“He has to be strong,” argued Lady Mystic. “He is responsible for ruling over so many people. He cannot waver from his duty just because I am his daughter. It is you who do not understand him.”

“I will not argue with you over your father,” Aakuta said with frustration as he rose from his chair. “Mark my words. Your father cares nothing for you. He will use you and toss you by the wayside when he no longer needs you. Emperor Marak is not that kind of person.”

Aakuta turned and walked out of the room. Lady Mystic heard the door to the alley open and then close. She glared at the table for a moment and then swept her hand across its surface, sending flasks and ingredients crashing to the floor. She kicked the chair that Aakuta had been sitting in and then stormed out of the room. For several minutes she paced the floor, full of fury and indecision. Finally, she threw the door to the alley open and stepped out of her home. Off in the distance, she saw Aakuta at the mouth of the alley. The dark mage turned to the right and headed towards the beach. Lady Mystic quickened her step and followed.

Aakuta walked slowly as he pretended to still be in pain. He did not want anyone to know that he could think and function normally while the pain-killing potion was active. His path appeared to be erratic and without purpose, but the dark mage slowly made his way to the desolate stretch of beach where he had first set foot on the Island of Darkness.

When he reached the beach, he looked carefully in each direction to make sure that he was alone. Satisfied that he was not being observed, Aakuta wove an air tunnel to Raven’s Point. He waited patiently until he felt someone at the other end. Aakuta always wove a one-way air tunnel to avoid the noise coming through from the other end, so he had no idea who he had managed to contact. All that he knew was that he had located someone with the abilities of an air mage, and that person was at the deserted cove where he normally sent his messages.