Though Volkenar is unable to touch Mileena, no one is able to stop him from taking the Book of Prophecy for himself. (shown)
Ji struggles to get it back, but is too severly wounded. Volkenar grabs the demon and drags him toward the boundary stone.
Torlu and K'mael come running back from the Keep, but they can only watch as Volkenar throws Ji at Tyre Bek. While Bek tries to get away from the thrashing demon, Volkenar makes good his escape.
K'mael is determined to give chase, but Cascade is against it.
"That thing is a vampire," he tells the mage. "Once it reaches the shadow of the forest, you'll never be able to track it."
"But we can't just let him have that book!" K'mael argues.
"It is done. We must regroup, and secure our position against further attack. If the monster is so great a threat, he will make himself known to us again."
Meanwhile, Ji manages to get ahold of Tyre Bek...
Alot happened this week!
Ji looks down at the boundary stone and sees that he is beyond it. Summoning forth his magic power, Ji sends Tyre Bek flying away with a massive energy blast. He glances at K'mael but, after a tense moment, Ji turns and flies away.
"...Was he ever...after me at all?" K'mael wonders.
Meanwhile, some distance away, Volkenar ceases his flight and delights in his new freedom. He takes a moment to look at the stolen Book of Prophecy, wondering why the others fought over it so. Volkenar is suprised, however, to find the entire book blank!
"Perhaps it is not meant for your eyes." Says a strange voice.
Volkanar turns to confront the newcomer, who explains further...(shown)
The stranger describes himself as an intermediator, and tells the vampire that a judgement must be made and that both sides must be heard.
Much to Volkenar's suprise, Anthony appears. "It's good to see you, Salio,." Anthony says. "I've been looking forward to your arrival for some time now. I'm in desperate need of some of your clerical abilities."
"Cleric!" Volkenar snarls. "I'll not be cast out! Not by you or by anyone!"
"It's hardly your decision," Anthony tells him. "You simply do not belong."
Volkenar turns on Anthony and swipes at him with his claws, which pass harmlessly through.
"What did you expect?" Anthony chides him. "You're in my body, remember?"
"It is a reflection of the spirit, nothing more," explains the strange voice.
"Then you are my target!" Volkenar growls as he launches himself at Salio.
"Be still..." Salio responds, immobilizing the furious vampire in a divine spell.
Anthony asks Salio to cast out the spirit of Volkenar from his body, but the cleric refuses.
"The spirit entered not through force nor guile." Notes one of Salio's crystals.
Anthony scoffs. "I suppose that's true. I took on Volkenar's spirit to spare another. But what does that matter?"
"It is all that matters." Says the other.
Then, much to Anthony's suprise and anger, Salio asks Volkenar his desire.
"What do I want, eh?" Volkenar grins. "To once again walk the mortal world. To bathe in the blood of my prey..."
"But most of all?"
"To exist. To live."
"A just desire."
"Agreed."
"There is no more basic a wish than that to live," says Salio.
"To cast out this Spirit would be to condemn it to Death. All life, in all its variety, must be preserved."
"A Bargain, though unspoken, was made. One Life for another. That Bargain must be honored."
"...As to the question of control?" Salio asks.
"Left unchecked, this Spirit would do great harm. Control of the Form should go to its original bearer."
"Control was never part of the Bargain. There are no grounds for dispute."
"Let it be so..." says Salio as he invokes his power. In a flash of holy magic, Anthony is returned to his human form. Despite this, Anthony feels angry and betrayed, and even more so when Salio takes the Book from his grasp. But, Salio explains, it is not for himself to use. (shown)
