"Nooooooo…. Olympia is still inside. I have to go." Brad said before he madly dashed towards the flames, even before Amelia could actually say something. He suddenly felt something tug his shirt. He turned his head only to find Olympia standing there safe and sound in front of his eyes. Her eyes were blazing with grat.i.tude.

"Master, I"m fine. Did you forget that I have the element of "fire" within me?" Olympia asked with a gentle smile on her face.

The flames of fire produced enormous smoke which, Brad noticed, was different from normal smoke. "Why is it so strange?" Brad thought to himself. As if she sensed his question, Olympia said, "It is strange because there is some dark energy lingering in it. What I am curious about most is that, how did the dark energy come here, in this world."

"What do you mean?" Brad couldn"t understand what Olympia said. "Why is everything happening to me?" These two days stresses Brad out the most. Brad did not have time to think anymore as he heard his mother calling him, "Brad, hurry."

Brad hurried to the place where his mother was standing. With the help of his mother and Olympia, he lifted his father"s body from off the ground and pulled him towards the military vehicle stationed near the bridge. His father"s body felt as heavy as lead. He wiped away the beads of sweat glistening on his forehead, before entering the vehicle himself.

Their minds were reeling from the shock. All the events that transpired were enough to keep them on tenterhooks. Each of them were lost in their own thoughts. Brad"s mind was circling over the fact that Olympia was yet to receive her powers. Amelia was thinking of the various events that transpired. What was the connection between them? The Retired General was thinking of interrogating the Dean. He knew that the Dean would be able to answer everything they needed to know.

****************************

In another realm:

A man was sitting on a soft, bouncy leather throne and was listening to the reports of an eunuch with a bored face. He gave off a feeling that nothing in this world was worthwhile to catch his attention. He had an exquisite face, and seemed that G.o.d took enough time and patience to carve him. He gave off a very holy feeling, but his smile said otherwise. His outer robe was snowy white without a speck of dust or creases. It flowed till his ankle and stopped there to show his golden-white mojari* which were folded on top.

His left hand rested on his knee and the right hand was folded on the armrest of the throne and held his t.i.tled head, as he continued listening to the eunuch. His bored expression changed when he heard something. He t.i.tled his head to the other side before ordering, "Read the last part once more."

"Yes, Your Majesty." The eunuch bowed his head before proceeding to read the last sentence. It read: "In the modern city of New York, a young sprout has awakened and will overcome the barriers to return to this world. He would return to avenge them. He will return stronger than ever before. He will return to settle every score. But before that he has to pa.s.s many trials."

"Heh. Interesting." The man on the throne curled his lips and spat out those words. The menacing aura surrounding him suggested that he was ready to kill someone. Suddenly, he heard someone clear his throat. He retracted his aura before he smiled gently, and the holy aura he gave off filled the entire hall again.

"Minister Eric, you are ordered to go and investigate the situation. Don"t return unless I ask you to." The man lazily lifted his left hand and stroked his white hair.

"Pardon me, Your Majesty, but, I don"t understand what I have to investigate." Minister Eric answered with his head bowed. He was afraid to look at the man who was sitting on the throne, now running his hands on the deep scar on his forehead, just above his left eyebrow.

He could have removed the scar with the medicine available, but he didn"t. He was proud of this scar. Minister Eric sneaked a peek at His Majesty, and happened to notice the scene. His Majesty was stroking the scar on his forehead with a proud grin plastered over his face. For some reason, he felt that His Majesty"s smile was evil. If someone could kill with a smile, it was His Majesty.

Minister Eric was secretly worried as to what brought that smile on His Majesty"s face. But he lacked the guts to ask. There was only one person in the whole court who could face his Majesty and he was absent today. He cursed his bad luck for it, and was going to say something when he heard the door of the hall opened and announced the appearance of the same person Minister Eric was thinking of. "Speak of the Devil, and he appears."

A look of happiness streaked across his face and he cleared his throat to gain the Devil"s attention. The person who entered the hall was a young boy, of not more than 10 years. He loved to donn black clothes, and was the complete opposite of the person sitting on the throne. His black clothes, combined with black hair and black mojaris gave off an evil feeling, which was completely opposite to the gentle and warm smile on his face.

He entered the hall in long strides before coming face to face with the person sitting on the throne and said "Missed me?" to the man sitting on the throne. Flicking his outer robe, he took the seat next to the man on the throne. He pulled out his black handkerchief, rubbed the armrest, before throwing it away, where an eunuch caught it.

With another flick of his jet-black hair, he asked casually, "So, what"s going on here?" Although he was only ten years old, he was respected by everyone in the court. An attendant narrated the whole course of events to him respectfully. Everyone knew that this boy was moodier than His Majesty.