Chapter 17

Unthinking, her mind paralyzed by fear, Bella responded as she was taught to respond to hornets, bees, bears, toads, snakes, scorpions, and every other manner of slimy creepy creature—she froze, except her trembling hands, which she couldn't control. Her little shoes were stained with splashes of blood, coated in crimson, it couldn't be avoided. The streets had been stacked with dead bodies thrown like dolls. They were the bloody victims of tonight's rampage. She relaxed her grip on Olivia's hand. They were approaching their destination. A large structure appeared from behind the flames. Ancient stones stacked and stacked upon ancient rock with large relics of majestic lions, a huge arc in their presence overlapping the black gate with red flags. This was the gateway to the evacuation area.

"Hurry!" shouted Ivy, "We're close to the arena! The guards will be there to protect us!"

People, like herds of animals, flocked to the gates of the arena carrying all of their precious valuables and heirlooms in baskets and shawls, children and men and woman tightly pressing together. Bella was stricken with curiosity and shock as she gazed into the eyes of a girl with blonde hair, blue eyes, and in her father's arm limp as a doll. The little girl was wearing a torn dress, one white slipper, and tattered gloves. It was obvious that she was from First class, but the demolition of the city had brought her entitled family from elegance. Bella felt sorry for her. The little girl was near her age and just as clueless too. They both gazed at each other a moment longer before disappearing from sight in the large mass of people. Deep in the sky the clouds pushed forward together in rolls sprinkling flakes of grey ash, darkening the arena in a foggy sooty gloom. With great difficulty they ascended the cobblestone steps, through arches and temples, reaching, at length, the main arena. Olivia remembered coliseums like these from the stories her father, the great battles of man against lions and tigers in history books illustrated in great gobs of colors and emotion. But this coliseum looked more ancient and older than anything she's ever seen.

"What is this place?" asked little Bella.

"This is the Carlisle Arena, named after our Founding Father. It's the arena of old time; it's been here for over 500 years…" Ivy stated, gazing upon the torches of burning red flame, passing through the black gates with both little girls. "Long ago, the emperors of the 2nd dynasty of the dark days built this massive structure so they would send our enemies into the arena to compete against the bravest warriors and be slain. It was our way to display our own justice upon our enemy. Lions and tigers were brought from lavish exotic forests to be kept here and display our power and freedom to the king's captors. Over the years the gladiators of the 3rd dynasty would come to this place and die in front of the spectators. Hunt. Executions. Mock battles…."

"That was a long time ago; they don't do that anymore do they?"

"No. Our festive and traditional ways have long since evolved into the Festival that we know today."

"Is this our new home?"

Ivy looked at the line of men standing with their swords and shields, all identical in their amour, glaring like petty wolves among sheep.

"Not for long, especially in this grim place. I hope," Ivy smiled at the youngest one," All our misfortunes shall be lifted. You'll see. Don't worry little one, you shall thrive as the young butterfly that you are."

Rather tired and a little bruised by untimely collision with other people, Olivia succeeded at last in nesting her little sister to a camp bed, and turning her over to Ivy to watch. The night was already cold, their beds on frozen cobblestone none of the most comfortable; in fact with no pillows or bed sheets. Their camp beds were composed of the most uncomfortable straw and prepared with only one blanket. Bella complained of twigs and sticks poking her whenever she moved but Olivia shushed her immediately. There wouldn't be any childish toleration tonight despite the rash she was developing on her legs and bum.

"Go to sleep…" Olivia whispered.

"I'm not sleepy! Papa wouldn't be—"

"Papa's not here anymore!" she almost yelled, but calmed herself, regained her patience and looked at her sister. She was so tired of hearing his name. If only she had a bar of soap to clean out her mouth, having the purpose and mission of saying the devil's name from her lips!

Firm, she replied," All we have is each other, we have to take care of the other, and we'll find a new home together. The orphanage of Mr. Caleb is open to all the children in the country; he is acceptable to anyone who comes to his door. Don't you see Bella? We can't go back anymore to our home and we can't go back to Papa. Mr. Caleb is a good man and he is our first step to leaving this place. When the monsters are gone then we run away and when we run away… we don't ever come back… things will change..."

Fearlessly optimistic, Bella spotted the city guards escorting frightened citizens from the outside, each armed with swords. The fools. No beast could ever be defeated by none other than her own father. That much was true. These people wouldn't be safe for long. The walls were too high to climb over and she couldn't find rope either. No one was allowed to venture out, not for possessions or to search for their loved ones lost in the burning wreckage. Effective immediately, the city was in full evacuation. The darker the night the colder the night, the dawn would rise in a futile attempt to bring the devastated city back to its original glory. No, the city would never properly regain its sparkling millions to the city streets or markets or class outskirts or mansions. The guards grimaced and shivered against the cold, holding their hands against their chests, as smiteful and sharp as hawks. Her spirits were beginning to dwindle when she spotted a sewage passage the size of a small dog door in the wall.

"Things will change… Forever…"

"Girls, keep your voice down. It is very late and many people are trying to sleep. That's IF they can sleep after the three devil beasts came," Ivy cornered them into a bale of hay, yellow and fresh with the scent of salt. "Not to worry children, I will take you to Mr. Caleb as soon as we are away from here. I'm sure he will care for your needs."

"Mr. Caleb is a kind and generous man," Bella stated," He likes children."

"Sleep, Bella."

"I can't!" she moaned.

"Quiet and close your eyes."

Ivy chimed in quickly, "Didn't your mother ever teach you lullabies?"

It seemed far too long that they both heard a woman sing a lullaby to coax them to sleep; it seemed too foreign, too strange. Bella was afraid to speak, but Olivia understood what she was trying to do.

"Yes," responded Olivia," Yes, she did. When she and Papa returned from the homelands of Italy, she rehearsed a lullaby to us many times before tucking us to bed. Lullabies her mother taught her. Don't you remember Bella?"

The little one didn't reply, perhaps too shy. Or perhaps she was taking a moment to reflect on the memories of their own mother stroking their hair, kissing their heads, singing native songs from her homeland.

"She would sing and recite poems," Olivia smiled remembering how wonderful the earlier days were. "She would always tuck us into bed. Our Papa did not…"

Ivy petted Olivia's head," Where are they now?"

Oliva avoided her gaze, thinking quickly.

"Both are dead," she said, feeling butterflies in her stomach. "We are orphans."

"Pretty girls, pretty girls, such pretty girls… You both are such pretty girls. I hope my babe is a girl. I've always wanted a little girl. My own little girl I could have all to myself. What a wonderful thought. I would sing to my little girl as well."

"I hope it's a girl, too," piped Bella, scooting close to her big belly. "I always wanted a little sister."

Olivia, for whatever reason, felt some form of familiar nostalgia the moment that she touched Ivy's big belly and immediately remembering her own mother Penelope. Long brown hair, perfect wonderful smile, hazel stars for eyes, big with Bella, young and in love. In the days when Papa was home more often and he would touch her belly as much as any proud father would, smiling and kissing her. In the sunny brilliant bedroom of their first estate, mother would lay on the white sheet bed while Papa would smile over both of them. She remembered the laughter, the lullabies, and sunlight from a happy foggy dream. A perfect foggy sparkling dream that Olivia wished so badly she could return.

"One day…" Olivia murmured to Ivy's big belly," One day you'll have the chance we did. But this time, it won't be squandered."

Ivy frowned," Are you… two truly orphans?"

Before Bella could open her big dumb mouth Olivia answered first, pushed her under the blanket and shoved straw in her face.

"Yes. Our family is lost to the city forever. Our home is a burning inferno."

Bella wiped the straw from her face, beaming," Olivia knows a man named Caleb. Headmaster Caleb sounds like a nice man. But I wonder what Papa is going—"

"Our plan is to go to his orphanage, stay there as long as we can. He accepts all children from many journeys and adventures. Bella and I are young enough to be adopted. He can't turn us away, there's no way he could!"

"You're very brave for you and your sister."

"What about you miss? Where is your husband?" Oliva asked feeling Bella swim around in the straw

"He is out there somewhere and he will return to me. He has a family estate in the mountains he inherited, a large mansion unlike anything you and I have ever seen. We'll live there and wait for the baby to come," Ivy smiled, eyes seemingly finding an excuse to become melancholy as if remembering someone. "I just hope that my friend is alright. She is the only woman in this city that knows I am with child."

"You have many friends in the city miss?"

"Only one."

In the City

Father Solomon grimly eyed the large bloody paw print pasted on the ground. Fresh blood. They were here not long ago. He's never seen anything like this. It was nearly the size of 4 large pumpkins combined together. Pulling his torch closer to his discovery, he gathered a few locks of fur from the ground, pinched it together, and then carefully sampled it into a glass flask with a cork. He would need to document and analyze the sample later.

"What do you think?" asked Henry, kneeling to his level.

"I think… I was wrong."

"Wrong?"

"These are not the beasts we were looking for…" Father Solomon confessed. "These are larger and more different than our fellow wolf friends. This paw print is larger than the Alpha we first battled with. But there's more than one. It has siblings. You see the pattern here? This beast has an injury and is limping…"

"That gives us an advantage," Henry stated," And when a beast is injured, it goes to its nest to lick its wounds correct?"

"Correct."

"Should we ready the crossbow?"

"That will take 3 days. We must have the element of surprise. The mayor has urged an evacuation for the entire city."

"Then what do we do? We cannot fight them ourselves. Their brute force is enough to conquer our strongest metal weapons to nothing."

Solomon traced the walls of the sewage tunnel," Their nest is somewhere here. But perhaps we don't need to fight them ourselves. In the order of nature a lion is enemy to the mighty bull. A tiger is enemy to the panther. A beast is an enemy to another beast in nature. Both of these families are not dead…"

"So what are you suggesting?"

"I'm suggesting we wait."

Shocked and confused, Henry had the intention to shake the old man to reality!

"Wait!? You suggest we wait!? We have waited long enough! We attacked them, but they escape, and we have had no progress to—You can't just expect me to- My dead bride won't rest until-" Henry stopped himself before he could say something he'll regret. Gaining his patience and holding his temper, he slowly murmured. "I don't understand. You have all the advantages. Why not attack now before any more people die?"

Solomon turned to his pupil," Do not think I don't know your pain! I know you want revenge. Those beasts nearly killed the other over the concept and possession of territory over this city. Don't you see? It's a feud. A perfect terrible unavoidable feud. Now they have the excuse to kill each other over the law of nature."

"I don't understand."

"Who do you think is top of the food chain?"

Henry thought this over, carefully coming to the realization of his teacher's plan.

"We don't know yet."

"Precisely," Solomon smiled," Let's leave. The odor is too strong and they might return."

He immediately agreed. They have come far enough in this miserable dark place. Henry understood now. His revenge might not come swiftly, but it will come with the help of Solomon. The law of nature demands a champion. Their feet made a pitter-patter sound as they made their way out of the tunnel and back into daylight, returning back to their headquarters. Father Solomon required a pint of ale and the city maps to continue his research while Henry sat in the corner with his fellow hunters. Henry felt anxious. For what reason? He wasn't sure. He was so close to perfecting his vengeance. If only Valerie knew how much he truly loved her. Somewhere deep within his mind, he couldn't let her go. There were so many regrets he had in his past, but she was his ultimate regret. From the tangled roots of his heart, it had been clear of the intentions to marry the girl he loved. Obsessing over sight of her blue eyes struck him speechless sometimes when he would sleep and dream. Her blonde hair in his face. Her lips on his cheek. It was all too dream-like, foggy, cloudy, sparkling heaven. Twirling the brass bracelet around his wrist, he deeply mourned as a howling dog would to his one true love. One day, he promised himself, he would return the wedding gift to her grave and say his last goodbye.

"Mr. Woodsten is here."

Henry broke from his thoughts and followed Solomon to another room. Solomon entered first, nodded his head to a man already seated in his chair across from him. Henry stood behind him and folded his arms across his chest, careful not to make himself too noticeable. The key was to remain invisible. This man was smartly dressed, deep dark crimson, with a black overcoat, smoothly firm and fitted across his body and perfectly reflecting his demeanor. It was obvious he dominated the room, taking space, demanding obedience. Henry and Solomon didn't receive any eye contact from him as he smoked his pipe, smoke curving and rising like a wasp nest in the air.

"Mr. Woodsten… I am Father—"

"I know who you are," he interrupted, placing tobacco into his pipe, taking a matchstick from his breast pocket, striking it, the flames rising in his eyes. Immediately Henry had a bad feeling about this man. And he was beginning to receive the same feeing from him. He stared at him, the embers glowing in the bowl of his pipe, "The holy man… the monster hunter… the murderer…"

"I am not a murderer," Father Solomon defended. "I do God's work."

This made him laugh," You don't mean that."

Solomon was about to say something when Mr. Woodsten waved his hand to his henchman and had a robe placed in the middle of the table. Henry soon noticed more of his henchmen creeping into the room slipping into the shadows behind their employer, outnumbering Solomon and his men. Henry, with a thumb on the hilt of his sword, took his attention to the robe on the table. It was rolled together like a babe and carefully unfolded and revealed in the candlelight.

"Not all men are born in the light, Father," smiled Mr. Woodsten. Henry twitched at his sinister expression, carefully watching Solomon reach out and touch this iron contraption. It was the length of a woodcutter's axe and the metallic craftsmanship was nothing he's ever seen before. "It was not easy smuggling this into the city."

"So this is illegal," commented Solomon, lifting it into his hands. "I trust your ability to keep this confidential."

"Of course. My business is always confidential," he sneered, weaving his fingers together.

"But I do not know what this is. If it was difficult to smuggle in, I imagine this is quite a treasure. So why would this benefit my hunt?"

Mr. Woodsten smiled pushing back a lock of his hair, smiling. Almost finding something adorably naïve about Father Solomon.

"With a little help from fire and black powder, this will defeat any monster you come across. This has the ability to defeat any enemy, any war party, and any deadly creature no man can defeat. This has the capability to defeat a thousand swords and a thousand spears. No marksman can outmatch its power and speed."

"Does this deadly weapon have a title?"

"I present to you a… hand canon."

Henry almost laughed," Hand canon?"

Mr. Woodsten eyed the boy as a snake would to a rat, weaving his fingers together slowly over his lap, and then replacing his frown with a wolf grin. Father Solomon was mentally scolding the boy for making a peep. Mr. Woodsten coldly eyed the boy and moved his sharp gaze back to the holy man, holding his wolf grin for a moment longer before laughing himself.

"I could be responsible for your success, but you are responsible for your own… weaknesses…"

Henry knew he was referring to him.

With a wave of his hand, the henchmen emerged from the shadows quickly began wrapping the 'weapon' back in its robe and hand box, locking it together.

"I am a business man. I could take my provisions and leave here and walk with my fellow people from this city, never knowing it could've been saved. If you prefer it, of course. I do not waste my time! No one wastes my time! Do you mean to waste my time and put to shame my perfect hospitality?"

"No! No of course not," Solomon replied. "I do not—"

"Everything you saw is from the far east, a special invention created for the most violent man. Are you a violent man, Father Solomon?" he questioned, inhaling, the burning tobacco glowing orange, blowing a puff of smoke. "I know a few violent men myself."

Solomon crinkled his nose to the strong leafy odor, doing his best to suppress a cough. Mr. Woodsten crossed his legs leaning back in his chair running a hand through his hair, adjusting his collar.

"Forgive my young apprentice," he eyed the boy," He did not mean any disrespect."

"Clearly."

"What payment do you prefer? Gold?"

"No."

"Rupees? Jewels?"

"Of course not."

Solomon sneered, "I did not know you were a charitable man, Mr. Woodsten."

"Charitable men do not so easily find pleasure in vicious acts, Father Solomon," he grinned, pocketing his matchstick box, and smoothly placing a match on the table, eyeing Henry. Green eyes. He had green eyes. He smiled, sinister as ever, exhaling smoke into the air, "You are not in the presence of a charitable man."

Enough games, Henry thought.

Father Solomon slowly replied, "Then what do you want?"

"Although I am a business man, I consider myself to be a fair man. I take what I am owed. I give what I exhibit. So for my payment, I do desire …silver," he replied, grinning, as if he asked for a King's crown, seemingly pleased with his expression. He continued," As much silver as my men and I can carry. As much silver as a man can ask for…"

Father Solomon was a well-endowed man with a perfectly stable financial stability and it was something he was always modest about. His request didn't make any sense. Henry knew he had a motive. But what? There was something he wasn't telling them. His eyes looked too dark for a mortal man to possess. The way he talked seemed to smooth, too calm, and all too polite. There was something he secretly veiled from sight. A secret. Or perhaps a bitter dupe. The corruption seemed to be too bitter for him to swallow.

"That does seem like a fair price for your gift. A demonstration of this hand canon wouldn't be too much to ask for? Then I shall gladly give you silver, all the silver that you desire," Father Solomon looked at the weapon. "If you give me the weapon to defeat these beasts, then I swear to you it will be done."

"Deal."

"Deal."

Henry glanced at Solomon before Mr. Woodsten stood, pushed back his chair, and his henchmen whispered something in his ear. Gulping quietly, Henry gripped the handle of his sword. His henchman stepped back and Mr. Woodsten looked very satisfied. The man straightened his collar and pushed his hair back immediately emptying his pipe, dumping the ash on the floor.

"Follow me for your special demonstration."

Father Solomon took one glance at Henry before stepping out from the furnished room and out into the open courtyard alive with a lavish garden. The holy man eyed Mr. Woodsten as he fingered the metallic contraption and he handled the muzzle, loading black powder inside from a flask bottle, clasping it shut, and getting his matchbox out. The courtyard wasn't a courtyard at all; instead it was a practice range for Mr. Woodsten and his desired destructive pleasures. Henry would have to trust Solomon on his judgement to trust this man (if he was a man at all).

"Step back, please," he warned them both, cocking the contraption like a spear at a wooden target on the far side of the court. His finger clicked the trigger, taking time to aim, focusing, and taking more time to aim," Oh, and cover your ears."

In the Arena:

If one thing Olivia did not admire about the sewers it was the horrid smell coming from all directions filling her nostrils with each breathe. The waterworks in this damp dark place overflowed and streamed in large waterfalls, pooling into a pond, then falling into more dark tunnels. Sea life seemed perfectly happy living in this place sprouting slimy green vines all over the walls, hanging from the ceiling like rope. Olivia pushed away tadpoles and frogs with the occasional water spider speeding across the moving water.

"We're going to get in trouble!" Bella's small voice echoed in the darkness.

Olivia turned to her, "Hush! Keep your voice down!"

"How will Ivy know where to find us?"

"We'll come back for her and the baby when we've discovered a way out of this place. We can't afford a dead end, especially not in this place. Do you still have the string?"

"Yes," Bella piped, then frowned," Minotaurs aren't real, right Olivia?"

The two girls were practically knee deep in dark murky water, pushing through water weeds and water pads, crossing through tunnels.

"No, I lied to you. The boogeyman isn't real either."

"The ghosts in chains?"

"That too."

"Bloody Mary?"

"No."

"Dracula?"

"No."

"Santa Claus?"

"Don't be stupid! Of course he's real!"

"Then why am I ripping the knapsack Papa gave me?"

Olivia rolled her eyes, turned to her, and replied," You're not ripping it Bella, we're taking the string out row by row so we can find our way back to Ivy. It's like a breadcrumb trail."

At last they reached a cobblestone floor untouched by water, dry and free from little sea creatures of the night. Olivia wrung her hair of water, kicked her shoes off her feet, and grabbed Bella by the hand and both girls walked through the tunnel. She happily squeezed her hand in return. Together both little girls walked through the darkness. The padding of their feet echoed each time.

"It smells in here."

"I agree. It's like something died in here."

"What's on the ground? It feels soft and fuzzy like sheep wool."

Olivia lowered the torch flame to the ground," It looks like sticks, fur, and bark… I don't understand what this is doing here."

"It tickles my toes!" Bella lifted her heel, picking up a stick and deciding to wave it around in the air.

"I think we're reaching the mouth of the tunnel," Bella pointed, hope finally breaking upon her spirit. A small white light shone in the dark as large as a pocketwatch. "We've reached the end! Come on! We need to tie the thread and turn back for Ivy!"

"So there's no monster here?"

"Don't be a fool."

KUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

A sudden deep exhale came like a powerful whirl wind; both girls stopped in their tracks, feeling the hot breathe sweep fear into their hearts. Olivia opened her eyes, gripping her hand over her mouth as hard as she could to suppress a scream or whimper. Before Bella could comprehend what had just happened she opened her mouth to ask her sister when she was suddenly lifted and pressed against the wall. Bella could hear her sisters' heartbeat against her ear and her hand covering her mouth tightly. Hope was extinguished. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness and both of them realized that they did not reach the mouth of the tunnel; instead it was a large mirror.

"What is that we just heard—"

KUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

"Ssshh!" Olivia covered her mouth again, realizing that they were not alone in the dark.

"It's the minotaur…" whispered little Bella.

"Ssshh!" Olivia stepped forward first, twigs and leaves snapping and breaking beneath her feet. "I don't think it's a Minotaur…"

The mirror in the darkness shone a beautiful white light off its golden frame, magnificent in so many beautiful details. It was so angelic that it captivated them both. Bella stepped forward but was shocked to find that her reflection was not there but instead a silver plate moving like water; it was silver water moving inside the frame of the mirror. The mirror seemed almost alive, aware of her presence as much as she was aware of it. Olivia slowly reached out and touched the silver water earning a glistening ripple moving away from her finger.

"It feels… alive," she whispered.

"Olivia—"

KUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

That breathe of wind came again. Bella clutched onto her sister's leg for comfort. Olivia trembled, fearing for what creature stood in the darkness.

"There's something else in here with us. I can't see it. We need to go; we're running out of time. We need to go, now," Olivia warned, pushing her little sister away from the mirror and against the wall deciding to backtrack into the tunnel systems. She began to regather the string as they entered the tiny tunnel again. Water snakes and spiders slithered across the water as both little girls submerged waist deep into the water.

Suddenly, Bella stopped and looked into the darkness.

"There's someone there!" Bella pointed," It looks like a man! He has a wolf mask!"

"We need to go!"

"Olivia wait look! He's looking in the mirror!"

She looked into the darkness. She was right. Someone was coming. He stood in front of the mirror and looked into the darkness. He stood in clean magnificent garments. On his face was the face of a wolf. He slipped off his gloves placing them in his pants pocket, kicking something in the dark.

A dark voice came from the darkness silencing them both," Lazy!"

Olivia and Bella watched carefully as 3 large silhouetted mounds of dark fur rose from the darkness, pounding their feet against the cobblestone, rising from their sleep. They peeked around the corner, careful not to make a sound. Whatever they were, they were huge. They were alive. They were animals.

KUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-Raaaarrrrrrrrrrr

"Rise!" he kicked one in the nose," Rise you lazy pathetic animal!"

The man in the wolf mask kicked the mountain of fur until all three had woken from their deep slumber and stumbled against each other for support. They growled and groaned together, sniffing and snorting.

"Look at me you stupid beasts!" he shouted, angrier than before. "You stupid pathetic wastes of life! You miserable failures! Damn you all! Damn you all to hell!"

Raaaaaarrrrr

Raaaaaarrrrr

"Shut up! You had one goal! Kill the wolves! Bring me the head of the Alpha and his pup. Find me my prize," he lifted a finger to each one, erupting in rage. "You failed me!"

He took his hat and slapped it to the ground. The man in the wolf mask unclipped his cloak from his shoulders and threw it on the ground.

"I despise you all, especially you!" he pointed to the beast sitting in the middle. "You failed me! You are the biggest disappointment of all! Perhaps I shall tame dogs? Cows? Vermin? At least they would serve their master righteously!"

Raaaaaarrrrr

The big creature moaned, hair bristling along its neck, lifting its paw and covering its snout as if it was ashamed. Olivia watched as the man reached for the whip from his waist, unraveled its leather and raised his hand high above his hand. A lash so loud and quick, it made both girls flinch.

"Pathetic!" he erupted, lashing harder. "Each time you fail me is met with punishment! Anyone who fails me is punished!"

Raaaaaarrrrr

"For years I've waited for this! You are not going to ruin this opportunity! You pathetic waste of life! Pathetic!" he yelled.

Blood splattered across the wall as the cruel man whipped the beast into submission. Each crack and lash more vicious than the last. The beast curled against the wall in anguish moaning and crying with big wide eyes looking around wildly. The other two sat completely still, waiting for the punishment to end and hope they don't meet the hard crack of leather against their hides. The man cracked the whip again and again. Its lash made contact with the beast's backside, opening more slits of blood seeping from its fur.

Raaaaaarrrrr

"I always knew you were worthless! Worthless! I despise you all!" he cracked the whip against the snout before kicking the neck with the heel of his boot. "Am I not your master!? Am I not entitled to your loyalty!? To your devotion!? To your services!? But, alas, I am surrounded by pathetic stupid beasts!"

He gave the beast one last kick before erupting. "Time is running out!"

Raaaaaarrrrr

The three animals curled against the wall, moaning, looking wildly at their master, not knowing what to do. Olivia and Bella thought it was incredulous to see such massive beasts fear one simple man and submit to his actions at the snap of his fingers. The beasts groaned and sniffed, their hairs bristling on their necks.

"You failed me! You failed me to bring me his head," he growled, looking at all three of them. "But now I see that is an incredible mistake."

The man stepped towards the mirror and gazed into its silver oceans.

"Now I see he is far more valuable than the three of you," he spat with disgust. "He is far more unique and smarter than you, Mars. He is far stronger than you, Jupiter. He is faster than you, Neptune. In every way he surpasses you all without any effort at all. What an embarrassment you all have become! A complete and utter embarrassment! Failures! I desire his skills. He is the only beast strong enough to defeat my foe and retrieve my greatest prize," he murmured, reaching a gloved hand toward the shimmering mirror. "He is the answer."

Olivia watched carefully as the man placed his fingers on the mirror. The silver oceans blinked and moved. An image of a black wolf came to view. Olivia pieced the puzzle together in her mind. But she didn't understand what he wanted so badly. The black wolf appeared to be hiding in the shadows of an alleyway somewhere in the neighborhood. This seemed to give the man satisfaction. That mirror provided answers to all. It provided anything you wished to know. Her father was outmatched in this battle.

"Bring him to me, and perhaps, I won't turn you all into stone…"

The three beasts snorted in heavy breaths looking at their master. Their bristled hair never relaxed.

"Go, and do not return without him," he pointed to the main tunnel. "Or do not return at all and face your doom."

(A/N: Okay, so I know that its been a long time and it took forever to publish another chapter. So, just to make it clear: I wanted to introduce the gun to my characters, especially Solomon just to make things more exciting. Henry doesn't trust Mr. Woodsten. Olivia and Bella are having their own adventure within the sewers and they find the man in the wolf mask and the three mysterious beasts! But what about the magic mirror? Why is Cesaire such a big target now? Ivy is still alive but for how long? Thanks! Review! Favorite!)