As Dahlia returns to the store, she has the feeling that she is being watched, as her neck tingles and her skin crawls with goose bumps she scans the street, all though she knows she is being watched, she sees no one. As she enters the store, Dahlia sees Jewls is still comforting Graylund, who has still not quite recoverd. Audry is standing with Stoker, he is now upright and listening to her words, the same incomprehesible language that the old woman had spoken, and Stokers eyes were slowly fadeing back to their natural blue. "Audry" Dahlia says. "Shhh child" Audry replies. "But I just need to",,,"I said to shut up child, SILENCE ," Audry snaps at Dahlia, cutting her off in the middle of her sentence. Dahlia is shocked to hear Audry's voice inside her head not with her ears, as Audry's lips never stopped speaking to Stoker. It takes a few moments for Dahlia to understand that Audry is helping Stoker recover, but after the past several hours, after things are calming down and the realization of what happend is setting in, she is still unsure. Stoker and Graylund slowly make it back to their sences enough to be coherent. "Jewls,if Graylund is okay would you make us some tea dear," Audry says to her. "Yes maam," Jewls says, and returns to the kitchen helping Graylund to his feet before she goes. As everyone is clearing there heads Audry says "everone to the kitchen, Zane shut and lock the doors, bar the windows and protect the entrance". As everybody else goes to the kitchen, Zane does as his aunt ask, he locks the doors down tightly, draws the shutters over the windows and pours some more of the blue liquid onto the floor in front of the door and windows. Zane looks over the street through the shutters before joining the others in the kitchen, as he enters the kitchen he takes the empty seat next to his aunt, where his tea is placed. As everyone is seated at the table, Dahlia can stand it no longer, she has to speak her mind. "Ok Audry, I need to know what the hell is going on and I need to know now,
I mean this witch, comes in here and almost kills all of us, and you come through the doors almost dislocating them from their hindges, talking this psyco babel bullshit that nobody understands, Zane throws the blue shit on her and she disappears. I am not quite comprehending all of this just at the moment," Dahlia says. " Just try to calm yourself," Audry says. As Audry says this to Dahlia, she notices a troubling distant look in Zane's eyes. "Is everything okay Zane," Dahlia asks him, as everyone looks up from their tea into Zane's face. "I don't know" he says slowly as he stares into nothing. "Zane has never had to deal with a power as great as The House of Seven, especially that of Agnus Bordain,, he is still stunned, as so am I a little." " What do you mean Audry,, you said earlier that you wasn't sure what was going on," Dahlia says to her. "At the moment i wasn't, but my head is clearing now," Audry said, " I will do my best to explain.
This woman a witch you call her is Agnus Bordain, a very powerful necromancer, she is very old and well on her way to becoming a demon. Agnus is the fifth highest ranking member of The House of Seven, and has many followers. The House of Seven is a very powerful and evil organization hell bent on destroying all that is good on Kiryn. there are seven individuals in this house, each with their own territories and followers, they do convein and cross into each others areas when they need one anothers help is needed. When one like her uses their magic, it drains the life force from the living things around them, and can kill animals or people if enough of their lifeforce is taken away. Their magic affects people like Zane and I more than others." " What do you mean people like you and Zane?" Dahlia asks her. "Zane and I are part of an institution called The Nine, we are protectors and watchers, The Nine, has protected Kiryn and its people for a millenia, and was founded because of The House of Seven. We are magic users just like they are, but different. The source of our power comes from within, not the living things around us," Audry explains. "So,,, that is why you and Zane were so drained and confused, because your magic draws from your own life force and hers draws from yours aswell?" "Yes Stoker that is correct,"Audry answers. Audry continues "
There are nine members on the council of The Nine, our families and select others are our clan. Your grandfather was a member of The Nine, and upon his death, I vowed to look after his family until i am gone, and after I am gone, another will take my place. Your grandfather didn't want your father or you to be a part of this ongoing war". Why, Stoker asked? Audry replies, "Many of the Bain family have sacrificed their lives for the Nine, to protect the people of Kiryn from the evils of the House of Seven". "My grandfather was one,was he a wizard like you Audry",Stoker asked her? "Yes Stoker sadly your grandfather was one who parished by the hands of The House of Seven,, but no he was not like me , he was a worrior, the great glatiator of Gall, his fighting skills were unmatched and he never lost a battle. I know your gather never told you whom he really was, all you knew is that he was a farmer and a merchant like you and your father," Audry says. Stoker looks at her strangly and says" you said he never lost a battle but died at their hands,, was this Agnus Bordain woman the one who killed my grandfather"? No dear,Audry says,"
she is the one who replaced Azkar Olaf the one Collin killed, your grandfather did die from his injuries of that battle, but not before he watched his enemy die upon his blade. Collin killed many of The House of Seven, but there are always one to replace those who have fallen. Collins possesions were brought to your father after his death by the nine. Your father stored them away knowing one day they would be needed again", as she stares into Stokers eyes. As stoker stares back into Audry's eyes, he starts to remember the past. Stoker says "Audry,,you have been here all of my life' you were my teacher and nanny before Hallecks, is this what you were teaching me, what you were preparing me for, my father always said for me to listen to you and do as you ask of me". Yes Audry says " for a moment, like your father, but i didnt know when the moment was going to present itself, we dont know when or where, just that it will come. Just the same I do Halleck and I will your next son Stoker". Dahlia and Stoker shoot Audry an unbeleiving look,,,,"what did you say, Dahlia asked in shock! Audry replies," I said you and Stoker will have another son". When,Dahlia asks! " Like I said child, I dont know when, just that it will be, never mind that now child," Audry says,"Stoker you must now go to the Bain family storage house and get your grandfathers things, bring them back here and prepare for your journey". What journey!! Dahlia ask. "Stoker knows" Audry says as her eyes glow a bright crystal blue as they did when she was confronting Agnus, no one noticed them during the stryfe with the witch, but everyone remembers them now.
