Although Tavia was shaking and body stiff, her mind seemed to be more aware and concious than she's ever been in her life. As if she knew the stranger before her, as if everything that was happening, was something she knew and hauntingly recognised. "Please save us," Tavia said.

A smile crept upon Mike's face as he swiftly stood up, striking two of the thugs. Rainie's heart began to race. She couldn't admit but she realised she was drawn to Mike somehow. Her eyes never lost focus of the shadow that was now moving in the dark. The shadow that was quickly, effortlessly taking down their attackers. Everything around her seemed to fade, Rainie was lost in her own dimension. 'The second time we meet today...the second time you rescue me...' Her mind suddenly went black, legs collasped, as she fell to the hard ground.

Tavia carefully leaned the unconcious Rainie besdie the wall. She turned to concentrate on the stranger. The four thugs had fled with nothing else but scars and seepings of their own vile blood.

Just like a real knight, He once again knelt before Tavia, "My Princess."

Tavia held out a hand towards this stranger, "you helped us. Thankyou."

He stared up at Tavia, not moving. His eyes gave off an errie silhouette, reflecting the night moon. Through those un-human eyes he studied Tavia. 'So, she really has appeared...and she- I think I can accept her as my Princess...'

"Hey, my arms getting tired, please stand up and stop kneeling before me," Tavia said, annoyed. "I'm not a princess either, so stop calling me that."

He smiled with bliss taking Tavia's hand. "Mike He is my name." Standing up he tossed the silver coin in the air again. "I can't obey to not calling you princess, when I have no proof, that your not the princess I'm searching for or meant to serve."

Tavia's lips curled, "shut up - I've had enough of riddles and secrets today. Give me back my coin and disappear."

"You mean to give myself back to you, Princess?"

"What do you mean? Stranger- are you planning to steal my property?" Tavia demanded, with fury in her cadence.

Mike gave a small bow and continued, "please call me Mike. Did you forget already - I was summoned by you." He held up the silver coin, "The only explanation to why I'm here, considering there was no one here before at all, but you and the thugs - I came out directly from this very alloy."

"Alloy? this is nonsense-"

"But it's true, you witnessed everything, you can't deny it."

"Everything was too dark and-"

"The legend of the Soul Knights."

Tavia mouthed the last two words that Mike said, though no sound was uttered out, Soul Knights.

Mike persisted, "Soul Knights are guardians, usually anything, animal or human. They're devoted and fated to protect the ones that carry royal blood. Part of their soul, as they call it are sealed into pieces of alloy." Mike held the coin towards the moon, "when the right person flips the alloy and calls the engraved numeric - the knight will suposedly connect to their seperated soul within the alloy. Thus the knight appears and the one who summoned the knight is the master- besides-"

Blood drained from Tavia. Her skin now faintly pale, her eyes distorted.

'Is this what I'm to learn father...what is happening? Soul Knight - why does it trigger something - a memory, understanding...'

"-now that the master within you has awoken," Mike said in a warning tone, "it's safer if you accept me as your Soul Knight."

Tavia outstretched her hands. The silver coin dropped into her palms. The cold metallic touch seemed to send sparks through her arm. "Your basically saying, you'll obey me."

Mike shook his head, "when we contract - but that comes after when we both accept eachother."

Tavia clenched onto the coin. She chose to trust her father and she'll continue to trust him.

XXX

Raymond clasped his hand upon his head. Somehow it was hurting, the searing pain on his forehead was as if it was burning. "DAMN-what's this feeling...my body...I feel as if something is calling me."

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