Part 13

Chanoro woke with a start, the dream had startled him awake with its vividness, he knew what he had to do now, he knew... Chanoro groaned as the hangover hit him, he vaguely remembered having stolen Pyro's champaigne-and Kallista's.....and Ven's. He was aware of a throbbing pain in his left ankle, to add to the lightning bolts of pain in both his temples, he really should have drunk less, he remembered the need to remember something, he couldn't quite recall what. His dream! He remembered now, he threw off his covers, clambered groggily out of bed, and opened the door of his room. He tiptoed silently down the hallway, trying to remember what room Pyro was in, he opened what he hoped was the right door, he tiptoed in and closed the door with barely a whisper. Red lay asleep, curled up on her side like a cat, a warm smile on her face, Pyro sat cross-legged on his bed, watching her breathe. He looked up at Chanoro in surprise, and Chanoro placed a finger to his lips, signalling that he should remain silent. He gestured for Pyro to follow him and then walked to the door, he slipped out into the corridor, Pyro followed him, closing the door behind him. Chanoro walked a short way and then turned to face the expectant teenager, "I'm leaving," he said suddenly. Pyro was quiet for a second, "you're leaving without telling the others?" he asked quietly, "yes," said Chanoro, "I had a...... Premonition, a vision, whatever you want to call it," Pyro stared at him, uncomprehending, "I know what I have to do," he said, sighing, "but I must go alone, it would put the others in danger to come with me." "But why are you telling me?" asked Pyro, confused, "Because," said Chanoro, smiling thinly at him, "you have a great part to play in this adventure, too, and you play it here." He placed a hand on Pyro's shoulder, "you have a great destiny before you, Pyro-dawn Tyromant," "a great destiny indeed!" and with that he turned and strode off towards the front of Elysium Asylum.

Confused and puzzled, Pyro-Dawn walked slowly towards Octaboona's room, which he was sharing with kallista, deep in thought, he did not notice a shadowy form detatch itself from the wall and race off after Chanoro, its feet making no sound as it padded through the dark hallway.

Kallista and Octaboona were holding a whispered discussion, sitting up in bed, Kallista was giggling as she hurled a pillow at Octa, he deflected it easily and then sent it zooming back at her head, she ducked and the pillow flew straight at Pyro's face, Octaboona stopped it two centimetres from his nose. Seeing the look on Pyro's face, Kallista stopped laughing and sat up, "what's the matter Pyro?" she asked, "Chan's gone," Pyro said simply, and left the room. Kallista looked worriedly at Octa and then hurried out of bed, grabbing a dressing gown and following Pyro, Octa quickly changed into some robes he found in a wardrobe in the corner of the room and followed her.

Quinnera Elviana sat bolt upright in bed, she had seen what Chanoro had seen, only she had seen what he had missed, she quivered with anxiety as she planned how to make things right, grabbing a strawberry-flavoured lollipod from her dresser, she jumped out of bed and left her room, slamming the door behind her. Evverisse Eterna, who was sharing the room with Quinn, woke with a start, she looked around quickly, then shoved her pillow over her head, and went back to sleep.

As Chanoro left Elysium Asylum, he took a small device from the pocket of his jeans and pressed a button, he broke into a run, as he reached the road, a gleaming silver Jaguar C-X75 drew up beside him, doors open, and he vaulted inside. As the sports car streaked away, a black Lamborghini Cnossus materialised just long enough for a shadowy figure to leap into it before it became invisible again, and roared off in pursuit of the Jaguar.