Having his fears mocked by a woman was all it took. Edward cursed and reluctantly followed them inside. Once Mark passed through the door, he broke into a short fit of coughing. The interior of the hut was cloaked in a thick haze emanating from the bubbling contents of a heavy black iron cauldron. Hunched over the cauldron was a withered old crone. Thins wisps of wild grey-white hair were like cobwebs clinging to her head. Upon seeing her guests, the crone's beady brown eyes flashed and she cackled at them, exposing a largely toothless mouth.

Holding up Teresa, Mark took a step forward. "We need your help. This woman has been poisoned. Her antidotes are not strong enough to neutralize it."

Hildy shuffled over to him and looked at Teresa. She touched the novice's skin, put her ear to Teresa's heart and waved a hand over her mouth. The witch's brow furrowed while she was doing the examination and she made some unintelligible noises in a low voice, apparently talking to herself.

Mark looked to the witch hopefully.

She tilted her head. "Ah, the herb I need, I have not. The marsh is dangerous this time of year. Too dangerous for an old woman like me."

Hildy took a parchment and a stick of charcoal and drew the desired herb. She handed it to Mark. With a grave expression on her face, she left no doubt of how the situation was.

Mark did not need to be told twice. After setting down Teresa on the threadbare cot along the wall, he went to the others and showed them the parchment.

Mark was all too aware that time was against him, but he did not realize how difficult the task would be until he entered the marsh. It was nearly impossible to distinguish any single plant in the mottled masses of vegetation poking up out of the brown water. The coverage provided by the scraggly trees was just enough to limit the sun's illumination and complicate the task further. He was glad he had Jill and Jasper's sharp eyes searching as well.

He could hear Edward noisily sloshing around and cursing in the distance. Looking around, he watched a snake swim past his leg, thankful he did not attract its attention. He had heard that water snakes were particularly venomous and had no desire to find out if it was true or not.

While the swordsman was sorting through a clump of verdure, it occurred to him that the herb could be an underwater plant. He reached into the water grasped a handful of whatever was on the bottom. When he pulled his hand out, he only found weeds and few wriggling worms. He pulled out a few more handfuls when he heard something rise out of the water nearby.

Mark froze in his tracks when he caught sight of it. It was one of the same creatures he had fought in the Crimson Field. His still-healing forearm ached just looking at it.

The creature took notice of him, but did not attack right away. Instead it opened its large jaws and hissed. Mark drew his sword. As he was channeling energy into his sword, he remembered a warning from his training.

Mark drew the energy back into himself. Though he might be able to resist the electricity surging through the water, he strongly doubted the others would be so lucky. He had to weigh his options carefully. Maneuvering would be difficult in the waist-deep water, leaving precision as his best weapon.

The creature submerged and began swimming toward him. In water so murky, its wake was the only clue to its position. Mark drew his sword back, waiting for the right moment. When he plunged the blade into the water, he was rewarded with the sight of red mingling with brown. The creature erupted from the water howling and flailing its limbs. Mark severed an arm and thrust at its chest. Undaunted, the creature clutched his pauldron with its remaining hand. He drove his blade ever deeper until the crossguard pressed against its ribs. The creature opened its maw, threatening to overcome him with its weight alone. Before it could attempt to bite him, its eyes rolled back in its head and its body went limp. Its grip on him loosened and Mark pushed away as it collapsed into the water.

The Guardian stared at the body floating face-down before him as he tried to catch his breath. He could hear someone furiously sloshing to his position. He turned to see that Sonia was the one approaching him. Upon seeing the body and the red in the water, she looked at her cousin with concern.

Mark wiped off his blade with a rag as he walked over to her. "One of the monsters I fought in Crimson Field... Who knows how many more there could be?"

Sonia eyes darted around. "We need to find that herb and get out of here fast."

Sonia shook her head. "No, but I can't say I'm good with plants."

Jill suddenly appeared behind Sonia, apparently able to move as stealthily by water as she could by land. In her hand was the herb they sought.

She nodded in agreement and was gone as suddenly as she appeared. Mark looked around to see if any of the others were in sight. He could not see anyone else, but he hoped they would be able to hear him.

Mark and Sonia made their way out of the marsh. Jasper was not far behind, muttering to himself about something. There was still no sign of Edward.

They heard a great ruckus in the distance. Mark looked toward the source of the noise, tightening his grip on his sword.

Mark and Sonia went back into the marsh and followed the sound of the commotion. By the time they reached Edward, everything had gone silent. The Prince just stood there, covered in blood. His axe and mace were rattling ever so slightly in his hands.

Edward grunted and hooked his weapons back on his belt. By the time they made it back to the hut, Hildy was already busy concocting the antidote. Teresa appeared worse than before. Her skin was deathly pale and her breathing had become so slow and shallow that it had all but stopped.

Hildy chuckled at the completion of her antidote. She swished it around in a flask before walking up to Teresa. After shooing away Jasper, she put the flask to Teresa's lips.

Teresa drank the fluid and broke into a violent fit of coughing. Everyone except fro Edward rushed up to her, but Hildy raised her hand to ward them off. After the coughing subsided, her body stilled. They stared in silent apprehension. As the tense moments passed, Jasper audibly gritted his teeth. The silence quickly became too much for him and his emotions boiled over.

Shamed for making the accusation, Jasper sheepishly looked down at the floor. "Sowrry, mum, Oi tend tah gi' exsoi'ed an' owl..."

Jasper stayed by Teresa's side while the others parted a purple curtain dividing the hut. In a room draped in purple curtains all around, a man in a purple cloak sat behind a table covered with a purple tablecloth. In the center of the tablecloth was a circle embroidered with silver thread and surrounded by the twelve signs of the zodiac. In the center of the circle was a translucent crystal ball. The man's face was shrouded by the shadow of his hood and he spoke in an ominous, resonant voice.

Edward tossed a couple silver coins on the table.

The crystal ball glowed as Lucius' hands hovered over its surface.

Edward grinned at the favorable oracle, but Lucius was not finished.

Edward frowned. After a brief moment of silence, he snatched the coins off the table. Returning the money to his coin pouch, he growled at the seer, "You chose the wrong man to insult."

Mark put a few coins on the table.

Edward grumbled. Lucius' head turned toward Mark.

Mark shook his head. "No, I don't believe in fortune telling."

Lucius spoke anyway. "I will tell you one thing: The wolf and the eagle are not two."

Sonia tossed a few coins to draw the seer's attention. "You can tell me something since he doesn't want to hear it."

Obligingly, Lucius swept a hand over his crystal ball and said, "The cub that was lost still lives. The young lion will return."

Sonia's eyes widened. She slammed her hands on the table, causing the coins to rattle.

He repeated his words without the slightest change in tone or pitch. "The cub that was lost still lives."

Sonia lifted her hands off the table and stepped back.

Sonia stormed out of the room, angrily batting the curtain aside. Mark followed her. She had already left the hut when Mark went past the curtain. Jasper briefly looked away from Teresa.

Sonia had not gone far, only several paces from the door. Her fists were tightly clenched, so tight they were quivering. Mark approached her slowly.

Sonia sounded as if she was fighting back tears. "I'm such a fool. I shouldn't let him get to me. It's just parlor tricks. That's all. Maybe he's of those mind walkers. Peeks in people's hearts and finds stuff that'll set them off..."

Sonia was hesitant; her words came with noticeable difficulty. "The lion is the heraldic beast of the Defenders, just like the eagle is for the Guardians. They call me the 'lion's cub'. because I'm the daughter of Julian." She paused. "But I'm not an only child. At least, I didn't use to be. I had an older brother, but he died when the pirates destroyed Sandstone. That's got to be what he meant by 'the cub that was lost', but there's no way my brother's still alive. That worm just wants to scare and upset people."

She turned to face Mark. "Like what he said to you. The wolf is the symbol of the Conquerors. Does he really expect us to believe that there's some connection between you and Randwulf? It's absurd!"

Sonia shook her head. Having vented her anger, her fists loosened and she exhaled slowly. "I'm okay now. We can go back in."

When they walked back in, Hildy cackled.

Mark ignored the witch's comments and turned his attention to Teresa. The color was beginning to return to her cheeks and her tremors had lessened. It seemed that they would be able to leave soon. Mark was grateful to Hildy for curing their healer, but he was more than ready to be rid of this place.