Backing away, Coral'mi yelped as Sharla'yla advanced, raising her gloved paw over her head, the hate blazing in her black eyes, as she intended to drive the deadly blades deep into Coral'mi's vulnerable body.  Her sea-green eyes wide in terror, Coral'mi flicked her gaze from left to right, seeking a way to escape, but realised too late, she had allowed herself to be backed into a corner.  There was no escape.  Grinning, Sharla'yla flicked her wrist back, locking the deadly blades, as she took another step towards her mother.

 "No!  Sharla'yla please, listen to me." Coral'mi wailed.  "Please – you must fight Yuira…you can do it, I know you can, oh please my beloved foal.  Do not listen to
Yuira's lies! She seeks to destroy us all!"

 Taking another step towards Coral'mi, Sharla'yla grinned wider, her look one of pure hate of a frightening intensity.

 "No my foal, please – " Coral'mi begged, as she cringed backwards, eyes widening in trepidation.  "I know you – I carried you, I gave birth to you, and I loved you more than life itself.  Do you know what I suffered when you were born?  How I fought for my own very life, sacrificed so much of my own powers to make you live?  I love you my daughter, more than I can find words to tell you.  All I ask, is you look deep within yourself, and try to find that one spark of good within you.  I know how powerful Yuira is my foal, oh how I know.  Yet she only wants you because of me, because I fought against her – even when she had me tortured and nearly drained me of my very powers and life!"
 

 Sharla'yla paused, her ears flicking as her gloved paw trembled.

 "I fought her my daughter!  Yuira sought to break me!  Yet I found it within myself, to fight her with all I had, and I hurt her.  Yuira is not as powerful as you my child – and I know that.  All I can offer you – is my love, understanding and comfort.  Yuira only offers you a life of pain, misery and hate.  You will not be her equal my foal, no.  You will be her slave – she will drain you of all your powers, as she once nearly did to me, then when you are no longer worth anything to you – she will kill you…if you are fortunate."

 Blinking, Sharla'yla's paw trembled more and she faltered a step, then Coral'mi crept forwards and held out her arms.  With a sobbing squeal, the filly's resolve broke and she fled to her mother, burying her muzzle against Coral'mi's breasts.  Coral'mi gasped in pain, then quickly enfolded her sobbing foal, holding her tightly and caressing her maned neck.  Hurriedly, Coral'mi broke the embrace, then as Sharla'yla's knees buckled, Coral'mi grasped her foal's gloved paw and slipped the
wrist blades off and threw them into the darkness of the cellar, and knelt, clutching her sobbing foal against her breasts once more, feeling the pain and anger draining from the filly as her sobs tore her young body apart.

Yuira flinched as if struck, then pressed her paws against the wall and shuddered, feeling her hold over the filly break, the force of it lashing her like a scourge.

 "You dare defy me – " Yuira growled, fighting down the sickening nausea that filled her.  "Oh my dear, silly little foal.  You dare defy me…. Oh, how I shall make you suffer for your petty, foolish emotions.  Yes my daughter – you will suffer, oh, how you will beg me for death…."

 "Horsie – " Came a low, evil mustelid giggle.  "Come to me Coral'mi – its me, Sable!"

 "You are not sable – " Came the low voice of Coral'mi, choked with tears.  "Sable was honourable, kind, loving and my friend.  You are not Sable!"

 Sable grinned, his face a death mask of rage and hate, his green eyes blazing with an unholy intensity.

 "Oh, but it is me – and I got something for you!"

 "I do not want whatever it is you have -  "

 Sable held up his sword, letting the sickly green fire that flickered over the blade shed an eerie illumination into the dark cellar.  He grinned wider, as he moved
stealthily around the furnace, and then leapt out of hiding.

 "Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Sable jeered, licking his lips and cackling.

 There was a soft clop of a hoof, and Sable grinned, moving stealthily, almost silently towards the sound.  His feral, predatory grin grew wider, as he caught the glimpse of a robe hem and he come up with a new strategy.  Dropping his sword, he fell to his knees and screamed in agony.

 "Mother – please…help me!" Sable shrieked. "Please…."
 

 There was an anguish filled sob of pain, then Coral'mi stepped from the shadows and took a tentative step towards Sable, who screamed and clawed at his head, his sharp claws gouging furrows through his fur and flesh, letting rivulets of blood ooze from the wounds.

 "Mother – please!" Sable screamed.  "Oh please help me…I…I can't fight her much longer…."

 "Sable – " Coral'mi wept, as she took another step.  "Oh…oh Sable…please…."

 "Mother – help me!" Sable screamed hoarsely, as he held out his paws imploringly towards her.  "Yuira's hold is strong – but only you…only you can save me, I beg of you…."

 Abandoning her fears, Coral'mi fled to Sable, who leapt to his feet – the feral, predatory look back on his face as he grinned and snatched up his sword…then
suddenly grunted in surprise….
 

 He stared down at the Tai'far wrist blades that were buried in his stomach, then his eyes blurred as the sickening pain tore through him.  His eyes shimmered with tears, as he stared into the muzzle of the filly, who grabbed the ferret by the nape and thrust the blades up within Sable's body, feeling him stiffen and a low whine of agony escape him.

 "How…could you…." Sable rasped, as his paws went limp, his sword clattering to the floor.

Coral'mi stepped from the shadows, tears coursing down her snout as she gazed pitifully at the fallen warrior.

 "I love you Sable.  That is…how." Coral'mi wept, then nodded and turned away.

Sable retched, as the filly lunged against him driving the deadly blades up within him, and she held him tightly, as he began convulsing in his death throes.  With a sob, the filly withdrew the blades and let Sable crumple to the floor, where he gazed up at the filly, his green eyes blazing once – before the light in them flickered and went out….

Sharla'yla burst into tears, then fled back to her mother, who hurriedly slipped the wrist blades off her daughters paw and threw them away, and clutched the sobbing foal's head tightly against her chest, as she too wept unashamedly – mourning the brave warrior who had been Sable Flame

 Abbie ran to Savrin's side, then dropped to his knees and clutched the Firewolf's head against his chest, pressing a paw to the mortal injury.

 "Savin – oh Great Mother…no!"  Abbie wailed.

 "Abbie…find…mother." Savrin gurgled, blood flecking his lips.  "You…Sable…."

Savrin shuddered and gasped, and then his body went limp as he went unconscious.  Without wasting a second, Abbie pressed both paws against the wound and closed his eyes, as he summoned what little healing magicks he knew – trying to heal the mortally wounded Savrin – but it was beyond him.  These wounds were not caused by any mortal weapon – and they were beyond his ability.  Only one person he knew, could hope to save Savrin's life – Abbie just prayed he wasn't too late….

 Yuira stepped from the shadows in the cellar, and she stared down at the still corpse of Sable Flame.  With a disgusted sigh, she knelt and pressed her paw against Sable's still chest – and spoke ancient words of power, that would have stricken the living dead with their very utterance.  Sable suddenly bucked and screamed – but this was not the scream of pain.  No, this was something much, much worse.  A primal-like scream of a tortured soul.

 His eyelids fluttered and the sickly green light blazed forth once again – as Sable climbed back to his feet and glared at Yuira, his look one of pure, animal ferocity.

 "You failed me Sable – " Yuira snarled, as she gripped his throat in her paw and squeezed, forcing the gasping mustelid to his knees.  "You failed to kill the water
horse, as I demanded.  However, I am inclined – to be merciful."

Removing her paw, Yuira turned away in disgust, her voice cold and menacing.

 "Since you were incapable of even such a simple task, I will give you another chance Sable.  I am nothing if not merciful, am I not?  Now – here are your new orders.  I want you to kill your friends….  Obey me and your rewards will be lavish indeed, fail me…and your punishment will be legendary – even in hell."

 Sable knelt and retrieved his sword, sheathing it.

 "As my Queen commands." Sable grated out, his voice now nothing but pure, unbridled malice.

 "Mother Coral'mi!" Abbie screamed, as he ran through the ruined college, stumbling over fallen masonry and shattered statues.  "Mother!"

Skidding around a corner, Abbie caught the glimpse of a robe, and he stumbled and fell, his eyes widening in horror as he stared at the filly her robe spattered with blood.

 "No – " Abbie screamed, as he scrabbled backwards. "No…."

His paws flashed out and fire streaked from his fingertips, fanning out in an 180 degree arc, setting alight the ruined paintings and tapestries.  With a shriek, the filly's own paws snapped up and she countered Abbie's spell, deflecting the deadly flames.  As she moved to cast another, Coral'mi grabbed her and the filly blinked and swallowed, then clutched her mother and wept, her body shaking with terror.

 "Mother she…I thought…." Abbie rasped, as his eyes went wide.  "I thought she had – "

 Soothing the sobbing foal, Coral'mi nodded weakly and gently took her daughters paw and led her towards Abbie, who scrabbled backwards again, low whines escaping his throat.

 "Abbie – she is alright – she won't hurt us." Coral'mi spoke, her voice soft, as she used her magicks to weave a calming spell over Abbie.

 "But I saw…the blood on her…" Abbie moaned, as he took Coral'mi's outstretched paw, and regained his footing. "Mother – Savrin has…."
 

 Shuddering, Coral'mi ran down the hallway, as Abbie glanced at the filly, who hung her head and trotted after him.  They found Savrin where Abbie had left him, and Coral'mi dropped to her knees and pressed her webbed paws against Savrin's chest.  Concentrating, she drew upon her reserves, and shuddered as she sensed the dual nature of the injuries Savrin had suffered.  Hurriedly, she concentrated and her paws began to glow, as she gritted her teeth, using her magicks to knit together flesh and bone – then heal the damage done to Savrin's very spirit. With a gasp, Savrin's body bucked against Coral'mi, and he drew a shaking breath,
his eyes weakly fluttering open, and he squeezed them closed again, as a low groan on pain escaped him.

 "Easy Savrin – " Coral'mi whispered, stroking his sweat-soaked forehead with a webbed paw.  "Shhh – I've healed your wounds – but you're still going to hurt for
quite a while."

Savrin groaned and managed a sickly smile at Coral'mi, and he squeezed her webbed paw gently.

 "No – you think?" He rasped weakly, then uttered a weak chuckle and coughed.

 "Sharla'yla – " Coral'mi began, and then she blinked.

 The filly was gone.

 Savrin looked at Coral'mi, who blinked her sea green eyes and looked at Abbie, who held up his paws in an 'I didn't see her go' gesture.

 "Quickly! Search the college – now!" Coral'mi snapped sharply.

Obediently, Savrin and Abbie broke apart and fled in opposite directions, calling out Sharla'yla's name….

 Something instinctively brought Savrin to Coral'mi's personal study, and he glanced at the desk, on which sat the moonstone that held Zephyr's very soul.  Savrin
shuddered, as the moonstone pulsed once with a white flash, and without realising he was doing it, Savrin approached and laid his paw on the stone – then his mind fell away….

 Zephyr glared at his brother and waved around at the pale whiteness that enfolded them.

 "Well – about time you sought me out!"  Zephyr growled.  "I can not believe this!"

Savrin blinked and turned about, staring at the emptiness that surrounded them.  He knelt and went to lay his paw on the floor – but it passed through it and he recoiled, eyes widening in shock.

 "There...there's no floor!" Savrin squeaked, as his mind reeled.

 "My – quick, aren't we?" Zephyr snorted.  "Welcome to my world brother.  Now – sit down before I sit you down…and listen to me.  You do not have time to waste, and neither do I…."

 Blinking, Savrin sat, his mind still spinning, as Zephyr sighed and crouched before him.

 "Yuira wants Coral'mi's daughter.  Sharla'yla is the key Savrin – the very key to our salvation or our destruction.  Now – listen up, as Yuira's moving faster than I had thought…and you must do this Savrin, if you want to save Sable."

 "Sable was the one who – " Savrin snarled.  "He tried to kill me!"
 

 Zephyr sighed, and then punched his brother as hard as he could in the nose, knocking the younger hybrid to the floor.

 "Shut up and listen to me!" Zephyr roared.  "Sable isn't the person you knew – now, he's a twisted mockery of what he was.  Yuira's destroyed Sable's spirit Savrin, you must have realised that now.  Sable is a prisoner within his own body – his will and volition no longer his own.  You must free him my brother, free that proud, noble warrior from his undead state.  He's…suffered long enough.  You used him Savrin, all of you used him – you're no better than Yuira herself…."

 "Now just a minute – " Savrin growled, getting back to his feet and feeling his anger rising.  "We never – "
 

 "Never what?  Never used him and his powers to protect all this…this…this bullshit – you think is so important?"  Zephyr grunted and waved his arms, as if trying to encompass the college and its surroundings.

 "You're all guilty Savrin – and the sooner you admit that, the better.  Sable sacrificed himself, to kill Yuira….  Yet what happened? That bitch of a water horse used her magicks to deny Sable his rightful rest – which he deserved!  NO! Coral'mi forced Sable to remain neither alive nor dead, to guard his grove for all time, then to guard the college and her precious, petty minded and selfish students!"  Zephyr raged on, his hackles rising as he felt the anger seething and churning within him.

 Savrin stared in stunned horror at his brother, who coughed and turned away.

 "I, I'm sorry brother." Zephyr spoke quietly.  "I spoke out of anger, I meant no disrespect to Coral'mi…."
 

 "If – " Savrin whimpered, eyes widening.

 "Not if brother-mine." Zephyr sighed, his shoulders slumping, as if he read Savrin's mind.  "Fact.  Sable suffered for centuries, denied his final rest – but he bears no
grudge against you all.  I myself…owe him my very existence…such as it is."

 "Then how – " Savrin ventured.  "How do I…help him?"

 "You must retrieve his sword – its hidden in a cave behind the waterfall.  Sharla'yla hid it there.  Take Sable's sword – and return to his grove…and…and Sable will tell you what you must do.  Hurry brother – there isn't much time!"

 Just as Savrin went to speak again – his eyes snapped open and he reeled backwards across Coral'mi's study, tripping over a low stool and crashing onto his back, his wings cracking ominously making him scream in agony.

 ~ Go my brother – go now! ~ Came the choking cry in his mind.
 

Savrin staggered back to his feet, and then fled the chambers.  A pair of dark eyes – like pools of oil cracked open from the shadows – and a low menacing hiss like that of escaping steam came from the darkness.  Yuira stepped out of the shadows, and approached the desk and the moonstone.

 "So – " Yuira growled, as she caressed the stone with her fingertips.  "Sable wants to find a way out of his deal does he?"

Yuira lifted the moonstone, and stroked it, as she gazed deep into the moonstone's depths, seeing Zephyr cringe and scream silently, his eyes wide and imploring.

 "You should not have meddled in my affairs Zephyr – " Yuira whispered, as she caressed the stone again.  "You should have kept your muzzle shut! Now – bear
witness to the power of your Goddess!"

 Yuira grinned, then squeezed her paw – and the moonstone shattered in her grasp, as she shuddered and moaned softly, then upturned her paw and let the sparkling powder of the moonstone trickle through her fingers, as she shivered and smoothed down her ebony fur, sighing in orgasmic pleasure.

 "Mmmm – was it good for you too Zephyr?" Yuira purred, as she heard Zephyr's scream of abject terror.  A scream that would go on for eternity….

 Savrin hugged the wall of the cliff, cowering back from the waterfall, feeling the chilling mist soaking him regardless.  As he finally broke through into the cave
behind the falls, he blinked and shuddered, then seen the discarded sword lying on the floor.  Quickly, he snatched it up and he gasped at the infusion of power that rippled through him – and his muscles contracted in a momentary spasm of pain, as Sable's sword's power flashed out – flooding Savrin in a bright emerald green glow, which dissipated as quickly as it had begun.

 "Whoa – " Savrin gurgled, as he staggered.

 Steeling himself, he left the cave and made his way towards Sable's grove.

 Sharla'yla struggled helplessly, bound tightly by the magicks Yuira had woven.  Helplessly, the filly squirmed and sobbed heartbrokenly, as Yuira came close, then
caressed the filly's cheek with a paw – sending chilling waves of nausea through the young foal's body.

 "Mmmm – "Yuira purred.  "I smell your fear young one, it is so…invigorating."

 Twisting her head away, Sharla'yla grit her teeth and whiffled in terror, unable to hold her fear back, she felt its cold claws grasping her heart and squeezing it.  Yuira grinned, then forced the filly to look back into her eyes, as Yuira pressed herself against the shaking body of the filly and nuzzled her throat softly, moaning in
pleasure.

 "Yes – " Yuira murred, as she nuzzled the filly's throat.  "Yes – you are the one, as the legend foretold.  Soon my dear filly, soon, will you fulfil your destiny.  With your death, shall I finally achieve my ascension…."

Yuira's paw caressed the filly's cheek, and the filly whimpered and shuddered at Yuira's loathsome touch.

 "Yes my young foal – you should be afraid of me…." Yuira grinned.

 Before Sharla'yla could scream – Yuira's head snapped to the side, and she sank her sharp teeth into the softly furred throat, easily cutting through fur and flesh, feeling the hot coppery blood as it began gushing from the wound….

 Savrin stepped over the threshold of Sable's grove, and then he shuddered as he heard a low menacing chuckle….

 With barely a second to react, Savrin parried a lightning thrust from the ferret, which materialised from out of the mists, clutching the flickering emerald green blade he had used to cut down Savrin earlier.  Sable spun and whirled like a dervish, and Savrin shrieked, as their blades met and clashed – sparks raining from the two swords.  Sable grunted in surprise, then back-flipped up onto his grave mound, where he paced like an angry tiger, glaring down at the gasping Firewolf.

 "I know why you're here Savrin." Sable growled. "I'm sorry, but I can not let you do that."

 "Sable, please…." Savrin moaned.

 Sable's eyes fixed on the sword that Savrin wielded and a brief moment of recognition flared in them, before his expression turned dark and predatory again.

 "Oh – how prophetic – going to use my own sword against me, my dear, misguided young pup?"

 "If it helps me to save you from Yuira Sable – I'll do whatever I must.  You're not yourself!"

 "Myself?" Sable blinked, then grinned.  "You're right wolfy.  I'm not myself – I'm better!"

 "Sable – please listen to reason!" Savrin spoke. "I…I know what Yuira has done to you – you were once my friend, and you saved my life."

 Sable paused, then looked down at the Firewolf and then he grinned. "Indeed – now I'll be the one to take your life!  There is justice in this world – how poetic!"

Savrin screamed and deflected the savage overhand slash, and then almost faster than he could counter, he parried a low cut aimed at his legs, the swords sparking and clashing again and again.  Savrin took the offensive and slowly pushes sable back across the grove, but his over-confidence made him careless, and Sable grinned – sliding beneath Savrin's defence and scoring a deep slash across Savrin's shoulder, the sword scraping across Savrin's right collarbone and making him shriek.
 

 Hissing in pain, Savrin spun away and clutched his shoulder, from which blood flowed in a steady stream.  Fuelled by the pain and anger that it brought, Savrin
lunged – driving Sable steadily backwards, his sword flashing and slashing, as Sable visibly wilted under the merciless bombardment – then with a savage lunge, Savrin battered down Sable's defences and drove him to the ground, and the sword flashed down – screeching through Sable's shoulder and pinning him to the cold, torn and withered grass.  Sable screamed – but this was no scream of just pain, this was a soul-piercing wail of pure torture, as he felt his very essence being drained from him, and consumed by the sword.  Savrin blinked and wrenched it free, then stared down at the shaking and pale ferret.

 "Savrin – " Sable gurgled. "Please…you – must…end it.  I…do not want…to live…like…this."

Savrin knelt and cradled the freezing cold ferret against his chest, stroking his friend's nape, feeling the hot tears as they began to trickle down his cheeks.

 "Sable – please…we…we can heal you – I'm sure that…." Savrin sobbed.

 Sable grinned weakly, then reached up a freezing cold paw and laid it on Savrin's paw, and then squeezed weakly.  "You…have done more…than I had hoped….  No.  Please – I beg of you…end it…before Yuira…can reclaim…me."

 "I…how can you ask this of me?" Savrin wailed, clutching his friend tight.  "I…I can not do it Sable."
 

 Coughing, sable squeezed Savrin's paw.  "You must.  I am neither alive…nor dead.  For how many centuries did I, keep my promise…to you all?  No.  I am…tired Savrin, tired and hurting.  Yuira has taken everything I loved from me, and now, she has turned me…against those I swore…to honour…and protect.  You will…be doing me a favour – I would rather face…non-existence…than live on – as her slave."

 Savrin, blinded by his tears, rose and lifted Sable's sword, then positioned it at the head of Sable's grave, point downwards.  Sable looked up at him, and then shuddered and slumped back down, as he coughed and shuddered, then his eyes snapped open and he screamed in mustelid terror.

 "I wouldn't do that if I were you – whelp." Came a low, menacing snarl.

 Sable coughed and looked imploringly at Savrin, who whimpered, his paws shaking as he stared into the eyes of Yuira, who stood at the edge of the grove, her muzzle slick with something that Savrin was sure he didn't want to know what.

 "Savrin – please…" Sable croaked.  "Kill me…kill me now!"

 "Sable – I…I can't!" Savrin wailed, as he felt his blood turning to ice, as he knew what his action would do.

 "I'll take that sword if you do not mind – " Yuira growled dangerously, as she flexed her paws, lighting crackling from her fingertips.  "Either you give it to me willingly – pup – or I take it from your charred, smoking corpse."

 "Savrin – for the love of the Great Mother – if you love me…then for your own sake if no-one else's…kill me…now!"
 

 Savrin whimpered, then he looked into the sad, mournful eyes of his friend – then he shoved the blade down into the grave with all his strength.  Yuira shrieked in rage and pain, as an explosion of emerald light erupted from the gemstone in the hilt, knocking Savrin head over tail.  Yuira shrieked and writhed, as the emerald light coalesced around her, starting at her foot paws and working it way slowly up her body – burning away the very fur and flesh of her form.  She staggered across the grove, heading towards Savrin, as the emerald flames turned into an oozing, oily substance – that flowed remorselessly up Yuira's body, burning away fur and flesh, leaving nothing but a blackened skeleton in its path.  Savrin lay stunned, staring in horror at the Tai'far Queen, who screamed and writhed – still moving towards the firewolf, the oozing green glow rising faster and faster, swarming over Yuira's arms and up her neck.  With a final wail, she staggered another step, then her blackened skeleton clattered to the ground, its last movement to reach out and grasp Savrin's ankle.  Shuddering with revulsion, Savrin flinched away from the skeleton, then looked at Sable – whose green eyes were dull and unseeing – he had not witnessed Yuira's last
moments….

 Savrin hobbled over, then knelt and slowly closed the eyelids of his friend, and he bowed his head in grief.

 "Rest now Sable – it's…over."  Savrin whimpered, as he retrieved the sword and laid it on sable's chest, clasping the ferret's cold paws about the hilt.  "Rest now – my brother."

 "Savrin – Savrin!" Abbie wailed, as he ran through the forest.  "Damn you wolf – where are you!"

Blinking away his tears, Savrin staggered out from the swirling mists, and then stumbled.  Abbie caught him, and then looked over the exhausted and injured
Firewolf.

 "I need a vacation – " Savrin gurgled.

Abbie groaned at the bad pun, then half carried, half dragged the barely conscious Savrin back with him.

 As Sable's grove's power flickered and faltered - slowly regaining its own powers, Yuira's skeleton quivered, then dissolved into an inky black ichor, that swirled and eddied, before slurping down into the ground - leaving only a black, wet stain on the slowly regenerating grove's turf.

 At the site for the sacrifice of Sharla'yla, the oozing black sludge bubbled and dribbled out of the altar, as the filly watched on and shrieked in mortal terror, her eyes wide as she watched the inky puddle grow larger and larger, slowly reforming into a mustelid skeleton, devoid of musculature.  Struggling against the magickal bindings, Sharla'yla screamed and screamed, as the musculature slithered and oozed over the skeletal frame, bile scented organs materializing from the very ether, as the lungs swelled and filled - and the half-reformed skeleton threw back its head and uttered a piercing scream of pure hate.  Black, soulless eyes made soft squishing pops as they reformed in the empty eye sockets, and the hideous reformation completed, as like oil, Yuira's ebony pelt flowed down her body, covering her in a soft, shining pelt of darkest night.

 Coral'mi screamed and clutched her webbed paws to her head, as her daughters sickening cry reverberated in her mind.

 "Mother – what…what's wrong?" Abbie whimpered, as Coral'mi screamed again, clawing at her head.

 "No – no…" Coral'mi shrieked, almost incoherent.  "No – my poor foal!"

Abbie shuddered, then he whimpered and savagely struck Coral'mi across her snout, snapping her head to the side and breaking the trance that had overcome her.

 "I…I did not want to do that Mother – " Abbie sobbed.

 "You…you did right – " Coral'mi sobbed, as she shook herself and hurriedly fled into her ruined study, then returned, carrying a satchel and heavy black leather bound book.  "Come on – and bring Savrin."

 "He isn't – " Abbie protested.

A withering look from Coral'mi silenced Abbie's protests.  Abbie sighed and helped the weak and shuddering firewolf to follow Coral'mi, who led them back deep into the forest….

 Yuira grinned, and thrust herself against Sharla'yla, feeling the young filly writhe and scream, as Yuira's powerful throat muscles worked, sucking the blood from
Sharla'yla's throat, feeling the intoxicating effect – but above all, the flood of power it brought Yuira.  Releasing the filly, who crumbled to the ground, Yuira wiped a paw across her muzzle and licked the bloodied paw clean, before smoothing down her ebony fur – and slamming Sharla'yla down onto the black basalt altar.

 "Now young foal; now – you will die…."

 Bursting from the undergrowth, Abbie and Savrin froze in horror, as they watched Yuira raise a black blade in her paws, above the shrieking and sobbing filly's chest.  Coral'mi took it all in within the blink of an eye, and she cast a silvery powder from her paw – and the scene before them seemed to freeze….

 Savrin, Abbie and Coral'mi stood within a circle hurriedly drawn on the ground.  Coral'mi quickly placed three black candles in a triangle around them, then she
walked the circle casting yet another – this one a pale white circle – comprised of sea salt.  Without wasting a second, and once she was sure both circles were intact, Coral'mi lit the black candles and she slipped an athame from her belt, then began reading from an ancient black book.

 "Sic had est nostratum – " Coral'mi intoned, her voice rising in intensity and pitch, the words ringing in their ears with a frightening intensity.  "Nunc hoc in marmore
non est incisum!"

 The effects of the words had an instantaneous effect on Yuira, who froze and slowly turned around her mouth agape, as she held the black bladed knife in her paws.  Almost in slow motion, the blade toppled from her limp paws, falling to the ground with a soft thump.

 "Heu, modo itera omnia quae mihi nunc nuper narravisti, sed nunc!" Coral'mi shrieked.
 

 Yuira collapsed, as if stricken down by a blast from the heavens; indeed, she cowered on the ground and covered her face with her black paws.

 "In the names of the ancient ones who still compel thee, " Coral'mi screamed.  "In the name of the four powers; earth, water, air and fire, do I conjure thee and invoke thy presence within thine circle!"

 Pointing with her athame, Coral'mi gestured to the nearby circle, inside, which was a five-pointed star, the outer circle, inscribed with ancient runes of power.  Without seeming to move, Yuira appeared within the bounds of the pentagram and its protective circle, completely unclothed, her face one of coldness and insolence.

 "What do you want – " Yuira growled, her body shaking with rage.

 "Whilst my candles doth burn – thee is compelled to obey!" Coral'mi spoke.

 "Thus it is – " Yuira grudgingly grated out, then touched the circle with her paw, then snatched it back as she hissed in pain – a bright silvery flash coming from the contact with it.  "However – your power is weak Water Horse…you do not realise that which you disturb."

 Yuira waved a paw negligently, and the very ground quaked and shook, the skies boiled and lightning smashed down with deafening cracks, blasting ancient trees to matchsticks.

 "Enough!" Coral'mi screamed, her athame trembling.  "I command thee to obey, whilst thine candles burn – I command thee!"
 

 Cackling, Yuira glared at the three friends, who felt their blood chilling at the look of pure malice they could feel emanating from Yuira.

 "By the four powers – doth I…" Coral'mi began, and then her voice broke as she trembled violently, the black book she read from and the athame falling from her
nerveless paws.

 Abbalion snatched up the athame, then he pulled a small rabbit from a bag, and as Coral'mi wept, he held it high and sliced the blade across its throat, and thrust out the dying rabbit towards Yuira.

 "Oh, how wonderful – " Yuira snorted. "A blood sacrifice was unnecessary, but I would have preferred one of you!  Proceed magus, my patience grows thin with
your childish games."

  "By the four powers, doth I compel and command thee!" Abbalion spoke up, as he snatched the book from Coral'mi, and retrieved her fallen athame.  He then threw the lifeless rabbits corpse to the ground.  "I command thee to return to thine infernal plane and trouble us no more!"

 Yuira blinked, then snarled as the pentagram surrounding her blazed with silvery light, as the circle likewise burst into incandescence – and slowly moved inwards.
Thrusting out her paws, Yuira let fly the full extent of her powers, her powers bursting forth as a black flame, that fought against the flickering silvery flames…and
for a while, the two forces reached an equilibrium, but Yuira grinned and pushed outwards, forcing the silver flames back further and further 0 her body shaking with
the exertion.  Coral'mi, Savrin and Abbie stared in horror, as the silver flames moved outwards more and more…then with an ear-splitting bang, the circle erupted and Yuira laughed in triumph, then spun around….

 Behind her, stood the filly – who stared at Yuira impassively, her paws clasped behind her back.  Yuira blinked in surprise, then grinned in malicious intent and
stepped towards the filly, who smiled weakly and brought her paws out from behind her back – revealing the Tai'far wrist blades on her right paw.  Yuira blinked – then screamed as the filly lunged forwards, then slammed the blades deep into Yuira's undefended stomach….

 "Urk – " Yuira gurgled, as she stared down incredulously at the wrist blades buried in her soft belly.  "You…bitch!"
 

 Without a sound, the filly grasped Yuira's nape and thrust again, the razor sharp blades ripping up through Yuira's stomach and into her chest.  A bright glow began to form around the filly, and it burst into a cold, pure white flame, as she released all her magicks and powers at once.

 "Sharla'yla – NO!" Coral'mi screamed, her webbed paws slapping against her face, as she realised what her daughter was going to do.  "NO!"

 "Its…over Yuira…" Rasped the filly, as she gritted her teeth and pulled Yuira close against her, feeling Yuira's body writhing.

 "NO!" Yuira screamed, as she fought against the steel-like grasp of the filly.

 Blinding white flames enshrouded them both, then with an eye searing flash, they both vanished…and the explosion flattened everything within a kilometre….

 Picking themselves up, and dusting themselves off, Coral'mi stared at the blackened circle where her daughter and Yuira had stood – now – there was nothing left to show for their existence…both has been vaporised in the release of the filly's powers….

 "No – " Coral'mi shrieked, as she dropped to her knees, and burst into tears.  "Oh no – not my beloved foal…."

Abbie and Savrin knelt beside the hysterical water horse, and they draped their arms around Coral'mi, and gently lead her away through the shattered and blackened forest.  They paused, as a pale shimmering figure materialised before them, its features hidden behind a deep hood.  It stood about ten paces away, holding a robed and hooded object in its ghostly arms, then gently set it down and stepped back a pace, and its paws reached up and folded back its hood – to reveal the muzzle of Sharla'yla.

 "It's…over."  She spoke softly, and then her ghostly image flickered and broke apart, as the moonlight struck her.
 

 Abbie broke away from Coral'mi and approached the figure lying limply on the ground, and he gently folded back the hood – to reveal the face of Diane, whose eyes flickered open and she weakly sat up, then looked around her.  Abbie blinked and scrambled backwards, as if he'd just seen a ghost, his eyes wide in horror.

 "Mother – what…what happened…." Diane whispered, as she rose and looked around at the blackened, flattened forest.   "Who – "

 Coral'mi fled to Diane, then enfolded the startled young feline in her webbed paws, pulling her tightly and sobbing uncontrollably.  Even Abbie and Savrin's resolve
shattered, and they likewise joined Coral'mi in a group hug of Diane, who blinked and weakly hugged back.

 "Its over – Yuira's gone for good…"  Coral'mi wept.  "Its over – "

 Nothing grew within the circle, in the intervening ten years since Yuira's destruction, even the forest itself, could not recover.  It remained a dark, twisted landscape, a chilling mist swirling through the ruined forest.  Nothing moved, no animals, insects or birds would come within the bounds of the defiled forest – it was a bleak, chilling reminder of what had happened here.  In the centre of the forest, rusted and corroded, the Tai'far wrist blades lay on a blackened circle of earth.

Nothing moved.

Nothing breathed.
 
 

There was silence.

 A silence broken by the soft clopping of hooves against the forest loam.  A young female rabbit, dressed in her riding gear, sat on the back of her pony mare,
gazing around at the charred and creepy forest.  Giggling nervously, she slapped the reins softly; reminding her sway-backed mare she was still back there.  She had
already explored the ruined building, poking through the rooms and hallways of the shattered ruins, wondering what had happened here.  Intrigued, she had ridden into the dark forest, following a barely discernable path.  Her mare plodded along, her head bowed as she followed the weak trail.  Without warning, the mare squealed in equine terror and bucked, throwing the startled young rabbit from the saddle.  With a shriek the rabbit tumbled heat over scut and fell to the ground, the impact momentarily stunning her.

 "Hey – " rasped the lapine as she crawled back to her foot paws and tugged the mare's reigns.  "Hey - what's gotten into you?  Seekie - hey...."

 Irrational, the Mare reared, pawing at the air with her foreleg hooves, as she whinnied and pulled at the reins, eyes rolling and showing the whites, her nostrils flaring.

 "Seekie - hey...easy girl...hey!" Yelped the rabbit as she felt the mare yank the reins from her paws, then go galloping off into the forest, ears pasted flat and tail streaming behind her.

 With a grumbling sigh, the rabbit moved to follow her mare, then her ankle twisted, as she heard the soft click of metal and she screamed, falling to the ground.  Twisting herself around, she rubbed her ankle and caught the sight of a half-buried metal object in the dirt.  Blinking, she dug away the dirt from the object and lifted it up, gazing at the odd glove, the rusted and corroded blades glinting weakly.  With a shiver, the lapine turned it over, marvelling at its construction, and without consciously aware she was doing it - she slipped her right paw and forearm into the glove - then screamed....

 Her body buckled and writhed, as she clutched the glove, trying to pull it off, but somehow, it wouldn't move.  As if it had a life of its own, it twisted her wrist around, then the blades gleamed - and with a flash of blackness - the lapine's desiccated corpse crumpled to the ground, her dry, withered paw still ensnared within the glove, which twitched and fell still.

 It was not over - indeed - it had just begun....