"What have you gotten yourself into Zedd?" Nag asked.

"This is the best option I have," I said. "You've seen what I can do. I don't see any reason why I shouldn't believe Hilda."

"This is not the point," Nag said. "We're here, doing someone else's bidding, and for what? Because she healed your scars?"

"It's because she has answers not even you could provide," I said. "Beatrix refused to set up another meeting. This is our only option."

"We can't ambush her like this," Nag said. "You know that better than I. She's a slippery one. Not even owls can see her when she decides to disappear."

"She can't disappear forever," I said. "She's bound to reappear somewhere. That's where you come in."

"I'm not attacking the woman who saved my life Zedd," Nag said. His chest heaved as his breathing quickened.

"I'm not asking you to," I said. "All we need to do is weaken her. We're not attacking, just intimidating."

"Whatever you say Zedd," Nag said. "I'm still not attacking her."

I sighed. "Alright," I said. "You can track her movements though, can't you?"

"As long as I'm far from her area of effect," he said. "I think I can do that."

"Last time in Sosalk, how much of the village did she cover with her powers?" I asked.

"I couldn't tell for sure," Nag said. "She might have covered the entire village."

I scratched my head, furious and frustrated. "What a pain in the a.s.s," I said.

"You should've accepted her offer back then," Nag said.

"And I should've handed my head on a silver platter to the Church too," I retorted. "She's weak I tell you. She's an amateur with a personal vendetta."

"What if you can't convince her to join you?" my dear Sebyan friend asked. He loved reminding me of all the possible negative outcomes.

"She will accept," I said. "I'm not giving her a choice here."

Just then, the city bells rang. Guards shouted at the people outside to hurry. Others, who had their estates outside the city, or simply worked for n.o.bles who lived the lazy life, rushed out before they lost their livelihood.

"There," Nag pointed to a giant of a man, fully cloaked and hurrying down the southern road.

"You stay here," I said. "Let me know the moment you see her coming."

I hurried toward the road and hid behind a slow moving carriage. The sun had finally set. The last remaining sun rays filled the sky with fiery hues. Tonight was a new moon, not the best time to target Beatrix, but it was our best shot. I needed her for what was coming. We both wanted the same thing, Bodrick dead, and the infamous helm in our possession.

I followed the big chunk of meat from a safe distance. I needed to wait until it was dark to make my presence known. He didn't seem to notice I was following him either. Amateurs rarely think of the enemies they make, especially when they have a leader with supernatural abilities.

When the city walls disappeared in the horizon behind us, the sky had finally darkened. The first stars to appear in the night sky offered little to no lighting. The carriage I hid behind earlier had taken another route. The hulk and I were alone on the road. He was bound to realize I was following him.

We reached a cross road then. He turned left, and I waited a little while before I followed.

'She's out,' Nag's voice reverberated in my mind.

'He finally noticed!' I said. 'Don't follow her,' I went on.

'I'm not as foolish as you,' Nag retorted. 'I have two owls tracking her as we speak.'

'Great,' I said. I quickened my pace then and approached the big man.

"Hey!" I called out to him. "Hey, can you help a fella out?"

He slowly turned to face me. His face was concealed underneath his hood. There were no houses around us, no other source of light but the stars above us. I could barely see him move in the distance. I cursed inwardly and approached the man, slowly, carefully.

I heard his sword leave its scabbard. I put my hand on the pommel of mine and kept walking. A sword never makes a sound when drawn expertly from its scabbard. I was indeed dealing with amateurs. The thought of killing this man crossed my mind. I struggled to fight the urge to draw mine and cross blades with him.

"I only want to talk," I said. "There's no need to get hostile."

'She's getting close,' Nag informed me.

'How fast is this la.s.s?' I asked.

'You weren't running,' Nag commented. 'Wait for my signal then get out of there.'

'You can tell me where she is right now and spare me the trouble,' I said.

The giant hulk was a few paces away from me. I could hear his irregular breathing. I could even smell his fear and apprehension. My blood boiled. There's nothing better than confirming your superiority against people who fear you.

"What d'you want?" he asked. His voice was surprisingly high pitched, a great contrast to his size and intimidating appearance.

'Now!' Nag's voice boomed inside my head.

'Where is she?' I asked.

'About three hundred feet west,' Nag said.

I willed time to stop then ran to the direction Nag had suggested. Sure enough, Beatrix, clad in a black cloak, was running toward us. She looked funny, one foot firmly on the ground, the other flailing behind her as she ran. When you get to stop time, you observe people in the strangest of positions.

I took a rope out of my pocket and got busy tying her hands behind her back. The internal clock in my head started ticking faster. I was almost out of time. I managed to bind her hands just in time though. When time ran its usual course, Beatrix turned to look at me. Her eyes immediately widened. I couldn't let her retaliate though.

"Stay still," I said. "I only want to talk."

She was about to say something when I willed my Fragment to activate the latest spell I've learned. Her mouth opened, but couldn't close. She seemed to struggle to speak. Her eyes moved slower than a slime climbing up a tree.

"You can't speak or think properly," I said. "We need to talk, but since you refused to see me, I had to resort to other, less elegant, means. I'll release the spell I used on you, but you'll have to promise not to attack. I don't want us to fight."

Beatrix's face struggled to constrict. She was obviously trying to say something, but the bubble I coated her with slowed time. She couldn't do anything unless I released the spell I had on her. That was the downside of the spell. You can't conduct deals with it still active.

I bound her mouth as well to stop her from speaking until we had an agreement. I didn't know how she activated her spell. I just hoped she wasn't as advanced as I was. I could now activate the Fragment's abilities without uttering a single word.

"We both want the same thing," I said after I released the spell. "I just don't want to involve your crew in the matter."

I kept my eye guled on her. I couldn't risk losing sight of her now. Beatrix screamed some m.u.f.fled words then tried to headb.u.t.t me. I instinctively pulled back. Then darkess ensued.

's.h.i.+t! Nag?' I reached out to my friend.

'From here, I'd say it's about a two mile radius,' he said.

I was about to say something when I felt a sharp pain on my side. I quickly reached for the knife that had just stabbed me then pulled its owner to me. I headb.u.t.ted her, and I heard something crack.

Beatrix screamed, but she wasn't done yet. She kicked me in the b.a.l.l.s. In that pitch black darkness, I saw twinkling stars before my eyes. The b.i.t.c.h had kicked me as though she meant to bust my b.a.l.l.s.

"I… only… want… to… talk…" I said, struggling to keep hold of the lady of the dark. Everytime she moved, the knife she stabbed me with twisted and worsened my injury.

She kicked me once more, but I had read through it. My side hurt terribly. I could stop time and get out of there, but I'd miss my chance to capture and speak to her. I could also try to carry her outside of her area of effect, but it would take more time than my spell allowed. I had to grit my teeth and work through the pain.

I kicked her in the nape of her knee and brought her down. I willed the time stop spell to take effect on my injury. That would buy me enough time to subdue Beatrix. In my haste to stop the bleeding though, I let go of one of her arms. I heard another knife being sheathed, and I jumped back just in time to avoid a desperate swing.

By then, I had let go of both her arms. She was about to kill me, or leave this place. I couldn't let that happen. It took but a split second to decide. I drove my foot forward, with brute force and all the speed I could muster. It connected, and I heard a short squeal then a thud. The darkness slowly dissipated. After my eye readjusted to the new lighting, I found Beatrix lying on the ground, unconscious.

'Get your a.s.s here, quick,' I told Nag. 'The b.i.t.c.h almost killed me.'