The moonlit sky enveloped Ravensboro with its cold light. Tall buildings threw horrible shadows onto the road, but David ignored the play of light and shadows.

  With a determined gaze, he locked onto a singular goal, his steps unwavering and resolute. Shoulders squared, he pressed forward, entirely focused. There was no room for hesitation; he had to reach his objective, no matter the obstacle. A detour was not an option.

  David's steps carried him further south, a testament to his need. He found broken shards of red glass floating high in the air. Cracks radiated from shattered symbols within the glass, but by mystical means, the broken barrier was floating in the air—static and uncaring that its original purpose had been lost.

  " Your fault, only yours. " the voice that had become his captive spoke into his mind.

  He tried to ignore the eerie whisper. But it was hard. The shattered barrier was his fault. While the voice in his head had taken him over, this did not excuse David of his self-doubt. Nagging and insidious, David kept blaming himself, struggling to retain his earlier drive.

  David paused a short distance away from the dagger-eareds camp. His hands clenched and unclenched as he crossed his arms.

  Would this go well, he wondered. Was there a way for him to walk into the camp and ask the folks for knowledge? Would they even answer his question, not to mention would the guards even let him in? Or would they immediately try to detain him once again?

  He had begun tapping his foot on the floor, occupied with his thoughts as he shifted his weight from one foot to the next.

  If they did try to detain him, the voice might threaten to take over his body once more. Could he fight it off this time? While submerged under his mind's floor, there must be a way to break out for it. David was sure it would try, but he also knew that he needed this information, and simply turning away was not an option he could justify.

  With a heavy breath and squared shoulders, David set out. He approached unarmed, with outstretched hands showing he did not want to fight, the two guards holding silent watch over their breatherens rest.

  " Halt, " one guard said. " Who goes there? "

  David had emerged from a block of buildings that covered the entrance to the gym in deep shadows. It was not his smartest choice.

  " I've been here before, " David began. " Is there a way to speak with Tom or his mother? Actually... is his mother better? "

  Realization seemed to dawn on the guards as David stepped into the light. Upon seeing his gray skin, the emerald eyes, and the braids of his long silver hair, both of them recoiled, drawing their swords.

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  " Get away, Demon, " the other guard shrieked. " There is nothing here for you; we have nothing after you left us without protection!"

  David's mind was in turmoil as if he had received a punch to his gut. Had he truly made the guards fear him this much? He had just compelled them to inaction; he hadn't stolen anything from them or caused physical harm.

  " What ... " David began but was interrupted by the first guard stepping close to him and pointing his sword at his hand. The shaking tip of the weapon spoke volumes about the guard's inner state.

  " The boss does not want you here! Please, I beg of you to leave..."

  With a twist of his eyebrow, David rubbed the tip of his thumb. He then began tapping the two together as something else flashed across his eyes.

  They were afraid of him. Simple and clear. Did the mother die? What kind of harm other than the mother's death had he caused the poor folk around here? Why were human interactions so difficult? David mused to himself.

  " Sir, please, tell me what became of the mother. I vow to you that I will leave as soon as I know. " David spoke with a gentle tone and outstretched palms.

  Both guards shook their heads and leveled their weapons at him with renewed conviction. Even their gazes hardened. One of them even began a divine song of his own.

  Now David heard how the two guards felt. The song spoke of reluctance, fear, disappointment, and negligence. This tone, accompanied by David's earlier insights into unequal treatment, painted a grim picture in his mind. Something was wrong with this camp, and someone wanted to hide it.

  A sparkling fiery light in the image of a bird was sent from the song's creator back into the depths of the gym. But David let it go, preventing action from scaring the folk further.

  David's mind blazed with fury, but he fought it down. He could not be controlled by his anger, and he wouldn't allow it. He had too much pride to be controlled by the voice in his head again—never again.

  " Don't let this foul creature step into our hollowed grounds! " A manic voice reached him.

  A mop of blond hair framed a perfect voice as someone familiar hurried over. She wore the same ornate robes that screamed holiness, but the display of grandeur seemed hollow somehow.

  " You have shattered our barrier. The spirits have told me that all your actions run afoul of natural order! There is no place for your kind here. " Vanessa's voice shook David down to his core. Her face was contorted and rough, as if she had been crying but was suppressing it, and her frame appeared smaller than it had before.

  With such vile intent and hate directed at him, David swore he could have touched it. What evil deed had he done to deserve this amount of hate? There was something crucial he was missing.

  David remained silent as the guards finally stepped closer to him, emboldened by their leader's arrival. Four more guards were hot on Vanessa's heel, and even Tom had joined them.

  " There has to be a misunderstanding. " David muttered under his breath.

  His eyes were upturned, and his expression tight. David rubbed his elbows with his hands. He was just so confused; everything had turned to crap the moment he had returned to Ravensboro; at this moment, David truly wished he could go back to be with Brahan.

  " By the spirits, are you insane? " Vanessa spoke, spittle flying from her mouth. " How can you not see! The barrier was shattered, our sanctuary broken, and our supplies raided by the thralls of a ColoColo. "

  A Colocolo? Another new term had entered David's disturbed mind, and as he went over it, a feeling similar to him saying Wra-th-unn or Nárenvinyant? came over him.

  " Is it a race? " David wondered, spoken so softly no one should have been able to pick it up. Vanessa, with her dagger-like ears, had heard regardless.

  " Big rat people, controlling minions from the shadows. They've been trying to kill us for a month now! " Vanessa declared.

  David thought the rats in town must be connected. What other reason could rats have to attack humans in broad daylight? He remembered Tom and his mother's blight.

  A silent moment passed between the two as David absorbed the information, but it was interrupted by a loud shout and crying voices from the gym.

  " Help me, rats, there's rats everywhere! " A faraway voice reached David's ears.

  Fear flooded his nervous system, but he took a subconscious step forward. Indecision would not keep him from helping someone in need. There would never be a struggle to decide whether he should help someone, only grim determination.

  The second step carried him past the blond girl, and hisses and screeches now entered his ears.

  Rats entered his eyes. A swarm so big they covered all the walls in the back of the gym.