seemed like forever, the jaav ukon released his tight grip and leaned heavily against the bed. He inhaled deeply, reveling in a pain free breath and released the bloody human letting him fall nerveless to the floor. The jaav ukon was glowing. The Dark One's Lifestone infused blood was working. The orcling prince groaned, burped and wiped his mouth messily. He felt much better. His body and head no longer ached. He could control his hands and feet again.

Thalasis approached the orc prince slowly so that she would not startle him. He was still befuddled and confused after waking up from his long sleep.

"Jaav ukon, my prince. Hold sstill. Let me examine you."

He brightened up immediately, recognising a familiar face. Checking him over quickly, she determined that he was almost recovered. The Dark One's blood was still working in the jaav ukon's body. Up close she could see the drastic physical changes occurring before her trained eyes.

The jaav ukon's darkened skin had lightened considerably to a lighter grey. The mottled rough patches had almost disappeared. Thank God the little one had not progressed to the advanced bleeding stage yet. No ichor bled from his orifices like the Dark One had. He had been spared that agony by the Dark One's timely arrival.

The Holy Seer glanced at Lazarus. The Dark One had collapsed onto the floor but he was still glowing. Visually she scrutinised him. He was very weak but at the rate the horrible wounds on his arm and neck were closing, he would recover soon. He could now heal properly without interference from the jaav ukon.

Although she could not see his face, she sensed despair emanating from the human. The Ghost Lord had lowered his head allowing his long dark hair to hide his face. His whole body was trembling with emotions as his shoulders shook with heart wrenching sobs.

"Thank you, Dark One. You have ssaved us all," she murmured gratefully.

The Holy Seer turned her attention back to the orcling. Satisfied with the jaav ukon's condition, she signaled to the Warlord. It was safe to let the Overlord in.

The Overlord and Warlord rushed into the chambers. In an instant they were by the orc prince's side.

"My son!! Are you alright?"

"Father," the jaav ukon croaked in his long unused voice looking at his father and Overlord. "I feel better."

"Jaav, my brother," the huge Warlord's voice cracked with emotion. He bear hugged his little brother trying to convey how glad and relieved he was. His brother was going to live. Lazarus had beaten the nauk dzi vras and had cured him. Kalthu's tough warrior's face was wet with tears.

"Kalthu," responded the smaller jaav ukon, "... let me go. You are making me cringe."

The Overlord threw back his head and laughed. His joyous guffaw vibrated in the enclosed chamber. Ignoring the jaav ukon's grumblings, he encircled his massive arms around both his sons and gave thanks.

Everything will be alright now.

Thanks to the legendary Ghost Lords.