Around this time, Casey returns to the House after a trip to Surek, her old village, to get magic supplies.  Tensions rise in the kitchen between the magic users and the Humans.  Frustrated and angry with her inability to assist the House, Casey begins to develop what is referred to as an enormous case of HIC, Human Inferiority Complex.  Against her better judgment, she annoys several of the magic users in the House.  The problem comes to an explosive finale when Lilah slaps her across the face, trying to knock some sense into her.  In that instant, all of the mirrors in the House mysteriously crack and Casey goes into hiding.

Meanwhile, Jake and Lief come across a small building in Miranda with strange blue markings, and Jake identifies it as the base of the Laguna knights, an elite order of magical warriors who use the waters of the Twin Lakes to conjure figments of their imaginations into being. The excited teenager gets Lief to promise to wait outside for him while he himself goes through the two day trials of knighthood.  Though the Andorian hears nothing from Jake for two days, on the morning of the third day a tired Jake emerges from the entrance, accompanied by a woman in a long blue cloak. Jake, though tired, is brimming with excitement.  He explains that he is a Laguna knight now.

The woman briefly explains that she is Windsel Palomino and that Jake is her new apprentice knight. Jake has been deemed worthy to use the Laguna Order's special weapon, the power ring, and she is to train him.  With no more discussion, the trio returns to the Phoenix House, where Windsel begins using the basement to train Jake in the use of his ring. A mysterious little artifact of immense power, it is limited by the skill of its wearer, and Jake is told he will need a lot of training before he can make a name for himself in the Order.

 

Shawn, meantime, confronts Casey over the scene in the kitchen.  Sobbing, she tells him that Surek was hit by a portal while she was there.  All of the Human inhabitants she knew and loved are dead.  Despite the fact that it had more magic supplies than any other town in Shaldani, nothing could save them.  She expresses great guilt over her own survival and begins to question the blood running through her own veins.  They decide that the only person who has the answers is her estranged uncle, Anthora.  Only he can tell her exactly what she is and how she can control it.