Welcome to Gaia! ::

When Irene felt Niko helping her keep her balance, she had that weird feeling again. It struck her odd, and if it weren't for the situation she would have smiled. Because though this feeling was weird and a bit scary... She liked it. But her fear for Bana's safety, and her guilt of getting Bana into this was too much even for this intense feeling at this time.

The bandit let out a scream as he jumped high in the air. The arrow punctured his stomach, but not deep enough to be serious. At this time, there was a signal from one bandit to get half the team to go for Yuki. Inside the hut, the old man looked out the window. Silently, he seemed to disappear into the hut. About thirty bandits went on the attack for Yuki.

MAriah laughed. "How sweet. You know Irene, I may be shallow and evil, but you have to give me more credit than that. I don't kill for reason you know. And I'm true to my word! Ruling the world, that dream is just too shallow. I want to help you, to get rid of your powers. You always told me how you felt te feelings of what everyone thought of you. You were a freak, a nobody. Weren't those your EXACT words?"

Mariah smiled. "Yes, it's true that I want to be powerful so no one can beat me. However, you're getting something from it too, you're freedom. You and I, we were best friends. The old man watched us when our parents were too ashamed of us to even look at us. And as a formal friend, I feel I have the duty to let you're dream come true..." Mariah looked down at Bana, then back to Irene.

"You want to be normal. That's all you want isn't it? I think it's selfish, but I'm not compaining. I have a way to make this come true. You have my WORD, you're life will be as normal as any other human if I just have the necklace. You know and I know, you're power only gets in the way. Everyone will accept you more if only if it weren't for your powers."

Bana looked around at all of them. Her young mind not being able to comprehend it all. 'Wait. Is giving Mariah the necklace a good or a bad thing? is going to help miss Irene or hurt her?' Bana looked over to Irene and Niko looking for some kind of hint as what should do.

Mariah's anger was over the edge now. She lifted a hand and in the hand appeared a fire ball. 'I've noticed it's a bit harder to control my power. Damn cursed necklace I gave Bana, it's starting to affect me.' Despite her thoughts, Mariah grinned. "Too bad Bana, I was really hoping you could rule by my side. But if your mind is truly made up..." Mariah threw the fire Irene's way.

((We're all online? Yay!)) Irene's eyes opened wide. 'That fire ball, its coming this way! I'm too weak, I can't block it!' Irene pushed with all her strength at Niko, but she was too weak to do much. "Niko, run or it'll hit you too!"

The old man laughed. "I may be a thousand years old, but I'm not weak! Let them try and finish me! They know how strong I am, which explains the number of them, but it's still not enough. So young lady, feel like exterminating the bandit population?!" Merlin's staff glowed with red aura, which sped to the tip of the staff in a ball.

Bana ran and grabbed Mariah by the leg. "The fires still going! Stop it! I gave you the necklace now stop the fire!" Bana pleaded.

Bana let go of Mariahs leg and looked back at Irene and Niko then turned and followed Mariah. "Yes Miss Mariah." Bana said. "I wont go back, I promise." Bana told Mariah fully knowing that to betray Mariah would be the death of her freinds.