The sunlight streamed brightly through the thin slits between the closed blinds as the little demoness pulled the thick coverlet over her head and willed the incessant throbbing to cease. A pale green glow suffused the blankets and warmed her body with its healing glow. Her mate and partner chuckled softly to himself as he shook his head. He was fully familiar with his diminutive lover's tendency to overdo celebrations. It is a good thing she's an empath, he mused with a grin as he watched her renewed efforts to heal her aching form.

He slipped from the bed and tied the belt of his thick robe around his trim waist. Making his way to the kitchen, he started a strong pot of coffee and pulled some frozen ready-to-bake pastries from the freezer. Just as the oven softly beeped indicating it had reached the preset temperature, a jarring buzz of the doorbell let him know that a visitor waited at the front door. He abandoned the pastries on the counter and made his way to answer the door before whoever was there could decide to ring the bell a second time and possibly roust the little demoness from her cocoon of suffering.

The past few days since they'd returned from an extended vacation touring the outer reaches of the Shadow Shard had brought a parade of well-wishers. Dawl had made many friends in her long career, and they turned out in force once they heard she'd returned to Paragon City.

He sighed softly as his hand gripped the door knob. He resolved to politely inform whoever might be seeking entrance that Dawl was not up to visiting at the moment, however the well-rehearsed polite refusal died on his lips as he stared down at the slender young girl who smiled up at him with sparkling golden eyes.

 "Adara! Come in. Your aunt isn't up yet. She had a rather rough night last night. She went out with a bunch of friends from the supergroup, and overdid it just a bit."

Adara laughed. From family, to friends, to even those who knew the small demoness only in passing, the fact that Vudu Dawl enjoyed everything to excess was common knowledge among the masses.

"It's okay, Uncle Keres, I understand," the girl giggled softly as she embraced the scrapper with an exuberant hug..

A soft moan behind them caused them both turn to see a disheveled VuDu Dawl, wrapped in a soft chenille robe, stumbling down the stairs.

"Good morning, sweets," Keres greeted her gently. "I was going to bring you some coffee and a danish in a few minutes."

"S'ok," Dawl murmured in a slightly slurred tone. "I'll be alright. Just give me a bit to get my bearings." She sniffed the air. "Mmm. But I will take a cup of that coffee."  With a thump she attempted to turn the corner and walked square into the door pillar. Keres shook his head as he suppressed the urge to laugh. He leapt to her side and lifted her gently from the floor.

She blushed and shook off the stun from walking full force into the unforgiving wood. "Hello, Adara," she said weakly.

"Hi, Aunt Vu," Adara smiled. "I heard you came back for a visit but I have been so busy at school that I couldn't get away until today."

Dawl smiled at her young niece. She was her father's child in so many ways. The former Archmage was one of the very few Paragon citizens that called her "Vu", and Adara was quick to adopt this as her favored way of addressing her favorite aunt.

"How's school?" Dawl and Keres asked, nearly in unison.

"Great," Adara answered, enthusiastically. "I love all my teachers, and the subjects are so much fun! Some of it is more geared towards humans," she paused. "There are things they learn to do with spells that I could do from the time I was a baby. But it is fun to learn, just the same."

Dawl nodded. "How's your mom?"

Adara scowled. "I don't get to see her very much. It seems angels always have lots of work to do. I miss her a lot but she does visit when she can." She gritted her teeth. "I wish things could go back to the days when…when she and daddy were together a lot…and when we had our little home in Kings Row. Someday I will get revenge upon Naimah for taking all that away from us…" her voice trailed as a dark grimace crossed her features.

Dawl watched the thoughts churning behind Adara's glittering golden eyes and shook her head. "The legions of the Dark One are quite powerful, Adara."

"I know, Aunt Vu, but Sheken and I made a vow. We are going to someday have our revenge."

The tiny demoness shuddered. She remembered Sheken's ordeal at the hands of the vile Naimah and her cohorts. The events set in motion by the machinations of the hellish princess and her vile plot tore the entire family apart. She was still infuriated with her headstrong offspring's exoneration of the man who Naimah had sent to kidnap and kill her. Sheken had chosen to not only forgive but to remain furiously loyal to Marcus despite her mother's continual protests. This still caused no small amount of tension between Dawl and her only daughter. At least she could take small comfort in the fact he'd at least served a prison sentence for his deeds. The brief imprisonment was better than nothing, she reasoned, though it was nothing close to what she'd have wished for his punishment.

Adara saw the tension crossing her aunt's features and moved to quickly change the subject. "So how was your vacation? I hear the Shard has some awesome and beautiful sights. I guess Mom and Dad used to go there sometimes."

Dawl smiled and nodded. "It's an amazing, magical place. There is an incredible amount of mystical energy there."

Keres wandered back off to the kitchen as the ladies moved towards the den. In a few moments he returned with two steaming mugs of coffee laced with rich cream and smelling of exotic spices. He handed the fuller of the two to Dawl and the other to Adara. She inhaled the scent and smiled. "Hair of the dog," he grinned.

Adara shot her a puzzled look and leaned forward to pick up the aroma. As the tinge of alcohol burned lightly across her sense of smell, she laughed. She didn't know what the phrase meant but assumed it referred to whatever Keres had lightly imbued Dawl's beverage with.

"Hair of the dog is a human phrase that refers to taking in a small amount of alcohol to take the edge off of a hangover the morning after you've been drinking," Dawl explained to the girl. She was sure Az would probably disapprove of her enlightening Adara in the worldly points of education. But then, Az wasn't here to protest, she noted to herself with a grin.

With a long draught of her drink, Dawl resumed her previous story. "Anyway, when we got back, Keres found this nasty impish little creature flitting around the room. I held it still with a Tesla cage," she said, making a circular gesture with her hands that caused a miniature ball of crackling electricity to hang in the air, "and he promptly disposed of it. But not before it had flung this purple… residue all over our nice clean room. We had to go back to the office and let the management know what had happened. They were nice enough to put us in another room right away, and even sent someone to check the room before we moved our things."

"Fun," Adara said, with a sardonic expression. "At least no one was hurt."

"No one except that rotten Natterling," Keres added.

Dawl laughed. "The way they throw globs of that dark energy residue all over, Keres once said they remind him of poo-flinging monkeys at the zoo. They make me think more of the flying evil monkeys from that old movie about that girl named Dorothy."

"I bet you saw all kinds of fantastic creatures there, didn't you," Adara responded.

"Mmhmm," Dawl said, taking another deep swig. "It really is an interesting place. The scenery is breathtaking."

"But, it is also dangerous," Keres added somberly. "Don't go alone."

Adara nodded. "I really enjoy living in Salamanca. It is also a place of great mystical energy. Despite the conflicts among the factions that inhabit it, the town is very peaceful at times. Of course, I am under the constant watch and care of the Cabal. They tend to keep me rather insulated from any dangers."

Dawl smiled. She knew Mary and her girls would protect Adara as if she were one of their own. That was one of her motives for introducing the girl to the wise sorceress.

"Sometimes," mused Adara, hesitantly, "I wonder if being insulated is not going to hinder my career as a hero. I fear it might make me weak or careless once I have to face villains in the real world."

"Do you forget, young lady, that you were facing villains, arch-villains even, in the real world before you were even old enough to ride the monorail by yourself? Your mother and father have told many stories of how helpful and unafraid you were."

Adara blushed. "Perhaps you are right. But even then, I had Mom and Daddy to protect me."

"I am sure they did. But you also protected them. Your kinetic forces often helped them to gain the upper hand."

"Am I considered a demon, Aunt Vu?"

The sudden, straightforward question took both Dawl and Keres aback. Keres quietly rose from his perch on the arm of the sofa and retreated to the kitchen, presumably to check on the pastries. Dawl swallowed hard and thought about what to say for a moment.

"Well, I'm not sure…." she began. "After all, your mother was considered a Nephilim because it was assumed her mother was human. Of course, we did some research, after the conflict with Xandaros, that showed that her mother, Chrysis Apokalita, was not only a war priestess of her Amazon tribe, but a fourth generation Nephilim herself, making her only one sixteenth human. That leaves your mother being one thirty-second human. This was just enough to bind her to a life in a human body, but also enough to give her an amazing amount of demonic energy."

Adara's eyes grew wide. "You mean, my mother was almost fully demonic?"

"Yes, and no," Dawl explained, slowly. "Do you understand the difference between what humans label 'angels' and 'demons', Adara?"

Adara gave her a puzzled look. "Why, angels are good and demons are bad."

Dawl shook her head. "Are you saying I am bad?"

Adara blushed. "No, that isn't what I meant."

"Well, sometimes I am, but that's another story, one that'll have to wait until you are a bit older. I am fairly certain your mother would come unglued if I were to enlighten you at your age," Dawl said with a small laugh. She smiled at her young niece. "However, I believe it is time for me to teach you a few things about your heritage, Adara. Angels and demons are all the same beings. At one point, they all lived in joyous union with the Creator. However…there came a…conflict. Eventually, one of these 'angels,' Lucifer, became arrogant and vain. The Creator worked hard to create this universe centered around His greatest work – humans. He was very proud of them and ordered the Hosts of Heaven to bow down in reverence to His newest masterpiece. Lucifer, along with some others, refused. It is said that he asked of the Most High, 'Shall a son of fire be forced to bow before a son of clay?' Lucifer was banished from the realms, no more to live among his obedient brothers and their Creator. He vowed to defeat the Most High and assume reign of all the heavens and creations for himself. Some time later, the Creator saw that His young children were in need of some guidance, so he sent the Watchers, a band of angels who were instructed to gently guide the developing new race in the right directions. Unfortunately, instead of helping the humans improve, they became corrupted themselves, and were also banished from the realms of the heavens. One in particular, Azazel, was captured and imprisoned. But not before he sired several offspring amongst the human females."

Adara nodded. She knew that the powerful demon prince was her grand-sire. It was a subject she often tried to press out of her conscious mind. "How is it that you are still alive if he was imprisoned so long ago?" she queried.

 "Ahh, these are creatures that do not know boundaries of time and place as the humans do. They exist outside this plane we know as our 'universe' and can move freely from amongst any points within by stepping in and out of the boundaries."

"Boundaries?"

Dawl thought for a moment. "I imagine your mother could explain this far better than I, for I only have secondhand knowledge of the mechanics of such things. She's actually been there."

Adara's eyes widened as she pondered this thought.

"The Creator set the boundaries of space and time when He created the humans. These boundaries do not apply to what humans refer to as 'spiritual' beings."

Keres returned from the kitchen bearing a plate of warm pastries. His gaze shifted back and forth between his tiny mate and her niece. It was amazing how grown up Adara had become. It seemed like only a short time had passed since she was spending the night with them in her little footed pajamas and dragging a worn old teddy bear. He smiled as he passed the warm food in front of them to give them each a good sniff at the sweet aroma. They all moved to the worn sofa as he sat the plate on the coffee table for all to share.

"So," Dawl continued, between bites as she carefully chewed and swallowed the gooey pastry, "the difference between what you call demons, and angels, is in their actions. They are the same creatures. Some are referred to as 'elohiym, which means 'obedient ones' and some are 'sa'iyr' or what we call demons." She licked her lips and gave her niece a warm smile.

"Does this mean that because my mother was obedient she was made 'elohiym instead of sa'iyr?"

"Basically, I would say yes. Though that decision can only be made by the Creator. Normally, when a Nephilim dies, and their life force is released from the mortal body, they become an evil spirit. They join the ranks of the sa'iyr and are bound for judgment as such. Your mother worked all her life against the forces of the sa'iyr, even though no one taught her to do so. She used her human aspect's free will to decide to forsake evil and embrace good. I am sure that is why she is an angel now."

Adara licked icing from her dainty fingers and nodded thoughtfully. "What does that make me?"

"Well…I am not fit to judge you, nor is any other human. Your actions determine how you will be judged, and whether you will be found obedient or rebellious. Do the best you can, Adara. Be the best person you can be. Do good and not evil to those around you. That is all you can do."

"But that really doesn't tell me WHAT I am," she sighed in frustration.

"Does it matter? Your father is basically human. Or I should say WAS basically human. Okay, so he came from a different dimension. But he was still a human. Then when he was fused with the Nictus, he became a Warshade. Does that make you a Warshade? No, of course not. No more than your mother being the daughter of Azazel made her a demon. She chose not to be. What you become is not determined by your DNA. It will be the result of the choices you make."

Adara nodded slowly. What her aunt was saying made sense but it still did not allay her fears that somehow she was tainted by the bloodline of evil in her ancestry. She drained the last dregs of her coffee and savored the spices as they lingered on her palette.

Her aunt smiled warmly as she stood and tightened the belt on her robe, tugging hard in a futile attempt to pull the garment tighter around her generous bosom. "I," she began slowly, "think I am going to go take a quick shower and get dressed. Do you mind, Adara?"

"Not at all, Aunt Vu. Take your time."

Keres opened his mouth as if to speak when Dawl cut him off with a firm gaze. He chuckled softly and nodded. He motioned towards Adara's empty mug. "Refill?" he asked.

"Sure," she answered brightly. "That was delicious."

He grinned. "Dawl mixes the spices. I just scoop it out of the canister and pour water into the coffeemaker."

Adara nodded as he turned and headed towards the kitchen. Absorbed in thought, she walked to the window and leaned forward to gaze idly outside as the morning sun sifting through some high wispy clouds dappled the sides of buildings. A flash of red streaking past the window snapped her out of her daydream. Jumping up, she entered the dining room and walked over to the patio doors leading out onto a small balcony.

"Sheken!" she squealed happily as her cousin landed gracefully on the gravelly concrete. She ran to embrace the older girl with an enthusiastic hug.

"Is mom awake yet?"

"Yes," Adara answered. "We were just having coffee. Aunt Vu went to take a shower."

Sheken smiled and glanced in through the patio doors to see Keres enter the den. "Marcus is waiting downstairs," she leaned in close and whispered.

Adara winced visibly. "Your mom is still upset with him?"

Sheken nodded. She made a put a finger to her lips in a hushing gesture as Keres walked out onto the patio.

Keres handed Adara her mug and nodded to Sheken, "Want some?"

She sniffed the air, picking up the heady aroma of the rich spicy coffee. "With Amarula?" she replied with an impish grin that before her birth had solely been a trademark of her mother.

Keres gave her a wry smile. "I'd ask you if you didn't think it wasn't a bit too early for drinking, but that never gets me the answer I am hoping for from your mother, either." He laughed and disappeared into the apartment once more.

As soon as he was gone, Adara turned to Sheken. "You haven't told them yet, have you?"

Sheken looked down at the exposed aggregate of the balcony as she edge backwards into one of the patio chairs. "No," she answered, her voice little more than a whisper.

"Do you want me to?" Adara offered.

"Nah. I am a grown-up now. I need to face her wrath for myself. Hopefully Keres will keep her from killing me." She gave a dark little laugh.

"Keep who from killing you?"

Both girls' necks snapped around so fast that they could almost be heard as a slightly damp Dawl materialized in the patio doorway.

Sheken swallowed hard and shifted in her chair. "Hi, Mom."

The tiny demoness glanced from her offspring to her niece. Both of them were struggling to mask the 'deer in the headlights' look that had suddenly plastered itself across their features. Her empathic senses told her they were up to something, but Adara was keeping a tight rein on her emotions and Sheken's psionic strength gave her the ability to effectively block any attempts to read her thoughts.

Keres came up behind DawL with two steaming mugs, handing one to his lover and the other to Sheken. The tiny demoness gave him a scowl as her hypersensitive sense of smell identified alcohol as part of the contents of the cup that was now being quickly gulped by her errant child. He brushed aside her annoyance with a gentle laugh and a shrug.

Adara moved over to the patio set and pulled up a chair. Lowering herself gently she folded her hands in front of her and tried to think of a disarming topic for conversation. "Aunt Vu, did you hear that they extended the green line into Skyway City and all the way out to Founders Falls while you were gone?"

Dawl nodded. "That is fantastic news. That is an improvement that has been years overdue."

Keres nodded his agreement. "Although with the base telepads, we don't use the monorail nearly as much as we used to."

Dawl shook her damp tresses and smiled at him. "Remember when we used to have to go all the way to Steel Canyon to catch a connecting line just to go from Founders back to Atlas or Kings Row? The newer heroes have it much easier than we did back then."

Sheken coughed softly and mumbled. "Speaking of new heroes..."

As both her mother and Keres riveted their attention upon her, she squirmed in her chair. "I wanted to let both of you be the first to know..." she paused dramatically, "...that Marcus got his certification this week."

Keres reached over to pound Dawl on the back as she spewed the mouthful of liquid she'd been attempting to swallow. After a few tense moments of choking and dabbing her coffee-covered décolletage with a napkin she finally managed to recover her voice.

"He...got...his...what?"

"He's officially a hero now, mom."

Dawl's jaw dropped. "Well," she snarled icily, "I guess the give out badges to anyone who can tie a sheet around their neck and call themselves a hero these days."

Sheken took a deep breath and let it out in a protracted sigh. Keres gave her a look of genuine concern. "Do you think he's sincere, Sheken?"

"I have no doubt of that," she answered emphatically.

A conspiratorial look passed between Sheken and Adara as the older girl swallowed hard and continued.

"I guess I should also tell you that..." She gulped the last of her drink as she invoked a lengthy pause while trying to summon the courage to drop her verbal bombshell, "…he's asked me to marry him."

Keres wasn't sure if his mate was going to leap across the table and wrap her fingers around her daughter's throat or keel over in a dead faint, but he was taking no chances. He reached over and wrapped his arms firmly around her, effectively pinning her in her chair. It took a moment for the initial shock to subside enough for her to find her voice. The first sound she uttered sounded much more like a growl than any verbage.

Adara moved close to Sheken and hugged her, more to shield her with her body than to congratulate her.

"What the HELL are you thinking, Sheken? You aren't really going to do this, are you?" Dawl shouted.

"Shhhh, sweets... the neighbors..." Keres began.

Dawl snarled as she spat an expletive that involved getting to know their neighbors in ways he had no desire to experience. Turning to her daughter she growled in a commanding tone, "You cannot marry him. I forbid this."

"Mom, please don't be like this. We LOVE each other," Sheken pleaded.

"He is a cold-blooded killer, Sheken! He doesn't know what love means."

"That is SO judgmental." Sheken snapped back. "You aren't even giving him a chance."

"It isn't judgmental, it is realistic. Facts don't lie. He's nothing but a hired assassin."

"Mom," Sheken wailed, "you don't know him. He's changed."

The little demoness snorted derisively. "Yeah, right. Like a leopard changes his spots. He's a KILLER. He was going to kill YOU. As it was, he kidnapped you, and raped you. Or did you forget all that?"

Sheken blushed hotly and shifted her gaze towards the ground to avoid her mother's piercing glare as she mumbled, "He said he was sorry, and I forgave him."

"He SAID HE WAS SORRY?" Dawl screeched. "How the hell does someone just SAY they are SORRY for things like that? How can you even believe what he says?"

Adara spun around and faced her aunt as her eyes misted with tears. "Aunt Vu," she began, her soft voice quavering with emotion, "weren't you just telling me earlier that what a person becomes is a result of the choices they make for themselves? You aren't giving Marcus the chance to make those right choices."

The gentle child's words hit the demoness harder than any physical blow. For a moment she stood speechless. Sheken began to cry. "I knew you wouldn't understand," she sobbed.

Keres grimaced as the sound of the doorbell echoed from inside the apartment. He was certain that it was the neighbors in the apartment below coming to complain about the sound level generated by this skirmish. He shot Adara a pleading look to let her know he wasn't ready to release the still fuming demoness from his firm grip just yet. Adara leapt to her feet and ducked into the house, only to return a moment later, trailed by a worried-looking Marcus.

A renewed growl rumbled deep within the small redhead's throat as she glared daggers at the man who would be her new son-in-law. The force of that realization caused her to suddenly burst forth from Keres' firm embrace with a snarl and a loud crackle of electric energy. Keres stumbled backwards and quickly moved to intercept her as she launched herself towards the doorway. He caught her around the waist just as her talons raked the air within millimeters of Marcus's jugular. Lifting her high into the air, he held her fast while she flailed uncontrollably.

Sheken jumped up and rushed to her lover, placing her body between the infuriated demoness and an unflinching Marcus. "What are you doing here?" she asked frantically. "I thought you were going to wait for me downstairs?"

"I was worried about you. Why should I let you be the only one to face the music? This is as much my responsibility as it is yours," he stated gently. "I love you and I belong at your side, no matter if you are fighting Tsoo, or...." He nodded towards Dawl with a tense smile.

Sheken hugged him tightly as her mother seemed to run out of endurance. "Are you going to behave?" Keres asked her as he lowered her to the ground and turned her to face him. "You can't just kill him. That's doing the very thing you are condemning him for, you know."

She took a deep breath and growled deep in her throat. She spun around but Keres moved like lightning to step in between her and the young couple. "Look, sweets, normally I am pretty indulgent with you, but this time I have got to put my foot down. You are not going to attack him. Don't make me turn you over my knee and give you a spanking." Normally this statement was interpreted as foreplay and resulted in a few lighthearted swats on her rump as he carried her off towards their bedroom. This time, however, he was met with a stony glare as she sunk sullenly into the nearest chair.

"I know you don't like me," Marcus began slowly as he stepped towards the tiny demoness.

"That would be an understatement," she growled darkly.

"I don't expect you to. And though I know I have no right to ask this, I would like you to do me one simple favor."

He was met with a deeper growl as her eyes narrowed.

"I know you have no reason to trust me. I just want an opportunity to somehow redeem myself in your eyes. Please just give me one chance to prove to you that I love Sheken, and that I truly have changed. Tell me what you want me to do to prove this and I will do it, whatever it may be."

The green in her eyes flashed and glittered angrily as she thought upon his words for a moment. "You want to prove how much you love her?" A vicious smile curled upon her lips. "Fine. She is about to reach her age of awareness, upon her next birthday. When that happens, the pieces of a dire prophecy will fall into place and she will face her own brother and your dear friend Naimah in battle. I want you to go back to the Rogue Isles, perform a binding ritual, and banish Naimah from this plane forever."

Four sets of eyes widened and stared at the diminutive demoness. Keres found his voice first. "Dawl, you know that is like sending him to a certain death."

She snarled and shook her head. "It can be done. And if he wants one chance to prove how much he loves Sheken, he will be the one to do it."

Sheken clung to Marcus as she sobbed uncontrollably. Adara approached them and hugged her cousin with tears running down her face. Both knew that Naimah was the one who had managed to kill Azazela, a powerful, experienced heroine. Marcus would not stand a chance.

He stood for a moment, staring deep into the eyes of his adversary. "I will accept your challenge."

"Nooooo," Sheken wailed.

"It is done," Dawl nodded darkly. "Return to me when Naimah is bound."

Marcus nodded and bowed, and turned to Sheken, kissing her tenderly. "I will do this. For you." His fingertip traced her jaw line, slick with the wetness of her burning tears. "Don't worry. I will be back..."

He turned to head towards the door and she clung to him. "I am going too."

"No." He set his jaw and shook his head. "You can't go. Remember the prophecy. Don't give her a chance to thwart you before you can fulfill it."

Sheken spun around and faced her mother as she screamed. "All my life, I have lived in the shadow of this stupid prophecy. I have HAD ENOUGH. It is MY life and I am going with Marcus."

"You will not go with him," Dawl screamed.

Sheken took one step forward, and met her mother's angry gaze, "I am an adult now, mother. I will do as I DAMN WELL PLEASE and you CANNOT STOP ME."

Dawl snorted angrily as her eyes blazed with an almost unholy light. Her hand sliced through the air in a wide arc, aimed directly for her wayward daughter's flushed cheek. Before it could make contact, however, it stuck a hard obstacle. Sheken raised one arm to block the incoming blow, and with the other hand, returned a blow of her own, driving her open palm firmly into the side of her astonished mother's face.

Before things could get any further out of hand, the three bystanders intervened. Keres grabbed Dawl, pulling her backwards and encircling her with his strong arms. Her legs flailed as he lifted her off the floor with arms pinned to her sides.

Marcus and Adara had stepped in front of Sheken, Adara taking her by the hand and Marcus putting his arms gently around her waist. "Please, baby, this isn't going to help matters. Don't make this any harder than it is."

Sheken's resolve and rage subsided like a tide ebbing after a surge has passed. It left her drained and shaking. She leaned into Marcus and began to cry.

Adara looked at Marcus and shook her head silently. Keres had dragged Dawl back into the house. Marcus followed their retreating forms with an agonizing look. He dreaded running that gauntlet in order to get back to the door. Adara could read his sentiments simply from the look on his face. "Let's take the back way out," she suggested gently.

He looked at her with a puzzled gaze. The small balcony did not connect to any other access. Just as he was about to open his mouth and ask what she meant by a "back way out," she leapt over the edge of the balcony without a word. Moments later, a startled Marcus materialized next to a trembling Sheken on the sidewalk in front of the building. "Thanks, Adara," he murmured with sincere gratitude.

"Anytime," she said, with a solemn gaze. "You really can't be serious, Marcus. Naimah is the one who killed my mother."

"Of course I am serious." They could both tell by the set of his jaw that he was determined to carry through with his word. "If this is what I need to do in order to prove my love for Sheken, then I will do it."

"This is insane, Marcus," Sheken cried. "You can't go along with this. She knows there is a good chance you won't make it back. That's why she suggested this."

Marcus cocked his head to one side thoughtfully, and drew a deep breath. "What else can I do? She won't settle for anything less. And really, if you think about it, either I deal with this now, or we must deal with it when the prophecy comes true. Either way, I am going to face Naimah."

Adara turned and began walking towards the tram, motioning for them to follow her. "I just thought of something. Let's go to Salamanca. I need some advice, and I know just where to get it."

Sheken and Marcus exchanged a puzzled glance, but followed the slender blonde. Wordlessly, they boarded the monorail heading for Salamanca, and settled back onto the hard bench seats to endure the long ride.

Adara stared out the window at the changing hues of the leaves on the ancient trees. This had become home to her, as much as the Kings Row apartment where she'd spent her youngest days with her mother. She heaved a quiet sigh to herself. Why was she so apprehensive, she wondered? After all, this is what they all wanted. Revenge. Since the day her mother died, she vowed to repay her evil half-sister. Maybe it was just time to make good on her vow.

Marcus held Sheken gently as she laid her head on his shoulder. He, too, stared out the window, but he was not drinking in the beauty of the forest. His mind was far away, in a place full of malice, betrayal and evil. His brow furrowed with a grim scowl as he ruminated on the fate that now was about to bring him full circle.

If it weren't for Naimah, he'd probably never have seen Sheken again once he had delivered her safely to Pocket D following his first encounter with her in which he rescued her from an unfortunate drug-laced-drink misadventure. Because Naimah had subsequently dispatched him to kidnap and later kill the girl, he found her in his home and in his bed a second time. His train of thought ran headlong into the memories of that fateful encounter. A wave of intense guilt flushed over him so hard that it pressed tears from his eyes. As he closed them to stem the tide of saline he saw her cowering in the corner of his shower. Suddenly the memory replayed like some Technicolor film of the entire sordid act. He saw himself grabbing her and lifting her up, slamming her into the corner where he could pin her against the wall and impale her. She was sobbing so hard he thought for a moment she was choking, and then she simply went limp in his arms. Finding it hard to support her unconscious and slippery form, he reached behind him and turned off the water. Scooping her up in his arms, he carried her into the bedroom and laid her on the bed. In his memories he could hear her crying out in pain even though she was unconscious. He remembered ignoring her responses and roughly plunging ahead to gratify his own urges.

The remorse he felt as his mind relived the assault made him physically ill. He opened his tear-filled eyes and looked at the gentle, trusting girl who had become his friend and lover. He was grateful to the succubus, Dark as Syn, who had entered Sheken's fragile subconscious, and taken the memory from her. He sometimes wished that Syn could have done the same for him, but reminded himself that even reliving the terrible memory was still probably not near the punishment he deserved for what he'd done. He held her gently in his arms as he tried to fathom how she could possibly avoid hating him.

Sheken looked up into his eyes and tried desperately to avoid probing into his private thoughts. The longer they were together, the easier it became for her psionic powers to penetrate his mental defenses. She opened her mouth as if to speak. Leaning in close, he covered her lips with his own. He moaned softly as he pulled her close.

Across the aisle, Adara blushed and turned away with a smile. She was a bit skeptical herself when she met Marcus, realizing that he'd been a key figure in the plot that ended with her mother's death. But the child had a tender heart and she felt that he'd truly seen the error of his ways, so she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Sheken and Marcus were panting by the time the tram pulled with a clatter into the brightly lit station at the edge of Salamanca. Adara always thought the building looked so out of place against the backdrop of the sleepy little town.

She coughed loudly to alert the lovebirds that they had reached their destination. She shook her head as they both smoothed their hair and wiped their lips. Perhaps someday she would understand what made people act in such a manner. For now, she was just thankful that no others had chosen that exact time to venture to the region called Croatoa, for they would have been treated to quit the show enroute.

Adara breathed in the sweet fresh air as they walked down the cobbled streets of the quaint burg. The smell of fallen leaves mingled with the crisp freshness of a lovely fall day. The young couple followed closely, as Adara led them through the narrow streets to the opposite side of the small town. They stopped when they reached an older brick building near the larger university building. Adara lifted the worn ornate brass knocker and let it fall with a loud thud. Almost instantly the door was answered by a weathered older woman, whose face lit up with a smile as she gazed down at Adara.

"Come in, my child. It was my understanding that you were going to spend the weekend in Paragon City. Is something wrong?" Even though she realized Mary often knew the answers before she asked the questions, Adara nonetheless politely nodded.

 "I wouldn't bother you, ma'am," Adara said, in a tone of quiet respect, "but I have a serious problem that requires more knowledge than I have attained so far."

Mary nodded sagely. "You know that I will do anything within my power to help you, Adara. You have become one of the best students ever to grace our institution. Tell me, child, what is it that is troubling you?"

As she spoke, the woman gestured for the trio to enter and follow her down a narrow hallway. The ancient pocket doors rasped softly as she slid them open to motion them towards a group of chairs near an ornately carved desk. The room was full of warm smell of old books mingled with lingering tones of myrrh, cinnamon and clove. As Adara began to relate her tale, Mary eased herself into the worn leather chair behind the desk with a grave expression on her face. She listened attentively while the girl explained the events leading up to Marcus being sent to the Rogue Isles on this nearly impossibly mission to bind the very demoness that had killed her own mother.

When she'd finished, the sage sorceress leaned forward and folded her hands into a steeple as her gaze swept over the three unlikely heroes seated before her.

A pall of silence hung over the room for many moments before she cleared her throat and looked directly at Marcus with a stern glare. "You realize that your previous actions precipitated this situation, do you not?"

He swallowed and dropped his gaze to the floor, answering her with a nod and a meek "Yes, ma'am, I do."

Sheken opened her mouth as if to speak in his defense, but the woman silenced her with a look. Turning her gaze to Adara, she spoke in a low voice. "Do you have any idea of the danger you will face?"

Adara nodded and answered her, "Yes. That is why I came to speak with you. This is not a task that I would undertake lightly."

"It is not one that you should deem to undertake at all," Mary retorted. "Do your parents know of this?"

Adara shook her head. "Mom's been very busy…"

Mary smiled a sad little smile. "Of course she has, dear." She stood up suddenly. "Wait here."

Mary disappeared through a small side door as the three gazed at each other in puzzled silence. When she returned, she had a worn tome in her hands. The leather binding was faded and cracked and the edges of the pages were worn, but a pale light seemed to glow from between them. She laid the book on the desk before her as a chill wind blew through the room. The lights dimmed as Sheken shuddered and scooted closer to Marcus. Adara simply stared at the volume in reverent awe.

"This," Mary began, "is the second Testament of Solomon."

All three pairs of eyes riveted upon the book looked up simultaneously to give her a puzzled look.

"The ancient king?" Adara asked in a tone of awe.

The wizened woman nodded. "While the first testament told of the demons he bound and ordered to build his temple, this volume gives very specific instructions for the binding, and contains…" her voice trailed as her nimble fingers lifted the worn cover that looked as though it might crumble to dust at her touch. A diffuse golden glow emanated from the pages as she opened the book, casting an eerie light upon her visage. She muttered a few unintelligible syllables and held her hand over one of the pages that bore a glowing picture of a ring, surrounded by a cadre of ancient symbols. As she chanted, she raised her hand slowly and the picture seemed to somehow lift itself from the ancient page to float upwards into her outstretched hand. The image wavered and contorted as it hovered just above her palm, casting a ghostly glow upon her skin. It seemed to grow smaller as it appeared to fold around itself until it had morphed from the flattened picture into the form of thick metal ring that dropped with an audible plop in the center of her palm.

She turned to Adara, with a grave frown on her face. "I cannot give this to you," she said flatly. She leaned forward and crooked a finger at an astonished Marcus, who leaned across the desk in obedience to her silent summons.

"You," she began darkly, "must take charge of this precious relic. This was entrusted to me by its previous owner, on the condition that I guard it jealously and insure that its power never be abused."

"What…what is it?" Marcus asked.

"This is the Seal of Solomon. By the authority of He whose name is upon this seal, you may bind demons to do your bidding." Mary gave him a stern glare. "I give you this ring for the purpose of binding the demons who murdered Azazela, and who oppose your family's destiny."

"My family?" Marcus asked, in a hoarse whisper as Mary grabbed his hand and slid the ring onto his right index finger. The ring pulsed with light for split second before wrapping itself tightly around his trembling digit.

"You are betrothed to Sheken, are you not?"

Marcus recoiled in shock. "How…"

"I know many things that remain unspoken, young man. Let me warn you of this. This ring is only to be wielded by one with integrity. If you are not that one, then speak up now. If it is used for malicious or selfish reasons, it will bind not only the demons but will also bind your own soul."

Marcus swallowed hard. "Why me? Why not Adara or Sheken?"

"They cannot bind that from which they came. Both girls are descendants of a prince of demons, the wicked Azazel. This ring, sadly, cannot be worn by those of demonic bloodlines, no matter how pure their intent. To do so, even for a short time, would be enough to bring punishment upon themselves and their descendants."

She stood up straight and glared daggers into his eyes. He suddenly felt as though her gaze was burning a path straight through him and into his very soul. "Marcus Aurelius Vespa, do you vow to use the power of this seal only according to that which is good and true, in the eyes of the One whose name is inscribed upon it?"

Marcus trembled as he dropped to his knees. "I do," he gasped, his voice quavering.

She reached down and placed a gnarled hand upon his forehead. "Go, and do this task, however, I must warn you that it will not be without great cost."

He rose to his feet slowly and looked the sorceress in the eyes. "Will Sheken be saved?"

A strange smile crept over her face. Wordlessly, she nodded. "Marcus, you are indeed upon a path that will lead you to redemption."

She turned and looked at Adara. "My child, you were born with incredible power. Even though you are still very young, the impact of your deeds will be felt far into the realms of Hell. Remember the amulet. It will serve you best when the time comes." Adara reached down and fingered the stone embedded in the buckle of her belt. She nodded gravely at her wizened mentor. "Thank you. We could not undertake this mission without your help."

The elder woman gave her a terse nod. "Two children and one man are setting out to attempt a task where teams of experienced heroes have failed."

Sheken made a face when the sorceress deemed her also a child, but Mary turned to her with a stern countenance. "You have much to learn before you reach your age of awareness. In many ways, little Adara is wise far beyond both your ages. Watch her and learn, Sheken. I say this not to bruise your feelings nor to demean you, but as a warning. You have heard it said, pride goes before the fall, and holding its hand to drag you over the precipice is overconfidence. Embrace your weaknesses, and learn from them, and the strength you gain by doing so will increase sevenfold."

Sheken swallowed the curt remark she'd first formed as a reply, and humbly nodded.

"You have all the assistance that I have to offer, save my keeping you in my dearest prayers." Mary moved towards the doors. As they grated noisily open, the three fledgling heroes gazed at each other and simultaneously drew a deep breath. Adara reached out her arms as she moved towards the door, hugging the sorceress tightly. "I will expect you to make up the school work you are going to miss while you are on this little adventure," Mary said, a mischievous grin lighting up her eyes. "Think of this as a field trip." She winked at the small girl. "Promise me this. You must tell your parents where you are going before you depart."

Adara nodded solemnly. "I will. I promise."

Sheken and Marcus bowed with respect and thanked Mary for her kind assistance as she ushered them to the door. On the way back to the tram, Sheken spoke up first.

"I have heard many things from my mom about her. It seems they were all true. She appears to be an amazing woman."

Adara nodded. "I've been in school there since I was four. She's always treated me like I would expect she'd treat her own child. I have nothing but the utmost respect for her."

Marcus remained strangely silent, a mask of worry drawn across his rugged features. Sheken squeezed his hand as the sun began to set and the streets took on an eerie pall. Deepening shadows crept forth from a ghostly glow that emanated from more than just the antiqued street lamps. They picked up their pace until they were almost running as the ramp leading up to the monorail station came into view. A car was just arriving as they approached the gate. Two older heroes sped out the doors as they opened, gesturing with a friendly nod to the youthful trio as they slipped into the car. Sliding into a seat beside Marcus, Sheken once again laid her head on his shoulder. Adara, lost in thought, watched out the window as darkness gathered across the scenic landscape.

---

A dark figure slipped quietly from the small yacht onto the dock. This was not a pleasant beachhead off the coast of Paragon City, that much was for certain. The air was pungent with the stale odor of fish combined with the metallic smells of brine and petroleum. She pulled the thick velvet hood of her cape down over her face, effectively occluding her features. Stopping at the end of the pier, she approached a drably clad old man who might have been a sea captain before whatever lot in his life brought him to this fateful place.

"Can you tell me the way to the Imperium Clinic?" she asked in a hoarse, rasping whisper.

He eyed her suspiciously for only a moment, and then nodded his head in a northerly direction. "Up the stairs until ye hit the street. Head west down the street, go around the curve, then make a left at the intersection. It's the second set of doors on the left from the corner. Older brownstone building. Right across the street from building with the big HappyCorpse billboard. Can't miss it." He curled his upper lip and flipped his hand over in an overt gesture. She reached into her décolletage and produced a crisp bill, palming it to him as she shook his hand. He gave her a wide grin that displayed the results of his lifelong lack of dental care.

She nodded a wordless thanks and made her way up the pier. Slowly she climbed towards the street, keeping her gaze upon the ground except for an occasional furtive glance to insure she didn't run into anyone that might cause her trouble.

Immediately after she rounded the curve in the road, she saw the billboard for "HappyCorpse Morgue overflow service." She shuddered at the thought of what possible end products such overflow might produce. An image of Dr. Vahzilok immediately came to mind making her pause long enough to will the twisted images from her psyche.

She pulled open the heavy oak door to step into the reception area of the clinic. She inhaled deeply, appreciating from the very smell that the doctor was indeed a wealthy and powerful man. The furniture was all the finest imported leather. The thick carpet was a deep burgundy. Gleaming cherry paneling covered the walls. If not for the copious amount of lush plants, the huge cathedral style windows, bright paintings, and well placed lighting, the dark colors might have been overwhelming. Instead, the entire décor oozed of opulence and tranquility.

She allowed her eyes to adjust to the change in light levels from the overcast daylight. The dark glasses she wore made it hard to see clearly in the indoor lighting. Smoothing her long gown, she pulled her thick cape tight around her and approached the raven-haired dainty young woman who was seated behind an ornate desk of polished mahogany. "May I help you?" she asked politely.

The woman nodded and gestured with a hand towards the back. "I'd like to see the doctor," she said in a husky whisper.

Syndi Johansson had seen many people come through the doors in her long tenure as Doctor Maritus' personal lackey. Her senses tingled slightly as she peered up at the partially hidden visage that peered from beneath the dark cloak. Gently, she probed for access to the woman's thoughts, but found her efforts rebuffed.

"Do you have an appointment?"

Enveloped in the shadows of the shrouded hood, the woman shook her head.

Pursing her delicate lips Syndi dutifully nodded and asked, "May I tell him the purpose of this visit?"

The dark figure shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

"What kind of problem are you having," Syn asked gently.

After a moment of hesitation, the woman answered in a hushed rasp, "I do not have a problem. I bring a solution."

Syndi's face registered a truly puzzled expression as she looked down at her schedule book. There was indeed a free appointment immediately following the client the doctor was in with at the moment. "I can work you in as soon as he finishes with his current patient," she explained softly.

The woman nodded slowly and turned to take a seat on the soft leather sofa.

"May I tell him who to expect?" the petite brunette prodded gently.

"No," the figure answered in a gruff croak.

Syndi opened her mouth as if to say something, and then drew a deep breath. She got up from her desk and walked back towards the doctor's office. She clipped a small note to the doctor on the wall pocket outside the examination room he currently occupied. Slipping back down the corridor, she stole a glance at the small shrouded figure that perched nervously on the edge of the couch in the waiting room. Shaking her head, she slid back into the chair behind her desk and tried to focus on filing some insurance forms instead of the lingering sense that something was about to go terribly wrong.