Dara opened her eyes. She found herself sitting on hard ground. The pain that coursed through every fiber of her being was gone. Yet something was not right. She could no longer feel the presence of her sister Oracles! Even the warmth and caress of the fireshadow was gone! All she could feel was something rough behind her back. She turned and discovered that she had been leaning on a large tree trunk.

She was confused. The last thing she could remember was giving the signal to the archers to kill Prince Jaejoong. And then, she felt something being torn apart from her being! The pain was unbearable. She couldn’t remember if she screamed or cried. All she remembered after that searing pain was darkness. Darkness had never been a part of her life in the temple. The fireshadow had always been there to give her light, understanding and strength.

She gasped when she realized her fireshadow was gone! She tried calling it with her mind. The fireshadow and its warmth never appeared.

She blinked. She started to remember something else. Last night, when that stupid prince used the Sword of Truth to escape, he had also cut her link to the fireshadow and from her sister Oracles! Everything that was her life for the past eighteen years was now gone! Panic began to creep inside her.

She quickly took several deep breaths to push away the panic that threatened to overwhelm her. When she finally calmed herself, she began assessing her situation.

She looked around her. Why were there so many plants and trees around here? This place didn't look like the temple's courtyard! The trees were growing everywhere without any order. And noises from insects assaulted her ears. The blue sky was barely visible because of the thick foliage above her.

This could only mea