I really get into the flow of writing now. This chapter is a bit longer as usual, too! The next ones will come slower again, so enjoy this one. Reviews are, as always, much appreciated!

Akkarin and Sonea made their way hastily through the tunnels. From time to time, Akkarin stopped, trying to sense the Ichani's power. "He is masking his presence," Akkarin said with a frown when he was stopping again. "So he definitely is an Ichani, slaves wouldn't be able to do that. But somehow, his power seems too be so great that he barely can contain it, and it seeps through his barriers once in a while. He's strong – definitely much stronger than the Ichani before." Sonea's worry increased, but she said nothing and followed Akkarin further along.

For what seemed like an eternity to her, they followed the dark passages. Finally Akkarin murmured, "he entered the Guild via a secret passage in the basement of the university just minutes ago. He is just around the corner."

Then Akkarin turned around to look fully at Sonea. "You will do exactly as I say. This one is extremely dangerous. You will stay behind me, only maintaining our shield, and not interfere unless I say so. If something happens to me, you try to get away, take no risks! You are needed by the Guild. And we must NOT kill the Ichani with black magic in any circumstance, so as not to alert the Higher Magicians. So no stunt like last time, do you understand?"

Sonea just nodded, too frightened to say anything. Behind the strict words and his piercing gaze, Sonea thought she detected also a trace of worry in his demeanour. Then he moved on, and she followed him through a hidden doorway into the basement of the university.

She saw the Sachakan at once. Hearing them approaching, he had turned around and created a strong shield, ready to strike. When he recognised Akkarin, a cruel smile appeared on his face.

"So, the High Lord himself came to welcome his guest? What a lucky coincidence, so I can first get rid of you before destroying your precious Guild one magician at a time," the dark skinned man said in a voice dripping with hate. His words were followed by a series of powerful strikes.

"You have no chance against us, Ichani. Have you learned nothing from your fellow Ichani's failure?" Akkarin answered, immediately sending an intricate pattern of strikes back at him while Sonea concentrated on keeping their shield strong.

The Sachakan only smiled. "I'm not as weak as Ikara. I came prepared. So, is that all you got?" And he continued to send strike after powerful strike.

Sonea was horrified of the intensity of the strikes their shield was battered with. How could he be so strong? Jolen's magic alone would not have made him so powerful. She gave even more power into their shield, while Akkarin attacked the Ichani from all directions. Be careful Sonea, he is extraordinarily strong, like nothing I have ever seen, Akkarin sent. Don't let the shield weaken in any case. Sonea nodded grimly.

The short interaction between them seemed to have attracted the Ichani's attention to Sonea for the first time. "So Akkarin really has an apprentice! So I guessed right when I saw you killing Ikara through her blood ring. What a pretty thing! Do you also use her as your bedslave?" the Ichani sneered. Akkarin's jaw clenched, but he only intensified his strikes.

Hearing a loud sound and voices from the basement corridor, Rothen jumped. What was that? Frowning, he put down the flasks he has been preparing and made his way to the door, opened it a crack and looked out at the corridor. And stopped dead in his tracks.

Rothen couldn't believe his eyes. In front of him, the High Lord and Sonea – his Sonea! - were fighting a foreign looking stranger. And the power the foreigner was using! He hardly seemed to acknowledge Akkarin's powerful strikes. Forcestrikes flew wildly across the corridor. Rothen ducked back into his alchemy room, only peeking around the corner to follow the scene. How could one person withstand the most powerful man in the Guild, and a very strong novice in addition, so easily?

Completely stunned, Rothen could do nothing more but watch. Nothing seemed to could waver the stranger's shield, whereas Sonea's face got more worried and strained with every passing strike of the foreigner. Then, suddenly the stranger seemed to lose his concentration for a second and his shield flickered.

Sonea felt Akkarin's grim satisfaction as the hidden series of strikes he had sent through the floor finally found a week spot in the Ichani's shield and hit him. As strong as the Ichani was, he did not have the experience to fight against the finesses of a Guild-trained worrier who attacked not only with force but skill. His shield flickered, if only for a second, but Akkarin managed to use the momentum and threw another powerful series of strikes at their enemy. His shield collapsed, and with almost inhuman speed Akkarin rushed to him an slashed the wide-eyed Sachakan's arm, draining his power.

Sonea let out a sigh of relief and stepped next to Akkarin. "What will we do with him now?" she asked.

Akkarin didn't answer right away but continued the draining process for a long while. Finally he stopped, leaving only enough to let the Sachakan live. She could see the fear on the Sachakan's face who dropped exhausted to the floor. Akkarin removed his dagger that hung in a scabbard on the Ichani's hip and bound his wrists with magic. "Let's see where you got this enormous amount of power from, will we?" he asked sarcastically and grabbed the struggling Ichani's temples to enter his mind.

When he was done, Akkarin let go of him and turned to Sonea. "I will contact Lorlen now to come with the Higher Magicians immediately. We will tell them..."

Suddenly, with incredible speed, the Ichani who only seconds before seemed to be barely able to rest on his feet shot up and grabbed a hold on the dagger Akkarin was still holding in one of his hands, seized it with his still bound wrists, then turned to lunge at Sonea. Akkarin and Sonea were both too surprised to act immediately. The Ichani kicked the novice's knees so she fell to the floor, then held her down with his own knees and held the dagger to her throat. He looked up at Akkarin with a malicious grin. "Not one move, slave, or your precious apprentice will die." Akkarin stood frozen, horror written across his face. Sonea, too, was horrified, not daring to move in the Ichani's violent grip.

His eyes still focused on Akkarin, the Ichani made a shallow cut on Sonea's throat. Sonea's breathing became fast and shallow with panic. He will drain my power, she realised with terror. I will die.

Heal yourself, another, more analytical part of her mind urged her. She concentrated on the wound and sent some healing energy. She sensed the Ichani shift in confusion, his eyes leaving Akkarin to look at her throat. "What..." he said and made another, slightly deeper cut. Immediately, Sonea healed herself again. Her mind raced. Could it be...?

She focused on the area where the Ichani's bound hands, still holding the dagger, touched the skin on her neck. Diving into his body, she considered feverishly what to do. His heart... As Sonea clenched his heart with with all the force she could muster, the Ichani grasped hard for breath, letting fall the dagger. Then, he collapsed next to her on the floor. Sonea stared at the lifeless Ichani in horror, unable to move. What have I done? Only Akkarin's panicked voice brought her back to reality.

"Sonea, get away from him! Now!" Fear was written all over Akkarin's usually so composed face. In the last moment, Sonea scrambled to her feet and more fell than ran in his direction. Akkarin grabbed her and pulled her into a niche in the wall, just barely managing to throw up a a strong shield around them before the remaining power of the Ichani detonated into a bright white ball and consumed the Sachakan's body. A wave of hot air swept over Akkarin's shield.

Then it was over. Akkarin let his shield disintegrate and he helped Sonea stand. She was still shaking all over, her face incredibly pale. Akkarin took Sonea's head in both his hands, leaning close to her and letting their foreheads touch. His fingers caressed her cheeks soothingly. "It's alright. It's over. You are safe now." He hugged her close and she nestled her head on his chest, savouring the comfort his closeness brought.

"I could have lost you" Akkarin wispered into her ear. "Don't you ever do such a thing again. I cannot bear the thought to lose you." He hugged her even closer. She could feel his heart beat much too rapidly in his chest. Despite her shock about the things that just happened, warmth spread through Sonea's body. He cared about her. She reluctantly tore her head from his chest to look at him. Were those tears glittering in his eyes? His lips were so close...

"What in the Eye's name...?!" Akkarin and Sonea jerked their heads at the sudden interruption and looked in the incredulous face of Rothen.