Chapter 9

Ghemella gave the sylph a strange look as he approached. He was a little shorter than his predecessor had been and his body was made up of a blue-grey cloud-like substance that drifted on eddies of air. "Vento?" she asked warily.

The sylph's cherubic little face was blowing out breaths of wind as he spoke. "The High Witch… where is she?"

"She is indisposed." Ghemella failed to hold back a smile. I am out of practice, she thought wistfully. "What can I help you with?"

Vento still had not caught his breath. "Slayer!" he gasped.

It took the dark Guardian a moment to discern what the sylph said, but then her eyes grew large with sudden understanding. "Slayer?" she said, her look quickly turning to one of worry. "Where?"

"Nearing the… grounds," Vento managed.

"Khyrhyelle," she whispered. She had to warn the High Witch, but that would mean leaving her post. There wasn't any question in her mind about which took precedence. She began to leave, stopped and called back to the sylph. "Vento, inform the others about the Slayer and tell them where I have gone. Oh, and find someone to take over here."

"But…" he called out, stopping short as Ghemella was already too far away to hear him. Vento shook his head. "A bad omen. Very bad. Extremely very bad."

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