Eyrewind steps in front of JC and Brian, who have turned towards the intruder.

JC steps off to his left, placing his right hand on Eyrewind’s left shoulder, holding his staff in his left. Brian steps to Eyrewind’s right, placing his left hand on the right shoulder. The rest of the boys remain standing in the positions they were previously standing in.

The intruder moves towards the group and states, “Ah, so he is the one? He was correct.”

Eyrewind looks him over before speaking, “You are not welcome here Geraco. You can leave now on your own or…”

“Or what old man? You and that coven of inexperienced witches gonna stop me? I doubt that?” Geraco then lifts his hand, as a ball of fire is immerging from it.

As Geraco throws the fireball, Justin and AJ both raise their hands and concentrate on stopping it then the two of them send the ball back towards Geraco. Howie and Chris assist with the movement causing the ball to move too fast for Geraco to block. Although their aim was off, they proved that they were a force to be reckoned with.

As the fireball strikes him Geraco laughs, then disappears into another billow of smoke.

Eyrewind turns to the boys, “Very well done. You surprised him, unfortunately now he knows your powers and will be ready the next time. We must come up with a plan to defeat him and quickly.

They all sit back in their circle and quietly ponder their situation until Kevin speaks up, “Eyrewind? I may have an idea.”

“Yes?” Eyrewind replies as all eyes turn to Kevin.

“Well…” He starts, “I was thinking. You stated that a wizard’s power is in his staff right?”

“Yes.”

“So all we really need to do is get his staff away from him and then we could defeat him, right?”

“In theory yes.”

JC and Brian look at each other, realize they are thinking the same thing, but stay quiet to see what the others would say.

Kevin watches the two make eye contact then turn their eyes on him, encouragement clear in their eyes. “Chris and Howie both have the capability of levitation right? (Eyrewind nods) That coupled with JC’s aura influence thing.”

Eyrewind smiles, “What a wonderful idea. Although before we do anything else…” He looks to the ceiling and closes his eyes.

Within a few minutes another bright blue light begins to glow near Eyrewind and suddenly a young woman, dressed in a light blue dress and long blonde hair emerges from it.

Lance immediately recognizes her from the bookshop, “Wha…How’d….Where’d…”

Eyrewind meets the confused green eyes and smiles, “Boys, this is Ytarria.” He looks from JC to Brian, “You’re sister.”

The two boys look at each other, then the young woman, then at Eyrewind. Finally JC finds his tongue and asks, “How is she our sister, if we’re only half brothers, wouldn’t she only be a half sister to each of us?”

“This would be true.” Eyrewind replies. Turning to Brian he smiles and motions for Ytarria to approach, “She has brought you something Sylverwhynd.”

Not quite trusting these strange people and feeling safer close to JC, Brian remains in his place but asks, “What could that be?”

Ytarria pulls slowly brings the hand she’d been holding behind her to her side, in which she is holding a white staff with a brillant blue stone at the top. She then brings her other hand forward, in which she is holding another white staff, this one also containing a blue stone, shining as brilliantly as the first. “Your father has sent you each a gift. The other, which you, Grewolffe have has been in your family for years but when Lord Ralath requested that I bring you these, I could not argue.” She looks to Eyrewind, “Do you know why he has sent the twin staffs?”

“I’ve no idea but you were wise not to question him. If he sent them then…(turns to look at Brian and JC standing closely together) there is a reason.”

Chris huffs, “Man…I don’t know what’s worse. That damn ‘Book’ and never getting a straight answer…or this crap. I haven’t learned anything more from you two’s appearance than I knew this morning. I’m starting to really appreciate that ‘Book’ more and more.”

All eyes turn on Chris and suddenly he feels a bit embarrassed but then Eyrewind speaks up, “You are correct Christopher. We have not told you much more than you already knew because we do not have any more to give.”

Black smoke billows around the room again as Geraco once again appears in the room.

“And you,” Chris growls. “What is with this showing up and disappearing? If he’s so damned important to ‘Him’ then why don’t you stick around and fight for him?”

As Chris was talking, he moved closer to the intruder, with each step he took, Howie moved closer on the other side and JC approached him head on. Chris and Howie moving closer to JC, the closer they got and the angrier it seemed Chris got, the brighter the blue orb that surrounded the three boys got. When the three boys stopped, mere inches from Geraco, Chris and Howie state together “Staff” and raise their hands. JC lifts both hands, one holding his own staff the other empty. Before Geraco could comprehend what the boys were doing, his staff appeared in JC’s empty hand.

JC began states in a clear, calm voice: