She moved her body in shock and it alarmed the little white tiger-pheonix beast, jolting it up as well. Her heart beat rate increased, as her chest rose and fell with each breath she took, her breathing became scattered.

"White-Fire please, don't do that again" she tried her best to calm her racing heart as she felt the loud thud in her chest.

The little white tiger-pheonix beast walked up to its mother and cuddled close to it. Slowly its eyes closed and drifted off to sleep.

"As you wish. What were you so lost in thought about?"

"What made you startle me like that?"

"You were staring at him so intently and lost in thought, so you didn't hear me when I asked you a question."

"What question?"

"I asked if you were ready to start recalling. It is important you know what happened, perhaps it would understand how dangerous it can be and the risks involved."

"But I... " White-Fire stopped her midway into her sentence.

"Astrid, it's not up for discussion. Thank you for saving our lives but you need to be mindful as well. If you had let me join at the start, then this... " it shook its head, "Wouldn't have happened."

"Okay" her expression darkened, she felt down and bent her head low. "I wonder if he'd, hmm never mind" she thought to herself.

Jareth saw this and spoke up, "What is wrong Astrid?"

Her head turned to his direction, he just stared into her orbs, trying to figure out what was wrong.

"It's nothing. I would like to try recalling what happened that day" she said shyly.

"About that" he started off calmly but before he could continue, Astrid interrupted him.

"Can you help me? Start by saying what had happened when I called for your help."

"I–I" he sighed, "Very well then. You called out for my help with White-Fire, I killed the other man I was fighting with and dashed in your direction to help, the next thing I know, you turned towards me and screamed no."

Astrid closed her eyes trying to go back to that day. With his voice pouring into her ears, she saw it all again.

First, she called for his help, then turned her head in his direction, only to see the a.s.sa.s.sin throw a dagger at Jareth's head.

At the same time, White-Fire was in danger, the leader was about killing it with his sword. She couldn't let go of her hold on the other a.s.sasin or she would have been dead.

Her mind was in a mess, she was losing her hold on her powers, it was slipping, the a.s.sa.s.sins advancing towards her as the vines weakened.

"You were about to be killed, the a.s.sa.s.sin threw a dagger at you, I couldn't let it happen. Then I felt it, it was like a wave of energy, magic but living, it coursed through my veins the powers flooding in at an alarming rate."

A tear drop flowed out from her close eye lid. She took in a sharp breath, her chest rose and fell with that action. It was like she was reliving it, she felt the energy surging into her.

"Ahhhh, refres.h.i.+ng, it always is" she tilted her head to the side a bit then raised it up with her eyes still closed.

"It was a familiar feeling, one that shared my feelings, my will, the desire to protect and when I couldn't hold it in again, it exploded out of me."

Savoring the feeling, her body shone with a bright light as she relished the feeling. Jareth got up to stop her but White-Fire snarled at him.

He quietly watched her, not taking another step further.

As she enjoyed the feeling of her magic, reconnecting her with her environment, nature... She saw it all again.

Immediately she screamed out, her hold on her magic became stronger, the vines came back to life strong and pierced the bodies of all the a.s.sa.s.sins.

In a split second, she detected a barrier and s.h.i.+elded Jareth and the white tiger-pheonix beasts, then it exploded out of her like a bomb.

It flung the men and scattered them around with the vines still pierced in them. Instantly, she felt a powerful drain in her body and fell down.

Eyes closing, she tried to open it to see her surroundings, a feeling of satisfaction rose within her, they had won. Before she lost consciousness, she heard him call out her name.

"Astrrrrriiiiiidddddd!!!!" Her eyes closed with a small smile on her lips.

She had the same small smile plastered on her face as she remembered it all. Slowly she opened her eyes, he lights started to fade, but she saw it too before it faded completely.

"Astrid" he called out her name and she turned her gaze to him, his eyes held a worried look.

She sighed as her smile increased and another tear dropped.

"Remembered?"

She gave a nod as she moved her head up and down, "I remember. Thank you."

He arched his brows at her and asked, "For?"