"If I've been a demon, you would have lost your head by now..."

Atrus smiled. "Smart trick. You've been improving better than I thought. I'm impressed."

"And now your life is in my grasp, right...?"

Anna held his chin and kissed him passionately. He was surprised at the intrusion, but accepted the kiss. His hands slowly moved behind her body and embraced her lovingly. She missed that embrace so much. She held his body close, hoping that he would never let her go.

Suddenly Atrus rolled his body and pinned her body down. "Wrong... your life is in my grasp... But this time, I'll show you what to do to a female prisoner..."

Atrus kissed her again before moving to her neck. His hand slowly massaged her hair. "I don't know you've become a pervert..."

"It's your own fault..." Then he turned his attention to her pert breasts. He softly massaged her breasts under the thin fabric, teasing her.

"So tell me... what has Lord Falagor taught you...?"

"Many things..." Atrus answered without switching his attention. "When he met me, I was quite a wimp... I guess it took longer for me to recover from what I've done in Gideon... Then he put me back to my old self, I guess..."

"What did... he say..."

"He told me that I've been controlled by my own emotions... At that time I was so shocked that I couldn't think well... I felt I've been defeated by my own grief... I've killed an entire army and I almost... killed you... I couldn't understand what he was talking about..."

Anna looked at him lovingly. She could see the fear in his eyes. She kissed him again. She was willing to be there for him. She was willing to share his fear.

"Then he gave me an advice that I still remember until now... He said that emotions are our slaves... Fear, grief, happiness, sorrow, all of them... We only have to remember who the master is..."

He set her suit aside to reveal her cute breasts and began playing with them, making her moan and squirm. "Then I realized that I had been controlled by my own grief... I realized that I was supposed to be the master, not the slave... Then he helped me to master my fear..."

Now she was getting aroused. Atrus cleverly played with her breasts and evaded her nipples, making her frenzy. She looked at him with her pleading eyes, but he knew what she was thinking.

"So... you're... a brand new man...?" Her breathing became shorter and heavier.

"No..." he chuckled. "I'm just the same Atrus you've known... I'm just a better man..."

He was a better man now! She was getting crazy, but he still teased her so cleverly.

"Atrus... please take me..."

"No... you're not ready..."

"What do you mean, I'm not ready?! I'm so... so..." She couldn't say it. It's too embarrassing. But he looked at her lovingly.

"You look so cute when you're pissed off..."

Anna blushed. She rarely took compliments seriously, especially those about her appearance.

Suddenly Atrus disappeared from her sight. Then she felt him opening her legs, revealing her moist part. She was so embarrassed. Atrus, however, was happy with her response. He set her panties aside and licked her pussy lips. This time she couldn't hold it much longer and exploded. When she recovered, she giggled to see Atrus' face being covered by her cum. She happily licked him off.

"I suppose I'll make you pay for this..."

He laid her down again, moved in front of her opened crotch, and prepared his member. He looked at her, searching for a sign of objection, but found none. Anna was just waiting for him patiently. He slowly thrust his member inside. Her wet vagina made it easy for his member to slide in. When he put his full length in, she arched her back as pain and pleasure hit her.

"I'm sorry, Anna... Are you okay...?"

She smiled at him. "I'm alright... You can move now..."

Atrus slowly moved in and out of her in a slow rhythm to help her get used to having him inside of her. She responded with soft moans in every thrust. Her stare was locked on Atrus' eyes. Those charming blue eyes... They were the same ones that belonged to Atrus White Lion whom she had known... She knew that she had once again found him...

He slowly increased the pace as the feeling inside her was building up. Her vagina was now flooding with her cum. Atrus played with her nipples that aroused her even more. Shortly after, she reached the peak.

"Atrus... I... can't..."

She arched her back and cried as the ecstasy hit her nerve. Atrus held her body close as she came for the second time. It didn't take too long for him to join her. He pulled out of her, spurted his seeds on her belly and collapsed beside her. She rolled his body over and kissed him passionately.

"Atrus... that was wonderful... thank you..."

He smiled. "I'm most honored..."

This was the moment... She had to say it... She looked at him in the eyes.

"Atrus... I have favor to ask..."

He looked away. She could notice the change in his expression. "You want me back, right?"

Anna nodded. "Please join us again... Our journey is not finished yet..."

Atrus stood up and put his pants on, then looked at the vast landscape before him. "I'm willing to, Anna... But there's one thing that still bothers me..."

Anna turned away. "You still haven't forgiven me...?"

"No! That's not it!" He quickly answered. "I... I'm not ready for this journey..."

Anna watched him as he stared at the horizon. The sun was setting, adding wonderful touch to the evening sky. Silence crept upon them. Deep inside she could feel his emotion... his confusion...

"When I follow you, I have nothing to fight for but fame. I wanted to be a true Ranger. I wanted to be a strong man. I wanted to be famous." He turned at her. "I want to make my father proud."

He sighed before facing the horizon again. "Somehow in our journey, that desire has shifted. Suddenly I feel that I don't really care with my fame. I don't really care whether I can make a name for myself or not. When I realized that, I also found that I don't care about anything... I... I don't know what I'm fighting for... I have lost my desire... all of them..."

She listened to him silently. She wished she could help him, but she didn't know what to do. She could only listen as he continued...

"That's why I decided to leave you and Maya for a while. That's my main reason. And until I can find my real intention in this journey, I won't join you. I... I don't want to be a burden..."

There was a moment of silent for a while. She tried to find a way to answer his question, but none came out. She had to admit that their quest was vaguely described. Until now the so-called Champion of the Guardian was still an enigma.

"Why do you look for him...?"

His question startled her. "I... I don't know... To save the land, I guess..."

Atrus turned away again, but he didn't seem to be satisfied with the answer. But she couldn't say it... She couldn't say it until the time had come...

"I'm sorry... I... I can't help you... I..." She said slowly.

Atrus looked at her and smiled. "What for? You're willing to hear me. That means everything to me. I haven't talked to anybody about this. Not even to master Falagor."

"But I'm not very helpful... I can't do anything..."

"You don't have to." He offered his hand. "Come. We must return before dark. My master must have done his examination by now."

They sat inside the cottage in silence. The fire had been lit. The dinner had been served. But nobody wanted to eat. Nobody had the desire to eat. Grief and despair had engulfed them all.

"So, master... you can't save her..." Atrus said slowly.

Falagor sighed for the fifth time that evening. "I'm sorry, my apprentice, the poison came from a rare root that grows only in the underworld realm. Until now nobody in our realm can make the antidote. Magic could cure her, but the poison has spread even to her cells. It's already too late."

"It's all my fault... I should have cured her with my magic sooner..." Anna sobbed.

Atrus put his hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault. There's nothing you could have done. There's got to be another way to help her..."

"But even Lord Falagor couldn't help her! Maya... she wouldn't make it, would she...?"

"Actually there's still hope." Falagor quickly said.

"What is it, master? I'm willing to do anything to save her!"

He paused, then stared at Atrus. "There's a herb in this realm called Black Orchid. It is a flower that grows in the volcanic region. When mixed with several local herbs, it could create a poison so strong that it will slay anybody who drinks it instantly. However, it is known to have a powerful effect. It can be used to deter even the strongest poison in this realm, so it's a sort of poison against poison effect. That's why the elves called it the Almighty Potion."

He drew a deep breath before continuing. "We might be able to use Black Orchid to save Maya's life. But there's a problem. Its poison was so strong that the effect will solely depend on the patient's body. The venom is very violent. The patient may die a terrible death if he couldn't hold it."

"Master, are you saying that this poison can actually cure her?"

"Yes, but only if she could endure the torture." Falagor answered. "You and Miss Freesland are her friends. You will decide her fate. Her life is in your hand."

Anna looked helplessly at Atrus, who was just as confused as anybody else in the room. Letting her die in pain would be foolish, but using a stronger poison would make her suffer even more. Either way, she could die. They could only choose how.

"Atrus... I don't know... I don't want her die... but I hate to see her suffer..."

"No!" Atrus snapped at her. "I'm not going to let her go!"

Anna was stunned. There was a scent of anger in his voice. He was angry, all right, and she could understand him. His friend was dying. She could remember his angered expression after the battle at Labrador. She could remember how hard he had blamed himself for not helping her.

"Don't let your anger hinder your judgement, my apprentice." Falagor reminded him.

"No, master, I'm still awake." Atrus answered. "I can't represent her, but I know her well. I know she will not die without a fight. She needs the chance, and I will give it to her."

The room was silent for a while. Atrus was serious about his thought, and Anna knew better than trying to change his mind. She loved Maya, and she definitely wouldn't let her die easily. She owed Maya her life... she owed her too much...

"I will go tomorrow to find the flower..."

"WE will go tomorrow." Anna quickly added. "She's my friend, and I won't let her die."

Atrus looked at her for a while, then smiled. "Thank you, Anna..."

"I will put Maya in trance status. This might slow the venom's work, but not for long. You will have at least two or three days to find it and bring it back to me." Falagor said.

"Where can we find this Black Orchid?" Anna asked.

"It's very rare, but you're pretty lucky." Falagor answered. "There are some of them nearby... at the lava pool inside the mountain... the Mystic Mountain..."

They had a quick breakfast that morning. They had been eating pancakes for 2 days now, and since there was no honey in the forest, they had to eat them plain. Nobody complained, though, for they don't want to make Anna volunteer to cook.

Anna had packed everything for the journey. Atrus went inside Maya's room for a while. She lay there on the bed, unconscious. Her face was pale and her breathing was faint. Her hand was very cold in his palms. Despite her sickness, her face was still pretty, as if she was sleeping peacefully in her paradise. He knelt next to her bed and softly stroked her long hair.

"Atrus, we're ready to..." Anna stood still near the door. "I... I'm sorry if I'm interrupting something... I'll see you outside..." Then she quickly left.

Atrus just stared at the door for a while, then turned his attention back to the sleeping beauty before him. "Don't worry, Maya... We won't let you die... We'll fetch the antidote for you..."

Then he softly kissed her delicate lips. As if she accepted it, her hand responded with a twitch. Atrus noticed this and tried to notice her consciousness, but she was still sleeping peacefully.

"Don't worry, my apprentice. I will guard her with my life."

Falagor's words calmed him a bit. He stood up and strapped his sword on his back. He gave a quick glance at Maya's prone body, then joined Anna outside the cottage.

Falagor gave him a silver talisman. "Don't lose this. It contains a teleport spell for your trip back to the cottage. Call me when you're ready to activate it."

Falagor raised his hands and a green light covered both Atrus and Anna. Slowly the surroundings grew vague as the teleport spell took effect. A few seconds later the view was changed with the thick forest around them and a long path toward the monstrous mountain... the Mystic Mountain.

"Atrus! We got companies!"

A small band of orcs jumped out from the bushes and attacked. Anna launched her firebolts and fried the thugs, but more came from behind them. Atrus had already prepared his fighting stance when the attack came. One orc charged at him, but he evaded the blow and smashed his skull with his bare hand. Another one dispatched him, but he dodged his axe and kicked the creature on the groin. The orcs began to acknowledge Atrus' superior skill and hesitated to make another pass.

"Well fought, Ranger... You are improving..." Anna complimented.

"You're not bad yourself... Your magic is getting better. Say... shall we waste them all?"

"Right behind you, tiger!" She prepared her best firebolt spell.

A few minutes later, the forest was littered by dead orcs. Anna didn't use her magic too much, and Atrus didn't even unsheathe his sword. Neither of them had a scratch. Anna sighed in relief. That was too easy. With Atrus around, everything seemed so easy.

"Not bad, tiger... We waste them all..."

"You fought well... How many spells have you mastered?" he asked.

"Just a few... I've mastered firebolt and force. Why?"

"Oh... you're not that good, then..."

"Hey! Watch it, mister! Are you saying that I'm incompetent?!" Anna challenged.

"Well... sort of..." He sneered.

"JERK!!!"

"ROOKIE!!!"

"IDIOT!!!"

"I'll deal with you later. Let's go!"