A strange wave of energy passed over Lina at the breakfast table. She gasped and dropped her fork onto her plate, "Did you feel that?"
    Zelgadiss took a moment before nodding his head, "Something has been awakened."
    "I have a feeling...that conjured cat has something to do with it," Lina couldn't eat anymore.
    Zelgadiss turned to the window. It had begun to rain heavily and did not look as if it would let up any time soon, " I wonder what I've allowed to be released..."
    Lina shot him a slightly peeved expression, "You aren't responsible! You can't take the blame!"
    "I allowed the cat to-"
    Lina hit him in the head, "Stop it! If you're so convinced it's your fault, I suggest we do something about it!"
    Lina paid the bill and stomped out into the rain.
    "What do you think you're doing!?" Zelgadiss shot at Lina.
    "Where are those ruins?"
    "Do you think that's where this monster was resurrected?"
    Lina's hair was plastered to her forehead now, "That is where you said the kid got that rock thing. I can bet that cat would have returned it to the same place."
    "Would the monster hang around that site?" Zelgadiss started forward, "Ray Wing!"
    "Hey! THANKS FOR WAITING!!" She gave it a running start, "RAY WING!"
    She blasted into the air, not caring about how soaked she would become and followed Zelgadiss' lead. She had no idea where they were going.
 

...Garabe...

...Garabe...

    A voice called his name.
    "Who are you?" he answered in the darkness.
    "I am..."
    Garabe saw a light and walked toward it.
    "I am Shadow Master."
    Garabe extended his hand toward the light and another took hold of his, pulling him in, "What...are you doing?"
    "I am giving your life a purpose..."
 

    Soaring through the pouring rain, Zelgadiss neared the general site where Garabe had originally come running out of the bushes. Lina saw him veer off to the left and adjusted her flight angle to intercept. Before she caught up, Zelgadiss descended into the trees where he saw a small clearing with a stone structure emerging just below the higher canopy.
    He landed on the moist ground just as Lina flew overhead, made a small circle and landed beside him. A thick, dark fog drifted into the area as they stood there silently. A small figure emerged from the mist, only a dark shape at first, then revealing its features.
    "Garabe...?" Zelgadiss watched as the boy approached.
    "Ah! So you have come to greet our new master!" Garabe smiled.
    Lina's jaw fell open. There didn't seem to be anything unusual about the boy. Yet...why? Another dark figure stalked just behind him.
    "Look out!" Zelgadiss stepped forward, but stopped when he saw the boy's hand pet the panther affectionately on the head.
    "What...?" Zelgadiss said in shock.
    Something was wrong! Lina grit her teeth in anger. What would make someone willingly side with a dangerous monster of that evil energy she had sensed before?
    "Garabe," Zelgadiss drew his sword slowly, "Step away from the cat..."
    The boy's eyes widened in anger, "This 'cat' could have killed me!" he gave the animal a hug, "But he didn't!"
    "Can't you feel the evil power here?" Lina snapped at him.
    "It's not evil!" Garabe denied, letting go of the panther, which sat motionless, staring at the sorceress and chimera, "You're not here to be with me then?" he growled.
    "Listen to yourself!" Lina intervened, starting to walk toward the boy.
    He shot a glance at her and in a flash, the panther hissed and leapt at Lina, claws extended. It contacted her and pushed Lina into the mud floor, "Geh-he," she hiccupped as she impacted the ground.
    "Lina!" Zelgadiss couldn't see anything beyond a two foot radius. The fog had intensified.
    "Lina?" Garabe repeated thoughtfully, "Lina...Inverse?"
    Lina struggled beneath the huge cat, "Yes!" the panther continued to growl a disgusting breath into her face.
    "You ...you knew her all along..." Garabe could be seen glaring angrily at Zelgadiss, "You never said anything!" he raised his voice, "You knew Lina Inverse! You knew I was looking for her!"
    "Were you looking for Lina or were you looking for Dragon Spooker?" Zelgadiss said.
    "They are the same!"
    "Uah..." Lina couldn't breathe under the weight of the panther's body. The black cat growled and slashed Lina's cheek, drawing four uneven gashes of blood.
    "No!" Lina yelled with little air. She weakly raised her arms, placing her hands on the animal's chest, "Fire BALL!" she screamed in strain.
    The force of the flames threw it off Lina and it lay, burning in the mud. The heat thinned the fog and the majority of it lifted. The rain lightened and Lina touched her wound, absorbing the blood into her white glove. She quickly chanted a healing spell and slowly got to her feet.
    "My...cat..." Garabe ran to the dying panther. A small silver orb raised from its body and shattered into the air, "No..." Garabe sobbed.
    He jumped up and perched atop a fallen pillar that belonged to the ruins. With tears streaking his face, he yelled, "The reign of Shadow Master has begun!"

To Be Continued...