Damien leaned back as he stared at the plate he used. It still sent a shiver down his spine, not use to it still. "It was dark. Feeling like you were alone with her as she tries to get you to give her your true name. To isolate you and make you feel alone and no way out. It still gives me the heebie jeebies. I don't know what it's like to see what happens outside all that. Apparently it was a fight for control." He explains.

Alex comes back and yips and cackles softly with a soldier behind her. The fox goes up to the girl while the soldier goes to the boy and tries to help the boy.

Vale leaned forward and said “I saw Dante be attacked…he wouldn’t speak of it to me…I hoped hearing of an account might help me understand…hat does help me see why his so drawn to Ana. What happened next?”

The young man grunted weakly and opened his eyes, his eyes red and hungry. “Help…her…first…they tried to…drain her…couldn’t let them…just a youngling…” the girl sniffed and hugged Alex. “His been saying that the whole time…the metal in those chains hurt his skin for some reason…”

Damien tried to recount more of what had happened to him. "Ana saved me from her. Twice. The first time it was difficult to resist Panic Discord but I still tried. The second I was able to resist with a little more ease. Ana was a purple light from the darkness, made the darkness seem like a night of many stars as she drew me back and kept me from turning into a cursed one." He explained.

The soldier continued to work. "She is alright with our Captain. My task is to get you out of here." The fox nudged her face into the little girls chest to comfort her. She then grabbed a piece of the little girls clothes and tugged her to have her come with her.

Vale listened carefully and then said “so she can pull the soul from the darkness…no one ever spoke of it. Seems your wolf nature makes it easier to talk about. Twice…seems panic wants” then he stopped and looked up. “Wait, she asks for your name? She didn’t just take it?”

The girl looked back at the young fang then said “I don’t want to leave him…” the aid smiled weakly at her and nodded. “Go on…I’ll see you in the light…” she whimpered then nodded, going after the fox.

"She needs permission. She does by giving false promises of no more pain or what maybe happening in your life she can somehow exploit. I don't know how she does it." Damien continues to explain.

The fox slowly guides her back to the entrance as the soldier manages to get a hand free and now working on the other. "You both were brave to stay here for as long as you have." He commends.

Vale said “Damien, the woman who was brought to the gatekeeper told of her experience. She said the woman in black just took her name. Attacked her in that black landscape…does this mean it’s only some she is forced to ask?”

The girl wiped her eyes and said “I don’t know where I even am…those scary men took me from the shelter…”

The aid flinched as his hand was released and he said “I followed those men here…tried to get her from them but…I was attacked from behind…when I came to I was chained up…but the girl was with me. Said the men were scared off by a force above…”

Damien looked to Duke Vale and tilted his head a little, confused. "Really? Odd. She was desperate for me to say yes. It seems that maybe how it is. I am unsure then what her conditions are to get a name from different races or people. It seems to be a mystery then.

The fox yips and whimpers stopping a moment to lick her face before continuing on. She wanted to reassure her to know they would help.

The soldier nods after hearing the boy out. "That was brave of you. Maybe reckless but brave." He gets the other cuff unlocked as he carefully baces the boy and helps him to the hatch.

Vale leaned back and said “I will have to ask Dante if he was asked or just saved in time…so what do you really think of Lady Shade?”

The girl hugged the fox again and followed her up the ladder to the light of the stage. A bunch of guards were there with Lord Grant waiting. “Alex? Is that you dear?”

The lad grunted as the last cuff was released then he fell against the soldier, his head spinning. “Cursed steel…the cuffs…” he could barely move on his own to the hatch, his steps uneven.

Damien looked away from Duke Vale looking no where in particular as he seemed to think about his answer. "I don't know exactly. I'm still learning about her. For now, she is trying to help cursed ones. Trying to cure them. She's kind and considerate. She wants to help but others aren't making it easy for her so she has to prove her intentions to get her point across. She tries to shoulder such a heavy burden when she has friends that want to help lighten the load." He tells him.

Alex hops up with the girl as the soldiers help her up carefully. The fox shifts her original form and looks to Lord Grant. "Yes sir." She turns to her crew. "Where's the medic?" She asks.

The soldier helps the boy by carrying him so he could save his energy.

Vale nodded and said “that sounds like her…I worked with her during the war. She was strong and fearless…but feared because of her powers and her unknown past…I’m with Alex and Vincent. But maybe you should ask those two to join you. It might help.”

Lord Grant said “he is on his way. They are bringing a stretcher. What did you find?” The girl looked up at him and said “am I…in trouble?” The lord smiled and said “no my dear…what is your name?” She wiped her eyes and said “Zoey…”

The aid blinked hard at the light and said “is it…daybreak?”

Damien seemed to think about the suggestion. "I might. Wasn't she part of the guard or a military presence?" He asks.

Alex kneeled next to Zoey and smiled. "You aren't in trouble, love. Are you hungry?" She asks, figuring to look at her over and let her eat before figuring out where she lived to send her home safely.

"It is. It's morning." The soldier said close to having him at the hatch.

Vale shook his head and said “not at first. We were half way thru the war…we were in a stale mate with the enemy one night trying to get vampires to the portals…when suddenly a blast of purple magic hit the battle field. The smoke cleared and there she was, in her that purple cloak she always wore. With silver stars on it. THe book floating by her side. She covered the escape of our troops and even took down the enemy which we learned later weren’t even humans but hired guns for Panic Discord. She told us later she had come from the same battle on the other side but protected the humans from what they thought were fangs but were truly cursed ones under panic discords control. The tide of the war changed…she was given the title of Witch of the Purple Moon that night, and rank of a captain as well.”

Zoey nodded softly and said “and thirsty…that man who grabbed me tried to get me to drink this gross stuff but I wouldn’t. It made him so mad…he slapped me…” she held her cheek. Lord Grant frowned and said “what did it smell like my dear?”

Zoey looked up and said “gross…and it was thick too…dark red color…”

The laid blinked as they came thru and Zoey looked over “Luke! Are you okay?”

Damien nods thoughtfully for this was new knowledge to him and wondered if the Elders knew of this. It would be no surprise if they did but it would have to be something to look into later. "So would Alexandria and Vincent be able to help us? They seem to be in military positions themselves. I wouldn't want to take away from their duties should something happen."

Alex took note of what Zoey told them so far. "Let's get you looked at to make sure you're alright and then something to eat." She looks to the hatch to see the boy and the soldier. She helped get the boy now known to her as Luke up through the hatch. "It's alright, we got you hun." Alex assures.

Vale nodded and said “they are available, they aren’t on assignment right now. And I can pull strings to put them on a private mission under my supervision. And this would give Dante and Ana more protection as well.”

Luke looked at her and said “Lady Alex? How…did my family ask you to find me?” Zoey smiled at Luke.

Damien seemed to think on this more with that knowledge in mind. "I'll ask them. It would be good to have more help. Though we should go see if Dante has simmered down some to try and eat something. He hadn't touched anything. Too focused on Lord Grant."

Alex's eyes widened when she remembered the trinket as soon as Luke asked about his family. She presented the pocket watch to him. "It was your brother who asked us to find you."

Vale sighed and said “his in the hallway his head against the window. He hid when Grant left…didn’t want to start a fight…” he looked at the wolf and said “I know my brother…he won’t go far knowing you’re still here”

Luke blinked and took the watch and tears filled his eyes. “My brother? My little brother…” he lowered his head and held the watch to his chest. “The only one who cares…thank you…is he still here? I want to see him”

Damien nods. "I see. I still want to check in on him." He admits standing up and grabbing a plate putting a little bit of anything he could put on the plate before grabbing a fork and heading out of the dining room to see Dante.

"I'm not sure but I can have him brought to you but you need to be looked over." Alex explains. She looked to one of her men who salutes and heads off to find Luke's little brother.

Vale watched him leave and said softly “it seems you have found a clan all your own dear brother”

Dante was by the window, leaning against the cold glass as he was breathing hard trying to calm down. His hands shook in fists. His eyes closed as he fought his breathing.

Luke smiled weakly and said “thank you…”

Ana stirred a bit and opened her eyes. “Damien…Dante…” she tried to sit up, shaking.

True to Duke Vale's words, Damien found Dante by a window. He walks over to him and stands opposite oh him while setting the plate on the window sill carefully and stands infront at arms length. "Hey. You alright?" He asks, though it seemed clear he wasn't. It was more to announce his presence.

Alex nods as the soldiers come with two stretchers. The others helped them on the stretchers and carefully lifted them to take them to the hospital.

Vincent had sat by Ana's bed side reading a book when he noticed Ana waking up. He stops reading to look at Ana. "Easy there Miss Shade. Sadly I am neither of them."

Dante’s eyes opened and he turned to see Damien there. He sighed and said “I can’t…calm down…he made me so mad in there…talking like she was the villain in all of this…I just can’t…”

Grant watched them leave and said “I will have my best men find out where the girl belongs and get her home. She said a shelter yes? Must be one of the war shelters being used for families split in the current human war. There’s only a hand full in London…”

Ana blinked and saw Vincent then held her head. “What…happened?”