Two Eriel guards open John's cell. Their shadows casted against the opposite wall. The first guard came inside and held his sword pointed at him. "You will come with me. The king wants to see you."

"Why?"

The guard's golden eyes flashed with anger and annoyance. "My liege asked for you, knight Trasta."

John stood and walked out into the corridor. Other guards were waiting for him, each with their weapons held in their arms.

The guard who spoke before said, "Do not do anything foolish. There is a mage in our group and if you try to summon magic. He will know."

The guards were treating him like a viper snake. He was not as powerful as they thought. He was led up several stairways and hallways. The interior was more expansive than he thought. Several groups of horses and soldiers could walk three abreast in these areas. Paintings decorated every corridor and room. The guards could have placed shackled and chains on him, but he surmised, they were scared of him.

The chamber had a long dark red carpet with golden blue stripes on the sides going up toward the king's throne. Different people stood off to the ends by the white pillars. They stared at him while he walked up the carpet up to the high dais. A huge robust man sat on an ornate dark mahogany chair. He held a scepter encrusted with a large blue gem. John held his head high and walked toward the king. The guards next to him stopped their advance by the steps leading up to the raised platform.

"Is this the Knight Trasta?"

"Yes sire."

"He looks no more than a young unruly child."

"My name is John." He held the kings gaze.

"So John," the king said, "do you know why Gwen left here?"

"No."

"You're lying. She told you I had change, and I was different. But she was wrong. I have not changed. I want you to see who she really is. Follow me."

The Eriel King stood and stormed toward his right. John was not sure if he should follow him.

"You heard the king."

Several guards moved toward the king's direction. John shrugged and followed. He was in no position to question the king. He moved up the steps and saw another hallway leading away from the platform. Other guards walked behind him. The corridor exited into another room. A long red velvet drape was fashioned at the end of the area.

"Guards," the king said, "leave me."

"Sire."

"Leave me. Remember, I am also a powerful Mage just as powerful as John here."

He blurted, "I am not powerful."

"Hah, you lie to me again, and I will kill your friends. Your mom was a strong priestess. You also have her power. Your father never told you."

John was furious, surprised and sad all at the same time. He did not want to hear anymore. The king moved toward the drapes, grab a cord and pulled. Gwen was in a cage sitting on a small chair. A chain was attached to her leg to a bar. She stared at John.

He said, "Why would you do this to your daughter?"

"She may have been my daughter, but she is not anymore."

Gwen said, "Dad, do not do it."

The king started to chant words of magic. Gwen started to change. Her skin molted into scales. Leathery wings sprouted from her back. She crouched in pain and screamed. John was transfixed. Her body grew and encased almost the whole cage. Inside was a demon from the underworld.

"So you see, knight Trasta, This creature is not my daughter anymore. After she sold her soul to the evil wizard, she turned into this."

"I do not understand." John started to move backwards. He wanted to get away.

"Guards," the king said, "take this prisoner back to his cell."

John said, "What will you do with us?"

"I don't know."

He was led away. He sensed Gwen was trying to contact him by telepathy. He did not answer her.

* * *

John sat in his cell watching the light of the sun filter through his small window. The glow crept lower onto the floor. Dust motes floated in its wake. Brett asked him what happened. He told them Gwen betrayed them. He didn't say anymore.

He hoped after the first day of captivity the king would have sent them scurrying home. There was no reason why they should be here. Nevertheless, he still wanted to know more about his mom and the Eriel people. He wanted to stay and have his friends go back home.

"John I want to speak to you," Gwen said in his head.

He was about to shut her out of his mind, but he said, "Why Gwen? Why all these deceptions? What are you?"

"You have to help me escape."

"No. Give me a good reason why I should help you."

"I still need to destroy the chalice."

"I do not trust you."

"John, I had to become this creature. I had to this or Absalom would be destroyed."

"This can be a another farce like all the lies you have been telling me."

"I told you mostly the truth."

John stared at the wall. The swelling on his head has gone down, and he was feeling better. "What truth are you talking about? You should have told me you were in league with the evil Mage," he thought.

"I am not. I had to get close to him. You did not know this, but he also killed my mom."

John face got warm. His mom was also murdered by the evil mage.

Gwen continued, "I read my magical runes and found out the evil Mage Suprum was going to unleash a deadly plague on both of our lands. I had to stop him."

"How can I believe you? You should have told me."

"Would you believe I made a pact with Suprum to get close to him, so I can stop him?"

John placed his hand in the sunlight. The warmth tickled his skin. He heard a buzzing noise and saw a golden blur fly through the window.

"No, I guess not. You have to let me think about this."

He scanned around his cell. He felt something was looking at him. He heard a noise. Whirling, he saw a small griffon resting in the light. It turned to him and squawked.

"What are you doing here? Did you follow me?"

The griffon cocked his head to the side and nodded. "You understand me?"

The creature nodded again. He was about to shoo the animal away, but he had an idea. He moved toward the front of his cell. The Eriel guards was sitting in a table playing a game with square chips with writings on it.

A guard with a red beard sat in the far corner with the other guards. He had a key attached to his belt. He wanted to use his magic, but he was afraid he would not be able to control it. The few times he tried to use his powers. Nothing happened. He thought the room had some type of magical dampener on it.

"Griffon," he said. "I need you to get the key from that guy." He pointed to the Eriel, who had the beard. "Be very quiet."

The Griffon flew upwards and out of his cell bars. It moved by the guards so fast he hardly saw it. The Eriel with the keys was watching the others play a card game. The griffon grabbed the keys and flew away. The guard did not even notice his key ring was gone.

The creature perched on his cot with the skeleton key in its talons. John pocketed it and placed the front end into the lock. It turned with a small grating noise. He stopped for a second. The guards was too intent in their game to notice him.

He opened the cell. It moved with a grating noise. He felt something swell in him. Magic shot through his body. He did not question his renewed power. The guards grabbed for their weapons. The griffon flew by the Eriels and attacked them. John moved out of the cell. A guard started to run toward him. John lifted his hand, and the guard flew backwards hitting the other Eriels. He created another wind blast hitting the other guards. It was all over. All the soldiers lay unconscious on the floor. John opened all his friend's cell.

Garret said, "We need to talk, but we need to leave this castle first."

"We need to get Gwen first," John said.

"No, she betrayed you. You said so yourself."

Marla said, "I am with Garret on this. We need to leave Gwen with her people." John looked toward Brett. The prince said, "I will go with you."

Marla said, "Well, we should split up. I am going with Garret. Are you certain about this?"

John said, "I'm sure. I have to do this. Gwen and I have to destroy this chalice."

Garret said, "John lead on. You were the only one who walked around this castle."

He said, "We should change into these guards clothes first and lock them up."

"Good idea."