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“Knights don’t wear black,” the invisible stranger replied.

“I know. You guys prefer more inspiring colors for your armor. But earlier tonight, just before Finn and Sean went into the Forbidden Zone, they mentioned ‘the Black Knight’. They said their whole plan to unchain the Chosen from the Spirit Tree and take their place had come from the Black Knight. Whoever this Black Knight is, they tricked Finn and Sean, preying on their desperation for magic in order to lure them out here, where a Cursed One was waiting to get them. The question is why? Why would anyone want to create more Cursed Ones?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “But this isn’t the first incident like this.”

“Wait, so this has happened before?”

“Yes. Today, there have been many attacks by Cursed Ones on humans, all across the world. These attacks happened inside protected towns. Somehow the Cursed Ones made it past the town walls without anyone seeing anything.”

“That’s why you’re here,” I realized. “In case it happened here too.”

“Yes. I’ve prevented several attacks today. I’ve searched each site for clues of who is behind this, but so far I’ve found nothing.”

“There has to be something here.” I took a step toward him. “I will help you search.”

“Oh, I’m afraid you have bigger things to worry about right now.”

“Like what?”

“Like preparing yourself for the General’s arrival. You do still wish to go through with your plan, don’t you? You still want to go to the Fortress and become a Knight?”

Oh, right. I’d gotten so riled up by the Cursed Ones that I’d totally forgotten the reason I’d come here in the first place.

“Yes, I still want that,” I said.

“Then you’d better hurry back to the Spirit Tree.”

A few musical notes danced on the wind.

“I’m sorry. I have to go. I have a lot of ground to cover and not much time to do it.” The invisible stranger fell silent for a moment before adding, “But before I leave you, I need you to promise me that you won’t tell anyone I was here.”

“Why?”

“Please. Just promise me.”

“Ok, I promise.”

“Thank you.”

“How do you know you can trust me to keep my promise?”

“Motive is more important than merit.”

I frowned at him. “What does that mean?”

“It means I know you always do the right thing because it’s the right thing, not because you want to score so-called merit points with people,” he told me. “So if you ever need me, call on me and I’ll be there.”

I was about to ask him how I was supposed to call on him when I didn’t even know his name, but the change in the wind’s song told me he was already gone.

CHAPTER8

THE GENERAL RETURNS

Iwas sitting under the Spirit Tree when the General arrived, flanked by his posse of Watchers, each one covered from head to toe in black body armor.

“What do you think you’re doing here?”

The General’s voice tore through the still, tranquil night. Any lingering light on the Spirit Tree’s branches instantly fizzled out. It seemed the tree was allergic to negative energy.