Max returned with the sticks for the fire. He walked back to the base. Zack caught up with him and smiled.

  Max looked at what he caught. He laughed at the pheasant. Shadow would've loved that! "You're such a dick, Zack."

  Zack shrugged. "He introduced me to a GREAT bird!"

  As they were walking back, Rose stepped outside and ushered them in. "Come in, come in!" She exclaimed.

  "Why? What happened?" Max gave her a worried look.

  Rose smiled. "He's awake!"

  Zack and Max exchanged glances and raced inside.

  Shadow was sitting up by the fire pit. When he saw his friends, he was happy. Rose went over to him and they embraced. She cried. "I've missed you so much!"

  Shadow hugged her tightly. Max and Zack stopped what they were doing, and knelt down next to Shadow. The three of them embraced.

  If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  "Oh my God, it's good to see you! It's been ages!" Max said.

  Shadow looked from him to Zack. "Really? How long was I out?"

  "It's been a month." Rose replied. Shadow looked at her with worry. "THAT LONG? Wow! What happened?" Rose hugged him again. "You pushed it pretty hard, brother."

  Shadow rubbed his head. "I - I don't remember what happened...."

  Max smiled. "We don't expect you to."

  Shadow looked at the three of them. "I - still want to know what happened." He turned to his sister. Rose folded her arms. "Let's just say that you did something you weren't supposed to, and it caused you to go haywire."

  "Mmm, I don't recall....the last thing I remember is our battle with Azazel. We were here...I remember that I was in a lot of pain........what happened after that?"

  Rose shook her head. "Don't worry about the rest."

  "Rose, please?" Shadow begged.

  She chuckled. "I forget how stubborn you are sometimes....." She explained to him, about him losing himself and embracing his darker side...what witches call, "Embracing Their Potential". She told him that he nearly killed his friend in the process, but Max snapped him out of it. Shadow groaned with deep worry.

  "You've been knocked out ever since." Max added.

  "For a month." Zack said.

  Shadow looked at the three of them again and ran his hands over his face and through his hair. "Jesus..."

  Rose shook her head. "Hey, dinner's almost done, thankfully you've woken up today, because your buddies brought in pheasant." Shadow smiled with excitement.