Author: MultiMapper
Date: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00
Description: Brynnhollow by MultiMapper - Status: In Progress - Class: Story Collection - Warning: None - Summary: Chris and David Brynner can't understand why their father is taking them away from their mother, who is in the hospital, to meet a distant relative that they'd never heard of before. Stories Include: 1. A Different Tribe 2. All My Loves 3. Outside In 4. Greater Good 5. Beneath the Truth 6. Southseid 7. Unsung 8. Cascade [WIP]

Brynnhollow

© 2015-2022 by MultiMapper
All Rights Reserved

A Different Tribe

"Where are we going?'

"To Grandpa's house."

"But you told us that Grandpa Haddy was dead."

"Not your grandfather, my grandfather. He'd be your Great-Grandfather Lowell."

"Why are we going there when Mom's in the hospital? Shouldn't we be there in case she needs us?"

"As your mother's illness has progressed, it's become the center of all our lives. I just thought that this might be something that we could do to take your minds off of things for a while."

"That seems kind of cold blooded, Dad."

"Believe me, if I didn't think that this was the best thing for all involved, I wouldn't even consider doing it."

"Are we almost there? I'm tired?"

"No. We're still a long way off. That's part of why we don't visit my family very often, because they live so far out."

"Have we ever met them before? I don't remember even hearing about anyone but Grandpa Haddy."

"No. I haven't had any contact with anyone back home since before you were born."

* * * * *

"Are we close, yet? You've been driving all day."

"We're getting closer. Waxell is up ahead, it's the nearest town to Grandpa's house. We need to stop there to get gas before we continue on."

"Can we eat while we're there? We're hungry and if we don't get out of this car pretty soon, we're going to go crazy."

"I suppose that it is just about dinner time. But when we get there, I need for you two to stay in the car when I tell you to. Don't talk to anyone and whatever you do, don't wander away."

"Why not?"

"It's not safe. Let's just get our gas, get our food, and get back on the road."

* * * * *

"Excuse me..."

"Just move on and there won't be any trouble."

"We've been on the road all day and my boys are hungry. I promise, we won't be staying."

"Is there a problem here?"

"This here's one of them Brynner's. He ain't stayin."

"I was just explaining to this... lovely young lady... that my children are hungry and tired from being in the car all day. I just want to bring them in and get them a good meal before we get back on the road."

"Go ahead and feed them, Tracy. God knows we don't want to give them cause to stay."

"I'll go get the boys. Please don't treat them badly. They don't know anything about what's happened here."

"There are a lot of people round these parts who'd give their eyeteeth to be ignorant of the past, but they still have to live with the memories. Even so... just go fetch your offspring and do what you need to do before word gets out that you're here."

"Thank you."

* * * * *

"Can we have dessert?"

"No. We don't have time. We need to get back on the road."

"Why are these people staring at us?"

"Just finish your meals. We need to be going."

* * * * *

"Who's that, there?"

"Your grandson, Ares Brynner."

"Why are you here?"

"My boys, my twins, they've just turned twelve. It's that time."

"I thought that the 'curse' passed you by."

"It did, mostly. I've been able to live in the outside world without any problems... until now, anyway. You see, my wife..."

"I'm sorry, Arie. I know you just wanted to have a normal life. I can't fault you for that, not really."

"Do you know, is there anything I can do for her?"

"You haven't told her about us, have you?"

"No. I'd never do that."

"Do you think she could accept it?"

"Truthfully, no. But isn't there anything I can do to save her? She keeps getting sicker and the doctors don't know the real reason why."

"She's been tainted by the curse. You said twin boys? It's a wonder she survived the birth. From all that I know about it, your choices are to bring her in fully or you can leave her to die as one of 'them'. It's up to you to decide what's best."

"I've already decided, I just hoped that you might know of another way. Even if I can't continue to be a part of her life, she's a wonderful person who deserves a chance to live."

"Does that mean that you're finally manifesting?"

"I think so. I've been in denial about it for a while now, trying to tell myself that the signs didn't mean what I knew they did."

"What about your boys?"

"Yes. Whatever caused me to be spared, so far, doesn't seem to be working on them. Both of them are showing the first signs."

"It stands to reason. They are your sons and it is almost Samhain."

"They don't know about any of this. I told them to stay in the car until I had a chance to talk to you."

"I wish your father was here. This should be his job."

"I know. I miss him, too."

"I tell you what. Why don't you leave the boys here with me, then head up the mountain to talk to Grandma Ima? I can't say if she'll have anything that might help with your lady, but it won't hurt to ask."

"I thought Grandma Ima was dead."

"She got better."

* * * * *

"Come on in, boys. I need to go and run an errand, so you're going to stay with Grandpa Lowell."

"Do we have to? Can't we go with you?"

"No. The place I'm going wouldn't be safe for you."

* * * * *

"Grandpa Lowell, may I introduce you to your great-grandsons, Christopher and David Brynner."

"They weren't baptized with those names, were they?"

"No. Of course not."

"Good. But still, those names aren't going to work, here. We'll need to call them something else."

"I know, but can you take care of that? I need to leave soon if I'm going to reach Grandma Ima's before it's too dark."

"Take a kerosene lantern, just in case, and watch out for the footbridge. I've been meaning to fix that for a while now, but I haven't gotten around to it."

"I remember that you were meaning to fix it when I was the twins age."

"Go on, now."

* * * * *

"Come on in and find a seat, boys. Before anything else, we're going to need to do something about your names."

"What's wrong with our names?"

"Those names will be offensive to some of the people who you'll be meeting."

"I guess it's not that big of a deal. We don't want for people to be mad at us. We can use other names for while we're visiting."

"Let's go through the famous names for brothers. Just let me know if any of them sound like something you'd like. Starting at the beginning, there's Cain and Abel, then there's Castor and Pollux, Romulus and Remus, Phobos and Deimos..."

"I like Deimos. It starts with a 'D' like David and I like the sound of it. Can I use that?"

"I don't see why not, that's a fine name with a distinguished history. What about you, Christopher? Would you like to be called Phobos?"

"No. The one I like is Cain."

"Let me think. Cain and Deimos... Those are some fine names, boys. I think this calls for a celebration. Let's see what I have in store in the way of treats."

* * * * *

"It's getting dark out, do you think Dad's going to be alright?"

"I expect so. The hike up to Grandma Ima's place isn't an easy one, but I gave your father a lantern, so he should be able to manage."

"Do you need any help?"

"No. You two just take a seat at the table and I'm going to fix up something special to celebrate you gaining your names. Tell me, how much has your father told you about the family history?"

"He told us that Grandpa Haddy died before we were born. That's about it."

"The story starts more than a thousand years before that, back in the old country. The Brynns were a clan that lived in a valley, off to themselves. They didn't get on with strangers and kept themselves hidden from the outside world. It was their way."

"Kind of like here."

"No, Cain. Nowadays, we're more a part of the outside world than any of us wants. But I'll get to that. Back then, one of the young of the Brynn clan became restless and wanted to know about life outside the valley, so he went against the wishes of the clan and ventured out, on his own. According to the laws of the Brynn, he was to be regarded as 'dead', and left to the hands of fate."

"Cold blooded."

"Yes. I suppose it was. Looking back, if they had gone after him, a lot of pain and misery might have been avoided. But, be that as it may, Connor Brynn went into the outside world and took up a trade. As much as he loved his life among the... regular folk, he always knew, deep within him, that there was something calling him back to Loch Le-al, in the Brynn Valley. Fool that he was, he gathered his wife and children, and ventured back, wanting to tell about all the wondrous things that he had discovered in the 'outside world'."

"You say it like that's something bad."

"The Brynn didn't want any outside influences. They were happy living as they had always lived, off to themselves, in seclusion. So, when Connor and his family arrived, the elder of the clan was infuriated. He and the other elders of the clan gathered and put a blood curse on Connor Brynn and his family, then cast them out."

"A curse? For real?"

"Yes, Deimos. For real. The curse was of ancient origin, and none of us knows exactly what it said, or if there were even spoken words, at all. But the curse has followed the bloodline of Connor Brynn and continues to this very day."

"Brynn, as in Brynner?"

"That's right, young Cain Brynner. You and your father and, all of us, continue to live under that ancient curse."

"But why can't we use our own names?"

"One of the... conditions of the curse is that we are forever forbidden access to the faiths of other cultures. Their gods won't hear our prayers or offer us their salvation. We're of a different tribe, so if we're to find any religious fulfillment, we have to do so in the traditions of the ancient Brynns. So, it follows that some of our people are a bit unsettled by naming our young after certain of their religious icons."

"Dad always says that religion is a bunch of crap. None of it's true."

"I suspect that your father is only voicing what he wishes were the truth. As I understand things, the people of other tribes are free to believe such things as they wish. They have the freedom to pick an choose, or not believe at all. We do not have that luxury. The curse and the religion of the Brynn is part of our blood. We cannot deny it."

"Okay. So if we're cursed, what does that mean?"

"Let me continue with the history for a bit longer, first. Connor Brynn and his family were expelled from Loch Le-al, never to return. They were afraid, but in time they found their way back to their home in the outside world and tried to return to their normal lives. However, the curse upon their blood caused them to change, to become 'monsters', who were unable to live amongst the regular folk."

"Are you talking about vampires or something like that?"

"Something like that. As a boy becomes a man, the curse awakens within him in the autumn of the year."

"Like now?"

"Yes. I believe that's why your father brought you here."

"What's going to happen to us?"

"I don't know, yet. The curse manifests differently in every man. It didn't manifest at all in your father. That sometimes happens. For some rare few, when they manifest, it's so horrendous, that they don't survive the transformation. But most others become all manner of transformed creatures."

"So it's like being werewolves? We turn into something when there's a full moon?"

"Yes. The werewolf mythology touches on many of the aspects of our curse. It's often thought that whoever came up with that legend might have encountered one of our people. However, a full moon isn't required. The first transformation is somewhat unpredictable, but it can be managed here, in the community. After the first time or two, the transformation is at will."

"That doesn't sound too bad. If you only change when you want to, then you can just decide not to change and live in the real world."

"If only it were that simple, it wouldn't be much of a curse, at all."

"So, why is it so bad?"

"Firstly, the cursed blood is constantly calling out to you, demanding that you transform. Living amongst regular folk insures that you will eventually be caught and destroyed."

"So you're always wanting to go wild?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes. For a short time you're able to let go of your humanity and become a natural being. There's no other feeling like it. It's like a combination of excitement and tranquility."

"But you can't stay that way."

"No. We're not pure blooded Brynns, so we have to return to being Human."

"The Brynns weren't Human?"

"No. At least, not in the common way of thinking. The best way I've heard it described is that the Brynns are of a different tribe."

"But if Connor Brynn was thrown out of their village over a thousand years ago, why are we cursed?"

"The curse is on his blood, the blood that we all carry. All the male descendants of Connor Brynn carry the blood curse, so that they might pass it on."

"What about the girls?"

"Their curse is worse, in some ways. They grow and live normally, with no sign of the curse on them at all, except that as they grow older, the desire to have a child increases beyond all reason. They will do anything to conceive. While they are pregnant, they are content for a time. But once they give birth, they gradually begin to obsess about conceiving their next child."

"You must have tons of kids here, then."

"No. The curse changes them in another way. They don't have the ability to transform, like the men do. Their transformation is gradual and permanent. As they age, they wither and deform. Not only do they become more bitter, but also more desperate to conceive. Any man who approaches them at that point would be... it's an unpleasant death, to say the least."

"Is Dad going to be alright?"

"Yes. Although Ima is an old hag, to be sure, she and one or two others, have been able to overcome their base instincts so that they can remain a part of our society. For the other women who did not have the strength of will to retain their humanity, there is a large... castle, of sorts. It's more of a labyrinth. We, in the town, call it the Coven. That's where the hags and crones are sent to live out their days, once they've borne their children. They're kept separate from us by a ravine and the only way across is a drawbridge, which we control."

"Why is dad going to talk to her?"

"Ima and her 'sisters' study the curse and the black arts to try and come up with answers. They not only seek an end to the curse, but also work to find ways to ease its effects on all of us."

"They're witches?"

"Yes. Here, have some apple tarts. Watch out, they're still hot."

"If Dad's going there to ask for their help, then he must think that they have something to make Mom better."

"Yes. It's very likely that the cause of your mother's illness is mystical in nature, so there is a remote possibility."

"How? I mean, why now?"

"For whatever reason, when your father was your age, his curse never activated. He never gained the ability to transform or had any of the other 'limitations'. Seeing this, his father, your grandfather, decided that your father belonged in the outside world. In facilitating his escape, your grandfather was killed."

"Escape? You mean that Dad was trapped here?"

"Yes. As are we all."

"We can't leave?"

"It's for your own safety as well as the safety of everyone you love in the outside world. Actually, why don't we save this discussion for when your father is with us? I have the feeling that some decisions will need to be made, so worrying about it now won't help anything."

"What about Mom?"

"If your father can find something that will help her, he will be allowed to leave to administer the remedy, but with the promise that he will return."

"Why does he have to come back? He's not one of you! You already said it!"

"Calm down, young Deimos. Your father's curse didn't awaken when he was your age, but it's awakening now, as yours awakens. The curse also befell your mother, as you approached your emergence."

"So all of this is happening because of us?!"

"No. All of this is happening because of a curse put on our bloodline over a thousand years ago. No one knows how or why certain things happen the way they do. I'm sure that your father has some regrets for the way things have turned out, but he was following his heart and living his dreams. Unfortunately, when a person does that, there are sometimes consequences."

"Is our mom going to become an old crone?"

"No. She's not of our bloodline. When one of our men marries an outsider and gets her pregnant, she typically dies in childbirth. However, if she were to survive that, then she would soon after endure a slow painful death from illness. Since your father's curse hadn't been activated before he met your mother, she didn't suffer that fate. It's only now that all your curses have been activated, that she's had anything other than a perfectly normal existence."

"What happens when a woman from here marries a guy from outside?"

"Typically, after she conceives, she either abandons her husband or murders him, then returns here to bear her child. Occasionally, she'll stay, but then she'll become increasingly horrid and vindictive and if the man doesn't leave her, she might even be able to conceive a second child before she kills or abandons him. But it's worth noting that the man she leaves behind, should he survive, does not have the curse bestowed upon him."

"As far as screwed up families go, I think we hit the jackpot."

"Looks like it."

"If you boys have finished, we have someplace that we need to go."

"Where are we going?"

"To visit a man. He may be your cousin or more likely, your second cousin. Our family tree is something of a challenge to keep up with. It's become our custom for you to refer to your more distant relatives by how they appear in relation to your age. Were he near to your age, you would call him 'cousin' as it is, just call him Uncle Dark."

"Uncle Dark? What kind of a name is that?"

"His name is Darcel, he goes by Dark. Don't worry about that now, he's a craftsman and has something that we need."

* * * * *

"Dark, I'd like for you to meet my great grandsons, Cain and Deimos. I was wondering if you might have something for them."

"Cain and Deimos? I like that. Let me get a light, then I'll take you around back to my workshop. I think I may have just what you need."

* * * * *

"Well boys, tell me honestly, what do you think?"

"It's probably one of the creepiest places I've ever been."

"Cain! Be nice!"

"That's alright, Lowell. Different people have different feelings about masks. And I'll admit that even though I'm the one who made them, there are times when their eyeless faces seem to be staring at me, looking into the void within me where a soul should be."

"Look through these masks and see if there are any of them that you like."

"What for?"

"Samhain... I mean, Halloween. There's going to be a party. Go ahead and look through the masks to find one that you like so we'll know what you're going to the party as."

"I don't know what some of these are."

"If it's something you like the look of, just ask and Dark will tell you all about it."

"What's this one? A dragon?"

"A wyvern. It's something like a dragon, but it's not full-fledged."

"Is this one a cat or a dog?"

"Somewhere in between, but technically a dog, I think. What you have there is a thylacine, also known as a Tasmanian Tiger."

"I like the color and the hair, but not the nose... it's not right."

"Really? How do you think it should be?"

"Something like this fox one, a half-mask."

"Would you like the fox half-mask, instead?"

"No. I really like this one, do you have one like it, just without the muzzle or snout or whatever you call the nose part."

"I'm not sure. Why don't you give me that one so I can look, and you can keep browsing to see if there are any others that you like?"

"Yeah. Sure."

"How is this wyvern thing not a dragon?"

"Typically, the european depiction of a dragon has four legs and a pair of wings on it's back. The wyvern has two legs and wings where arms would typically be. There are some claws or talons on the edge of the wing, forming something like a hand, but the last few fingers of that hand are webbed and elongated to carry on the next section of the wing."

"I can almost see it in my head. It's like something that I dreamed."

"Would you like to see a real dragon mask, so that you can compare them?"

"No. I like this one."

"What about you? Have you found any that you like better than the Tasmanian Tiger?"

"Not even close. But do you have another one without the snout?"

"No. But I will in a moment. Excuse me while I go into the back of the shop."

"Is there anything else that you'd like to look at, while we're here?"

"Chris... I mean, Cain. Come here and look at this one."

"What's that you have there?"

"A crow."

"No. That's a raven. Do you like that better than your Tasmanian Tiger?"

"No, not for me. But if Dad's going to be here, it'd be perfect for him."

"Yeah. I wasn't even thinking of Dad, but it's just right."

"Since your father isn't here to choose for himself, and since you've spent so much more time with him than I have, recently, I'm inclined to go with your instincts on the matter."

"I can't believe that out here in the middle of nowhere that you have a Halloween shop."

"I'm sure it will make sense, in time."

"Here you go, take a look at this and see what you think."

"Wow. That's perfect! It's exactly how I wanted it to be."

"Let me bag those up for you."

"Thank you, Dark. I appreciate all your help."

"Are you going to wait for the celebration to... you know?"

"No. After what happened with Ares, we can't take that chance, not at their introduction to the entire community. We'll do it tonight, so we'll be sure."

"I suppose that's best. Let me know if you need my help."

* * * * *

"What were you talking about? Are we going to be making Halloween costumes tonight?"

"Something like that... Watch your step."

"I heard something in the trees, over there."

"Just keep moving. There's nothing here that will harm you."

"Are you sure?"

"Oh, yes. Quite sure."

* * * * *

"Boys, I suppose it's time to do this. I want to show you something."

"Hold on... Why are you taking off your clothes?"

"Just because you bought us some Halloween masks and fed us some pie doesn't mean we're going to do stuff."

"Please, relax. I just don't want to get my clothes torn up when I do this."

"Wow! Your body doesn't look old at all!"

"Neither does your face, really. Are you sure you're our great grandfather?"

"Yes. I'm sure. All will be explained, in time. Just watch."

"What are you doing?"

"This is something that the members of our family can do. You need to see this."

"Grandpa, you're freaking me out. Can you stop doing that?"

"Please, just watch a moment longer. Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you."

"You're turning into a dog!"

"A wolf, boy. A wolf."

* * * * *

"Um, nice Grandpa."

"Sit. Stay."

"Oh, crap! He's changing back, now."

"That looks like it's gotta hurt."

"Occasionally there is some pain, but the feeling of release makes it worth it."

"So you're a, what? Wolfman, right now?"

"That's right. This is my half-transformed state. If we're able, we're going to try to get both of you to this state before the Samhain gathering, this weekend."

"Sow-win? Is that like Halloween?"

"Yes. That's exactly what it is. We just refer to it by its proper name."

"This is something more than a Halloween party, isn't it?"

"A bit more, but it's nothing to be worried about. This will simply be your introduction to our people. If you can show that you're able to transform, then regardless of where you grew up or how you were raised, you will be accepted."

"Are we going to have to get naked in front of other people?"

"Perhaps. First, we'll have to see how your transformations go. If it's possible for you to wear something to preserve your modesty when you transform, then we'll do that. In my case, the way my body's proportioned and with the tail, there's no practical way for me to wear the same piece of clothing in both forms."

"So you have to walk around all night with your junk hanging out?"

"Only the people seeing it for the first time give it a second look. Believe me, there are much more impressive sights to be seen."

"If the women all get old and mean, then there's just going to be guys there, right?"

"No. Grandmother Ima and her sisters may choose to join us. It's one of the few times that they'll come down off their mountain. Also, some of the virgin daughters of the village may attend. If they do, they're publically stating that they have given up their struggle against the curse and are resigned to their fate. Make no mistake, they will be there for the sole purpose of selecting a mate."

"That seems wrong."

"I know, but refusing them the opportunity would be worse. When we have a public function like this, we all hope that none of the virgins will attend. But those who do, we treat with compassion and sympathy. It should be a few years before you have to worry about that. Most of the girls are able to hold out until they reach full maturity."

"I just don't want to be in a public place with my junk hanging out."

"Let me change back, then I'll help you with your transformations. Like I said, it may not be something that you have to worry about. You may be able to wear short pants or a loincloth when you transform."

"Do we have to get naked?"

"Yes."

"This is going to be weird."

"Yes. In many ways."

* * * * *

"Take your masks and put them on. They don't have any mystical powers or anything, at least, not that I'm aware. But for some reason it helps to make the visualization within you work more smoothly, the first time or two. Besides, you really will wear the masks when we go to the Samhain celebration."

"Okay. I've got my dog-cat mask on. Now what?"

"Deimos, put your wyvern mask on so we may begin."

"Don't look at my junk."

"I've seen more 'junk' than you can imagine. Don't concern yourself with what I'm doing. Put your mask on."

"Okay."

"What do we do now?"

"Close your eyes and feel the power of the world around you. Reach out with your senses and tap into the energy of nature and the energy of the world. Draw in that energy and let it connect with your blood. Let it awaken within you. Let the ecstasy flow through your body as it becomes what it was always meant to be. Go to the place where you are being drawn. Give in. There's no reason to fight. I'm right here with you. I won't let anything bad happen to you. Just let it happen."

"I feel something."

"Draw it in. Let it happen."

"Am I supposed to be shaking?"

"Yes. You're feeling your emptiness, let it be filled."

"What am I filling it with?"

"The power of nature. The energy of the sun and the moon and all the stars. You, in your limited and finite self, are tapping into a well of power greater than you can imagine. Drink. It's there for you."

"I feel it..."

"That's right, Deimos. You're doing better than I expected. Continue on. Let it finish."

"I'm going."

"You're fine, Cain. I can see the changes. Just let it happen."

"Grrr r r."

"Don't try to talk, Deimos. You've nearly completed the transformation. Now you only have your animal voice."

"Grrr."

"That's fine. Just take a moment to experience what it feels like to be in your animal form, then I'll talk you through changing back."

"Bark."

"Yes. I see, Cain. You've done very well. Do as I told your brother and make note of what you're feeling, right now."

"Grrr."

"Bark."

"Yes, yes. Don't be concerned. All you have to do now is remember what it feels like to take off the mask and be yourself again. Remember what it feels like to be the person you were when you woke up this morning."

"Don't allow yourselves to become frightened or frustrated. This is no more difficult than your transformation a moment ago. Now you're just returning to your waking forms. It's the simplest thing in the world, just be yourselves."

"Did I really just become a dog?"

"Yes. A very special dog."

"That was AWESOME!"

"I'm glad you think so. That was the most difficult thing that we had to do tonight. The next bit isn't too bad."

"Can we put our clothes back on, now?"

"Not just yet. If we can get you to stop in a half-transformed state, we'll see if there will be any way to hide your... 'junk' at the Samhain celebration this Saturday."

"Okay, what do we have to do?"

"You'll do your transformation, just like you did before, but this time, you'll talk to me as you're doing it. As soon as you lose the ability to speak in Human language, back up a little and stop. You may not have the control to fully stabilize your form, just yet, but it doesn't take much practice."

"Do you want us to start?"

"Deimos, why don't you start while your brother and I watch? It will be easier to talk to just one of you as you're trying to gain control."

"Alright, you just want me to talk while I'm trying to transform at the same time, is that it?"

"Yes. Go ahead. Whenever you're ready."

"It's hard to do both at the same time. I keep losing my concentration."

"It gets easier. Soon, it will be no more challenging than pulling on a pair of socks."

"Okay, I think I've got it. I think I like my wyvern thing, but I still don't get how a fantasy creature can be real like this."

"It's a mystical curse. If it depended on only what was 'real' to function, it wouldn't work at all."

"I guess that makes sense... Grrr."

"Now back yourself up, just a bit, and see if you can hold that state."

"It's harder than it sounds. Being a person or a wyvern is easier because they're at opposite ends. But trying to stop at one place in between... I don't know. It feels like I'm going to slip in one direction or the other."

"You may. It's not unheard of. But if you can manage to hold this state for a time, then I have no doubt that you'll do fine at the celebration."

"Is there a way I don't have to walk around with my junk hanging out for everyone to see?"

"Let me see... Yes. This works out very well. In your half-transformed state, your tail isn't manifested at all. With your wings, there's no way you can wear a shirt. And your talons would preclude you from wearing shoes. But if you wanted to wear some sort of short pants, that shouldn't be a problem."

"What about me?"

"Go ahead and try to do as Deimos has done, and we'll see what we can do for you."

"So I'm supposed to talk while I'm changing? I don't know what to talk about."

"Can you tell me how I look? I can't really see myself."

"You look wicked cool, D. I think you could scare the bejezus out of just about anyone looking like that."

"That's not helping. What do I look like?"

"You've got a dragon face, almost like your mask. Your feet are these really big, like chicken feet with sharp claws. And your arms have these bones that I guess are like your fingers going down like spines through your wings. Yip."

"Back up, just a little bit. You're almost there."

"Okay. That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"Do you feel in control? Or do you feel like you're slipping?"

"Um, I... think I've got it. I feel like I could hold it here all day."

"There's no way you can cover that up, is there?"

"What? Oh, man! And it's all furry, too!"

"It's sheathed. You'll have time to explore all the functions of your new equipment, later. But for now, let me take a look at you. Would you turn around?"

"Yeah. Those tiger stripes look awesome, but you got a tail. So no pants for you."

"No. Not pants. But considering the positioning of his 'junk', I think we should be able to fashion a rather nice loincloth. Let me see. I think I've got one around here somewhere. Just a moment."

* * * * *

"What's it feel like?"

"It's incredible. I feel like this is what I always should have been. What about you?"

"Are you kidding? I've always loved dragons! This is the best!"

"You look really awesome... you know, in a nightmare kind of a way."

"Yeah. You, too. I just realized that you kind of look like Grandpa when he's half-changed. I mean, not the tiger stripes, but around the face."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Except your jaw. That looks different."

"Different, how?"

"Whoa! It's like half your head unhinged when you did that! You've got the wildest, most wicked bite I've ever seen! You look like you could swallow a whole thanksgiving turkey in one bite."

"Well, since I like eating as much as you like dragons, I guess that works out."

* * * * *

"Here we go. Good! It looks like you've both been able to hold your transformations. You shouldn't have any problem at the celebration."

"Do you have something for me to wear?"

"Yes. Just turn around and I'll fasten it on you. We'll need to see how much it needs to be adjusted for your transformation back to fully Human."

"Just tell me what I have to do."

"There. Tell me what you think of that."

"It's a hanky on a string."

"True. But that's all you need to keep your private bits private, isn't it?"

"I guess so. How does it look?"

"Actually, I think it looks pretty cool. Maybe I'll wear something like that too."

"Are you going to want another 'hanky' to cover your backside?"

"I don't care about that. I just don't want my dick hanging out."

"If you'll give me another few minutes, I should be able to come up with another loincloth for you, then we can try them out while you're doing transformations. It's possible that we may need to use elastic if your waist size changes too drastically."

"It looks about the same to me."

"I believe you're right. I'll be right back."

* * * * *

"Grandpa Lowell is kinda cool. I wish Dad would've brought us here sooner."

"He wanted for us to grow up like regular Humans."

"But we are regular Humans, aren't we? I mean, we're just this, too."

"No. I don't think it works that way. If it did, Grandpa Lowell and Uncle Dark would be living in cities and stuff, around regular people."

"This is why the people back in town were looking at us funny, isn't it?"

"Probably, but I don't know how they knew we weren't like them."

"Maybe they recognized Dad."

"Maybe. Remember, he went into the restaurant, first, and made us wait in the car. He must have known that they'd act like that."

"They're scared of us."

"Considering that I'm looking into the face of a dragon, I think I can understand why."

"Your face isn't the stuff dreams are made of, especially when you open your mouth wide... By the way, what happened to our masks?"

"Yours is over there, on the couch. I think it came off when you did your full transformation."

"Let's find yours. We don't want them to get beat up before the Saw-wen celebration."

"I never really cared too much about going to parties and stuff. But I think I'm looking forward to this."

"Me, too."

"Here it is!"

"Did it get banged up?"

"No. It's made mostly of wood. It's fine."

"Uncle Dark really did a good job making these."

"I like that he fixed mine so it'd be right. It's perfect."

* * * * *

"Here we go. A stitch here, a stitch there and it's done."

"Thanks Grandpa."

"Turn around and I'll fasten it for you. Then I'll have you both transform back to your fully human forms, so you can see if they need adjustment."

"Walking with my feet like this is kind of tough."

"You have wings. You don't need to walk except for when you're inside."

"Good point. Do you think I can really fly?"

"I don't know about in your half-transformed state, but in your full transformation, you should be able to. Turn around."

"How do we look?"

"Perfectly respectable. Nobody's 'junk' is on display. Now, both of you, become fully Human for me, so I can check the fit."

"That was really easy!"

"It gets easier with practice."

"So, how does it look, now?"

"Is the string around your waist too tight?"

"Yeah, a little, maybe. Not too bad."

"Mine, too."

"Let me adjust them, then you can change back to your half forms."

"So, when we go, we'll just wear our regular clothes and remember to wear these underneath?"

"Oh, no. There wouldn't be any point to that. Tomorrow, we're going to make you some good and proper costumes to go with your masks. Most likely you'll be wearing robes or loose fitting garments that you can remove easily so that you'll be able to transform at the proper point in the evening."

"Are people going to freak out on there being strangers there?"

"Those who don't know your father might be understandably curious, but there are several small family compounds throughout these woods and they all tend to stay to themselves and only venture out this one time of the year. They come into Brynnhollow to sell their crops and buy supplies for the coming winter. They might be bringing youngsters with them that no one in the area has ever seen before. The younger children are usually left at home in the family compound and only those who have reached your age are allowed to come to town."

"Can I change now?"

"Yes. I'm done. See how that works."

"Me, too?"

"Yes. Go ahead."

"It's a little looser, but it still works."

"Actually, it looks fine, hanging loose like that."

"Go ahead, Deimos, change for me."

"Oh, yeah."

"I see what you mean. No one should have a problem with that."

"Just to confirm, neither of you has a problem with showing your bare behind?"

"It's just a butt. Everybody's got one."

"That's right. But thanks for not wearing shorts. I'd feel funny if I was the only one going bare assed."

"Believe me, you'll see more than your share of bare everything, plus some things that I'm sure you won't be able to identify, before the celebration's over. Why don't you two change back now, and get into your regular clothes? We need to start getting ready for bed, soon."

"Shouldn't we wait until Dad gets back?"

"Oh, no. He won't be back until morning. It's far too dangerous for him to travel much after dark."

"But from what you were saying, isn't it going to be dangerous for him to stay at Grandma Ima's house?"

"She has a very nice cage where he'll be able to spend the night."

"She's going to lock him in a cage?!"

"No. She'll give him the key so that he can lock himself in the cage. It's not to keep him in, it's to keep Ima and her sisters out, should they lose control of themselves at some point during the night."

"This has been one crazy day. Magic, curses, shapeshifting, and horney witches."

"When your father gets here in the morning, we'll see if he can manage his transformation. If he can, then we're going to have a lot of work to do to prepare for the celebration."

"You mean, besides costume making?"

"I don't just sit here, making loincloths for unknown relatives who might just pop in. I have goods and wares to sell in the market in Brynnhollow, so I'll be able to buy supplies. If you two are going to be staying here, I'm going to be counting on you to help."

"But what if Dad comes back with something to help Mom? We may have to leave with him."

"We'll deal with that if and when the time comes, but for now, we have to make plans to prepare for you to stay here. Otherwise, we won't have what we need for you to survive the coming winter."

"Just tell us what we need to do, and we'll do it."

"First, quit stalling and change back to your Human forms."

* * * * *

"Are you two ready for the best night of sleep that you've ever had?"

"It's a blanket on the floor."

"Yes. That it is. But that's not what's going to make it special. When you're ready for bed, both of you do your full transformations. Being in your animal forms will allow you to sleep in a way that you never thought possible."

"Do we have to go to bed right now?"

"No. You can stay up for a bit, if you like. I'll be asleep in the next room, in my wolf form, if you should need me."

"Thanks, Grandpa Lowell. Have a good sleep."

* * * * *

"I'm worried about Mom."

"I know. Me, too. But that's the reason that Dad came here, to maybe find a way to help her."

"Do you think we'll ever be able to see her again?"

"I don't know. But considering what we just found out about, maybe it's best if we don't."

"Yeah. When Grandpa started talking about all that magic stuff, I thought he was full of it. But now, after what we just did... we're cursed."

"I know. But it's funny. Somehow, I don't feel cursed. I mean, yeah, there's stuff we can't do, now. And I'm going to miss our friends... but things like this happen all the time, to normal people. If Dad got a new job or wanted to go back home after... you know, if she doesn't get better. It'd be the same thing. Things like this happen to everyone. I can't really blame it on the curse."

"But we're going to be leaving behind everything that we ever knew."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"No more video games."

"No. But we get to transform into animals and live in a place where other people do, too."

"No more hanging out with our friends."

"We'll make new friends, the kind that can shapeshift and fly and who knows what else."

"No more... cafeteria food."

"Wait, which side are you on?"

"I don't know if it's going to be as great as you're thinking, but I see what you're saying. I'll give it a chance."

"Yeah. Now, I guess we'd better go to bed."

* * * * *

"Grrr."

"Yelp."

"You boys get up and get dressed. Breakfast will be ready in just a few minutes."

"You were right about sleeping in our animal forms. I don't think I've ever slept so well."

"I have to admit, seeing you in your dog form, curled up against your dragon brother, was a beautiful sight to wake to."

"Where's the bathroom?"

"Good morning to you, too, Deimos. And it depends. If you're going in your human form, there's a water closet just past the kitchen, to the right. If you're going in your animal form, you have the whole outdoors to choose from. Just keep it away from the house."

"I think I'll do it Human style, for now. I really need to go."

"Do you need any help with breakfast?"

"No, thank you, Cain. This is nearly finished. But if you'd like to help, you can put away that quilt for me."

"Yeah. Sure."

"By the time you're done with that, the food should be on the table."

* * * * *

"Something smells good."

"Dad!"

"Dad!"

"How did things go, Ares?"

"Grandma Ima wasn't sure if it would work, she's never had a chance to test it before. But she thinks that since Andrea isn't blood kin, that she might be able to lift the curse on her."

"Mom's going to be alright?"

"I hope so. But this is all that I can do for her. Grandma Ima said that if I do this, that we're going to have to stay far away from your mother. Any contact with us could reawaken the curse and then there'd be no way of ever undoing it."

"Sit down, Ares, and have some breakfast."

"I don't have time. I have to get the cure to Andrea while I can still resist the transformation."

"You're going to be driving for a full day. And unless I miss my guess, you're not going to stop unless there's dire need. You need to start out with a full stomach."

"Can we go with you?"

"The boys were both able to transform last night, so it won't be possible for them to leave."

"Really? You had them transform before the ceremony?"

"Yes. It seemed best to be sure."

"Why can't we go with you? We want to see Mom."

"I'm sorry. But if you've both transformed, then it's too dangerous for you to go into the outside world. As it is, it's going to take every bit of my concentration to keep from transforming before I get back."

"But I can transform whenever I want. I can go with you and just not change myself."

"You may think that now, Deimos. But the desire to change becomes increasingly overwhelming. Even though you spent the night in your animal form, I would wager that you're already feeling the desire to change again."

"Deimos? The god of fear? That's an interesting choice."

"You don't like it?"

"No. I think it's a wonderful name. It's just going to take me some time to get used to it. For the past twelve years I've been calling you David."

"My new name is Cain."

"Somehow, I expected Phobos."

"Grandpa suggested that, but I like Cain better. Besides, it starts with a C, like Christopher, so that'll help you remember."

"I suppose it will. Thanks for the meal, Grandpa Lowell. I really need to get going if I'm going to make it back tonight."

"The boys will be fine, here with me. Do you think you'll be able to make it back before the Samhain celebration?"

"It's going to be close, but I'll do everything in my power to make it back on time. I'm almost twenty years overdue for this ceremony."

"Tell Mom that we love her."

"I will. Now come here and give me hugs. I've got to go."

* * * * *

"Boys, we have quite a bit of work ahead of us today, so I'm going to need your help."

"What do we have to do besides make costumes?"

"We'll make the costumes tonight, when our work is done. But right now we need to load up the cart with all the things we're going to be selling in town."

"I feel something funny. I feel like I'm starting to change."

"Yes. That's going to happen. Do you have your loincloth on?"

"No. I didn't put it on this morning."

"If you want to conceal your 'junk', then you'd better put it on."

"Me, too?"

"Yes. Both of you are going to feel the need to transform from time to time. When you're in a situation where it's acceptable, it's best that you go ahead and do it. If you try and fight it for too long, it's going to happen whether you want it to or not."

"Dad didn't take our suitcases out of the car! We've only got the clothes that we're wearing!"

"Your style of clothing is a bit unusual for Brynnhollow. When we get into town, I'll get both of you clothes that are more in keeping with the local style."

* * * * *

"Did you make all of this stuff?"

"No. I tend to do mostly sewing and intricate woodworking. Throughout the year, people will come to me and ask me to do special jobs for them. Some pay in cash, others pay in barter. So, while I made many of the things in the cart, there is also a good share that other people made."

"How far is it to the town?"

"We have about another hour of walking."

"Wouldn't it be easier if we rode in the cart?"

"No. This isn't a wagon for riding. It's a cart for hauling. Besides, as long as I'm able to walk, I plan on doing so."

"Is this horse a real horse?"

"Yes. Dibbin is just an average, run of the mill, horse. But before the week is over it wouldn't surprise me if you met more than one person who could shift into a horse form."

"Are we going to have to stay in our Human forms when we get into town?"

"Yes. Appearing in public in the light of day in your transformed state is considered to be a sign that you're unable to control yourself. I suppose it's akin to what people feel toward derelicts or drunkards when they encounter them."

"Oh. I thought we were going to a town of shapeshifters."

"We are. But society still has it's rules. After dark, the restrictions are relaxed, somewhat. And, of course, people can do whatever they want in the privacy of their own homes."

"But we're going to have to spend all day, looking like people?"

"Yes. It will be good practice for you. And if you'll let me know when it's too overwhelming for you, we'll find a discreet place for you to change, for a bit."

"Yeah, Cain. At least you'll be able to do your full transformation and just look like a crazy little stripey dog-cat thing. There's no way I could pass for a natural creature when I'm transformed."

"That's true."

"Grandpa, would you mind if I transform for a few minutes? I'll stay right with you, but if all we're doing right now is walking, I think I'd be more comfortable that way."

"Yes. That's fine. Just be sure to change back when I tell you to."

"Walking is harder when I'm in my animal form."

"Yeah. But you can fly."

"Can I?"

"Yes. It's most likely that you can fly. But I wouldn't recommend you doing so right now. The canopy of treetops would make it difficult for you, especially since you don't have any experience. And if you went above the canopy, then you'd be at risk of attracting attention. No, it's best if you confine your flying to nighttime, when we're on our own property."

"It looks like we'd better get over that thing about showing our junk. If we're going to be transforming all the time, we're going to spend a lot of time naked."

"You'll adapt... Cain, don't get too close to Dibbin. He might step on you."

* * * * *

"Wow. This place looks like something out of the history books."

"I suppose it is something like taking a step back in time. The only modern conveniences that we've adopted are those that actually make our lives significantly easier. For example, if I can still do my work with Dibbin and a cart, then I don't need a truck."

"Where are we going?"

"We're just going to walk along until we find a nice, open spot where we can stop and begin to sell our wares."

"This is nothing like going to the mall, back home."

"I don't know about that. It may not be inside and air conditioned, but it's still a bunch of different shops, everywhere you turn."

"That's right, Cain. Most of the differences you recognize here aren't really all that different when you stop and think about it."

"Is that a good place?"

"Yes. Thank you, Deimos. That will do quite nicely."

* * * * *

"Will you boys stay here and sell my wares while I go to make arrangements for my winter supplies?"

"There's no prices on anything. How will we know how much to sell things for?"

"I think that most of the people you'll be trading with today will be doing so for barter. Those that trade in currency will probably arrive sometime tomorrow."

"I still don't know how much something costs."

"If you have something that someone wants, they'll make you an offer. If it sounds like a fair trade, you accept. If not, then you may decide to haggle. Honestly, it's unlikely that anyone will stop to do more than look at what you're selling, this early in the day. Most people are just going around, seeing what's on offer so that they can come back later to trade for the things they decided that they want."

"Okay. We can try."

"Thank you. Just now, I'm going to take Dibbin to the stable where he can be tended, then I'll start arranging supplies for the winter."

* * * * *

"That one looks like it took a really long time to make. Did you make it?"

"No. Our grandfather did."

"You two are twins! I don't think there's ever been twins here before."

"There are other twins, here, just none close to our age. By the way, my name is Jim, this is my little brother, Tannis. You'll have to excuse him, he's excited. This is the first time he's been allowed to come into town."

"It's alright. It's our first time here, too. I'm Deimos and this is my brother, Cain."

"But you're not from one of the family compounds, are you? From the look of your clothes, you're from outside."

"Yeah. That's right."

"I didn't know anyone came here from outside, ever."

"We don't really know much about it, but from what Grandpa's been saying, it sounds like it doesn't happen very often."

"What's it like out there?"

"Different in some ways. A lot louder. A lot busier."

"A lot less friendly."

"So, it's not better?"

"It's what we grew up with. It's all we know. So, it's hard for us to be able to say if it's better or not. We're still trying to figure things out about this place."

"Boys, have you found something?"

"We were just looking at this carved box. It looks like it took a long time to make."

"Yes. It's very nice. That looks like Lowell Brynner's work."

"Yes, Sir. Lowell Brynner is our great grandpa. We're Cain and Deimos Brynner."

"It's nice to meet you, boys. I'm Drake Brynnynn. Are you Ares' sons?"

"Yes."

"I haven't seen him in years. Is he here?"

"No, he had to take care of something. He's going to try to be back before the Samhain celebration."

"I always wondered what happened to him. I'm glad that he's back."

"We'll be sure to let him know that you asked about him."

"Boys, we need to go look at some cold weather clothes for you."

"Can I stay here? I'm just going to end up wearing Jim's castoffs from last year, anyway."

"Will you stay right here until we get back?"

"Yeah."

"Is that alright with you boys?"

"Yes. That's fine."

"We'll be back before very long."

* * * * *

"Did you want to stay so you could find out about the outside world?"

"No. Jim's the one who cares about that. I know that the people there are different from us and that if they knew we was here, that they'd hate us. I don't think I want to know more than that about them."

"We didn't even know about this place before yesterday, so I can't be sure about all of it, but you're probably right."

"Are you going to live here, now?"

"Yeah. It's looking that way."

"Are you... I mean, can you..."

"Can I what?"

"You know about how the people here are different from the people outside, right?"

"Yeah. We just found out about that last night."

"So... I mean, if they told you. Does that mean that you're... like us?"

"Yes. That's why we're staying."

"Jim says that I may still be too young and that I'll probably have to wait for next year, but Dad says that it's time for me. I'm going to find out for sure this Saturday."

"So you haven't changed, yet?"

"No. I can feel it and I want to do it. But Dad says that I'm supposed to wait. It's supposed to be good luck for your family if you can do it for your first time out in front of everyone at the celebration."

"I hadn't heard that."

"How old are you?"

"We're twelve."

"I'll be twelve in a few weeks. That's why Jim says that I'm still too young."

"If you're feeling it, then you're probably old enough."

"That's what I said, but Jim says that I'm only feeling what I want to feel. And that it's not real."

"How old is Jim?"

"He's fourteen. Some people treat him funny because they think his real name is James, but it's really Jimson. I don't know why he still wants us to call him Jim. Anyway, our family's all herbalists for as far back as anyone remembers. If you ever need some herbal remedies or anything like that, our dad has everything."

"That's good to know. The only people we've met since we've been here are our great grandfather and Uncle Dark."

"My brother told me about Dark, but we just got here this morning. We haven't seen his stand, yet, but they said that he always has a bunch of masks for the ceremony. I can't wait to pick mine out!"

"How are you boys doing? It looks like you've made a new friend."

"Yeah. This is Tannis Brynnynn. It's his first time here, too."

"Brynnynn, you say? You wouldn't happen to be Mandrake's son, would you?"

"Yes. Do you know my Dad?"

"Oh, yes. I've dealt with your father many times. He's a good man."

"Tannis is waiting here while his father and brother buy new winter clothes. That's okay, isn't it?"

"Yes. That's fine. It turns out that the people I need to speak with haven't opened their shop, yet. So I'll try again later."

"Do you want to come to Dark's shop with me when my dad gets back?"

"Sure, if Grandpa doesn't need us to stay."

"No, no. I've got all day to get my things arranged. You may go with your friend, if you like."

"Actually, his dad's going to come back here for him, but did you happen to notice where Uncle Dark set up his stuff? That's where Tannis and his family wanted to go next."

"I seem to recall Dark mentioning that he had made arrangements with Mason to set up a display in his front room. I don't know if Dark's arrived yet, but that would be the best place to look for him. It's up this street, three houses past the stable on your left."

"Thanks Mr... Um, if you told me your name, I forgot it."

"Lowell Brynner. But just call me Grandpa Lowell."

* * * * *

"It looks like we're all set for winter clothes."

"Dad, this is Grandpa Lowell. He said I could call him that. He knows where Dark set up his shop. Can we go there now?"

"Hello, Lowell. It's good to see you again. Please excuse Tannis. This is his first time in town and he's a little excited about it."

"That's fine. Have you met my great grandsons?"

"Yes. Cain and Deimos. We spoke earlier."

"Grandpa Lowell told us where Dark's shop is. Can we go now?"

"It's not assured that Dark has had time to set up shop, it's still early. But I recall where he was planning to show his wares this year."

"Well, since the other place I wanted to visit hasn't opened yet, I suppose that we might as well go and check it out."

"Can Cain and Deimos go, too?"

"Yes. That would be fine."

* * * * *

"How are you two liking it here so far?"

"It's still too new, too different, for us to really be able to compare it to what we're used to."

"I don't know if you know about this, but some of the adults, you know, once they've mastered their self-control, sometimes go to visit the 'outer world'. Some do it to satisfy their curiosity and others do it to get a sense of how the world's progressing and how close they are to discovering us."

"We thought from the way our grandfather talked about it, that we weren't ever going to get to go back."

"You may not. If you can't master your self control, then you certainly can't go out. And many of us, myself included, have made the trip, but don't have any desire to see it more than once."

"Do people ever come here from the outside? I mean, like strangers just exploring, or something?"

"Yes. Very rarely, but it happens. Most of them are easy enough to discourage, but occasionally there are teens or young adults from town who 'dare' each other to go into the Brynnhollow Woods for some sort of a thrill... and occasionally, they get more than they bargained for."

"Grandpa said three houses past the stable on the left, that should be it, right up there."

"That's Mason's. He's one of our runners."

"Runner? What's that?"

"Although we try to be as self sufficient as possible here, there are some things we just can't produce ourselves. The runners make 'runs' into the outside world to gather the things we need as quickly and discreetly as possible."

"Like what? I haven't seen anything from the outside world, here."

"I don't know too much of it, but mostly textiles and foodstuffs, as far as I know. There are things we simply can't grow or manufacture for ourselves."

"If you're buying things, you must be selling things, too."

"Yes. Again, I don't know too much about it, but as I understand it, some of our goods are sold to the outside. I even contribute some of my herbs to the cause, when there's a call for them."

* * * * *

"Hello?"

"I'm back here, I'll be out in just a minute. Go ahead and look around."

"Go ahead, Tannis. The masks are right over there. See if there are any that you like."

"He's got chewing gum!"

"Yes. When Mason's out, he picks up a few odd and end things that people might like and sells them here. I know it seems like he's breaking the rules by doing it, but I think everyone realizes that it would be impossible to keep us completely separated from the outside. Allowing a few simple things like this to be brought in helps to ease the sense of confinement that some of our people feel."

"Have you found anything that you like?"

"Uncle Dark!"

"Hello, boys. I didn't expect to see you in here. Did everything go alright last night?"

"Yeah. Everything went great!"

"Good. Drake, it's good to see you. What can I get for you today?"

"There are a few things that I asked Mason to pick up for me, do you know anything about that?"

"No. He's out on a run, right now. But he should be back before nightfall. Check back and you can ask him about it."

"That's fine. We'll be here until after the celebration. Speaking of that, Tannis is going to need a mask."

"It looks to me like he's already found them. Just let me know when he's picked one out."

"Thanks, Dark. He hasn't been able to talk about anything else for months."

"Jimson, was it? I haven't seen you for a while. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine... Is it okay for us to buy these things?"

"That's what Mason gets them for. What were you interested in?"

"I don't know... there's so much to choose from and we usually only come into town once a year. So I want something that will last."

"Take your time."

"You guys are from outside. What do you think would be good for me to choose?"

"I know it's probably not what you're looking for, but there's only one thing I see here that I think I'd like to have."

"What's that?"

"That book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone; I think that if I was going to be in a place for a long time, that I'd want a good book that I could enjoy and read over and over again."

"It looks like a little kid's book."

"Yeah. I don't know why they chose that cover art, but the book is really good... at least, that's what I've heard. I haven't read it, yet."

"If I get it, maybe you could borrow it when I'm done."

"Don't you only come to town once a year?"

"Dad does. But I'm old enough that I can go to town whenever I want... I just haven't had any reason to, so far."

"What about Tannis?"

"We'll know on Saturday."

"I want this one!"

"What did you pick out?"

"I like it because it already looks like me... well, except for the horns."

"So you weren't trying to get one like your dad's?"

"No! I don't think I ever saw Dad's mask. And this doesn't look anything like his other face."

"I suppose not. Well, what do you say, Drake? Are you ready to have a faun in the family?"

"I can't think of anything that would please me more."

"Is that everything for you, then?"

"Do you want that book, Jim?"

"Can I have it?"

"Yes. As long as you'll let your brother read it when you're finished, that is, if he wants to."

"Yes. Thank you."

"I think you'll enjoy it."

"Thank you, Deimos. As soon as Tannis and I are done reading it, I'll bring it to your house so that you can read it, too."

"Yeah. Thanks. I'd like that."

* * * * *

"What kind of mask did you get, Cain?"

"You'll just have to wait until Saturday to see it."

"That's no fair! You saw mine! I want to see yours!"

"Tannis, we're in town. I don't think that's the sort of thing that you want to be yelling at the top of your lungs as you walk down the street."

"I'm sorry, Tannis. You're right, that wouldn't be fair. My mask is of a thylacine."

"I don't know what that is."

"That's okay. I didn't know either. A thylacine is also known as a Tasmanian Tiger. That's all I can really tell you about it. You'll have to wait until Saturday to see it for yourself."

"Thanks for telling me, Cain. Usually, when Jim's around, people just talk to him and act like I'm not even there."

"Well, if I'm understanding how things work, all that's going to change in just a few days."

"Maybe, if Jim will let me, I can come to visit when he brings your brother his book."

"That'd be great."

* * * * *

"Wow! That was a long day!"

"But did you boys have a good time?"

"Yeah. It sure was busier in the afternoon than it was in the morning."

"Many people have to travel a long distance and carry their goods with them, so they don't arrive until later in the day. Also, those who arrive early tend to see what the sellers have to offer before making any purchases. Tomorrow will be far busier. I'm sure that I'm going to need both your help."

"Isn't someone going to steal your stuff, leaving it there, like that?"

"If someone happens along and finds something that they want, they'll leave something of equal value in its place. And if, by some odd chance, a person happens along who is in dire need and takes something without payment, then I want for him to have it, to ease his burden."

"It's a whole lot different from where we lived. We couldn't even leave our bikes outside in our own driveway."

"We encourage people to be their best selves."

"But what happens if they're not?"

"Corrective actions are taken."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I suggest that you don't misbehave so that you won't have to find out."

* * * * *

"I thought you'd bring the horse home with us, instead of leaving him in the stable in town."

"No. I see no reason for him to make the trip both ways without anything to carry."

"It just seems weird... walking to get home."

"From what little I know of the outside world, it has become an unfamiliar concept."

"I don't know about anyone else, but I feel like I'm about to lose control of my transformation."

"Yeah. I've been itching to change for the last few hours. I almost lost it a couple times."

"You've both done very well today. Since it's getting dark, I don't think there would be any harm if we were to shift and make our way home in animal form."

"What about our clothes?"

"One of us will have to carry them."

"Why are you looking at me?"

"Because, Deimos, you have taloned feet that would be excellent for carrying bundles of cloth."

"Okay. But you guys stick around until I'm sure that I can fly. I don't want to have to walk all the way to the house, carrying your clothes."

"We will wait."

* * * * *

"So, how was the flying?"

"Better than in my dreams."

"I like my animal form, but... well, flying would be nice, too."

"If you want, I can take you for a quick flight before it gets too dark."

"Is that okay, Grandpa?"

"Yes. That sounds like a very good idea. Just don't go too high. The higher you go, the more visible you become."

"I'll just circle the house a few times, so Cain can feel what it's like."

"What do I have to do?"

"Go ahead and change all the way. That way you'll be easy to carry."

"You're not going to scratch me with those big dragony claws of yours, are you?"

"No promises. But I'll try to be careful."

"Don't stay out too long. We still have things to do before we retire for the evening."

* * * * *

"Grandpa? Did you pick up my clothes?"

"Yes. They're in the living room."

"Thanks."

"What did you need for us to do next?"

"We need to work on your costumes. We're going to have other things to do tomorrow night, so this will be your last chance."

"While we're doing this, can we make one for Dad, too?"

"Since you've already picked out his mask, I think that might be a very good idea."

"I wish I knew how Mom was doing."

"Try to be assured that your father is doing absolutely everything in his power to see that she will recover."

"I know. But I still wish I knew."

* * * * *

"Before we begin, you need to decide what you want your finished costume to look like. That doesn't mean that it will end up looking that way, but it's a good place to start."

"Since I've never seen anyone else's costumes, I don't know where to begin."

"I can show you mine, but you'll have to keep in mind that I've added embellishments to it most years since I first created it. So mine is the product of over a century of work."

"How old are you?"

"One hundred sixteen... no, seventeen... what year is it?"

"It's 2015."

"Right, then I'm one hundred seventeen years old."

"But you don't look like you're older than fifty or sixty."

"Yes. Well, we're a long lived people. I don't know if it's the curse or a side effect of the shape changing ability, but we tend to live quite a long time."

"Does that mean we're going to look like we're twelve years old for the next twenty years?"

"No. You should continue to age normally until you enter adulthood. Then your aging should slow. However, that being said, not everyone ages the same way. Some age normally, some age too quickly, there really isn't any way to determine which way things will go."

"Okay. But can we see your costume? I really don't have a clue of where to start."

"This may take me a minute. While I'm gone, why don't you go through that chest in the living room and take a look at the fabrics that are available for you to work with."

* * * * *

"Grandpa! That's amazing!"

"That's nothing like I thought it was going to be. I thought you were going to just try to make a wolf costume."

"What point would there be to that? My costume emphasizes some of the most terrifying aspects of the wolf... and the wolfman, I suppose."

"Is that barbed wire wrapped around your fists?"

"It's just made to look that way. I did that in the 1960's. I was feeling a bit rebellious back then."

"Your costume is AWESOME!"

"There is one other feature of the costume that you have to keep in mind. You need to be able to slip out of it easily and do your transformation."

"What?! I didn't even see you change. It's like when you took off that cape thing, your Human form just fell away with it."

"That's the effect I was trying for. Although what we'll be attending is essentially a costume contest, there's more than a little theater involved."

"If it's a costume contest, what's the prize?"

"The respect and admiration of the entire community."

"Yeah. I guess that kinda beats a twenty dollar gift card to Game Stop."

"Remember, you've only got this one night. Do what you're going to do. There won't be another chance."

"Do you have anything like paint or fabric dye? I'm going to need tiger stripes."

"I believe that we'll be able to come up with something."

"I need something sparkly, for trim."

"Don't forget, you were also wanting to make something for your father."

* * * * *

"Are you two planning to sleep all day?"

"Grrr."

"Don't take that tone with me, young man. You either get up or you'll go without breakfast."

"Sorry, Grandpa. I was sleeping so good. I didn't want to get up."

"Wake your brother. We have much to do."

"It's not even light out."

"We can't afford to loll around, waiting for the sun to rise. Today is going to be a busy day."

"Come on, Cain. It's time to wake up."

"Yip. Bark."

"Yeah. It sucks. But Grandpa says that if we don't get up, we don't get to eat."

"Whine."

"I'm right there with you, Bro."

"Remind me when we get to town that we still need to pick you two up some clothes. I forgot yesterday."

"Yeah. Ours are going to start getting ripe before very long."

"We should have washed them last night, but we became so involved in making your costumes that it didn't occur to me."

"Do they look alright?"

"I'm sure they'll be the envy of all the other new celebrants."

"Good morning."

"Good morning, Cain. Get dressed and get in here to the table. We mustn't dawdle."

"You're over a hundred years old. You shouldn't have this much energy."

"Perhaps that's why they call it a curse."

* * * * *

"I could fly there faster."

"Yes. I suppose you could. But then, where would that get us? We'd be in town before most people were out and about, with nothing to do. Just enjoy the walk."

"I'm cold."

"That's a sign that you need to pick up your pace."

"No. That's a sign that I should have worn a jacket."

"Nonsense. It's a beautiful, brisk morning. All you have to do is open your eyes and enjoy it."

"It's too early for my eyes to be open."

"Yeah. The sun's barely woken up."

* * * * *

"Well, you were right, Grandpa. We're a lot busier than we were yesterday."

"When you've done this a few times, you'll get used to the pattern."

"I guess you've done this enough to know what to expect."

"Yes. However, no matter how much I see, there are still surprises from time to time."

"There's Tannis!"

"Is it okay if we go and talk to Tannis and Jim for a little bit?"

"You've both been working hard. Why don't you go and spend some time with your friends?"

"Really? Thanks Grandpa!"

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Go on, now. Just remember that as the day continues on, I'm going to need more and more of your help."

"Okay. We'll be back in a little bit."

* * * * *

"Where's your dad?"

"He's got some stuff to do, getting us ready for winter. What are you guys doing?"

"We're helping Grandpa sell stuff. He said that we could hang out with you for a little bit, but we're going to have to get back to him pretty soon. He says it's just going to get busier and busier."

"Last night, Dad and Jim helped me with my costume for tomorrow."

"We worked on our costumes, too. We stayed up so late that it was hard for us to get up this morning."

"Dad says that we can work on mine some more tonight."

"From what Grandpa was saying, we're going to have something else to do. He said that we had to get ours completely finished last night because we wouldn't get another chance."

"Are you ready for tomorrow?"

"This is all new to us. I guess we're as ready as we're going to get."

"All you've got to do is get up there and do it. Getting your costume ready is nice, and I guess it helps, some, since it helps you to picture what you're trying to do. But really, the only thing you need is to get up there and change."

"Thanks, Jim. That makes me feel better. Being raised outside, I didn't know if we'd know everything that we needed to about what was going on."

"Tannis is going into this not knowing much more about it than you do. I don't think you can really understand until you've been through it."

"It looks like there's even more people showing up. We'd probably better get back to the cart to help Grandpa."

"I think that once Dad's got everything arranged, that we're probably going to be busy, too. We've got to load up supplies so that we'll be ready to haul them back home after the celebration."

"We'll see you later, then."

"Yeah. And try not to worry too much about tomorrow, Tannis. We're going to be right there with you, so you're not going to be alone."

"Thanks, Cain."

* * * * *

"That was weird. It was almost like shopping for Christmas at the mall."

"As the Samhain celebration approaches, the excitement is building."

"Yesterday you said that there wasn't any point in bringing Dibbin and the cart back home with us. What's different today?"

"We're done selling our wares. Tomorrow will be dedicated to enjoying the celebration."

"We're done selling things?"

"Yes. And might I add, that your help was greatly appreciated. Our little community has gotten bigger over the years and it was good to have some help."

"People love your stuff, Grandpa. Everyone was talking about how beautiful your woodwork and your patchwork fabric were."

"Yeah. Speaking of fabric. Thanks for getting us new clothes. People don't look at us quite as funny when we're dressed like everyone else."

"Had it been another time of year, I simply would have made your clothes myself. But there are too many things that need to be done for me to take on another project."

"Are we far enough away from town that I can change? I've been Human all day and I'm needing to."

"I'm afraid not. There are too many people travelling today and if they happened upon us when you were transformed, they might look upon it as something vulgar."

"If everyone does it, why would they think that?"

"There are many things that everyone does that they don't want to be reminded of. There are many strong emotions associated with our abilities. Some look upon it with shame or fear. Others with pride. The way our society has developed, we've established the 'proper' time and place where it's acceptable to display our gifts. In those settings, just by virtue of being there, one has given consent and accepted that things might occur that he would normally shy away from."

"Do some people really get that bent out of shape because other people shapeshift?"

"It's not just that. At the celebration, there will also be other... indulgences."

"Grandpa, we're not from here. So when you say something like that, without really saying it, we don't get it. We can't read between the lines."

"Yeah. Can you just tell us?"

"Forgive me, boys. There are certain subjects that should be spoken of delicately, so as not to offend. But you are correct. I should refrain from using such vagaries since you don't have the cultural context to facilitate your understanding."

"Right. That makes everything all clear, now."

"What he said."

"What I was speaking of before is the fact that during the festival, all manner of behavior that is otherwise looked upon as immoral or indulgent is seen as an acceptable expression of celebration."

"So... what? Do they get drunk or something?"

"Forgive me, speaking frankly about such things is difficult for me. Habit, I suppose. And, to answer your question, yes. There will be an abundance of wine. The Samhain celebration has sometimes been referred to as a Bacchanalia, although only in the metaphorical sense."

"Wow. You're really good at saying stuff without really saying it, aren't you?"

"Yeah. You'll have to teach us how to do that."

"To put it bluntly, as the night progresses and people have enjoyed some wine, their inhibitions will lower and things will most likely turn sexual."

"But isn't it going to be all guys?"

"Probably. Yes."

"So what are they going to do? Jerk off together?"

"Some will. But there are other things that a group of men can do to entertain each other, especially when they've had enough wine to give themselves permission."

"Are you saying that you're expecting us to have sex with guys?"

"No! Not at all. I just wanted you to be aware of what might be going on following the ceremony. It's possible you might stumble into an orgy or two as you enjoy the festivities. All I'm saying is that, it's normal. It happens. Be happy that they're having a good time and go back to enjoying yourselves."

"I don't know what guys... do... together."

"I'm sure you'll have a better idea after tomorrow night."

"So they're going to get drunk and have sex. Is that it?"

"Once the ceremony is finished, that marks the beginning of the celebration proper. From that point on, everyone is free to transform. Since it is so restrained the rest of the year, some people choose to embrace the chance to transform publically and make quite a production of it."

"So everyone changes into animals and has sex? That sounds way creepy!"

"No. At least, not usually. The fact of the matter is, many of the transformed creatures would be sexually incompatible. Although there are a few exceptions, most people tend to enjoy their sexual exploits while in their human forms. They change into their animal forms just for the joy of it, and sometimes to show off."

"Couldn't they kind of do both when their half-transformed?"

"One would think, but then it becomes an issue of safety and self-control. It's too easy to lose one's focus and fully transform while... in congress. The possibility of causing irreparable harm is too great. Most don't want to take that chance."

"Can we not talk about this anymore. It feels weird."

"Yes, Deimos. I think we've had more than enough discussion on the matter. Just know, that if you have any questions, that I will do my best to answer them."

"Thanks, Grandpa."

* * * * *

"I'm going to unhitch the cart and tend to Dibbin. Why don't you boys go ahead and transform while I take care of that. I'll come and get you when I need your help."

"Yeah! I've been wanting to transform so bad that it almost hurt!"

"Me, too!"

"Don't shed your clothes out here. Go inside. You wouldn't want for me to see your 'junk' would you?"

"I'm not as worried about that as I was yesterday. Come on, Cain."

* * * * *

"Boys. I'm going to need your help, now."

"Do we need to be Human for this?"

"The first thing I'm going to need is for the cart to be unloaded. If you can manage that in your half-transformed state, that's up to you. But once you've finished that, I'll need you in here, in your Human forms, to help me with cooking."

"Good! I'm hungry!"

"You're always hungry, Cain."

"We'll be preparing dinner, but we're also going to be preparing several desserts for the feast tomorrow. This is why I was so insistent that you finish your costumes last night. The amount of cooking we have to do is probably going to keep us up well past our usual bedtime."

"If we're half-transformed, here at the house, do we have to wear our loincloths?"

"That's entirely up to you. But, just to be clear, I expect you to have your 'junk' covered before you walk into my kitchen."

"You got it, Grandpa."

* * * * *

"That's a lot of apples."

"Yes. We were very fortunate this year. We had quite an abundance."

"Did you go out and pick all these apples yourself?"

"Oh, no. I simply told Dark when the apples were ready to harvest and he arranged for some people to come and gather them for me."

"Uncle Dark's really nice. I like him."

"Even though he has a creepy shop."

"Yes. He is very nice. And due to his artistic talent, he has been given the honor of making the masks for the entire community. There was a time when everyone fashioned their own masks, and some still do. But with Dark making masks, it has taken some of the pressure off of those who are preparing to transform for the first time."

"Yeah. I don't think I would've known how to make a mask."

"I'm curious to know, if you had made the mask for yourself, do you think you would have chosen to make a dragon?"

"Yeah. I think so. I think about dragons a lot. I even dream about them."

"What about you, Cain?"

"I don't know if I could have made a mask that was as good as Uncle Dark's, but I think I probably would've tried to make just about the same thing. The mask is just about like the picture in my head."

"Did either of you ever tell your father about these visions you've been having?"

"Yeah. Since Mom went into the hospital, Dad would come in to wake us up every morning and he'd always ask if we slept well and what kind of dreams that we'd had."

"That explains how he knew that you were emerging."

"Just because we dreamed about animals?"

"I don't think a dream about animals would necessarily mean anything, but consistently having dreams about the same animals would indicate some sort of bond developing with that spirit form."

"It sounds like a lot of mystical mumbo-jumbo to me."

"I suppose it is. But just consider that our blood is infused with that spiritual mumbo-jumbo. What might be seen as outrageous folly to the outside world is reality for us... Deimos, peel a little more carefully or you won't have anything left once you've removed the core."

"Why are you making that little pie different from all the others?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you about that. It's something of a tradition that when we're preparing for the celebration, that we take care to make one special thing. Then, after the ceremony, we give it away. The gift is supposed to impart the bond of friendship for the coming year."

"Is that true? I mean, does it really work?"

"Who's to say? I've always thought it to be more of a tradition than a magical enchantment, but either way, it's nice to be able to give someone something to show that you care."

"Who are you making your little pie for?"

"I don't know. I'm just making it to have it handy, in case it's needed. And if I don't encounter anyone that I feel like giving it to, I'll eat it myself."

"Is it just like making the big pies, but littler?"

"Basically, but to make it special, you take the time and care to layer the apple slices in, very precisely and extra care when you make the lattice, so that the person who receives it will know that it was made with patience and care."

"I want to make one, too."

"We have no shortage of apples. Go ahead."

* * * * *

"Tomorrow, when we go to the celebration and transform in front of everyone, is there anything, like a ceremony or words we have to know or anything like that?"

"No. Although there is some mystical significance to the celebration being held at this particular time of year, there isn't any magical ritual to be performed. Or, perhaps the celebration itself is the ritual. But there are no words to memorize or grand choreography to learn. You simply step forward when asked, and transform when it's your turn. That really is all there is to it."

"You said before that no one's going to care if they see our junk. Is that right?"

"Yes. Everyone else, having grown up here, won't have any inhibitions about such things."

"So, are we going to look weird if we're trying to hide our junk?"

"Honestly, I doubt that anyone will notice if you're wearing your loincloth or not. What they'll be watching is your level of control as you transform."

"Are we going to have to transform all the way or just half-transform?"

"Those that are transforming for the first time will transform all the way. There's no shame in that. Sharing your first transformation with the whole community is looked upon favorably. But those who have had their first transformation prior to the celebration are encouraged to half-transform to show that they have control."

"If it's supposed to be good luck for us to transform for our first time at the celebration, why did you have us do it already. I think we could've waited."

"Because of your father. At the Samhain celebration following his twelfth birthday, he stood naked before the entire community and couldn't change. He was devastated. In a way, gaining your transformation is looked upon like gaining your adulthood. All those around him had achieved something that he wasn't able to. To make matters worse, the following year, he stood before the community again, and once again failed. After that, he never attended another Samhain celebration."

"Wow! That sucks!"

"I wish there were more that I could have done for him, but alas, there were no words of consolation that I could offer. What had happened was completely outside my control and I had no method for resolving the matter."

"So, after that, he left?"

"It was some years later. He tried his best to live here, in the community. But he didn't feel as though he fit in. He felt like less of a person, less of a man, than all those around him. Eventually, my son, Hades, could bear it no longer, he arranged for your father to move into Waxell, so that he could live in the outside world, but also be close by."

"I thought that Grandpa Haddy died trying to get Dad out."

"Your father lived in Waxell for a time, but also continued to have contact with people in the community, mostly me and his father. I believe that the elders were aware of all of this from the beginning, but chose to remain silent to see how things played out. Finally, they decided that Ares forming a bridge to the outside world was too dangerous to allow. It was their intention to bring him back here, by force, if necessary..."

"What happened?"

"When Hades found out, he went after them, to stop them. I wasn't there personally, but from what I heard, he fought valiantly. He transformed, in front of the townspeople, and bought time for his son to escape."

"And he was killed."

"Yes. But even if he had survived that battle, choosing to transform in front of the townspeople would have been enough to earn him a death sentence."

"They'll kill you if you change in front of outsiders?"

"It's what's necessary to keep the outsiders from discovering us. Anyone who reveals himself to an outsider can't ever be trusted and will always have the potential to destroy us."

"So, are people going to think that Dad should be killed, since he left?"

"No. I don't think so. Your dad's situation was a bit different because he never transformed. I'm sure they would have killed him if they'd been able to catch him, at the time. But as time went on, it became more and more evident that he hadn't told anyone about us. And, as far as we knew, he didn't carry the curse at all. It was even suggested that Hades wasn't Ares' father and that Ares was the offspring of an outsider."

"Um, I know this is a little bit off the subject, but why did you call your son 'Hades'?"

"His mother picked out that name. I always hated it, but it was the least I could do to honor her sacrifice."

"Oh, sorry."

"That's alright, young Deimos. But now we'd best turn our attention back to making these pies, or we'll still be up waiting for the last of them to come out of the oven when the sun rises in the morning."

* * * * *

"Boys! We've slept too late! We need to hurry!"

"Grrr."

"Yelp!"

"We don't have time for your complaints. Hurry and get dressed, then help me load the pies. We need to be on our way!"

"Don't we have time for breakfast?"

"There will be an abundance of food when we arrive. And, if you like, I suppose that you can split a pie along the way."

"After last night, I probably won't want to see another apple again until next fall."

"Do you think Dad's going to make it back in time?"

"I hope so, Cain. For him to be able to stand before the community and transform would be the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for him."

"Yeah. We've got to be sure to bring his costume."

"Yes. Don't dally. Gather your costumes and let's be on our way. It's already daylight!"

* * * * *

"For not wanting to see another apple before next fall, you seem to be making short work of that pie."

"I'm hungry."

"I'm used to hearing Cain say that."

"His mouth is too busy."

* * * * *

"All the carts are gone! Did everyone take their stuff home last night?"

"No. Only those who live reasonably close, like us. The rest have moved their carts out of town to prepare for the celebration. Let's find a place to offload our pies, then we'll do the same."

"You weren't kidding about there being a lot of food here!"

"Yes. And the local townspeople will be adding more and more food throughout the day."

"If we don't have anything to sell, what are we going to be doing when we get back?"

"We're going to be enjoying the celebration."

"That's it?"

"Yes. This is what the hard work of the last few days has been leading to."

"Okay! Then let's get these pies unloaded!"

"Remember to set your 'special' pies out of the way, so that you'll have them for later."

* * * * *

"So, we just have to take Dibbin back to the stable, then we'll be able to enjoy the party?"

"First, we need to put on our costumes."

"Where can we go to change?"

"We're standing in the middle of a field of carts and wagons. Who's going to see?"

"It's going to feel funny, walking around naked under this costume."

"We're all naked beneath our clothes."

"You know what I mean, Grandpa. I'm used to wearing underwear."

"Yes, Cain. I know what you mean. But may I suggest that you just try it for a while and enjoy the 'freedom'."

"And the cold draft."

* * * * *

"Although we don't need to stay in attendance, as we did when selling my wares, it's still a good idea for us to occasionally stop by to check on the pies and clear away the empty tins."

"Oh, I didn't think about that."

"Can we leave Dad's costume there? I don't want to carry it around all day."

"Yes. That sounds like a good idea."

"I'm glad I asked Uncle Dark to make this a half-mask. That way I don't have to take it off when I eat."

"Can we stop and eat something when we're done checking on the pies?"

"Yes. In fact, we have no other commitments for the remainder of the day."

* * * * *

"Hey! That's Tannis! Let's see how he's doing."

"Are you sure? I can't tell, he's wearing a costume."

"Yeah. That's him. That's his mask."

"Okay."

* * * * *

"Hey, Tannis! How are you doing today?"

"Cain?"

"That's right!"

"Wow. Your costume is great! So you're a tiger... dog?"

"Yeah. Pretty much. I love your costume. You did a really good job considering that you're away from home."

"Dad and Jim helped me. Can you tell what it is?"

"Sure! You're a faun. It's awesome."

"Your costume is great, Jim. I never would have thought of a fiery red horse."

"Thanks, Deimos. I like yours, too. The shimmering scales look good. Is it a lizard?"

"A wyvern, that's a kind of dragon."

"Mine's a firehorse. So, what are you guys doing, now?"

"We just had something to eat, and now we're looking around."

"We were just about to eat something."

"We'll go with you. We could eat more."

* * * * *

"Back home, I never would have thought that I'd enjoy listening to people playing this kind of music. But being here, watching them do it, it makes it different. I like it."

"What kind of music did you listen to in the outside?"

"I don't know. Whatever was on, I guess. I didn't really have a favorite kind of music."

"I think it'd be easier to say what we don't like than to say what we do."

"Why is that?"

"There's a lot of music that sounds really... angry or mean. I don't like that. Of course, I don't like the really super syrupy, lovey-dovey music either."

"I don't know what kind of music I like, I just like what I like."

"I think what Tannis is trying to say is that he plays what he's feeling, right in that moment."

"You play music?"

"Yes. But I didn't bring my pipes with me."

"Bagpipes?"

"No! It's like a series of flutes, all strapped together. My dad made it for me."

"Oh, that would work great with your costume, too. I wonder if maybe they have some around here that we can buy or borrow."

"What is it that you're looking for?"

"Oh. Hi Dad. Cain was just saying that it would be good if I had my pipes. It would look really good with my costume."

"Actually, I had thought of that. I was just checking with a few people to see if anyone had a set of pipes that I could borrow for you."

"Did you find any?"

"No. But Mason gave me everything that I'll need to make you a new set. If you don't mind waiting, I'll sit down here and make it right now."

"Are you hungry? We could get you something to eat while you're working on that."

"Yes. As a matter of fact, I am. Thank you."

"That's a great costume, by the way. Is that some kind of goat?"

"It's an addax, that's a sort of antelope. But the horns sometimes remind people of a goat."

"Come on, Jim. Let's get your dad some food."

* * * * *

"Is it really hard to make one of these?"

"The structure isn't a problem, but getting the pipes to the right pitch can be a challenge."

"How do you do that?"

"It takes some skill, some experience, some blind luck and a little trial and error."

"You must have done this a lot from the way you're working while you're talking."

"I made quite a few sets when I was younger. When the demand for them lessened, I moved on to other things."

"Will you show me how to make them, someday?"

"This winter, when the snow settles in, remind me and we'll sit down and I'll teach you."

* * * * *

"Where's Grandpa?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen him for a while."

"I'm sure he's probably already at the gathering. If not, he'll be on his way there, soon."

"Thanks, Jim. I know you're probably right. But he's been trying to get us ready for this since the minute that we met him, so it feels like he should be here."

"The sun is setting. As soon as we clear this rise, just go all the way down to the level field and wait there. I'm going to find a seat close to the front. I think you'll all be fine, but if I see that any of you are having any trouble, I'll do what I can to talk you through it."

"Thanks, Jim."

* * * * *

"Although the celebration has been going on all day, this is when the true celebration begins. It is both awakening and resignation. It is our glory and our shame. But most of all, it is who we are as a people. Come forward."

The crowd watched as a boy in a simple smooth gray mask and unadorned gray cloak stepped forward, then turned to face the entire community.

As Deimos looked curiously at him, he had no clue of what animal the boy might be trying to represent with his costume.

The boy slowly reached up to his throat with one hand as he took hold of his mask with the other. With dramatic flair, similar to that of Grandpa Lowell's transformation, the boy removed the mask and unbuttoned the cape in one move, allowing the cape to fall to the ground.

The boy stood naked before them, and from his anxious expression, he was scared half to death, but the boy's anxiety gave way to a smile as his body began to reform itself. Deimos watched with surprise as the boy transformed into a small whale, lying in the middle of a grassy field.

However, the whale was only a whale for a moment. Deimos' surprise was compounded when the whale started changing back into a human and stopped halfway, essentially becoming a young, almost teenage merman.

The applause from the crowd was deafening. And Deimos added his own applause to express his sincere admiration of the unknown boy's achievement.

The next boy to step forward appeared to be a little older and he was a bit on the husky side. Cain noticed the strange mask the boy was wearing. It didn't look like any of the masks that were in Uncle Dark's shop and Cain suspected that the boy must have made it himself.

Before Cain could speculate further, the boy pulled a drawstring on his pants and allowed them to fall around his ankles. He stepped out of the pants, then removed his mask. Just as he did, he began to transform into what appeared to be a snake, except that it was bigger than any snake that Cain had ever seen, or even heard of.

As the snake continued to grow, Cain suddenly realized what he was actually seeing. The boy had become a Chinese dragon. The body of the dragon wasn't exactly that of a snake. It did, in fact, have four tiny little legs, but the body of the dragon was absolutely enormous.

Cain was surprised when applause began to rise up. He had been expecting the boy to continue on to half-transform. Cain then realized that that probably meant that what he had just witnessed had been the boy's very first transformation.

He added his applause to that of everyone else in attendance. He could honestly appreciate the pressure the boy must have been under, wondering if he would really be able to transform and make his family proud.

Deimos looked at Cain with question, silently asking if he wanted to go first. But before Cain could decide on an answer, much less respond, Tannis stepped forward, then turned to face the audience.

Cain held his breath, fervently wishing for Tannis' transformation to go well.

Fortunately, Tannis was able to keep his cool. He turned himself, as if to greet all the people in attendance, then he shrugged off his shirt and released the drawstring on his pants, allowing them to fall. He stepped out of the pants, very casually, as though undressing in front of an audience were an everyday occurrence for him.

Then, as Tannis removed his mask and tossed it gently aside, he began to transform. To Cain, the transformation looked effortless. Just as Tannis was losing his Human form, he glanced at Cain and smiled serenely.

There was a momentary pause, as everyone looked at the small goat with the first buds of horns on his tiny head. Then a swell of applause started.

Cain's applause was so enthusiastic and heartfelt, that he felt like he was leading the audience in their appreciation of Tannis' accomplishment.

As the applause was dying down, Cain felt a hand on his arm.

He turned to look at Deimos with question.

Deimos smiled, then tilted his head toward where Tannis was gathering his mask and clothes.

It took a moment for Cain to realize what Deimos was asking, but once he did, he thought it was a wonderful idea and was surprised that they hadn't thought of it before.

Cain and Deimos stepped forward together and took their place before the assembled crowd.

At the same time that Deimos was dropping his dragonscale cloak, Cain was shrugging out of his tiger striped one.

Then, as one, they removed their masks, revealing to all of those who didn't know them that they were identical twins.

Standing there, dressed only in their loincloths, both Cain and Deimos began their transformations.

Being careful not to go too far, both of them stopped in their half-transformed states, then turned in opposite directions to show off their transformations to the entire audience.

Deimos spread his wings dramatically and arched his back to demonstrate his ferocious agility. At the same time, Cain held up his claws to show them off, then opened his mouth wide, knowing that it was one of the most distinctive features of his transformed state.

As it had been with Tannis, there was a moment of silence before the applause sounded.

Although it felt like a lifetime to Deimos and Cain, they actually only stood there a moment before they quickly gathered their things and rejoined Tannis.

Both boys were nearly overcome with a feeling of overwhelming joy and accomplishment, when a dark figure walked out of the crowd and turned to stand before them.

The steel blue eyes of the mask were arresting and a hush fell over the crowd.

Deimos and Cain both felt a sudden surge of excitement when they recognized the mask and the cloak covered with blue-black feathers.

The night was silent as everyone waited for what the large dark figure was going to do next.

With the slightest movement of one hand, beneath the cloak, the string on the neck that was holding the cloak in place was released.

The cloak fell to the ground, revealing a man's naked body, generously covered in dark hair.

Slowly, with dramatic flourish, the man reached up and removed the mask.

Ares glanced toward his sons with a smile of boundless pride, then his transformation began.

As quickly and smoothly as if he had been doing it all his life, Ares transformed into the majestic form of a raven. The bird that he had become was, perhaps, bigger than any raven found in the realm of nature. But the transformation was flawless.

The boys had to fight the urge to run to their father as the applause rang out.

The standing ovation of all in attendance gave evidence that everyone was truly happy that Ares had finally been able to achieve his transformation.

* * * * *

"Dad! When did you get back?"

"Just before sunset."

"Everyone! Please, if I may have your attention for just a moment!"

"On behalf of the Brynnhollow elders, I would like to ask that all of you join us in welcoming back Ares Brynner. After careful consideration, we've decided to let the past remain in the past."

"In the spirit of ushering in a new day, please join us in also extending a warm welcome to Ares' twin sons, Cain and Deimos. From what we've just seen, I believe that we can expect great things from them... Now, I think Festus has something to say."

"Thanks, Carn. Ares and the boys are currently staying at Lowell Brynner's place and that just don't seem right. So, anyone who wants to chip in their time or materials to help make Ares and the boys a place of their own, show up at Lowell's place in the morning and we're going to have us an old fashioned 'Raising Bee'."

* * * * *

"What's a 'Raising Bee'?"

"It's when the whole community gets together and builds a house or a barn for someone, all in one day."

"They're going to build us a house?"

"Most likely, it will be more like a barn to begin with. But over time we'll be able to fix it up however we want and make it our home."

"How's Mom?"

"I don't know. I took her the remedy, and hopefully it will work. But one of the conditions of the cure was that I couldn't stay around to find out. If I were there, the curse would have nullified it."

"Is this your dad?"

"Yes. Tannis, I'd like for you to meet my father, Ares Brynner. Dad, this is my friend, Tannis."

"And this is Jim, he's Tannis' brother."

"It's nice to meet you, Sir."

"It's nice to meet you, too, Jim. But please, call me Ares."

"What's everyone doing?"

"Now that the ceremony is over, it's time for the celebration to officially begin. That means that anyone can change into whatever form they're most comfortable in and just have a good time."

"Do you mind if I change?"

"Go ahead, Jim. I've been wanting to see your transformation."

"I thought from your costume that you'd just be a red colored horse! You actually have flames."

"He has a little trouble with his half-form. Give him a minute."

"That's incredible! You have the most awesome half-form of anyone!"

"I'm just your typical everyday flamethrowing centaur. Nothing special."

"Riiiiight."

* * * * *

"What about you, Tannis? Do you want to try your half-form?"

"I don't know how."

"It's easy. Come over here, so we don't disturb the others and I'll talk you through it."

* * * * *

"Ares, I can't believe you were finally able to do it."

"Dark? Oh, man! It's good to see you. How have you been?"

"Keeping busy, but to tell you the truth, it's been a little lonely. I've been missing my best friend."

"Yeah. I've missed you, too."

"Ares, you did very well. I'm incredibly proud of you."

"Thanks Grandpa."

"Dark, I'm glad that you were here, tonight. It somehow seems fitting."

"Where else would I be? I look forward to this all year."

"Jim and I are hungry, is it okay if we go on ahead?"

"Check to see if your brother wants to go, too."

"Look at that!"

"Way to go, Tannis! You're a real full-fledged faun, now. Wait! I've got your pipes in my pocket! Just a second."

* * * * *

"What are we going to do about our stuff, back home? Since we've all transformed, are we going to be able to go back and get it?"

"Tonight's not the time to worry about it. But I'll talk to whoever's doing running these days and we'll see what we can do. Even if we can't arrange it, we'll be alright."

"That's right, Deimos. I'm sure that every effort will be made to retrieve your belongings, but regardless, the community will see to it that you have everything that you need."

* * * * *

"Tannis, hang on! I made something special for you!"

"Oh yeah. Me, too! I'll be right back, Jim."

"What do you suppose that's all about?"

"The boys made some 'special' treats to give to their new friends."

"Oh, yeah. I remember doing that."

"If you'll go over to that table where your sons are, there should be one more there, that I made on your behalf."

Ares looked at his grandfather curiously, then glanced at Dark with a smile.

All My Loves

"What can I get for you today?" The waitress asked pleasantly.

"The lunch special looks good..." Andrea began to respond, then noticed the waitresses confused expression.

The waitress followed her gaze, then slowly said, "I never noticed that being there before. Let me check with Arn and see if we have any chowder made up."

Before Andrea could protest and order something else, the waitress hurried away.

Andrea took the paper from her purse and verified for the thousandth time that she was in the right place. As with every time before, the typewritten print clearly said 'Waxell, Kentucky'. She had just arrived in town, so her stop at the Waxell Diner was the first step on her journey to locate her missing husband and children.

"Sorry, hon. Arn said that he doesn't trust the chowder today. Can I get you something else?" The waitress asked pleasantly.

Andrea looked at the waitress's name tag and saw that her name was Tracy.

"I can't tell from the description if this 'Roast Beef' is a sandwich or a dinner." Andrea said honestly.

"It's a sandwich on a hard roll, served with a bowl of gravy that you can use to dip or drizzle over the roast beef." Tracy easily explained.

"I'll have that. Then, if you have a moment, I'd like to ask you a few questions. I'm looking for someone and maybe you've seen them."

"Arn! I need a beefer!" Tracy called toward the kitchen.

"Beefer, heard." A man's voice immediately responded.

"What'd you wanna know, hon?" Tracy asked curiously.

"For most of the past year I've been in the hospital. While I was sick, my husband took our sons and moved away... I think they might have come here."

"Your husband ditched you and took your kids while you were in the hospital? That's cold blooded!"

"We had such a good marriage. I didn't have a clue that anything was wrong. For my own peace of mind, I need to know why he chose to leave. But regardless of what his reasons were, I need to be sure that my sons are safe and that they know that I love them."

"Do you have a picture of them or anything?"

"Yes. Right here." Andrea said as she turned on her phone and started scrolling through pictures.

"Just so you know, you're not going to get any cell phone reception here."

"My cellphone provider says that they cover ninety-nine percent of the United States." Andrea said as she continued to search.

"We're the other one percent then, because I haven't heard of a carrier yet that works 'round these parts."

"Here. This is the best picture I have of them." Andrea said as she held out her phone to be seen.

Tracy looked at the image and her expression became cold.

"Have you seen them? Are they here in Waxell?"

"That's Ares Brynner. I seen him in here 'round Halloween last year. Seen the boys, too."

"Do you have any idea of where they might be? I don't have anyplace else to look. This was my last chance to find them."

"Hon, you'd be best to just let them go. No good ever come from bein tangled up with one of them Brynners."

"I need to find my boys."

After a long silent moment, Tracy's resolve seemed to crumble and she reluctantly said, "Round these parts there's stories of a town hidden deep in the forest northwest of here. They may just be stories. I don't know of anyone who's ever seen anything. All's I know 'bout it is that the Brynners must come from somewhere."

"What can you tell me about them?"

"I knew Ares when he came to live here, in Waxell. People were skittish about him, being a Brynner and all, but he seemed to be a decent enough guy."

Andrea slowly nodded that she was following along.

"The whole time he lived here, Ares always seemed to be in a constant state of tension. It was like he was always looking over his shoulder to see if someone was watching him. Then, one day, some guys came into town looking for him, asking where he was. I don't know what happened next. No one does. The next day there were five people dead and Ares Brynner was gone."

"Do you think that Ares killed them?"

"I don't know 'bout that. But from the whispered stories I've heard 'round here, no good's ever come from havin dealins with a Brynner."

There was a moment of silence, then a voice bellowed from the kitchen, "Beefer up!"

Tracy walked away without further comment as Andrea thought about what she'd been told.

* * * * *

Andrea found that Tracy had been correct about the cell phone service, or the lack thereof. She didn't have access to any online maps or GPS. Regardless, she continued on, driving north and west, hoping that the unfamiliar roads would carry her to where she needed to be.

When Andrea reached the end of the road, it was literally the end of the road. The pavement ended at a small orange and white reflective fence. Beyond that there was nothing but trees and untamed forest.

Andrea got out of her car and looked around curiously. She couldn't see the point of there being a road if it didn't lead anywhere.

Since it was early enough in the day that she wasn't in danger of losing the light and since she'd had a filling lunch in Waxell, she decided to set off on foot to explore the area.

* * * * *

As Andrea walked down the side of the road, she noticed what appeared to be walking paths every so often, trailing off into the forest. They certainly weren't made with motorized vehicles in mind and couldn't possibly accommodate them. It occurred to her that the paths might even be naturally formed by the lay of the land or by the local wildlife. Regardless, the walk along the edge of the paved road seemed to be completely nonproductive, so she decided to take a chance and try following one of the paths, at least for a bit, to see where it took her.

Andrea felt an unexpected chill on her skin, the sunlight having been obscured by the covering of leaves and thought about going back to the car to get a jacket. But as she kept walking, she felt compelled to carry on to see where the path was taking her.

* * * * *

When Andrea reached what appeared to be a natural clearing, she stopped to warm herself in the sunlight. She looked around and honestly couldn't find any evidence that another person had been there.

She looked at her mostly useless cell phone to check the time and decided that she should go back to her car. She didn't want to take the chance of being in the forest after dark.

As she turned, she was surprised not to see the path that she had arrived on.

There wasn't anything blocking her from returning the way she had come, but there was also nothing resembling a path to follow. For the first time, she became concerned that she might not be able to find her way back. But since she had mostly been walking in one direction, it stood to reason that if she continued to walk in the opposite direction that she would eventually come across the paved road.

Trying to tamp down the sense of panic welling within her, Andrea set off, resolved within herself to get back to her car before she lost the daylight.

* * * * *

As Andrea continued to walk, she found nothing that looked familiar to her. There was no indication of a path as she trudged forward.

She checked her phone more and more often, carefully cataloging the passage of time as her anxiety increased.

She felt the urge to run, to make it to the road that much sooner, but reasoned that doing so would only make it that much more likely that she would trip or stumble and injure herself.

* * * * *

Tears were falling down her cheeks as Andrea finally had to admit to herself that it was getting too dark for her to see where she was going.

Reluctantly, she pressed the icon on the screen of her phone to project a light, knowing that it would only allow her to continue on for a short time before the battery would give out.

As she walked, she berated herself for ever leaving her home in search of the man who had abandoned her.

What did she hope would happen? Did she really think that Ares would have a reason for doing the indefensible thing that he had done?

Her children.

That was her motivation.

She had to continue on.

She had to survive for her sons, Christopher and David.

If her husband were the monster that he appeared to be, she needed to save them from him.

And if he wasn't... they would still need her.

Just like she needed them.

* * * * *

A light in the distance, just for an instant, caught her attention.

The flashlight on her cell phone had mostly given out, but she turned it in that direction anyway, hoping to find a clear path.

Scrambling through underbrush and over rocky outcroppings, Andrea feverishly made her way through the forest.

Another glimpse of light, somewhat nearer revealed itself to her and she renewed her efforts to reach it.

As much of a struggle as walking in the forest had been, now it seemed to be deliberately impeding her progress.

Fallen branches tried to trip her. Vines wrapped around her ankles, trying to hold her back.

Even so, Andrea carried on, desperately seeking the source of the light.

When the effort of putting one foot in front of the other became almost more than she could bear, she saw the light again.

This time the light wasn't a glimpse or a flicker.

She could clearly see that the light came from a window, not more than one hundred yards away.

Her tears began falling again, but this time they were tears of relief.

Using the last little bit of light from her cell phone to see where she was going, Andrea scrambled with all her might to reach the perceived safety of the cabin in the woods.

* * * * *

The knock on the door was a surprise.

Living in the middle of the forest meant that the arrival of visitors after dark was beyond rare.

"Jim, get your gun."

Without a word, the teenager dashed out of the room.

"Tan, I want you to keep an eye on the young'uns. If they wake up, I want you to make sure that they stay back there in their rooms."

"Okay, Dad." The boy responded, then looked anxiously at the door as the knocking repeated.

"Get your gun."

"I will." Tan said before hurrying away.

When Jim walked into the room carrying his rifle, his father walked to the door and cautiously opened it.

"Thank God! I got lost. I don't know where I am! Can you help me?" A woman with tearstained cheeks asked frantically.

The man stared for a long moment in shock at what he was seeing, but finally snapped out of it enough to say, "Yes. Please come in."

He looked at his son and made a subtle gesture, indicating for him to back away.

"Thank you. I was so scared. I got lost and I didn't have any food or water with me and then it started getting dark..." The woman rambled.

"It's alright. You're safe now. Nothing bad's going to happen to you." The man said as he guided her to sit on the sofa, then pulled a quilt off the back of it and wrapped it around her.

"Thank you. I'm chilled to the core." The woman said as she huddled tightly into the quilt.

"Tell me what you're doing out here." The man said slowly, then glanced to be sure that his older son hadn't let down his guard.

"It's stupid. I left my car and walked into the forest... I don't know what I thought I was going to find, but it seemed like a harmless thing to do at the time. I never even thought that I might get lost." The woman said before breaking down into tears.

"Shhh. You're safe. It's going to be alright. What's your name?"

"Andrea Brynner."

He was stunned for a moment, but eventually was able to say, "I'm Drake. Why don't you just sit here and get yourself warm while I make you something hot to drink?"

Andrea nodded and gave him a weak smile.

Drake gave his son a meaningful look, then tilted his head in the direction of the kitchen.

* * * * *

"I need you to get over to Lowell Brynner's place as fast as you can and let him know what's going on." Drake said quietly to his son.

"But what if Deimos' dad is there?"

"Then just tell Lowell that you need to tell him something privately. I'm counting on you, Jim. This could go really badly if we don't do things just right." Drake said as he prepared the teapot for use.

"Okay."

"Whatever you do, don't tell Cain and Deimos."

"I won't."

"And don't light any fires along the way. Just because you're hurrying doesn't mean that you have to go 'all out'." Drake warned as he poured hot water from the kettle on the hob into the teapot.

"I'll be careful." Jim promised before starting to undress.

"Why don't you take your clothes outside so you can get to them if she's in here when you get back?"

"Yeah."

Gathering teacups, cream and sugar onto a tray, Drake braced himself before returning to the living room.

* * * * *

"I hope you like the tea. It's my own blend." Drake said as he placed the tray on the coffee table.

"You have a lovely home, but I noticed the kerosine lanterns. Don't you have electricity?"

"No. We're a little too remote for that." Drake said quietly as he began to pour the tea.

"So, I guess that means that you don't have telephones, either?"

"No. We tend to do most of our business in person, so it didn't seem to be worth the time and trouble to put phone lines in at every little house, dotted around the countryside." Drake said, then thought to ask, "Cream or sugar?"

"Yes. Just a little."

After adding a splash of cream and one teaspoon of sugar to the tea, Drake handed her a cup on a saucer.

"Thank you."

"If you'll excuse me for a moment, I need to check on my children."

"How many do you have?"

"Four. Three boys and one girl." Drake said before leaving the room.

* * * * *

As Drake walked into the hallway, he saw his second oldest son standing in the doorway to his bedroom, holding a shotgun.

"Everything's fine, Tan. How are the kids?"

Tan lowered his gun and replied, "They never woke up."

"Good. It looks like we're going to have company for the night. Would you mind bunking in with Jim?"

"I don't mind. Who's here?"

"It's a long story and she's waiting on me to get back in there. Just, if you meet her, don't say anything about Deimos and Cain or their father. It could cause all kinds of trouble."

"Okay. Do I need to make room in my dresser or closet or anything?"

"No. It looks like she didn't bring anything with her. But if you have anything like pictures or handwritten notes from Cain, be sure that you don't leave them where she can find them."

"Is she their mother?"

"It looks that way."

"I don't think I have anything of Cain's, but I'll be sure to look."

"Thanks, Tannis. I've got to get back to her now."

* * * * *

A knock on the door surprised Lowell and he hurried to answer it.

"Who's that, there?"

"Mr. Brynner? It's Jimson Brynnyn."

Lowell cautiously opened the door as he said, "Deimos isn't here at the moment, if that's who you're looking for."

Jim fought to calm himself enough to maintain his half-form. Even so, he still nervously stamped his front hooves in agitation as he said, "My pa sent me over to bring you a message. A woman just showed up at our house. She says that her name's Andrea Brynner."

"How was she able to get all the way out to your house?"

"I don't know. Just as soon as she showed up and said who she was, Pa wanted for me to come over here and tell you. I guess he thought it was important." Jim said as he fought to keep from dancing in place with nervous energy.

"Tell your father to expect me to arrive in the next half hour or so... do you think that he might have something that I can wear when I arrive?"

"I can carry some of your clothes back with me, so you'll have something that fits you. Or, if you're ready to go right now, I could give you a ride."

"That's very kind of you to offer, but I've always felt funny about asking others to use their gifts for my benefit."

"You're my best friend's great-grandfather and this is kind of an emergency... or at least that's what it feels like to me. If I can't use my ability to help someone at a time like this, then what do I have it for?"

Lowell smiled, then said, "I'm glad that Deimos has found such a good and honorable friend."

"Let me change, then I'll squat down a little so you can get on." Jim said before beginning to reform his body.

* * * * *

"This tea is wonderful. Did you say that you came up with this blend yourself?" Andrea asked curiously.

"Yes. I'm an herbalist, so I already have everything on hand to make a variety of different blends."

"An herbalist? I don't think that I've ever met an herbalist before."

"We're a rare breed these days."

Andrea looked around the room, before looking back at Drake and saying, "I can believe that you are."

"Are you warm enough? Can I get you anything? If you've been lost in the woods for a while, you must be hungry."

"I wouldn't want to put you to any trouble."

"As long as you don't mind reheated leftovers, it's no trouble at all."

"Anything will be fine."

"I'll be back in a minute."

* * * * *

"Ready for some more tea?" Drake asked as he walked back into the living room.

"Yes. Thank you."

"The oven was still warm from dinner, so it shouldn't take too terribly long for your food to heat." Drake said as he poured the tea.

"Oven? I guess I'm used to the microwave. Two minutes and it's heated."

"I suppose that would save time. I just don't know what I'd do with all the time that I'd saved. Reheating the food this way, we have time to sit and talk. There's no great rush."

"Well, maybe there's no 'great rush' here, but where I'm from, every minute of every day is a struggle, trying to get everything that you can done, before time runs out."

"Really? I was born here. I've never lived any other way. I work hard on my garden and sell my herbs and raise my kids. All of it's important, but everything takes as long as it takes to do it properly. I only rush if something extraordinary happens."

"What about your wife? Doesn't she have a million and one things to take care of around here?"

"My wife is no longer with us. But the older boys, Jim and Tan, both help out around the house. They're of an age where they need to learn responsibility, so I depend on them quite a bit."

"How old are they?"

"Jim is fifteen and Tan will be turning thirteen before long. They're both good boys. I couldn't be more proud of them."

"My boys turned thirteen while I was still in the hospital. I wasn't there to see it when they became teenagers. I miss them so much."

"Since you've been with them since birth, it's easy to think of them as fragile, always needing you to be there to watch over them. But if they're thirteen years old now, it's time for them to start becoming independent. What I'm trying to say is that maybe you can trust that what you've done so far for them has been enough to prepare them to take the next steps toward adulthood."

Andrea looked at Drake curiously.

"I'm not telling you that you shouldn't worry. But I'm saying that maybe you could try having a little faith in what you've done and a little hope that things will turn out well for them."

"They're good boys. I know that they'll make the right choices."

"I'm sure that they'll make some bad choices, too. They'll get stuck and hit dead ends and start to wonder why life isn't as easy as it used to be." Drake said with a smile, then continued, "And when no one bails them out and sets things right for them, they'll pick themselves up and figure out how to accomplish their goals on their own. It's called growing up."

"I think your children are very lucky to have you as a father. I have the feeling that they're going to grow up to be very stable and self-sufficient adults."

"We do our best to give them what they need and to get them going in the right direction. But after that, it's up to them. Sometimes they make you as proud as you can be. Other times... you just have to fall back on your love for them and hope that they'll eventually get it right."

"The room's ready." Tan said as he walked into the living room.

"Andrea, this is my second oldest son, Tannis." Drake said with a proud smile.

"It's nice to meet you, Tannis. Your father has spoken very highly of you."

"Thank you. Dad said that you might be staying here tonight, so I put fresh sheets on the bed and made sure that the room was cleaned up."

"Thank you!" Andrea said with surprise, then looked to Drake and continued, "I hadn't really thought that far ahead."

"Don't worry about it. There's no way that you're going back out tonight, so it just made sense."

Andrea slowly nodded her agreement to his reasoning.

"Tan, would you go and check on the food warming in the oven? Make sure that it's heated all the way through."

"How hot?"

"One sixty-five."

Tannis nodded, then hurried out of the room.

"One sixty-five?" Andrea asked curiously.

"Yes. He's going to use a probe thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken to be sure that it's hot enough to serve."

"Oh? Um, good."

"We may choose to live differently from the people in the cities, but that doesn't mean that we aren't aware of what's going on."

"So you're not stuck in the nineteenth century?"

"No. We're in the twenty-first century, we've just decided that some of the best things of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries are worth keeping."

"It's ready." Tannis said from the kitchen doorway.

"May I escort you to dinner?" Drake asked as he offered his hand to help her stand.

"Before I do that, where could I freshen up?"

"The water closet is just through here. Let me light the lantern for you, before you go in." Drake said before hurrying ahead of her.

* * * * *

A knock on the front door surprised Drake.

"Tannis, would you see to our guest while I take care of this?" Drake asked as he went to the door.

Tannis nodded, then went the other way, toward the kitchen.

"Drake, it's Lowell."

Drake opened the door and stepped outside.

"I didn't expect you to come all this way. Is Jim with you?"

"Yes, he's around the side of the house, getting dressed. How is she?"

"She's a bit rattled. It appears that she got lost in the woods while searching for Ares and the boys."

"How much does she know about us?"

"Nothing, from what I can tell. But I don't know what we should do next. After she's gotten some rest, she's going to want to go and look for her husband and children."

"Does anyone know that she's here?"

"Lowell! This is Ares wife! We aren't going to do anything to harm her!"

"We'll do what we have to do. But I agree that it should be our last resort."

"So, what are our other options?" Drake asked, then smiled when he saw Jim approaching.

"I think that the only people who might be able to come up with alternatives are Ima and her sisters."

"I doubt that there's any way that I can keep Andrea busy long enough for you to check with them. She's going to want to begin her search as soon as she's rested."

"Although this might be a colossal mistake, I'm afraid that there's no time to waste. I'm going to have to go and see them tonight."

"Can you even do that?"

"Perhaps. With some help."

"What kind of help do you need?"

Lowell turned and asked, "Jim, do you think that you'd be up to a long excursion tonight?"

"Do you mean, to see the hags?"

"That's exactly what I mean. It's a long and arduous journey, but with your help I believe that we should be able to reach their home safely."

"What I'm most worried about is what's going to happen after we reach their house."

"That also has its perils. But this may be the only way that we can keep Deimos and Cain's mother alive. Whatever treatment Ima and her sisters came up with to give to Ares seems to have allowed Andrea to throw off the curse. Knowing that, there might be something more that they can do."

"Would it be better if I were to go with you?" Drake asked cautiously.

"I would welcome your help, but I can't see myself being able to make the trip perched atop an addax. Having ridden over here on Jim's back I feel confident that he will be able to get us through the most troublesome part of the journey."

"You could take one of our horses, if you think that would work." Drake quietly offered.

"No. There are places, one footbridge in particular, where Jim will need to be in human form."

"It's okay Dad. Grandpa Lowell won't ask me to do anything that's too dangerous." Jim assured his father.

"If I recall correctly, you have fire abilities, too, do you not?" Lowell asked slowly.

"Yes. I've even gotten to where I can call up flames in my human form, if I need to."

"That's good. Because there's a very real possibility that at some point you will need to."

"When are you planning on doing this?" Drake asked apprehensively.

Lowell turned to Jim and asked, "Do you need to do anything before we leave?"

"Just this." Jim said, then pulled his father into a firm hug.

* * * * *

"How are you doing? Do you need anything?" Drake asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"No. Everything is wonderful. Tannis has been taking very good care of me."

"Good. Just let me know if you need something."

"Actually, I was hoping that you might be able to sit down and talk with me for a few minutes. I have some questions that I was hoping you might be able to answer."

"Do you think that after the day that you've had, it might not be better to get some rest first? There shouldn't be anything urgently requiring my attention in the morning so we should be able to have a nice long talk when we're both fresh and revived."

Before Andrea could answer, Tannis hurried to his father's side and waited.

"Yes?" Drake asked cautiously.

"I turned on the hot water heater so that Andrea can have a bath, if she wants one."

"I should have thought of that. Thank you, Tannis. That was good thinking." Drake said as he put an arm around his son's shoulders and hugged him firmly.

"It should be hot enough in about ten minutes." Tannis said as he enjoyed the feeling of being held.

Andrea watched the scene of caring with a wistful smile and couldn't help but think about how desperately she wanted to have the chance to hug her own sons.

Drake released his son from the hug, then turned to Andrea and said, "I don't know if you enjoy such things, but as part of my work, I also make various scented bath oils and candles. If you would like, I could gather a few things and you could take a long bath to relieve some of the tension of a long and traumatic day."

Andrea was about to refuse the kind offer from the virtual stranger, but then remembered seeing the luxurious antique claw foot tub in the bathroom and imagined how nice it would be to just stop and relax for a short time.

"I know that you didn't bring a change of clothes or anything, but I'm sure that Tannis and I will be able to find something of Jim's that you can borrow. You're close to his size."

"If you're sure that I'm not going to be putting anyone out..."

"Jim's going to be staying at Lowell's tonight, so it turns out that it's not going to be any inconvenience at all."

Tannis looked at his father curiously, but knew better than to question him in front of their guest.

"I'm going to go and gather the things that you'll need for your bath while Tannis gets you something clean to change into."

"Thank you. I can't believe how nice you're being."

"I can see that you're consumed with worries and responsibilities so I'm doing my best to give you a chance to take a break, so you'll be ready to take on the world when you're revived and refreshed in the morning." Drake said simply before leaving the kitchen.

* * * * *

"You'll need to stop up ahead. This is the footbridge that I was telling you about." Lowell warned.

Jim slowed his pace, then came to a stop right at the edge.

Lowell was grateful that Jim was kind enough to get down on his haunches to allow him to slide off his back.

"Thank you, Jim. If I could get Dibbin to do that, I'd ride him more often." Lowell said as he was careful to keep the lantern he was carrying from swinging too wildly as he moved.

Jim's body began to lengthen and change as he transformed into his centaur form.

"Do you think that I can get across like this?"

"No. The old bridge is in such disrepair that I can't be confident that we can get across in our human forms."

"It's just such a bother to have to put my shoes back on for just a few minutes." Jim said as he willed his body to change back to completely human.

"You'll be able to change back to your equine form once we're on the other side."

"I can carry the lantern for a while, if you want. I know that your arm has to be getting tired." Jim said as he took the first few tentative steps on the bridge, following exactly in Lowell's wake.

"Yes. Thank you." Lowell said as he turned and handed the lantern back.

"I didn't realize that this gorge was quite this deep."

"Something about travelling at night can make you especially aware of such things."

"What can you tell me about what's ahead? I've never been here before."

"It appears that the mountainous area must have been formed when two continental plates collided, causing the bedrock to become exposed. The gorge must have also been formed at that time. The valley behind us is lush and green whereas the terrain ahead is rocky and supports very little in the way of vegetation."

"Do you want to ride me or are we going to walk from here on?"

"There's still a bit of a grassy area ahead, so if you have no objection, I'll ride until the vegetation becomes spotty. After that, it would be too dangerous for you to proceed."

"Someone should really fix this bridge. It looks like one stiff breeze could cause the whole thing to collapse."

"While I hate to admit it, I'm afraid that at my age, it just isn't possible for me to do certain things anymore."

"I didn't mean you."

"I know what you meant. But the fact of the matter is that this is my responsibility."

"I don't know much of anything about bridge building, but I can swing a hammer. If you feel like it sometime, I could help you."

"Thank you, Jim. Perhaps between us, we might also be able to talk Deimos into helping. So not only would the two of you be learning a useful new skill, but you might also enjoy doing something productive together."

"Yeah. I'll ask him. But you don't know if he's afraid of heights, do you?"

"He's never mentioned it when he's come back from flying."

"Oh, right."

* * * * *

"Jim, it's time for you to stop. We can't go any further like this."

After letting Lowell slide off his back, Jim transformed to his centaur form.

"You'll need to change all the way. The rocks are just too angled and slippery for you to be able to find reliable purchase with your hooves."

"This is one of the few times that I envy Tannis. That little sucker can climb almost anything in his animal form."

Once Jim had completely transformed, Lowell set down the lantern and handed him the bundle of clothes that he had been carrying in a backpack.

"I'm going to leave my shirt off, in case I need to use my fire for something." Jim said as he handed the shirt back to Lowell.

After putting the shirt back into the pack, Lowell picked up the lantern again.

"I can carry that."

"Thank you."

* * * * *

"I see what you mean about these rocks. Are you alright?"

"Yes. Slow and steady wins the race."

"I'm not worried about winning as much as finishing the race. Is it like this all the way to the top?"

"No, no. The path is somewhat easier ahead. And Ima's house isn't at the top. We still have another half an hour or so before we'll reach it."

"What was that?"

"What did you see?"

"I don't know. Something moved, over there in those cracks."

"Those would be caves. What you saw could be any number of things. What you need to keep in mind is that most things that we encounter will be more scared of us than we are of them."

"Most?"

"Remember why you're not wearing a shirt?"

"Right."

* * * * *

"Is that a road?"

"Yes."

"Where does it go?"

"Around the mountain to another bridge."

"Why didn't we go that way?"

"Because it would have nearly tripled our travel time. The road is easier, but so inconveniently placed as to be useless for our purposes. The only time anyone uses the road is when they're delivering supplies."

"So, does that mean that we're almost there?"

"Yes. Once we get on the road, it's just a few minutes of walking to their front door."

"Should I stay in my human form?"

"Ima and her sisters are far beyond being impressed by any of our transformations. If you're more comfortable in another form, do what you feel you need to. Ima isn't likely to notice in any event."

"Hang on a second so I can get out of my pants, then. I have better access to my fire in centaur form. I'd rather be in the best position to react if I have to."

"I would do the same, however I'm certain that Ima wouldn't be the least bit intimidated by my werewolf form. She'd probably just laugh."

"I can take the backpack, if you want."

"No. It's quite comfortable where it is. If you're ready, we should proceed. Time is of the essence."

* * * * *

"Were you waiting up for me?" Andrea asked as she walked into the living room.

"I was mostly just reading. But it occurred to me that we never told you which room you'd be using. If you're ready for bed, I can show you the way."

"Yes. And thank you for suggesting that bath. It was wonderful."

"Well, I can't take credit for all of it. Tannis actually came up with the idea. But I'm glad you enjoyed it." Drake said warmly, then gestured toward a door as he said, "This will be your room."

"Thank you again, Drake. Have a good sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"Yes. Pleasant dreams."

* * * * *

"Okay, maybe I should already know this, but what are you doing?" Jim asked as he watched Lowell pull repeatedly on a heavy rope.

"It's the only way to let Ima know that someone's out here so that she'll open the gate."

"Do you think that she might be asleep, since it's so late?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure that she does sleep."

"From what my dad told us, Ima and her sisters are the women who didn't go completely crazy because of the curse. Is that right?"

"Sort of. Part of the curse is to compel women to become pregnant. Ima and her sisters never gave birth, so the next part of their curse never went into effect, the part that makes them homicidal monsters."

"But they still became hags, didn't they?"

"Yes. But it happened much more slowly than it does to the women who didn't resist. Up until the age of thirty-five or so, they looked relatively normal."

"Is there anything that I need to do or not do when I'm around them?"

"Typically, they travel as a group to keep each other in line. Be sure that you don't let any one of them get you alone in a room. Although I don't have any evidence to back this up, it is believed that if Ima or one of her sisters were to give in to their desires at this late stage of the curse, that they would probably kill both you and themselves."

"Good to know."

"As long as we stay together, we should be alright."

* * * * *

"Lowell?! It's so good to see you. And who is this lovely virile young man that you've brought with you?" Ima asked as she ushered them in through the iron gate, where three other crones were silently waiting.

"This is Jimson, he's Mandrake's son. You remember Mandrake, don't you?"

"Oh yes. I've spent many feverish nights thinking of him. Now what brings you out here after dark? I know you wouldn't have come all this way without a good reason."

"Quite right. Do you remember last year when Ares came to you asking for some sort of treatment for his wife?"

"Yes. That was an odd one. We'd never come across a case of the curse being delayed that long before. It was their twin sons' puberty that caused all their curses to awaken, wasn't it?" Ima asked as she led the group inside an enormous granite hall.

"That's the best explanation that we could come up with."

"So, let me guess. Has Jimson here found some sweet young thing and you're here to ask me if I can release her curse, too?"

"Actually, no. The problem we're facing is that Andrea, that's Ares wife's name, she's here, in Brynnhollow. She's searching for her husband and her sons. We were hoping that since you were able to successfully relieve her of the curse enough so that she could continue to live, that maybe there might be something more that we could do to give this family a happy ending."

"Has she made contact with her husband or sons?"

"No. Drake is doing his best to keep her at his house while I'm here. If we don't have an alternative for him by morning, the only choices we can see are to let her continue on and let the curse kill her, or to kill her ourselves, protecting Ares and his boys from the trauma."

"Giddyup." Ima said playfully as she slapped Jim gently on the rump as she passed by him.

Flames immediately sprang into being on Jim's hands and upper arms, fueled as much by surprise as his teenage bravado.

"I get a burning sensation, too. Do you want to see where?" Ima asked as she broke into a snaggletoothed grin.

Jim's flames withered to nothing as he suddenly looked queasy.

"We need options." Lowell said firmly, drawing all attention to him.

"You mean besides killing her or letting her die?"

"Yes."

Jim startled when he felt a hand begin to travel up the inside of his rear left inner thigh.

"Vera, leave that alone. Lowell brought us an unprecedented opportunity for study. We need to be careful not to squander it."

"What do you propose?" The crone, Vera, asked as she backed away from Jim.

"With the last treatment, we used the traditional spelling components of the Brynn to construct a counterspell. Something that we did seems to have worked, so given the assumption that this woman, Andrea, is halfway between cursed and not, what can we do to take her the rest of the way and remove her curse completely?"

"Well, there's always the chance that the curse has been completely removed already. If she hasn't had contact with her husband or children, then we can't know for sure." Vera said reasonably.

"But if she had been in contact with them, and the curse were still active at all, then she'd be dead right now." Lowell explained.

"But at least then we'd know." Vera immediately responded.

"Treatments or testing methods that involve Andrea's death are not really what we're looking for." Lowell said firmly.

"Agreed. Death isn't all it's cracked up to be." Ima said distantly, then let out a long sigh before saying, "We've been studying the elements of the curse for decades. I feel confident in saying that there's no possible way to completely lift the curse. That would involve lifting the curse from the entire Brynn bloodline, and I doubt that with the help of every witch alive today that we could manage that."

"So you know what we can't do. But do you know what we can do?" Lowell slowly asked.

"It appears that because Ares' curse didn't activate when it should have, and then it being passed on and split between his children might have caused its effect to have been reduced on the mother..."

"Does that help us in any way?"

"Maybe. As you said, this woman appears to have been pushed halfway between cursed and uncursed. The problem is, a curse is like fabric dye in a way. Once you've got it, it's fairly permanent. It's possible to bleach it and get it to fade slightly, but no matter what you do, you're never going to get back to completely pure white."

"So, are you saying it's hopeless?"

"No. Well, yes. Now that I think of it, getting rid of the curse is probably hopeless. But rather than try to get the yellow dye out of the white fabric, we might be able to cover it with a nice bold green."

"Although I work with fabrics quite extensively and have had over a century of experience working with fabric dye, do you think that you could drop the metaphors and just explain what it is that you want to do?"

"Curse her."

After a moment, Lowell finally asked, "Which curse?"

"For this to have any hope of working, it would have to be very similar to the curse that we're trying to alter, like yellow is a component of green. Basically, we'd curse her to transform, like the men do and we'd probably also have to give her the ability to bestow the curse, so if she were to give birth or marry again, her offspring or new husband would also fall under the terms of our new curse."

"Is that really necessary?"

"I don't think we'll be able to alter the old curse without it, they'd be too different."

"What else?"

"Well, with that in place, there shouldn't be any need for the compulsion to procreate or to dispose of the mate. We could do away with that."

"What about making her a hag? Are you going to fix that too?" Jim asked suddenly.

"That's tied to the procreation compulsion. We should be able to do away with it." Ima said with a smile at him, which sent a shiver straight up his spine.

"You know, if this works, then we're going to have to be on the lookout for others who are showing signs of the curse weakening." Vera interjected.

"Or this could be a fluke. We'll just have to wait and see how it goes." Ima said resignedly.

"So, have you decided? Can you do it?" Lowell asked cautiously.

"It will take some time to conduct the ritual, but I'm fairly certain that it can be done."

"Are we going to have to bring Andrea here?"

"It wouldn't be much of a curse if it only worked where the ceremony was conducted."

"What do we have to do, then?"

"Let me see? An apple? A mirror? What would be the appropriate vessel for a curse such as this?"

"Let me have my clothes. I may have something." Jim said quickly.

All eyes were on him as he rummaged through the backpack and then worked to take something out of one of his pants pockets.

"What is it that you've got there?" Lowell asked curiously.

"It's a charm that I made. Actually, there are four of them. Tannis and I each have one of these with a thylacine and a wyvern. Deimos and Cain each have a charm of a goat and horse."

At Ima's questioning gaze, Jim felt compelled to explain, "The thylacine and the wyvern are her kids animal forms. If you curse this charm, then it's kind of a reminder for her of why she's going through all of this."

Ima considered for a moment, then seemed to come to a decision. She walked up to Jim and took the charm from his open palm and replaced it with a key.

"This is going to take us some time and we're not going to be able to keep watch on each other. Lowell can show you where the cage is."

"Thank you, Ma'am."

"You know, I've never really had a thing for horses. But after meeting you... I'm probably going to be thinking about them a lot."

"We'll just be going... now..." Jim said uneasily as he looked at Lowell urgently.

"I'll come and get you once we're done cursing the talisman." Ima called after them as they left.

* * * * *

"Dad?" A small voice called as the bedroom door opened.

"Tannis? What's wrong? Are you having trouble sleeping?"

"What? No. I mean, yes. It's always hard for me to sleep in human form. But it's also because I'm worried. What happened to Jim?"

"Climb in here with me and I'll tell you."

"I haven't slept with you in years."

"Then maybe we're a bit overdue. Come on."

"Okay."

"Your brother went with Lowell Brynner to visit the witches on the mountain to try and find a way to help Andrea."

"But won't they hurt him? Didn't you always say that the witches tried to trick men into going to their castle so that they could kill them?"

"Yes. I said that, and it's mostly true. But I think that you're old enough now to know the whole truth."

"Is it worse than the lie?"

"In ways. But it also helps to explain why the witches do what they do and why your brother would take the risk of going there."

"Okay."

"You know about the curse and the way that it affects women. The witches were able to resist the curse and have devoted their lives to learning about the dark arts so that they can hopefully find a way to undo the curse forever."

"So they're not really evil?"

"No. In fact, not many people are... unless you're talking politics. But that's a discussion for another time. You see, the witches are still operating under the influence of the curse which compels them toward certain behaviors. Some of the things that they are forced to do are dangerous and can end up killing people, so they have to live separately and be very careful."

"So Jim could really get hurt?"

"Yes. But Lowell has been dealing with the witches for longer than I've been alive. He knows how to protect himself and will do everything in his power to protect Jim, too."

"Do you think Jim will be alright?"

"I hope so, Tan. And I think that after going through something like this that he'll probably learn a few new things about life and possibly about himself. He'll be better off for having had the experience."

"Are you worried?"

"Of course I am. But I know that he's doing the right thing for the right reason, so I just have to let it happen and hope for the best."

"Is there anything we can do to help him?"

"We can watch after Andrea and make sure that everything that he's going through isn't in vain."

"She's nice. I can see why Cain and Deimos are such good people with parents like theirs."

"I agree. Now be quiet and try to get some sleep."

"Goodnight. I love you."

"I love you, too."

* * * * *

"Lowell, it's time to wake up."

"What? Oh, Ima. Have you finished your curse?"

"Yes. Although the magic turned out to be a little darker than I usually like, I think that this should do what we need it to."

"How do we make it work?"

"Keep it in the pouch until you're ready to use it. All you have to do is have her touch it and the curse will be bestowed."

"What happens when she lets go of it?"

"That's hard to say. There shouldn't be any remnants of the curse left on it, but I can't be positive. It would probably be best if she were to keep it with her."

"So we don't have to say any words or anything?"

"No. Everything you need is rooted in the talisman. By the way, my sisters and I noticed the style and quality of Jimson's work. If he'd be interested, we would very much like it if he'd make us some more."

"I'll be sure to ask him about it."

"You'd better wake him up so you can be on your way. From what you said last night, there is something of a time limit at play."

"Yes. Quite right. Is it safe for us to leave?"

"I have my sisters locked in and I'll be joining them straight away. Give us five minutes or so, then you should be safe."

"Thanks Ima. We owe you a debt that we can never repay."

Ima chuckled, then said, "You repay it a little each time you deliver food and supplies. We're not dim. We know that there are those who believe that we should have been killed decades ago. Thank you for all that you do to continue to include us in the outside world."

"Even though we're all cursed, that doesn't mean that we can't still be kind to each other."

"Truer words were never spoken. Be well, my friend." Ima said before hurrying away.

* * * * *

"Are you sure that they're not going to attack us?" Jim asked as he walked with Lowell toward the iron gate at a hurried pace.

"Actually, no."

"Do you have the lantern?"

"Yes. But I'm not going to light it until we have the gate firmly closed behind us."

"Are we going to take the road down or are we going to go back the way that we came?"

"Before I answer, do you think that there's any way that you could carry the backpack in your horse form?"

"No. Not easily."

"How is your night vision when you're in centaur form?"

"Actually, it's better than when I'm in full horse. Plus, I can always bring up my flames if I need to light my way."

"Good. Then I was thinking that we might try taking the road in our animal forms. It's probably going to take everything that we've got to run full-out all the way back to your home, but I think that it will probably end up being faster than clamoring over slippery rocks in the dark."

"What are we going to do with the lantern?"

"It can attach to the back of the backpack." Lowell said as he stopped to push the iron gate closed.

"So we don't need to light it?"

"No. Just give me a moment to strip and stowe my clothes, then we'll be ready to go."

"I'm ready when you are."

"Remember that you're wearing the backpack. Don't burn up our clothes."

"I'll do my best to keep that in mind."

"Grrr."

"Let's do it!"

* * * * *

"Good morning. Did you have a good sleep?" Drake asked Andrea pleasantly when she walked into the living room.

"Yes. I can't believe how quiet it is here."

"I've heard that there are places where it's noisy all the time. I don't think that I could live someplace like that."

"You adapt. But the peace and quiet here is nice."

"Are you cooking something?"

"Tannis is. I'd better get back in there to supervise. He's still learning."

* * * * *

"How's it going, Tan?" Drake asked as he walked to his son and gave him a quick hug.

"Okay, I think. Does the oatmeal look right?" Tannis asked cautiously.

"Perfect. I bet that's going to taste good."

"Good morning, Andrea. Did you sleep well?" Tannis asked curiously.

"Yes. Very well." Andrea answered, then turned to Drake and asked, "Isn't he a little young to be learning how to cook?"

"No. I don't think so. It's a skill that will serve him well throughout his life, so I think that he should have adequate time, here at home, to learn as much as he can."

"Maybe it was the way that I was raised, but I never even thought about teaching my sons to cook."

"I'm cooking because I want to. If I didn't feel like it today, Dad or Jim would do it." Tannis said from the stove.

"Who's that?" A young voice asked from the kitchen doorway.

"That's Andrea." Drake said with a smile, then said to their guest, "Andrea, this is my daughter Viv."

"Hello." Andrea said with a smile at the girl.

"Hi."

"Is your brother awake?"

"Yeah. He's getting dressed."

"Good. Take a seat at the table. Breakfast will be ready in just a minute."

A sound at the back door drew all their attention.

As the teenager stepped in, Drake was immediately at his side, hugging him furiously.

"Are you alright? How did everything go?" Drake asked anxiously.

"Everything's fine, Drake." Lowell assured him as he walked past the hugging father and son.

Drake paused for a moment to gather himself before saying, "Andrea, this is one of my neighbors, Lowell, and this young man in my arms is my oldest son, Jim."

"Lowell Brynner." Lowell said as he looked her in the eyes.

"Brynner? Do you know Ares? Do you know where Chris and David are?" Andrea asked in a rush.

"Do you think that we might be able to sit and talk? I'm really quite tired." Lowell asked Drake hopefully.

"Good idea. Let's move into the living room." Drake said decisively, then turned and asked, "Tan, will you see that Ollie and Viv get fed and walk them to school? Tell Wyatt that Jim is going to stay home today. I need him here."

"Yeah." Tannis said slowly.

"What about my boys? Do you know where they are?" Andrea asked frantically.

"Come into the living room and I'll explain all of that." Lowell assured her as he started walking.

"Please try to be patient for just a moment. You're about to get your answers." Drake said to her quietly, then motioned for her to precede him out of the room.

* * * * *

"Can I get anyone some tea or anything?" Drake asked as everyone found places to sit.

"I'll take care of that, Dad. You probably need to be in here for this." Jim said before walking back toward the kitchen.

"What about my boys? Do you know if they're alright?" Andrea asked as soon as she was seated.

"They're fine." Lowell told her firmly, then held up a hand to forestall any further questions.

"You'll have to excuse me. I'm old, tired and not altogether patient to begin with. Please allow me to explain a few things and then you can feel free to ask any questions that I haven't already answered."

Andrea had to fight to hold herself back, but finally nodded her agreement.

"I'm sure that you probably don't believe in things such as curses and witches and the like. Most people don't nowadays. But, as it turns out, belief isn't required."

"What does this have to do with my boys?" Andrea blurted out.

"There is a curse upon our family, on our bloodline. The men become monsters and the women either go insane or die. When you married into the family, the curse fell upon you, too."

Andrea was surprisingly silent at the declaration.

"Ares will be able to explain to you why he made the decisions that he did. But what you need to know right now is that the curse is still in effect. If we do not proceed very carefully, your life could be in danger."

"What does this have to do with my boys?"

"Their curse forces them to transform into animals. Before you say anything, I know that there's no way that you're going to believe it unless you see it for yourself." Lowell said as he untucked his shirt and undid the first few buttons.

"What are you doing?" Andrea asked cautiously.

"Just giving you a little taste of what your sons are facing." Lowell said gently, then started to change, ever so slightly.

He didn't complete the transformation to his half-form, but enough of his wolfly features came into being so that they couldn't be denied.

"This has happened to your sons, and this is why your husband chose to bring them here, where they could grow up in safety."

"Why couldn't he just tell me?"

"It was thought that Ares somehow avoided the curse. For many years he lived his life without ever transforming. It's only when your sons approached the autumn of their twelfth year that the curse was activated in all of you."

"All of us? You mean, me too?"

"Yes. That was the source of your illness. The last time you saw your husband was when he was bringing you what he hoped would be a cure for you. However, one of the conditions of the cure was that if you were to see him or your sons again, you would most certainly die."

"No. It can't be." Andrea muttered, mostly to herself.

Jim walked into the room and quietly set the tea service on the coffee table, then moved to stand by his father.

"Andrea. The curse is on everyone here. I know it's hard to believe, but we all live with it every day. My children are growing up without their mothers because of the curse. We stay sequestered from the outside world due to the curse. None of us chose this, but it's the way things are and we have to do our best to keep on living."

"Are you saying that my choices are to either see my children and die, or to leave here and never see my children again, which will cause me to die a little inside every day?"

"With what you've seen since you've been here and what we've told you, there's no way that you would be allowed to leave. It would threaten the community."

"So, are you going to keep me prisoner here? Or are you going to kill me?" Andrea asked quietly as she continued to stare at the wolfman before her.

"Jim and I made a trip last night to see if we couldn't come up with a better option for you."

Lowell finally returned to his fully human form as he continued, "So far as we know, there's no way that the curse can be removed, but it has been suggested that the curse can be altered so that you can have contact with your husband and children."

"What does that mean?" Andrea asked in a daze.

"I can't say that I understand all of it, but it appears that the new curse would cause you to be able to transform, as our menfolk do. Beyond that, it's hard to say. If you were to marry or have a child, your new curse would likely befall them as well."

"So my choices are to be a prisoner, die or be cursed?"

"Yes. It seems that way."

"That's not much of a choice. But since I don't really believe in curses anyway, I suppose that I'll do that. What do I have to do?"

"Jim? Do you have the talisman?" Lowell asked as he looked at the teenager.

"Yeah. Right here." Jim said as he took the pouch out of his pocket and handed it to Lowell.

"All you have to do is take the talisman out of the pouch and be sure to keep it with you. It should allow you to be near your husband and children." Lowell said as he offered the pouch to her.

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"Should I do it now?"

"Perhaps we should step outside. There's no way to know what type of transformation you might be compelled to make." Lowell slowly suggested.

"I still don't believe in this. But if this means that I can see my boys, I'll do it."

"Let's go outside and get this done, then we'll go and see them." Drake said to her gently.

* * * * *

The group had filed out the front door, then stood in a loosely formed circle and waited to see what would happen next.

"Just take it out of the pouch?" Andrea asked nervously.

"Yes." Lowell said simply.

Everyone watched as Andrea carefully extracted the small silver charm from the velvety bag.

There was a long moment of silence, then Jim finally asked, "Did it work?"

"We'll have to assume that it did. The only way to be sure is for us to go to Ares house."

"Then, if everyone's ready, I suppose that we should be going." Drake said as he looked around the group.

"Grandpa Lowell, if you'll carry my clothes, I'll give you a ride." Jim quietly offered.

"I'll be able to manage. You have to be tired after the long journey."

"Don't worry about me. I'm going either way, so I won't mind carrying you."

"You two go on and we'll catch up." Lowell said to Drake and Andrea, then motioned for Jim to walk with him around the side of the house.

"We're going to walk?" Andrea asked in confusion as Drake started out ahead of her.

"Yes. It's just the way we do things here. You'll get used to it." Drake said easily.

"I doubt that I'll ever get used to this. But I guess that I don't have any other choice."

"Please just try to keep in mind that Lowell, Jim and everyone else that you've met since you've been here have done everything in their power to make things turn out the best for you. You're among friends."

"It's funny, back home there aren't too many people who I would call my friends. There are people that I know and we speak when our paths cross, but I'd never expect them to go out of their way for me."

"It may take some adjustment, but I don't think you'll have too much trouble getting used to it. From what I've heard, life here tends to move at a different pace. But once you settle into it, all the important things are still there."

"Thank you, Drake." Andrea said sincerely.

"Would you like for us to go ahead and let Ares know that we're coming?" Lowell asked as he rode bareback on a beautiful red horse.

"I can't see how making him anxious in advance will improve anything. Let's just go and see how this plays out." Drake said decisively.

"That's probably best. Besides, I think that after the night that we've had, Jim will appreciate the slower pace."

Andrea looked at the horse curiously, then at Lowell uncertainly.

"Yes. This is Jim."

"Maybe I died in the hospital and this is all a dream... or a nightmare." Andrea said uncertainly.

"If it helps you to think of it that way, then I see no harm in it. Maybe you died in the outside world and were reborn here, in Brynnhollow." Drake suggested with a smile.

After a moment to think about that, Andrea quietly said, "Just as long as I can be with my sons and know that they're safe and happy, I don't care about the rest."

* * * * *

Drake's homestead was somewhat remote, although not nearly as bad as some others. The group ambled along without conversation for nearly an hour.

After walking across a wooden footbridge, Andrea quietly asked, "How much further is it?"

"We should reach Ares' place in about half an hour."

"You knew who I was from the beginning, didn't you?"

"Yes. Just as soon as you told me your name."

"Do you know my husband well?"

"Ares and I knew each other as casual acquaintances when he lived here before. But since he's been back we've gotten a lot closer because our children have become close friends."

"It's good to know that Chris and David are making friends here. For all of their lives they've mostly just had each other."

"When they came to live here, they changed their names. To us they're known as Cain and Deimos."

"Why did they change their names?"

"There are people here who hold onto their bitterness and prejudice about certain spiritual matters. I can't say that I really understand it, but I'm glad the boys chose to go through with it. Their lives will be easier as a result."

"As long as they're happy, I'll be happy."

"From what I've seen of them, they are."

* * * * *

"What should we do if Andrea starts having a bad reaction? Is there anything that we can do to help her?" Drake asked Lowell quietly as they walked.

"Everything that can be done has been done. All that's left is to see it play out."

"What about Ares? Is there anything we can do to prepare him?"

"Regretfully, sometimes it's necessary to endure certain emotional revelations to maintain one's perspective. Ares will make his decisions in the moment, then he'll have to face the consequences. If we try to shield him from those decisions, he might not behave true to his nature."

"What do you think will happen?"

"Who's to say? Such a thing has never happened before."

* * * * *

"This is it. Andrea, why don't you go ahead and knock on the door? We'll be right here if you need us." Lowell said gently as Jim came to a stop.

Andrea wanted to object, but forced herself to walk to the front door of the quaint little cottage.

It took every bit of courage at her command to raise her hand and knock.

She could hear her heart beating in her ears as she waited.

As the seconds passed, she felt her anxiety start to fade.

"He might be around back, in his workshop." Lowell cautiously suggested as he scooted off Jim's back.

Andrea waited a moment longer, then hesitantly took a step back from the door.

"I can take you back there, if you want." Jim quietly offered.

"Thank you, Ji..." Andrea trailed off at the sight of the teenage centaur.

"You need to be careful doing that in public." Drake warned.

"Ares doesn't mind. He says that we're far enough away from anyone else that it doesn't matter here."

* * * * *

As Andrea and Jim were walking away from the others, Andrea stopped Jim and quietly said, "Your father mentioned that you're friends with my sons. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. I guess."

"Do they ever mention me? Do you know if they miss me?"

"That's not the kind of thing they really talk about much in front of me. But one time when Deimos and I were alone, he told me about how the last time he saw you was when you were in the hospital and he wondered if you were alright."

"Do you know if they're mad at their father for taking them away?"

"No. Since they've transformed they understand about what the curse is and how it means that they can't be around regular people anymore. They might be a little bit mad, but it's not at you or their dad, it's more at the situation."

"Thank you, Jim. It helps me to know that."

"Come on. The workshop's right back here."

* * * * *

"Here it is. I'm going to go back and get dressed. If you run into any trouble just give a yell, you've got all of us to help you." Jim said before turning to leave.

Andrea watched the young centaur trot away, then cautiously stepped up to the door and knocked.

"Just come on in! My hands are full!" Ares called loudly from inside.

Andrea glanced behind her and saw that Lowell and Drake were standing by the edge of the house, a respectful distance away, ready to step in and help her if they were needed.

Summoning all her courage, Andrea opened the door and stepped inside.

* * * * *

It took a moment for Andrea's eyes to adjust to the much dimmer light inside the workshop.

She looked around the various pieces of furniture for a moment but couldn't see any movement.

"Ares?" She called tentatively.

There was a long moment of silence, then Ares quietly responded, "Andrea?"

"I'm glad you still remember me."

"I never forgot you, not even for a minute." Ares said as he emerged from behind a set of tall, freestanding cabinets.

"Why did you leave me the way that you did?" Andrea asked as tears started to fall down her cheeks.

"I was told that it was the only way to save your life." Ares said honestly, then added, "But I was also told that if I ever saw you or spoke to you again, that you'd immediately die. How can you be here?"

"To be honest, I really don't know. It has something to do with curses and bloodlines or something, but you should probably talk to Drake or Lowell about that. I really don't have a clue."

"They found a way to contravene the curse?" Ares asked cautiously.

"It looks that way." Andrea said frankly, then quietly asked, "Are you happy to see me?"

"Yes! Of course! It's just such a shock." Ares said as he moved forward to pull Andrea into his arms.

The moment that they touched, it seemed that Andrea was falling.

Ares instinctively tried to catch her, but his arms caught only empty air.

Upon closer examination, it turned out that she wasn't falling, but shrinking.

Ares knelt down and moved her blouse aside to reveal a white swan, tangled in her clothes.

"Andrea..." Ares said with a regretful shake of his head.

The bird made a little squawk and ruffled its feathers at him.

"I don't know what to tell you... if your transformation is anything like mine, then you should be able to change back by remembering the feeling that you just had and willing it to reverse." Ares tried to explain.

There was a long quiet moment, then Ares noticed the swan was beginning to puff up and perhaps to change.

"That's it, you're doing it." Ares gently encouraged.

As Andrea started regaining her human form, she cautiously asked, "What just happened?"

"You turned into a swan."

"You're kidding."

"You're still halfway changed, see for yourself."

After a moment, Andrea quietly said, "It's all true."

"Believe me, if it weren't, there's nothing that could have kept me from your side for the past year."

"You don't know how much I want to hate you for leaving me. It's my right to hate you! You left me when I was at my most vulnerable!"

"I know. And I swear that If it weren't for the boys, I might have made some different decisions. You don't know how much I wanted to be there with you until the very end, and then to follow you."

"I understand what you're saying! But that doesn't make it hurt any less!"

"What do you want me to do?"

"I don't know! I'm just pissed off at you!"

"You have every right to be."

Andrea fought to regain control of her emotions, then finally said, "With all that I've learned in the past twenty-four hours, I understand why you did what you did. I guess the big question is, what do we do now?"

"Not that I'm complaining, but you might want to think about getting dressed."

"Oh, yeah." Andrea said as she looked down at herself covered in delicate white feathers, then cautiously asked, "How do I undo this?"

"Just remember what it felt like to be human and then what it felt like to be something else. You can internally push yourself to become one or the other."

It took a moment of concentration, but Andrea was finally able to force her body to return to its fully human state.

"As to what we should do next... I suppose the better question is what do you want to do next?"

"What do you mean? What I want is for us to go back to the way things were before."

"But things aren't the same."

"Are you talking about living here instead of back in the city?"

"That's only part of it."

"What are you saying?"

"I let you go. I've moved on."

"Do you mean that there's someone else?"

"No, Andrea. What I'm saying is that in the past year, I've gone through the stages of grieving over losing you. I'm not saying that we can't be together, I'm just warning you that none of us are the same people that we were a year ago. Please, let's just take the time to do this right. Not only will that be the best thing for the boys, but also the fairest thing that we can do for each other and for ourselves."

"Do you still love me?"

"Yes. Of course. I'll never stop loving you. But can you really see yourself living here in Brynnhollow with me and not being angry and resentful and bored out of your mind?"

"I don't know. This place is so completely different from everything that I'm used to that I don't know what I would do here."

"Then why don't we hold off on making any new commitments until you've had time to sort through your options? One thing that you'll learn about Brynnhollow is that there isn't any rush."

"Yes. I've noticed that."

"In the meantime, you can stay with us or with my grandfather... I suppose that we could even check in town to see if anyone has a room that they'd like to rent out."

"I just naturally thought that I'd live with you and the boys."

"If you want to, that's fine. Just as long as it's clear that that's not your only choice. In fact, if you wanted, we could even build you your own house, built to your specifications. As you can see, you won't have to worry about furnishings."

"You make furniture now?"

"My grandfather has been helping me rediscover the skills that I learned when I was growing up here."

"Do you think of us as not being married anymore?"

"We're not married like we were before. I'm not the person that I was back then, and I suspect that neither are you. If you'd agree to it, I'd very much like to get to know the person who you are now and if we find out that we want to be married, then we can make a marriage in the here and now between the people who we've become."

"I think that maybe you're right about it being too soon for us to be making any decisions. But right this minute, the only thing that I want to do is see the boys."

"Then let's go. I can't wait to see the looks on their faces."

* * * * *

"Is everything alright? We heard screaming." Jim asked cautiously.

Andrea did a double take, seeing Jim back in his fully human form.

"It's fine now. Emotions were running high and we had to decide how we were going to continue forward." Ares assured him.

"So what are we doing?" Lowell asked cautiously.

"Going to see the boys." Ares said simply.

"Dad's right. I don't need to be running around in my transformed state. Someone might see." Jim said timidly.

Andrea smiled at him, then looked to Ares to see what he was going to do next.

"Well, if no one has any other plans, let's go see the boys."

* * * * *

"Where are we going?" Andrea asked as they walked.

"Over to Marlon Cowbrynn's place. He hosts a school at his house for several of the local children." Ares said casually.

"Is that where Tannis took your younger kids this morning?" Andrea asked Drake who was walking at her other side.

"No. They're over at Wyatt Brynnford's house. It's basically the same arrangement except that it's nearer our house." Drake answered.

"Why don't you have one school for all the children?" Andrea asked curiously.

"There are a few reasons. The travel to and from the school would be unreasonably long for some of the kids. Plus, some of the parents hold some rather firm and controversial beliefs that they want to impress upon their children. Finally, a formal central school would likely be a hardship on some of the families who need their children near to home to help them at certain times of the year. We tend to work best when things are flexible and informal." Lowell explained.

"It's so different here." Andrea said distantly.

"Yes. But, at least for me, it isn't different in a bad way." Ares assured her.

"You grew up here. You're used to this. For me, it's like living in a foreign land." Andrea said anxiously.

"People move to foreign lands all the time, and some of them choose to stay and assimilate."

"I think that choice was already made for me."

"Maybe the choice about staying or not was denied you, but the choice of what you'll do now that you're here is entirely up to you." Ares said firmly.

"How do you mean?" Drake asked curiously.

"Earlier, I was telling Andrea that now that she's here, she has a choice about what happens next. What happened in the past can stay in the past and she's free to investigate all the possibilities before deciding what to do next."

"He even suggested that I could get a place of my own." Andrea added.

"I guess I just naturally assumed..." Drake began to say, then seemed to change his mind and said, "If you need a place to stay, you know where to find me."

"Thank you, Drake. I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Andrea said to him with a smile.

"No, really!" Jim interjected. "It'd be great if you'd stay with us!"

"Jim. It's her decision." Drake said in a low, warning tone.

"I know. I just wanted her to know it's not just because we're neighborly. She could stay with us and it'd be like a real home."

Drake nodded at his son, then turned his gaze forward as they continued to walk.

* * * * *

"I'd rather this not happen in front of all their friends and classmates. If you'll wait here for a minute, I'll go and get them." Ares said before walking ahead of the group.

"Don't worry, Andrea. The boys haven't stopped missing you or loving you for one minute since they've been here." Lowell said gently.

"Why did this happen? Why are things like this?" Andrea asked as she watched where her husband had gone.

"I wonder how many people in how many different parts of the world are asking the exact same thing, right this moment." Lowell said thoughtfully.

Andrea looked at him curiously.

"Life happens. Sometimes it's inconvenient. Sometimes it's unfair. Sometimes it's just plain wrong. It still keeps happening. All we can do is deal with it."

"Mom!" A voice called excitedly.

Andrea turned and her eyes filled with tears as she saw her sons racing toward her.

"Look at how you've grown! You're practically grown men now!" Andrea said as she held her arms open wide to invite her sons in.

"Mom! Are you alright? Are you all better now?" Cain asked tearfully.

"I'm fine, baby. The people in the hospital took really good care of me." Andrea assured him.

"How did you find us?" Deimos asked his mother as he hugged her.

"I just found some old paperwork of your father's with a Waxell address on it, so I decided to come here and see if anyone knew who he was and where he might be." Andrea said with a smile.

"Are you staying here with us?" Cain asked hopefully.

"From what I understand, I don't have much choice in the matter." Andrea said, then glanced at Ares, who was watching the whole scene.

"Why not? Did you get cursed, too?" Cain asked with concern.

"I was told that the only way I could see you again is if I were willing to accept being cursed. So of course, I did."

"It's not bad. In fact, we can do things that other people only dream of. I can run and hunt in the night and Deimos can fly." Cain explained excitedly.

"The longer I'm here, the more I'm seeing that this whole place is like a dream." Andrea said gently.

"Have you seen our house yet?" Deimos asked suddenly.

"Only from the outside."

"You're going to love it! Dad and Grandpa made all the furniture and they let us help!" Deimos said happily.

"I can't wait to see it." Andrea said warmly.

"There's no reason you should have to. If you're ready, we can go right now." Ares said with a smile.

* * * * *

As the group started walking back toward Ares house, Andrea quietly said to her husband, "I've been thinking about what you were saying before."

"What was that?"

"I came here with the intent of finding you and the boys, but I never really considered what I would do after that."

"Have you come to any decisions?"

"I think that maybe you were right. Too much time has passed. Too many things have happened. We can't pick up where we left off."

"What would you like to do?"

"I'm not sure, yet. But I think that I need some time to myself to consider my options."

"I'm sure that Grandpa wouldn't mind if you stayed at his place for a while."

"No. That's alright. Drake and his family have offered to allow me to stay with them. I think that I may take them up on it."

"You're not going to stay with us?" Cain asked in a stricken tone.

"I'm going to stay here in Brynnhollow and I'll be seeing you all the time, but your father and I discussed it and I think that it may be best that I take things slowly and make some decisions about what the right thing is to do going forward so that all of us can enjoy long and happy lives."

"But having you at home with us would make us happy." Deimos assured her.

"I'm sure that I would be happy there, too. But tell me, what do you think I'm going to do while you and your brother are at school or out with your friends? What am I supposed to do while your father is at work? Am I just supposed to wait for all of you to remember that I'm at home waiting for you?"

"We won't go out!" Cain immediately promised.

"That wouldn't be fair to you... or me. I'm going to take some time to see what they have here in Brynnhollow and what I can do to fit in here. I'll always be your mother and I'll always love you. I'll be right here whenever you need me."

"Think about it boys, after all the tough times we've survived and the changes that we've been through, your mom deserves the chance to figure out what she can do to enrich herself and find happiness in every day of her life. You're old enough now to be thinking of what you'd like your own lives to be like once you're out on your own. Maybe you can watch what your mother's going through and even talk to her about her decisions so that you'll have a better idea of what choices you'll be facing when the time comes." Ares said reasonably.

"Thanks Ares." Andrea said with a smile at him, then turned and asked, "Drake, were you serious about me staying with you for a while longer?"

"Of course! We'd love to have you." Drake answered immediately.

"Then I'd like to accept your kind offer." Andrea said with a smile.

"Are you going to need to go to town for clothes or anything? I'm sure that Jim won't mind you borrowing his clothes, but I can't see that working for the long term."

"I have some suitcases in my car... wherever that is. I left it at the place where the road suddenly ended."

"Jim? Do you think that you could run into town and ask Mason if him or any of the runners have picked up Andrea's car? If they haven't, make sure that they know it's out there so that they can get it. Either way, let them know that we're going to need her suitcases over at our house before the end of the night."

"Should I run or can I gallop?" Jim asked cautiously.

"Best run. We wouldn't want to give anyone a reason to complain about a 'wild teenager' running loose on the streets in broad daylight."

"If you want to 'change', I can ride you into town. No one should have any problem with that." Deimos quickly offered.

Jim looked at his father expectantly.

"Fine. Just don't be too obvious about it." Drake relented with a smile.

"We'll meet you back at the house." Deimos told his parents before dashing away with Jim at his side.

"Jim's got to be exhausted after being up most of the night." Lowell commented absently as he watched them go.

"You remember what it's like to be that age." Drake said with a smile.

Lowell looked at him dubiously.

"Right. I forgot. Maybe you don't." Drake chuckled

* * * * *

"Where is Chris?" Andrea asked her husband curiously.

"His name is Cain now. And I sent him to invite someone else to our celebration." Ares said simply.

"Oh. Then what about your father?"

"He's my grandfather, and he's in my room taking a nap. Apparently he was up all night."

"Is there anything I can do to help you prepare your celebration?"

"I think I've got everything covered. Why don't you keep Drake company until the 'party' can begin?"

"He had to go back to his house so that he'll be there when his kids get home from school. He'll be back with them in a little while."

"Well then, if you'd like to help, I have a crate of berries stored in the root cellar that need to be cleaned. They'll be great with the sponge cake that I'm making."

"That sounds good. Where's the root cellar?"

"Out the back door and about ten feet to your left."

"Look at us. Who would've ever thought that we'd end up like this?"

"Yeah. We really lucked out, didn't we?" Ares asked with a smile.

"It looks like maybe we did." Andrea said thoughtfully.

"Besides that, this isn't how we ended up. This is a new beginning."

Outside In

The knock on his front door heralded the upcoming change in his life.

There was nothing to say that if he hadn't answered it, that anything might have turned out differently. But it still seemed that in that one pivotal moment as the door swung open, his entire world changed.

"Uncle Dark! Guess what?!" Cain demanded as soon as the door opened.

Dark was as perplexed by the impossibly vague question as he was by the normally restrained teenager behaving like a five year old on a sugar high.

"I can't guess. You're going to have to tell me."

"My mom's here! She's over at our house, right now!"

"How is that even possible? I thought that if you or your dad ever saw her again that she'd die."

"I don't know. Dad could probably explain it. He told me to come over here and ask you if you wanted to come over to our house to celebrate."

"Your mom is here and your dad wants me to be there?"

"Yeah! Do you want to come over or not? I can wait if you need me to, but I don't want to miss too much."

"I suppose, if Ares asked you to..."

"Then come on!"

* * * * *

Dark was surprised and pleased that in the rush to reach their destination, Cain had been able to resist the urge to assume his animal form and race ahead.

Although they weren't running, they were moving at a fast enough pace that it made conversation difficult, if not impossible. That was just fine with Dark. He appreciated having a few minutes to compose himself before meeting Andrea for the first time.

Ever since Ares had returned to Brynnhollow, Ares and Dark had spent a great deal of their free time together. They might drink some ale and reminisce about 'the good old days' or they might engage in some activity with the boys, but all that Dark knew was that it was as close as he could come to having a family since his own had been lost in a fire, many years before.

The undefinable emptiness that Dark carried with him for as long as he remembered, seemed to be filled by Ares' presence. Dark had found such contentment in the recent months that the news of Andrea's arrival shook him to the core.

To be honest, Ares had never spoken an unkind word about his wife. But by the same token, neither had he been singing her praises. Dark could tell that Ares carried some regrets about the way things had turned out. But he didn't get the sense that Ares was 'pining' for her.

* * * * *

As Cain and Dark approached Ares' house, Dark felt his anxiety ratchet up another notch.

He had lost his best friend once, which had been the beginning of a very lonely time of his life. His logical mind couldn't seem to find any reason to believe that the same thing wasn't about to happen again.

"Oh yeah, Dad told me to tell you that Mom knows about the curse and stuff, so it's okay to talk about it in front of her." Cain said just before opening the front door.

The words drew Dark's mind back to the question of how Andrea could be there at all. By all that he knew, once a woman had been cursed, she would go insane or die. It was a simple immutable fact of their lives.

"Dark! I'm glad you're here! Come on in and get comfortable!" Ares said from the kitchen doorway, then added, "Andrea will be out in just a minute."

"How is everything?"

Ares stopped and considered for a moment before answering, "About a hundred unexpected and impossible things have happened in the past twenty-four hours. From the way things look right this minute, everything's fine, but don't hold me to that."

"You got it."

"Go ahead and sit down. Can I get you anything to drink?"

"Do you still have any of that ale from the summer solstice celebration?"

"I think so." Ares said uncertainly, then cautiously asked, "Are you alright? You don't usually indulge in the hard stuff."

"I'll probably only have one. I just need to take the edge off."

"The edge off of what? Is something wrong?"

"I don't know yet. But I have a strong feeling that if things end up going in that direction that I'll appreciate already being somewhat anesthetized."

"You realize that I have no idea what we're talking about, don't you?"

"Yeah. How about I sit down and shut up while you get me that drink?"

Ares lingered for a moment, looking at Dark with concern, before nodding and retreating into the kitchen.

* * * * *

Dark sat in the living room for a moment and fought to collect his emotions. Although the prospect of returning to his life of solitude was a major factor in his discomfort, there was something deeper that Dark was working very hard not to acknowledge.

"Here you go." Ares said carrying a large bottle and an empty glass.

"Thanks..." Dark began to say, then saw Andrea slowly entering the living room.

"Dark, I'd like for you to meet my wife, Andrea." Ares said, somewhat formally.

Before Dark could respond, Andrea quietly said, "Please don't introduce me as your wife unless you plan on us renewing our commitment."

"Sorry. I didn't mean for that to sound like I was staking my claim." Ares said to his wife apologetically, then turned to Dark and explained, "Andrea and I have decided to give things time to settle down before we commit to what we're going to do next."

"But isn't it the commitment that gives you a direction to move in?" Dark asked before he could think better of it.

Andrea smiled at his question, then said, "You might be right about that. But I'd still like to take some time to get my bearings before I start making plans."

"I think that would be the smart thing to do even if you didn't have the curse to contend with." Ares added.

"What about the curse?" Dark asked cautiously.

"It's not our curse. Ima and her sisters came up with a different curse to override ours and allow Andrea to stay here. The problem is that we can't be sure what side effects there might be." Ares explained.

After a moment to consider, Dark cautiously admitted, "I don't understand how that works."

"Neither do we. That's why we're waiting for things to settle down." Andrea said warmly.

"Dad! Are Tan and Jim going to be here soon?" Deimos asked as he raced into the living room.

"They'll probably be here in about half an hour." Ares said simply.

"Okay!" Deimos said as he dashed away.

"Where are your manners?! We have company!" Ares called after him.

"Hi Uncle Dark!" Deimos called from the next room.

Andrea, Ares and Dark shared an amused smile at the boy's antics.

* * * * *

Dark started drinking his ale as Ares and Andrea returned to the kitchen to check on the meal that they were preparing.

Nothing that had happened or had been said served to put Dark at ease, although he couldn't pinpoint just what was bothering him.

"Mom! I found it!" Cain bellowed as he ran into the living room.

"She's in the kitchen with your dad."

"I knew I had this, I just couldn't remember where I put it." Cain said as he held out a fine silver chain.

"What's that for?"

"Do you remember those charms that Jim made for us?"

"Yes. He did some very nice work. I thought about asking him if he'd like to display some of his work in my mask shop."

"Well, when he gave me mine, I thought that I'd wear it on a necklace, but then I decided to carry it in my pocket, like everyone else does."

"So what are you doing with the necklace?"

"Dad was asking me if I still had it because he wanted it for Mom." Cain said frankly.

Before Dark could think of anything to say, Cain was off like a shot, into the kitchen.

After a long silent moment, Dark felt his spirits sink as he finally realized the thing that had been eluding him. Regardless of what Ares and Andrea said or how they felt about each other, one thing could not be denied. They were a family.

Even though he had been invited, he still felt like an intruder. He was there, sharing in their love and happiness, as though he were somehow entitled to it.

If it weren't for the fact that Ares would be offended, Dark might have left while no one was around.

"I think everything is set for a while." Ares said as he walked into the living room and took a seat.

"Will Andrea be joining us?" Dark asked casually.

"Probably... eventually. Cain gave her a necklace and now she has to... I don't know, change her hairstyle or clothes or something to match it."

Dark laughed despite himself.

"Andrea's decided to stay at Drake's for a while, until she's had time to make some decisions."

"Oh? I guess I just naturally assumed that she'd be staying with you."

"I told her that she could stay with us if she wanted to, but I also made sure that she knew that she had other options."

"What do you think she's going to decide?"

"There's no way of knowing. But she's not the only one who has a say in what's going to happen next."

"Do you know what you're going to do?"

"I'll do what I can to watch out for the best interests of the boys and once I'm sure that they're going to be alright, I'll take a look at the rest."

"That's probably best."

"Here in a couple months we're going to be having the Samhain celebration. I can't even imagine how that's going to work."

"A million different things could happen between now and then. But whatever happens, you won't have to face it alone." Dark assured him.

"I know. Thanks."

* * * * *

"How does it look?" Andrea asked as she walked into the living room.

"It looks perfect." Ares answered with a smile.

Dark looked at the pendant on her necklace and immediately recognized it. "Jim made that, didn't he?"

"Yes. From what he told me, this was originally his." Andrea quietly answered.

"Dad said that Ima and her sisters cursed the talisman. It's good that you're going to wear it. It could be dangerous if anyone else were to take possession of it."

"Did anyone tell you what the pendant is supposed to be?" Dark asked cautiously.

"Jim said that it was meant to symbolize my boys, but I have to admit that I can't see the connection to them."

"It's supposed to be their animal forms... You know what I mean by that, don't you?" Dark thought to ask.

"She can change into a swan." Ares said simply.

"Oh, well then, why don't you get the boys to show you their transformations? I know they'll be excited to show you. And then you'll understand the significance of the pendant." Dark suggested with a smile.

"Actually, why don't we wait until after dinner for that?" Ares interjected.

"That's probably best." Andrea agreed with a smile.

"Drake and his kids should be here just about when dinner's ready. I'll go wake up my dad so he'll have some time to come fully awake before it's time to eat."

"Uncle Dark! We're gonna show Mom our rooms. Do you wanna come?" Cain asked breathlessly as he ran to his mother's side.

"I helped you build those rooms."

"Yeah. So? You wanna come with us or not?"

"Sure. I'd be happy to."

* * * * *

Even though Dark had seen the boys' room several times before and even had helped to build them, taking the tour with Andrea was like seeing them for the first time.

It also turned out that all the stories that the boys excitedly told their mother, chronicled events in their lives that he had been a part of.

Yes, Andrea was their mother, nothing would ever change that. But listening to their stories confirmed that Dark, too, was a significant person in their lives.

"When we change halfway we have to wear the loincloths that Grandpa Lowell made for us so our junk don't hang out." Deimos stated seriously.

"I suppose that's very important." Andrea said as she tried to restrain a chuckle.

"You're going to love Uncle Dark's change. His is the coolest!" Cain declared.

"Let it be a surprise." Dark said quietly.

"Okay." Cain said reluctantly, then quickly added, "But it explains why Uncle Dark gives such great hugs."

Dark couldn't resist the urge to pull the young teenager into a hug to demonstrate.

"Did you hear that?" Deimos asked suddenly.

"I didn't hear anything." Andrea said honestly.

"I think Tan and Jim are here!" Deimos said before dashing out of the room.

Dark released Cain from the hug, then watched as the boy raced away.

"Of all the things I imagined could have happened, I never thought that the boys would be so happy, living such a different life." Andrea said conversationally as she started slowly walking toward the door.

"I thought that they were happy before, but now that you're here, it's like a light has been switched on behind their eyes. Please don't doubt for a minute that you're a major part of the joy that they're feeling." Dark assured her as he followed.

"Thank you, Dark." Andrea said quietly, then glanced at him before continuing, "Even though I just met you, I feel like I've known you for years."

"Maybe that's because Ares and I have been best friends since we were four or five years old. I'm sure that we must have picked up a few mannerisms or personality traits from each other over the years."

"That must be it." Andrea said warmly as they walked into the living room.

* * * * *

"How are you doing, Andrea?" Drake asked with a smile.

"Honestly, I keep thinking that all of this has to be a dream." Andrea said frankly.

"Not a nightmare, I hope." Drake said cautiously.

"No. Getting lost in the woods yesterday was the nightmare. Today is just a dream." Andrea assured him.

"How have you been, Dark? Is business going well?" Drake asked casually.

"It's the wrong time of year for masks, so I haven't done much business there. But my other things have been selling well enough. From what Mason's been saying, there's been a lot of demand. He seems sure that he'll be able to sell as much as I can produce." Dark said honestly.

"What do you make?" Andrea asked curiously.

"A variety of things. I do some paintings and wall hangings, as well as some decorative sculpture." Dark said simply.

"That's one of yours, isn't it?" Drake asked as he pointed to a nondescript wood and metal piece on the side table.

Dark smiled, then said, "Yes and no. Ares and I made that one before he left. I was just getting started then."

Andrea looked at the odd sculpture for a moment, trying to evaluate how she felt about it. The thing was certainly crude in its design, but it also had a certain charm. For some reason, she could almost see a young Dark and Ares collaborating to make it.

"What about that one over the fireplace? That looks like some of your more recent work." Drake asked curiously.

"Yes. I gave that to Ares and the boys as a housewarming gift." Dark said with a smile.

Andrea looked at the large rectangular frame over the fireplace which housed an odd variety of different geometric shapes as well as some more fluid looking metallic components. The metal pieces were made to look vaguely like vines and leaves. The overall effect was of a scene from the forest that surrounded them, but she could see the artistry in his work. The three dimensional aspect gave it a more tangible quality than a flat painting, and the natural woodgrains and patina of the different materials used brought a sense of 'reality' to the overall work.

"I thought the kids would be in here." Ares said as he walked into the living room.

"They went outside as soon as we got here. It's best to let them work off a little of their energy before they have to sit down to dinner with us." Drake said with a grin.

"You're probably right about that." Ares chuckled, then thought to ask, "Can I get anyone something to drink? We've got about fifteen minutes or so before dinner will be ready."

"Anything will be fine for me." Drake said simply.

"Me too." Andrea quickly chirped.

"They're an easy bunch to please." Ares said with a grin at Dark, then added, "I put your ale back in the coldbox, or I can get you something else?"

Before Dark could respond, Lowell walked into the living room and said, "I don't know why I don't take naps more often. That was incredibly refreshing."

"I'm getting drinks for everyone. Would you like some sassafras tea?" Ares asked his grandfather warmly.

"Yes. I think I'd like that. With just a drip of honey, if you've got some." Lowell said as he walked to his favorite chair and settled in.

"Why don't you all get comfortable, I'll be right back." Ares said as he turned to leave.

"I'll help you." Dark immediately volunteered.

Ares gave him a quick smile, then led the way out of the room.

* * * * *

"Ares, I need to tell you something." Dark said as soon as they were alone in the kitchen.

"You can tell me anything." Ares said as he went about the process of making drinks for everyone.

"Not this. We haven't talked about... this, since you've been back." Dark said reluctantly.

"You'll have to give me another hint, because I have no idea what you're talking about." Ares said honestly.

"You know the things that we used to do... you know, back when we were kids?" Dark cautiously asked.

"We did a lot of things." Ares said as he stopped all his activity and devoted his full attention to his life-long best friend.

"Sex, Ares. I'm talking about us having sex." Dark finally admitted.

Ares seemed to be shocked into silence for a moment, but eventually said, "Yeah. I remember."

"I know you've got a lot of decisions to make, what with your wife and kids being here. And I really don't expect you to..." Dark trailed off with frustration, not being able to find the words to express what he wanted to say.

"Are you telling me that you're having feelings for me?" Ares asked in an obvious guess.

"Yeah. That's what I'm saying." Dark said quietly.

"Why are you just mentioning it now? Is it because of Andrea?" Ares asked curiously.

"No. I mean, yes... In a way." Dark stammered.

Ares rolled his eyes and waited for Dark to explain.

"I've been feeling this for a while, but I was okay with seeing how things worked out. But when Andrea showed up and you started talking about the decisions that you're facing... I just thought that I'd let you know so that you could... at least consider it." Dark said with difficulty.

"Do you remember back when your dad talked to us about sex? He told us that with the way things are here in Brynnhollow, that sometimes the guys took care of each other, because there wasn't really any other choice." Ares asked distantly.

"Yeah. I remember." Dark quietly admitted.

"Even though I never said it at the time, it was always more than that for me. It wasn't just getting off together for a lack of better options." Ares said as he looked into Dark's eyes.

"So, you're interested?" Dark asked cautiously.

"I haven't given it serious consideration since I've been back, just because I didn't know that you had those kinds of feelings toward me. I still have to consider what's best for Andrea and the boys, so things might not end up working out the way we would want them to. But I promise that when I'm making my decisions, I'll take both our feelings into account." Ares said sincerely.

"Thank you, Ares. And if things don't turn out with us being... together, I'll still be here. You're my best friend before anything else."

"I never had any doubt of that."

* * * * *

After serving the drinks, Ares and Dark took seats and joined into the light conversation which focused mostly on Andrea.

When she mentioned speaking to the waitress at the Waxell Diner, Ares told the others about the 'warm' reception that he and the boys had received when they had stopped there.

"Are we waiting on something before having dinner?" Lowell asked curiously.

"I'm just waiting for the timer to go off." Ares said simply. Then, in an effort to keep the conversation going, Ares turned to Andrea and asked her, "By the way, how is your mother doing?"

"Fine, as far as I know. I received a Christmas card from her last year." Andrea answered simply.

"Really? I thought with me out of the picture that she might make an effort to reconnect with you." Ares said honestly.

"She's not like that. Once she's written someone off, she doesn't ever take them back."

"Well, she sent you a Christmas card. At least that's something."

"That was just her way of saying that she was aware of where I was and how I was doing and that she was choosing not to help me. She signed it 'Mom'. She didn't write anything else in the card."

"I'm glad that we chose to never tell the boys about her. It would have hurt them to know that they have a grandmother who doesn't want anything to do with them."

"I wish that I didn't know about her. It would hurt less."

"You know that the boys and I love you, right?"

"Yes. I do know that." Andrea was saying when they heard a noise on the front porch.

"Dad! Is it time to eat yet?" Cain asked as he leaned in through the front door.

"I'll have it on the table by the time you're washed up for dinner." Ares replied as he pushed himself up out of his comfortable chair.

Cain ducked out the door without further comment.

As Ares walked toward the kitchen, he turned to his grandfather and said with a grin, "That was the timer I was waiting on."

* * * * *

The design of the kitchen and dining room was such that they could add extra tables and chairs to accommodate a larger number of people. Although a gathering of so many hadn't been anticipated, in Brynnhollow it was customary in both furniture and house design to be prepared for such an eventuality.

As Dark looked around the large table, which was actually several tables butted end to end, he noticed the very clear evidence of the relationships in play.

Cain and Tannis were almost sitting in each others' laps. Although they were quiet, relative to the rest of the guests, they might as well have been at their own private table together. It was much the same with Jim and Deimos. Although they were a bit more restrained in front of everyone, it was obvious that their attention was mostly on each other.

Drake's younger kids, Viv and Ollie, were on one side of their father, and seemed to have ended up together, somewhat by default, due to their younger ages.

The thing that surprised Dark was that Andrea was sitting on Drake's other side and seemed to be in much the same state as her sons. When she wasn't engaged in general conversation, she seemed to have most of her attention focused on Drake.

"Don't you like the schnitzel? I thought it was one of your favorites." Ares asked quietly from Dark's side.

"It's great. I was just thinking."

Ares stared at him for a moment, then broke into a slight smile before saying, "I bet I can guess about what."

Dark ducked his head and thought that he could feel a slight blush rising up his cheeks.

"I'm going to do my best to see that, when it's all said and done, no one gets hurt. That includes you."

"But you have to take care of your wife and kids first."

"I don't have a priority list with you at the bottom. If there's any way I can do it, I'm going to try to engineer things to work out so that everyone's happy."

Dark nodded that he had heard.

"Ares." Andrea said, gaining his attention from across the table, "If you could cook like this all along, why didn't you cook at home? This is wonderful."

"I don't know. Laziness, I guess. You always seemed to enjoy taking care of the family and I was just as happy to sit and relax for a while when I got home from work."

"The same thing would happen at our house if I didn't encourage the boys to contribute. People tend to do as little as possible unless they're given a reason to do more." Drake said reasonably.

"After working and slaving at my job all day, I would go home and cook dinner for Ares and the boys. Are you saying that all I would have had to have done was ask them to help?" Andrea asked him cautiously.

"Probably, yes. I imagine that none of them would want to tread on 'your domain' if they thought that you enjoyed taking care of the house and the cooking. Although I don't know Ares that well, from all that I've seen, I'm sure that it wouldn't have taken much more than a simple request to have both him and the boys taking on some of the workload."

"I guess from the way that I was raised, it never occurred to me to ask them."

"There's something that I've learned..." Ares said, drawing her attention, "...the answers that are right for one person aren't necessarily right for another. We're all making it up as we go along and hoping for the best outcome that we can get."

Drake nodded, then added, "I'm doing my best to provide my kids the skills they'll most likely need when they're out on their own. But what they end up doing with those skills in their day-to-day lives is going to be entirely up to them."

"Maybe not entirely." Andrea countered, then explained, "You're their example. Even if you don't explain the choices you make, I think that they'll see what you did and want to emulate those actions because they were there to see the results for themselves."

"Or avoid them, if they didn't like the results." Ares helpfully added.

"Can I have some more carrots?" Ollie asked suddenly, obviously oblivious to the conversation.

"May I have some more carrots." Drake gently corrected.

"Yeah. You can if I can." Ollie said happily.

"Let me get that for you." Ares chuckled as he stood and placed a portion of glazed carrots on Ollie's plate. When he was finished, he turned to Drake and asked, "Would you like some more?"

Drake glanced lovingly at his youngest son before saying, "Well, I guess since I've been given permission, I might as well."

* * * * *

When the meal was drawing to an end, Ares announced, "We'll have dessert later, after dinner has had a chance to settle. Why don't you move into the living room and I'll join you in a moment?"

"No, Dad. You cooked. We'll clean up." Deimos said firmly.

"Yeah, and with all of us, it'll only take a few minutes." Cain added.

"Thank you, boys. When you're done with that, come to the living room. We've got something planned." Ares said quickly, before all the children could dash away.

The twins looked at each other, then Deimos quietly asked, "What are we going to do?"

"You'll find out once the dishes are done." Ares said with a grin.

Dark noticed the intensity of the twin glares focused on Ares and was sure that he was very near to giving in. Knowing Ares as he did, he concluded that it was only the presence of the other adults in the room that kept Ares firm in his resolve.

"Come on." Jim finally said, breaking Cain and Deimos out of their battle of wills with their father.

The adults watched as all of the children, even Ollie and Viv, did their part to clear the table.

After the last of the children had gone into the kitchen, there was a long moment of silence before Andrea quietly said, "I think that being here is the best thing that could have happened to the boys."

"I grew up here, so I thought my point of view might be a little biased, but I came to the same conclusion." Ares said frankly.

"If it weren't for the curse, I don't think that I'd have any regrets about raising my children here, like this." Drake said honestly.

"From what I've seen so far, being cursed isn't so bad. I mean, I always feel like I'm one step away from turning back into a swan, but after what I've been through in the past year, that isn't so bad." Andrea said seriously.

"Your curse isn't like ours." Lowell said quietly, then explained, "Most of what you've seen so far is what it's commonly like for the men. For the women, there is an obsessive need to procreate, followed by a homicidal rage after the child or children are born."

"When I told you that my children's mother was no longer with us, I didn't mean that their mother was dead. Well, to be honest, Jimson's mother, Tinya, died in childbirth. But Tannis' mother and Ollie and Viv's mother are both still alive... as far as I know. Once they had given birth, the second phase of their curse manifested and they were exiled to live amongst the lunatic crones in the coven."

"I don't understand." Andrea said cautiously.

"For cursed women, there is a level of obsession connected with the concept of becoming pregnant and giving birth. It causes the girls and women afflicted by it to concoct any manner of ways to seduce or trap men for that sole purpose. From there, the afflicted spiral into insanity. We do the best we can for them, but there is actually very little help that we can give them. Any direct contact we have with them invariably results in someone being killed." Lowell explained.

"We try to anticipate their needs and provide food and supplies for them, but since we don't have direct contact with them... we just don't know if what we're doing is really helping them at all." Drake quietly added.

"Couldn't you give them a radio or even just a notebook so that they can give you a list of supplies that they might need?" Andrea asked thoughtfully.

"The curse prevents them from behaving rationally, at least in relation to us. Maybe when there are no men or male influences around, they might fall back into something resembling sanity. But from everything that I've witnessed in over a century of observation, I feel safe in saying that anything more that we might try to do is likely to cause more harm than good." Lowell said tiredly.

"We're done! Can you tell us now?" Cain asked hopefully as he led the pack of children and young teens into the living room.

"No." Ares said simply, mostly just to mess with him.

Before Cain could mention how 'unfair' that was or say that 'you promised', Ares quickly added, "But if you're not wearing your loincloth, you might think about putting it on before we go outside."

Cain blinked once, then broke into a smile before dashing away, toward his bedroom. As expected, all the children and young teens in his entourage immediately followed.

"Andrea, I didn't think to ask, but would you like a robe or anything to cover yourself when you transform?" Ares asked cautiously.

"Oh. I hadn't thought about that. Yes. That might be best." Andrea said quietly.

"Anyone else?" Ares asked as he looked around.

"Is there any reason that I should have to fully transform?" Drake asked curiously.

"No. You can change as much or as little as you want. This is just to show Andrea what's normal for us and at the same time give the kids a chance to let loose and show off for each other." Ares said with a smile.

"When I half-transform, I can still wear my pants, so I think I'll just do that." Drake said decisively.

"What about you, Dark?" Ares asked curiously.

"No, thanks." Dark answered easily.

Ares nodded, then motioned for Andrea to walk with him back toward the bedrooms.

* * * * *

"Jim? That's an interesting outfit that you're wearing." Dark said when he saw the boys enter the open area beside the house.

"Deimos said that as long as he has his loincloth that he can change in front of everyone, so he let me use this." Jim said shyly as he kept his naked body concealed beneath the dragon cloak which barely reached his knees.

Dark noticed that Tannis had borrowed Cain's tiger cloak and was wearing it much the same way.

"Aren't you guys cold?" Dark asked Cain and Deimos as they approached, both only wearing their loincloths.

"I'm going to have fur in a couple minutes, so I'll be okay." Cain assured him.

"Me, too. Except that I'll have scales." Deimos added, continuing his brother's thought.

A movement drew Dark's attention and he saw Andrea approaching, wrapped in a loose fitting plain gray robe.

"Is that everyone?" Lowell asked from nearby as he looked around.

"That's it. Do you want to start?" Ares asked his grandfather in return.

Lowell turned to face Andrea and quietly said, "Dear lady. I hope you won't take offense at my brief nudity, but I'm too old to affect a facade of adolescent shyness. If something offends you, please avert your eyes for a moment."

"I'll do that." Andrea assured him.

Without further adieu, Lowell began to undress.

The younger members of the family simply appreciated the fact that they were being included with the adults. But Ares, Drake and Dark could see the subtle shift in Lowell's form as he disrobed. He was shifting ever so slightly as soon as his restrictive clothing was removed. All three men stood in awe of Lowell's precise control.

Andrea had only seen the slightest hint of Lowell's transformation earlier and was unprepared as his body reformed into something not quite human or animal. While part of her intellectually knew what was happening in front of her, another more primal part was excited and terrified by what she was seeing.

When Lowell's transformation was complete, he appeared to be nothing less than a fully fledged werewolf.

"Andrea, why don't we change together? That way I can help you if you lose concentration." Ares asked encouragingly.

"I don't know what to do." Andrea timidly admitted.

"Just remember what it felt like to change before and let it happen again. If you're anything like the rest of us, you're probably going half crazy resisting the urge to transform."

"Is that what I've been feeling? I knew that I felt like I might slip and lose control at some point, but it didn't register that the need that I was feeling was to change."

"Just let go and let it happen. Until you learn better control, it's going to be easiest for you to make the complete transformation first. Once you've done that, start the change back and stop when you're about half-way, just like you did before. I'll be right here with you if you have any trouble."

Andrea took a deep breath to brace herself, then suddenly started to shrink.

"That's it. You're doing just fine. I'm going to go ahead and change now." Ares said before seeming to disappear into his clothes.

As everyone watched, a swan and a raven worked their way out of the clothing pooled on the grass.

The raven began to change first, but the swan was only a moment behind him. Ares grew in height, taking on a mostly human form, but he had claws for feet and was covered with black feathers. Although his head was that of a raven, in concert with his humanoid shape, it looked more like a mask or cowl.

Andrea, on the other hand, was covered with white feathers and had a decidedly feminine form.

The soft, downy feathers covered her like a close fitting bodysuit, yet were enough to accommodate her modesty. Like Ares, her facial features were more avian than human, however where his appearance was somewhat frightening, hers was soft and gentle.

"Mom!, you look great!" Cain exploded with delight.

"So what are you? A were-swan?" Deimos asked hesitantly.

"I don't know. Maybe. I have no idea what you call something like what I've become." Andrea answered honestly.

"While it would be easy to call any of us 'were' creatures in our half transformed states, the actual term for your mother would be an 'Oskmey' or 'Swan Maiden'." Dark told Deimos informatively.

"Then what's Dad?" Deimos asked curiously.

"A 'Tengu'." Dark answered simply.

"What's mine?!" Cain asked quickly.

"Why don't you transform for me and I'll have a look?" Dark asked with an indulgent smile.

"He's a 'Mog' half man half dog. When he changes, we can call him Barf!" Deimos said with delight before breaking down into giggles.

The blank stares from everyone around Deimos reminded him that most in attendance weren't familiar with cultural references from the outside world.

Dark pulled his attention away from Deimos and realized that Cain had completed his transformation.

"I should start by telling you that while these terms are generally correct, most of them are derived from mythology, so they're not always going to be entirely accurate." Dark warned them.

"So, what am I?" Cain asked cautiously.

"An 'Agdlak'." Dark answered simply.

There was a long moment of silence before Deimos quietly said, "Mog's easier to remember."

"Okay, then what's Deimos?" Cain asked Dark hopefully.

"If he'll change into his half-transformed state for me, I'll see if I can identify it."

In less time than it took for Dark to say the words, Deimos morphed into his half-wyvern state.

"The most specific term that I can come up with for you, Deimos, is something that applies to all half-dragons. In my opinion, you would best be referred to as a 'Saurial'." Dark said carefully.

"'Lizard Face' is easier to remember." Cain said playfully.

"What about you, Uncle Dark? What's your half-form called?" Deimos asked curiously.

In an instant, Dark seemed to vanish, dropping into a pile of mostly empty clothes. The sight of the enormous pale snake that emerged from the clothing was a shock to all those who hadn't seen it before.

Once the snake was completely clear of the clothing, it began to grow and reform itself into a vaguely humanoid shape... or, at least the top half was humanoid.

When Dark finally stabilized in his half-form, he calmly said, "Although I'm sometimes called a 'snake-man' what I am is a 'Nāga'."

Andrea stared at Dark in wonder. The lower half of his body was that of a snake, the upper half appeared to be human, but not entirely.

She noticed that his fingers seemed to be slightly elongated, terminating in dangerous looking claws. He also seemed to now have pointed ears, like one would think of being on an elf. But perhaps the most striking difference was that his formerly brown hair was now wispy silver-white and that his eyes were almost ruby red. They were enthralling.

"I don't know why you don't change all the time. Your half-form is great!" Cain said in appreciation.

"Thanks, Cain. All I can say is that I'm a little shy about it. I don't have any logical reason why." Dark quietly admitted.

It was only then that Andrea noticed that Dark's overall coloring had changed ever so slightly. His skin was more ashen and gray than that of a typical human. Combined with the wispy silver hair and the red eyes, it made Dark seem to be almost otherworldly.

"Jim! Do you want to be next?" Deimos asked hopefully.

"No. My dad should go first." Jim said simply.

"Yeah. He almost never changes in front of us and his is really great!" Tannis said enthusiastically.

"Yeah! Come on, Daddy! I wanna see!" Viv said from beside her brothers.

Andrea could tell that Drake warmed to the praises and enthusiasm of his children. When she glanced at Dark, she noticed an expression of relief, having the focus of everyone's attention being directed elsewhere.

Drake looked to each of his children to be sure that they were paying attention, then he opened his shirt and took it off. Drake's chest and abdomen were reasonably toned. Andrea had to admit, if only to herself, that Drake was quite attractive.

Andrea was jarred out of her thoughts when she noticed Drake's skin darkening. it took her a moment to realize that what she was actually seeing was a thin layer of hair growing out, covering nearly all his exposed skin. At the same time, his chest seemed to be filling out, becoming nearly half-again as big as when he had started.

By the time it was done, Drake had the kind of sculpted and chiseled physique that just about any bodybuilder would kill for.

When Andrea was finally able to look at Drake's face, she was surprised to see that it didn't look human at all. Admittedly, the tuft of hair that fell from between his enormous spiral horns seemed to be his regular 'human' brown hair, but besides that, his head seemed to be like something between a goat and a horse.

"What do you call that, Uncle Dark?" Ollie asked quietly.

Dark was surprised by the question, mostly because he hadn't ever really been around the child before. He supposed that because Jim and Tannis had taken to calling him 'uncle' it was only natural that their younger brother would also do so.

"The only way I can think of to describe your father is as a 'Baphomet'." Dark responded gently. He had to fight the urge to explain that a baphomet was usually depicted with the head of a goat, so the classification wasn't exactly right. But Ollie was too young to understand such a thing anyway.

"A bath mat?" Ollie asked cautiously.

"Baff-o-met." Dark carefully pronounced.

"What does that mean?" Ollie asked curiously.

"It's just a name, as far as I know. There's a mythical beast called a baphomet and he looks something like your father." Dark explained.

"I hope I can look like that when I grow up." Ollie said as he turned to look at his father again.

"I'm gonna look like Daddy!" Viv interrupted.

Dark didn't comment and fought down the despair that he felt, knowing that the young girl's dream could never be realized.

"I'm next." Jim said, and before anyone could say otherwise, he suddenly began to grow taller.

His feet had transformed into hooves, and once he had reached a certain height, a second set of hooves descended from beneath the robe he was wearing and touched the ground.

Within half a minute the transformation was complete and Jim took off the dragon scaled robe that he had borrowed from Deimos and let it drop to the ground beside him.

"Um, Jim..." Deimos trailed off timidly.

Jim looked at Deimos, then followed his gaze down and beneath him.

An immediate scarlet blush rose up Jim's face as he quickly muttered, "Excuse me." Before dashing away as quickly as he could with his horse-sized erection bobbing beneath him.

"Should I go after him?" Deimos asked uncertainly.

"Yes. Tell him that much the same could happen to any of us. When we're not in our human forms, things like that sometimes happen." Lowell said decisively.

"Okay." Deimos said then took a few running steps and transformed completely into his Wyvern form before launching himself into the air.

"Do you want to go ahead and change, Tannis?" Drake asked his son quietly.

"What if that happens to me, too?" Tannis asked anxiously.

"You're wearing a robe. If the same thing happens to you, just keep the robe on until it goes down." Drake told his son reasonably.

"Okay." Tannis said shyly, then seemed to change ever so slightly.

His face became longer and buds of horns protruded on his forehead. Andrea looked down and saw that his feet had transformed into cloven hooves.

After a moment to peek inside the tiger striped robe that he had borrowed from Cain, a smile of relief crossed his face.

"Everything alright?" Drake asked to confirm.

"Yeah." Tannis said as he took off the robe and placed it on the grass beside the one Jim had worn.

Andrea couldn't help but smile at the young faun.

"Do you want to go and see if we can find Jim and Deimos?" Cain asked quickly.

"Yeah!" Tannis immediately agreed.

"I wanna go, too." Viv announced to her brother.

"Me, too." Ollie agreed.

Tannis looked to his father with a classic 'do I have to?' look, and received a nod in response.

"Come on!" Tannis said in a slightly begrudging tone, then led the way with Cain, Ollie and Viv following closely behind.

* * * * *

"So, Andrea, is all of this too much for you yet?" Ares asked gently.

Her eyes unwillingly tracked to Drake's body, looking big, buff and beautiful, before she answered, "There's no doubt that I'm a little overwhelmed. But I think it would be different if I were just seeing it happen. Since I can change too, I think that I'll eventually be able to come to terms with it."

"That's good, because there are a few more things that we haven't told you." Lowell said frankly.

"There's more?" Andrea whimpered.

"Nothing quite so dramatic as the animal transformations, I assure you. But the curse upon us has some other conditions that you should be aware of before you inadvertently trigger something because we neglected to warn you about it." Lowell said carefully.

"What are you talking about?" Ares asked curiously.

"You were raised here, Ares. You were never taught any of the religious invocations or practices of the outside world, so this wouldn't apply as much to you." Lowell said simply.

"True. But those things were all around me while I was living away from here." Ares said honestly.

"To put it simply, a child must be indoctrinated at an early age to honestly 'believe' in the mystical. Most of those who come to their understanding later in life, do so for self-serving reasons which are blatantly dishonest. They are deceiving the people around them, with whom they wish to curry favor, or they are deceiving themselves, wanting to believe in something fantastical to allow them to avoid reality or abdicate responsibility for their own horrid behavior. Those with 'true belief' have access to mystical powers that they themselves may not be aware of." Lowell said seriously.

"What does any of this have to do with Andrea?"

"I can't say that it does. But there are some very common things that people do in everyday life which are actually low level spells and invocations. If someone were to sneeze and Andrea were to bestow a blessing from a deity upon them, there might be consequences for her because of it."

"What kind of consequences?" Andrea slowly asked.

"What one might describe as a flurry of bad luck. Milk will sour. Eggs will rot inside the shells. Breads won't rise. Fires won't light or stay lit... Things along those lines. Due to the curse, we're forbidden access to the religions of other cultures. Their gods won't hear our prayers or offer us their salvation." Lowell finished quietly.

"Does that mean that there's another god that you do pray to?" Andrea asked cautiously.

"Dozens." Drake said, at the same time Lowell responded, "Hundreds."

"What?" Andrea asked in confusion.

"There's a whole pantheon of greater and lesser gods from the ancient times. There's plenty of time for you to learn as much as you want to know about all the various gods. I can't speak for others, but the one to whom I give most reverence is Cernunnos, the horned god of animals." Lowell said seriously.

"So do you pray or give sacrifices to him or something like that?" Andrea asked carefully.

"We show our reverence by treating this forest and the creatures who live in it with respect. Occasionally, we might thank him for some great bounty and we honor him with celebrations on holy days, like the equinox and the solstice." Lowell said calmly.

"I've never been religious, so it shouldn't be any problem." Andrea assured him.

"You wouldn't think so, but you might be surprised by which everyday courtesies and traditions are actually mystical invocations." Lowell said frankly.

"Since the children have run off, why don't we change and go inside where it's warmer?" Drake suggested as he picked up the robe that Andrea had been wearing and held it open for her.

"Yes. That sounds like a very sensible idea." Lowell said as he gathered his clothing.

"Thank you." Andrea said timidly as she turned and allowed Drake to drape the robe around her shoulders.

Ares smiled tenderly at the action, then glanced at Dark.

That action, more than any words, told Dark that Ares held no jealousy toward any relationship that Drake and Andrea might be developing.

Once she was covered, Andrea easily made the transition back into her fully human form.

"Don't forget your necklace." Ares said as he motioned to the silver jewelry on the ground.

As Drake reached down to pick it up for her, Lowell quickly said, "Don't touch it! Andrea is the only one who should handle that."

"Of course." Drake said as he withdrew his hand.

"What would happen if he touched it?" Andrea asked curiously as she retrieved her necklace.

"There's no way to know for certain. But since it is a cursed item, it's best to handle it with the utmost care." Lowell said as he slowly dressed himself.

"Just a few days ago I would have told you that I didn't believe in things such as curses. Now I'm living under one." Andrea chuckled.

"It may take some adjustment, but at least here you can manage it. Everyone understands." Ares assured her.

"Yes. The thing that may be more difficult to deal with is being the only female in the community. It's impossible to predict what might happen because of that." Lowell said gravely.

Dark looked around and realized that everyone else had changed back to their human forms and were more or less dressed. He was the only one who was still half-transformed.

"Is anyone ready for dessert?" Ares asked casually.

"Should we go after the kids?" Andrea asked as she looked in the direction where they had gone.

"They'll be fine." Ares assured her, then turned toward Dark and asked, "Would you care to help me get the desserts ready?"

"I need to change." Dark said as he began to gather his clothes.

"I know." Ares said simply, then leaned in and quietly added, "Slither on into the kitchen and you can change while I'm getting the desserts together."

Dark was surprised to realize that Ares understood his misgivings. Due to the way he transformed, there was no practical way he could change back to his human form in front of Andrea without exposing himself, but he would also be conspicuous if he waited outside until the others had gone in.

"Yeah. I'll help." Dark said with a smile at his friend, then started slithering toward the house.

"I'll never get used to this." Andrea said absently as she watched him go.

"Eventually, you will." Lowell assured her.

"We'll all help you." Drake added.

* * * * *

"How are you doing?" Ares asked as he busied himself making tea and plating desserts.

"Better than I expected to be." Dark answered as he dressed himself.

"Good. I guess that I can understand why you were apprehensive and I'm sure that you're not going to be the last. Having a woman living in Brynnhollow is bound to cause all sorts of chaos."

"I hadn't thought about that. Do you think it's going to be safe for her here?"

"Here with us? Yes. Here in Brynnhollow? We'll just have to wait and see how things go when word gets out." Ares said frankly.

"Maybe your grandfather could talk to the village elders and see if we can get their help."

"My grandfather isn't exactly one of their favorite people... neither am I, for that matter."

"So what do you think we should do to protect Andrea?"

"I don't see what we can do until we know how people are going to react to her being here. I'd like to hope that everyone is going to behave in a civilized manner and treat her with respect. But with her being the only woman in the village that could possibly enter into a long-term relationship... I don't know. People might behave very differently when they're presented with an option that was never available to them before."

"I didn't think that I'd be saying this, but I really like your wife." Dark said timidly, then continued, "If there's anything you can think of that I can do to help, just let me know."

"There is one thing." Ares said as he turned to face Dark fully.

"What's that?" Dark asked cautiously, honestly not having any idea of how he could be of help at all in their current situation.

"Make something for Andrea." Ares said simply.

"Something? Like what?" Dark asked cautiously.

"I'll leave that up to you. But you know as well as I do that there's something a little bit mystical about your artwork. Even though it may not seem like it at the time that you make it, looking back we can usually see that your artwork is prophetic." Ares said seriously.

"That again..." Dark sighed, then explained, "Looking back, you see what you want to see. You take all the little random bits and assign meanings to them that were never there."

"The biggest critic of your work in all of Brynnhollow is you. I mean, you had thylacine and wyvern masks waiting for my sons to need them. People all over Brynnhollow come to you for the most random and obscure animal masks and you always have them ready and waiting."

"Can you just drop it? I don't have any psychic abilities. I just have eclectic tastes in masks."

"If it helps you to believe that, I'll go along with it. But will you please make something for Andrea? We're facing a lot of unknowns and if there's even a chance that we can get a little hint about what's to come, I'd like to have it." Ares asked hopefully.

"Well, I guess since you asked me so nicely and said 'please' and everything, that I could go ahead and come up with something." Dark quietly agreed.

"Thank you, Dark. Even if you're right and you don't have any psychic ability, it'll still make me feel better to know that I've done everything possible to make things work out." Ares said honestly.

"You always were weird." Dark said fondly.

"So you've said." Ares chuckled, then asked, "Will you take the tea service out? I'll follow behind with the desserts."

"Yeah."

* * * * *

"I was beginning to think that I'd need another dinner before I'd get dessert." Lowell sniped as Ares and Dark walked into the living room.

"Oh? Are you getting too old to walk into the kitchen and get it yourself when you need something?" Ares asked with mock concern for his grandfather.

"When I was your age, we knew how to show respect to our elders and betters." Lowell growled.

"Yeah, but when you were my age, the country was still fighting to recover from the war, wasn't it? People were recently reminded of how dear their loved ones were to them."

"True enough. Those were different times."

"Which war was that?" Andrea reluctantly asked.

"The war to end all wars!" Lowell declared, then added more quietly, "The first one."

"Did you fight in the war?" Andrea asked curiously.

"Although I came up with hundreds of reasons why I should go, the stark reality of the situation was that the community couldn't afford to take the chance of any of our men-folk joining the military and being discovered by the outside."

"But how is it possible that you've been able to remain hidden? I mean, not just from the selective service and social security. What about satellite images and GPS?"

"The elders see to all of that." Lowell said quietly, then paused for a moment before continuing, "They don't discuss their defenses with the likes of me. But the little that I know of it involves magic, money and political power, all in large quantities."

"That's right." Dark confirmed, then turned to Andrea and said, "I'd guess that because you've already been touched by the curse, that the enchantment on the forest must have drawn you in rather than repelling you, as would normally happen."

"It did seem like when I turned around to go back to my car, that everything had changed. Was that magic?" Andrea asked curiously.

"Most likely, yes." Lowell thoughtfully answered. "We protect the forest and the forest protects us. But the enchantment isn't absolute protection. There is a natural ebb and flow to the magic and there are times when outsiders can find their way through."

"It's been awhile since that happened. When it does, the few people who do find their way to Brynnhollow can't ever leave." Drake said quietly.

"Except for that one guy!" Dark quickly interjected.

"What 'one guy'?" Ares asked curiously.

"I remember my dad talking about him when I was a kid. There was a guy who no one had ever seen before who showed up in town and asked to talk to the elders. He was here for a few days, then he left and no one ever saw him again." Dark said seriously.

"I believe that I know of the incident that you're talking about." Lowell said thoughtfully, then quietly continued, "Although we live in a magical place, essentially cut off from the outside, we're not the only magical people in the world. I believe that the person you described is probably one of those on the outside who works to keep our existence concealed."

"It would have been nice if I'd known that there was someone on the outside who knew about us. Maybe he could have helped me establish an identity or to start my life away from here. For a long time, I was completely alone out there." Ares said quietly.

"It's as likely as not that he would have seen to it that you were destroyed, to protect the community. As I've said, I have little first-hand knowledge of such things, but it seems reasonable to assume that the person or persons on the outside who work to protect us probably have to make some very difficult decisions on our behalf."

"Yes. I've often wondered how much pain and misery has been caused because of us, just to keep our community a secret. I've never been one to ascribe to the adage that 'ignorance is bliss'. But in this case, I don't know if I could have anything resembling a happy life if I knew what steps were being taken to keep us protected." Drake said honestly.

"We found him!" Cain said as he led the procession of children in through the front door and across the living room.

"I never doubted that you would." Ares said with a grin as he watched all the children walk into the hallway that led to the bedrooms.

"It's all for them." Drake said distantly.

"It is." Andrea immediately agreed.

"I just wish..." Drake trailed off, then shook his head, trying to dismiss the unpleasant thought.

"Although things here sometimes appear to be unchanging, Andrea's arrival might well be the precursor to other things. You would do well not to give up hope at this particular point in time." Lowell said carefully.

"What do you mean?" Drake asked curiously.

"As with magic, life also has an ebb and flow. Unless I miss my guess, this should be an interesting time to be in Brynnhollow." Lowell finished with a smile.

* * * * *

The next day, Dark was lost in thought, reliving the events of the previous night.

He remembered that when the children returned to the living room, all of them were once again dressed in the clothes that they had arrived in. Jim was quieter than was usual for him, but no one mentioned the incident earlier and by the end of the evening, he seemed to have mostly forgotten about it.

With the children present, the adults kept the conversation on safe topics. The majority of the evening was spent with Cain and Deimos telling their mother about all of their adventures since they had arrived in Brynnhollow.

Dark's hands were working autonomously as he continued to relive the evening in every detail. While the good conversation and good company had both been appreciated, it was the feeling of family that he had experienced with them that nourished his weary soul.

When he suddenly stopped working, he looked at the sculpture that he had been working on to find that it wasn't a sculpture at all. He was surprised to find himself holding a wooden doll, or to be more precise, a marionette. The strings hadn't been attached yet, but the holes were already drilled where they would be needed.

The marionette was decidedly male in its shape, but it didn't remind Dark of anyone that he knew. It was currently raw wood with a few small metal fixtures to serve as joints. More out of instinct than thought, Dark picked up his creation and moved to another part of his workshop, where he kept the paints.

Without thinking, he automatically picked up the black paint and already had the brush loaded before he was aware of what he was doing. He only paused for a moment, then began applying the paint, as his hands seemed to be determined to do, whether he wanted to or not.

Since he seemed to be compelled to create whatever it would ultimately be, he let his mind return to the events of the previous evening as his hands expertly applied the paint.

* * * * *

"Dark? What a surprise to see you again so soon! Did you need to see Drake? I think he said that he was going to be in the valerian patch, just down the hill."

"I didn't come here to see Drake. I actually came here to give you a gift to welcome you to Brynnhollow."

"A gift?"

"Yes. Maybe you don't do that in the outside world when someone new arrives. I really don't know much about their customs."

"No. I mean, maybe some people do. It's not something that I've ever done. Does this mean that when people find out that I'm here that they'll all start bringing me gifts?"

"Maybe a few. It depends on the person and if they feel that they have something that might convey the message that you're welcome here."

"Oh. Well, thank you."

"Open it. I'm interested to see what you think of it."

Andrea carefully unwrapped the cloth bundle to reveal the nearly one foot tall marionette, complete with multicolored strings attached to a wooden control bar.

"It's beautiful! Did you make this?" Andrea asked in awe.

"Yes. I was a little bit worried that it might be disturbing to you. It doesn't look like anyone you know, does it?" Dark asked carefully.

"He looks a little bit familiar, but I can't place who he might look like."

"Is it too creepy?"

"No! Not at all. He looks like a very respectable man, dressed in his black suit. And even though his expression is kind of serious, I get the feeling that there's someone worth getting to know underneath."

"Good. I can't always be sure how my work is going to be accepted. I'd feel really bad if I brought you something that gave you nightmares."

"I don't think there's any chance of that." Andrea said with a smile, then looked him in the eyes as she said, "Thank you, Dark. This is a wonderful gift. I really do feel welcome here."

"Then my work here is done. Tell Drake that I said 'Hi' when he comes back in."

"Won't you stop in and have some tea? You must be thirsty after your long walk."

"No. Thank you. I just came over to deliver this, now I have to get back to my workshop. I still have a few other things that I need to work on."

"I understand. Drake says that everyone is stockpiling as much as they can so that they'll have what they need to get through the winter."

"Yes. That's a fact of life here."

"Well, thank you again, Dark. I can see why Ares claims you as his best friend."

"Goodbye. And welcome to Brynnhollow."

* * * * *

Dark hadn't been exaggerating. He did have other things that he needed to work on and Andrea's unexpected project had thrown him behind. Once he had caught up, he kept the momentum going and threw himself into his work.

It was several days later when a knock on his door jarred Dark out of a rather generic painting that he was working on.

As he walked to the door, he almost expected it to be Cain, since he was the last person who had visited.

"Ares? What's going on?"

"You know how we were talking the other night about the decisions that I was facing?"

"Yes. Does this mean that you've decided?"

"I have, and so has Andrea. We thought that rather than take the chance of a miscommunication or a misunderstanding, that we'd get everyone together and tell them at once. Do you have time?"

"You mean right now?"

"I'm expecting everyone to arrive just after sunset. Cain and Deimos are going to stay over at Drake's tonight so that we'll be able to have our discussion undisturbed." Ares said as he turned toward the door and waited for Dark to join him.

"Can you tell me what you've decided?" Dark asked as he slipped on his jacket.

"I'd rather wait until we're all together. But I thought, if you wouldn't mind, maybe we could talk along the way about what you'd like to happen. We've never really discussed that." Ares said as they walked out of Dark's house.

"I told you that I was interested in you. Wasn't that enough?"

"That was a big step for you to take, and I really appreciate that you trusted me enough to take that risk. But I still don't know how you'd like for things to end up. Would you like to live with me and the boys? Do you want for everyone to know that we're a couple? What about the boys? Do you want to be a parent or would you feel more comfortable being their uncle?"

"Do I need to decide this right now?"

"You don't have to decide anything. But if I have some clue about what outcome would make you happy, then I'd know how to influence things to turn out for the best."

"I love the boys. So however I can be a part of their lives will be enough for me. As far as the rest... I suppose I'll be happy with however things work out, just as long as I know that you're there."

"I'm not asking you what you'll settle for. In a perfect world where you don't have to worry about what it will do to anyone else, what would make you happy?"

"Being with you. I'm happiest when I'm with you. I promise that I'm not being stoic and denying myself for the greater good. I just want for you to be part of my life in any way that's comfortable for you. If that means that I visit with you and the boys on weekends, that'll be enough. If it means that I move into your house and become 'the mommy'... well, okay, that might not be what I'm dreaming about, but it'd still beat being cut out of your lives."

"My kids have a mother and they're past the age where they need a 'mommy'. You won't have to worry about that."

"I wasn't worried. I wasn't even saying that I wouldn't do it. I was just mentioning that it wasn't something that I was hoping for."

"Don't worry, Dark. I got it."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"I can't really tell you much more until we're all together. Everything's interconnected and if one person changes their mind, it may cause the rest of us to have to adapt."

"One person being Andrea?"

"Not necessarily. If Andrea makes a certain decision that Drake doesn't agree with, then many of the other plans will have to be adapted to compensate for it."

"Do you think that they're going to get married?"

"It's too early to tell. He's been kind to her and she appreciates it. I'm detecting more than a little attraction between them. But they've only known each other for a few days."

"I guess you're right. It's just with her staying at his house, it seems like things might be going in that direction."

"Regardless of what her logical mind knows, I think that inside she still feels like I abandoned her. Drake represents safety and security. If there's more than that going on, they haven't given any sign of it."

"How would you feel if Andrea divorced you and married Drake? Would you be hurt by it?"

"No. I've had months to examine my feelings and come to terms with letting her go. I want what's best for her. As long as I know that she's going to be happy with someone who isn't going to hurt her, I'll be at peace with it."

"So, has she told you her decision yet?"

"We've discussed things, but just like me, she's resisted the urge to commit to anything until we're all together."

"Does she know that I'm interested in you? I mean, you know, romantically?"

"Are you?"

"Of course I am! I told you that!"

"What you've told me is that you want to be part of my life in whatever way it turns out to be possible. I don't recall any mention of romance."

"What do you want? Candies and flowers?"

"No. I just want a clearer idea of where you would like a relationship between us to go. But I honestly can't figure out if that means handjobs out behind your shop when everyone else is busy doing other things or if it means us waking up every morning in the same bed."

"Ares, I've never been attracted to women. Because of that, I've never dreamed of myself in a situation where I'd wake up next to someone. There's a certain protocol that the guys follow here, where they're able to get their rocks off without getting entangled in any kind of emotional involvement. That's all I've ever known. I wouldn't know how to make something 'romantic' work."

"What Andrea and I had worked well for us, but I can't see you and me being able to live that way. I guess that, if you wanted to try it, we could forge something new that would be custom tailored just for us."

"So, does that mean that there's a chance that things can work out that way?"

"Without knowing what Andrea and Drake have decided about things, I can't say anything for certain. But from all that I know, there is a chance."

* * * * *

When Ares arrived at his house, he and Dark went to work preparing a light dinner and making sure that they had drinks enough for everyone.

After all that had been said on the walk over, both needed time to think about how they felt about things and what they really wanted.

When a knock sounded at the front door, both of them stopped and looked at each other.

"Are you ready?" Ares asked with concern.

"No." Dark answered simply, then added, "But I'll do it anyway."

"I think this will end up being worth the effort." Ares said before leaving the kitchen.

"Just remember that whatever happens, I'll be here for you."

"I never doubted it."

* * * * *

"Come in Drake. I'm glad you could make it. How are the kids?"

"I left Jim in charge. I'm sure that they'll be fine."

"Andrea, how are you?"

"Nervous. I know that you're making us dinner, but do you think that we might be able to get right to it? I'm nothing but nerves right now."

"I can't think of any reason that we should have to delay. Come in and sit down and you can tell us what you've decided."

"I want my own house." Andrea blurted out.

"Excuse me?"

"When I arrived, you said that one of my options was to have my own place. I think that I'd like to do that."

"Oh, yes. Of course. If that's what you want..." Ares stammered.

"I'm sure that I'll be spending quite a bit of time over here with the boys and over at Drake's house. But when I'm not doing that, I think that I'd like to have a place that's mine where I can focus on myself, if only for a little while." Andrea explained.

"I think that sounds like a wonderful idea and if we were to make an announcement, that the elders might call for 'Raising Bee', like they did for Ares and the boys." Drake suggested.

"There's no reason to make a big deal about it." Andrea said shyly.

"It's our way, Andrea. Please allow the community to welcome you and accept you." Dark said in a low voice.

"He's right." Ares confirmed.

"Okay. If that's how you do things here, then I guess that's how we'll do it." Andrea finally agreed, then she turned to Ares and asked, "Was that everything? Or were you going to make an announcement too?"

"I don't know how much of an announcement it is, but I was hoping that if Dark would do me the honor, that he might agree to accompany me on a date this Friday."

"A real date? Like for the whole community to see?" Dark asked cautiously.

"Well, I don't plan on us doing anything that they'd be much interested in seeing, but yeah. I thought that we could go down to the Brynnmorrow Tavern for dinner and a few drinks."

Dark's expression of surprise caused Ares to explain, "I just want the chance to prove to you that I'm interested in you. I want to do it right."

"Okay."

"Andrea, would you mind if I invited you out on a date sometime?" Drake asked cautiously.

"I wouldn't mind that at all." Andrea responded warmly.

"Ares, would you be willing to watch after the kids when we go out? Even though I'm sure that Jim could see to things in my absence, I'd feel better about it if there were an adult close at hand." Drake asked hopefully.

"Well, with your four and my two, I think it might work out better if I had some help." Ares said, then turned to Dark and asked, "What do you think Dark? Are you up to it?"

"Sure. Sounds great." Dark replied easily.

"Good. Then who's ready for dinner?" Ares asked with a grin.

"Is that it? Is that all that we needed to decide?" Andrea asked curiously.

"Well, I think that at some point you're probably going to need to look at getting a job. But I don't see any reason that it has to be decided tonight." Ares said frankly, then motioned for his guests to accompany him into the dining room.

* * * * *

After getting everyone seated, then serving the food, Ares quietly asked his guests, "Do you think that the kids are going to have a problem with us doing this?"

"I've had a chance to spend some time with the boys and they seem to be perfectly happy with the decisions that we've made so far. They were surprised that I wasn't going to be living with them, but when I told them that I was staying in Brynnhollow and that we'd be able to see each other all the time, they seemed to be satisfied." Andrea said thoughtfully.

"If you think about it, we were leading mostly separate lives all along, so it's not really that much for them to have to adjust to."

"I don't think I ever told you, but I've been worried about what kind of an example we've been setting for them. I mean, it's good that we weren't at each other's throats, but by the same token, I don't think they ever saw us 'in love'. How are they supposed to grow up to be passionate loving people if they've never been exposed to anyone who lived that way?"

"I don't know about that. I think it's natural for the passion to die down over time and become a comfortable coexistence. Not only was that something realistic for them to have seen, but I think it was a good example for them to witness how love can change over time."

"He may be right." Drake reluctantly added.

When the others around the table turned their attention to him, he explained, "Being here, with the way things are, your boys wouldn't get the experience of seeing what a long-term relationship looks like. All they'd get to see is the curse drawing on people's instincts, causing them to mate and produce offspring, then the descent into madness that follows."

"I still don't understand about that. Are you saying that every woman who gets married in Brynnhollow goes insane?" Andrea asked carefully.

"Yes. The only exceptions are a few old virgin crones who were able to resist the curse. And even they are mad to a certain degree."

"So is that what you expect to happen to Viv?"

"Yes. That's one of the most insidious parts of the curse. We bring children into the world knowing that they're destined to horrible fates. Vivendel will grow into a woman, then she will be compelled to select a mate and bear him children. Once she does that, she will go insane and we will have to send her away."

"And the boys will grow up never being able to have a fulfilling relationship, caught in this timeless void where they're neither human nor animal." Ares quietly added.

"Isn't there something that we can do for them? I mean, if you were able to help me, isn't there a way to help them too?" Andrea asked anxiously as she looked around the table.

Dark waited for a moment, but when no one answered, he finally explained, "Yours was a very special case. The curse that Ares carried had weakened to the point where it didn't manifest when it should have. That gave the witches something to work with. Although they couldn't throw off the curse completely, they were able to overlay another curse on top of it to give you a better outcome."

"If they can do that for me, can't they do it for other women?" Andrea asked imploringly.

"I suppose that it's possible that seeing the results of what their new curse did to you might lead them to be able to come up with something for the others... Honestly, I don't know enough about magic and curses to speculate about that. It's probably more of a wish than a possibility." Dark finally admitted.

"Drake told me about the origin of the curse, but I still don't understand why the Brynns would institute the curse to begin with. What would they gain from it?" Andrea asked reasonably.

"Vengeance." Ares said simply. "Connor Brynn defied them, so they came up with a punishment that would cause him to suffer."

Drake nodded, then added, "To me, it seems that they were using him as an example to the rest of their people of what would happen if they ever took any action against the elders. They came up with a curse so horrific, bestowed for such a minor infraction, that the rest of their community would fall into line and do whatever they were told."

"In a sense, Ares has brought the curse full circle. He left Brynnhollow and willingly came back with his family to live with his curse." Dark said speculatively. "Maybe that has some significance."

"Or maybe it's a series of unrelated events. We'll probably never know." Ares said frankly.

"I feel like there should be something that we can do." Andrea said with frustration.

"If you can think of something, just let us know and we'll all support you. Our people have tried everything we can think of for centuries and nothing has worked." Drake said honestly.

"We have to do something. It kills me to think of the boys growing up and never falling in love or having kids of their own." Andrea said as tears welled in her eyes.

"There's every likelihood that they will fall in love. And when that happens, they probably will have kids. Without that, there wouldn't be any suffering, which is the point of the curse to begin with." Ares quietly explained.

Dark nodded and picked up the thread of the conversation, "And the curse is very efficient at causing us to maintain our numbers, so that we don't die off. The women aren't the only ones being compelled to keep the cycle of misery going."

"You'd think that if someone had all this magical power at their command that they'd use it for something better than this." Andrea said thoughtfully.

"If you had a community of people, each with this much potential power, what could you do to control them? You'd have to come up with something spectacularly unpleasant to make them fear you." Dark said reasonably.

"Wait. Are you saying that all the Brynns have that magical power?" Andrea asked cautiously.

"Yes. All of them and all of us. However, the curse prevents us from being able to access it. The crones on the mountain can use magic, hence your curse, but the rest of us can only do so in relation to our transformations." Ares carefully explained.

"You can do magic?" Andrea asked as she looked around the gathering.

"That's what our transformations are." Ares said simply.

"There are a few of us who can do things beyond our transformations. Jim can summon fire. He's quite good at it." Drake interjected.

"It just seems that with access to magic, there should be something more that you can do for Viv." Andrea said quietly.

"We've done everything that we can think of to try. If you can think of something more, we'll all help you however we can." Drake assured her.

"Do you have a library or anything where I can do some research? To be honest, I don't know anything about magic or curses." Andrea asked cautiously.

"We really don't have a central library. Each family keeps their own. You could try asking around. I'm sure that everyone would be happy to lend you any books that they have on the subject." Drake said thoughtfully.

"I think that the best source of information might be Ima and her sisters in the castle on the hill. Being a woman, you would probably be able to approach them without danger." Ares added.

"Probably..." Andrea parroted.

"Probably." Ares confirmed with a nod, then noticed that all of his guests had finished eating.

"Why don't we move into the living room where we can be more comfortable? I'll bring in some tea when I've finished clearing up." Ares asked as he stood.

"I'll help you." Dark immediately volunteered.

Ares smiled at him as he gathered dinner dishes.

* * * * *

"I think that went pretty well." Ares said as he walked into the kitchen.

"Yes. Although I'm still having trouble getting myself to accept that you chose me over Andrea." Dark said seriously.

"Have you seen how she looks at Drake?" Ares asked with a grin.

"But what if she were looking at you that way? Would you rather be with her?" Dark asked cautiously.

"I can't answer that, Dark. I can't tell you what I'd do if things were different. I can only tell you what I want to do with things being as they are." Ares said frankly.

"What do you want to do?"

"Right this minute? I think I'd like to kiss you."

"Really?"

"In all the time that we were 'messing around' when we were kids, I don't remember us ever kissing. Don't you like to kiss?" Ares asked as he stepped away from the sink and into Dark's personal space.

"I... I don't know. I've always thought that it looked like something that I'd like to do." Dark stammered.

"You've never kissed anyone?"

"The guys I fooled around with just wanted to get their rocks off and the girls... well, I already told you about that. You were gone so... no. I never did."

Ares wrapped his arms around Dark and slowly moved closer, on alert for any sign of resistance.

There was none, so he continued on until their lips finally met.

Dark closed his eyes and reveled in the exquisite sensation.

Although Ares wanted to kiss Dark deeply, he felt that they would have plenty of time to explore each new thing and each new level. In the end, he was content with a chaste kiss.

When the kiss finally ended, Dark whispered, "That was incredible."

"There's so much more that I want to show you and do with you. But that will have to wait. We have guests." Ares said as he looked deeply into Dark's eyes.

"I love you." Dark whispered.

"I love you too." Ares said gently, then asked, "Will you start on the tea while I work on dishes?"

"Yeah."

Greater Good

The few weeks since she'd arrived in Brynnhollow seemed like a dream.

Agonizing her way through a prolonged illness, only to find at the end that her family had abandoned her had been almost more than she could bear.

The only thing that kept her going was the desire to reunite with her children and to know that they were safe and loved.

Now, here she was in a place where her children were growing and thriving with friends and family surrounding them.

Knowing that would have been enough, but she unexpectedly found herself among people who cared for her and supported her in whatever she decided to do.

Looking back, she was amazed that her husband, Ares, had understood what she would be facing and had encouraged her to take the time to discover what she could do for herself to have a fulfilled life.

In an effort to start fresh, she had chosen to accept the invitation to stay with Drake, a virtual stranger, and his family... at least for the short term.

As sweet and dear as Drake had been, Andrea knew that if she were truly going to discover her own path, that she would have to live independently.

When the time came for decisions to be made, she chose to move into her own house, although she continued to stay with Drake and his family for a bit longer, while her house was being built.

The community came together and built the basic structure of the house over the course of a weekend. Drake, Dark and Ares were working tirelessly, along with the children, to perfect the finishes and furnishings inside. Lowell, her husband's grandfather, oversaw the project and occasionally even picked up a hammer to join in.

Although she had discovered a sense of peace unlike any that she had known before, Andrea still felt that something was a bit off. Everything seemed to be going her way but lately she had been feeling like there was something more, something important that she should be doing.

* * * * *

"Are you going out?" Drake asked as Andrea crossed the living room.

"I can't get comfortable. I thought I'd go for a walk."

"Don't stray too far from the house. It's easy to get lost out there." Drake said with a grin.

"Believe me, I remember what that feels like." Andrea assured him before walking out the door.

* * * * *

As Andrea walked away from the house, all her attention was on the full moon overhead. Deep within her she had the undeniable sense that whatever answer she was looking for was contained within it.

Without thought, she continued to walk, drawn by the siren's call of the silvery moonlight.

Even when her view of the moon was obscured by the canopy of leaves, she continued on, seeking her answer.

* * * * *

After climbing an outcropping of rocks, Andrea found herself on the edge of a cliff, unable to continue, yet still being drawn forward.

She only stood there for a moment before allowing her human visage to fall away, revealing her new self, the self that she usually kept hidden from the world.

Once she was fully in her swan form, she took flight, leaving only a rumpled pile of clothes as evidence that she had been there at all.

She was relieved to feel the thin chain around her neck. It had become a habit for her to keep the chain with her, even in her fully transformed state. Her necklace was cursed and too dangerous to be left unattended.

As she gave herself over to the call of the moonlight, she began to realize that she was being drawn to a specific action... a specific location.

* * * * *

When Andrea finally landed, she looked around at the gray stone balcony, illuminated only by the light of the moon.

Finally free from the compulsion that had drawn her, Andrea willed herself to change into her half-transformed state, so that she could preserve some sense of modesty.

"We weren't sure that you'd come." A woman said from the shadowy doorway.

Andrea was startled and turned suddenly to discover the source of the voice.

"Oh my, aren't you lovely?" The woman said softly.

"Are you Ima?" Andrea guessed, finally realizing where she was.

"No. My name is Vera. Ima's waiting for you at the front gate, in case you were attempting to reach us on foot." The old crone said simply, then added, "We had no way of knowing what sort of creature you'd transform into, or if you'd transform at all."

Andrea moved close enough that she could see who she was talking to.

The woman was truly hideous to behold. Her wiry white hair stuck out in every direction. Of course there were the requisite hairy warts that one might expect of a crone. And not only did she appear to have a hunched back, but she also seemed to be tilted drastically to the right, so that she seemed to be on the verge of tipping over. Upon closer inspection, Andrea noticed the gnarled walking stick that Vera kept tightly clutched in one hand and used to keep herself upright.

"Come with me now. We have much to do." Vera said then, without waiting for a response, she started walking away, accompanied by the click-click sound of her cane on the stone floor.

* * * * *

Andrea silently followed down dim corridors.

She could see Vera hobbling along in front of her, but not much else.

As she glanced around, she suddenly realized that there weren't any light fixtures, torches or even candles in the hallway. As dim as it was, she couldn't find any light source that would make it possible for them to see even that much.

"Are you warm enough? We wouldn't want you to catch a chill." Vera asked as she continued to walk.

"I'm fine. My feathers seem to provide good insulation." Andrea said quietly.

Vera suddenly stopped, then turned and said, "Wait here a moment."

Before Andrea could respond, Vera hurried off through a doorway to their left.

Andrea stood for a moment and tried to formulate a logical reason for why she might have been summoned. She finally concluded that she didn't have enough information to come up with a plausible explanation, but the fact that she had been summoned was not in dispute in her mind.

"Andrea, was it?" Vera asked a moment later as she slowly walked into the hallway, the 'click-click' of her walking stick heralding her way.

"Yes, Ma'am." Andrea quietly responded.

"This is Kathryn. She was waiting for you on another balcony." Vera said as she passed by Andrea, continuing on down the hall, the way that they had originally been going.

Kathryn was grotesque, to be sure. But compared to Vera, she actually didn't look all that bad.

"It's nice to meet you." Andrea told the woman obligatorily.

"Are you a duck or what?" Kathryn asked abruptly.

"A swan." Andrea responded quietly.

"At least you can fly. I was afraid that you'd end up in a form that was totally useless." Kathryn said frankly. It was obvious from her casual manner of speech that she wasn't trying to provoke Andrea, she was simply speaking honestly.

"Why have you brought me here?" Andrea asked the pair of women, trying not to sound too demanding.

"It's best if I let Ima tell you about that. She's the one with the plan." Vera said without slowing her pace. She moved surprisingly quickly considering the obvious limitations of her physical condition and the fact that she used a cane to walk.

"I'll go tell her that Andrea has arrived. We'll meet you in the library." Kathryn said determinedly.

"Will you stop by and get Hilda on the way?" Vera asked hopefully.

"Yes. Of course." Kathryn said as she walked away.

* * * * *

To Andrea it seemed that with the determination that Vera was putting into walking that it would be wrong to distract her with unnecessary chatter, so they walked together in silence until they arrived at their destination.

Andrea looked with wonder around the enormous room filled with shelves of dusty tomes, until her attention was drawn by movement from deeper in the room.

"Andrea, I'd like to introduce Juliet. She's fairly new here." Vera said graciously.

Juliet looked almost normal.... comparatively... in a certain light... Alongside Vera, it was disturbing to see the 'before and after' visual representation of the progression of the curse.

The most notable thing about Juliet's appearance was that her head seemed to be slightly too large compared to the rest of her body. All her facial features appeared to be exaggerated. Although she wasn't 'hideous', the overall effect was disquieting, to say the least.

"So, how have you been received in Brynnhollow?" Vera asked as she settled into a comfortable looking chair.

"I haven't gone into town yet. Ares and Drake both seem nervous about how that's going to go. But so far, everyone who's visited has been very nice. They've even built me a house." Andrea finished timidly.

"I'm glad. That should help things to work out well." Vera said consideringly.

Before Andrea could respond, a hideously deformed woman hobbled into the room.

"You're right, Kathryn. She really is quite beautiful." The woman said as she undulated across the room toward Vera. Her movement was nearly a waddle, but seemed somehow unnatural and almost hypnotically rhythmic.

"Are you Ima?" Andrea guessed.

"Yes. And I'm assuming that you're Andrea." Ima said as she shifted her twisted bulbous body into a chair.

"Why have you brought me here?" Andrea asked abruptly.

"To help our sisters, the women of Brynnhollow." Ima said frankly.

"What can I do?" Andrea asked hesitantly.

"By yourself, probably not very much. But with our help, we may be able to alter the curse enough so that the women of Brynnhollow can return to their families and lead somewhat normal lives."

"What do I have to do?"

"Right this minute, be patient with us while we do a little test. We wouldn't want to make their situations worse."

"If there's something I can do to help, just tell me."

"I need to warn you that this has the potential to go very wrong. There's no account of anyone trying to do something like this before. If it ends up going badly, don't be discouraged. We'll keep trying until something works."

"How dangerous is this?"

"We're reasonably certain that your curse will protect you from the curse that you'll be bestowing, but those that you are cursing may instinctively feel that you are doing them harm and attack you."

"You want me to curse people?"

"You're the only person who can. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Before we do any of that, we need to test the curse on one of us to see how it manifests. From there, we'll be able to make adjustments."

"I'm going to have to curse one of you?"

"Yes. Juliet is the most recent to join us and has the least magical knowledge so it makes sense that she will go first."

"Just how dangerous is this going to be for her? Could it kill her?"

"Death is one possibility, but it's not the most unpleasant. Compared to some of what could happen, death could be seen as one of the more merciful outcomes."

"I don't want to take the chance of hurting her... or anyone."

"If you don't take the chance, then you'll help no one. You've been given a tremendous gift, but we can't compel you to use it. It must be your choice."

"Isn't there some way that we can test it out or something and make sure that it's going to be safe?"

"That's what we're doing now. If we can get the curse to work properly on one of us, then you'll have what you'll need to bestow the curse on our sisters at the coven to rescue them from the hellish existence that they've been trapped in."

"When you put it like that, I really don't have a choice, do I?"

"You always have a choice. It's just not always an easy one."

"What do I have to do?"

"Come with us downstairs, to our workshop. We've been preparing for this day and everything is in readiness."

* * * * *

Andrea could feel herself trying to slip to either her fully human or swan form, but was able to maintain her hold on the half-form that allowed her to interact with the witches, but also maintain some semblance of modesty.

As soon as they entered what Andrea could only classify as a 'dungeon', all the witches went to work on various tasks as she stood and watched.

"This will only take a moment." Ima assured her as they worked.

"Is there anything I can do?" Andrea reluctantly asked.

"No, dear. Just have a seat over there and we'll have everything ready before you know it."

Andrea spotted the large, crudely made chair and took a seat.

"Since we've been waiting for the full moon to summon you here, we've had time to add a few fail safes into the curse." Ima said without looking up from the concoction she was brewing.

Andrea couldn't think of any way to respond to that, so she remained seated and watched them work.

"With a curse that bestows a curse, there's always the chance of ending up with a 'Midas Touch' scenario. So we've worked very hard to make it so that you won't be cursing everyone you meet, willy nilly." Ima said conversationally.

"I hadn't even thought about that. Is it going to be safe for me to be around my boys?" Andrea asked with concern.

"We think so. Like I said, we've had the time to refine the curse a little bit so that you can't bestow it unintentionally." Ima said as she stopped and turned to look at Andrea.

* * * * *

"Is it time?" Andrea asked cautiously.

"Yes. If you'll stand over here, we'll get this done in short order. Vera, Hilda, start the chant. Kathryn, read through the spell one more time, then stand ready." Ima commanded.

Vera and Hilda began to chant in low, mostly unintelligible voices.

Ima held her hands out to Andrea, inviting her to take them.

"I call upon Gaea, mother earth, to help us right what has been made wrong. I ask only that you help us restore the balance and return living mortal creatures to be as you intended. Allow us to bestow this curse on your daughter so that she may help others return to you." Ima said reverently.

Andrea felt that she should be doing something more, but continued to stand silently as Ima held her hands.

"I place this curse upon your hands. Let those you touch be damned."

Andrea was shocked by the words and had to fight not to pull away. She was startled when Kathryn walked up beside her and reached toward her face.

Andrea flinched away instinctively, but Kathryn was still able to smear something on her mouth.

"I place this curse upon your lips. Let those who hear your words be damned." Kathryn said coldly.

Andrea looked from Kathryn to Ima with fear at what they were doing.

Ima released Andrea's hands, then placed one of her withered, gnarled hands on Andrea's chest.

"I place this curse upon your heart. Let those for whom you care be damned." Ima said before taking a step away.

"Let this thrice damned curse be made one, only then to be bestowed." All the witches said in unison as Ima gently touched a dark crystal to the pendant around Andrea's neck.

"What have you done to me?" Andrea asked as tears began to well in her eyes.

"We've had the curse prepared for some days, waiting for you to arrive. We kept it housed within the crystal. What we've just done is given you the ability to bestow this curse on others. You're a cursed being, dear. It's impossible for you to bestow a blessing, so this is the only way that it could be done." Ima explained.

"What we just did was put limits on 'how' you can bestow the curse." Vera added.

"Yes. You have to physically touch the person that you're cursing, say the words 'I curse you' and you have to feel within your heart the desire for the curse to be bestowed. Without all three of these, the curse will remain in your amulet." Ima confirmed.

Andrea considered their words for a moment as she calmed down. Finally, she quietly asked, "What do I do now?"

"All the preliminaries are done. Now it's time for you to bestow the curse so that we can finally see if it will work as it was intended." Ima said seriously.

"I'm afraid." Andrea quietly admitted.

"Good. Curses shouldn't be taken lightly. Only bestow this curse on those whom you feel will be better off because of it. It is a great burden of responsibility." Ima said soberly.

"I think I understand." Andrea said slowly.

Ima chuckled, then said, "I'm not sure that I understand. But this is all that we can do."

Andrea nodded.

"Then, let's do it. Juliet? Are you ready?" Ima asked seriously.

"Yes. Please." Juliet said as she stepped forward.

"I'm afraid. I don't want to hurt you." Andrea told the woman quietly.

"When you do this, you'll either cure me or kill me. Either one would be better than continuing on like this, withering away until every day is nothing but continuous torture." Juliet quietly explained.

"What do I do?" Andrea asked Ima anxiously.

"Touch Juliet, then tell her that you curse her. If you truly wish for it to be so, then the curse will be bestowed." Ima said simply.

"I'm sorry, Juliet. I hope this works." Andrea said as a tear fell down her cheek.

"Whatever happens, I'm at peace with it. Please do it." Juliet implored her.

Andrea raised a hand to gently caress Juliet's cheek, then quietly said, "I curse you."

"Thank you." Juliet responded as she placed her hand over Andrea's and held it for a brief moment.

"Now, all that's left is to see what happens." Ima said frankly, then turned to Andrea and said, "We've done all that we can do here. You should go back home."

"That's it? Isn't something going to happen?" Andrea asked with confusion.

"Yes. If you truly felt that cursing Juliet was the right thing to do, then the curse has been bestowed. We won't know for some time what, if anything, it's going to do. Tomorrow night is another full moon, so you will be compelled to return here. Then you can see what the new curse has caused to happen." Ima said seriously.

"Oh, I just thought... you know, like with the shapeshifting, that it would just happen all at once." Andrea stammered to explain.

"Perhaps in some cases it will. Magic can be like that. But I think that in most cases that you'll probably have to wait for a bit to see how the curse will manifest."

"Drake's probably worried about me by now. I guess I'll go." Andrea said uncertainly.

"With any luck, when you return we'll have good news for you." Ima said with a smile.

Andrea nodded, then looked around uncertainly.

"There was one other thing that we wanted to ask of you." Ima said, seemingly as an afterthought.

"What's that?" Andrea asked curiously.

"Do you think that, when you have the opportunity, you could ask that young stallion, Jim, if he could make us some more of the pendants, like the one that you're wearing? They seem particularly well suited for carrying enchantments." Ima asked hopefully.

"I'm sure that he'll be happy to help. I'll remember to ask him." Andrea promised.

"I'll walk you up to the balcony." Juliet said gently.

Andrea smiled at her, then left the 'dungeon' at her side.

* * * * *

"Can you feel anything?" Andrea asked as they walked.

"Hope." Juliet answered simply.

"I mean, can you feel the magic working?" Andrea asked anxiously.

"I know what you mean. No. I don't feel anything happening. But even if it doesn't work out, to feel hope is enough." Juliet said thoughtfully.

"If you can think of anything that I can do to help you... just let me know." Andrea said weakly.

"You've already done it. Now we wait." Juliet said simply.

* * * * *

They continued their walk in silence until they reached the balcony where Andrea had arrived.

"Ima mentioned that you had a husband and children. What's it like?" Juliet asked curiously, sounding almost casual.

"It's like being someone bigger and more important than I really am."

"That sounds really nice." Juliet said wistfully, then watched as Andrea assumed her swan form and flew away.

* * * * *

Fortunately, Andrea was able to remember where she had left her clothes. The bigger challenge was finding her way back to Drake's house.

She needn't have worried. Before she could doubt that she was going in the right direction, she encountered the worried calls of Drake and Jim as she made her way unerringly toward the house.

"Andrea!" Jim called out when he spotted her.

Before Andrea could react, Jim ran up to her and pulled her into a frantic hug.

"We were so worried about you! Did you get lost? Are you alright?" Jim rushed to ask.

"I'm fine." Andrea assured him as she returned his hug.

"Jim! Did you find her?" Drake called in the distance.

"Yeah. She's here! She's safe!" Jim called back.

Andrea was finally able to get Jim to release her enough so that she could start walking again.

"Are you really okay?" Jim asked with concern. Andrea couldn't help but be amazed by the way Drake's family, especially Jim, had accepted her. In some ways it felt as though she had a closer connection with Jim than she did with her own sons.

"I'm fine. I promise."

"Where were you?"

"I'll tell you all about it when we get back to the house. You're probably not going to believe it."

"Are you alright?" Drake asked as he approached.

"I'm fine." Andrea automatically responded.

"You really need to stay closer to the house if you're going to be out walking after dark." Drake told her.

"Listen guys, there's some stuff going on and I'm going to need to go out for the next few nights."

"If there's someone else that you're interested in, you can tell me. You're under no commitment to me."

"Thank you, Drake. But it's really nothing like that. I don't want to tell you too much in case things don't work out. A lot of people could get hurt. The only thing I'll say at this point is that when the new curse was put on me, it included a compulsion for me to go to a certain place when the moon was full."

"So the witches did it?" Jim asked cautiously as they finally reached the house.

"Yes." Andrea said simply.

"But why did they want you to go to them?" Jim asked worriedly.

"I really can't say more." Andrea told him in no uncertain terms.

"Jim, go let Tannis know that we're back and that Andrea's fine." Drake told his son firmly.

After a concerned look at Andrea, Jim reluctantly hurried away.

"If it's something we can help with, you'll let us know, won't you?" Drake quietly asked.

"I will. I promise."

* * * * *

Andrea's sleep was filled with anxiety and shadowy dreams of dark and dangerous things.

When she finally woke, she found herself in a beautiful, comfortable place of warmth and safety.

She was in her swan form, nestled into the blankets on the bed. As she changed into her human form, she looked around and appreciated what she had been freely given.

The room actually belonged to Tannis, but Andrea had been allowed to stay there since her arrival. No one in the family made mention of the fact or seemed to be the least bit put out by her staying with them.

After dressing, Andrea made her way to the kitchen where she found Drake and Jim working together to prepare breakfast. Tannis, Viv and Ollie were sitting at the kitchen table, talking quietly about their plans for the day.

She paused in the kitchen doorway and silently watched for a moment.

With the way things stood, she knew that the most encouraging future that Ollie could look forward to would be to do as his father had done and get married, then father a child. Soon after that, he would lose his new wife to the curse and be forced to continue on alone, raising their child by himself.

Vivendel's fate would be even worse, to either marry and go insane or remain celibate and eventually end up with Ima and her sisters in the castle on the hill.

"Good morning!" Jim said happily when he noticed her.

"Good morning, Jim. Did you sleep well?"

"I slept great! Do you want some eggs? The chickens must be in a good mood because we have enough for everyone today." Jim asked with a smile.

"As long as everyone else has had their fill." Andrea said softly, not wanting anyone to have to do without on her behalf.

"Tannis doesn't like eggs. But we've got plenty. Sit down and I'll bring them to you when they're ready."

"Thank you, Jim." Andrea said warmly as she walked to the table.

"Are you alright?" Tannis asked with concern.

It took a moment for Andrea to realize why he was asking, but she finally responded, "I just had something that I needed to do last night. I'm fine."

"Good. We was all worried about you." Tannis responded.

"Thank you, Tannis. I'll do my best not to make you worry again."

"Okay." Tannis said easily, then looked toward the stove to track the progress of breakfast.

* * * * *

"The other kids are jealous of me cause I gots a mama and they don't." Ollie blurted out in the midst of breakfast.

"She's not your mother." Drake told his son gently, yet firmly enough to leave no doubt.

After a moment to consider, Andrea turned her attention to the younger children and quietly said, "I may not be your mother, but I am a mother. Since I'm staying here, I wouldn't mind helping out. If you can tell me about some of the things that you'd like a mother to do, maybe I could do some of them with you."

"I heard that moms make you cookies!" Ollie immediately responded.

"Doesn't your father make you cookies?" Andrea asked with a gentle smile in Drake's direction.

"Mommy cookies are sposta be extra special good." Ollie said firmly.

"Well, I don't really know if my cookies are as good as your fathers, but I wouldn't mind baking some for you sometime. Maybe you could even help me."

"Mommy hugs is sposta be the best, too." Viv timidly added.

"Well, I happen to know for a fact that mommy hugs aren't one bit better than daddy hugs. They're both good in different ways."

"Can I have a hug?" Viv asked hopefully.

"Sure. Come on over here." Andrea immediately answered, then opened her arms to the young girl.

Viv didn't need to be told twice. She climbed immediately onto Andrea's lap and hugged her as though it were her rightful place.

"I wanna hug too!" Ollie demanded.

"Let me give Viv her hug right now. I promise that I'll have hugs for all of you whenever you need them." Andrea said as she held the girl in her arms.

Although he tried to hide it, Jim flashed Andrea the briefest hopeful look before turning his attention back to his meal.

Andrea noticed and smiled at the reaction. She didn't know why it was, but even though Viv and Ollie obviously wanted a mother in their lives, Jim appeared to be the one who most needed a mother.

She was determined within herself to rise to the challenge and provide him whatever peace of mind she could.

"But what about when you move into your own house?" Tannis asked thoughtfully.

"I have a feeling that we'll still be seeing each other quite a bit. I may not be here every day, but we'll have plenty of chances to spend time together and I'll still be available when you need me." Andrea assured him.

* * * * *

Andrea finished Vivendel's hugs, then made a point of hugging Ollie just as much. After that, Tannis and Jim received brief hugs, but Andrea got the sense that they were no less appreciated.

Once all the children had left for school, Drake quietly asked, "So, what do you have planned for today?"

"Ares and Lowell are going to be putting some finishing touches on my house. They want me to be there to make final decisions on finishes and things like that."

"So, when do you think you'll be moving?" Drake asked hesitantly.

"I was originally planning on leaving in the next day or two, but after last night... would you mind if we delayed it a few days, until I know how things are going to turn out?"

"There's no rush! We'd love to have you stay a little while longer." Drake quickly offered.

"Thank you. I don't know what to expect to happen tonight, but it'll be good knowing that I won't be coming home to an empty house."

"You're always welcome here. I hope you know that."

"I don't understand why, but I do know that."

"I don't think that the 'why' is too difficult to explain. There's an emptiness in our lives where the children's mothers should be. You being here helps to fulfill that need. You don't have to try and act like their mother, your presence is enough to provide them what they've been missing." Drake said honestly.

"Every child deserves to have a mother." Andrea said quietly.

"We do the best we can for them with what we've got. I don't think that every child needs the same things and needs to be raised exactly the same way."

"I guess that's true. Just look at my boys. They were raised completely differently from yours, and I think that they still turned out alright."

"Your boys are just fine. I've been concerned about mine growing up with no other children their own ages close by. With your boys here, all the boys can help each other to navigate adolescence and encourage each other to make good decisions. It seems that with all that Cain and Demi have experienced in the outside world, they have a valuable perspective about consequences that my boys wouldn't know about."

"I wouldn't worry too much. Although all your children are wonderful, I can see that Tannis and Jim are growing into incredible young men that you should be very proud of." Andrea said honestly, then regretfully added, "I'd better get over to my house. Ares and Lowell are going to need me there soon."

"I know. And I have a long day of work ahead of me if I'm going to produce enough stock for the runners to sell on their next trip out." Drake said resignedly.

As Andrea was about to leave, she instead stepped forward and pulled Drake into her arms and gave him a firm kiss.

Drake was understandably surprised, but soon eased into her arms and returned her kiss, doing his best not to lose control and overwhelm her with his passion.

It wasn't until she began to release him that Drake realized that he had unconsciously been pressing his hardness against her, gaining stimulation from the friction.

"I'm sorry." Drake whispered, feeling nothing short of mortification at his loss of self control.

"Don't be." Andrea whispered in return, then looked deeply into his eyes as she continued, "I want you, too. But with so many things being unsettled right now, it's not the time for us to start something new. Too many things could go wrong. Too many people could be hurt."

"I know." Drake quietly responded as he tried to look casual and willed his rampant erection to subside.

"I'll see you this evening." Andrea said as she turned to leave.

"We'll have dinner waiting for you." Drake said after her as she walked out the front door.

Drake stood there for a moment, thinking about all the things that he needed to accomplish in the coming hours, but finally concluded that none of them would get done, or at least get done well if he were being constantly distracted. It had been far too long since he had sought release, so he went back to his bedroom to deal with the necessary thing that had to be done before he started his workday.

* * * * *

As the moon rose, Andrea didn't bother with the trek through the woods to the cliff. She simply shed her clothes and changed into her 'Oskmey' form. She made sure that she had her amulet in place around her neck, then walked out of the bedroom.

"Is there anything we can do to help you?" Drake asked as she walked into the living room.

"Not that I can think of. I'll be back as soon as I can." Andrea said honestly.

"You haven't told us anything about what you're doing. I can't help but think that if we knew more, that there might be something that we could do to help you." Drake implored her to understand.

"You're already doing it." Andrea assured him, then added, "I need to be going."

"Just knowing that you're going to be dealing with the witches makes me nervous. Not only do they have access to powers that I don't understand, but they're also more than a little bit crazy." Drake implored her to understand.

"That may be so, but from what I can see, they're going out of their way to give me as many choices as possible." Andrea said seriously.

"Just... be safe." Drake said quietly.

"I'll do my best." Andrea said before walking out the front door.

* * * * *

When Andrea landed on the balcony, she half expected to find Vera or Juliet waiting for her.

Although she didn't know the layout of the entire building, Andrea was able to remember enough to find her way to the library where she had been the previous night. When she found no one there, she continued on to the 'dungeon'.

"Andrea, please come in. We have some very good news for you. The initial curse went better than we could have hoped." Andrea heard Ima say as she entered the room.

"How is Juliet doing?" Andrea asked anxiously.

"Very well, although there were a few unexpected side effects."

Andrea looked around, then asked, "Where is she?"

"She's trying to find something proper to wear. I'm sure that she will join us in a moment." Ima assured her.

It took quite a bit for Andrea to put her trust in someone that she barely knew, but it seemed to be getting easier with practice.

"Let me have a look at your pendant for a moment while we wait." Ima said as she beckoned Andrea to come near.

Andrea walked to where Ima was sitting and leaned in.

Ima brought up her hand once again holding a dark crystal.

Andrea waited as Ima held the crystal in place for a moment, then withdrew it.

"Did you just update the curse?" Andrea asked slowly.

"That's right. Taking what we learned from Juliet's manifestation of the curse, we made a few last minute adjustments."

"Then, is it time for me to go to the Coven now?"

"Nearly, but I think it best if we have at least one completely successful test before you do that." Ima said thoughtfully.

"So you want me to curse someone else right now?" Andrea guessed.

"Yes. And since we're reasonably sure that this version of the curse isn't going to cause too much harm, we'd like it if you'd curse Vera. She has the most need." Ima explained.

Although Vera was hideous, to be sure, it appeared that Ima's condition was far more severe.

It seemed that Ima could sense what Andrea was thinking, because she explained, "Vera's deformity causes her almost constant pain."

Andrea looked sympathetically at Vera and said, "If there's any way I can help you, of course I'll do it."

"After all these years, to think that I'd be asking to be cursed." Vera said with a weary chuckle.

Without further adieu, Andrea stepped forward and placed her hand on Vera's wart speckled cheek as she quietly said, "I curse you."

"Thank you, dear. I never would have thought that those words could sound so sweet."

"I hope it helps." Andrea said sincerely as she withdrew her hand.

"Andrea! You're here! Why didn't somebody come and tell me?" A voice asked from the doorway.

As Andrea turned to respond, she froze in horror at the sight.

Although the person before her was identifiable as Juliet, she looked drastically different.

Her skin appeared to be greenish-gray and slick almost as though it were covered with mucous or some other sort of slime.

"Are you alright?" Andrea asked without thinking.

"Don't let this bother you. It's fine." Juliet assured her.

Andrea pried her gaze away and looked to Ima desperately as she asked, "Can I curse her again to fix this?"

"Juliet, show her." Ima said, then gestured for Andrea to look again.

As Andrea watched in wonder, Juliet began to transform. She didn't change to look like she had the previous night, but instead looked like a perfectly normal woman.

"It seems that when Juliet isn't trying to change, she defaults to her half-transformed state. She was just trying to find something to wear that wouldn't be too revealing with the new shape of her body." Ima explained.

Andrea looked again and realized what she was seeing.

"Before you trouble yourself too much about Juliet's transformation, it isn't your fault that her animal transformation is that of a frog." Ima said sympathetically.

"That's right. I have no regrets about what we've done." Juliet confirmed.

"You didn't answer me before. Can I curse her again to make the curse work right?" Andrea asked Ima slowly.

"You could. That is to say that there's nothing stopping you. But the curse that you carry was designed to overlay the curse of the Brynns. If you were to place the curse atop another overlay curse, the result could be catastrophic."

"What about someone who doesn't have the curse active yet?" Andrea cautiously asked.

"How do you mean?" Ima asked curiously.

"Drake Brynnyn's daughter, Vivendel, is too young for the curse to be active..."

"Only bestow the curse on those who will be better off as a result. If someone is happy in their situation, leave them be. Make no mistake, what you carry is a curse that you can bestow. You can cause harm."

"Andrea?" Vera said shakily.

A look of question was her response.

"I can feel it working." Vera whispered with a joyful snaggletoothed smile.

"What does it feel like?" Andrea asked with anticipation.

"I don't know exactly what I'm feeling, but what I'm not feeling is all the aches and pains in every joint in my body." Vera said as tears started falling down her cheeks.

"I'm glad it's working." Andrea whispered.

"I think that you've done enough for tonight. Why don't you go home and get some rest?" Ima gently suggested.

"I can do more." Andrea immediately offered.

"We need time to see how this curse is going to affect Vera. If it seems that it's continuing to help her, then tomorrow night you can begin the next phase of our plan." Ima said seriously.

"Is that to go to the coven and start to help them?" Andrea asked cautiously.

"That's right. We want to be as sure as we can be that the help we're offering will actually be of help." Ima confirmed.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow night." Andrea said quietly.

"Thank you again, Andrea. Even though it may not look like it to you, I'm very happy with the way things have turned out." Juliet said sincerely.

Andrea looked at her and smiled when she saw that Juliet was still in her fully human form.

"If you're happy, then I'm happy." Andrea assured her.

"I'll walk up with you." Juliet said as she motioned toward the doorway.

Andrea gave one last look around the dungeon, then started walking.

* * * * *

When Andrea arrived at Drake's house, she found him alone in the living room, waiting for her.

"Is everything alright?" Drake asked with concern.

"It seems to be."

"Can you tell me about what's going on?"

"I really can't. I don't want to take the chance of giving people false hope about something that may never happen."

"All I really know is that you're under a compulsion to visit the witches. Is that really all that you can tell me?"

"Yes. I'm afraid it is." Andrea said regretfully, then gently added, "I'll tell you more as soon as I can."

"You don't have to tell me anything. I'm just worried about you."

"I know. And I can't tell you how much that means to me."

* * * * *

That night Andrea didn't feel nearly as much anxiety as she had the night before.

Although it was true that Juliet's transformation wasn't exactly ideal, she was willing to accept that Juliet was content with it.

"Is there anything we can do to help you?" Jim asked with concern as she walked into the living room.

Andrea glanced at Drake uncertainly.

"He was worried, so I told him that he could wait up and see you off, if he wanted to."

"Thank you, Jim. As far as I know, there's nothing that you can do. But I promise that I'll let you know if I discover anything."

"Is what you're going to be doing dangerous?" Jim asked anxiously.

"I honestly don't know."

"I've been to the castle before. I can go with you.' Jim quickly volunteered.

"No, thank you, Jim. If Ima were planning to cause me harm, she probably would have done something to me by now."

"Then who are you worried about?"

"I can't really tell you more, but the truth is that I may just be worrying because I don't know what to expect." Andrea said honestly, then added, "Either way, I need to be going."

Jim walked to her and pulled her into an unexpected hug which left her speechless.

"Don't take any chances that you don't have to. I want you to come back home to us safely." Jim said as he held her firmly.

"No unnecessary risks. I promise." Andrea finally assured him when she was able to find her voice again.

Andrea silently held him a moment longer before reluctantly letting him go.

When she glanced at Drake, she could see the concern in his eyes.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." Andrea said before determinedly walking for the front door.

* * * * *

When Andrea landed on the balcony at Ima's castle, she immediately transformed into her 'oskmey' form and made her way directly to the library.

"Andrea! How are you doing tonight?" Ima asked when she noticed Andrea entering the room.

"I need for you to tell me all of what's going on. Revealing each thing to me just as it's happening is not only making me a nervous wreck but it's also hurting people I care about. Even if you don't know every detail, I need to know what you're planning so I can prepare for it and so that I can decide for myself if I really want to go along with your plans."

"Be careful what you ask for." Ima said simply.

At Andrea's confused look, Ima explained, "The compulsion that we put on you ends tonight. You never have to return here again if you don't want to. As far as our plan... It's more of a goal than a plan. We've done our best to give you the tools that you'll need to help our sisters in 'the Coven', but everything you do from this point on is up to you."

"But what am I supposed to do?"

"Go there. Assess the situation. Then take whatever action you deem appropriate."

"I don't even know where I'm supposed to go."

"I'll show you where it is on the map. But there's one last thing that you need to understand. We don't know what you're going to be facing when you go there. We haven't had any contact with them for decades. We believe that they behave more rationally when there aren't any men around, but we don't have any proof of that. We might just be telling ourselves what we want to hear."

"So all of them might be stark raving mad?"

"It's possible, but that's not what I'm most worried about at the moment."

Andrea waited anxiously for Ima to reveal what was worrying her.

"They could hurt you, Andrea. They might even try to kill you. Be prepared to run for your life or fly away from them if you feel that you're in danger."

"How likely do you think that is to happen?"

"We don't know enough to even make a guess."

"What happens if I decide not to go there?"

"Then you'll have to live with the knowledge that you might have been able to do something to help people who were suffering and release them from their captivity."

"That's the real curse, isn't it?"

"That's going to be up to you."

There was a long contemplative silence before Andrea quietly said, "I need some time to think. Would you like for me to curse anyone else before I go?"

"Yes. If you wouldn't mind." Ima told Andrea, then turned and asked, "Kathryn? Are you ready?"

"I don't know. I feel like the rest of you need it more."

"Don't worry about us, dear. We'll manage."

"I can curse all of you." Andrea quietly offered.

"Thanks for the thought but it's too soon." Ima stated simply, then explained, "Even though the curse appears to be working as expected, we can't assume that it will continue that way. Regardless whether you decide to help us or not, our magic is the only hope for our sisters, and by extension, the entire Brynnhollow community."

"I understand." Andrea said solemnly.

"Andrea." A voice said from behind her.

When she turned, she saw Vera and Juliet standing in the doorway.

"We just thought that you should know what kind of power you really have." Juliet said, looking not only perfectly normal, but also incredibly happy.

"This is what you can do to help the others." Vera said soberly.

"How are you feeling?" Andrea asked quickly, all else forgotten for the moment.

"Better than I could have hoped. I had really forgotten what it felt like not to be in pain."

For a moment Andrea took stock of Vera's appearance. To Andrea, it almost appeared that Vera was some sort of puppet, a grotesque caricature of a human being, only having the most general features in common. Even so, her general appearance was greatly improved from what it had been the day before. She still didn't look entirely 'real', but there was no doubt that she was in better condition that she had been previously.

"I understand." Andrea told her sincerely, then turned to Kathryn and asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Please. I Understand the risk and I want to do it anyway. If there's even a chance, I've got to take it."

Andrea smiled at her response, then reached up to gently touch her cheek as she said, "I curse you."

"Thank you."

* * * * *

After being shown where 'the coven' was located on the map, Andrea quietly left Ima's castle, not making any promises as to what she was going to do next.

When she arrived back at Drake's house, she once again assumed her 'oskmey' form before entering.

"Is everything alright?" Jim asked anxiously as Andrea walked into the living room.

"I don't know." Andrea said honestly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Drake asked cautiously.

"No." Andrea answered simply, then added, "But I don't think this decision is going to get any easier if I try to do everything all by myself."

"I can leave you two alone, if that'll make it easier for you to talk about it." Jim reluctantly offered.

"Thank you, Jim. But I think that I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the matter."

"What's going on, Andrea?" Drake asked with concern.

"Ima and the others came up with a new curse and gave it to me so that I can bestow it."

"Is that like the curse they gave you so that you can stay here?" Jim quickly asked.

"I have the feeling that the curses are related but I don't understand all of what they do."

"Just tell us what you can." Drake said quietly.

"Ima thinks that this new curse might be able to undo or at least alter the curse on the women of Brynnhollow."

"You can make them normal again?" Drake asked in shock.

"I think normal might be an unrealistic goal. But it might be able to improve their conditions to the point that they might be able to reenter society."

"When are you going to do it?"

"I don't know if I am." Andrea quietly admitted.

"What do you mean?" Drake asked with surprise.

"Ima warned me that they might try to hurt me or kill me if I go there."

"But you've got to!" Jim implored her to understand.

"Think about what it's going to mean if all those women suddenly return. How will your society cope?" Andrea asked Drake more than Jim.

"I'll admit that things might get really complicated if Herta and Shea were to both show up on my doorstep."

"Brynnhollow would go crazy." Jim said thoughtfully.

"Exactly." Andrea said with a smile at him, then continued, "There are a lot of ways that this could go horribly wrong. I'm hoping that with your help that we can come up with a way of doing this where we'll end up doing more good than harm."

"Does that mean that you're going to go there and try cursing someone?" Jim asked cautiously.

"I'll at least go there and assess the situation. But I don't plan on bestowing any curses until I can be reasonably sure that it will actually improve things." Andrea said thoughtfully.

"Do you think that it might be safer if one of us were to go with you?" Drake asked cautiously.

"I'm going to have to fly in. I appreciate the thought, but I don't think it would work." Andrea said regretfully.

"I have functional wings in my baphomet form. I can fly there with you." Drake quickly offered.

"Even if the women weren't insane and under a curse, seeing you in your baphomet form might terrify them and make things a lot more difficult." Andrea informed him.

"Then maybe you could ask Ares to go with you." Jim suggested.

"I'm not sure how the curse works, but with Ares being male, him being there could cause a whole different set of problems to erupt." Andrea said frankly.

"It's true, they do hate men." Drake admitted.

"So, does this mean that you've already decided that you're going, even though you know it might be dangerous?" Jim asked with concern.

"I suppose it does." Andrea wearily responded.

"Is there anything that Jim and I can do to help you?" Drake asked hopefully.

"Yes. Please be thinking about what we can do if this works. I feel like if I make one wrong move that the entire house of cards that is Brynnhollow will come tumbling down." Andrea admitted.

"When are you going?" Jim asked quietly.

"I'll go tomorrow night. If I put it off any longer, I'll probably talk myself out of it." Andrea said anxiously.

After a long silent moment, Jim quietly asked, "Do you really think it will work? Can you make them better?"

"Ima asked me to bestow the curse on a few of the women there with her, so she could see how it worked and do some fine tuning." Andrea explained.

"Did you curse Ima?" Jim asked quickly.

"No. she didn't want to take any chances in case something went wrong. I cursed three women named Juliet, Vera and Kathryn.

"Kathryn Brynnlynn?" Drake asked cautiously.

"I don't know. I don't think anyone mentioned their last names."

"I knew Kathryn. When she disappeared about a year ago, well, I naturally assumed the worst." Drake admitted.

"I know who Vera is." Jim announced, then grumbled, "Grabby old thing."

"Well, they're not entirely back to normal yet, but they all seem to be getting better."

"Do they plan on coming down off their mountain when they've recovered?" Jim asked curiously.

"They didn't say anything to me about it. I got the feeling that they were committed to seeing that the women at the coven were taken care of." Andrea said thoughtfully.

There was another moment of silence, then Drake quietly said, "This could change everything, couldn't it?"

"Or it could destroy everything, if we do it wrong." Andrea added.

* * * * *

Little was said after that about the decisions that Andrea was facing. In point of fact, they all knew that she had already decided, but they were also aware that she wasn't entirely happy with the decision that she had made.

Through breakfast with Drake's family, and on through the day in her new house, looking around and putting on the last finishing touches, Andrea went through the motions while the dread of what she would be facing welled within her.

Although she logically knew that there was no reason that she should have to wait until dark, she nonetheless did.

As the last rays of the sunset finally disappeared, she internally gathered her courage and took flight.

* * * * *

It turned out that following directions on a map was far easier when flying than when driving.

Andrea was able to fly unerringly and directly to her destination.

As she looked over the enormous stone structure, she couldn't help but admire the architecture and majesty of it.

Much skill and care had been used in its construction.

She flew around the building, which turned out to be more of a compound, made up of various buildings, and searched for a good place to land.

The largest of several courtyards caught her eye and she decided to land there.

No one seemed to be around, so she transformed to her 'oskmey' form, so she could better investigate the area.

"So, the time has finally come?" A woman's voice asked from a nearby stand of trees.

Andrea turned suddenly and could just barely identify a humanoid form standing in the shadows.

"Are you Andrea or Michelle?" The raspy feminine voice asked curiously.

"I'm Andrea..." She began to say, but was interrupted.

"Yes. Of course you would be. That should work out nicely."

"Who are you?" Andrea asked cautiously.

"I'm the Grand Duchess Astrid, the Queen's Keeper of History."

"How do you know who I am?"

"I'm bored already. Just get on with it, will you?"

"Get on with what?" Andrea asked in puzzlement.

"Follow that path that you're on. The Queen won't wait for you forever."

"Wait? Is she expecting me?"

When she didn't get an answer, she looked around and couldn't find any sign of the shadowy stranger.

* * * * *

Having no reason to do otherwise, Andrea continued on down the path, under the light of the waning moon.

A moment later she paused when she heard slightly off-key humming coming from ahead of her.

"Hello?" Andrea asked cautiously.

"Is it too cold for the babies, do you think?" A woman's voice asked from ahead of her.

Andrea puzzled over the question for a moment as she cautiously continued forward.

"I suppose they seem happy enough. I'll wait a bit longer. The night air is good for them."

As Andrea stepped onto a patio, she was finally able to see the source of the voice. The woman was dressed elegantly, however the style of clothing seemed to be a century or more out of date. The woman was covered from neck to ankle with ornate clothing, embellished with swaths of lace.

When the woman turned to face her, Andrea was surprised to find her wearing a porcelain mask framed by carefully styled golden blond hair, which was obviously a wig.

"They're napping now. We should have time for a nice chat." The woman said pleasantly.

"Excuse me, Ma'am, but who are you?" Andrea asked quietly.

"Stupid child! I'm the one you came here to see! I am the exalted and most revered, Queen Marimba!"

"I didn't mean to offend you. I don't know anyone here. It's nice to meet you, my name is..."

"I know who you are! We've been waiting for you! Now get on with it!" Marimba snarled.

"Get on with what? I don't know what it is that you expect me to do." Andrea said quietly, intimidated by the queen's forceful nature.

"Stupid cow! You're supposed to release us from our captivity!"

"How am I supposed to do that?" Andrea asked indignantly.

"Once we're free, the men are going to pay for everything that they've done to us. After we've destroyed the last of them, I'm going to be coronated as the queen of Brynnhollow, wearing a crown woven from their severed penises."

"What are you saying that they've done?" Andrea cautiously asked.

"Now look at what you've done with all your yammering! Giuseppe's awake and before you know it they'll all three be crying their little heads off!" Marimba screeched as she rushed to a crudely made woven basket.

Andrea didn't hear anything. Her curiosity got the better of her and she followed.

Marimba snatched a filthy rag baby doll out of the basket by one arm and bared a shriveled nipple before pressing the doll to it.

"I swear, the little bastard does nothing but cry." Marimba scowled with aggravation as she jammed the 'baby' to her breast.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Andrea asked uncertainly as she tried to process all of what she was seeing. Marimba's ceramic 'face' wore a neutral expression of disinterest which was in stark contrast to her emotionally charged words.

"Leonid probably needs to be changed and Toaster Oven always wants to be held. You might as well make yourself useful, since this is ALL YOUR FAULT!" Marimba finished in a bellowing scream.

Andrea looked around for another basket, but instead found a large soup kettle with one doll in it and a tin wash tub with another. Andrea stopped and looked more carefully at the doll in the wash tub. The crudely made, dirty little doll had an absurdly large cloth penis stitched onto its groin. The penis was nearly as long as the doll's legs.

"Every day that we're left inside this prison is your fault. You're the cause of all our suffering. You really are a vile, despicable cunt." Marimba said coldly.

"I didn't put you in here." Andrea said as she tried to force herself to reach into the wash tub and pick up 'Toaster Oven'. The large button eyes and realistic, possibly real, teeth were disturbing enough to prevent her from getting any closer to the grotesque little thing and she eventually withdrew her hand.

"If you don't get on with it and let us out, your twin sons will pay for it, I promise you that. We'll drain them of their seed... over and over... until they finally wither to nothing and die." Marimba said as she moved the doll, Giuseppe, to her shoulder and began to thump its back, apparently trying to burp him.

"What do you know about my sons?" Andrea asked as she gave up trying to force herself to pick up the disgusting little doll and stepped away from the wash tub.

"And what about that new husband of yours? You don't think we'll let him live, do you? But if you release us right now, I promise that we'll do our best to see that he's one of the last to die." Marimba said in a tone of voice that sounded almost reasonable.

"What 'new husband'?" Andrea asked in confusion.

"Oh? Do you mean that hasn't happened yet?" Marimba asked curiously, then turned her attention back to the doll in her arms as she continued, "Give it time."

"You can see the future?" Andrea asked cautiously.

"Yes. Many of them, in fact... or at least glimpses of them. And in those futures we see ourselves bathed in male blood and tears, basking in the glory of being free to be mothers and wives again." Marimba said dreamily.

"But how can you be mothers and wives if you kill all the men?" Andrea asked as she started backing away from Marimba, back to the path she had entered from.

"Stupid bitch! You believe their lies, don't you? Forget what I said! As soon as you've set us free, I'll see to it that your death is legendary! The last of the dying men will look up at your mangled corpse and be relieved that they won't have to suffer as you did!" Marimba screeched. The bland, impassive look on her ceramic mask only served to intensify the aura of hatred that emanated from her.

Andrea slowly took another step back, not wanting to make any sudden moves to provoke an attack.

"Look at this! How negligent of me. I've forgotten to offer you any tea. Come, dear. Join me. It's a most delightful blend." Marimba said as she gestured toward a table and chairs.

Andrea turned and broke into a full run, away from Marimba, down the path.

As soon as she was in a large enough clearing, she let herself transform fully and took to the air.

* * * * *

As Andrea flew, she decided to go to her new house where she could be alone and think things through. Her mind kept going over and over her encounter with Marimba, trying to make sense of what she had witnessed.

When she finally landed, she was surprised to find herself outside Drake's house. It was as though she had some sort of homing instinct which compelled her to seek out the safety and security that could be found in Drake's embrace.

"How are you?" Jim asked as she entered through the front door.

Andrea didn't have a ready answer and finally responded, "I'll have to get back to you on that."

"You look worried. Can I get you some tea or anything?" Jim asked anxiously.

"No, thank you. Just give me a minute. Where's your father?" Andrea asked as she looked around.

"He was really worried about you and had to get out of the house for a few minutes to work off his pent up energy. He went out for a little bit to forage in his animal form he asked me to wait here for you." Jim answered quietly.

"I need to go change..." Andrea began to say.

"He'll probably be back before you're done. I'm going to make some tea while you're changing."

"Thank you, Jim. That sounds nice." Andrea said gently before leaving the room.

* * * * *

After changing into her fully human form and dressing, Andrea walked into the living room to find Jim and Drake waiting for her.

"How did it go?" Drake asked anxiously.

"Not as well as I could have hoped." Andrea said honestly as she sat down.

As soon as Andrea was seated, Jim stood and poured a cup of tea for her.

Without asking or being told, he prepared her tea with slight amounts of cream and sugar, just the way she liked it.

"Thank you, Jim." Andrea said sincerely.

Jim smiled in acknowledgement before returning to his seat.

"Did you get to talk to Herta or Shea while you were there?" Drake asked hopefully.

"I talked with two people. I don't know what they looked like, how old they were or even what their real names were."

"I can see that something disturbed you about your visit. Can you talk about it?" Drake asked quietly.

"There's really not that much to say. I met someone who called herself 'Queen Marimba' and we talked for a few minutes." Andrea said thoughtfully.

"There must have been more to it than that for it to have bothered you so deeply." Drake observed.

"When people said that the women of the Coven were insane... I wasn't prepared, that's all." Andrea quietly explained.

"So you're freaked out?" Jim asked as he fought to understand.

Andrea smiled warmly at him and said, "You've been spending a lot of time with my sons, haven't you?"

At Jim's look of confusion, Andrea explained, "'Freaked out' sounds like something that Chris... I mean Cain or Deimos would say."

"Well, yeah. But you are, aren't you?" Jim persisted.

"Yes. The entire experience was deeply disturbing." Andrea admitted.

After a moment to think, Drake cautiously asked, "Do you think that you'll be able to help them?"

"I don't know."

"If you can talk about it, can you tell me what was so disturbing?"

"It was a lot of different things. One minute she'd be nice and the next she'd be absolutely horrid. She'd seem reasonable and then say the most absurd things in the next breath. She claimed to hate all men and want to torture and kill them while holding a male baby doll to her breast to feed him."

"That must have been bad. I'm getting creeped out just hearing about it." Jim said uneasily.

"If all the women of Brynnhollow are affected the same way by the curse, I don't know if I'll be able to do anything to help them." Andrea said honestly.

"I can't help but think that there must be something that you can do, otherwise you wouldn't have been given this opportunity." Drake said thoughtfully.

"Things happen." Jim stated simply.

Andrea and Drake looked at him curiously at the seeming non sequitur.

When Jim noticed, he explained, "Just because we wish that it might be true doesn't mean that it is. It might be impossible. If Andrea goes and tries to do things because she believes that there's some greater power guiding events to work out, then she might be killed for no good reason."

"There's another thing..." Andrea reluctantly said as she tried to find a way to explain.

Both Jim and Drake turned their attention to her and waited anxiously.

"It seems that the women of the coven have the ability to see into the future." Andrea said quietly.

"So they know what you're going to do?" Jim asked cautiously.

"From the sound of it, they get glimpses of the possible futures. Because of that, they knew that I was coming. They also knew about Cain and Deimos and even my future... other things that haven't happened yet. But I can't be sure if their visions of the possible futures are really going to happen or if they're products of their hatred and insanity." Andrea said thoughtfully.

"If they know what's going to happen or might happen, that could give us some clue as to what we can do to make things turn out right." Drake said cautiously.

"Marimba talked about bathing in male blood and tears and wearing a crown made of severed penises." Andrea said frankly.

"Oh... Maybe we should tread carefully as we go forward." Drake said uneasily.

After a long silent moment, Jim quietly asked, "Do you think that they're all as insane as that?"

"I don't know. They could be." Andrea quietly admitted.

"Maybe you should talk to the witches and see if they might have any ideas about what you can do." Drake carefully suggested.

"Yes. I'll probably go tomorrow night. If nothing else, I'd like to see how Juliet, Vera and Kathryn are doing. If my curse is still working the way that it's supposed to, I might be able to curse another one of them." Andrea said slowly, feeling at least a little bit better knowing that there was something she could do to help someone.

"That sounds like a very good idea. With any luck, the witches will have some insights about other ways that you can approach the women of the Coven so that you can help them." Drake said reassuringly.

"That reminds me." Andrea said suddenly, then turned to Jim and continued, "Ima asked me to ask you if you could make a few more pendants, like the one that you made for me. She says that they're really good for holding magical enchantments."

"Yeah. Grandpa Lowell told me that they liked my work. I've got five or six made up already if you want to take them to her." Jim answered immediately.

"I'll need a pouch or something to be able to carry them in my swan form." Andrea said consideringly.

"I'm sure that we'll be able to come up with something. If you'll remind me in the morning, we'll stitch something together that you'll be able to wear comfortably in your swan form." Drake said confidently.

"Thank you." Andrea said sincerely, then broke into an unexpected yawn.

"I think that must mean that it's bedtime." Drake said with a tender smile at her.

"Yes. I think that I've settled down enough that I'll be able to sleep. Thank you both for talking with me. It really helped." Andrea said as she stood.

"We'll be here to talk to you whenever you need us." Drake assured her.

"Yeah. Even if it's not about witches or curses or stuff, you can always talk to us." Jim interjected.

Andrea walked to Jim and hugged him firmly as she quietly said, "Thank you, Jim. I can't even tell you how much it helps me to know that."

Jim returned the hug as he took the words to heart.

* * * * *

Drake had a few things that he needed to do to settle the house before going to bed. As he returned to the living room, he found Andrea standing there, waiting for him.

"I was wondering, if you wouldn't mind, do you think that I could spend the night with you?" Andrea asked timidly.

Drake was so surprised by the request that he couldn't find the words to answer.

"That came out wrong. I'm not asking... I'm not ready to... I just wanted to know if I could sleep in your room with you... I don't want to be alone." Andrea stammered nervously.

"I usually sleep in my animal form. If that wouldn't be too uncomfortable for you, you'd be welcome to join me." Drake answered gently.

"I do too. I mean, since I've learned to change, I've been sleeping in my swan form. I seem to rest better that way." Andrea said quickly.

"From what I understand, most people sleep better in their animal forms." Drake said as he motioned for her to walk with him.

"Drake, I don't want you to think that I don't want to be with you. I'm just not ready." Andrea quietly explained as she walked with him.

"I know. Your life is in upheaval right now. I can wait until you've been able to resolve a few things and are ready to take the next step." Drake said easily.

"Thank you, Drake. I just feel like this is the same as it is with the coven. If I take one wrong step, that everything will fall apart." Andrea said anxiously.

"I'm here to help you, however you need me." Drake said as he opened his bedroom door.

"I know. I don't really understand why, but I don't doubt that it's true."

"Either there's a greater plan at work or, as Jim says, 'things happen'. Regardless, I care. What more do we need to know?" Drake asked with a smile.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go into the other room to 'change'." Andrea said shyly.

"Will it bother you if I'm in my Addax form when you get back?" Drake asked cautiously.

"No. That won't bother me at all. Goodnight, Drake." Andrea said warmly.

"Goodnight, Andrea."

* * * * *

After waking and going through the morning routine of sending the kids off to school, Andrea made her way to her house to meet with Ares.

"Well, unless you've spotted anything that you'd like to have changed, I think that everything's done." Ares said when she arrived.

"I looked through everything yesterday after you left and I didn't notice anything." Andrea said honestly.

"Then I guess you can move in, whenever you're ready. The boys have already volunteered to help you carry your things over." Ares finished with a smile.

"It may still be a few days. I have some things that I'm working on right now and I don't want to be in the middle of moving while I'm trying to sort out other things." Andrea said honestly.

"Just let us know when. We'll be ready when you need us." Ares said warmly.

Andrea noticed the contented look in his eyes and quietly asked, "How are things going with you and Dark?"

"We're taking small steps and making sure that we're both ready before going any further. Everything feels so right, like it's the way that it should be." Ares finished with a smile.

"You were never this happy while you were with me." Andrea observed.

"I was happy, just not exactly the same type of happiness. I think that's what I needed then and this is what I need now." Ares said thoughtfully.

"But aren't you worried that as time passes, the same thing might happen between you and Dark and you'll find that you're needing something else?" Andrea asked with concern.

"Sometimes people grow together, sometimes they grow apart." Ares said simply, then quietly added, "I hope that Dark and I will end up being together for the long term. I can really see myself growing old with him at my side and loving every minute of it."

"Yes. I can see that, too." Andrea said with a smile.

"What about you and Drake? How are things going?" Ares asked curiously.

"From the way you describe things with Dark, I think we're in pretty much the same situation. Things are progressing slowly, but they are progressing." Andrea said thoughtfully.

"Do you love him?" Ares asked cautiously.

Andrea was taken aback by the blunt question and had to stop and think about it for a moment.

As Ares waited silently, she considered her feelings and finally said, "I'm not sure. I care about him and I really appreciate how he and his family are going out of their way for me. I love Drake, but I don't think that I'm in a place where I can say that I'm in love with him."

"Be careful, Andrea. You're right at the point where lots of people make life-changing mistakes. I don't know the right answer. I don't know if there is a right answer. Just please be sure of your own feelings and your own mind before deciding anything." Ares implored her.

"My relationship with Drake may have to go on the back burner for a bit while I deal with other things, but when the time comes that I have to make a decision, I'll remember what you said." Andrea promised.

"Is there anything I can do to help you with your 'other things'?" Ares asked curiously.

"Not that I can think of." Andrea said honestly.

Ares nodded, then thought to ask, "Are you and Drake still planning to bring the kids over on Sunday?"

"Yes. We're all looking forward to it." Andrea said warmly.

* * * * *

The flight that night held no fear whatsoever, but there was some amount of dread.

When Andrea finally landed on her customary balcony, she had to brace herself for the task ahead and talk herself into doing what she knew needed to be done.

As before, she first made her way to the library. When she stepped through the door, she was surprised to find all the witches in attendance.

"Did you go to the Coven?" Ima immediately asked.

"Yes. I went there." Andrea reluctantly admitted.

"How did it go? Were you able to curse anyone?" Ima asked hopefully.

"No." Andrea answered, then continued, "I think that I'm going to need your help."

"We've given you the tools that you'll need. What more help can we give you?" Ima asked curiously.

"You made the curse on me so that I can't bestow it unless I really want to. From what I saw last night, I don't want to be responsible for Inflicting any of those horrible people on an unsuspecting community." Andrea tried to explain.

"You have to understand that it's the curse that's making them behave that way." Ima gently explained.

"They're so disgusting that I don't want to touch them, even to curse them." Andrea said honestly.

"I'm sorry, dear. But you're going to have to work past your discomfort to find a way to help them. Imagine what it would be like if you were trapped behind a veil of insanity, watching yourself do horrible, unspeakable things."

"I don't think that I can make myself believe that there's any decency in them. I've never met such disgusting people in my entire life. Besides that, they threatened my children. For that alone I would do everything in my power to keep them confined."

"Perhaps it would have been better if it had been a Brynnhollow native who had been given the honor of liberating the coven. Be that as it may, we can only work with what we've got on hand. We're going to have to find a way to make it work."

"There's something else that you need to know. They can see into the future." Andrea said reluctantly.

"That would stand to reason." Ima said thoughtfully.

"You knew?" Andrea asked with surprise.

"No. But it makes sense from a magical perspective." Ima said consideringly.

"It makes sense? I don't see how that can be."

"For a spell, especially a curse, to be effective and lasting it requires a balance of forces. For everything taken, something must be given to replace it. The ability to divine the future is an incredibly powerful enchantment which could, in theory, be used to offset the hideous physical and mental manipulations of the curse." Ima carefully explained.

"So it's sort of a blessing used to offset the curse?" Andrea cautiously asked.

"Some might think so, but for those who study the mystical disciplines, clairvoyance is seen as more of a trap. It's too easy to lose oneself in all the possibilities of what might be and disregard the real world around you. Magic isn't typically good or bad. It simply is. Good and bad is determined by the use of it."

"But you said that I'm cursed, so I can't bestow a blessing. How does that work?"

"It just means that you are forced to operate within the constraints of the curse that you carry. If you weren't cursed at all, there would be a whole other variety of enchantments available for us to use." Vera explained.

"Wait. Is the balance of forces the reason why you hear about people being destroyed by having their wishes granted?" Andrea asked cautiously.

"Most of that is just stories, cautionary tales about greed and desire. But the basic premise still holds true. Those who seek enrichment without sacrifice are typically destroyed by the fulfillment of their desires." Ima said seriously.

"We've gotten off track. What am I supposed to do about the Coven? If I'm not able to make myself want to curse them, how can I do anything to help them?" Andrea asked anxiously.

"All I can tell you is to continue on and try to find someone worthy of your curse. Perhaps you met with some people who weren't representative of the population."

"That's possible. The only person I really talked to called herself Queen Marimba. Whether or not she's really their leader, she thinks that she is. Her attitude might not be the same as the regular people."

"Very likely not." Ima agreed.

"As much as I don't want to go back there, I probably should." Andrea said reluctantly.

"If you choose to go, you could potentially do a lot of good for them." Ima said frankly.

"I know." Andrea reluctantly agreed, then thought to ask, "Would you like for me to curse anyone else before I go?"

"Hilda? Are you ready?" Ima asked as she turned to face a withered, rail thin woman.

"Yes." Hilda said as she stepped forward to stand before Andrea.

"We still can't be sure that this is completely safe. Are you sure that you want me to?" Andrea asked cautiously.

"Yes. Please do it." Hilda immediately answered, then explained, "I was afraid before that your curse would make things even worse. But after seeing what you did to help Vera and the girls... please do it. I want to feel human again."

Andrea fought back the tears that were threatening to fall as she raised her hand to gently cup the woman's wrinkled cheek.

"I curse you." Andrea said gently.

"Thank you." Hilda whispered joyfully.

As Andrea withdrew her hand, Hilda suddenly dropped out of sight, as though she had fallen through a trap door in the floor. As Andrea looked downward, she saw the clothes that Hilda had been wearing, laying in a heap.

"What happened?" Andrea asked in panic.

"The curse reacts differently on different people." Ima explained reasonably, then motioned toward the pile of clothes.

Andrea looked down and saw movement, then heard a tiny mewling cry.

She immediately dropped to her knees and began to dig through the clothes. It took her a moment, but she finally discovered a tiny kitten struggling to free itself.

"Hilda? Are you alright?" Andrea asked in a whisper.

"Give her a few minutes. As I'm sure you can recall, your first transformation can be a bit disorienting." Ima gently explained.

"But she's going to be okay, isn't she?" Andrea asked hopefully.

"I have the feeling that she is going to be wonderful." Ima assured her.

Andrea gently scratched Hilda behind the ears for a moment before standing.

"Are you going to go now?" Juliet asked timidly.

"Yes. I think that I should." Andrea said, not altogether enthusiastically.

"I wish that I could go with you, even if it was just to protect you." Juliet said honestly.

Andrea once again noticed the 'froggish' features that Juliet had in her resting state and quietly said, "That would be nice, but I have a feeling that even your best hop wouldn't get you across the chasm to the coven."

"We all have our parts to play in this scenario no matter how we might wish it to be otherwise, Juliet is needed here." Ima said firmly.

"What are you going to do when this is all over? Are you going to come down from your castle and rejoin the people of Brynnhollow?" Andrea asked Ima curiously.

"Perhaps we'll go down on special occasions, like the Samhain celebration. But we've taken an oath of service to the community to protect and defend them from both the magical and the mundane. We can't forsake them at a time when our services might be needed most." Ima said seriously.

"I was discussing that with Drake and Jim. They were worried that having all the women suddenly returning to Brynnhollow could disrupt the entire community and throw their society into chaos." Andrea said gravely.

"I suppose that's true." Ima said with a nod, then continued, "But that's not an argument for not helping our sisters. Just because it may be inconvenient doesn't mean that we shouldn't do it."

"True. But I'd still like to think that if we can manage to do this right, that the return of the women to Brynnhollow can be looked upon as a wonderful and joyous thing instead of an invasion and a burden." Andrea said firmly.

"Change is frightening, even good change. I honestly hope that you will be able to realize your vision, but forgive me for being skeptical. In my experience, life just doesn't work that way." Ima said frankly.

"Sometimes you have to make it work the way you want it to." Andrea countered.

Vera broke into a full deep laugh and everyone looked at her with question.

It took her a moment, but she was finally able to explain, "Making things work the way you want them to, counter to the natural flow, is what witchcraft is all about!"

Andrea's eyes went wide with surprise, then she looked at Ima inquisitively.

"She's right." Ima reluctantly admitted.

"Then I guess it's good that I have witches on my side." Andrea said with a smile.

"Go see what you can do at the Coven and we'll see what we can come up with to help ease the newly cursed into Brynnhollow society." Ima said as she looked Andrea in the eyes.

"I will. Thanks." Andrea said warmly, then thought to add, "By the way, Jim gave me these to give to you."

Ima looked curiously at Andrea as she accepted the pouch that she had been carrying.

When Ima poured the contents out into her hand, a smile crossed her crooked lips before she said, "I have a feeling that we'll be able to make good use of these."

"I'll let Jim know that you appreciate his work." Andrea assured her.

"That's not all we appreciate about him." Vera interjected.

"Watch out what you say about Jim. He's practically my step-son... or son-in-law. We'll just have to wait and see how things end up turning out." Andrea said frankly.

"Next time you visit, I want to hear all about it!" Vera said excitedly.

Andrea fought to keep her smile to herself as she turned and walked out of the room.

* * * * *

Andrea wasn't surprised to find that as she walked upstairs from the library, Juliet was at her side.

"How are you doing?" Andrea asked with concern.

"I've been released from the all consuming desire that drove me out of Brynnhollow and away from my family. Now I can appear fully human when I want to and I'm still accepted here at the castle with the witches. Working with Ima and Vera gives me a purpose. With all of us working together, I think that we'll be able to help a lot of people... even if they never know about it." Juliet said thoughtfully.

"So you're not upset about the frog thing?" Andrea asked to be sure.

Juliet laughed, then said, "Here, among my sisters, that is one of the most trivial things that could have happened to me. And since I can control my appearance when I leave here... no. I'm not upset. Not in the slightest."

"You know, once we've done everything that we need to do and things have settled down, maybe you could come over to my house and take a day or two off. I could introduce you to my family and friends." Andrea said with a smile.

Juliet stopped, frozen in place, and stared at Andrea in wonder.

Andrea couldn't interpret Juliet's expression and finally quietly added, "That is, if you want to. I was just thinking that it might be nice, for a change of pace."

"I'd love to! It's just, in all the time that I've been here, ever leaving always seemed like such an impossibility that I never even dreamed about it. Now you're asking me to go to your house for a visit... and we could do it! We could really do it!"

Andrea smiled at the reaction, then said, "Yes. We could. I know that there's too much going on right now for it to be practical. And besides, I haven't moved into my house yet. But just as soon as it's feasible, we will."

"Thank you, Andrea. You've already given so much back to me. You've given me myself, but now you're also giving me the world. I don't know how I'll ever be able to thank you enough." Juliet said as tears started falling down her cheeks.

"That's easy. Enjoy it. That's all I ask." Andrea said simply, then cocked her head to indicate for them to start walking again.

* * * * *

As Andrea flew toward the coven, she felt a fresh spark of fear awaken within her at what she might find.

This time she decided not to go for the biggest garden, but instead look for one of the nicer gardens, which might indicate a more gentle soul who bothered to take the time and care to tend the plants.

After several passes, she finally found what seemed to be a simple, yet quaint orchard with flowering plants interspersed and a beautiful reflecting pond, giving it the appearance of something that had been carefully planned and designed to be visually appealing.

When she landed, she couldn't resist the temptation to go directly to the pond and go for a long swim. She was a swan, after all.

As she floated along, she tried to devise some sort of a plan for finding a worthy person to bestow her curse upon.

* * * * *

Some time later, a movement caught her attention and she saw a figure hunched at the side of the pond, watching her.

Curiosity got the better of her and she changed course so that she could swim a little closer.

"Swimmy swimmy little girl, silver of the moon."

"Thinking of forbidden tales, hidden in the dark."

"Scheming others' rotten plans, making them her own."

"Dreaming of her own desire, living for a price."

"Climbing days and sliding nights, nothing left to give."

"Wife and mother pristine whore, giving up her voice."

"Nightmare death and daymare life, little in between."

"Moldy mansion gruesome grave, all the same to me."

"Ar deLethe, I humbly ask, will the world be mine?"

Andrea wasn't sure if it were the cadence of the strange poetry or the weary voice that spoke it, but for whatever reason she felt moved by the question and decided to answer.

Only a few feet from the shore where the woman knelt, Andrea began her transformation to her 'oskmey' form. Her body lengthened, and the water was only up to her knees when she finally stood tall.

What she had heard so far convinced her that the woman before her was undoubtedly mad. But contained within the madness was at least some glimmer of coherent thought. It occurred to her that if she were to try and meet the woman halfway, that they might be able to establish some sort of meaningful rapport.

"What world do you seek?" Andrea asked, not making any move toward the woman on the shore.

"The world of 'Real', where the voices behind me are silent and the voice from within me can be heard." The woman said in a gravelly whisper.

"And what will you do in this world, when it is given to you?" Andrea asked cautiously.

"Sing praises in the sunlight and piss in the shadows."

As Andrea was about to respond, she suddenly thought of Drake and Jim's first question when she told them about what she'd been doing.

"For what you ask, there is a price. Will you be willing to pay?"

"I have nothing, you're welcome to it."

"Your name. I want your true name. Give it to me and I'll give you the real world." Andrea promised.

"What of your true name? You're Caorthannach, aren't you? Devious bitch! You've already taken everything from me and now you want to take the last vestige of what I was? I refuse! Go fuck yourself!" The woman spat.

"For what is given, something must be taken. You must know that it's true. You've asked for the gift, I've told you the price. Should I leave now and never return?" Andrea asked reasonably.

"This world you promise, is it filled with beauty?"

"There is beauty, but there is also ugliness. You can choose to surround yourself with either... or both, I suppose. What you do with the gift once it is bestowed will be up to you."

"Let's not play at this any longer. You've got me and you know it. I'll do it! I'll pay anything. I'll promise anything. I'll do anything! Anything! Do you hear me!?"

"Yes. I hear you." Andrea said calmly, then started slowly walking toward the shore.

"You're going to make me do it, aren't you?" The woman asked as she stood to her full height.

"A deal is a deal." Andrea said simply as she noticed the leathery wrinkled face that the woman was trying to keep hidden in the hood of her cloak.

"If this is all a dream, I'm going to be very very pissed off in the morning." The woman growled.

"Tell me. Who are you?" Andrea asked in nearly a whisper as she took the final step and stood before the slightly hunched woman.

"My name was... is... My name is Moira. Moira Brynnmyl." She said, nearly choking on the words, then she followed with a gravelly, "Damn you!"

"No, Moira. Damn you." Andrea said as she reached up, then gently drew her fingertips down Moira's cheek.

"Wh... what?" Moira asked in fear.

"I damn you. I curse you. From this moment forward, you will exist only in the real world."

"What have you done to me?" Moira asked as she backed away.

"Only what you asked me to." Andrea responded simply, then continued, "I'm going now. But I'll return tomorrow. If you know of someone who would benefit from my curse, bring them here and I'll discuss it with them."

"I know who you are now. I remember you from my dreams, Caer Ibormeith. I saw you and I was not afraid." Moira said contemplatively, then focused her mostly hidden eyes on Andrea before continuing, "Maybe I should have been."

"I've given you the world that you asked for. What you do with it is up to you. From this point on, whether you find misery and suffering or happiness is up to you." Andrea said frankly.

"I can feel it coming back to me, like a half remembered dream. It's almost like visions of someone else's life, but I know it was me." Moira said distantly.

"That sounds like something that could take a while to sort out. I'm going to go now." Andrea said gently.

"Before you go, do you know about my boys? Do you know if they're alright?" Moira asked suddenly.

"I don't know many people in Brynnhollow, but if you'll tell me their names I'll see what I can find out about them." Andrea said cautiously.

"Dane and Danner Brynnmyl. They must be fully grown men by now... they probably have families of their own..." Moira trailed off into tears.

"I haven't heard of your sons, but I'll ask around and see if I can find out anything." Andrea assured her, then quietly added, "I need to be going now."

"You said that you'll be back tomorrow night?" Moira asked hopefully.

"Yes. Expect me just after sundown." Andrea confirmed.

"Be well, Caer Ibormeith. Regardless what else you have done, you've let me remember my sons. For that you have my gratitude." Moira said calmly.

"My name is Andrea."

"Perhaps it is, in this incarnation. But your true self still shines through." Moira said peacefully.

"You're still a little bit crazy, aren't you?" Andrea asked cautiously.

Moira gave a slight chuckle, then said, "We both have things that we need to be doing. I will see you here tomorrow."

"See you then." Andrea said uncertainly before releasing her restraint and falling into her swan form.

* * * * *

Andrea was somewhat shaken by her encounter with Moira.

What she had just done was mystical and wonderful and frightening and even a little bit insane.

She didn't know where the instinct had come from that had driven her to behave in such a way. She had engaged the poor insane woman in conversation and exploited her vulnerability. She had used bullying tactics to gain an advantage to achieve her goals. That wasn't her. That wasn't the type of person that she was. She despised such people.

Then again, looking back on the experience, she couldn't think of anything that she might have done differently. She knew that what she had done was ultimately for Moira's benefit. In fact, Moira had even thanked her when she had been able to remember her sons.

Magic isn't typically good or bad. It simply is. Good and bad is determined by the use of it.

Andrea reflected on the words and began to realize that they seemed to apply to much more than just magic.

* * * * *

Upon arriving at Drake's house, Andrea wasn't surprised to find Drake waiting up for her.

"Did the witches have any advice to give you?" Drake asked as he stood and walked to her.

"Basically, they just told me to 'suck it up' and go do what needs to be done." Andrea said with a weary smile.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I really expect them to be able to help you." Drake said as he cautiously pulled her into his arms to give her a gentle hug.

"I think they did help me. They not only motivated me to try again, but they also proved that they had confidence in me to do the job." Andrea said as she enjoyed being held.

"Then, does that mean that you'll be going to the Coven tomorrow night?"

"Actually, I went there when I was done talking to Ima and the others."

"Really? How did it go?" Drake asked as he pulled back to look her in the eyes.

Andrea smiled at him, appreciating how invested he was in what she was doing. "I think it went well. I can't be sure how it's going to turn out, but let's just say that I planted a seed tonight. We'll have to wait and see what it ends up producing."

"Just let me know if there's anything I can do to help you. What you're doing could end up changing our entire way of life." Drake said softly.

"Actually, there is one thing you can do." Andrea said suddenly.

Drake looked at her curiously.

"Do you know anything about two boys named Dane and Danner?" Andrea asked curiously.

"Brynnmyl?" Drake asked uncertainly.

"Yes. That's right!" Andrea said excitedly.

"I know of them. But I can't say that I know them." Drake said slowly.

"All I need to know is if they're alright. I promised their mother that I'd try to find out." Andrea said seriously.

"I've had dealings with Festus Brynnmyl a few times over the years and I recall that he has two sons. I really don't know much more than that." Drake said regretfully.

"Do you know how I could find out?" Andrea asked hopefully.

"You could go into Brynnhollow and ask. I'm pretty sure Festus lives in town. If not, he lives close by." Drake said thoughtfully.

"I'll need to do that tomorrow... Except that I'm nervous about going into town by myself." Andrea quietly admitted.

"Even though everyone probably knows about you by now, I think it'd probably be best if you went with one or two other people, just to be safe." Drake said cautiously.

"Will you have time to go?" Andrea asked hopefully.

"I need to be here for the kids. It takes a few days of planning for me to be able to go into town. Besides, it takes about a full day of travel to get there from here." Drake said regretfully.

"Do you think Ares could do it?"

"Hard to say. His place is a lot closer. If you left there in the morning, you should be able to reach town before noon." Drake said thoughtfully.

"I really need to do this. I promised her that I'd try to find out." Andrea said anxiously.

"How are you going to manage it?" Drake asked cautiously.

"I guess I'll fly to my house tonight, then go over to Ares' house first thing in the morning." Andrea said thoughtfully.

"Do you have any of your clothes at your house yet?"

"No. Everything's here." Andrea said slowly.

"Maybe you could think about staying here tonight, then ride Jim over to Ares' house in the morning. He can get you there a lot faster than travelling on foot." Drake slowly suggested.

"That might be best." Andrea said slowly, then quietly asked, "You don't think he'll mind, do you?"

Drake smiled before saying, "That boy would walk across hot coals for you. I don't think he'll mind a bit."

"Are you worried about how he seems to be getting attached to me?" Andrea asked cautiously.

"I think that what Jim sees in you is the mother that he never had. As long as you don't mind his attention, I think it's best to just let things run their course until he's been able to fill whatever emptiness that he's been carrying around." Drake said thoughtfully.

"I don't mind his attention. He's a wonderful boy and I really enjoy his company. I just wouldn't want to do anything that might end up hurting him by letting him become too dependent on me." Andrea said honestly.

"We'll keep a lookout for signs that things are going that way, but I think he just needs to have a woman in his life to show him approval and acceptance." Drake said honestly.

"So, in the morning I'll ride Jim over to Ares' house and ask Ares if he has time to go into town. When we're done there, I can come back here and then tomorrow night I can give Moira whatever news I've found out about her sons."

"Was she the only one you talked to last night?"

"Yes. But with any luck, she'll have someone else for me to talk to tomorrow night." Andrea said with a smile.

"If you end up talking to Herta or Shea, let them know that I still think about them and that the kids are all fine and miss them very much." Drake said quietly.

"What are you going to do if they come back? What if they both expect to be your wives? What if they expect you to choose?" Andrea asked cautiously.

"I've thought about that." Drake reluctantly admitted, then quietly added, "I don't know."

* * * * *

Andrea enjoyed a relaxing breakfast with Drake and the children. When breakfast was over, Andrea made a point of giving each of the kids an extra special hug.

As Drake had predicted, Jim was more than happy to volunteer to take Andrea to Ares' house.

Although it was a little awkward for Andrea to carry the bundle of Jim's clothes as she rode, she really didn't mind. She appreciated that he was not only willing to help her, but enthusiastic.

When they arrived, Jim lowered himself to allow Andrea to easily dismount.

"Thank you, Jim. I really appreciate the gentle ride." Andrea said gratefully.

Once she had stepped away from his side, Jim allowed himself to transform into his centaur form.

"All you ever have to do is ask." Jim said honestly.

Andrea handed him his bundle of clothing as she said, "I'm going to see if Ares is awake yet. Join me when you're ready."

"I'll be there in a minute." Jim said before carrying his bundle of clothing around the side of the house, where he could change in private.

Andrea watched him go, then waited for a moment to collect herself before walking to Ares' front door.

* * * * *

After waiting a moment, she knocked again and began to wonder if she might need to go around to the workshop to see if Ares were there.

"Is he not home?" Jim asked as he stepped onto the porch.

"I don't know. It didn't occur to me that he might not be." Andrea said honestly.

A sound of movement drew both their attention, then the door opened slightly.

"Andrea?" Ares asked with surprise.

"I'm sorry. I thought you would have been up for hours by now, seeing the boys off to school." Andrea said simply.

"I was... I mean, I did. Then we decided to go back to bed for a while." Ares said disjointedly.

"We? Is Dark here?" Andrea asked curiously.

"Yes. Please come in. I'll be back in just a minute." Ares said before hurrying away.

"What's going on?" Jim asked curiously.

"I think that Dark probably spent the night last night and he and Ares were probably taking advantage of a little 'kid free' time to be together." Andrea said as she pushed open the door and led the way inside.

"Do you mean that they were having sex?" Jim asked timidly.

"I don't know about that. Sometimes holding and being held can be more fulfilling than a romp between the sheets." Andrea said frankly, then looked Jim in the eyes as she explained, "It's none of our business what they were doing and it would be rude to ask."

"I wouldn't ask about something like that." Jim assured her.

"Come on in and have a seat. I'm sure they'll be out in just a minute." Andrea said as she led by example.

Jim followed and took a seat in the chair next to hers.

* * * * *

"What brings you all the way out here this morning?" Ares asked curiously as he walked into the living room, still fixing his collar.

"There's kind of a long story behind it, but the short answer is that I need to go into Brynnhollow and I was hoping that you'd go with me." Andrea answered honestly.

"Sure. I've been putting off going into town for a few days. I don't have anything that I need to do today that can't be put off until tomorrow." Ares said simply, then turned at a movement and asked, "Would you mind if Dark came along?"

"No. I wouldn't mind at all." Andrea answered immediately.

"Where are we going?" Dark asked quietly as he walked to Ares' side.

"To Brynnhollow. Andrea has some business there, and so do I, for that matter." Ares said honestly.

"Actually, if you wouldn't mind swinging by my place on the way, I have some paperwork that I'd like to take to Mason, regarding some consignment jobs." Dark said cautiously.

"That shouldn't be a problem." Ares said, then looked to Andrea and asked, "That isn't going to throw off your schedule, is it?"

"No. I don't have a schedule. I just need to talk to someone and get some information." Andrea said with a smile.

"Would anyone like something to eat or drink before we go?" Ares asked as he looked around to see if anything needed to be settled before they left.

"No. Jim and I had a good breakfast before we left Drake's house." Andrea answered simply.

"We had breakfast with the boys before they left for school." Ares said with a smile, then gestured toward the door as he added, "I guess we're ready to go."

* * * * *

"So, what do you need to do in town? That is, if you don't mind talking about it." Ares asked curiously.

"That's kind of a long story." Andrea warned him.

"It appears that we're going to have plenty of time to talk while we're walking into town." Ares replied.

"Okay. But just remember, you asked for it." Andrea said with a smile, then continued, "I guess it started when I arrived at Drake's house. When he realized who I was, he asked Jim to go to Lowell's house and get his help to find a way to fix things so that I wouldn't die if I saw you or the boys."

"Yes. I've been meaning to talk to my grandfather about that. I'd like to know just what those witches did to you." Ares said honestly.

"They cursed me. From the way I understand it, the curse that I received when I married you was somehow weak or incomplete. That allowed the witches to create a new curse that they could put on top of it and alter the terms of the original curse, which would allow me to continue to live." Andrea said thoughtfully.

"I don't know enough about curses to know how that works." Ares said honestly.

"You see, the thing is, they also added something else in the new curse that compelled me to go to them during the next full moon. When I went there, they gave me yet another curse, except that this curse wasn't on me. It was a curse that I could bestow on others who were already cursed." Andrea carefully explained.

"Why would they do that?" Dark asked cautiously.

"To allow me to undo some of what the original curse did to the women of Brynnhollow. The new curse hopefully takes away their insanity and homicidal rage." Andrea said slowly.

"Do you think that it will work?" Dark asked excitedly.

"From what I've seen so far, it might." Andrea told him, then continued, "Last night I cursed a woman named Moira Brynnmyl."

"I know who that is!" Dark said quickly.

"Do you know anything about her sons, Dane and Danner?" Andrea asked hopefully.

"I remember seeing them a few years back when they needed masks for the Samhain celebration. I don't think I've seen them or heard anything about them since then." Dark said thoughtfully.

"Well, that's why I need to go to Brynnhollow. I need to find out how Dane and Danner are doing. That's the first and only thing their mother asked of me when her insanity started to subside." Andrea said seriously.

"You can cure the women?" Ares asked in a bewildered voice.

"It looks that way. Ima and the others were really careful to let me know that things could still go wrong. The new curse might react in ways that no one expected." Andrea warned.

"But... the women could come back." Ares said distantly.

"Yes. That's our hope." Andrea confirmed.

"My dad's actually worried about that." Jim interjected.

Ares and Dark looked at him curiously.

"How are things going to work when all the women who've been exiled for as long as anyone can remember all show up in town, wanting their old lives back?" Jim explained.

"I can't even imagine." Dark said honestly.

"Even so, we still have to do it. We have no choice." Andrea said simply.

After walking for a few minutes in silence, Ares quietly said, "And here I was, worried that you wouldn't be able to find a way to contribute to the community."

"I just hope that my contribution doesn't lead to its destruction."

* * * * *

"I'm glad that we're going with you. There's no way of knowing how people are going to react to seeing a woman in Brynnhollow." Ares said honestly.

"After the 'raising bee' I'm sure that everyone knows that I'm here by now."

"Knowing and seeing can be very different things." Ares said frankly.

"He's right. There's no predicting how they're going to react. No matter how respectable some people might normally behave, they might react completely out of character when they're in the moment." Dark confirmed.

"Or in character." Jim added.

At everyone's questioning looks, Jim felt compelled to explain, "Instead of acting like everyone expects them to, they might act like they really are, you know, in private, when no one else can see."

"I think that you might be overestimating their reactions. I'm hardly looking my best right now." Andrea said frankly.

"It may seem that way to you. But you have to realize that you're going to be the most beautiful woman any of them have seen inyears. In some cases, decades." Ares explained.

"Don't worry, Andrea. If worse comes to worse, you'll have a Nāga, a Tengu and a flaming Centaur on your side." Dark assured her.

"Deimos said that I shouldn't ever call myself 'flaming' because in the outside world it means something really different." Jim said uncertainly, then quietly added, "But he didn't tell me what."

Ares and Andrea fought to contain their laughter as Dark and Jim looked on in confusion.

After a moment, Ares was finally able to explain, "In the outside world 'flaming' can mean a man who uses dramatic, overly exaggerated stereotypical feminine expressions and mannerisms."

"I don't understand." Jim said frankly.

"Good. I think that's one of the things from the outside world that we can leave outside." Ares said decisively.

"You don't really think that you're going to have to fight, do you?" Andrea asked anxiously.

"I don't expect to, but I can't say that it's entirely outside the realm of possibility." Ares said seriously.

"Is there anything I can do to curtail their interest?" Andrea asked thoughtfully.

"Not really. I think it's best for us to just continue on and see how things go. Assuming that we survive the experience, we'll have a much better idea of what to expect the next time we have to go into town for something."

"It might also be in our best interest to go in there expecting everyone to be on their best behavior. If we show up looking like we're afraid or itching for a fight, we might unintentionally provoke them into an action that they might not have taken otherwise." Dark said thoughtfully.

"Good point." Ares agreed.

* * * * *

Conversation lagged after that, but the silence between them was finally broken by Andrea asking, "Dark, can I ask you something?"

"I guess so." Dark responded uncertainly.

"You seem to know a lot about history and mythology." Andrea said slowly.

"More than most, I suppose." Dark agreed.

"Last night, Moira called me 'Caer Ibormeith', and she seemed pretty insistent about it. Do you know who or what that is?" Andrea asked cautiously.

Dark smiled, then said, "I suppose it stands to reason someone would make the association since Caer Ibormeith is known to be a swan maiden. She is the goddess who has dominion over sleep and dreams. There's a tradition to offer up mead to Caer Ibormeith during the Samhain celebration each year to celebrate her contribution to our lives in the year past and ask for her favor in the year to come."

"Maybe I should start studying about ancient mythologies, now that I know for a fact that magic is real." Andrea said carefully.

"I don't know how much you actually need to know. But if you're interested, I probably have the most extensive mythology library in all of Brynnhollow. Stop by sometime and you can borrow whatever books you want." Dark said easily.

"Thanks, Dark. Once things get a little bit more settled, I may do that." Andrea said easily.

"Deimos said that in the outside world, people get married and divorced all the time, sometimes lots of times. Is that really true?" Jim asked thoughtfully.

Andrea looked at Jim with surprise at the abrupt change of subject.

When Jim noticed, he explained, "Seeing you and Ares and Dark all being friends and... not mad and stuff. It just seems weird. All my life all I've heard is that you find someone who you really really love, and when you're sure that the two of you can't live without being together, you get married. Then, when the curse finally makes it so you have to be apart, you hold on to the love that you had and the memories you were able to gather during your time together."

The adults were speechless as they thought about Jim's perception of the world he had been raised in.

"I just don't understand. How could you be together before and then let each other go when you didn't really have to?" Jim asked anxiously.

"We did have to." Ares said simply.

"That's right. Just like here in Brynnhollow, the curse made it so that we couldn't be together anymore. I got deathly ill and the only way that Ares could find to help me survive was to give me a cure that would ensure that he could never see me again." Andrea urged Jim to understand.

"Jim, I was raised here, like you were. From a very young age I learned to accept that eventually the curse would force me to be separated from my wife and that I'd have to move on. When I married Andrea, it seemed that I wouldn't have to worry about that after all, but when the curse became active in our lives, the reality came crashing down on me that that's just how it is for us. I accepted that I would have to let Andrea go." Ares quietly explained.

"And that's what it really comes down to. He let me go and moved on with his life. While we both still care about each other and even love each other, the life that we had before is over. If I'd never gotten sick, we might have continued on being married for many more years, possibly for the rest of our lives. But being apart for a year allowed us to become independent from each other and grow in different directions."

"If we tried to maintain the commitment that we'd made before, I think that both of us would feel like we were giving up on the new lives that we had started and the new selves that we were becoming. It would have been a step back for both of us." Ares agreed.

"It's also possible that this is necessary for what Andrea is doing right now, with the coven." Dark said thoughtfully.

"How is that?" Ares asked with interest.

"I don't know. It may just be coincidence, but look at what the women of the Coven are going to be facing when they come back to Brynnhollow. Their old lives are gone and in many cases it won't be possible for them to return to how things were before. Maybe Andrea can be an example to them by showing how she lives independently and is her own person. She isn't defined as someone's wife or daughter. She is herself, making her own decisions and building her own life." Dark said carefully.

"Thank you, Dark. But to be honest, I depend on a lot of people." Andrea said humbly.

"In Brynnhollow, we all depend on each other to some degree. If Jim were to move out on his own, everyone in the community would be concerned for him and help him. But when he was finally able to stand on his own two feet, everyone would look at him as being his own person, capable of making his own decisions. I think that's how people see you right now, Andrea. And I think that maybe if we can nudge things to go in that direction, it might be the answer of how to integrate the women of the Coven back into Brynnhollow society." Dark said carefully.

"It could take some time and effort to make things go that way, but I think that the result would be worth it." Ares said frankly.

"Do you think that the village elders will go along with it?" Jim asked slowly.

"I suppose that that's the first big hurdle that we're going to have to face." Dark said honestly.

"Well, unless they can come up with another option, I don't really see what else they can do. I mean, if they're entrusted with the well-being of the community, it's the only plan of action that I can think of that has any hope of working." Ares said slowly.

"They could choose to keep the Coven locked up and separated from the rest of Brynnhollow." Andrea said simply.

"The status quo can be very alluring." Dark agreed.

"I can't believe that they would be that cruel, simply for their own convenience." Ares said thoughtfully.

"Ares, tell me again, how did your dad die? And why did you leave Brynnhollow?" Dark asked with a look askance at him.

"Point taken. I suppose that we'll just have to do our best to urge everyone to think forward and do what's best rather than fall back into the rut of what's familiar and 'has always worked in the past'." Ares said seriously.

"But if we can do it, Brynnhollow is going to be a completely different place than it ever has been before." Jim said as he tried to envision the permutations of what they were planning.

"Actually, Jim. That's what places... and people, are meant to do. They're supposed to grow and develop, not stagnate within magical bubbles trapped in time." Ares quietly explained.

"I'm scared. Is that wrong?" Jim asked as he looked at the adults that he was traveling with.

"No Jim. That's exactly right." Andrea assured him.

Beneath the Truth

"It doesn't add up."

"What's that?"

"That woman's story. Her daughter was in the hospital for a year and she never went to visit her even once?"

"Some people don't like to travel and some are creeped out by hospitals."

"Even so, a whole year? And not even so much as a phone call? Doesn't that seem a little bit odd to you?"

"Not really."

"So what's the situation, as you see it?"

"Based on what we've discovered so far, I'd guess that the subject got sick. Her husband got depressed. He took their twin sons somewhere and probably did the murder-suicide thing. Then, when the subject recovered from her illness, she went searching for them."

"Then where is she?"

"Maybe she found them and decided to join them."

"I suppose that's possible, except that no bodies have been found."

"Do you think we should save ourselves some time and put a call out for cadaver dogs? I don't want to draw this thing out any longer than necessary."

"No. Let's do a little investigation first to see if we can pick up her trail before we commit to searching for a body."

"I'm still a little bit suspicious because this all seems too obvious. According to all the records that we've been able to pull, there's a trail that a blind man could follow, leading right to this pissant little town in the middle of nowhere. The last credit transaction shows her gassing up her car, then nothing. If someone were intentionally leading us on a wild goose chase, this is exactly how they would do it."

"We'll be there in less than two hours. Let's talk to the locals and see what we can find out. Maybe we'll get lucky."

"I wouldn't bet on it."

* * * * *

"I'm not getting any signal."

"What's that?"

"My cellphone. No signal."

"Do you want me to pull over and get the sat-phone out of the trunk? It's all charged up and ready to use."

"No. It can wait."

"We'll be in Waxell soon, I'm sure that you'll be able to get a signal there."

"I still don't know why the FBI is being called on to investigate this. From what I can see, this is a simple missing persons case. In fact, the missing person seems to have gone missing of her own free will. There was no indication of a struggle or any type of coercion."

"Officially, I would say that it's possible that Mrs. Brynner was abducted, and if that were the case, the subsequent evidence indicates activity related to her across state lines, which makes it our jurisdiction. Realistically, I think the simple fact of the matter is that Mrs. Greymont has quite a few influential friends among the higher ups at the bureau."

"I'm glad she's not my mother. What a horrible person."

"That doesn't have any bearing on the assignment that we've been given. I know that it seems like a waste of resources when so many people legitimately go missing, but the people in charge told us to do this, so we'll do it."

"I know. But why do you think that we were pulled off of an active investigation to go out to BFE for this?"

"Maybe we were getting too close to something sensitive and the powers that be wanted us out of the way."

"Well, if that's what they were going for, I think they accomplished it. Are you sure you're not lost?"

"It'd be kind of hard to get lost on a road with no turnoffs."

"That sounds like the beginning of one of those Sci Fi things that you enjoy reading."

"Have you been reading my books?"

"I did a little investigating. It's what I do. I still don't see what you get out of that fantasy nonsense."

"It helps me to expand my perspective to allow me to entertain non-standard possibilities."

"So, do you think this Andrea woman was abducted by aliens?"

"Not really, but I'd like to think that if something out of the ordinary happened to her that I'd be more open to other explanations than someone who believes only in one ironclad set of strict rules that govern reality."

"If it were aliens, I wish that they'd taken the mother instead."

"She really got to you, didn't she?"

"I just can't stand people who act so entitled and better than everyone else. But to top it off, 'Heleficent' acts like her daughter is her own personal property that's been misplaced and she's going to stamp her feet and hold her breath until someone brings her back. Sixty year old spoiled brat!"

"'Helen' isn't our boss. We interviewed her. With any luck, we won't have to face her again unless or until we find out what happened to her daughter."

"That's not going to give me much incentive to find the woman."

"As soon as we've found Mrs. Brynner, the case will be closed and we shouldn't have any reason to have to face 'Skeletor' again."

"I had a feeling that she bothered you too."

"I can't let that stop me from doing my job."

"'Skeletor'... good one."

"Thank you."

* * * * *

"This is interesting."

"What's that?"

"Andrea's husband. I got to looking at his file and I'm seeing all the telltale signs of an assumed identity."

"Did you get a signal?"

"No. I downloaded the files before I left. I don't have any way of cross checking what I'm seeing here, but it looks like Ares Brynner sprang into existence at the age of eighteen."

"That's not too odd, but I suppose that it's worth looking into."

"His existence began in Waxell, Kentucky."

"Well, then we might be able to investigate at the source. That's lucky."

"I don't know if I'd call it luck. I still feel like we're being spoon-fed information and given a trail of breadcrumbs to follow."

"I guess we'd better be on guard for witches, then."

"Huh?"

"Hansel and Gretel."

"Tell me again, you really don't believe in all that supernatural nonsense, do you?"

"It was a joke!"

"That's not an answer."

"Let me put it this way, I don't believe in aliens at the moment. But if at some future time I see a flying saucer and feel myself being levitated off the ground and into their ship, I might decide to reconsider."

"Hippie."

* * * * *

"What a shithole."

"I've been to a few third world villages that were worse."

"I wonder if they have indoor plumbing here."

"I guess you can check on that while we're investigating what happened to the Brynner woman."

"How do you want to do it?"

"Why don't you hit the courthouse and the local police to see if they know anything. While you're doing that, I'll interview the gas station attendant and see if maybe Mrs. Brynner stopped at the local motel... if they have one."

"I still don't have cell service. Where and when do you want to meet up:"

"Let's meet at the Waxell Diner over there in about two hours. We can compare notes and decide what we need to do next."

"Do you think that you'll need the sat-phone?"

"No. You take it. You're the one who's going to be looking at the official reports. You may need to fact check or something."

"Do we at least have lapel mics or walkie-talkies or something? It feels wrong being out of touch with each other."

"No such luck. We got pulled away so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to stock up on gear. Face it, this isn't a James Bond job, it's a MacGyver."

"Well, sitting here isn't getting it done. The sooner we start, the sooner we'll be able to get back to civilization."

"That's the spirit."

* * * * *

"Good afternoon. Welcome to the Waxell Diner. Just have a seat and I'll bring you a menu in a minute."

"Is it okay if I sit in the back?"

"Sure. Anywhere you want."

"Someone's going to be joining me. Can you let him know where I am?"

"Is he another Fed, like you?"

"How did you know?"

"'Cause no one around these parts dresses up in a suit unless someone's being married or buried. And since I've never seen you before, and you haven't tried to sell me anything, I figure you gotta be a Federal Agent... FBI would be my first guess."

"I guess it's a good thing that I'm not trying to go undercover. Yes. As a matter of fact, I am an agent with the FBI. Agent Fastbeck. When my partner arrives, would you let him know where I'm sitting?"

"Yeah. I'll tell him. I'm Harry. Give a yell if you need anything."

* * * * *

"How's it going? Did you run into trouble?"

"No. Just a sheriff's deputy that I couldn't get to shut the hell up."

"Any good information?"

"That remains to be seen. I didn't get anything on Andrea, but it turns out that Ares Brynner has something of a reputation around Waxell."

"Really? That's surprising. By everything that I've been able to uncover about him, he's been nothing but a model citizen."

"Well, to be honest, I couldn't find any evidence to say that he'd ever done anything wrong while he lived here... well, except for the murders."

"Murders?"

"Five of them."

"Ares Brynner is a mass murderer?"

"That's still a little bit up in the air. But my gut tells me that he isn't. From all accounts, about twenty years ago Ares Brynner was living here in Waxell. He worked at the local feed store... before you ask, yeah, they've got a feed store. It's about a block over from here. Anyway, he worked hard and was reasonably well liked. Then one day, some strangers showed up in town asking about him. The next thing anyone knew, five people were dead and Ares Brynner was never seen or heard from again."

"Were the five people the ones looking for him?"

"No. They were all locals. None of the men who were looking for Ares were ever seen again either."

"So, they might have taken Ares away with them?"

"No. It seems more likely that Ares was somehow able to evade them. If you take into account the time for travel, his first appearance in Maryland fits almost to the day."

"Are you ready to order?"

"We haven't looked at the menus yet. Could you give us another minute?"

"Sure. Do you know what you'd like to drink?"

"Is your Coke on tap or in the can?"

"Neither. It's in bottles."

"Really? Yeah! Two bottles of Coke."

"I'll be right back."

"Thanks, Harry."

"So, did you find out anything?"

"No. The gas station attendant and his manager didn't remember Mrs. Brynner. When I asked to review their security camera footage, they looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language."

"I noticed that the forms they use at the sheriff's office were all mimeographed. Before, I was just joking about us needing to get back to civilization, but this place is like a throwback to the 1950's."

"Well, from what I hear, they had pretty good food back then, so I'm willing to give the local cuisine a try."

"I'll try a hamburger, but I'm still not going to take a chance of drinking the local tap water. Canned or bottled beverages only."

"I'm with you. I only had to learn that lesson once. The only thing I remember about my time in Venezuela is the three days I spent on the toilet."

"Did you find out anything else?"

"The closest thing they have to a motel here is a boarding house. Apparently, Mrs. Brynner never stopped there."

"Boarding house?"

"Yeah. I booked a room for us."

"It sounds quaint."

"Mrs. Shumlin seems like a sweet old lady. Of course, I got the feeling that she might go after you with a baseball bat if you made too much noise after seven o'clock."

"I can't wait to meet her."

"So my investigation was a total washout. No one that I talked with remembered seeing or speaking with Andrea Brynner while she was here."

"Any idea of where to look next?"

"Have you guys had a chance to look at the menus?"

"Yeah. I'll have a burger."

"Me too."

"I'll have that for you in just a few minutes."

"Hold on, Harry. Before you go, do you know if a woman named Andrea Brynner might have stopped in here? It would have been a few months ago."

"I don't know if that was the woman's name, but Tracy was going on and on about a woman who stopped in here and said she was Ares Brynner's wife and that he took their kids and skipped town while she was in the hospital."

"Really?! Where is this Tracy? Can we talk to her?"

"It's her day off. I guess she's probably at home. If you want, I can call her and find out."

"Would you? We'd really like to ask her a few questions."

"Yeah. I'll put in your order, then I'll call her. She won't believe it when I tell her that the Feds want to talk to her."

"Thanks, Harry."

"You told him that we're Federal agents?"

"He was able to guess from our suits. We don't exactly blend in here."

"I suppose not."

"It looks like we may have stumbled onto a significant lead."

"While our food is cooking, I need to check in. Do you want to check your email while I'm online?"

"Yeah. Just give me the password to your hotspot and I'll do it on my phone."

* * * * *

"Something's really not right here."

"What's that?"

"I've been instructed to travel back to DC to resume the Piet investigation."

"What? Just now?"

"Yes. Didn't you get the message?"

"I was looking at my personal email. I can't access my professional email on this phone. Security."

"Use the laptop."

"Yeah."

* * * * *

"So?"

"I've been instructed to continue the investigation into the disappearance of Andrea Brynner by myself."

"I can't just leave you here. You won't even have a car."

"I'll see what I can do about borrowing one from the local law enforcement."

"Something like that usually takes weeks of paperwork."

"True, but maybe if I just tell them who I am and ask nicely, they'll let me borrow one on a handshake. I think I'd like to give the good 'ole boy network a chance before I start filling out requisition requests."

"Well, it looks like it's your show. I'm going to eat my burger, then hit the road."

"I'll probably be working on this for a few more days before I've exhausted all the leads."

"Are you guys still doing alright? Your food should be out in just a minute."

"We're fine. Did you talk to Tracy?"

"Yeah. She'll probably be here before you've finished your meal."

"Thank you, Harry. You've been incredibly helpful."

"When I told Dad that we had FBI agents here, he said that he wanted to make something special for you. He said that the pie that he was baking should be out of the oven by then and he's just started a batch of ice cream to go with it."

"I don't know if we'll have time..."

"What kind of pie?"

"Apple."

"Fresh baked apple pie and homemade ice cream? Count me in."

"Is that a real government computer?"

"I guess you could say that. With this we have a secure connection to the main office in Washington DC."

"Wow. That's like something out of a movie!"

"Don't the people around here have personal computers?"

"Sure. A few people do. But they can't do anything important with them. They're sure not connected to the FBI."

"Don't you have Internet?"

"I've heard that Doc Alvarez has it and I bet that one or two of the people on the town council probably do too."

"Food up!"

"That's Dad. I'll be right back."

* * * * *

"This is really delicious. In fact, I don't think I ever remember tasting a burger this good."

"This place and these people are really creeping me out."

"I think it's kind of nice. Like what America used to be."

"America was never really like this, except in people's nostalgic dreams. If you think about it, during that time period there were wars, political scandals and civil unrest as western society was beginning to evolve out of its industrial paradigm."

"Then how do you explain this?"

"I can't. Maybe your weirdo Sci Fi books might do a better job of it."

"I wasn't going to mention it, but I have read a few stories that started out this way."

"Watch yourself, Con. I'm not going to be here to remind you to keep your feet on the ground. Remember who and what you are."

"Don't worry. I'm here to do a job. Just as soon as I've located Mrs. Brynner or found out what happened to her, I'll be on my way back home."

* * * * *

"Guys, this is Tracy. She's a waitress here."

"It's nice to meet you Tracy. What is your last name?"

"Manson."

"Harry, I didn't get your full name. It would be good to have it for our report."

"Harrison Weaver."

"Thank you, Harry."

"Ms. Manson, I'm Agent Long and this is Agent Fastbeck. As I'm sure Harry told you, we're from the FBI. If you'd please have a seat, we'd like to ask you a few questions about your encounter with Andrea Brynner."

"Please call me Tracy. And I don't know if her name was Andrea. I don't think she ever told me. But I'll be happy to tell you anything I can."

"I suppose the best way to proceed is to start at the beginning. When did you first meet her?"

"She came in here for lunch. It was a slow day and I think she was the only one in here right then."

"So she ordered lunch. From what Harry said, she talked to you about her husband and kids. How did that happen?"

"She was looking for them. She brought up a picture of them on her phone and it was Ares Brynner."

"You know Ares?"

"Yeah. I knew him when he lived here before. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones because I lived to tell about it."

"Do you think Ares killed those people?"

"Honestly? No. I can't say that I knew Ares all that well, but I don't think he had it in him to kill anyone. But I think that those people died because of Ares Brynner. Even before Ares, I'd heard tell about strange things happening when someone got tangled up with a Brynner. No good ever come from it."

"We've gotten off track. The woman we're assuming was Andrea Brynner came into the diner and asked you if you'd seen her husband and sons. What did you tell her?"

"That was almost two months ago. I can't say for sure what I said word for word, but as I recall, I told her that I'd seen them here in Waxell just before Halloween last year."

"Is that all you told her?"

"No. I think I told her about the ghost stories that've been circulating around this town for as long as anyone can remember."

"What ghost stories?"

"I know it sounds silly in the light of day, but my grandmama used to tell us about a town hidden deep in the forest northwest of here where monsters live and fairy tales are true."

"Nice thing to tell a kid."

"It was her way of warning me. I'm not saying that there's monsters there, but there is danger. I don't know if she knew what it was, but she was protecting me by making me afraid of something that really was dangerous."

"What did you talk about after that?"

"I think Arn called out that her food was up and I got it for her. After that, I left her to eat."

"Arn?"

"Arnold Weaver, Harry's father. He owns this place."

"Did he speak with Mrs. Brynner?"

"No. He was in the kitchen the whole time. I'm the only one that talked to her."

"What's northwest of town?"

"A forest."

"Have you ever been there?"

"No. And you couldn't pay me enough to go there."

"Can you think of anything else about your encounter with Mrs. Brynner? No matter how insignificant it may seem, it could turn out to be important."

"I really felt for her. Her husband left her while she was in the hospital and she was looking for her kids. It broke my heart."

"Thank you, Tracy. If you think of anything you can call me... wait. My phone doesn't work here. You can contact me at Mrs. Shumlin's boarding house."

"I'll let you know if I think of anything."

"Thank you. You've been very helpful."

"I warned her. I told her not to go after him. No good ever come from being tangled up with a Brynner."

"Thank you, Tracy."

* * * * *

"Oh my God! This is the best pie crust that I've ever tasted in my life!"

"Focus, Conrad. You need to listen to me."

"Just try the pie crust and tell me that it isn't the absolute best that you've ever had."

"I want you to drop this investigation."

"What?"

"Just tell them that we arrived in Waxell and couldn't find any leads as to the whereabouts of Andrea Brynner. If anyone asks, I'll back you up."

"Why?"

"I've got a bad feeling about this, Con. I can handle drug lords and jihadists all day long, but I'm telling you, something like this is best left alone. Just walk away and take the hit on your performance record."

"Now who's the one being taken in by Sci Fi nonsense?"

"It's not funny. Some things are best left alone. This is one of them. Walk away."

"You should already know that I'm not going to do that. Remember the 'I' in FBI? That's what I'm here for. This is what I do. There's no way that I can walk away from something like this. Besides, it'll probably end up being like we said on the way here, a murder-suicide thing."

"The funny thing is, for some reason I can see that being the best possible outcome for all of this."

"Eat your pie."

* * * * *

"This is it, the county sheriff's office. Watch out for a deputy named Kemp, he'll talk your ear off."

"I'll be on the lookout."

"Between the sat-phone and your laptop, there's no reason for you not to stay in contact with me."

"Expect to have messages waiting as soon as you're able to get reliable cell service again."

"I'll hold you to that."

"You'd better get going. I'll see you as soon as I have this all wrapped up."

"I'll hold you to that, too."

* * * * *

A knock on the door startled Conrad out of his research into the facts that he and Agent Long had been able to uncover thus far.

"Agent Fastbeck, you have a phone call. You can take it in the parlor." A woman's voice called through the door.

"Thank you, Mrs. Shumlin. I'll be right there."

He made sure to secure his laptop before hurrying out of the bedroom. All the while he puzzled over who could possibly be calling him via landline.

* * * * *

"Hello?" Conrad said cautiously.

"Agent Fastbeck?"

"Yes, that's right. Who is this?"

"This is Harry at the Waxell Diner. I'm sorry to bother you, but I thought it might be important."

"That's fine, Harry. What can I do for you?"

"There's a guy here asking us if we know anything about Andrea Brynner. He's wearing a really nice suit, but I don't think he's a federal agent. He's something else."

"Is he still there?"

"Yes. I took their order, then I went to the back to call you. I figure that if you come right over, they'll probably still be here."

"Thank you for calling me, Harry. I'll be right there."

"Do you want me to try to stall them or anything?"

"No. Just give them the same good service that you gave us."

"I answered their questions but I didn't tell them anything about you being here. Was that right?"

"That's fine. You did exactly the right thing. I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Okay. Bye."

"Goodbye."

* * * * *

Agent Fastbeck drove his borrowed car to the Waxell Diner, still not quite used to the size of the enormous vehicle. Even so, he was just relieved that it wasn't a 'black and white' patrol car.

When he stepped into the diner, there was no mistaking who Harry had been talking about. Sitting at a table, three away from the door, was a man in a very nice suit and two teenage boys.

Conrad tried to look casual as he walked past them to the service counter and positioned himself so that he could watch the table out of the corner of his eye.

"Can I get you anything?" Harry asked quietly as he approached.

"Do you still have any of that pie and ice cream left?" Conrad asked hopefully.

"Sure. Do you want a Coke to go with it?" Harry asked immediately.

"I think I'd rather have some coffee."

"Is Sanka okay?"

"Sanka?"

"Yeah. We don't usually have coffee made at this time of day. After breakfast, just about everyone around here drinks Sanka. But if you really want coffee, I'll make you some. It just might take a few minutes for it to brew."

"You know what? On second thought, I think I'll stick with Coke."

"Okay. I'll be back in a minute."

* * * * *

"So, what are we going to do next?" One of the teenagers asked, drawing Conrad's attention.

"It looks like we've gotten what we came for in Waxell, so after we've finished our dinner, we'll travel northwest." The man said patiently between bites of his food.

"Wait. Did I miss something? Do you all of a sudden know where we're going?" The brown haired boy asked curiously.

"Not exactly, but I have an idea. Try thinking of it as an adventure." The man said with a smile.

"Wow! That sounds like something that's gonna suck!" The darker haired boy declared.

The man smiled at the words, but didn't respond otherwise.

* * * * *

The man and two boys finished the last of their meal and left a few minutes later.

As soon as they were out of sight, Conrad dropped a twenty dollar bill on the counter and hurried to follow.

When he saw the trio crossing the street, walking toward a very nice car, he dashed around the side of the restaurant and got into the car that he had borrowed from the Sheriff's department.

He pulled onto the road just in time to see the gunmetal silver car pull away.

There was a certain art to pursuing someone without letting them know that they were being followed. Although Conrad might not be a master of the art, he was certainly competent.

* * * * *

As with the road into Waxell, Conrad was puzzled by the lack of crossroads. Occasionally there were dirt roads off to one side or the other, but so far as he could tell, no other actual paved road intersected the road he was driving on.

Conrad internally kicked himself for not pulling up a map of the area northwest of Waxell when he had the chance. Although he had his sat-phone in his pocket, he wasn't really in much of a position to be looking at maps.

The light of the setting sun was a distraction as he fought to remain focused on the car in the distance ahead of him. It felt as though if he looked away, even for an instant, that the car would disappear.

Then it happened.

Between one moment and the next, the car just all of a sudden, wasn't there.

As Conrad pulled closer to where the car seemed to have vanished, he slowed significantly.

An orange and white fence was blocking the road ahead of him and beyond that was a wall of trees.

Knowing that he might be making a monumental mistake, Conrad inched forward, expecting to feel the impact as he ran into the fence.

Instead, it was as though he had driven under a blanket and as he continued to move, a whole new landscape revealed itself.

Before him was a huge open field with vehicles of every age and description in more or less orderly rows.

Agent Fastbeck guided his car to the end of one of the rows and stopped in the next available space.

He opened the door and as he stood, he heard a boy's voice calling, "We're over here!"

That snapped Conrad out of his shock and he looked around until he spotted the man and two boys beside their car about twenty feet away, in the next row.

"Where are we?" Conrad asked as he cautiously approached them.

"A parking lot." The man said simply.

"But what was that? There was a fence and trees and then... what happened?"

"You passed a test." The man responded with a smile.

"Wait. Back up. Before you start feeding me a lot of mystical BS, could you please explain what just happened? Because until I understand that, I'm going to have trouble accepting anything new."

"Fair enough." The man said with an easy smile, then he explained, "It was an illusion."

Conrad waited for a moment. When he was reasonably sure that more of an answer was not going to be forthcoming, he cautiously asked, "That's it?"

"Unless you want to get into the nuts and bolts of how it works, yeah. That's it."

"Maybe later. Right now I have some bigger questions that I need to ask."

"I don't know what all your questions are, but I know enough to tell you that we don't have the same goals in being here. You're welcome to come with us while our goals match up, but we'll be going our own ways at some point, so we can each conduct our own business." The man said professionally.

"That actually sounds like a reasonable way to proceed. I'm Agent Fastbeck, from the FBI, but I have a feeling that you already know that." Conrad said slowly.

"Yes. Let's just say that I knew that you'd be coming here before you did." The man said with a smile.

"So this is all a setup?" Conrad asked slowly.

"I don't know if I'd go that far." The man responded cautiously.

"We stopped in Waxell so this guy could accidently run into us and follow us here. I think that's probably the definition of a setup." The dark haired boy said frankly.

The man smiled at Conrad helplessly as if to say 'kids!', but didn't dispute what the boy was saying.

"Since you already know who I am, who might you be?"

"Aloysius Darroch, but my friends and family call me 'D'."

"But who are you?" Conrad asked firmly.

"We need to start walking or we're going to lose the light. We can get to know each other along the way." D said to Conrad, then turned to the two teenagers and said, "Boys, gather your things. We need to be going."

"I didn't bring anything with me." Conrad said slowly, not so much as a complaint as a way to fish for more information.

"I'm sure our hosts will be willing to provide whatever you'll be needing." D said without concern as he opened the trunk of his car.

"Were you guys needing someone to show you the way into town?" A young man asked as he approached from the treeline.

"Yes. We were just getting our things together." D responded.

"I brought a lantern. It'll be dark before we get there." He said as he got nearer to the group.

"Thank you. We brought some flashlights, just in case they were needed." D said as he took a messenger bag and a backpack out of the trunk.

"The lantern should be enough, unless you decide that you want to go off on your own adventure before we get to town." The young man finished with a chuckle.

"I think there's very little chance of that." D stated with a reasonable amount of certainty.

"I'm Rocky, by the way. If you guys are ready, we'll get going." The young man said pleasantly.

"It's nice to meet you, Rocky. I'm D and these are my sons, G and Paul. Our traveling companion is Conrad." D said professionally.

"It's nice to meet all of you. Mason sent me out here so that y'all wouldn't get lost on the way into town. If you stray from the path, there's no telling where you might end up." Rocky said as he started walking and motioned for the others to follow.

"None of us have ever been here before. Is there anything that we should be aware of before we get to town?" D asked cautiously and Conrad was surprised to realize that the strangely professional and in control man might be a little bit nervous.

"There's no weird 'rules' that I can think of, or anything like that. I guess it's pretty much the same as anywhere else. But if you go around talking about how bad it is here and how much better things are on the outside, you probably aren't going to get along well. This is our home and even though it's not perfect, we're still proud of it." Rocky said seriously.

"Boys? Do you think you can manage that?" D asked his sons.

"Yeah. We're not going to talk trash about someone's home." Paul immediately responded.

* * * * *

Although Conrad had been promised answers, as they walked all he seemed to be getting were more questions.

Unable to remain silent any longer, he turned to D and asked, "Where are we going?"

"Brynnhollow." D answered simply.

Conrad could honestly say that the one word answer had absolutely no meaning to him.

"Shouldn't we tell him about... you know, stuff, before we get there?" The dark haired boy, G, asked his father urgently.

"Agent Fastbeck needs to uncover things at his own pace and in his own time. He wouldn't believe anything we told him now and it might make it less likely that he would believe what he uncovers later." D patiently told his son, then turned to Agent Fastbeck and continued, "Sometimes it's better to be shown than told certain things."

"If there's anything that you can tell me now, I'd really appreciate it. I have no idea of where we are or what we're doing." Conrad said seriously.

D glanced in Conrad's direction for a long considering moment, then said, "I don't have any personal knowledge about the whereabouts of Andrea Brynner except to say that I've heard that she is in Brynnhollow. The same people who got you assigned to her case contacted me to let me know that there was a potential threat to Brynnhollow's security."

"So, does that mean that Brynnhollow is some kind of a government project?"

"No. The original Brynnhollow Shire predates the United States government. Of course, that village had to be relocated when they were discovered by the outside world. What I'm doing here is assessing the situation personally and deciding if we're going to have to relocate the populace of Brynnhollow to a safer, more discrete location."

"If this isn't a government project, how did you know about me and my assignment?"

"Have you heard of the Illuminati?"

"You're kidding!"

D laughed at the reaction, then said, "Yes. I'm kidding. This isn't that. But I can't really tell you anything more except that there is what you would think of as a secret society working behind the scenes to ensure that the general public is never aware of certain truths."

"I don't see how Andrea Brynner figures into all of this."

"Her disappearance spawned your investigation, which has the potential to expose the existence of Brynnhollow. So far as I know, that's her only part in the whole scenario."

"Why did you set me up to go with you? If you hadn't stopped in Waxell, I doubt that I ever would have found this place."

"I have my reasons, but they probably won't make sense to you until after you've discovered a few things. If you'll ask me again later, I'll explain whatever you haven't already figured out on your own."

"Hold up a minute! It's getting too dark. I need to light the lantern." Rocky said from ahead of them.

"Boys, why don't you get out your flashlights? You remembered to bring them, didn't you?" D asked his sons as he took a flashlight out of the side pouch of his backpack.

"Yeah. You only told us, like, a dozen times." G answered grumpily.

"Actually, I forgot." Paul admitted shyly.

"We can share mine." G said as he turned his flashlight on.

With the lantern and flashlights lit, Rocky started leading the group deeper into the forest.

* * * * *

"This town that we're going to, am I to understand that they don't have any motorized vehicles there at all?" Conrad finally asked into the silence.

"It'd be better if you asked Rocky about that. Although I've known about this place since I was G's age, I've never been here before, so I don't know a lot of the nitty-gritty details." D explained easily.

Before Conrad could ask, Rocky said, "We sometimes take vehicles into town to pick up or drop off shipments of things, but that's about it. People tend to walk to wherever they need to go. A few of them will ride a horse or a buggy, but that's usually only if they need to travel a great distance or if there's some sort of an emergency."

"Although the actual town of Brynnhollow is a rather small place, there are homesteads and family farms throughout these woods. From what I understand, all of them are collectively considered to be Brynnhollow." D explained.

"I was only told to take you into town. Do you know if you already have someplace to stay the night once we get there?" Rocky asked D curiously.

"Yes. I was in contact with Carn and he assured me that he'd arrange everything for us." D said pleasantly.

"Good. Because Brynnhollow doesn't have anything like a hotel or boarding house." Rocky said frankly.

"Being closed off from the outside world, why would it?" D asked with a smile.

* * * * *

Conrad was surprised when he realized that although they were walking through the forest in the dark, he didn't feel any real tension. He was traveling with others and they had a knowledgeable guide lighting their way.

It had occurred to him that all of what he was experiencing might be some kind of ruse to lead him to conclude that some sort of mystical premise, yet to be revealed, had merit. Yet, if they were going to do that, it would stand to reason that they would be working to convince him of something, even if it were only by staging a few jump scares or mysterious noises to create a sense of dread.

No one seemed the least bit afraid, although the teenagers seemed to be understandably excited by embarking on a new adventure. D was taking it all in stride and didn't appear to be the least bit bothered.

"Conrad, would you mind if I asked you a question?" D asked, breaking the silence between them.

"No. Go ahead."

"What are your long-term plans? Do you already have a career path in mind?"

"Just the same as anyone else, I suppose. I plan to stay with the bureau and eventually I'll probably end up behind a desk, overseeing younger, less experienced agents in the field."

"That sounds like an admirable goal."

"What about you? What do you do?"

"There isn't a simple answer to that. I've been given responsibility for a great many things. I don't have what you would classify as a 'job' so much as a varied group of 'interests' that I maintain and oversee."

"It sounds like you're the guy at the top. When they say 'the buck stops here', they're talking about you."

"In a sense, but in most cases, the buck will appear to stop with someone whom I advise from a discrete distance."

"That sounds mysterious."

"It's simply a matter of seeing that the right hand and the left hand are working together to achieve our goals, whether they're aware of it or not."

"Which explains what I'm doing here."

"As things unfold, it's sometimes necessary to correct the course of events to keep them moving in the preferred direction. That's what you're doing here."

"So, me being here isn't the culmination of some long-term plan that's been years in the making?"

"No."

Conrad waited a moment, then finally said, "Getting an explanation out of you looks like it's going to be an uphill battle."

"Tell me about it." Paul lamented sympathetically.

"It's like trying to nail Jello to the wall." G added.

Conrad broke into an unwilling smile, appreciating that he wasn't alone in his frustration.

"All I'm asking is for you to conduct your investigation. Know that when you've reached your conclusions, that I will be available to verify your understanding and possibly answer a few of the more difficult questions for you." D said carefully.

"But there's nothing more that you can tell me now." Conrad guessed.

"Nothing."

"So, what am I supposed to do when we get to Sleepy Hollow?"

"Brynnhollow."

"Right. What do I do when I get there?"

"When I talked to Carn, I asked that he make arrangements for places for us to stay for the time that we're here. You were included in that request. I assume that since it's so late, that when we arrive we'll be taken to our lodgings for the night. What happens to you beyond that will be entirely out of my hands."

"I'm probably going to need to go back to Waxell tomorrow so that I can get my things from the boarding house. I don't even have a change of clothes with me."

"Just be careful if you try to go back to the parking lot on your own. From what I've been told, this forest can be a little disorienting and you could end up wandering in circles for days."

"So you arranged for us to arrive at sundown so that I wouldn't be able to find my way back to my car."

"If it helps you to believe that, I don't see the harm."

"So you don't confirm or deny the allegation."

"As I see it, you don't have any reason to trust a single word that I say. You're here, traveling with us, due to a lack of better options. Anything I tell you is automatically suspect because it was me who said it."

"I suppose that's true."

"I don't mind that you're asking questions. In fact, that's really what you're here to do. I just feel that it's better if you find your answers and verify your understanding on your own terms."

"Okay, then maybe I should take a step back and verify some of what I already suspect."

"Ask your questions and I'll answer what I can."

"Is Mrs. Greymont working for you? Did you tell her to call for this investigation?"

"No. Her motives are strictly her own."

"I thought so. If she were play acting, I think she would have tried to display at least a pretense of humanity."

"Much of what followed was influenced by me, but her actions were entirely her own."

"Okay. Then what about the reports about Ares Brynner? Were those for real or did you doctor them, giving us some more breadcrumbs to follow?"

"They were real, but we were aware of what they contained and what conclusions they might lead you to."

Conrad nodded, then asked, "What about in Waxell? Did you know that Andrea stopped at the Waxell Diner and talked to Tracy?"

"Yes. It was mentioned that both Ares and Andrea had stopped at the Waxell Diner. I have no idea what was said, but it sounded to me like both of their encounters might have been memorable enough that someone would be able to tell you about them having been there."

"So you gave us enough time to investigate, then stopped in at the Waxell Diner so that Harry would call me and we could accidentally meet?" Conrad asked, sounding fairly certain of it.

"Actually, I had assumed that the waitress who had spoken to Andrea would be working today. But basically, yes. We went there expecting you to be notified of our presence."

"And you arranged for Fred to be recalled to DC?"

"Once you had begun your investigation and initiated contact with your home office, the next step was to separate you."

"Why?"

D considered for a long moment before slowly answering, "You're getting into a subject that I can't discuss. But what I can tell you is that for things to work out, we need for you to investigate on your own terms and come to your own conclusions. It is believed that you have everything you need to do this successfully. Your partner is of the mindset that he would likely impede your investigation or encourage you to discount valid evidence simply due to his own biases."

"It looks like you went to a lot of trouble to include me in whatever this is. You must be expecting for me to do something really important."

"Actually, at this point, it could go a lot of different ways. If one scenario plays out, your participation and point of view might be invaluable. If another plays out, your presence will be inconsequential. It's not so much a case of it being essential for you to be here as it is that we might be grateful to have you here if things end up going a certain way."

"And if things don't end up going that way, my being here won't disrupt your other plans."

"That's our hope. Yes."

"I can't believe this!" The brown haired boy, Paul, said suddenly.

"What's that?" D asked his son curiously.

"Somehow you guys made walking through a spooky forest at night... boring." Paul said frankly.

"Were you hoping to be frightened?" D asked Paul with a grin.

"Well, yeah! Look at where we are! Spooky forest, after dark, on our way to Sleepy Hollow..."

"Brynnhollow."

"Whatever. When are we ever going to have a better chance to get a good case of the creeps?"

"I'm sorry if we disrupted your plans. We'll be quiet now. Go ahead. Be afraid."

"I can't." Paul groused. "I couldn't feel safer if I was at home in my own bed."

"Sorry." D said weakly, then asked, "Rocky? Do you know any good ghost stories about Brynnhollow?"

"It's said that the spirits of the dead of Brynnhollow don't move on to an afterlife, but remain here in the forest. Both in life and in death, the people of Brynnhollow are bound to protect the forest, just as it is bound to protect us." Rocky said seriously.

"So everyone who ever died here is still here, wandering in the forest?" G asked cautiously.

"That's what they say." Rocky answered simply.

"Did you ever see any ghosts in the forest?" Paul asked curiously.

"Me? No. I've heard of a few other people who did, but I don't have that gift." Rocky answered simply.

"What did the ghosts do? Did they try to hurt them or scare them?" G asked cautiously.

"No. These are the ghosts of our ancestors. They love us and our town... and our whole way of life. It's like they surround us with their love and concern, shielding us from what might cause us harm." Rocky said, somewhat distantly.

After a moment of walking in silence, Paul finally said, "That's not scary."

"It's kind of beautiful, if you think about it." G confirmed.

"Maybe we'll be able to find something to scare you when we reach Sleepy Hollow." D said to his son with an indulgent smile.

"Brynnhollow." G corrected.

"Whatever."

* * * * *

Conversation stopped as they emerged from the forest and into an immense cornfield.

G and Paul shared a look, but made no sound as they walked with the adults between the rows.

Once they were out of the cornfield, Rocky led them to what seemed to be an actual 'road'. It wasn't paved, of course, but it seemed as though it had been well traveled.

"Not far now. By cutting across the forest, we saved ourselves about an hour of walking." Rocky said happily.

"Do you mean that there was a 'road' that we could have followed?" Paul asked curiously.

"Yeah. Of course. How else do you think we could make deliveries or pick up stuff to sell on the outside?" Rocky responded.

"Why didn't we just drive here, then?" G asked reasonably.

"Most of the places that you'll want to be going don't have roads. There's really no parking or anything like that. It'd just be a big nuisance for everyone." Rocky said frankly.

"If you don't do cars, what about horses?" Paul asked curiously.

"Yeah. Just about everyone outside of Brynnhollow proper has a few horses. Some use them for plowing and such, some use them for riding or pulling wagons of goods." Rocky said casually.

"On those roads that you don't have." G said slowly.

"Sometimes. If you have even ground from where you are to where you're going, you don't need a road." Rocky told him patiently.

"I think, by definition, that is a road." G challenged.

"We shouldn't be unnecessarily combative with our host." D reminded his son.

"Okay." G relented.

"It sounds like your son has a finely tuned 'crap detector'. Take it from someone who knows, that can be a very useful skill to have." Conrad told D with a smile.

"Yes. But another important skill is knowing when to keep one's mouth shut. Once you've detected someone's bullshit, it's often better to let them dig their own grave than to call them out on it immediately." D said, directing his statement mostly toward the boys.

"I suppose that you're right about that." Conrad admitted, then turned to the boys and said, "But don't confuse being quiet with not being inquisitive. Keep questioning and looking for inconsistencies. It can end up being one of the most valuable tools in your toolbox."

"Good advice." D agreed.

"There's Brynnhollow." Rocky said as they came to the top of a rise.

"Why's it so dark?" Paul asked as he squinted to get a better view.

"It's not dark. I can see lights on all over the place." Rocky said with confusion at the question.

"But don't you have any street lights?" Paul asked curiously.

"We have them. But we only light them on special occasions, when we know there's going to be a lot of people out and about." Rocky said seriously.

"Do you have electricity?" Paul reluctantly asked.

"We do here in town, although most people don't use it for much more than lighting. Some people outside of town have generators, but from what I hear, most of them used them for a month or two, then decided that it wasn't worth the bother." Rocky said frankly.

"So you don't have internet?" Paul asked in horror.

"What? Oh, yeah. Mason told me about that. No. From what Mason said, we've got something close, but it's not exactly the same." Rocky said seriously.

"What's that?" Paul asked curiously.

"You call the electronic thing you have, 'the internet', so I guess you might call what we have 'the outernet'. Around here, we call it getting off your ass and talking to people, face-to-face." Rocky said with a grin, then continued, "You still get to share things with your friends, except with our way you get to look them in the eye when you do it."

Both boys were stunned as D and Conrad burst into laughter.

Rocky smiled with accomplishment at the boys' flustered states.

* * * * *

"Here we are. Do you know where you need to go?" Rocky asked D curiously.

"If you could direct me to Carn's house, that should be all we'll need." D said with a smile.

"Carn doesn't live here in town, but if you're supposed to meet with him, I'm betting that he'll be in his office. That's right over this way." Rocky said as he led them down the street.

* * * * *

When they stepped onto the wooden plank 'sidewalk' in front of one of the larger buildings, Rocky walked directly to the front door and opened it without knocking.

D and the boys followed Rocky inside with Conrad bringing up the rear.

"Carn? Are you here? I brought the guys you were expecting."

"You made good time." A fortyish looking man said as he walked out of one of the inner rooms.

"They got there before I did." Rocky quickly informed him.

"Oh? I hope you didn't have to wait for too long." Carn said with concern, looking mostly between D and Agent Fastbeck for their reactions.

"Not at all. We were just getting out of our cars when Rocky arrived." D assured him.

"Good. Welcome to Brynnhollow. My name is Carlton Brynnford, everyone calls me Carn. I'm one of the elders of the community. The others wanted to be here to meet you, but I asked them to wait until tomorrow to give you a chance to settle in. I hope that's alright." Carn finished with a look of concern.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Carn. I'm Aloysius Darroch, you may call me D if you like. These are my sons G and Paul. And of course this is Agent Fastbeck from the FBI." D said diplomatically.

"A pleasure to meet all of you." Carn said in a reasonably credible friendly voice, but Conrad could detect a hint of anxiety in his eyes.

"If it were just me, I'd probably prefer to meet with everyone tonight and get right down to business. But I'm sure that my companions will appreciate the chance to get a good night of sleep before embarking on any new adventures." D finished with a smile.

"I hope that you're not too tired. Ares suggested that your sons might enjoy having a sleepover with his sons." Carn said with concern.

"Ares Brynner?" Conrad asked quickly.

"Yes. From what little Mr. Darroch... excuse me, D told me, I anticipated that you might welcome the opportunity to speak with Ares. If you have no objection, you'll be staying at his house tonight."

"Will Andrea be there?"

"Not that I know of, but you can ask Ares about that when he gets here."

"Before I forget to ask, what time should I be here to meet with the other elders tomorrow?" D asked carefully.

"Sometime in the morning, I suppose. We're not in the habit of scheduling things too tightly." Carn explained.

"Well, that's a little different from what I'm used to."

The sound of the door opening drew their attention, then a timid voice asked, "Are they here already?"

"They arrived just a few minutes ago. Come in, Ares." Carn said with a smile, that seemed to Conrad to be a little bit forced.

"Thank you." Ares said as he stepped fully into the room, then added, "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."

"Not at all. We were just discussing plans for tomorrow." D said pleasantly, then continued, "I'm D, these are my sons G and Paul, and this gentleman is Agent Fastbeck from the FBI."

"Conrad." Agent Fastbeck quickly supplied.

"FBI?" Ares asked cautiously.

"Didn't I mention that when I spoke to you earlier?" Carn asked slowly.

"No. You didn't." Ares said to Carn, then turned to Agent Fastbeck and asked, "Are you here to arrest me?"

"Actually, I'm here looking for your wife. Do you happen to know where she is?"

"Not really. We've separated and she lives on her own now. From what I know of it, she tends to work at night, so there's no easy way to contact her at the moment. But if you like, I can take you over to her house in the morning. Most likely she'll be there."

"It looks like you'll have time to get some sleep before you have to get back to work." D said to Conrad with a smile.

"It does look that way."

"Ares, did you leave your sons at home by themselves?" Carn asked curiously.

"No. Jim and Tan are there and I trust Jim to keep order in my absence. But I should be getting back. I hate to imagine what they might get up to if they're left unsupervised for too long."

"If Carn doesn't have anything else for us, then I suppose we should be on our way." D said with a questioning glance at Carn.

"No. I just wanted to welcome you to town personally and see that you were satisfied with your accommodations. Have a good evening."

"You, too. I'll see you in the morning." D said pleasantly, then looked to Ares, indicating that he was ready to go.

* * * * *

As they stepped out the door, Ares stopped to pick up a lantern, which was lit with a low flame. After adjusting the flame higher, he started leading the way out of town, opposite the way that they had entered from.

"Mr. Brynner, would you mind if I asked you some questions?" Agent Fastbeck asked cautiously.

"Considering what questions I think you're going to ask me, I probably will mind a little bit. But go ahead and ask them anyway." Ares said reluctantly.

"What happened twenty years ago in Waxell?" Conrad asked in a voice that sounded to be more curiosity than official business.

"I moved to Waxell to start a new life..."

"From where?" Conrad interrupted.

"Here. I was born here in Brynnhollow."

"According to what I've been able to find, there's no official record of your existence before you went to Waxell."

"Very few people in Brynnhollow officially exist."

"Why is that?"

Ares looked to D for guidance.

"I brought Agent Fastbeck here so that he could uncover the truth." D said simply.

Ares looked at D anxiously for a moment before finally turning back to Conrad and saying, "The people of Brynnhollow have a condition which makes it difficult for us to live away from here."

"What condition?" Conrad asked carefully.

"There's no way that you're going to believe me if I tell you."

"Try me."

After another uncertain glance at D, Ares finally said, "We're cursed."

"Of course you are."

"See? I told you that you wouldn't believe it."

"Hold on. Give me a chance. You haven't really told me anything. What kind of a curse are we talking about? Physical deformities? Mental deficiencies?"

"What are you trying to say about us?"

"No, no! I'm not suggesting anything like that. I can just easily imagine environmental factors that could cause such things and make a group of people feel that they had been cursed."

"If you're planning to show him, it might be best to get it out of the way before we reach your house." D quietly suggested.

"I don't really want to do it at all, but I suppose that it will be best if we do it when the boys aren't around."

"Do what?"

"Would you hold this?" Ares asked as he offered the lantern to Paul.

"Sure." Paul said as he accepted it.

"Agent Conrad..." Ares began to say.

"Fastbeck."

"Right. Sorry. Agent Fastbeck, if you want the family history, I suggest that you talk to my grandfather. He knows a lot more about it than I do. What I can tell you is that for over a thousand years our bloodline has been cursed, causing the men to become all manner of transformed creatures."

"Transformed creatures?"

"In my case, I transform into a Karasu Tengu. That's a..."

"Human-crow hybrid." Conrad interrupted.

Ares looked at him with surprise, then cautiously said, "You're the first person other than Dark who already knew that."

"There's a reason Conrad was chosen to be here." D said with a smile.

"Well... good! I guess I'll just show you then." Ares said anxiously.

When no one objected, Ares let go of his human form and seemed to disappear into his clothing.

There was a long moment of silence as Conrad stared wide eyed at where Ares had been standing, then waited as a large raven worked its way out of the clothes.

"Nice!" Paul said with a grand smile.

"He has good control." G said slowly.

"What just happened?" Conrad asked, then went silent again as he saw the raven begin to grow.

"You make that look easy." Paul said with wonder.

"Whoa! Nice half-form." G said with appreciation.

"Karasu Tengu." Conrad whispered in amazement as he looked at the black bird-man standing before him.

"As I was saying before, the men of Brynnhollow are each cursed with having an animal aspect that we are unable to fully control." Ares explained.

"How do you mean?"

"If I'm lucky, I can go a full day without transforming. But there have been a few days when I've had to change three or four times. In the outside world, I'd be in constant danger of revealing what I really am."

"What are you?"

"A cursed being."

"A curse, like from a witch?"

"Before you go any further, I think that we should probably define some terms." D interrupted.

"Good idea. While you're doing that, I'm going to change." Ares said as he reached down to gather his clothes.

Right before Conrad's disbelieving eyes, Ares transformed back to his human form.

"A witch..." D said to draw Conrad's attention away from the naked man that he was staring at.

"Yes?" Conrad said as he looked at D.

"In conventional thinking, a witch is a regular person, usually a woman, who has acquired magical powers either through a contract with the devil or with the aid of mystical ancient tomes of forbidden knowledge." D said instructively.

"Yeah." Conrad absently agreed as he glanced at Ares, who was still in the process of dressing himself.

"When we talk about witches, we're referring to a species of people with inherited abilities that are different than those of average, mundane men." D said carefully.

"Wait. What?"

"A couple thousand years ago, there were several tribes. Some of them died out, but a few of them still survive today."

"So, you're saying that Ares isn't human?"

"I suppose that depends on how you define human. I prefer to believe that we're all different varieties of humanity. But if you're asking if Ares is the same species as you are, I'd guess that the answer is 'no'."

"Hold on. Are you saying that Ares is a witch?" Conrad asked weakly, sounding like he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"No. He's saying that I'm a member of the Brynn bloodline that was cursed by a witch over a thousand years ago." Ares said as he officially rejoined the group.

"That's not entirely true." D gently corrected.

"What do you mean?" Ares asked cautiously.

"The curse was bestowed by a witch. You're right about that part. But for a curse to work long term, it needs something to fuel it. A curse on a mundane person will usually last for a standard lifetime at most... or kill them. A curse placed on a witch can be fueled by their innate magic and last for countless generations." D said seriously.

"So Ares is a witch, who was cursed by a witch?" Paul asked slowly, trying to verify his understanding.

"Given the evidence at hand, I'd say that that's a reasonable conclusion. I don't know enough of the particulars to say for certain." D somewhat confirmed.

"If Ares is a witch, does that mean that he can do magic?" Conrad asked curiously.

"Let's keep moving. We'll talk along the way." Ares said as he held out his hand to Paul, offering to carry the lantern again.

"Good idea." D said to Ares, then he turned to Conrad and continued, "As far as Ares doing magic, I'd say that it's possible but it's also possible that the terms of the curse might prevent him from accessing his full magical abilities... except for his ability to transform. That seems to be tied into the curse."

"I've never been able to do magic, but I know people who can. Even though I've never thought of myself as a 'witch', what you said makes sense. I think you may be right." Ares said frankly.

* * * * *

After a few minutes of walking, Conrad slowly asked, "So, what you're telling me is that Brynnhollow is a community of witches that is kept hidden from the outside world?"

"Cursed witches, but yes. That's essentially true." D confirmed.

"Are there other witches outside of Brynnhollow?"

"Yes."

"Are they in other secret communities like this one?"

"I know of at least one other secret community, but the majority of witches live amongst the general public, leading fairly normal lives."

"Wouldn't they be in constant danger of being discovered?" Ares asked cautiously.

"An uncursed witch has full access to their powers and can choose to go through their entire life without ever using any magic at all." D answered simply.

"How many are there?" Conrad asked slowly.

"Who's to say? I know about some of the different witch communities, all around the world, but since it's necessary for us to hide ourselves, I think it would be impossible for us to take a census."

"Us? Are you a witch too?"

"Yes. But I don't have the gift of animal transformation like Ares does. My abilities are somewhat different."

"Different witches have different specialties. Some of us can do the same things, but mostly we each have our own gifts." Paul interjected.

"You're a witch too?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"Yeah. Well, half. That's kind of a long story." Paul said uncomfortably.

"Which we'll save for some other time." D said in no uncertain terms.

Paul immediately nodded his agreement.

"Do you want to see some more magic? I can change, too!" G asked from Paul's side.

"Let's do that later. I think Agent Fastbeck has enough to digest before he'll be ready for more." D said with a smile at his son.

"Plus, if you change, you'll probably give him nightmares." Paul said teasingly.

"Look who's talking." G said with a grin.

"When we get to my house, you guys might want to let the boys there know that you already know that they can transform. I told them that I'd be bringing outsiders home, so they're going to try to keep their abilities hidden from you." Ares told the boys as they continued to walk.

"Can they just transform, or can they do other magic, too?" Paul asked curiously.

"Jim can conjure fire, but I think that's the only magical ability that any of them have demonstrated." Ares said as he cast his mind back to recall any indication that his sons might be able to do magic.

"I can do fire. I'll have to compare spells with him." Paul said happily.

"As far as I know, he doesn't use a spell, he just sort of wants it and it happens." Ares said slowly, then added, "In fact, when he's excited, he sometimes gets it even when he doesn't really want it."

"Certain magics can be hardwired, sort of like survival instincts. Paul's ability is something like that. When he gets angry or afraid, he has access to his ability without using a formal spell." D said thoughtfully.

"Formal spell? So you do magic from spellbooks, just like in the stories?" Conrad asked curiously.

"It depends on the witch and the magic being used. Certain magics don't lend themselves well to memorization. Something about the magic requires that the spells be written down and read aloud. Other spells can be memorized and you may not even have to speak the words." D said instructively.

"Here!" Paul said as he walked up beside Conrad and held out his hand, palm up.

As Conrad watched, a small ball of flame suddenly came into being.

"Be careful with that. Remember where we are." D warned.

"I was just showing Agent Fastbeck an example of what you were saying." Paul said as he closed his hand and extinguished the flame.

"Still, we're guests here. Burning down their home would not be a proper way of expressing our gratitude for their hospitality." D said with a look askance at Paul.

"Got it." Paul said as he let his steps lag so that he could fall in beside G.

"So, besides changing into animals and creating fire, what else can witches do?" Conrad asked carefully, directing his question mostly toward D.

"Just about what you'd expect from the stories that you've heard. Although, as G was saying, not every witch is capable of casting every spell. We all have our specialties where our magic is stronger and other specialties where we have no talent at all." D said frankly.

"But what about flying on brooms..." Conrad began to ask when he was interrupted by Paul and G's raucous laughter.

"Boys! Behave!" D gently scolded.

"What did I say?" Conrad asked slowly, somehow realizing that he was the butt of some joke that he wasn't aware of.

"That's sort of an in-joke with witches. The whole flying on brooms thing allegedly came about when a group of so-called 'witches' used some type of hallucinogenic salve in concert with broom handles as... well, sexual aids. The resulting 'flight' apparently was the stuff of legends, but likely not magical in any way." D said uncomfortably.

Conrad glanced behind them to see the boys valiantly trying not to laugh aloud, not only at the story, but also at D's uncomfortable telling of it.

"So you can't fly?" Conrad finally asked.

"Me personally? No. There are others who can, whether by means of an animal transformation or by levitation. Alternatively, some can travel short distances with teleportation." D said seriously.

"I can fly." Ares said from slightly ahead of them.

"Of course. In your bird form I can see how that could work." Conrad said honestly.

"Just because something makes logical sense in the mundane world, doesn't necessarily mean that the same will follow when magic is involved." D said frankly.

"For example?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"Since we were talking about flying, I can think of a circumstance where the height, weight and wingspan of a transformed creature would seemingly make it impossible for the creature to be able to fly. But with the aid of magic, it still does." D said seriously.

"Magic... I think that's the most difficult part of all of this for me to accept. Although I can see the results of it when you demonstrate it for me, I can't help but think that there must be some kind of scientific explanation." Conrad said thoughtfully.

"There very well may be, but so far as I know, no one has been able to explain it yet." D said simply.

"So, you mentioned other... 'tribes'. Are there more besides regular... people and witches?" Conrad asked slowly.

"Yes. Although I can't really tell you much about them. Witches are especially lucky because we're physically the same as mundane humans. At least, you can't tell us apart by sight. The others have to remain hidden at all times. I don't really have any contact with or first-hand information about other tribes. I only know that they exist... or have existed. I suppose that if you're really interested in where and what they are, you might do some research in the supermarket tabloids." D finished with a shrug.

They walked for a moment in silence, before Conrad finally said, "I'm having less trouble accepting that than I probably should."

D smiled at the comment, then said, "One of the reasons that you were chosen to come here is your willingness to at least entertain non-standard notions."

"We're almost there. Before we go in I should tell you that including your boys, we're going to have six teenagers staying here tonight. If you think that's going to be too much, I can take one or both of you over to my grandfather's house. I'm sure that he would appreciate the company and that it will be much quieter there." Ares said cautiously.

"It shouldn't be any problem for me." D said easily.

"Are you sure that you'll have enough room for all of us?" Conrad asked hesitantly.

"That's no problem. The boys are going to camp out in the living room. That will leave their bedrooms free for the two of you. I just wanted to ask because with six boys, it might get a little bit loud." Ares said frankly.

"I think that I'll be okay." Conrad assured him.

"Good. Because we're here." Ares said with a smile as he gestured toward the log cabin coming into view ahead of them.

* * * * *

A small, oddly shaped striped dog with a long tail ran up to the group as they approached and ran around them excitedly.

"Cain, go let the others know that we're here." Ares said with a smile.

The dog yipped once, then dashed away, back toward the house.

"What was that?" Conrad asked curiously.

"My son, Cain." Ares said simply.

"I thought your sons were named Christopher and David." Conrad said slowly.

"They were. Now they're Cain and Deimos." Ares said simply.

"Why did they change their names?" Conrad asked curiously.

"Ask them about it sometime. I'm sure they'll be happy to tell you all about it." Ares said with a smile.

* * * * *

As the group approached the door to the cabin, four boys piled out to greet them.

"Boys, I'd like for you to meet D, his sons, G and Paul and Agent Fastbeck from the FBI." Ares told the group.

"FBI?" The oldest of the boys asked anxiously.

"Don't worry, Jim. He was invited." Ares assured him.

"We've told Agent Fastbeck about witches and he's seen a transformation, so you don't have to hide anything from him." D told the boys seriously.

"Except within the constraints of polite society." Ares added.

"He means that you shouldn't let your junk hang out." Deimos translated for his companions.

"Yes. That's what I mean." Ares said with amusement, then turned to his guests and said, "I'm sure that you must be hungry after your long journey. If you want to go into the living room, I'll fix us something to eat."

"Nachos?!" One of the twins asked hopefully.

"I'll see if I have what I need in store." Ares chuckled.

"Where can I put this?" D asked as he held up his messenger bag.

"Deimos, D is going to be using your room while he's staying with us. Would you show him the way?" Ares asked hopefully.

"Yeah! Come on! It's right back here." Deimos said happily.

"I guess you're going to stay in my room, Agent Fastbeck. I'll show you where it is." Cain immediately volunteered.

"Conrad, this is my son, Cain." Ares said as Cain tried to get Agent Fastbeck to follow him.

Conrad was more than a little overwhelmed and followed along willingly as Cain led the way toward the back of the house.

* * * * *

After a moment to familiarize himself with the bedroom and a stop at the bathroom, Conrad walked back into the living room in time to hear Ares say, "Boys! I have everything laid out for you. Go into the kitchen and make your nachos."

The six boys filed past Conrad on their way to the kitchen with grand smiles of anticipation.

"How are you doing, Conrad?" D asked into the suddenly quiet living room.

"Honestly? It's kind of a lot to take in."

"I can understand that. But tell me, how much of this would you have believed if I had told you in the outside world?"

"Not a single word of it."

"And what if I'd given you some sort of an amazing demonstration to prove that what I was telling you was true?"

"I'd think that it was some kind of a trick... a part of me still believes that it is."

"That's natural, I suppose." D said casually, then thoughtfully added, "If you were someone who would blindly accept whatever he was told, you'd be of no use to me. The fact that you're skeptical and curious is part of why you're here."

"I have the feeling that you're not going to tell me the rest of the reason." Conrad said with a smile.

"Not yet." D confirmed. "Once you've had a chance to talk with Ares and Andrea and resolve all of that, we'll talk again and I'll fill in the blanks as much as I can."

"I feel like I should be doing something more right now."

"As far as I can see, there's nothing more that you can do at the moment. But maybe taking some time to get to know Ares and his sons will give you some unexpected insights into the case."

"Maybe." Conrad conceded, then stood as he said, "But I need to check in with the bureau and my partner. I probably should have done that before now."

"You won't be able to." D said simply.

"It's okay. I have a sat-phone." Conrad assured him as he held it up as evidence.

"That won't work here. There's a magical barrier that protects this place from satellite surveillance and disrupts any type of satellite communication." D said frankly.

"So you can use magic to disrupt technology?" Conrad asked curiously as he tried to get his phone to establish contact.

"Me, personally? No. But I have some acquaintances who call themselves 'techno-mages' who have developed a working knowledge of magic as it relates to electronics. Honestly, I don't know how all of that works, I just trust that it does."

"And you asked these 'techno-mages' to protect Brynnhollow?" Conrad speculated as he looked at his phone, still finding no connection.

"Not me. One of the 'keepers' before me did that. I inherited what they had already done."

"'Keepers'?" Conrad asked as he reset the phone and tried again.

"It's just like it sounds. We're entrusted with protecting places like Brynnhollow as well as making sure that the mundane population doesn't find proof of our existence."

"It sounds like a big job." Conrad said as he noticed that his phone once again couldn't connect.

"It is. But fortunately we have a support network in place that oversees most of it without my intervention. It's only when something outside of the norm happens that I have to step in and sort things out personally."

"Like the disappearance of Andrea Brynner?" Conrad asked as he turned off his phone and put it back into his pocket.

"That, in itself, wouldn't warrant my involvement. But there are other things in motion and, unless I miss my guess, I should be here to see how they play out."

"And me being here is one of your contingency plans." Conrad guessed.

"Yes."

"And what happens if I decide not to go along with whatever you have planned for me?"

"We'll face that when the time comes. But I have a feeling that once you understand the stakes and the forces at play, that you'll make the right decision."

* * * * *

"The food is heating in the oven. I didn't think that you'd be interested in having nachos." Ares said as he walked into the living room.

"Thank you." D said with a grateful smile.

Conrad nodded his agreement as well as his thanks.

"So, Agent Fastbeck, do you have any questions for me that I might be able to answer while dinner's heating?" Ares asked curiously.

"There is one inconsistency that I wanted to ask you about. You said that the people from Brynnhollow can't live away from here due to the likelihood that they might be discovered. But by all indications, you lived away from here for nearly twenty years."

"For some reason, my curse didn't become active when I reached puberty. I lived a relatively normal life until my sons turned twelve years old, then all our curses became active. That's also when Andrea fell ill. That's how the curse affects women who marry men from Brynnhollow."

"So, does that have something to do with why you abandoned her the way that you did?"

"I brought the boys here, so that they could learn to deal with the curse in a safe place. Then, after getting something to help Andrea with her illness, I went back to give it to her. But one of the conditions of the cure was that if she ever saw me or the boys again, she would die."

"You left her so that she could continue to live?"

"Yes. Like the old saying goes, sometimes when you love someone, you have to let them go."

"But she came back to you."

"She found me. There's a difference."

"You mentioned before that you had separated. I'm sorry that things didn't work out for you."

"There's no reason for you to be sorry. I'm not. Over the course of the past year, we've both moved on with our lives. I think that both of us cherish what we had and remember it fondly, but if we tried to resurrect something that's obviously over, all we'd accomplish is corrupting the memory of what we once had."

"If you both accept that it's over, then what is Andrea still doing here?" Conrad asked curiously.

"Maybe she's staying for the boys." Ares said uncertainly, then continued, "You'd really have to ask her about that."

"I'll be sure to."

"Can we go outside?" Cain asked as he rushed into the living room.

"There's no way you could have eaten your nachos that quickly." Ares said slowly.

"It wasn't that much. But they were good. Thanks." Cain said in a rush, then asked again, "Can we go outside?"

"What do you think that you'll be doing outside?"

"We wanna show Paul and G our transformations! You've always said that since we live so far away from anyone else that we can."

"Stay close to the house. And tell Jim to be careful of his fire."

"Paul said that he's going to show Jim some fire tricks. But we'll be careful. I promise."

"Okay. But be sure to clean up your dishes before you go."

"The guys are doing that right now." Cain said with accomplishment, then thought to add, "And it smells like what you're cooking in the oven is almost ready."

"Thank you, Cain. We'll probably be out to join you once we've eaten." Ares said with a smile at his son.

"Maybe we can get Uncle Dark to come over too! I bet Paul and G would like to see his transformation."

"No. He's very busy right now. He has to prepare for the Samhain celebration on Monday."

"Okay. Thanks again." Cain said before dashing back into the kitchen.

A long moment of silence fell over the living room before Ares finally said, "It's not too late, if either of you wants to stay at my grandfather's house tonight."

"I think it's nice to see the boys so happy and energetic. Mine are usually more restrained." D said frankly.

Ares nodded his acceptance, then looked at Conrad inquisitively.

"I'm having trouble believing a lot of what I've seen since I've been here. I think being here with your family might be the best way to resolve that."

"You had your chance." Ares said with a smile, then got up from his chair and walked to the kitchen.

* * * * *

As they sat down to the late dinner that Ares had prepared, both D and Agent Fastbeck appreciated the food, as well as the peace and quiet that went along with it.

"I noticed that you don't have electricity. Is that a choice that you made or is it just not possible here?" Agent Fastbeck asked curiously.

"If electricity were available to us like it is in the outside world, I'd probably have it. But I grew up this way, so using gas, wood and kerosene is just natural for me. If anyone is aggrieved by the situation, it would be my sons."

"They don't appear to be suffering too badly."

"Honestly, they're so much more physically active and social that it's hard to recognize them as being the same kids. They weren't noticeably antisocial or sedentary before, but the difference is like day and night."

"From what little I've seen of them, I think that your sons are likely to be a good influence on mine. G especially, likes to vegetate in front of the television and binge watch anime. Paul seems accustomed to standing apart from things until he's forced to react. He's not one to take the initiative, even though he's probably the emotionally stronger of the two."

"Well, maybe helping Jim learn to use and control his fire will help to ease Paul out of his shell a little bit." Ares said speculatively.

"Perhaps. I've been concerned about him, but felt that it was best to allow him to work things out on his own."

"That's probably the best thing we can do for our children. If we're always interfering in their lives, they'll never learn to deal with the world. They'll always be expecting us to step in and bail them out."

"It may be the best thing, but it can also be the hardest thing. I don't want to see them get hurt."

"We do our best, but if we keep them wrapped in cotton wool, we're doing them no favors."

"Dad! Dad! You gotta come see! Paul's transformation is the coolest thing EVER!" Cain called breathlessly as he ran into the dining room.

Conrad's eyes went wide at the sight of the boy who seemed to be half human and half dog... and half tiger, in an odd sort of way.

Before anyone could respond or react, Cain was off like a shot, back out the door.

Ares looked around the table before asking, "Gentlemen? Would you be interested in going to see what has Cain so excited?"

"I know that Paul occasionally transforms at school, as part of his studies, but I haven't seen him do it since last Halloween. I think I'd like to see it again." D said as he stood.

"I have to admit that I'm intrigued." Ares admitted, then looked to Agent Fastbeck and asked, "Are you interested?"

"Are you kidding? I'm blown away by the dog-cat-boy thing that just ran in here. There's no way I'm going to miss out on whatever excited him."

Ares and D shared a smile at his reaction as the adults walked as a group out of the dining room.

* * * * *

"I thought you could only transform into animals." Conrad whispered as he stared wide eyed at the nearly seven foot tall horned demonic being standing before him.

"Just do me a favor and don't judge a book by its cover, okay? I'm not going to try and hurt you or steal your soul or anything." Paul said in a surprisingly deep voice.

"Whatever you say." Conrad said distantly as he continued to stare.

"That's really amazing. I don't think anyone in Brynnhollow can do a transformation like that." Ares said appreciatively.

"I think that all of your magical styles and transformative abilities are relatively the same because the people of Brynnhollow have been isolated for so many generations and are all derived from the same genetic stock." D said speculatively.

"G says that in their school, they get to learn about magic and the history of witches and all kinds of stuff that regular people never get to learn about." A small boy said frankly.

Conrad was able to pry his gaze away from Paul to look at the boy and was surprised to see that he had small horns on his forehead and seemed to have goat legs.

"D and Conrad, I don't think you were introduced to Tannis, he's Jim's younger brother." Ares said as he indicated the young faun.

"What G told you is true. There are enough witches in our community that we were able to make a school specifically suited to their needs." D said with a smile.

"I wish we had something like that here." Tannis said sincerely.

"Since you don't have any outsiders here, you should be able to teach whatever you like in your public schools." D said frankly.

"We don't have public schools. The different family compounds around the area each see to the education of their children in their own ways. Travel alone would make having one central school location a nearly impossible burden for the parents." Ares explained.

"Perhaps I could arrange for a teacher or a small group of them to travel in a circuit, teaching at different locations each day. I can imagine that it would be the sort of experience that might be invigorating, for new teachers especially, and allow the children to be given up-to-date knowledge." D said thoughtfully.

"But don't you have to keep this place a secret?" Conrad asked curiously.

"We're witches. We have secrets that we have to keep every day of our lives." D said frankly.

Conrad stared wide eyed at the young centaur that approached them.

"Look at what Paul showed me how to do!" Jim said happily.

Conrad watched as Jim made a complicated hand gesture... and nothing happened.

"Say the words aloud if you can't project them clearly in your mind." Paul said instructively.

"Yeah. I can do it, it's just harder when someone's watching." Jim said, then stopped and took in a long slow breath.

Conrad continued to watch, not wanting to do anything to disrupt the excited boy's minuscule thread of concentration.

Jim once again did the hand gestures. This time the action resulted in a perfectly formed ball of fire resting in the palm of his hand.

"You ready?" Jim asked Paul happily.

"Go ahead." Paul said as he took a few steps back and Conrad noticed his hooves.

Jim hurled the fireball at Paul, who caught it easily with one hand.

Paul tossed the fireball back to Jim and a game of 'catch' ensued.

Conrad watched silently as the centaur and the 'demon' tossed the fireball back and forth between them.

"Agent Conrad..." G began to say.

"Fastbeck." Conrad corrected automatically.

"Right. Is all of this too much for you, or do you think that you can handle a little more?" G asked curiously.

"I can't honestly tell you right now. I'm a little bit overwhelmed." Conrad said frankly.

"Let me know when you're whelmed again, because I've got something really great to show you." G said excitedly.

"I think I'll be alright. Go ahead." Conrad assured him.

"Demi?" G called out.

"I'm ready." One of Ares son's said. He appeared to be dressed only in a loincloth.

As Agent Fastbeck watched, Deimos began to transform and became some sort of a humanoid-reptilian monster.

"I think everyone's changed, so it's time for me to do my thing." G said happily.

Conrad watched G carefully and saw the transformation sweep over him. The average, sweet-looking boy that had been standing before him was suddenly replaced by a smirking demented-looking clown.

G raised his hands in a lifting gesture, then Conrad noticed that all around them, things seemed to be shifting to a new reality. The ground became polished stone, walls suddenly appeared and within a few seconds they were in a monstrous meeting hall complete with pillars and statues.

"G's gift is illusion." D said from Conrad's side, startling him.

"So none of this is real?" Conrad asked disbelievingly.

"No. It's a magical construct from G's imagination." D said seriously, then pointed at one of the pillars and continued, "Do you see how detailed the ivy is, growing up the pillar? That's what G's learning now, how to embed high levels of detail into his illusions."

The game of catch had stopped and everyone seemed to be just as much in awe of G's illusion as Conrad was.

"The fire is warm." Cain said as he stood before one of many fire pits around the room.

"Only because you expect it to be." G said frankly as he looked over his handiwork.

Conrad thought for a moment, then asked D, "Is this like the illusion back at the parking lot?"

"I assume that it is." D said simply, then explained, "It's hoped that when G gets older and more powerful in his magic, that he'll be able to make illusions that will be permanent. It appears that someone with that ability made the illusion at the parking lot and probably tied it into the protection spell that's on the entire Brynnhollow forest.

"Dad, is it okay if I fly for a little bit? I know that I can't carry anyone as big as G or Paul, but I still want to show them." Deimos asked Ares hopefully.

"I think that you'll have to wait for the illusion to end, or no one will be able to see you." Ares said simply.

G made a dramatic gesture, lowering his hands, and the entire illusion that he had created dissolved into nothingness.

Conrad looked around to verify what he was seeing when a movement in the grass drew his attention.

It took a moment for it to register in the dim lantern light, but as soon as he understood what he was seeing, he called out, "Snake!"

Agent Fastbeck had his gun in his hand faster than he would have thought possible, his years of training overriding his conscious thought.

"He's a friend!" Ares hurried to explain.

"Put that away." D said in a scolding tone.

Conrad kept his gun drawn and trained on the enormous pale snake as it approached Ares, then began to transform.

It wasn't so much that he lowered the gun as his arms went slack when he saw the upper portion of the snake take human form.

"Uncle Dark!" Cain said happily.

"What are you doing here? I thought that you expected to be busy today." Ares asked curiously, then pulled the snake-man into his arms and gave him a full, deep kiss.

There was a long moment of silence, but when the pair separated, Dark finally answered, "Actually, I was even busier than I expected. That's why I'm here. I was hoping that I might be able to borrow one or both of your sons tomorrow. My stock is nearly depleted and I'm going to need someone to mind the counter while I make more."

"I had been planning on the boys helping my grandfather but..." Ares trailed off, then looked to D and asked, "Do you think your boys would mind helping us out for the next few days?"

"I don't know. You might ask them." D said frankly.

"Boys! Come over here. We have some business to discuss." Ares called out.

Conrad was once again amazed by the sight of the boys. The demon, centaur, dragon, faun, dog-cat-boy thing and the clown gathered around to see what Ares had to say.

"Dark is going to need some help at the mask shop tomorrow, but I already promised that someone would help your Grandpa Lowell." Ares said seriously.

"Dad said that we could come over here tonight as long as we promised to help him tomorrow." Jim said regretfully.

"Is it okay if we help?" Paul asked his father cautiously.

"That's up to you. I had been planning on you tagging along with me, but this sounds like it might end up being more interesting." D said honestly.

"How does this sound?" Ares asked, drawing all attention back to him. "Cain knows the way, he can take G over to my grandfather's house first thing in the morning so that they can help him load up and go into Brynnhollow. Paul and Deimos can go to Dark's shop and help customers while Dark focuses on making more masks."

"Before you say yes, Grandpa Lowell thinks that the sun is a lazy slob for waiting until sunrise to wake up. We'll have to be there really early." Cain warned.

"I think I can handle it." G said with his exaggerated 'clown' smirk reinforcing his amusement.

"What about you guys?" Ares asked, directing his question toward Deimos and Paul.

"Yeah. Sounds like fun." Paul said easily.

"Good. I think the plan is for us to walk into town so that D can attend a meeting, then Agent Conrad and I are going to go to Andrea's house."

"Agent Fastbeck." Conrad quietly corrected.

"Agent?" Dark asked curiously.

"FBI." Ares confirmed.

"It's okay, Uncle Dark. We invited him. He's supposed to be here." Cain said reassuringly.

Dark looked anxiously at Agent Fastbeck, then unwillingly down at the gun which was still clutched in his hand.

"Dark, would you have time for a drink before you have to head back? I'm guessing that you're going to be up most of the night making more masks." Ares asked pleasantly.

"I haven't had a chance to stop and breathe since this morning. A drink sounds wonderful." Dark said gratefully.

"Then let's head inside." Ares said with a smile.

"Can we stay out a little while longer?" Deimos asked hopefully.

"Half an hour." Ares said firmly, then looked toward Paul and Jim and continued, "Be careful of the fire."

"We will." Paul promised.

Ares nodded, then led the adults toward the house.

* * * * *

"I'll be back in just a minute." Dark said as he slithered into the living room.

"I'll get your drink while you're changing." Ares told him, then asked his other guests, "Would anyone else like a drink?"

"I don't usually, but after..." Conrad trailed off.

"You've earned it." Ares chuckled, then asked, "D?"

"No. Thank you." D quietly responded.

Ares nodded that he had heard, then hurried out of the room.

* * * * *

When Dark walked into the living room, Conrad was surprised to see that he looked like a perfectly normal human.

"I won't be able to stay long. I have a ton of work needing to be done." Dark said as he took a seat.

"With as casual and easygoing as everyone seems to be here, I didn't expect to see someone who was rushed." D said honestly.

"I have the rest of the year to relax." Dark said, then smiled as Ares walked into the room.

"You mentioned before that you run a mask shop. Can I assume that you're talking about Halloween masks?" Conrad asked curiously, then accepted a glass from Ares.

"In a sense. All my masks are handmade, so they might not be what you'd typically think of as 'Halloween masks'. It may be my own conceit, but I think of each one as being an example of my artistic expression. But at this time of year... yeah, they're Halloween masks."

"Here you go." Ares said as he placed a frothy drink on the side table beside Dark.

"Thanks." Dark said gratefully and immediately picked up the drink.

"If you're going to be here Monday, you should probably get a mask for the celebration. Everyone will have one." Ares suggested helpfully.

"I don't know if I'll be here or not. I'll just have to wait and see how things go." Conrad said honestly.

"I'm sure that my boys are going to insist that we attend. I don't know when we'll have time to do it, but I'm sure that I'll be bringing the boys by at some point to get masks for all of us." D said frankly.

"Agent Fastbeck." Dark said, drawing his attention, "Have we met before?"

"Not that I know of." Conrad answered slowly.

"Of course not. We couldn't have." Dark said with a shake of his head, then explained, "But I feel as though I've seen you somewhere."

"Do you already have a mask in mind for him?" Ares asked curiously.

"It doesn't work that way. I make the masks, then people choose the ones they want." Dark said seriously.

"Just a second." Ares said as he hurried out of the room.

"Will we need anything besides a mask to attend this celebration?" D asked curiously.

"Some people will make elaborate costumes, based on the design of the mask. But it's not uncommon for someone to just wear a mask and a cloak to hide their identity." Dark said instructively.

"The boys will probably want to go the whole nine yards. I suppose that I'd better be prepared for that." D said wearily.

"Let Cain and Deimos handle it. Just take a step back and see what they come up with on their own." Dark suggested before taking another drink.

"This is a prime example of one of Dark's masks." Ares said as he walked back into the living room and offered a mask to Conrad.

After a moment to look it over, Conrad quietly said, "I can see what you mean about it being a work of art. This is some beautiful craftsmanship."

"Thank you." Dark said with a smile.

"I agree. That's some beautiful work." D said admiringly, then thought to ask, "Did you make this for Ares based on his Karasu Tengu transformation?"

"No. At the time I made this mask, I hadn't seen Ares in nearly twenty years and he hadn't transformed yet. Cain and Deimos picked out the mask, thinking that it would be perfect for their father." Dark said before taking the last drink from his glass.

"So, can I infer that the masks have some significance beyond that of a simple Halloween celebration?" D asked curiously.

"For first celebrants, the masks tend to align with their emerging animal aspects and help them visualize their manifestation. Beyond that, who's to say? I just know that it's a tradition that's very important to the people of Brynnhollow and that I'm incredibly honored to be chosen to make the masks."

"Why the sudden surge in demand? I haven't heard anything about an increase in population. Why are you having to make so many more masks than usual?" Ares asked curiously.

"Ask Andrea." Dark said as he stood, then added, "I've got to change and get back to work."

Before anyone could question further, Dark hurried out of the room.

* * * * *

"Well, it looks like we're all going to have an early morning so we should probably think about going to bed. I'm going to start the water heater, in case anyone wants a bath." Ares said as he picked up Dark's empty glass.

"Do you need any help cleaning up?" Conrad offered quickly.

"I won't turn down help." Ares responded with a smile.

"I'll call the boys in so that they can get settled before bed." D volunteered.

"Sounds good. We'll be in the kitchen if you need anything." Ares said before leading Conrad out of the living room.

* * * * *

"I noticed that you didn't bring anything with you. Would you like to borrow some clothes to wear tomorrow?" Ares asked as he started washing dishes.

"That would be fine, except that I don't think your clothes would fit me." Conrad said frankly.

"Dark keeps some clothes over here for when he spends the night. He won't mind if I loan you something." Ares said casually as he handed Conrad a washed glass.

"If you're sure that he wouldn't mind." Conrad said slowly.

"He won't mind at all. I promise."

"Please tell me if this is none of my business, but I saw the way that you two kissed when he arrived..." Conrad trailed off uncomfortably.

"It's none of your business." Ares said with a teasing smile, then continued, "Dark and I are in the early stages of a relationship."

"Is that why you and Andrea didn't work out?" Conrad asked curiously as he dried a plate.

"No. Our separation happened before Dark and I even thought about being together. With all the business of Andrea's illness and the boys having their curses become active, Andrea and I drifted apart. If someone has to be at fault for that, I'll take the blame. But I don't think there's any way that things would have worked out that any of us would really be happy if Andrea and I had stayed together." Ares said seriously.

"I suppose that it's better than desperately clutching onto something that's already over." Conrad said thoughtfully.

"I thought so." Ares said simply, then handed Conrad another washed plate.

* * * * *

After finishing the dishes, Conrad walked into the living room to find the boys working collectively to reconfigure the living room furniture to provide sleeping places for six.

"Since everyone knows about stuff, can we sleep in our animal forms?" Cain asked Ares hopefully.

"Sure. If you can find a way to do it so that everyone's comfortable. I imagine that Jim and Deimos are probably going to take up quite a bit of room.

"We'll figure it out." Cain said with certainty.

"Okay. Just as long as someone will let me know if you're having a problem." Ares said with a smile.

"Yeah!" Cain said triumphantly.

"The water heater should be up to temp if anyone would like to take a bath." Ares said, directing his statement mostly toward D, then he turned to Conrad and continued, "Come with me and I'll get you a change of clothes."

"Thank you." Conrad said quietly as he followed.

* * * * *

Conrad woke with a start at a sound outside his bedroom door. It took a moment for it to repeat, but Conrad eventually identified the unmistakable sound as being that of teenage boys trying to be quiet.

It was so dark in the bedroom that Conrad had to fumble his way toward the light under the bedroom door. Once he'd opened it and let some light in, he found the matches to light the oil lamp.

Conrad was surprised to find that the pants that he had borrowed fastened with buttons, rather than snaps and zippers. Regardless, the clothes were comfortable and looked reasonably good on him.

Once he was certain that he was presentable, he left the bedroom. Not only the light, but also the noise drew him to the kitchen where Ares and all six boys were in motion, apparently preparing breakfast.

"I'm sorry if we woke you up with all the commotion. I'm actually surprised that D isn't awake yet." Ares said frankly.

"I don't know for sure, but I think Dad probably used some kind of a silence spell or something like that. He's really good at basic magic." G said honestly.

"Even so, he's going to need to wake up soon so that we can be on our way." Ares said seriously.

"I'll get him." G immediately volunteered.

"We'll all help you." Paul quickly announced.

Before Ares or Conrad could object, all six boys funneled out of the room.

"This is just about ready. Do you want to help me get breakfast on the table? I'm betting that D's going to be wide awake and on his way out here before very long." Ares finally said.

"Safe bet."

* * * * *

Conrad didn't come from a large family, so sitting at the table with so many people energetically chattering all at once was unfamiliar to him.

As soon as the meal was finished, Cain and G hurried to go to Grandpa Lowell's house.

Jim and Tannis left soon after to return home, and it was obvious that they didn't want to go.

Once the morning dishes were done and everything around the house was settled, Ares, D, Conrad, Paul and Deimos left as a group, heading toward their first stop at Dark's house.

* * * * *

As they walked, Conrad considered how many times he had pointlessly gone jogging, ending up exactly where he had started in a half-hearted attempt to maintain an acceptable level of fitness. The walk through the forest just after dawn was brisk and invigorating. And most importantly for Conrad, it had a point.

When they finally reached Dark's house, Ares sent Deimos around to check in Dark's workshop while he knocked on the front door.

Deimos returned a few minutes later and told the group that Dark was in his shop, still working on masks.

After a brief visit with Dark, Ares and D gave their sons hugs and wished them a good day before leaving them to their work.

* * * * *

The walk from there went on for more than an hour.

Although Conrad still had more questions than answers, he was content to continue on in silence and think about what he had learned so far.

He also had to prepare for his impending meeting with Andrea. There was always the possibility that she had been lured to Brynnhollow and was being kept there against her will by threats against her or her sons.

He didn't believe that to be the case, but he would be derelict in his duty if he didn't at least explore the possibility.

"Do you want to stop in at the town hall for a cup of tea with the elders before we continue on to Andrea's?" Ares asked as Brynnhollow began to come into view ahead of them.

It took a moment for Conrad to realize that Ares was speaking to him. "No. I'd rather get right down to business."

"I have no idea how long this is going to take." D said to Ares frankly.

"None of us do. We'll do our business, then we'll stop in to see how you're doing. We can make plans then." Ares said simply.

D nodded his agreement to the plan.

"Do you know where you're going from here?" Ares asked to confirm.

"Yes. Thank you for all your help."

"My pleasure. We'll see you later today."

"Goodbye."

* * * * *

After walking for a few minutes, Ares quietly asked, "Do you have a family, Agent Fastbeck?"

"Not anymore. I lost my mom about ten years ago to cancer. My dad was killed six years ago in a mass shooting."

"Was he in the FBI, too?"

"No. He was just a regular guy; retired civil service. As soon as I heard about it, I followed up on the investigation, trying to uncover why it had happened. From what I could tell, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was completely senseless."

Ares didn't have any response to that.

After a few more minutes of walking, Ares quietly asked, "No wife or girlfriend, then?"

"I dated quite a bit when I was younger, but I don't have much of a social life since joining the bureau."

"So it's not like it is in the Bond movies?"

"No. Not really."

* * * * *

"Well, this is it. Are you going to want for me to go somewhere for a while to give you a chance to talk?" Ares asked curiously.

"How about we play it by ear? If I need for you to step out of the room, I'll tell you."

"Just so you know, I'm not good at subtle hints."

"I'll keep that in mind." Conrad assured him.

* * * * *

After a knock on the door, Conrad and Ares waited for any response.

"Is this an unreasonable time for us to be visiting?" Conrad asked quietly.

"Not by Brynnhollow standards, but I don't follow along closely enough with Andrea's activities to know when would be the best time to catch her at home and awake." Ares said honestly.

"Didn't you say that she has a job that she works at night?" Conrad asked slowly.

"That's right..." Ares began to say when the door suddenly opened.

"Ares?! Did we have something planned for this morning?" Andrea asked curiously.

"No. I just thought that this would be the best time to try and catch you at home. We didn't wake you, did we?" Ares asked with concern.

"No. We haven't been to sleep yet. Please come in." Andrea said as she opened the door wide to invite Ares and Conrad inside.

"Andrea, I'd like for you to meet Agent Fastbeck with the FBI." Ares said as he walked into the living room and stood aside.

"FBI? Here?" Andrea asked in confusion.

"Your mother was concerned about you and asked that we investigate your disappearance." Conrad said simply.

"Of course. She might have a use for me someday, so I must be kept safe and pristine up on a shelf until I'm needed." Andrea said wearily.

"Excuse me?" Agent Fastbeck asked curiously.

"Never mind. I have a pot of tea steeping, please come into the kitchen and have a seat, then we can discuss why you're here." Andrea said with an inviting smile.

"Yes. Thank you." Conrad said uncertainly as he watched Andrea hurry away ahead of them.

* * * * *

As they walked into the kitchen, Conrad immediately noticed a frog sitting in a tub of water on one of the chairs by the table.

Noticing Agent Fastbeck's curious gaze, Andrea casually said, "That's Juliet."

Conrad blinked in surprise, then cautiously asked, "Is she a pet or a person?"

In response to his question, the frog hopped out of the tub and onto the table. A few quick hops later, she was on the floor beside the chair. As Conrad watched, Juliet began to grow and reshape herself until she became a mostly humanoid looking woman. As her form began to stabilize, she had one hand strategically placed to cover her mottled green and gray breasts.

Andrea walked to the kitchen door and took a robe down off a peg from behind it.

"Wait. How is this possible? I thought you were the only woman who could transform." Ares asked curiously.

Andrea draped the robe around Juliet's shoulders as she asked, "Do you remember that curse that I've been telling you about?"

"Yes. Of course. But I thought that was just to undo the insanity aspect of the Brynn curse." Ares said thoughtfully.

"For what is given, something must be taken." Juliet said simply.

Both Ares and Agent Fastbeck looked at her curiously.

"Don't ask me to explain it. I just trust that the witches know what they're doing." Andrea said frankly.

"Hold on. I'm getting a little bit... quite a bit lost here. Would you mind if we went back to the beginning of the story so I can understand what you're talking about?" Conrad asked hopefully.

"Sit down and we can talk about it while we're having our tea." Andrea said simply.

"I'll be back in just a minute." Juliet muttered before hurrying out of the room.

Ares and Conrad sat down at the kitchen table and watched as Andrea gathered the teapot and cups onto a tray.

"I hope that you'll excuse my appearance. I wasn't expecting anyone this morning." Andrea said as she carried the tea service to the table.

"A lot of my job is dealing with people who are so coiffed and perfumed that they hardly even seem human. They're just mannequins, with no purpose but to display the latest in fashion and style. It's nice to have the opportunity to sit and talk with a real person." Agent Fastbeck said seriously.

"That's sweet of you to say. I've been so busy since I've been here that keeping up with 'hair and nails' seems like a bizarre waste of time." Andrea said frankly.

"It is." Ares said simply.

Andrea smiled affectionately at him as she began to pour the tea.

"I don't want to take up too much of your time. You mentioned that you haven't been to sleep yet, so I'll just ask my questions so that we can be going." Agent Fastbeck said as he accepted a cup of tea from her.

"Can we wait for Juliet? I wouldn't want for her to feel left out." Andrea asked as she passed a filled tea cup to Ares.

"Did I hear my name?" Juliet asked as she walked back into the kitchen.

This time she looked fully human and was wearing a light blue sun dress.

"I was just telling Agent Fastbeck that I'd rather you be present when he asked his questions, so that you could be included. You've got to admit that there's quite a few things that you know about that I don't. Some of it might end up being relevant to his investigation." Andrea said as she presented Juliet a cup of tea.

"Thank you. I don't know how much help I'll be, but I'll do what I can." Juliet said timidly.

Andrea stepped away for a moment, then returned with a plate of miniature apple tarts.

"Mrs. Brynner, if you don't mind, could you tell me about how you came to be here? I'd like to hear it from your point of view." Agent Fastbeck asked professionally.

"Please call me Andrea. And I suppose that there's really not that much to it. Last year I started having abdominal pain and went to the doctor. The symptomology seemed to indicate ovarian or uterine cancer, but all the tests came back negative." Andrea finished darkly.

"She was in so much pain that she had to take a leave of absence from her job." Ares interjected.

"I can't say whether it was the pain or the pain medication that was more debilitating, but the combination of the two had me confined to a hospital bed within a month of my first symptoms." Andrea said quietly.

"At that point, I didn't have any clue of what the cause of her symptoms might be or I would have gone to seek help for her sooner." Ares said gravely.

"Your sons were eleven years old at the time, right?" Juliet asked cautiously.

"Yes. I was so afraid that I wouldn't live to see them turn twelve." Andrea said honestly.

Agent Fastbeck looked from one person to the next before quietly asking, "So you believe that your sons turning twelve years old had something to do with your illness?"

"When I married Andrea, she fell under the curse. But it seems that since my curse never became active for some reason, that her curse didn't either. Our sons were automatically cursed just for the fact that they are my sons. The curse usually manifests in children around their twelfth birthday, some sooner, some later, but twelve is about the average." Ares explained.

"And you believe that when your sons reached the age where their curses became active that it caused yours and Andrea's curses to become active as well?" Conrad speculated.

"Based on what followed, that's the only explanation that I can come up with." Ares said simply.

"We've gotten off track." Agent Fastbeck said irritably, then turned and asked, "Andrea, can you tell me what happened next? I wasn't able to uncover much information about you between the time that you fell ill and when you arrived here."

"Actually, there isn't much to tell. Between the pain and the medication that I was on, I was unconscious or delirious most of the time. I know that Ares and the boys visited me in the hospital several times and that I interacted with them to some degree, but I honestly couldn't tell you one thing that we said to each other." Andrea said frankly.

"The last time I visited, it was to deliver the cure to her. She was asleep and never even knew that I was there." Ares said distantly.

"The cure? Was it some sort of medication?" Conrad asked curiously.

"Actually, it was a poem and some scented oil. I was told that I had to read the poem aloud three times, then anoint her with the oil. After that I had to leave her and never return, because if I didn't, it would kill her."

"So, as I understand how things work around here, you basically cast a spell on her." Conrad surmised.

Ares turned his head and wouldn't meet anyone's eyes.

"He divorced her and disavowed any relationship with her." Juliet finally said into the silence.

"He what?" Conrad asked with surprise.

"There's a little more to it than that, just enough actual magic to make it work. But his marriage to her is the only reason that she was cursed to begin with. It was our hope that in breaking that bond, we could cause the weakened curse within Andrea to go dormant again." Juliet said seriously.

"We? What is your part in this?" Conrad asked curiously.

"I actually didn't do that much, but I was one of the witches that came up with the initial cure for Andrea and the subsequent curse that allowed her to continue living once she had arrived here." Juliet responded.

"Okay. Back to reality for a moment. Andrea was sick. Ares visited her, said his poem to her, then left with the boys..."

"I left with the boys then came back to read the poem, but close enough." Ares interjected.

"Right. So then, Andrea, from my investigation I heard that you had a sudden miraculous recovery." Agent Fastbeck said slowly, prompting her for more information.

"Yeah. Miraculous. That's the word for it. It was almost exactly a year ago, on Halloween. All of a sudden, it just stopped hurting. The doctors treated me like I was lying to them, then once I finally had them convinced, they said that I couldn't just stop taking the pain medication. They had to ween me off of it. Then there were tests on top of other tests, trying to find some difference between when I was sick and well." Andrea said honestly.

"So they never found a physical cause for your illness?" Conrad asked curiously.

"Not really. I mean, they could tell that I was in legitimate pain. And while I was in the hospital I kept getting all these different infections, but I'm pretty sure that it wasn't anything mystical. That whole place was one big petri dish with infections passing from patient to patient... and I think I had food poisoning once. They swore that it was a mild case of the flu, but I'm pretty sure that it was from bad chicken. The food there was really awful." Andrea said thoughtfully.

"But what happened when you got out of the hospital?" Conrad asked curiously.

"Well, even before I was released, I tried to call Ares, but there was no answer. I tried calling him at work, but they told me that he was no longer employed with them. I even tried calling the boys' school, but they told me that the boys had been withdrawn." Andrea said quietly.

"What happened when you went home?" Conrad asked as he noticed that Ares had tears falling down his cheeks.

"I had to take a taxi... I think that hurt almost as much as anything else that I'd gone through. After almost a year in the hospital, I didn't have anyone who cared enough about me to see that I was alright and that I got home safely." Andrea said as her own tears started to fall.

Juliet got up from the table and walked across the kitchen. She opened one of the lower drawers and took out some cloth dinner napkins.

When she got back to the table, she set one at each place before sitting down again.

"Thank you." Andrea whispered as she dried her eyes.

"So, when you got back to the house, Ares and the boys weren't there. What happened next? How did you decide to come to Waxell?" Conrad asked curiously.

"That didn't happen until later. For the longest time, all I did was cry and feel sorry for myself. But once I was past the worst of that, I got angry and started searching for any clue as to where Ares might have taken the boys."

Conrad nodded that he understood, encouraging her to continue.

"It's funny, in all the years that we were married, I never realized how much I didn't know about my husband. He had mentioned that his father was dead, but I never heard one word about the rest of his family. I didn't know where he grew up, went to school or anything at all about his childhood. As far as I could tell, he might not have existed at all the day before I met him." Andrea said distantly.

"I existed, but not much else." Ares said quietly.

"But how did you decide to come to Waxell to look for him?" Conrad asked curiously.

"I was at home, going through some of our wedding things, feeling sorry for myself and trying to find something to hang onto, to prove that our whole life together wasn't a lie. Then I found some paperwork with a Waxell address."

"What paperwork was that, if I may ask?" Conrad asked hopefully.

"Actually, it was an old paycheck stub with a note about our wedding scribbled on the back." Andrea said seriously, then asked, "Would you like for me to get it for you?"

"That won't be necessary." Conrad assured her, then continued, "So when you found the Waxell address, you came to Kentucky to search for Ares?"

"Not right away. I made a half-assed attempt at starting my life over, but it wasn't much more than going through the motions. Every day I'd think more and more about Ares and the boys. Finally, when I couldn't stand it anymore, I decided to go and look for them, once and for all. If I didn't find them, then I'd commit myself to trying to get my life back on track." Andrea said thoughtfully.

"So you drove to Kentucky, stopped in Waxell, found out where Ares was and ended up here?" Conrad guessed.

"Well, no one knew exactly where they were, but they told me enough to point me in the right direction. After that, I ended up coming here and getting lost in the forest. Fortunately, I found Drake's house before I starved to death or froze or got attacked by some wild animal." Andrea said frankly.

"Drake?" Conrad asked curiously.

"Jim and Tan's father." Ares said simply.

"Thank you, Andrea. That fills in a few of the blanks for me. I'm really sorry about bringing up unpleasant memories. There's really just one more thing that I'd like to know, if you don't mind continuing."

"No. That's fine. What did you want to know?"

"Why did you decide to stay here? I mean, I can understand you wanting to be around your sons, but it's like you dropped out of the outside world completely. You left your job, your house... your mother."

"My mother left me years ago. As far as the rest... it's meaningless to me now. Here in Brynnhollow, I have the chance to help people... not in some abstract way, like donating four cents a day, but really help them and change their lives for the better. In the outside world I was Ares' wife, Chris and David's mother and just another nameless, faceless drone slaving away every day at my job to make the corporation's stock rise a quarter of a point."

"And here you're more than that?" Conrad asked, seemingly more from personal than professional curiosity.

"I'm becoming more than that." Andrea said firmly, then smiled as she turned to Ares and continued, "I will never be able to thank you enough for encouraging me to be my own person. Even though I went through a lot of pain, both physical and otherwise, that single action is what I'll remember most. When you said that I should think about what's best for me and consider my happiness... you helped me to take responsibility for my choices."

"I only tried to share what I'd learned since I had to leave you in the hospital like that. I hated myself for what I had to do, but given the same choices, I would do it again. Since then, I had to reexamine my life and my priorities and decide what kind of future I wanted to give the boys. I didn't want them remembering their father as a self-loathing monster filled with bitterness, so I worked to forgive myself for doing what I had to do, then worked to make a life for us that would be a good foundation for them, moving into the future." Ares explained.

"What you've done for the boys is remarkable. They're so much happier and more energetic than they ever were before. So are you, for that matter. And even though you're past the point where you need my forgiveness for anything that you might have done, you have it anyway." Andrea said gently.

"Thank you." Ares said sincerely, then added in a whisper, "I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know."

* * * * *

"I thought the apple pie in Waxell was the best that I ever tasted, but I think your apple tarts outdo even them." Agent Fastbeck said in amazement.

Andrea chuckled, then said, "I wish I could take credit for them, but Ares' grandfather sent these over with the boys when they visited the other day."

"Well then, I'll compliment you on the tea. It's a perfectly balanced blend." Conrad said with a grin at her.

"Actually, that blend was made for me by Drake, he's an herbalist." Andrea said simply, then continued, "And since we've already established that I'm a frumpy hausfrau, maybe you should quit while you're behind."

"I'm fairly certain that at no time did I ever say the word 'hausfrau'." Conrad said with a smile.

"I suppose you didn't." Andrea said warmly.

"Since you haven't had a chance to sleep, I think we should be on our way now." Conrad said as he stood.

"Don't worry about that. I'll have plenty of time to sleep when I'm dead." Andrea said with a mischievous grin.

"Actually, according to Ima..." Juliet began to say, but stopped at the withering glare from Andrea.

"Would you mind if I stop by again some other time and ask you a few more questions?" Conrad asked in a voice that sounded a little bit more personal than professional.

"I wouldn't mind that at all." Andrea said with a demure smile.

"I'll see you later then. Have a good sleep." Conrad said as Ares joined him at the door.

"Yes. I'll see you later." Andrea said, then walked with Conrad and Ares to see them off.

* * * * *

"So, did you find out what you needed to know?" Ares asked curiously as they walked.

"I think that a few of my more important questions were answered, although I'll probably have to speak with her a few more times before I can definitively say that the matter is concluded."

"I think you just want the chance to flirt with her some more." Ares said with a teasing grin.

"I wasn't flirting. I was interviewing." Conrad stated reasonably.

"I don't remember you complimenting my apple tarts or my tea when you interviewed me."

"If you recall, we were interrupted during dinner last night. But I'm sorry if I forgot to mention that the chicken was very good."

"Duck."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Well, it was good."

"Thank you." Ares said graciously, then added, "But if you were flirting with her, you should know that she and Drake have been seeing a lot of each other. You might have some competition."

"The herbalist?"

"Yes."

"Is it serious?"

"It looks like it could go that way, but I don't think it has. With Andrea working all the time and Drake's work, plus taking care of his four kids... it's a wonder that they've been able to get as close as they have." Ares said honestly.

"I'm going to be leaving as soon as I'm done with this investigation. It would be a mistake for me to get involved with anyone." Conrad said thoughtfully.

"Yeah. One of those mistakes that people make when they're having a life."

"What are you trying to say?"

"If you don't let anyone in, life can get very lonely. And for what? Your job? You work and then you die? That's not much of a plan."

"Maybe it's not in the cards for some people."

"It's certainly not in the cards if you never ante up. You'll never win if you don't take the chance of losing."

"Wait! Are you trying to fix me up with your wife?"

"No. I'm just telling you how things look from my perspective. You've lost people and been hurt by it. Now you protect yourself by not getting close to anyone else. Not only is that not healthy, but it's also not necessary. You can have everything that's good in your life right now plus someone to hold you at night and wake up with you in the morning."

"Every day, I see the worst in people. It's my job to investigate them and discover the heinous things that they've done and don't want anyone else to know about. I think what you're talking about requires faith in humanity. I don't know if I have any."

"Then you haven't been in Brynnhollow long enough, because I have no doubt that you'll find all the humanity that you'll ever need, right here."

"For me, it's still up in the air if you people even are human."

"Okay. You may have a point. But whether we're human or not, I still think we have more than enough humanity."

"At first glance, it does appear that way."

* * * * *

The rest of their walk back to Brynnhollow was conducted in comfortable silence. Both men had things to sort through in their minds and appreciated the chance to do so without annoying chatter distracting them.

"It certainly is a lot busier during the day." Conrad said with surprise when he noticed the number of carts and people out and about.

"This is the lead up to the Samhain celebration on Monday. For the next couple days people will be buying and selling their wares all up and down the main street. Everyone is just getting set up. There'll be more to see later."

"What are we doing now?"

"I'm going to stop in and let D know that we're here. If you want, you can go over to the tavern and get us a table."

"Actually, why don't I wait for you over by that cart?" Conrad asked as he pointed to D's and Ares' sons standing with an elderly man, whom Conrad assumed was Ares grandfather.

"What are Deimos and Paul doing here? I thought they were going to be working at Dark's all day." Ares asked with surprise.

"Why don't I investigate that while you let D know that we're here?"

"Good plan. I'll see you in a few minutes."

* * * * *

"Hi, guys. I'm surprised to see you here." Conrad said as he approached the group.

"Uncle Dark asked us to take a load of masks to Mason's. We need to get back, he's been busy all morning and he needs us to be there."

"Your dad will be here in a minute, he's just letting D know that we're back."

"Not much is going on here. We're still getting things laid out and people are mostly just looking." Cain said frankly.

"It still looks like it's shaping up to be quite a party." Conrad said as he looked around at the hustle and bustle of activity surrounding them.

"This is nothing compared to what it'll be like on Monday." Deimos said with a grin.

"Yeah. I hope you're not shy, Agent Fastbeck." Cain chuckled.

Before Conrad could ask what that meant, Ares voice said from behind him, "I'm glad to see you guys, but I didn't expect you to be here."

"Uncle Dark needed us to deliver some masks for him, but we've got to go now. He needs us to watch the shop while he's working."

Ares walked to Deimos and gave him a firm hug, then seemingly on impulse, he gave Paul a hug too.

"We'll see you at the house tonight. Can we tell Uncle Dark that he's invited to dinner?"

"He's always invited, but go ahead and tell him anyway."

"We will." Deimos promised as he and Paul hurried away.

* * * * *

"I thought we were going to meet at the tavern." D said as he approached the group, accompanied by Carn and a few other men.

"It looked like you were embroiled in your meeting, so I assumed that it would be a while before you'd joined us." Ares said frankly.

"We decided that all of us would appreciate a break as well as an early lunch." D said frankly.

Ares looked at his grandfather as he said, "We'll be in the tavern if you need us for anything."

"You'd be welcome to join us, too, Lowell." Carn offered cautiously.

"Thank you. But I think my place is out here, attending to my daily business." Lowell said firmly.

Ares, Conrad and D fell into line, following the Brynnhollow elders across the street to the Brynnmorrow Tavern.

* * * * *

As the group walked into the tavern, Conrad was temporarily blinded by the sudden lower light level. Once his eyes adjusted, he looked around and saw that the tavern didn't appear to have any windows. The large main room was lit by gas wall sconces around the perimeter as well as oil lamps at each table. The dark wood bar and tables appeared to be quite old and immaculately kept, but they also virtually sucked up all the light.

Conrad followed along as the group walked through the tavern and immediately into a back room, which from all appearances, seemed to be reserved for their use.

As soon as everyone was seated, D took charge by saying, "Agent Fastbeck, I asked the Elders if you could be included in the next part of our discussion, not only to aid you in your investigation, but also to give us your outside point of view."

Conrad slowly nodded, not knowing exactly what was going to be expected of him.

"You already know Carn. Next to him are Adair and Lachlan. There are a few others who work with or advise the council in specialized areas, but these three have the final say about things and make all the decisions." D explained.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Conrad said diplomatically.

"Please relax, Agent Fastbeck. This isn't nearly as daunting as it sounds. All we're really doing is having an early lunch and we thought that while we're doing that, we'd bring you and Ares up-to-date on the Samhain plans." Carn said reasonably.

"Why?" Ares asked curiously.

"What was that?" Carn asked cautiously.

"I can sort of understand why you'd want Agent Fastbeck here, but why would you want to involve me in any of this?"

"That would mainly have to do with your involvement with Andrea. You have nearly twenty years of history with her, so you may be able to spot a flaw in our plans that none of the rest of us could possibly be aware of."

"What does any of this have to do with Andrea?"

"That's what we're here to explain. Please, take a moment to look at a menu and place your order so that we may begin." Carn said as he gestured toward the menus in the middle of the table.

* * * * *

Although Conrad had had the privilege of experiencing the cuisines of many different cultures, he had difficulty deciphering the tavern's menu.

"What language is this?" Conrad finally asked.

"I forgot about that. I doubt that any of us need to look at the menus anymore." Carn said with a smile, then continued, "I don't know if it's a specific language. It's more an amalgamation of Gaelic, Welsh and some severely bastardized English. You'll encounter quite a bit of that if you look at any of the old Shire records that were brought over. But in daily life, you'll probably only find it here. I don't think they've updated the tavern menu in a few centuries."

"What would you recommend?" Conrad asked Ares cautiously.

"How are you with meat and potatoes?"

"Fine."

"I'll order for both of us, then." Ares offered, then turned to D and asked, "Would you like for me to order for you, too?"

"No. Thank you. I should be able to manage."

"Well, good." Carn began to say, then smiled as the waiter walked into the room to take their orders.

* * * * *

Once the orders were placed, Carn turned and asked, "Agent Fastbeck, how much have you learned about the Brynn curse?"

"I don't know how much I believe, but I've heard that the curse makes it possible for your people to... um, change."

"Have you heard about what it does to the women?"

"I was told that it was the reason for Andrea's illness, but not much beyond that."

"Yes. That part of the curse applies to outsider women who marry Brynnhollow men. The women who are born here have quite a bit more to face."

Conrad thought for a moment, then slowly said, "I didn't notice before, but Juliet and Andrea are the only women that I've seen since I've been in Brynnhollow."

"Juliet? Would that be Juliet Calbrynn?" Carn asked curiously.

"I don't think she ever mentioned her last name. All I know is that she was over at Andrea's when we visited, right before we came here." Ares explained.

"If it is her, Juliet was accepted by Ima and her sisters. She's more the exception than the rule when it comes to how the curse affects Brynnhollow women." Adair explained.

"Even so, it's surprising to hear that she came down off the mountain." Carn said apprehensively.

"From the look of it, she was helping Andrea with something." Ares said simply.

"Regardless, the curse affects women in Brynnhollow differently from the way it affects men. When Brynnhollow girls reach puberty, the curse becomes active and increasingly drives them to select a mate... or mates... and procreate." Carn said uncomfortably.

"In the case of Juliet, she had the strength of will to resist the compulsion, so she went to live with the witches on the mountain, where she wouldn't have to face the constant temptation of men." Adair quietly added.

"But the majority of women are unable to resist the curse and end up getting married... or at least pregnant. Once that happens, the next phase of their curse goes into effect. After giving birth, they begin the rapid slide into complete insanity." Lachlan interjected.

"Since they still have the increasing compulsion to procreate, they become obsessed by it. At the same time, they begin to change both physically and mentally. Their bodies become deformed and twisted... and so do their minds. In the end, they go completely insane." Carn finished regretfully.

"So Andrea, being an outsider, was just supposed to get sick and die. But a woman who was born here would go completely insane?" Conrad asked to verify his understanding.

"Yes. When Brynnhollow was founded, an enormous structure was erected on an isolated pillar of rock, surrounded by a deep chasm. Once it was completed, the insane women of Brynnhollow were moved there, so that they could live independently without any male 'temptations' to aggravate their conditions." Carn said seriously.

"So you have a place where a group of mentally ill women are being held against their will?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"Before you judge us too harshly, please know that we do everything that we can for them. We provide them the necessities of life, sometimes causing the residents of Brynnhollow to have to do without." Adair hurried to explain.

"Conrad, please don't get too caught up in this. I understand how you feel about the violation of their human rights." D said seriously. "But what we're telling you is the history. Things appear to have changed and that's what we're here to discuss."

"What changed?"

"Andrea."

At Conrad's curious look, D continued, "She survived the curse. She didn't die or go insane. With the help of the witches on the mountain, she's been given a way to alter the curse on the women of Brynnhollow."

"Alter? Not remove?" Conrad asked to verify his understanding.

"Yes. Although I don't know every detail of the curse, it appears to be of such enduring strength that the only possible way to be rid of it entirely would be the extermination of every last descendent of the Brynn bloodline."

"Okay. So what do you mean about 'altering' the curse?"

"To put it in modern terms, the curse has been 'patched'. The witches created a curse that will work in concert with the Brynn curse, altering the end result without negating the original curse entirely."

"So they're cursing the curse?"

"I hadn't thought of it that way, but yes. You could say that."

"I still don't get where Andrea fits into all of this."

"That's a little bit more difficult to explain. It has to do with her in-between state of being. She's not a witch... technically, but she survived the Brynn curse. That makes her capable of carrying the new curse without falling under the terms of the old one."

"So, it's like, since she survived the curse, she's immune to it now?"

"Yes! That's a perfect way of looking at it!" Carn said triumphantly.

"Okay. I think I get that." Conrad said thoughtfully, then asked, "So am I to understand that Andrea now carries a version of the curse that will undo some of the worst effects of the old curse?"

"Yes. But let me back up and explain why we're telling you this now." Carn said seriously. "Over a month ago, Andrea came to us and told us much of what we just told you. It was her hope that with our help, we could find some way of reintegrating the Brynnhollow women back into our society."

"Which would likely cause all kinds of anger, resentment and chaos." Ares interjected.

"Wait. I don't understand why that would be." Conrad said seriously.

"What do you think would happen if two, three or even four of your exwives suddenly appeared on your doorstep and each of them felt entitled to your undivided love and attention?" Adair asked quietly.

"And what happens to the children? How does a family that's barely supporting themselves suddenly adapt to having more mouths to feed when they weren't planning on it?" Lachlan asked worriedly.

"It could conceivably cause our society to collapse." Carn said simply.

"So what are you going to do?" Conrad asked curiously.

"For better or worse, we can't keep the women isolated now that they're not a danger to themselves or others." Carn said resignedly.

"Hold on. Let me see if I got this straight. Are you saying that Andrea took this new curse that she carries and went to where the women are and basically cured them all?" Conrad asked slowly.

"Yes. Except that it isn't really a cure. All of us are still cursed. But thanks to Andrea's actions, the terms of the curses on the women have been altered so that they're not insane anymore."

"Is that why Juliet was able to transform herself?" Ares asked curiously.

"I would assume so. I'm not sure about the details, but it seems that in exchange for their sanity, they gained some of the less desirable aspects of the curse, usually associated with what happens to men." Carn said carefully.

"Okay. So now instead of being insane, the women will change into animals, which makes it so that they can't leave here and live in the outside world?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"Yes." Carn confirmed, then added, "There's also the matter of the original Brynn curse. Although we don't have any way of proving it at this time, it's believed that the new curse won't be passed on through marriage or childbirth, like the old one is."

"So Andrea will have to give the new curse to anyone who has just the old one." Conrad said speculatively.

"Yes. But only when the Brynn curse becomes active. Andrea was told by Ima that she cannot bestow the new curse on someone whose curse is dormant." Carn carefully explained.

"Dormant?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"Such as in prepubescent girls or newly married outsider women. Until the curse activates, it can't be overridden." D supplied easily.

"Okay. I think I get all of that. But I still don't know what you're going to do about all these women suddenly reappearing in your lives, all at once." Conrad said as he looked around the group.

"We don't know either." Carn said frankly.

"That's one of the things that we've been discussing." D added.

"You don't have a plan?" Conrad asked with surprise.

"On Monday we'll be having our annual Samhain celebration. At that time, something is going to happen. We're not decided on just what that will be." Carn said reluctantly.

"Now that they're sane, we can't, in good conscience, keep them locked away. But it's hard to say that they'll be better off here with us if we can't provide them food and shelter through the coming winter." Adair said frankly.

"And that doesn't even take into account the familial strife that it's going to cause when multiple wives, mothers, sisters and daughters all return at once, expecting to be welcomed with open arms." Lachlan said quietly.

"What are you going to do?" Conrad asked as he began to realize the severity of their situation.

"Eat." Carn said as he pointed to the doorway, where the waiter and the middle-aged tavern keeper were entering, carrying heavily laden trays.

* * * * *

"Sorry. I had some things I needed to do at the house. Am I too late?" A man asked as he hurried into the private dining room.

"Actually, you arrived at the perfect time. Why don't you go tell Arv what you'd like for lunch, then sit down and join us? It will be good if you're included in the next part of our discussion." Carn said pleasantly.

"Be right back." The man said as he raced out of the room.

"That was Festus, he's a prominent person in the community." Lachlan said informatively.

"He's very good about helping us to see that everyone's needs are taken into account in our decision making." Adair added.

"So, what did you need for me to be here for?" Festus asked as he hurried back into the room and took a seat at the table.

"Festus, I'd like for you to meet Mr. Darroch, he's one of those from the outside who's responsible for keeping us safe, I think you probably know Ares, and this is Agent Fastbeck from the FBI." Carn said formally.

"You brought in outside law enforcement?" Festus asked cautiously.

"Mr. Darroch brought him. Since we trust him with so much else, I see no reason for us to question him on this decision." Carn said seriously.

"Please excuse me. It's nice to meet you Mr. Darroch, Agent Fastbeck. I'm Festus Brynnmyl."

"A pleasure." D said for both of them, then added, "Please feel free to call me D."

"We were just about to discuss the plan for Monday. Since Festus is one of the few who knows that his wife is alive, well and sane, I thought that he might have a valuable perspective for us to consider." Carn said seriously.

"I don't understand. Why is he one of the few?" Conrad asked curiously.

"When Andrea came to us and explained that she could alter the curse on the women of Brynnhollow, we asked that she not let it be known to the general populace to avoid the anxiety and frustration that would almost certainly result."

"I don't understand why."

"Because, at that time, there were only a small number of women who had received Andrea's curse. The vast majority were still quite mad and Andrea couldn't be sure how effective the curse would be when it was used on larger numbers of women."

"I would guess that you have those answers by now." Conrad said speculatively.

"Yes. It seems that the curse has been effective in every instance, however the 'recovery' time seems to vary on a case by case basis."

"So you're planning to do something on Monday?"

"Yes. The problem is that Andrea is the only line of communication that we have with the women. It's difficult to coordinate things when we only speak once or twice a week."

"So, what's going to happen on Monday?" Ares asked cautiously.

"We're going to go on with the Samhain celebration as planned. While the new celebrants are showing their first transformations, a group of us are going to be lowering the drawbridge to allow the women to go free. From that point on, we're going to have to trust that Andrea has some sort of a plan for the women to follow."

"Why don't you just ask her what she's intending?" Conrad asked curiously.

"When we last spoke to her, she wasn't able to commit to any specific plan because too many things were still uncertain within the Coven."

"Coven?"

"That's what we've traditionally called the colony where the women are located." Ares explained.

"Colony? It sounds more like a prison." Conrad observed.

"To me, a prison would imply guards. Likewise, an asylum would imply the presence of doctors." Carn said carefully.

"It's all semantics. We all know what it is, even if we don't have a proper label for it. What we need to do now is decide what we're going to do to preserve the population of Brynnhollow." D interjected.

"What can we do? We can't leave the women locked up, knowing that they're no longer insane and dangerous. With winter approaching, delaying their release isn't likely to result in anything positive. As I see it, there isn't much we can do but release them, then do our best to deal with the results." Carn said wearily.

"Andrea has said that they've formed their own society and authority structure within the Coven. She mentioned that she's going to try to encourage them to embrace their autonomy and work collectively to help us." Lachlan added.

"While I trust in her good intentions, they don't do anything to address the concerns that we're facing." Carn responded.

"Festus, what are you planning to do when your wife is released?" D asked curiously.

"Tell her that I still love her." Festus said simply, then added, "And show her how well our boys turned out."

"But what are you going to do after that? Do you have a place for her in your home and in all your lives?" D asked in a leading tone.

"I'd like to think so, but it's been so long... I don't know how much she might have changed, if she'll even want us... me... in her life anymore." Festus said regretfully.

"I think that's a legitimate concern. And while some people will get the answers that they're hoping for, there will be others, both men and women, who won't. What will we do for them? What can we do for those who have lost everything and everyone?" Carn asked quietly.

"If it were just a few, I'm sure that we could find a way to manage. But we're conceivably talking about dozens, perhaps even hundreds." Adair added.

"Which brings us back to the point of what can we do? There aren't unlimited resources at our disposal."

"What if there were?" D asked cautiously.

"What was that?" Carn asked curiously.

"If resources weren't an issue, what do you think might make the impending release easier for all involved."

After a moment to consider, Carn finally admitted, "I don't know."

"Did you have something in mind?" Conrad asked curiously.

"No. But I have access to resources outside Brynnhollow, so I thought that I should bring it up so that we could at least consider what more we might be able to do." D said frankly.

"Do you think that it might help if we asked Andrea to join us?" Ares asked cautiously.

"I'm confident that she would have come to us and let us know if she had been able to come up with anything more than what we've already discussed. Summoning her here now would only serve to take her away from what might end up being more productive endeavors."

"Maybe if we told the men what was happening, they might have a chance to emotionally prepare themselves." Ares said slowly.

"And what happens to those who prepare and then are disappointed? I think the potential scale of the fallout needs to be considered. This impacts the deepest, most personal part of people's lives. No matter what we do, emotions are going to be running high. If we do this wrong, it could escalate to the point of people becoming homicidal or suicidal."

"What if we do our best to rally the men and appeal to their better natures? There are some genuinely good people living here. Don't they deserve a chance to rise to the occasion?" Ares asked carefully.

"The inconvenient fact of the matter is that the people elected us to make decisions just like this and determine what's the best thing for us to do for the common good. Regardless of what might be best for select individuals, we have to look at what's best for the community, both in the short and long term."

"Are you thinking of not releasing the women from the Coven?"

"That's not an option. They will be released and there's no doubt that this is the time to do it. What we're discussing is how we're going to do it so that we can minimize the adverse impact on the community."

"So, if I'm understanding your plan so far, on Monday you're going to go to the Coven, throw the doors open wide and the women are going to come out of their isolation and... we're all going to hope for the best?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"Actually, we'll lower the drawbridge, but yes. That's essentially true." D confirmed.

* * * * *

Conrad ate his meal and was quiet as the men around the table continued to talk back and forth about what they were planning.

Finally, when there was a break in the conversation, he turned to D and said, "I'm going to need to go back to Waxell to check in with the bureau and gather my things from the boarding house."

"Carn, do you have someone who can go with Agent Fastbeck and help him find his way back?" D asked hopefully.

"We'll have to talk to Mason about that. He's the one who handles everything to do with visiting the outside. But I'm sure that he'll be able to find someone to help you." Carn said easily.

"Thank you." Conrad said sincerely.

"In fact, it looks like everyone's done eating, so why don't we return to our offices and allow Agent Fastbeck to attend to his duties?" Carn asked decisively.

As everyone started to stand, Conrad noticed Ares looking a little bit lost.

"Would you like to come along?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"To Waxell? Not a good idea." Ares said frankly.

Conrad couldn't help but smile as he said, "You're probably right."

"I have a few pieces of furniture on display at Mason's. I'll check in with him to see if anyone has placed any orders. After that, I'll see if there's anything I can do to help my grandfather." Ares said casually.

"If you're going to Mason's anyway, you can ask him about finding someone to take you into Waxell." Lachlan suggested helpfully.

"We'll do that." Ares assured him.

Conrad noticed that before stepping away from the table, each of the men placed one or two dollars beside their place settings.

It took a moment for Conrad to realize that the dollars weren't what he expected. The printing reminded him of foreign currency. Although he couldn't make out every detail, he could see "The Southern Bank of Kentucky, Three Dollars" clearly printed on the front of one bill.

He turned to Ares and quietly said, "It appears that I don't have your local currency. Could you help me?"

"You're our invited guest. The council will pay for the meal. We were just leaving tips for Talbot, our waiter." Carn explained pleasantly.

"Oh. Would it be better if I got some of your local currency to tip him?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"That's not necessary. If he can't use what you give him, he can always exchange it with Mason." Carn said simply.

Conrad took out his wallet and dropped a five dollar bill on the table before joining Ares at the door.

* * * * *

After a short walk down the street, Ares and Conrad arrived at Mason's shop.

Conrad was surprised to see so many 'outside world' trinkets on display. He was likewise intrigued by the selection of masks that were on a table just inside the door.

"Ares! I'm glad you stopped by. Give me a minute and I'll get you the list of orders that I've taken." A man said quickly.

"Orders? You mean that someone wants to buy my furniture?" Ares asked with surprise.

"Yes. It looks like you're going to be busy for the next few months." The man chuckled.

"Before you go, we need to know if you have someone who can go into Waxell with Conrad so that he can find his way back." Ares rushed to say before the man disappeared into the back room.

"Let me see if Rocky's left yet." The man quickly responded, then dashed away.

"That was Mason." Ares said simply as he started to look around the store.

Conrad was drawn to the masks and started looking through them as they waited for Mason to return.

* * * * *

"Agent Fastbeck?" A young man's voice asked from behind him.

"Yes? Oh. Hello, Rocky." Conrad said with a smile.

"Mason said that you needed to go into Waxell. I was going to be gassing up the truck today, so I'll be passing through there if you need a ride." Rocky said pleasantly.

"I have a car... well, it's borrowed. If you can get me to the parking lot, I should be able to find my way to Waxell from there. I just don't know what I'll do about finding my way back here." Conrad said thoughtfully.

"We can go to the parking lot, do what we need to do, then I can meet you in Waxell at the drugstore whenever you're done. If you need to return your borrowed car, I can drive you back to Brynnhollow from there." Rocky said pleasantly.

"I won't be able to decide anything like that until I've checked in with the bureau." Conrad said with a smile, then asked, "Do you need to do anything, or are you ready to go?"

"I'm ready." Rocky said easily, then looked down at Conrad's hands and asked, "Did you want to buy that?"

Conrad was surprised to find that he had been holding a mask while they talked.

"No. I didn't realize that I'd picked it up." Conrad said honestly.

Ares, who had been watching, said, "Why don't you go ahead and get it? You're going to need one anyway and you might not get another chance. I can take it back to the house with me."

After looking it over, Conrad quietly asked, "How much is it?"

"How much do you think it's worth?" Ares asked with a smile.

Conrad handed the mask to Ares, then took out his wallet and selected a twenty dollar bill.

"If this isn't enough, let me know. I'm not trying to be cheap. I just don't know the value of money here." Conrad said as he handed the money to Rocky.

"I think this is fine." Rocky said as he walked behind a counter and placed the money in a lock box.

"I'll see you when you get back. You'll be able to find me at my grandfather's cart." Ares said with a smile.

"I'll see you later." Conrad said before leaving with Rocky.

* * * * *

As Rocky and Conrad walked, Conrad quietly asked, "Do you ever think about what it would be like to live in the outside world?"

"Not really. It's a nice place to visit, but there's no way I'd want to give up my life in Brynnhollow." Rocky said earnestly.

"I suppose that I can see that." Conrad said easily.

"Mason tries to limit the time we spend outside, so people don't start recognizing us or asking questions. I'll probably only be running for another month or two before someone else takes my place." Rocky added.

"What are you going to do then?"

"I'll be working in Mason's store, like I do now. Later on, I'll probably find something else that I'd like to do more and start doing that."

"Do you think that you'll miss traveling to the outside?"

"No. I think I've seen all that I wanted to see."

* * * * *

When they arrived in the parking lot, Rocky went to a pickup truck as Conrad went to his borrowed car. Rocky made a point of once again telling Conrad where they were going to meet.

Driving back to Waxell, Conrad couldn't help but feel like he was waking up from a dream. He was leaving the 'fantasy' world of Brynnhollow and traveling back to 'reality'.

A part of him regretted leaving and was a little bit afraid that he wouldn't be able to return.

With a bit of effort, he was able to get his mind to focus on the job that he had been sent there to do and he compiled a list of things that he needed to accomplish as soon as he reached Waxell.

* * * * *

"What the hell happened to you? You said that you'd keep in touch!"

"Yeah. I ended up in a dead zone where even the sat-phone couldn't connect. Don't worry, everything's fine."

"Did you find out what happened to the Brynner woman?"

"Yes. I located Andrea Brynner and she's alive and well."

"So, are you on your way back now?"

"No. There are still one or two things that I need to sort out before I can call the case closed."

"What kind of things? What did you find?"

"I can't go into it right now. Let's just say that Andrea dropped out of sight for what appears to be legitimate reasons. I should be able to determine if they are in the next two days. If they're not, she may need my help to return to Maryland."

"You're not getting personally involved in this, are you Con?"

"No... well, maybe a little. But even if I weren't, I'd still need to do this. Everything should be resolved Monday night, so expect to hear from me on Tuesday."

"Tuesday? Do you mean that you plan to be out of touch until then?"

"That's right. What I'm investigating takes place inside that dead zone that I was telling you about."

"Do you need for me to come down there to back you up?"

"No. So far I haven't seen any indications of anything dangerous. There are just some matters that need to be resolved and I'd like to see how that turns out before I close the case."

"If you're sure... but call on me if you need anything. Remember, I've got your back."

"I'll remember."

* * * * *

After checking his email, Conrad gathered his things and settled his bill with Mrs. Shumlin. Once his luggage was loaded into the car, he drove to the main street, then walked to the drugstore where Rocky said that they would meet.

Stepping inside was like stepping into a Norman Rockwell painting. It occurred to him that Brynnhollow wasn't the only town that seemed to exist outside of time.

After looking over the menu board, Conrad ordered a cherry phosphate. Thinking back, he couldn't help but concur with Fred's assessment of Waxell. After the initial quaint nostalgia had worn off, the place was well and truly giving him the creeps.

The tinkle of a bell as the door opened drew Conrad's attention and he saw Rocky entering.

"Ready to go?" Rocky asked pleasantly.

"Yes. I'm parked on the next block. There's no way I could have fit that car into one of the tiny parking spaces out front." Conrad said as he stood.

"Yeah. That's where I parked too."

"Did you want to get anything while you're here?"

"No. I've got too much to do when I get back."

"Somehow I thought that when you went to town you'd take the opportunity to indulge in things that you can't do at home." Conrad said as he casually walked with Rocky down the sidewalk.

"I've done that, but I'm over it now. All I want to do is go home."

"Then let's do it."

* * * * *

As Conrad drove, he had to admit, if only to himself, that he was looking forward to the peace and quiet of Brynnhollow. All the while, he examined his feelings, trying to determine if he were in any danger of disregarding his previous commitments and starting over in the timeless land where monsters live and fairy tales are true.

In the end, he was certain that when the case was concluded that he would go back to the 'real' world. But there was a part of him, deep inside, that was desperately searching for a reason to stay.

* * * * *

When they finally reached the parking lot, Conrad joined Rocky for the long walk back to Brynnhollow. Although Conrad's bags weren't particularly heavy, he was nonetheless grateful that Rocky had volunteered to help him carry them.

"Can I ask you something?" Rocky asked, breaking the long contemplative silence between them.

"Sure. What do you want to know?"

"What kind of a life do you think I would have had if i'd been born in the outside world?"

"I think that mostly depends on the circumstances that you were born into. If you had been born to wealthy parents, your expected outcome would be vastly different from if you'd been born poor."

"It's nothing like that in Brynnhollow. I mean, if your parents are winemakers, you might become a winemaker. But everyone's free to become whatever they want to be."

"Unless they're born female."

"Well, yeah."

"You've had the opportunity to see how people live outside of Brynnhollow. How does it make you feel to know that there's a whole world of people experiencing things that you can't have?"

"Of course I feel like it's unfair, but that's just the way it is for us. I'm a Brynn. It's my lot in life. I can either hate it or make the most of what I do have."

"Do you think that you'll ever get married and have kids?"

"Well, I don't know how much choice I have in the matter. I don't think anyone knows exactly how the curse works, but it seems to me that if there weren't some kind of a compulsion at work, forcing us to act against our own best interests, that the Brynns would have died out a long time ago."

"How do you mean?"

"We all know that when a woman gets married, or just gets pregnant, that she's just a year or two away from being exiled to the Coven. These are people that we grew up with and that we love, but we still keep doing the thing that will hurt them the most. I can tell you right here and now that as long as I'm in my right mind, I'll never hurt someone I love like that."

"Do you know of any men in Brynnhollow who haven't gotten married... or fathered children?"

"There are a few, but not many. I think they're probably the male counterparts of Ima and her sisters."

"But you think that other than those rare few who were able to resist the compulsion, that the rest of the men of Brynnhollow are victims of the curse that forces them to condemn the women to their fates?"

"Yes. If everyone were in their right mind and thinking clearly, the Brynns would just die out. No one would get married or pregnant, no one would go completely insane, and no children would be born to suffer the same fate later."

"When we get back to town, would you mind talking to D and Carn about this?"

"Why?"

"I don't want to say more at this point, but if you're right about the men of Brynnhollow being under a compulsion, then it might be something that needs to be addressed right away."

"Why would it be? It's been this way for hundreds of years. What's the sudden rush?"

"You know that I'm with the FBI, right?"

"Yes."

"In the course of my job, I sometimes come across things that are sensitive, classified or top secret, even though they may not be presented as such at the time."

"Okay, I guess so."

"To do my job effectively, it's sometimes necessary for me to withhold certain information. I'm asking that you trust my judgment in this matter."

"Okay. Yeah, of course. It just seems weird because this is something that everyone probably already knows. I mean, if I reasoned it out, it's got to be pretty obvious."

"It's possible that others know, but they may not have deduced the link between this and... other things that are going on."

"Oh! You mean Andrea, don't you? Her being here seems to have stirred some things up. In fact, that's what brought you and D here, isn't it?"

"Yes and no. Andrea is the initial reason for me being here, but I don't know that what we were discussing has anything to do with her directly."

"Okay. I won't ask anymore questions."

"I don't want you to stop asking questions, just understand that there are certain things that I can't talk about."

"Alright." Rocky said easily, then asked, "What's it like being in the FBI?"

"Paperwork. From. Hell."

* * * * *

Their discussion moved on to lighter topics, mostly focusing on the comparison of how things were in Brynnhollow as opposed to the outside world.

During the course of their conversation, Conrad was surprised to learn that Rocky had come to the conclusion that Waxell was somehow 'fake' or at least, not what it seemed to be on the surface.

When they arrived back in Brynnhollow, Rocky and Conrad went directly to the council offices.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, do you mind if I come in for a moment?" Conrad asked from the doorway to the council chamber.

"Please do. Can I assume that all went well in Waxell?" D asked curiously.

"Yes. Everything is fine." Conrad assured him, then asked, "Do you mind if Rocky comes in, too? We were discussing something on the way back here and I don't know if it's something that you've considered in your plans."

"Yes. Please come in and have a seat. I have to admit that I'm intrigued." Carn said with a smile.

"You're cursed. That's been established. It's been suggested that your people would have died out by now if the curse that affects the men didn't include a compulsion, comparable to that of the women."

"Yes. We've been speculating about that for as long as anyone can remember." Carn confirmed.

"So what happens when the curse on the women is altered? Is it going to cause a comparable alteration in the men's curse? Or will the curse on the men continue to operate as it has all along, forcing them to copulate despite what their logical minds are telling them is the right thing to do?"

"That's a good question. If marriageable women suddenly appear in Brynnhollow, is it going to cause us to lose all reason?" Carn asked distantly.

"Is there any way we can test it out?" Lachlan asked cautiously.

"And even if we did, what could we do about it?" Adair interjected.

"I think someone needs to consult the witches and get their advice. They know more about the curse than any of us and considering what they've done with Andrea, it appears that they've even learned how to manipulate it to some degree." Carn said decisively.

"Should we send someone, or go ourselves?" D asked cautiously.

"We're needed here. If Ares is available, he might be the best choice. By all accounts, he knows a direct route to reach them."

"He should be just outside, at his grandfather's cart. Would you like for me to go and get him?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"I think it might be better if you asked him. Historically, we don't have the best relationship with Ares and his family. We had a productive meeting with him this morning, I think it best not to tempt fate." Carn said frankly.

"What should I tell him?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"Just what you told us. I'm sure that he'll see the importance of it and volunteer to help you."

"Me? Do you want me to go, too?"

"Who am I to say? If you have other commitments that are of paramount importance, then of course you should attend to them. But if you'd rather see that everything that can be done is being done, then you might consider going along."

"I know that you want to limit the number of people brought in on this, but do you mind if I fill Rocky in on what you're planning and have him accompany us, too?"

"If you feel that he will be of help, of course you may."

Conrad felt compelled to explain his reasoning, "Rocky's been able to see the world from both sides. He's interacted with uncursed people, but he also intimately knows what's normal in Brynnhollow. I think his point of view might be important."

"From what I hear, it's quite a hike. You'd probably better be on your way." Carn finished with a smile.

"I'll let you know what we come up with as soon as we get back." Conrad promised.

* * * * *

"Did you get everything taken care of in Waxell?" Ares asked as Conrad and Rocky approached.

"Yes. I think so. And on top of that, now I'll have a change of clothes when I need them." Conrad said as he indicated the luggage that he and Rocky were carrying.

"Good. Then if you're ready, I can walk you back to the house so that you can stow those. These guys don't need my help." Ares said, indicating Cain, G and his grandfather.

"Actually, something's come up and I was hoping that you'd be willing to act as a guide for us." Conrad said cautiously.

"Of course. Where did you want to go?" Ares agreed easily.

"To visit 'the witches'. I know that we've already established that everyone here are witches, but I don't think I heard them described otherwise." Conrad said carefully.

"Carn asked if we could escort Agent Fastbeck to visit Ima and her sisters." Rocky helpfully supplied.

"Why me?" Ares asked cautiously.

"They said that you know a shortcut to get there." Rocky said simply.

"True enough. Well then, I suppose that we'd better lay in supplies and head out. It's a long trek." Ares said resignedly.

"Should I leave my things here?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"Cain! Front and center!" Ares called toward the cart.

"Yeah?" Cain responded as he approached. Lowell and G followed him and waited to see if they were also going to be called upon.

"We have to run an errand. Will you keep an eye on Agent Fastbeck's things and carry them back to the house if we're not back before you're done for the day?" Ares asked his son seriously.

"Yeah. G and I will make sure that no one messes with your stuff." Cain responded, directing his answer to Conrad.

"Thank you. I'd appreciate that."

"Rocky, do you know where we can get some lanterns, a few flasks of water and some food that's suitable for travel?" Ares asked hopefully.

"Sure. I've got all those things at my house."

"We'll see you guys later." Ares said as he took one step forward and gave his son a firm hug.

"I'll stay at your house with the boys until you return." Lowell said seriously.

"You don't need to do that. I'm sure that they'll be fine with D." Ares said as he shifted Cain to his side and kept an arm around his shoulders.

"Oh? Are you saying that you expect your house guest to attend to your perpetually hungry sons?" Lowell asked acerbically.

"Good point." Ares conceded, then added, "Thanks, Grandpa."

"You'd better be on your way. I don't know what you're getting yourselves into but I feel safe in saying that time is probably not on your side." Lowell said knowingly.

Conrad and Rocky nodded their agreement to Lowell's assessment.

"Lead the way, Rocky." Ares said as he reluctantly released his son.

* * * * *

"What are we getting into?" Ares asked as they walked.

"Let's get our supplies together and get on the road before we get too much into that. Rocky still needs to be filled in on the plan for Monday." Conrad said seriously.

"Is there a plan for Monday?" Ares asked curiously.

"I mean about the curse and counter-curse and all of that. We need to fill him in before we fill you in on why we're going to visit the witches."

"That doesn't sound good." Ares said thoughtfully.

"I think it's too soon to be making good or bad judgments. We need to travel there and ask their advice before knowing just how bad things actually are." Conrad said seriously.

"This is my place." Rocky announced from ahead of them.

Conrad and Ares wore matching smiles at the absolutely quaint little house, nestled comfortably within an equally quaint little neighborhood.

* * * * *

After quickly and efficiently gathering the supplies that they would need, the group set off on their journey.

Ares and Conrad worked together to bring Rocky up to date on the developments brought about by Andrea's arrival. Rocky was amazed as well as worried by what he had learned.

Ares wasn't surprised by Rocky's theory regarding the men of Brynnhollow and their curse, but once he understood Conrad's misgivings, he agreed that consulting Ima seemed to be the best possible course of action.

"Deimos and Jim have been working with my grandfather to repair the footbridge up ahead. I've been looking for an excuse to come out here and look over their handiwork." Ares said casually as they walked.

"I've been meaning to ask, is 'Grandfather' just a term of respect? Or is he really related to you?"

"He's really my grandfather."

"How is that possible? Father I could believe, but he's far too young to be your grandfather."

"He's one hundred eighteen years old. We can't be sure if it's from him being a witch, the curse, our way of life or some combination of those factors, that causes the people of Brynnhollow to be long lived." Ares explained.

"Look at that." Conrad gasped.

"It is a majestic sight." Ares said with a smile, then turned to Conrad and asked, "Are you afraid of heights?"

"Not at all." Conrad said with a smile at the footbridge spanning a deep chasm.

"I'm not afraid of heights, but I do have common sense." Rocky declared, then continued more quietly, "If the bridge starts swaying too bad, I'm not getting on it."

"Don't worry Rocky. The bridge was just recently repaired. It's safe." Ares assured him.

"It's not that I'm scared. I'm just saying that I'm not going to do something stupid. Walking across that thing when it's swaying would be extremely stupid."

"When you put it that way, I can see your point. However, if you'll look at the footbridge, you'll see that it isn't swaying at all." Ares said with a grin.

"I saw you at the Samhain celebration last year. I know that if you fell off that bridge you could just turn into a bird and fly away. Some of us aren't so lucky. If I fell, I'd go splat." Rocky insisted.

"You guys can argue about it if you want. I'm going across." Conrad said as he approached the bridge.

"Even though I trust my grandfather and my son... and Jim, too, I guess. I still think it would be wise if you were careful to be sure of your footing as you cross." Ares warned.

"I will be as careful as the situation warrants." Conrad assured him as he took the first step onto the narrow bridge.

Ares and Rocky watched and waited as Conrad slowly and carefully proceeded, step by step.

Although he appeared to have a few unsteady moments around the halfway point, he mostly kept up a reasonable pace until he reached the other side.

"If you decide that you want to go back, no one will think less of you." Ares told Rocky quietly.

"If he can do it, I can do it." Rocky said determinedly.

"Then why don't you go first? That way, if you get stuck, either Conrad or I can help you, depending on which side you're closer to." Ares said seriously.

"If he can do it. I can do it." Rocky repeated, then forced himself to start walking.

From opposite sides of the chasm, both Ares and Conrad watched as Rocky slowly and deliberately continued, step by step, across the footbridge.

Although Ares couldn't hear what was being said, he could see Rocky's excited movements and Conrad's smile of admiration for his achievement.

Seeing that the other two were safely across, Ares stepped onto the bridge and was sure to take slow, careful steps as he went. It wouldn't benefit anyone if he were to have an accident due to his overconfidence.

* * * * *

"Are there anymore bridges like that?" Rocky asked excitedly as soon as Ares was across.

"No. That's the only bridge worth talking about. The next obstacle is to travel across slippery rocks." Ares said frankly as he indicated the direction that they would be traveling.

"I should have thought about getting more appropriate shoes if we were going to be hiking." Conrad said frankly.

Ares looked down at the black leather shoes and couldn't help but agree, although he didn't voice his opinion. Instead, he said, "After seeing Juliet this morning, I don't know what to expect when we get there. When I visited before, Ima and her sisters were all hideously disfigured and deformed. But since Juliet looks so... normal, I guess it's possible that now they'll just look like a group of women."

"If I'm understanding correctly, Juliet's keku transformation was something new, brought about by Andrea's curse on her." Conrad said slowly.

"Yes. And if she can do that, then Ima and her sisters may be able to transform as well." Ares confirmed.

"If they were able to cast a spell that could do that, why didn't they do it fifty years ago?" Rocky asked curiously.

"As I understand it, they needed someone immune to the Brynn curse to be able to bestow the new curse. Until Andrea arrived, they had the ability to make the curse, but no way to cast it." Ares said carefully.

"It's hard to believe that an agent of the FBI is out here in the middle of nowhere, going to visit witches to ask them about a curse." Conrad said frankly.

"I have a feeling that after Monday that you'll be able to go back to your 'normal' life in the 'real' world. If you choose to, you'll be able to block Brynnhollow and all of us out of your mind and pretend that none of this ever happened." Ares assured him.

"But I don't want to forget you." Conrad said simply, then continued, "Now I know for a fact that magic is real and extraordinary people exist. How will I be able to find fulfillment in investigating some politician who's skimming funds from their charitable trust when I know about this?"

"Maybe Ima can give you something for that. I don't know if she has any memory altering mojo, but that might be a way to go." Ares said simply.

"I don't know what I'm going to do after Monday, but one thing that I'm sure of is that I don't want to forget."

* * * * *

"You weren't kidding about the slippery rocks!" Conrad said as he struggled to maintain his footing.

"I think we're past the worst of it. It's not too much further to Ima's." Ares assured him.

"Next time, we'll take a few extra minutes to go to the parking lot and drive up here. This is crazy!" Rocky said firmly.

"Have you ever delivered supplies to Ima before?" Ares asked curiously.

"No. But I helped with a delivery to the Coven once. That was the creepiest thing I've ever done." Rocky said frankly.

"What was that like? I've never heard anyone say." Ares asked curiously.

"Yeah. No one likes to talk about it." Rocky said seriously, then continued, "After we pulled the truck up to the front, we pulled the lever to close the remote lock on the courtyard gate. After that, we had to look through binoculars to be sure that no one was hiding in the courtyard to ambush us. That took about fifteen minutes. Then we started lowering the drawbridge while keeping watch for any signs of movement.

"As soon as the drawbridge was down, we drove across and started unloading supplies. The worst part was that someone stayed by the drawbridge controls so that he could raise the bridge if we were attacked."

"So if you'd been attacked, you would have been left for dead." Conrad asked slowly.

"Yeah." Rocky confirmed.

"Do you know if that's ever happened?"

"Yeah, but no one ever says what happened next. At least, they never said it to me."

"I don't want to imagine." Ares said frankly.

* * * * *

As the group arrived at the front gate of Ima's castle, Ares stepped forward and aggressively pulled on a heavy rope.

"What now?" Rocky asked anxiously.

"Now we wait. We've let them know that we're here; that's all we can do." Ares said simply.

"Is it true that the witches might try to attack us, like the women in the Coven?"

"Yes. They can be perfectly reasonable, but they'll be the first to tell you not to trust them and to never allow yourself to be alone with one of them." Ares said seriously.

"I thought from the way that you described it, that they were able to overcome the curse." Conrad said cautiously.

"No. If that were the case, they could have bestowed the new curse themselves. They have to constantly fight against the full force of the curse to be able to have anything resembling a normal life." Ares explained.

"It still seems that with access to magical powers that they would be able to do something more, whether it be to benefit Brynnhollow or themselves." Conrad said thoughtfully.

"Try thinking about it this way. When you have magical abilities, it's like you have access to a toolbox that average 'mundane' people don't. Not every witch has the same tools in their box. Most of us get screwdrivers, but only some of us get hammers and others get hacksaws." Ares said carefully.

"Okay. I can see that." Conrad confirmed.

"When the curse was put on us, many of the tools were locked away. That applies to me, to Ima and to any woman at the Coven. While we all may have those tools, we can't use them. Someone like D has access to his entire toolbox and can do much more than any of us."

"If that's the case, then why can't D do a spell to undo the Brynn curse?" Conrad asked curiously.

"From what Grandpa told me, every witch alive today, all working together, couldn't lift the Brynn curse. Also, if D were to try to alter the curse on his own, like Andrea's doing, then it would likely blow back on him, cursing him and his bloodline." Ares said seriously.

"But it doesn't do that to Andrea because she's had the curse and survived?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"Yes. Exactly." Ares said with a smile.

"Actually, there's a little more to it than that." A woman's voice said, startling the three men. She appeared to be in her late fifties to early sixties and had a warm yet elegant appearance.

"Hello. Sorry about visiting unannounced, but we need to speak with Ima." Ares said seriously.

"It sounds urgent. Please follow me." The woman said as she opened the heavy iron gate.

"I'm Ares Brynner. With me are Rocky and Agent Fastbeck from the FBI." Ares said as he and the other men walked through the gate.

"We've met before, Ares. Although I can understand if you don't recognize me." The woman said with a trace of amusement under her words, then she continued, "I'm Hilda."

"It's nice to meet you... again." Ares said uncertainly.

Hilda giggled, then said, "I overheard you talking when I arrived. You seem to be working under the assumption that Andrea can bestow the curse because she survived the Brynn curse."

"Yes." Ares confirmed, then explained, "We don't know much about magic, but that's what we've been able to put together from the evidence at hand."

"Well, while that's essentially true, there's one other factor that's very important to make everything work." Hilda said as she led the way across the courtyard to the castle.

"What would that be?" Ares asked curiously.

"Andrea isn't a witch. She has no innate magic to fuel the curse." Hilda said simply.

"But she can transform. How does that work?"

"It's part of the new curse that she carries. Just like the stories of old, of a witch turning a hapless 'mundane' victim into a frog or some such, in the balance of powers Andrea gained the ability to transform." Hilda said before opening the front door of the castle.

"But the new curse wouldn't work on her at all if she hadn't been afflicted with the old curse, right?" Ares asked cautiously.

"Yes. Andrea still carries a benign version of the old Brynn curse. Since she was meant to die, it no longer has any real affect on her. But it serves as a foundation for the new curse that she carries."

After a moment to consider, Ares finally said, "I think I'll just leave the witchcraft to you and Ima."

"Watch your step, the stairs can be a bit slippery." Hilda warned as she led the way down a stone staircase.

* * * * *

"Please excuse us for not coming upstairs to greet you. Come in and make yourselves comfortable." A little pixie of a woman with white hair said with an inviting smile.

"Thank you." Ares said hesitantly as he looked around.

None of the women present looked the least bit like any of the 'hags' that he had met before.

"Although they haven't told me why they're here, I have a feeling that it might be important, for them to have made the journey." Hilda said seriously.

"Ares, it's good to see you again. Who have you brought with you?" The little white haired woman asked energetically.

"This is Rocky and Agent Fastbeck, from the FBI." Ares said cautiously as he continued to try and find any resemblance to any of the hags that he had met previously.

"Oh, yes. Andrea mentioned you, Agent Fastbeck. It's a pleasure to meet you." She said energetically, then continued, "My name is Ima, we also have Vera, you've met Hilda and Kathryn is around here somewhere. So far as I know, Juliet is still out helping Andrea."

"You're Ima?" Ares asked in astonishment.

The white haired woman chuckled with delight, then said, "Believe it or not!"

"And Vera... all of you look amazing." Ares said in wonder.

"Isn't that sweet of you to say." Ima said with a grin, then continued, "But Hilda's right, I'm sure that you wouldn't have come all this way just to tell us how lovely we are. What can we do for you, Ares?"

"Oh?" Ares said as he was snapped out of his wonder. "It appears that Conrad, I mean, Agent Fastbeck and Rocky were discussing some things earlier today and stumbled onto something that might be a problem."

"What might that be?" Ima asked, turning her attention to Conrad.

"Well, I'm new here. Rocky was explaining how things work and if I'm understanding what he told me right, then there's sort of a balance between the men and the women of Brynnhollow. The curse affects them differently, but there's still a balance. If Andrea carries a curse that alters the curse on women, then wouldn't that cause an imbalance which might cause the men's curse to react... badly?"

"For an outsider, you've got really good instincts." Ima said in an impressed tone. "That's something that we, ourselves have considered, but the simple fact of the matter is that without a vessel to contain a comparable counter-curse, there really isn't anything that we can do."

"What kind of vessel? Do you need for Jim to make you a special pendant or something?" Ares asked curiously.

"No. Actually, his pendants are perfect just the way they are. What we need is for someone to wear the cursed pendant, as Andrea does." Ima said frankly.

"If it were that simple, I'm guessing that you wouldn't be saying that there's nothing you can do." Rocky said seriously.

Ima looked at him inquiringly.

Rather than try to explain, Rocky simply asked, "Can I wear the pendant?"

"No. You have magical heritage and the Brynn curse. The pendant alone wouldn't be able to override it." Ima said seriously.

"So, who can wear it?" Rocky persisted.

"No one." Ima said simply.

"How's that?" Ares asked curiously.

"For the counter-curse to work, it would be necessary for the person who carries it to have been cursed and also to have survived." Ima said seriously.

"But a mundane man who marries a Brynnhollow woman doesn't receive the curse." Ares said thoughtfully.

"Correct."

"My curse was dormant until last year. Would that make me eligible?" Ares asked cautiously.

"No. Quite the opposite." Ima said simply. "You would have been ineligible while your curse was dormant, and you became that much more so when your curse activated. What is necessary is for a person without magical heritage to be cursed, survive, and be willing to carry the modified version of our curse to bestow it on the men of Brynnhollow."

"It sounds like I'm the only one here who can possibly do it." Conrad said simply.

"By all appearances, you're of mundane heritage, so you're not disqualified on that count, but the way the Brynn curse works is that it only activates in outsider women. So even if you were to be married, you wouldn't be cursed... you would likely be killed by your new wife, but you wouldn't be cursed."

"Excuse me if this is a stupid question, but can't you just curse him yourself?" Rocky asked timidly.

Ima looked at him with surprise, then said, "That's not a stupid question, but I'm afraid that one of the conditions of the Brynn curse would prevent us from being able to do that."

"What about D? Him and his boys are witches, but they're not cursed. Could they do it?" Conrad asked curiously.

"I don't know of whom you are speaking." Ima said cautiously.

"D is a witch from outside Brynnhollow who works to keep us hidden from the mundane world. He came here with his sons when he heard about Andrea and what she was doing with the Coven." Ares quietly explained.

"It might be possible... I suppose it would depend on whether this man or his sons have any talent for bestowing curses." Ima said thoughtfully.

"Okay. If we just work under the assumption that one of them can, then what are you going to do?" Conrad asked seriously.

"Over the years, we've compiled a reasonable facsimile of the original Brynn curse. Now, after all the work that we've done with Andrea, we've gained some skill in crafting and manipulating the counter-curse. So once the selected individual has been cursed..."

"No need to beat around the bush. I'm the only 'mundane' person here. It's going to be me." Conrad interrupted.

"True." Ima said with an apologetic smile at him, then continued, "Once this D person, or one of his sons, has placed the Brynn curse on you, then we can bestow the counter-curse, in the form of an amulet."

"And then..." Conrad prompted.

"Then you'll need to go to each man in Brynnhollow and bestow the new curse on them so that they won't become ravening rapists when they encounter a bevy of marriageable women for the first time in their lives." Ima said frankly.

"You already knew that this was going to happen and you weren't going to do anything about it?" Rocky asked curiously.

"We suspected, but there was nothing that we could do." Ima said simply.

"If there's nothing else that we need to know right now, we need to go talk to D and the boys. Time is not on our side." Ares said, then looked at Ima with question.

"While you're doing that, we'll work on the counter-curse for the men." Ima said simply.

"Thank you, Ima." Ares said sincerely, then added, "By the way, you really do look wonderful."

"That's sweet of you to say. But until we can get this whole curse and counter-curse mess sorted out, it's best if we not dwell on that. It might lead to something that one of us would regret." Ima said frankly.

"I wasn't... I didn't mean..." Ares stammered.

"Let an old woman have her fantasies." Ima chuckled, then said, "Go on, now."

* * * * *

As they walked up the stairs, Rocky quietly said, "Since Agent Fastbeck is going to need to be here to get cursed, it would be kind of pointless for him to walk all the way down to Brynnhollow and back. You can fly. You could go and get D and his sons and bring them back here a lot faster."

"I hadn't thought of that." Ares said with surprise.

"I can stay here with him just in case one of the witches loses control. My half form is kind of fierce, so I can protect him." Rocky said seriously.

"That sounds like a good idea. I'll fly back to town, let D know what's going on, then we'll all head back here." Ares said decisively.

"If you talk to Mason, he should be able to get someone to drive you up." Rocky said thoughtfully.

"D has his own car. If you go with him, you can show him the way to the parking lot and back here." Conrad added helpfully.

"It seems the long way around, but it will be a lot easier on them not to have to hike up the side of this mountain." Ares agreed as they walked out the front door.

"Is there anything we can be doing while you're gone?" Conrad asked as they walked into the courtyard.

"Just talk to the witches and see if there's anything more that you can learn about their plan. As much as they're helping us, there's always a chance that they have some hidden agenda that we're not seeing." Ares said as he stopped and began to undress.

"That sounds like something that's right up my alley." Conrad said frankly.

"Yeah. It sounds like a good job for the FBI guy." Rocky said with a smile.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." Ares said simply, then suddenly changed into a large raven.

Conrad watched in wonder as Ares flew away.

As Conrad stood staring, Rocky knelt down and gathered Ares clothes.

* * * * *

"We've had a change of plans." Conrad said as they returned to the 'dungeon'.

"Oh? What was that?" Ima asked curiously.

"Ares has gone to get D and his sons and we're going to stay here and wait for them. Is there anything we can do to help?" Conrad asked hopefully.

"Come and look at these pendants and decide which one you'd like to wear. Once we've crafted the counter-curse, you're going to have to wear it from then on." Ima said as she indicated a black velvet board with several silver pendants pinned to it.

"So, since I don't have magic of my own, I'll be wearing a pendant that contains the magic to bestow the curse?" Conrad asked slowly.

"Yes. That's exactly right. The amulet will be enchanted, imbued with our magic and within that will be the curse that you can bestow." Ima said seriously.

"That one's nice." Rocky said as he pointed to one of the pendants.

"It's a little too 'dragony' for my taste. I probably would have liked it when I was your age, but I think I'd like something a little more restrained." Conrad said as he looked over the various different pendants.

"What about that one?" Rocky asked as he pointed at another.

"It's nice. I appreciate the craftsmanship. But I've never really felt any affinity for bears." Conrad said frankly, then turned to Ima and asked, "Is this like the Halloween masks in town? Am I going to be choosing my spirit animal or something like that?"

"The role of the Samhain masks has been discussed and debated for centuries. That, as with this, is something that no one can adequately explain. Just find what appeals to you and it may turn out to have some greater significance in the fullness of time... or it may not. Andrea's pendant represents her children and has nothing to do with her transformation." Ima said as she seemed to be searching for something in a large dusty tome.

After a moment of looking through the available selections, Conrad finally said, "I think I like this one."

"What is that?" Rocky asked curiously.

"Predators and prey." Conrad said with a smile.

"I see a fox... a dog, or maybe that's a wolf, a bird of some kind and is that a lizard?" Rocky asked as he moved closer to see.

"It's different types and kinds gathered together. I don't know why, but I get a good feeling from it." Conrad said with a smile.

"So, it's decided?" Ima asked as she walked to Conrad's side.

"Yes. Not only is it well crafted, but it's also visually interesting."

"That it is. I suppose that if we wanted to, we could construct some long convoluted explanation about it representing the struggle for civility or banding together for the common good, but honestly, we don't have the time. If you're sure that this is the one you want, I'll get it ready while Vera's getting the cauldron going."

"How much of what you're doing is really witchcraft and how much is theatrics?" Conrad asked curiously.

Ima laughed at the question as she continued to work, then finally said, "I suppose that there's equal amounts of each. You have to admit that it wouldn't sound nearly as foreboding if I said that Vera was heating up the soup kettle."

"I suppose not." Conrad admitted, then asked, "But as I understand what you're doing, you follow precise strictures in the preparation of these 'spells' of yours. That suggests to me that what you're doing is something of a science, rather than a religious invocation."

"Again, it's a little of both. We do have to perform the spells precisely to achieve the desired result. But we also have to be aware of the balance of forces at work. Something like the phase of the moon or the ascendance of Mercury in relation to Virgo may actually have some affect on the spell, even though the logical mind discounts it as irrelevant."

Conrad thought about that for a moment, then slowly asked, "Does that mean that you have to be aware of those astrological factors in addition to what's written in the spell book?"

"That's only the beginning. Even the ebb and flow of emotional states within a community can spoil a spell." Ima said frankly.

"And even when you take every single thing into account, there's still a chance that it won't work. Exact replication of the spell won't guarantee the desired result." Vera interjected.

"Is everything ready?" Ima asked hopefully.

"The cauldrons are heating. We still need to gather the ingredients." Vera answered.

"Gentlemen, we're going to be busy for the next little while. You may go upstairs and rest after your long journey, if you'd like." Ima said seriously.

"I'd like to stay here and watch, if I may." Conrad said immediately.

"As you like, but I won't be able to chat with you. We have quite a bit to do and time is short." Ima said simply.

"Excuse me, but do you have a tub or a pond of water somewhere that I can use for a little bit?" Rocky asked uncomfortably.

"Yes, it's in the east courtyard. Kathryn can show you where that is." Ima said with a sympathetic smile at him.

"Thank you." Rocky said uneasily.

"Is something wrong?" Conrad asked his companion curiously.

"I didn't know that we'd be doing all of this today, I haven't changed for a while and I'm really needing to. I just thought that since they don't need for us to do anything, maybe I could get it out of the way while we're waiting for Ares to return." Rocky said honestly.

"Would you like for me to go with you, or would you rather do it in private?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"I normally wouldn't mind either way, but I promised Ares that I'd protect you. I won't be able to do that if you're down here and I'm floating in a pool somewhere else."

"I don't think there's much more that I can do here, anyway."

"Are you ready to go?" A relatively young woman asked as she approached them.

"Kathryn?" Conrad guessed.

"Yes. Ima asked me to show you where the spring fountain is." Kathryn said pleasantly.

"Thank you. Yes, we're ready to go." Conrad answered for both of them.

"You don't need to be shy about it, I have an aquatic form, too." Kathryn said as she led the way.

"How often do you have to change?" Rocky asked curiously as they climbed the stairs.

"I don't know how often I 'have to' change, but I like to change early in the morning so I can enjoy watching the sunrise. The tranquility of it carries me through the rest of the day." Kathryn said with a smile.

"I usually only change when I have to. But I guess that I can see how starting out your day like that would make it easier to focus on everything else, since you don't have that stress of wanting to change nagging at you." Rocky said thoughtfully.

"Ima is going to need me when we start the spellcasting, but maybe we can find the time to swim together some other time." Kathryn said warmly.

"I don't think that I've ever gone swimming with anyone else when I'm in my animal form. That might be nice." Rocky said honestly.

Kathryn walked up to a window and pointed as she said, "There's the fountain. Don't worry, it's deeper than it looks. Unless you transform into a whale, you should have plenty of room."

"No. Not a whale." Rocky assured her.

"Good. I have to get back now. Enjoy your swim." Kathryn said before hurrying away.

After a moment to get his bearings, Conrad said, "I think that if we go through here, we'll get to the entrance to the courtyard."

"I think something just happened." Rocky said slowly.

"What's that?" Conrad asked curiously.

"She was being all nice and curious and interested and... I think you'd better hurry up and get that counter-curse." Rocky said anxiously.

"What are you feeling?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"Something that I don't like." Rocky said as he fought to meet Conrad's eyes.

"I think I know what you're talking about, but can you explain it to me?"

"It's like the thinking part of my brain was shutting down and the feeling part was taking over. All of a sudden, I wanted to spend time with Kathryn and get to know more about her and... touch her." Rocky said anxiously.

"Your curse makes you desire her, and with the counter-curse on her, there's nothing to curtail that desire. Prolonged or repeated exposure might even cause you to feel that you're 'in love'." Conrad speculated as they arrived at the side of the fountain.

"I don't care about the magic that makes us change or keeps us from living in the outside world. All of that's fine with me. It's just the way that it is. But magic that messes with how you feel about people is WRONG. If I could, I'd do away with all the magic just to be free of that part of it." Rocky said with disgust.

"Maybe a little soak in the fountain will make you feel better about things." Conrad quietly suggested, understanding that Rocky was feeling violated.

"Yeah." Rocky grunted absently, then thought to add, "Would you make sure that Kathryn doesn't go in there with me? I might not be able to control myself."

"I felt a little funny when Ares left you here to protect me. I feel a lot better about us protecting each other." Conrad assured him.

As Rocky shucked off his clothes, Conrad noticed that the young man had a rather determined erection.

Much to Conrad's surprise, when Rocky transformed, his body got larger rather than smaller.

The enormous fish was perched on the edge of the fountain, and Conrad realized that he had fins that were elongated and formed so that on land they could function much like feet.

With one little push, the six and a half foot long fish slipped into the water.

The dive was executed perfectly and didn't result in much of a splash.

Conrad walked to the edge of the fountain to watch as Rocky swam around, getting familiar with his surroundings.

After a few minutes, Conrad sat on the edge of the fountain and looked out over the forest of Brynnhollow.

'What have I gotten myself into?'

* * * * *

A while later, a splash in the water broke Conrad out of his wandering thoughts.

He turned to see Rocky, still in his fish form, with his head sticking out of the water.

"I'm fine if you want to stay in a little while longer." Conrad said easily, anticipating Rocky's question.

As Conrad watched, Rocky's form shifted to become considerably more humanoid.

In fact, as Rocky continued to change, Conrad recognized the form that he was taking.

"Have you ever seen 'Creature from the Black Lagoon'?" Conrad asked curiously.

As soon as his gills were out of the water, Rocky answered in a gurgling growl, "I haven't seen the movie, but Mason showed me a couple pictures of it."

"I never thought that the creature from the movie might have been modeled after an actual being, but it's possible that someone might have encountered a Siyokoy, like you, and the mythology could have sprang from that."

"That could be, or maybe the legend or mythology came about naturally, then when it came into the contemporary zeitgeist, our magic was somehow able to tap into that and give it physical form." Rocky said as he climbed out of the fountain.

"So you think that because a number of people either believe or are aware of the mythology that it makes it possible for witches to manifest it?" Conrad asked curiously as he watched Rocky transform back into his fully human form.

"Well, there's got to be a lot more to it than that. But I think that it's too easy to say that A causes B causes C. We should at least consider that C led to B which resulted in A." Rocky said frankly as he started to dress.

"That's a really good point. If we were able to establish causality, there might be some way that we could manipulate what's introduced into the collective consciousness and thereby add beneficial transformations into the possible pool for witches to draw upon."

"Do you mind if I ask you something?" Rocky asked as he sat down to pull on his socks and shoes.

"You can ask me anything. I might not answer, but you can ask."

"By doing this, helping us, you're kind of going to become one of us, in a way. I mean, you won't be a witch, but you'll be able to bestow a curse, like a witch. How do you think you're going to see yourself? Will you still be able to look in the mirror and call yourself human?"

"I guess I won't know about that until I'm actually in that position." Conrad said frankly, then added, "But after seeing how you were affected by Kathryn, I know that what I'm doing is right. I'm in law enforcement to help people who need it and to stop people who harm others. When I look in the mirror, I hope that whatever else I see, I'll also continue to see that looking back at me. Human or witch, that's the core of who I am."

"But what are you going to do when you've closed the case and it's time for you to leave Brynnhollow?" Rocky asked as they walked away from the fountain.

"I'll look at the options that I have in front of me at that time and do what I can to make the best possible decision."

Rocky nodded thoughtfully as they continued to walk.

"Actually, I might ask for your help when it comes to that."

"My help?"

"You seem to have a talent for looking at things from different perspectives. You might be able to spot an alternative that I wouldn't consider."

"I'll be happy to help, if I can."

"But before we worry about that, let's see what the witches have been able to come up with."

* * * * *

As Conrad and Rocky walked into the 'dungeon', they were surprised to see Andrea standing aside and watching as the witches, including Juliet, worked on various projects around the room.

"Agent Fastbeck, it's good to see you again." Andrea said pleasantly.

"Please call me Conrad." He immediately responded, then continued, "I'm surprised to see you here. Were you able to get some sleep?"

"Yes. Not nearly enough, but if I can just keep going a few more days, I should have plenty of time to sleep next week." Andrea said pleasantly.

"Have they filled you in on what they're planning?" Conrad asked curiously.

"Ares did. He stopped at my house and told me what was going on, in case I wanted to be here."

"I'm glad he thought to do that. You should be included." Conrad said with a smile.

"There's more to it than that." Ima interrupted.

"What's that?" Conrad asked as he turned to face her.

"We've been working under the assumption that the unfettered witches that you brought with you will be able to cast a curse. That is by no means a certainty. If it turns out that none of those witches has that talent, then it may be necessary for us to reengineer Andrea's curse to be able to bestow a curse on you." Ima said frankly.

"I take it from your tone that that will be an undesirable outcome." Conrad said cautiously.

"It will force us to have to undo everything that we've done with Andrea to date and start from the beginning." Ima said seriously.

"Will that have any effect on the curses that she's already bestowed?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"It shouldn't, but with magic, one can never be certain. For now, let's just hope that one of the witches will have the ability to bestow a curse, so we won't have to find out."

"So is everything ready for when they arrive?"

"Not hardly. If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to this. Perhaps you three could go upstairs and wait for the bell to let our guests in through the gate?" Ima suggested.

"Sure. We've just been waiting for something to do to help." Conrad said seriously.

Andrea smiled at his response and gestured for him and Rocky to accompany her.

* * * * *

Once they were upstairs, Andrea thought to ask, "Can I get you anything while we wait?"

"If it wouldn't be too much of a bother, I could use something to eat and I can imagine that Rocky must be starving by now." Conrad said honestly.

"Have a seat and I'll be right back." Andrea said before dashing away.

After a long moment of silence between them, Rocky quietly said, "I didn't feel anything."

"What was that?"

"Like what I felt for Kathryn. I didn't feel that for Andrea."

"Well, maybe the interest has to go both ways before the magic works. If she's not interested in you, then the magic doesn't kick in and make you interested in her."

"I guess that's possible." Rocky said slowly, then added, "Besides, it'd be creepy if I was attracted to someone old enough to be my mom."

"I don't think the magic cares."

"Yeah. Age never seemed to make much of a difference to anyone back in Brynnhollow."

"If everything works out the way we're hoping, what do you think that you're going to do?"

"About what?"

"You've grown up expecting things to work out a certain way, based on the way things have always been. What are you going to do if all the rules suddenly change?"

"I guess I'll keep on doing what I'm doing until I have a reason to do something else."

"Listen, Rocky. I don't know how things are going to work out. But it looks like whatever happens, I'm going to be inexorably linked to Brynnhollow, probably for the rest of my life. What I'm trying to say is that I'll be here if you need me. If this new world doesn't make sense to you, I'll do my best to help you figure things out."

"I'll be okay. You've got to remember that this place isn't like it is outside. It's not me against the rest of the world. Everyone in Brynnhollow will stand up and fight for me if I need them to, just like I'd do for them. We're Brynns. We stick together."

"I'll still be here if you need me."

"Thanks."

* * * * *

Andrea walked into the room carrying a large tray with chunks of bread, meat and cheese.

"This is the best that I could do without actual 'cooking' and messing up their kitchen." Andrea explained.

"This is fine. Thank you." Conrad assured her.

"Yeah! This looks great!" Rocky said hungrily.

Andrea smiled at his response, then hurried out of the room again.

"You know, if things end up going the way that we're hoping tonight, we're going to be changing a lot of lives in a very positive way." Conrad said as he tore off a chunk of bread.

"I just kind of wish that there was something that I could do to help you."

"Are you kidding? It's because of you that we're doing this at all!"

"How do you mean?"

"You're the one who asked the questions that started all of this. I don't want to imagine how bad things might have gone if not for you."

"I guess so. But I still feel like I should be doing something."

"If things go right tonight, what do you think we'll be doing tomorrow?"

"You'll be cursing people... men, trying to get them all ready for Monday night."

"I'm not from here, Rocky. I don't know anyone and they don't know me. How do you think it's going to work if a stranger walks up to some random man and asks him, "Do you mind if I curse you?"

"Yeah. That might not work out too well." Rocky reluctantly chuckled.

"Would you like some wine?" Andrea asked as she carried a tray with a bottle and three glasses.

"That sounds perfect." Conrad said to her with a smile.

"Andrea, how do you get people to go along with letting you curse them?" Rocky asked curiously.

"The way I ended up doing it was to find one person to curse, then tell them that if they knew of anyone else who wanted to be cursed, to meet with me the next night. It worked kind of like a ripple pattern, each night with more and more people, until I finally had them all." Andrea said frankly.

"We don't have enough time to do it that way. I think we're going to have to go door to door... even then we're going to miss a lot of people." Rocky said thoughtfully.

"What about if we set up a stand or a cart on the main street, like Ares' grandfather did? If we let people know that we offer a service that will benefit them, maybe we can get them to come to us." Conrad said thoughtfully.

"Yeah. And if it does something that they can actually see and know that it works, then word of mouth could get them to come to you." Rocky said with a nod.

"But the curse doesn't do anything that you can see at first. It's mostly mental." Andrea said quietly.

"Maybe, if we ask them right now, we can get Ima to add something to the curse so that they'll think that they're getting something really good." Rocky suggested.

"Let's ask her now. Hopefully it's not too late to add something else to it." Conrad said as he stood.

Andrea and Rocky immediately followed him out of the room.

* * * * *

The sound of a ringing bell caused all three to look up in unison.

"They made good time." Rocky said as he started toward the door.

"I'm guessing that they were sufficiently motivated." Conrad said as he followed.

The group walked across the front courtyard and to the heavy iron gate. As they approached, they saw the gunmetal silver car waiting and Ares standing by the rope.

Conrad and Rocky pulled the gates open wide to allow the car entry.

When the car stopped, the back doors immediately flew open and four boys piled out.

At Conrad's questioning look, Ares quietly admitted, "I couldn't say no."

"Did Ares fill you in on what we're planning?" Conrad asked D as he got out of the car.

"Yes. But I'm afraid that we may have a problem." D said gravely.

"You don't do curses?" Conrad guessed.

"No. I don't have that talent." D confirmed.

"What about the boys?" Conrad asked as he felt his hopes falling.

"As I'm sure you can understand, curses aren't something that we typically teach our children." D said slowly.

"I guess that makes sense." Conrad reluctantly admitted.

"Considering G's gifts that we know about, it's highly unlikely that he will have a talent for curses. We can try, but I don't hold much hope." D said frankly.

"What about Paul?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"His flavor of magic can be a bit troublesome. While he is more likely to be able to bestow a curse, with no training it's possible... probable that it will get out of hand." D said reluctantly.

"Excuse me, but you're talking to a mundane person who didn't believe in magic yesterday. I don't know what you're saying or trying not to say. And while I usually wouldn't have a problem with that, I think the stakes are too high for us to be playing word games right now." Conrad said seriously.

"Paul's biological father was a demon. Paul's magic is demonic. For him to tap into his power risks releasing hell on earth." D said firmly, then asked, "Is that simple enough for you?"

"Yeah." Conrad said as he remembered Paul in his demonic form the night before.

"However, I agree that it may be the only practical way of doing what needs to be done. Let's go talk to your witches and evaluate the risks. Time is not our friend right now." D said firmly.

"D, this is Andrea." Ares said as he gestured toward her.

"A pleasure." D said to her, then turned behind him and said, "Boys! Remember, this isn't playtime. We're here to do serious work. If you can't manage that, then it would be best if you stayed with the car."

"You're going to have to trust us someday." G said with exasperation.

"If you can behave reasonably, today might be that day." D said, then motioned for them to follow the others into the castle.

* * * * *

"My, look at the lot of you." Ima said with a grin.

"We may have a problem." Conrad said, wanting to cut right to the chase.

"What might that be?" Ima asked curiously.

"D can't bestow curses. He doesn't think that G will be able to either. That leaves Paul, who's a..." Conrad faltered, then looked at D helplessly.

"...Cambion. A half demon." D said simply.

"Really? When you let loose, you must really let loose." Ima said with a grin at D.

"He's my wife's son from a former relationship, but I've since adopted him as my own." D said seriously.

"Paul, was it?" Ima asked as she looked him over critically.

"Yes, ma'am." Paul said cautiously.

"Have you ever bestowed a curse or learned the proper technique?" Ima asked carefully.

"No. That's something they really don't want us doing. I've heard that when we get to college, that we can learn stuff like that, if we want to." Paul said frankly.

"There's no time to teach you." Ima muttered to herself in thought, then glanced back at Paul speculatively.

"What?" Paul asked cautiously.

"Do you have a demonic aspect?"

"What do you mean?"

"Can you transform yourself into a demon?"

"Yes..." Paul reluctantly answered.

"Would you do that for me right now? I want to try something." Ima asked carefully.

Paul looked at his father anxiously and received a nod.

After making a few hand gestures while concentrating, Paul began to grown taller and his body reformed into that of a demon.

"Good. Good." Ima said as she looked Paul over critically.

"Did you find a way to make it work?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"Perhaps." Ima said slowly, then looked Paul in the eyes as she said, "I'm speaking to the other, the inner, the hidden."

Paul looked at her with confusion at the strange words.

"The rider cannot help, I require the service of that being ridden. Come forth in voice, I demand it."

"Speak. Ask what thou wilt." Paul answered in a deep gravely voice..

"We need for the rider to bestow a curse, but he has no skill. Will you aid him?"

"Such a thing is possible. Why should it comply?" The voice asked coldly.

"Because I can banish it. I can separate it from it's rider. Forever." Ima said firmly.

"It must protect the rider. So shall it be." The voice trailed off.

"What the hell was that?" G asked fearfully.

"What happened?" Paul asked groggily.

"Nothing to worry about, dear. I think we just found a way to make things work out." Ima assured Paul, then cast a warning glance in G's direction.

"Can I change back now?" Paul asked cautiously.

"Yes. I won't need your help for a while, yet. Make yourself comfortable." Ima said gently.

Paul closed his eyes and his demonic features started to fade. At the same time, the clothes that he had been wearing all seemed to be reshaping themselves to accommodate his changing body.

"How do you make your clothes do that?" Deimos asked quickly.

"Yeah. Can you teach us?" Cain asked hopefully.

"Yeah. It's a basic spell. You might be able to do it." Paul said with a smile as he joined the boys.

G made his way closer to Ima and whispered, "What did you do to Paul?"

"Ask your father. I have things that I need to be attending to, just at the moment."

G looked back at his father in time to see him look away.

"You knew about this?" G asked accusingly.

"Paul doesn't know, and you can't tell him until he's ready." D said to his son firmly.

"Doesn't know what? I don't know what I just saw." G said seriously.

"It appears as though Paul's biological father must have given Paul a little helper, to keep him safe in the mundane world." D said carefully.

"Paul's possessed by a demon?" G asked cautiously.

"Technically, yes. But I think it's more of a shared occupancy arrangement." D said reluctantly.

"And you knew that Paul had that thing inside him?" G accused.

"I had my suspicions." D confirmed.

"And you didn't do anything about it?" G asked in a wounded tone.

"G, it keeps Paul safe. Maybe one day he won't need it any more, but until that day comes, I want Paul to have every advantage that he can get. You've got to admit, he had quite a few cards already dealt against him when he first arrived with us."

"It won't hurt him?" G asked cautiously.

"No. It would die before causing Paul a moment of pain. And what's more, since you're so close to Paul, I'm sure that it would actively work to protect you as well." D explained.

G nodded his understanding as he slowly walked away.

"I guess being a witch doesn't make parenting any easier." Conrad said quietly.

D glanced at him, then gave a weary smile as he said, "Not one bit."

* * * * *

"I think that's got it!" Ima said, startling most of the people in the room.

"You've got it ready?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"Yes. Agent Fastbeck, could you stand right over here? Everyone else, you might want to stand away a bit. You wouldn't want to get caught in any overspray from the curse." Ima told the others surrounding Conrad.

After a moment for people to shift around, Ima then said, "Paul, it's your turn."

"I don't know what to do." Paul said weakly.

"That's no problem. I think I have it worked out so that when you start casting the spell, all you'll have to do is let it happen." Ima assured him.

"We don't have any spells like that at school. Every time I know that we're having a spelling test, I have to study for three or four hours to prepare for it." Paul said frankly.

"This is... consider it a shortcut. You'll still need to study for your regular tests, but just this once you'll be able to do it the easy way. Just take a mental step back. You don't have to think about it." Ima told him pleasantly.

"Okay, what do I have to do?" Paul asked cautiously.

"Change into your demon form, then I'll get you the parchment to read from." Ima told him seriously.

Paul once again made the few hand gestures, which the others now knew were part of the spell on his clothes, then he willed himself to begin to change.

Conrad watched, this time more in appreciation than wonder, as the quiet, timid boy transformed into the enormous, muscular demon.

"Very good, Paul. Now I'm going to give you the text. All you'll really need to do is focus on Agent Fastbeck, then read the text. Everything else should happen naturally... or supernaturally, depending on how you look at it." Ima finished with a grin at her own joke.

Paul started reading the parchment in his hand silently as everyone waited for what was going to happen next.

Conrad felt a sudden prickling heat wash over his skin as an acrid odor assaulted him.

Others around the room were likewise affected, but everyone remained silent as Paul slowly began to speak.

His impossibly low raspy voice began to mutter in an incomprehensible language, possibly Latin, or Latin based, but certainly not anything that anyone in the room could recognize.

As Paul continued to speak, the heat and humidity in the room rose to uncomfortable levels and the vile odors came one after another, wafting through the room.

When Paul's voice finally trailed off, he took a step forward and raised one of his claw-like hands and took Conrad's into his for a brief moment. Releasing Conrad's hand, he then touched one fingertip to Conrad's lips and held it there, just for a second. Finally, he placed a hand over Conrad's rapidly beating heart.

"Your touch is cursed. Your words are cursed. Your heart is cursed. So shall it be." Paul said in English as he stepped back.

In that moment, Conrad felt as though he had been doused with icy cold water. The chill washed over him, literally from head to toe. His head was first to register the sensation, then it washed over the rest of his body.

"Conrad? Are you alright?" Andrea asked with concern.

"I... What..." Conrad stammered incoherently.

"Can I get you a drink or anything? You look like you're about to faint." Andrea said as she stepped closer to him.

"I don't know. All of a sudden I'm so light headed." Conrad said as his vision started to narrow.

Seeing that he was on the verge of passing out, Andrea quickly grabbed hold of him, only to find herself holding his empty clothes.

"What just happened?" G asked into the otherwise silent room.

"Conrad? Are you alright?" Andrea asked as she knelt down and helped to free him from his clothes.

The bird squawked as soon as it's head was free from the tangle.

"If you're anything like I was, you're really confused right now, but all you have to do is remember what it felt like to be a person, and then push yourself to feel that way again. I know how it sounds, but that's really all there is to it." Andrea gently explained.

After a long moment of everyone watching and waiting, the black swan began to grow, assuming a mostly humanoid form.

"If you stop where you are right now, your feathers will cover your... modest areas." Andrea told Conrad quietly.

"Don't mind us. You can keep going if you want." Vera said from across the room.

"Worth the price of admission." Ima said with a grin at her.

"What just happened?" Conrad was finally able to ask.

"When Andrea touched you, your curse reacted by forcing you to transform." Ares said simply.

"That's exactly the same thing that happened to me when Ares touched me after my curse." Andrea said seriously.

"It seems that Paul was able to do much more than I had anticipated. He has not only bestowed the initial Brynn curse, but also woven in the groundwork for the counter-curse. But no matter. Now that it's done, we can carry on." Ima said as she stepped away from her sisters.

"What do we need to do next?" Conrad asked her cautiously.

"Don't worry, this part is very simple. Since Paul did all the heavy lifting, all you have to do is accept your talisman from me and the counter-curse will be bestowed." Ima said as she picked up a black velvet pillow with a silver pendant on a chain on it.

"Do I need to change or something before I do that?" Conrad asked uncertainly.

"You can if you like. I'm certain that no one here would complain." Ima said with a grin.

"Agent Fastbeck?" G asked cautiously.

"Yes?"

"If you want, I can give you cover while you dress yourself."

"Would you please?"

G made a simple 'raising' gesture with one hand, then waited as Conrad dressed himself in a reasonably good approximation of a department store changing room.

"Party pooper." Vera grumbled at G.

In response, G let his 'clown' features come into being, especially the big irritating smirk.

"Thank you, G. That was very helpful." Conrad announced.

"No prob." G responded, then made a 'lowering' gesture with his hand that corresponded to the 'changing room' dissolving into nothingness.

"Take this pendant." Ima said as she offered it to Conrad on the pillow.

Conrad took the pendant then looked around, waiting for something to happen.

"That's it. You're done." Ima said pleasantly.

"I don't feel any different." Conrad said honestly.

"You aren't really. Except that now you can transform, like everyone else around here. And more importantly, you can bestow a curse on someone who is in need of it." Ima said frankly.

"How do you mean?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"I mean, when you find someone who needs your curse, you can bestow it on him. Your restrictions are the same as Andrea's. You have to touch the person you're cursing, you have to tell them that you're cursing them, and you have to want the curse to be bestowed." Ima said seriously.

"No one can make you curse them or someone else. You have to decide that it's the right thing to do." Andrea added.

"Also, never curse someone who doesn't have the original Brynn curse active in them. Very bad and unpredictable things could happen if you did that." Vera said firmly.

"Rocky." Conrad said, noticing that Rocky was staring, transfixed on Kathryn.

"What?" Rocky asked as he blinked and tried to tear his gaze away from her.

"You started all of this. Would you like to be the first to receive the new curse?" Conrad asked as he held Rocky's gaze.

"Does it hurt?" Rocky asked cautiously.

Conrad looked toward Ima inquiringly.

"No. Not at all. It just makes your libido a bit more... discerning, and a bit less active." Ima said carefully.

"You don't have to. We can do it later." Conrad said simply.

"No. Now it's my turn to cross the bridge first." Rocky said with a smile.

Conrad returned the smile, then took Rocky by the hand, looked him in the eye and said, "I curse you."

"That's how you do it!" Andrea said approvingly, then started to clap.

The others around the room joined in as Conrad released Rocky's hand and stepped out of his personal space.

When the applause died down, Ima suddenly said, "Oh, that's right, I forgot to warn you."

"Now you tell me? You forgot to warn me about what?" Conrad asked cautiously.

"It's nothing bad. It's just, when we were talking about how to make men want to be cursed... well, I didn't know what men would most want so I kind of made up a little magical grab bag for them. It doesn't really amount to much, but you might be able to sell it as something positive enough to make the men overlook that they're actually being cursed." Ima said reluctantly.

"So, what exactly did you just trick me into doing to Rocky?" Conrad asked firmly.

"We came up with five common wishes that we thought men might want and wove it into the curse to grant the one they wanted most." Ima quickly explained.

"So what is taken, is the excess of the original curse and what is given is a wish fulfilled?" Conrad asked carefully.

"Yes. That's it, plain and simple." Ima confirmed.

"What are the five wishes?" Ares asked cautiously.

"I think it's better if I let you figure that out for yourselves. Maybe if you tell people that they're getting their deepest, unspoken wish granted the placebo effect will be on our side and people will assume that all kinds of crazy things are their wish coming true." Ima finished with a smile.

"But there really is a wish being granted, isn't there?" Conrad asked to confirm.

"Yes. From within the context of the curse, a wish fulfilled establishes a balance, which in-turn roots itself into the subject's innate magic, which fuels the curse, which fuels the wish fulfillment..." Ima trailed off.

"...Which results in the granted wish being permanent." Conrad finished the thought.

"Can you give us a clue as to what the wishes are? It might help us to 'sell' it to the men of Brynnhollow.

"Each of the wishes is something that it is in my power, as a witch, to provide. In other words, I'm not going to make anyone a president, a king or an emperor. I don't have that kind of power. "Each of the wishes is something that people generally want. No one wishes for a jar of Hilda's pickled prune preserves, so they aren't on the list."

"You don't like my prunes?" Hilda asked in offense.

"Of course I do. Your prunes are quite lovely, dear... and quite effective. I'm just saying that they aren't commonly wished for."

Hilda reluctantly nodded her acceptance.

"And they're magical." Ima finished with a smile.

"What are?" Conrad asked uncertainly, not entirely sure if they were still talking about Hilda's prunes or not.

"When the wish is fulfilled, you'll know it's magic. I'm not farting around with fuzzy warm feelings and the wonder of morning dew. Whatever it turns out to be, you'll know that it happened by magic and that it's your wish being granted."

"Oh? Well, Rocky. I guess you've got that to look forward to." Conrad said with a smile at the young man who had been such a help to him.

"Do me next! I already know what I want!" Deimos said suddenly.

"I think that lends to the idea that the wishes will prompt people to want to receive the curse." Ima said frankly.

"What's your wish?" Cain asked his brother curiously.

"I don't have to say it, do I?" Deimos asked Ima seriously.

"No. You don't even have to decide what it is that you want. Of those wishes offered, the one you desire most will be granted." Ima once again explained.

"Come on, Agent Conrad. I'm ready. Go ahead and do it." Deimos said firmly.

"Fastbeck." He absently corrected as he looked at Ima, then at Ares, to see if either of them objected to what he was about to do.

"Come here." Conrad said as he held out his hand in invitation.

Deimos placed his hand in Conrad's and waited.

"I curse you." Conrad said simply.

"Thanks!" Deimos said happily, then turned to Ima and asked, "How long does it take to work?"

"With magic, one can never tell. It could happen immediately or I suppose it could take as long as four or five days." Ima said consideringly.

Deimos released Conrad's hand and hurried to Cain, Paul and G as he said, "Let's see if it worked."

The adults around the room watched as the boys gathered into a close group.

"What do you suppose that he wanted?" Ares finally asked.

"I can think of two things..." Ima began to say when she was interrupted.

"I did it! It worked!" Deimos happily called out.

"What's that?" Ares asked cautiously.

Deimos erupted from the group of boys with a ball of fire balanced in the palm of his hand.

"That was one of them." Ima confirmed.

"What's his gift?" Ares asked cautiously.

"Access to one of his blocked magical abilities." Ima said simply.

"So, the curse typically prevents most of your people from accessing their magic, but one of the five possible wishes is to grant them access to one of those abilities?" Conrad asked to confirm.

"That's right. Were it in my power, I would grant everyone full access to all their abilities, but that simply can't be done." Ima confirmed.

"So, are you saying that Deimos had an innate ability for fire magic, but was prevented from using it. But since it was what he most desired, he now has access to it?" Ares asked slowly.

"Yes. Because the affinity for fire was something that he was born with, he's always had that desire within him but no way to express it." Ima said slowly.

"And seeing Paul and Jim playing catch with fireballs probably just made it that much worse for him." D added quietly.

"Can you do me next?" Cain asked hopefully.

"Do you already know what you want?" Conrad asked curiously.

"No. But if it's as cool as Deimos', I don't really care what it is."

Conrad held out his hand, and accepted Cain's.

"I curse you." Conrad said with a smile.

"Thanks!" Cain said happily.

"It looks like you're going to have a lot of work ahead of you in the next few days, Agent Fastbeck." D said frankly.

"It does look that way." Conrad agreed, then turned and asked, "Since we're here, do you want for me to curse you too?"

"We might as well, although I can't imagine what gift I'll be receiving. I've already got everything that I could want." Ares said honestly.

Agent Fastbeck took Ares' hand and gave it a quick squeeze as he said, "I curse you."

"Thank you." Ares responded with a smile.

"Is there anything else that we need to do before we head off to Brynnhollow?"

"I just wanted to tell you that everything is being prepared for Monday at sunset." Andrea said seriously.

"The elders said that they were certain that if there were any change of plan that you'd notify them." Ares told her.

"Yes. I appreciate them not hounding me, constantly wanting updates. The only thing I'm going to need in the immediate future is for a few boxes to be delivered to the Coven before Monday. It's all the masks that I've gathered for them."

"Are they at your house? Because I can take care of that, if you need me to." Rocky volunteered.

"Yes. Is there any way that you could do that sometime tomorrow afternoon? I'd like to make one more trip to Dark's to be sure that I have a mask for everyone before I send them off." Andrea asked hopefully.

"That'll work out fine. I have some other stuff to do in the morning..." Rocky trailed off, then looked to Conrad and asked, "You don't need for me to be there with you if you're setting up a stand, do you?"

"No. I think that we've done everything that needed to be done. I should be fine from here on, but if I do need your help, be sure to know that I'll call on you."

"That goes both ways. Since I know that you'll listen to me and take me seriously, you can count on me showing up if I need you for something." Rocky said seriously.

"If we're all done here, we should think about heading back home. I don't want Grandpa to feel too put upon, seeing after things at the house in my absence." Ares said to the group.

"Since Grandpa Lowell's there, is it okay if Cain and I fly home? That way you should have enough room in the car for everyone." Deimos asked hopefully.

"Be careful not to drop your brother. And be sure to stay away from any populated areas in your animal forms." Ares warned.

"Yes, Dad. We promise." Deimos said for both of them.

"Conrad, would you like to fly over to my place before going on to Ares'? That way I can help you get used to changing into your oskmey form." Andrea asked pleasantly.

"Actually, I might need your help learning how to fly, before I can learn anything else." Conrad said frankly.

"The flying instinct comes hardwired. It's as natural as breathing to us." Andrea said with a smile.

"Conrad, make sure that you keep your talisman with you and don't let anyone else touch it." Ima warned.

"Don't worry, I'll fill him in on all the tricks of the trade." Andrea assured her, then turned to Ares and asked, "Do you want to fly over with us?"

"No, thank you. I'm going to ride along with D so that I can show them the way back to the house." Ares said with a smile at her.

"Would you mind taking our clothes there with you?"

"I wouldn't mind at all."

"Then I guess we'd better go." D said as he started toward the door.

* * * * *

Once everyone was upstairs, Andrea led Conrad to the front door and the others followed.

"If you need me for anything, you'll probably be able to catch me in the morning." Andrea said as she walked to the center of the courtyard.

"I think we're all clear about what's going to happen next, but we'll get in touch if we need anything." Ares assured her.

Andrea then turned to Conrad and quietly said, "This time you're going to remember what it felt like to change into a swan. It's probably already calling to you, so all you'll really have to do is let it happen. Once you've changed, make sure that you've still got your talisman around your neck. Ares is going to see to our clothes, so you won't have to worry about that. Just get free of the clothes and when you're ready, we'll take flight." Andrea said instructively.

"I guess I'm ready when you are." Conrad said simply.

"Go ahead and change. Once I see that you're not having any problem, I'll change too."

Conrad closed his eyes and concentrated on what it felt like when he had unexpectedly changed before. This time it was a simple matter of just letting go and letting it happen. Between one moment and the next, he found himself in a tent of his own clothes.

As everyone watched, the black swan and the white swan took flight into the star filled night, each with a silver talisman around their necks.

* * * * *

As Andrea had said, word seemed to spread in a ripple pattern. Conrad ended up at Lowell's cart and countless people came to him, asking for his curse.

Carn and the others had let it be known that not only was Conrad's 'gift' legitimate, but that they had accepted it themselves.

When Monday finally arrived, the carts were gone from the main street and the party had begun. A feast to rival all feasts was presented, up and down the main street, for all to share.

The group of boys seemed to have split into two factions. Jim, Paul and Deimos were openly demonstrating their fire abilities for anyone willing to watch. Tannis, Cain and G seemed to be more interested in tasting every variety of food that Brynnhollow had to offer.

As night approached, Conrad, Ares and D walked, all dressed in their masks, to the natural amphitheater where new celebrants displayed their first transformations for all to see. Conrad was conspicuous by the fact that rather than wearing a cloak, he chose to wear his business suit.

"Shouldn't we have gone with Carn and the others to open the drawbridge?" Conrad asked with concern.

"No. They have Mason and his people with them. We'd only be in the way." D assured him.

"How long do you think it will be before they arrive?" Ares asked anxiously.

"There's no way of knowing that without knowing what they're planning on doing." D said simply, then turned to Conrad and asked, "Has Andrea said anything to you about what they're planning?"

"She's said that 'The Queen' has seen to organizing her people. But that's about all." Conrad said honestly.

"How are things going with you and Andrea?" Ares asked curiously.

"She's been helping me come to terms with... what I've become. I didn't think it would be so difficult." Conrad said honestly.

"If you ever need a sympathetic ear, Paul is someone you might consider talking to." D suggested easily.

"Your son, Paul? Why?" Conrad asked in confusion.

"He was raised believing that he was human. On my wedding day, one year ago today, to be exact, he discovered that his mother was a witch and his biological father was a demon. I can't imagine what he went through, coming to terms with discovering such things about himself." D said frankly.

"He seems to have come through it okay." Ares observed.

"Yes. With the help and support of his friends and family, he came through something that might easily have destroyed someone weaker." D confirmed.

"It looks like they're starting." Conrad said as he pointed to the stage area.

"For most of these kids, it's going to be their first transformation. This is the biggest day in their lives so far." Ares explained to Conrad quietly.

"Like a rite of passage?" Conrad asked curiously.

"Exactly." Ares said, then they all watched as a twelve year old boy flawlessly transformed into an owl.

Applause rose up from the entire gathering as the small owl changed back to his human form and quickly donned his robe.

Conrad noticed a movement, and watched Dark step up to Ares' side.

As the next celebrant stepped forward, Conrad felt a hand on his shoulder.

When he turned, he saw Andrea, wearing a white swan mask.

Conrad couldn't help but smile to himself, knowing that he was wearing the black version of the same mask.

Without Ares, Dark or D noticing, Conrad slipped away with Andrea toward the back of the amphitheater.

"What's going on?" Conrad asked as soon as they were far enough away so as not to disturb anyone.

"The women are here. They're entering town right now. I was hoping that you'd stand with me with the elders." Andrea said honestly.

"I'd be honored to stand with you." Conrad said simply.

* * * * *

Andrea, in her white mask and cloak, accompanied by Conrad, in his black mask and suit, walked over the rise to where they had an unobstructed view of all of Brynnhollow.

The women were all wearing light colored robes and each of them wore a mask.

"Is it time?" A voice said from beside Conrad, startling him.

He turned and smiled at the small woman, wearing a Chinese dragon mask.

"It looks that way." Conrad confirmed, then said, "I didn't know if you'd come down off your mountain."

"If we come down at all, it's for this celebration. But this year there's more of a reason to celebrate than most." Ima finished happily.

Conrad saw that Vera, Hilda and Kathryn were present and he couldn't help but ask, "Where's Juliet?"

"She's marching with the women. Some of them were nervous about their reception here, so Juliet volunteered to walk with them." Andrea said with a smile.

"I bet you wanted to go with her." Conrad speculated.

"If it weren't necessary for me to be here leading the way, then yes, I would be with them." Andrea admitted.

"What are they going to do when they get here?" Conrad asked curiously.

"Carn is going to make an announcement to everyone about what is happening. You and I will be there to stand with him. When that's done... we'll see what happens." Andrea said simply.

"I've been so busy with cursing people that I haven't heard, have you come up with a plan for what to do with all the women returning at once?" Conrad asked curiously.

"We'll explain that in a few minutes. Let's watch and wait for the last new celebrants to finish. We don't want to interrupt their special day." Andrea said as she guided Conrad to walk with her.

Ima and the others automatically followed as they returned to the top of the rise where they could see both the celebrants transforming and the women approaching.

"I thought I wasn't going to find you." Rocky said with a smile at Conrad as he approached. Although he was wearing a fish mask and robe of a matching color, having seen Rocky's transformation, Conrad had no doubt that it was him.

"It's the mask. No one could ever guess it was me." Conrad said with a smile.

"Right, like there's so many suit wearing black swans running around this place." Rocky chuckled, then continued, "I went to help open the Coven. I think they're as scared as we are."

"That would make sense."

* * * * *

The new celebrants were just finishing up as the first of the women from the Coven arrived at the edge of the amphitheater. Carn motioned for Andrea and Conrad to come forward and stand with him.

"Come on, Rocky. This is your victory, too." Conrad coaxed.

"I didn't do anything." Rocky said hesitantly.

"Let's not go through that again. We're here, now, in large part thanks to you." Conrad said firmly, then added, "Come on."

Rocky finally reluctantly walked with Conrad to the stage area to join Carn and the other elders.

"Everyone! Please, if I may have your attention for just a moment!" Carn called out.

"On behalf of the Brynnhollow elders, I would like to thank all of you for joining in this celebration with us. In a sense, this has become something of a new year's celebration for us. No, we don't turn the calendars, but this has become the day when we close one chapter and begin the next. We choose to let the past lie in the past and press forward leaving old heartaches and resentments behind."

Lachlan stepped to Carn's side and continued the thought, "In the spirit of ushering in a new day, we are pleased and honored to have the members of 'The Coven' joining us. Before anyone can become concerned, the madness that forced them into exile has been cured. There is no reason to fear or distrust them. Our mothers, sisters, wives and daughters have returned to us. This is a day for celebration."

The procession of women walked around the amphitheater, led by a blond woman in a rather eerie unadorned porcelain white mask.

Carn and Lachlan stood aside and welcomed the woman to take center stage.

"As was said, we are your mothers, your sisters, your wives and your daughters... but before any of that, we are ourselves. This night, we will share in your celebration and revel in being able to visit with loved ones and catch up on old times. But when this night is over, we will return to our home. Our people and yours will be free to come and go as they please and it is hoped that in time both populations will normalize to a balance of men and women... but that will take time. For now, before all of you, I, Queen Marimba, formerly known as Ophelia Brynnmoore, declare that The Coven is no more. Henceforth, the community of women to the northeast of Brynnhollow shall be known as Brynnhaven."

Rather than applause, as might have been expected, there was nothing but stunned silence. Had it been just a bit earlier in the year, there most certainly would have been the sound of crickets chirping in the distance.

Finally, Carn stepped forward and said, "Anticipating the reactions of people to the news, we've asked that extra wine be made available for the occasion. The streets of Brynnhollow are open to you, mix and mingle. Reconnect or form new friendships. In other words, HAVE FUN!"

"That's the plan?" Conrad asked Andrea incredulously.

"Did you have something else in mind?" Andrea asked with amusement at his reaction.

"I don't know, I thought maybe each woman would be reintroduced to the community or something..." Conrad trailed off.

"Do you have any idea how long that would take? This way, the announcement was made and people can work it out for themselves. No one has to worry about having enough food, or beds or anything like that." Andrea said frankly.

"But I can't be sure that all the men got the curse. What happens if one or more of them lose control?" Conrad asked anxiously.

"You'll curse them. All the women know about the curse on the men and will see that they're brought to you." Andrea said simply, then looked around before continuing, "Carn suggested that all of us should circulate to see if we can spot any problems."

"Right. That's probably a good idea." Conrad said as he watched the women slowly infiltrating the clustered group of men in the amphitheater.

"Mom!" Conrad heard a familiar voice call out and turned in time to see Rocky hugging a woman with all his might.

After a moment of watching, Andrea quietly asked, "Do you think it was worth all of the struggle that we went through?"

Conrad smiled at the question and without reservation, he answered, "It was."

The End

To: Director, FBI
(ATTN: GENERAL GOVERNMENT CRIMES UNIT, CID)
From: Fastbeck
Subject: Closed

Andrea Brynner - SUBJECT;
Helen Greymont - INQUIRY;
Ares Brynner - RELATED SUBJECT;
Christopher Brynner - RELATED SUBJECT;
David Brynner - RELATED SUBJECT

Enclosed for the Bureau is a report of the findings of the investigation.

Sufficient information has been developed indicating that the subject ANDREA BRYNNER was located in a remote site in Kentucky. Following multiple interviews, there are no indications of coercion or any type of manipulation in regard to her. ANDREA BRYNNER is living independently and is self sufficient and in good health.

Related subject ARES BRYNNER was also located and likewise appears to be living independently, separate from his estranged wife, and has custody of their two children related subject CHRISTOPHER BRYNNER and related subject DAVID BRYNNER. There were no indications of the children being subjected to restraint, duress or unreasonable limitations on access to their mother.

Investigation concludes that no crime has been committed.

CASE CLOSED

Conrad Fastbeck, Director
FBI Field Office
Waxell, Kentucky

BH6-Banner4.jpgSouthseid

Chapter 1

"Hello?"

"Just a minute, I'm back in the office. Who's that?"

"Agent Shawn Roberts. I'm supposed to start working here tomorrow... I think. Am I in the right place?"

"Yeah. Sorry about the confusion. I have a sign requisitioned, but they keep messing it up. 'Right for the FBI office and left for the bait shop', how hard is that to understand?" Conrad asked as he finally walked into the room.

Agent Roberts stared uncertainly, obviously not knowing how to respond.

"My name is Conrad Fastbeck and I'm the director and... at least until tomorrow, the only employee of the Waxell FBI field office." Agent Fastbeck said as he offered his hand.

"But this office has jurisdiction of nearly a third of Kentucky and a quarter of Tennessee." Agent Roberts said disbelievingly.

"It's mostly just uninhabited land, really. If you look at the way the boundaries are drawn, we don't actually have any cities within our jurisdiction." Agent Fastbeck said as he withdrew his hand.

"I did notice that the zone map looked a little... abstract." Agent Roberts cautiously admitted.

"Yeah. Between the mountain terrain and avoiding heavily populated areas, we ended up with a district that looks like a dog's hind leg."

"Now that you mention it, I suppose that it does." Agent Roberts said with surprise.

"Have you found a place to stay yet?" Agent Fastbeck asked as he motioned for Agent Roberts to take a seat across the desk from him.

"No sir. I just arrived in town a few minutes ago and came directly here." Agent Roberts said anxiously.

"Please call me Conrad." Agent Fastbeck said as he took a seat behind the desk, then continued, "I can ask around and see if anyone knows of a place for rent. I can't think of any right off the top of my head."

"I'd appreciate that." Agent Roberts said quietly.

"If you just got into town, then you haven't eaten yet, have you?"

"No. I came directly here... at least, I did as soon as I realized that the bait shop and the FBI office shared the same front door."

"Come on, I'll treat you to lunch at the luxurious Waxell Diner." Conrad said with a teasing grin as he stood.

"You really don't have to. I just stopped in to see if there's anything that I need to know before I start work tomorrow."

"I haven't had lunch either. We can talk some business while we're eating." Conrad said as he led the way to the door.

* * * * *

When Agent Roberts reached the door, he was surprised to see that Agent Fastbeck had turned and gone down the hall to the bait shop.

"Hyatt, I'm going to lunch. I'll be over at the Waxell Diner if anyone needs me."

Agent Roberts could hear someone responding, but couldn't make out what was being said.

"Thanks. Would you like for me to bring you anything back?"

"Yeah. I'll do that." Agent Fastbeck said before turning around and walking toward the entry door.

Agent Roberts followed along uncertainly.

* * * * *

When they stepped outside, Agent Roberts was surprised when Agent Fastbeck started walking down the sidewalk.

He didn't want to say anything to upset his new boss, but after a certain point he felt that he had to ask, "Why do you park so far away?"

"Actually, my car's parked behind the office. But the Waxell Diner's only two blocks down." Agent Fastbeck said simply.

Agent Roberts was unfamiliar with 'walking' as a mode of transportation and wasn't quite sure what the etiquette was in such a situation, so he took the opportunity to survey his surroundings.

The town was clean. There wasn't any litter or graffiti visible on the main street. There were a few people out and about, doing their daily business, and at one point a car drove by.

"It's so quiet here." Agent Roberts finally said.

"Yeah. It takes a little getting used to, especially at night." Conrad agreed, then motioned across the street, toward the Waxell Diner.

Agent Roberts was surprised when Conrad suddenly changed course and stepped into the street.

He quickly looked up and down the road and found that there was no traffic coming from either direction as far as the eye could see.

Agent Roberts hurried to catch up to Agent Fastbeck.

* * * * *

When they walked into the Waxell Diner, it took a moment for Agent Roberts' eyes to adjust to the much dimmer light inside.

He looked around the place and approved of what he saw.

Back in DC, he had often enjoyed visiting a particular fifties themed restaurant.

His comfort was short lived however as he noticed that he and Agent Fastbeck appeared to be the only people in the place.

"Arn? Harry? Is anyone here?" Conrad called into the kitchen.

"Agent Fastbeck? Is that you?" A man's voice called in return.

"Yeah. There's two of us here for lunch. I'm going to grab us a couple cokes. Is that alright?"

"Go ahead and help yourself. Harry'll be out just as soon as we can get this stove moved back into place."

"We'll be fine for a while. Take your time." Conrad called, then stepped behind the counter and took two bottles of coke from the cooler chest.

After popping the tops off of them, he motioned for Agent Roberts to walk with him to a booth at the back of the dining room.

Agent Roberts followed along as he began to realize that the fifties 'theme' might not actually be a theme at all.

"As you might have guessed from the hustle and bustle around here so far, the job isn't very exciting. I'd say that most of the time when I get called out, it's for something that doesn't have anything to do with the bureau at all. The locals just see the 'F' in FBI and automatically call me when it's anything more severe than a car accident."

"What about trafficking and more serious crimes like that?"

"Good question. I'll let you know when we have some." Conrad said with a grin, then added, "Unless you count the 'X-Files' cases, there really isn't much going on that has anything to do with us."

"'X-Files'?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously and looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"Yeah. You'd think that a place like this with virtually no drug problem would have fewer reports of unexplained phenomena, but it turns out that we get more than our fair share of alien abductions and the like."

"You're kidding."

"Nope." Conrad said simply, then continued, "The thing is, as bizarre as some of the reports are, I'm determined that our office will investigate each incident as thoroughly and methodically as though it were a credible threat against the president himself."

"But isn't it a waste of time and resources to investigate outrageous claims like that?"

"No. I really don't think it is. These are the people who pay our salaries. We're here to investigate and provide answers for them. They trust in our training and skills to find them the answers that they can't find for themselves."

"Do you know what you want, Agent Fastbeck?" The waiter asked as he hurried up to the table.

"Harry, this is Agent Roberts. He's going to start working with me tomorrow."

"It's nice to meet you Agent Roberts. I'm Harry and I'll be your waiter. Would you like to look at a menu?" Harry asked quickly.

"Yes. Please." Agent Roberts cautiously responded.

"Okay. I didn't bring any with me. I'll be right back." Harry chirped cheerfully before dashing away.

"Is he for real?" Agent Roberts asked slowly.

"Oh yeah. It would never even occur to Harry to be anything less than completely genuine."

"Freaky." Agent Roberts said under his breath as he looked around the empty diner again.

Agent Fastbeck smiled wistfully at his wonder, remembering how not too long ago he had been in a similar state.

"Here you go." Harry said as he placed menus on the table, then quickly added, "Dad told me to tell you that he's going to be making some homemade ice cream today. It probably won't be ready before you're done with your meal, but if you want to stop by later for pie and ice cream, everything will be fresh."

"Apple pie?" Agent Fastbeck asked with a smile.

"No. Rhubarb, but... give me a second."

Before Conrad could stop him, Harry hurried away.

"Did you save these people's lives or something? Is that why they're so desperate to please you?" Agent Roberts asked disbelievingly.

"No. They're just really decent friendly people. I understand that after the big city it can be a little disorienting. I had no faith left in humanity when I arrived here. But if you decide to let your guard down with them, you won't be disappointed."

"So you understand where I'm coming from when I say that I'm getting a strong 'fifties' vibe from this place. Right?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"Yes. Of course."

"If you recall, people of my 'skin tone' weren't treated very well back in the 'good old days'." Agent Roberts said slowly.

"If I recall? Just how old do you think I am?" Agent Fastbeck asked with a laugh.

"You know what I mean. Do you think that any of these 'decent' 'friendly' people are going to have a problem with a black FBI agent living in their lily white community?"

"Dad says that if you'll agree to come back, he'll make an apple pie too." Harry said as he hurried back to the table.

"Thank him for me." Agent Fastbeck said with a smile, then thought to add, "As long as I don't get called out on a job, I'll be here."

"I'll tell him." Harry said happily, then asked, "Are you ready to order yet?"

"Yes. I'll have a cheeseburger and fries." Conrad said simply.

"What would you recommend?" Agent Roberts asked as he looked at the menu.

"The roast beef's really good today. If you're really hungry, a roast beef sandwich with some of Dad's beef barley soup would probably fill you right up." Harry said earnestly.

Agent Roberts looked to Conrad for guidance.

"That actually sounds better than a hamburger to me. I'll have the soup and a sandwich." Conrad said decisively.

"Make that two." Agent Roberts immediately added as he closed his menu.

"I'll have that for you in a few minutes. Would you like more cokes to go with your meals?"

Agent Fastbeck looked at their nearly empty bottles, then said, "Yes. That sounds like a good idea. Thanks Harry."

Agent Roberts nodded his agreement.

Harry hurried away as both men watched.

"So, do you think there'll be a problem with me being here?" Agent Roberts persisted.

"I don't know." Agent Fastbeck said honestly, then explained, "Since I've been here I haven't heard of a single report of any racially motivated incidents. I can't say for sure that there aren't any, but if there are, they're really good at keeping quiet about it."

"I don't know what it is, but there's something creepy about this place. It's just too quiet." Agent Roberts said anxiously.

Agent Fastbeck looked across the empty restaurant and through the large windows, out to the empty street.

After a long silent moment, Agent Fastbeck looked back to his companion and quietly said, "It's become my home."

"Are you trying to freak me out?"

Conrad smiled, then said, "I'm just saying that as creepy and backward as this place is, it kind of grows on you. The longer you stay here, the harder it is to ever want to leave."

Agent Roberts looked at Conrad appraisingly for a long moment, then seriously asked, "I need for you to be honest with me about something. The job, is it just marking time and drawing a paycheck or do you feel like you actually provide a service of some kind?"

"That's hard to say. It's kind of subjective." Conrad said simply, then explained, "But I guess the way I see it is that not only do I get to help people when they need my help the most, but when I participate in a significant event in their lives, I almost become part of their family, helping them to get through their problems by going through it with them."

"So every time you go out on a job, you adopt more of a family?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"Yeah. In a way, that's what this community is, one large family. If you stay, it will consume you. I guess that you'll have to decide for yourself if that's a bad thing or not."

"It sounds like you've already made that decision."

"I have. But that's the right choice for me. Another choice may be right for you. If you decide that you're not going to be able to make it here, let me know as soon as possible. I'll get you transferred out as quickly as I can."

"You talk about this place almost like it's a trap or something." Agent Roberts said cautiously.

"Maybe it is, for some. For others it's a haven. I guess it all depends on how you look at it."

* * * * *

"Here's your food." Harry said as he approached the table.

Conrad picked up the menus and cleared a place for Harry to place their meals.

"That smells WONDERFUL!" Agent Roberts said as the food was set before him.

"I told you it was a good batch." Harry said proudly as he placed their drinks.

"Always listen to Harry. He knows what he's talking about." Conrad said with an appreciative smile.

"Can I get you anything else, Agent Roberts?" Harry asked timidly, blushing at Conrad's praise.

Agent Roberts had to finish chewing his bite of food before he answered, "You can call me Shawn. After suggesting something this incredible, you've earned the right."

"Thank you, but I couldn't. You're a 'Federal' agent. It's important to me to show you the proper respect."

Agent Roberts' eyes went wide at Harry's earnest declaration.

"Thanks Harry. Even though you've never put it into words for me before, I think I always understood how you felt." Conrad said sincerely.

"Let me know if either of you need anything at all. I'll be in the kitchen helping Dad." Harry said As he turned to leave.

"Harry. Wait! Agent Roberts is going to need a place to stay. Do you know of any rental properties in the area that are vacant?"

"The only one I know of is the old Granby place. As long as you're not planning on raising pigs, that might be good for you."

"What's wrong with raising pigs?"

"According to the neighbors, they're too noisy and they smell really bad."

"I don't plan on raising anything, so it shouldn't be a problem."

"I'll ask Dad if he knows of any other places." Harry promised, then continued, "I've got to get back to the kitchen. He needs my help with the cleaning."

"We'll yell if we need anything else." Conrad said with a smile.

Harry returned the smile, then dashed away.

After a moment, Agent Roberts finally asked, "Seriously. What planet have we landed on?"

"I know." Conrad chuckled, then said, "And it's not just Harry. Pretty much the whole community is like that."

"Unbelievable."

Conrad nodded his agreement, then started eating his lunch.

* * * * *

After a few quiet minutes of eating, Agent Roberts cautiously asked, "What did they tell you about why they assigned me here?"

"Nothing. Not a word." Conrad said simply, then added, "What's more, I didn't request additional personnel. When I received notice that you were being transferred in, I was surprised, to say the least."

"My last assignment was... I suppose you'd call it an X-File. Even though there was nothing in my report that was the least bit sensitive, it was still classified."

"And you think that had something to do with you being posted here?"

"I submitted my report last week. It was immediately classified and I received notice of my reassignment two days later."

"So, do you see your posting here as being some form of punishment?"

"I don't know yet. It's possible that they put me here so that you could straighten me out about... nonstandard cases. Or maybe they just want to throw all the crazies in the same corner where they can be ignored."

"It could be both."

"Doesn't it bother you that our superiors might look at you as a crackpot?"

"It might have when I first arrived. But now I see myself as performing an important service to the community."

"Forgive me for asking, but I need to know... do you believe in aliens and other unexplained phenomena?"

"I believe in what I'm able to quantify and verify to a reasonable degree. So far I haven't investigated anything that causes me to believe that aliens exist, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to disregard testimony or evidence from those who do."

"I guess that I can get onboard with that approach."

"Does that mean that you're planning on staying?"

"I'll stay long enough to find out what's really going on. I can't promise anything beyond that."

"That will work for now, but I have a feeling that at some point you're going to have to fully commit one way or the other."

"What do you see as my choices?"

"At this point I would guess that it might come down to your career or the truth."

"Did you have to face that choice?"

"My choices were a little different."

Agent Roberts nodded slightly, but didn't feel that it would be appropriate to inquire further.

* * * * *

"If you're finished, we should be going." Agent Fastbeck said as he dropped a few dollars on the table.

"Thank you for buying me lunch, but I need to get to work finding a place to stay tonight. I didn't notice a motel on the way into town, do you know where one is?"

"Mrs. Shumlin's boarding house is the closest thing we have to a motel here, but let's talk to Arn and see if he knows of any places available for rent." Agent Fastbeck said as he led the way to the cash register.

"You really don't have to go to all this trouble. I'm sure that I'll be able to find something on my own."

"It's no trouble, and besides, I have a better idea of who to talk to to find you a place and most people around here know who I am."

"I can't argue with that."

"Arn? Have you got a minute?" Agent Fastbeck called into the kitchen.

A moment later a middle-aged man with a delighted smile hurried out of the kitchen, drying his hands on a dishtowel.

"Agent Fastbeck! It's wonderful to see you again. I was just working on your pie crust. I have a feeling that this is going to be a good one."

"They're all good. Your pies are the best." Agent Fastbeck said with a smile, then continued, "Arn, I'd like to introduce Agent Roberts. He's going to be working with me, starting tomorrow."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Agent Roberts. Welcome to Waxell." Arn said as he offered his hand to shake.

Agent Roberts looked warily at the offered hand for a moment before cautiously accepting it and giving Arn a firm handshake.

Agent Fastbeck detected a slight amount of relief seep into Agent Roberts' expression.

"We were hoping that you might know of a decent place for rent." Agent Fastbeck interjected.

"There's the old Granby place, of course, but you said 'decent'. From what I've heard, the Granby kids have really let that place go."

"Can you think of anyplace else?" Agent Fastbeck asked hopefully.

"Gil Spencer has that mother-in-law cottage that he's not using. With Lorna off to college, Gil could probably use the extra money coming in." Arn said thoughtfully.

"That might be worth checking out. The Spencer place isn't too far from town." Agent Fastbeck said with a slow nod.

"The only other place I can think of at the moment is the Tennyson place. Warren'd probably let you stay there for free if you'd agree to take care of it for him."

"Why would he do that?" Agent Roberts cautiously asked.

"He refuses to ever set foot on the property again. He claims that it's haunted."

"Um. No." Agent Roberts said firmly.

"You might want to consider it, Roberts. I mean, free rent. You just don't find a deal like that every day."

"A couple weeks ago I might have thought about it. I might have even enjoyed the challenge of investigating it. But after what I've just been through... no. When I get home from work, all I want is a nice simple life."

"If that's what you're after, you're looking in the right place." Agent Fastbeck assured him, then thought to ask, "Do you want to go and ask about the cottage at the Spencer place?"

"Before I say 'yes', what is a mother-in-law cottage?"

"It's a building that's on the property, but far enough away from the main house so that it affords privacy to both the occupant and the property owner."

"I wouldn't mind looking at it." Agent Roberts said cautiously, half sure that he was making a mistake.

"I'll call Nancy and let her know that you'll be stopping by."

"Thanks, Arn. Could you fix me a Sanka to go? Then I'll be ready to pay out."

"Is that Sanka for Hyatt?"

"Yeah. That's how I pay him back for watching the office for me while I'm out."

"I'll throw in a couple extra creamers, then."

* * * * *

After paying the bill and collecting the Sanka, Agents Fastbeck and Roberts walked back to the office.

Agent Roberts stood aside while Agent Fastbeck delivered the Sanka and made small talk for a few minutes.

As he was waiting, Agent Roberts took out his phone to check his messages.

"Are you ready to go?"

"I'm not getting a signal." Agent Roberts said as he held his phone up and out from him while he moved around the hallway.

Agent Fastbeck tried to restrain a smile as he watched the bizarre choreography Agent Roberts went through to try and 'summon' a signal.

"There's no cell service here." Agent Fastbeck finally explained.

"What?"

"There's no cell phone service provider in this area. There's no signal to 'get'." Conrad said more slowly.

"Is that even possible?" Agent Roberts asked as he stared at his phone.

"When you report for duty in the morning, I'll work on requisitioning you a sat phone." Agent Fastbeck promised, then continued, "But for right now, we need to be on the way to the Spencer place. We wouldn't want to keep Nancy waiting."

"There's no cell service at all?" Agent Roberts asked disbelievingly as he continued to stare at the phone in his hand.

"No. My sat phone is the only mobile phone that I'm aware of in the entire Waxell area."

* * * * *

"Do you want to go with me or drive your own car and follow along?" Agent Fastbeck asked as he stopped on the sidewalk.

"How likely do you think it is that I'll choose to stay in the mother-in-law house?"

"Knowing what little I do of the Spencers, it's probably nice... quaint even. But I can't predict how you'll react to it. If you don't like it for some reason, we can always swing north and check out the Granby place.

"I think it'll have to be pretty bad for me to choose the pig farm."

"Is this yours?" Agent Fastbeck asked as he indicated the Camry with Maryland plates parked in front of the office.

"Yeah."

"I'll drive around and you can follow me."

Before Agent Roberts could respond, Agent Fastbeck walked briskly around the side of the bait shop/FBI office, to the back.

Shawn got into his car and looked at his phone again, feeling bewildered at the sense of 'disconnection' from the rest of the world.

A car pulling to a stop near him snapped him out of his thoughts and he started his engine.

* * * * *

The drive to the Spencer place was... delightful. In fact, it was almost Disneyesque. The scenery was beautiful. There was not one thing to distract from that beauty. It was almost too perfect. In his experience, nothing so beautiful turned out to be real.

When they finally came to a stop in a long driveway, Agent Fastbeck motioned for Agent Roberts to follow him.

Reluctantly, feeling more than a little creeped out by the unrealistic fantasy scenery, Agent Roberts finally followed.

As they approached the front door, it opened and a modestly attractive and unrealistically happy woman appeared. In that first moment, all that Agent Roberts could think was that this woman must have gone to the same training academy as Donna Reed and June Cleaver.

"Agent Fastbeck! Arn told me that you'd be stopping by. This must be the new agent who's going to be working with you." She said with such delight and cheer that Agent Roberts was certain that her meds needed to be drastically adjusted.

"Nancy Spencer, may I introduce Agent Shawn Roberts, he'll be starting with me tomorrow." Agent Fastbeck said formally.

"It's so nice to meet you Agent Roberts. I'm sure that you're going to be a great help to Agent Fastbeck." Nancy said warmly, then quickly asked, "Can I get you anything? I have some homemade cookies, or some peach tea if you're thirsty."

"Thank you, no. We've just come from the Waxell Diner. We couldn't possibly eat another bite." Agent Fastbeck said with a tender smile at her.

"Well then, I know you didn't come all this way to chat with me, so why don't I take you out to the cottage and you can see what you think of it?"

Before either could respond, Nancy hurried back into the house.

"She seems..." Shawn began to say, but was stopped when Nancy dashed back out with a set of keys in her hand.

"I haven't been out there in a week or two, but Gil's been going out a couple times a week to see that the place is alright." Nancy said as she walked past them and started leading the way away from the house.

"How long has it been since anyone lived there?" Agent Fastbeck asked curiously.

"Well, Lorna stayed out there for a few weeks, but didn't like the sense of isolation, so she moved back into the house with us until she left for college. Before that, the last person to stay in the house was my mother. When she was about... ninety-six, I think, she took a fall and we moved her into the house with us where we could keep an eye on her."

"How long ago was that?" Agent Fastbeck asked curiously.

"It's been a few years, but I can't quite recall. If it's important, we can stop in and ask mother when we get back to the house."

"No. It's not important. I was just curious." Agent Fastbeck assured her.

Agent Roberts was only half listening to the conversation as he realized that where they were walking couldn't even be counted as a 'path'. He had eerie flashbacks to a particular city park as he made very sure to stay close to Agent Fastbeck and Mrs. Spencer.

"You should know that if there's a heavy rain, that the driveway will flood. It's never been a problem, but if you leave your car at the bottom of the drive, it could be damaged." Nancy warned.

"I'll keep that in mind." Shawn muttered uneasily as they walked deeper into the woods.

"So even though this house is on the same property, it's completely isolated from your house in every way, is that right?" Agent Fastbeck asked cautiously.

"We share a mailing address, but I suppose that if you asked Ethyl, she'd come up with something unique for you. But as far as utilities and the like, everything's been kept separate all along."

"Ethyl's the town's mail carrier... and postmaster... and I think she's in charge of the phone system in town, too." Agent Fastbeck said thoughtfully.

"Ever since they took down the switchboard, she hasn't had as much to do, so when Pete Slattery finally retired from the post office, she took over for him." Nancy explained.

"You'll get to meet her when she drops off our mail at the office. You can talk to her about getting your own address then."

"If I decide to take the place." Agent Roberts interjected.

"I forgot to mention, the cottage is furnished. We've never had a reason to empty it out. Is that going to be a problem for you?" Nancy suddenly asked.

"No. I only have my suitcase and a few other things in my car." Shawn immediately answered.

"Then it sounds like a perfect situation for you. If you like the place, you could move in tonight." Nancy said cheerfully.

"How much farther is it?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"Just around this bend and over a rise." Nancy said simply.

"Are there any wild animals that live in these woods that I should know about?" Agent Roberts asked as he looked around.

"Every now and then you'll hear something moving through the woods or baying at the moon in the distance, but as far as I recall, no one's had any problem with wild animals in the past thirty years or so. Left to themselves, the wildlife seem to keep their numbers in check." Nancy said pleasantly, then quickly added, "There it is!"

Chapter 2

The only way the cottage in the woods could seem more like a fairy tale would be if it were made out of candy.

Shawn couldn't give a rational explanation for his discomfort except to say that it was 'too perfect'.

"Would you like to do the honors, Agent Roberts?" Nancy asked as she offered him the keys.

"Um, yeah. Sure." Shawn reluctantly agreed as he accepted the keys from her.

With Nancy and Agent Fastbeck flanking him on either side, Agent Roberts forced himself to open the front door of the cottage, even though a part of him very much didn't want to.

As the door swung open, Agent Roberts caught his first glimpse of the living room.

"Well? How is it?" Agent Fastbeck asked from over his shoulder.

Shawn had to give an internal push to make him take his first step inside.

"This place is incredible! Some of these furnishings belong in a museum. That sofa has to be at least two hundred years old." Agent Fastbeck said in a voice of quiet awe.

"It's beautiful." Shawn reluctantly admitted.

"We'll be asking three hundred dollars a month, but we'll understand if you need a few days to get your things together to pay us for the first month." Nancy finished sympathetically.

"Three hundred... dollars? A month?" Shawn stammered.

"I probably should have prepared you for that." Agent Fastbeck said with a grin at Agent Roberts' dumbfounded state.

"Is that too much?" Nancy asked with concern.

"No. That's fine." Agent Fastbeck quickly assured her, then explained, "The economics are a bit different back in DC. It can just be a bit of a shock if you're not prepared for it."

"Three hundred... a month." Shawn said disbelievingly.

"Just give him a minute. He's nearly got it." Agent Fastbeck said warmly.

"Would you like to take a look at the rest of the place? I'm sure you'll want to see the master suite before you make a decision." Nancy said cautiously.

"Yes. Of course." Agent Roberts was finally able to say.

"Welcome back." Agent Fastbeck said with a grin.

Agent Roberts glanced at him and realized just how dramatic his reaction had been.

* * * * *

Nancy led them down a hallway off the living room and turned right.

When Agent Roberts followed, he was astounded to see the enormous room that they entered.

"This was originally a parlor for entertaining, but sometime around 1940, it was made into a master suite, so that Mrs. Helson, my husband's great-grandmother, wouldn't have to deal with the stairs."

"It's amazing." Shawn whispered.

"The water closet is right over there. I'm afraid that we haven't gotten around to updating it, so there still isn't a shower, but you have a rather nice claw foot tub in there... big enough for two, if you're so inclined." Nancy said with a slight blush rising up her cheeks.

"Good to know." Agent Roberts said as he walked over to the biggest bed that he had ever seen and sat down on the edge of it to get a sense of the firmness of the mattress.

"The linens are in the hall closet. They were laundered not too long ago, they should still be fresh enough." Nancy added as she watched his inspection.

"What about laundry facilities? Do you have anything like that here?" Agent Fastbeck asked seriously.

"Yes. They're in the utility room, just off the kitchen. Although they're twenty or thirty years old, they seem to work well enough. If the washer starts giving you trouble, just call Gil. He has a long history with these appliances and knows how to set them back to right."

"That's good, because I wouldn't have a clue of where to begin." Agent Roberts said honestly.

"If you've seen all that you need to in here, I'll show you the guest room." Nancy said pleasantly.

"This room is bigger than my whole apartment in DC, and you're saying that there's even more?" Agent Roberts asked in astonishment.

"Just the guest room, the dining room and the breakfast room off the kitchen." Nancy said as she led the way into the hall.

"Three hundred a month..." Shawn said as he shook his head in wonder.

"That is, unless you count the bedrooms upstairs. But that's been closed off since Mrs. Helson moved to the ground floor." Nancy said as she guided them down the hall and into another room.

This one wasn't nearly as big as the master suite, but it was of a decent size and was tastefully decorated.

"With a room like this, I could invite my sister down to visit for a few weeks." Agent Roberts said thoughtfully.

"So have you decided?" Agent Fastbeck asked with a smile, then added, "We still have plenty of time to go look at the pig farm, if you want to."

"I don't think that will be necessary. Unless there's something else that I need to know about, I'd be crazy not to take this place." Agent Roberts said honestly.

"I can't think of anything..." Nancy said slowly, then quickly amended, "Gil has a deal with the Beckle boys to provide us firewood, so you won't need to worry about that. If you ever run short, just call Gil and he'll see that it's taken care of. Besides that, the only other thing I can think of is the orchards to the east of here. When everything starts coming ripe, we get a group of people together to help us with picking. I wouldn't want you to be surprised if you unexpectedly find an unknown group of people on the property."

"Thanks for the warning." Agent Roberts said sincerely.

"Of course, you're welcome to help yourself to as much of the fruit as you want from the orchards. We sell off what's left so it won't go to waste."

"I'll do that." Shawn said quietly, obviously overwhelmed by it all.

"Do you want to stay here and get settled in or go back to town with me for pie and ice cream?" Agent Fastbeck asked with a smile.

"I don't have that much... but I'm going to need someone to show me where the driveway is. I assume that I'm not going to be walking cross-country to get here every day."

"I'll show you that on our way out." Agent Fastbeck assured him.

"So, do we have a deal?" Nancy asked with a smile of anticipation.

"Yes. I think we do." Agent Roberts said gently, then thought to ask, "Should I pay you now?"

"You can if you like. But I'll understand if you need a few days to get your affairs in order."

"No. That's no problem." Agent Roberts said as he took out his wallet and extracted three one hundred dollar bills.

When he handed them to her, he noticed the puzzled expression that she wore.

"Those are the new hundreds. The government redesigned them a few years ago." Agent Fastbeck assured her.

"Since you're from the FBI, I'll take you at your word. But they look for all the world like play money to me." Nancy said as she examined the bills.

"They do to me too." Conrad admitted.

"If there's nothing else that you'd like to see, I'll take you back to the house." Nancy said as she folded the bills and tucked them into a discretely hidden pocket in her dress.

* * * * *

"Did I just make a horrible mistake?" Agent Roberts asked as they walked through the woods at an unhurried pace.

"Good question. I guess there's only one way to find out." Agent Fastbeck said with a smile.

"I've taken one more step toward being 'consumed' by this place, haven't I?"

"It looks that way."

"Did the same thing happen to you?"

"No. I stayed at Mrs. Shumlin's boarding house until I made the commitment to stay. Once I had decided, I bought a house." Agent Fastbeck said seriously.

"Is it as nice as this place?"

"My house is northwest of town and sits on about seventy acres of unspoiled woodland. It's the place I would have dreamed of owning one day if I had the first clue that such a place actually could exist."

"I'm still a little up in the air on that one myself. All of this seems a little too... fairy tale, to be real."

They walked for a moment in silence, then Agent Fastbeck finally responded, "In fairy tales, beauty is often offset by horror. Peace is purchased with blood. In our line of work, we're bound to run across the dark underbelly of things eventually."

"Would you stop talking to me in riddles and just say what you mean to say?"

"Enjoy what you have while you have it."

"But what do you know about the 'dark underbelly'?"

"I know about good people leading very sheltered and protected lives. They're people that I've come to care about and I want to continue sheltering and protecting them. The dark underbelly may actually be the outside world intruding on this place... I don't know. But I'm convinced that I'm here... we're here, to use our skills and knowledge to help these people."

* * * * *

When they arrived back at Nancy's house, they said their goodbyes to Nancy, then got in their cars. Agent Fastbeck led the way down the long drive, then about a quarter mile down the road to a secluded driveway, which led to Agent Roberts' cottage.

"Do you need any help carrying things in?"

"I don't have much, but if you want to help, we can get it all out of the way right now. It should only take a couple minutes."

When Conrad walked to the trunk and saw the contents, he quietly said, "You're going to need to use the computers at the office until you've had a chance to get a few things ironed out."

"Do they not have high speed internet here?" Shawn asked as he grabbed a few suitcases from the back seat.

Conrad picked up the large iMac and followed as he said, "They actually don't have any internet here."

"None at all?"

"Well, if you have a phone line and an old fashioned modem, you can use dial-up. Beyond that, the only other option that I've been able to find is a specially configured satellite ISP. That's what we have at the office. I've been considering getting it at home, so if you decide to do it, we can schedule it together. The guys have to drive in from Louisville to do the installation."

"What about television? Is there cable?"

"Nope. Broadcast only. And the two local broadcasters don't have satellite feeds from the major networks, so they mostly play old movies and some of the older syndicated television shows. From what I've overheard at the diner, The Mary Tyler Moore Show is becoming very popular in Waxell right now."

"Just set that down by the couch and I'll find a place for it later, after I've had a chance to explore." Shawn said as he set down his suitcases, then said, "Be straight with me. Do you have any idea of what's going on around here? Because it seems hard to believe that you could be here, working for the FBI, and not at least have some sense of what's causing this."

"I don't know. And the few things that I've been able to put together don't form enough of a picture for me to get a sense of it. Waxell seems to exist in a bubble, not completely separate from the outer world, but not fully a part of it either. What's causing it or why... I really have no idea. But the honest truth is, I don't exactly want it to change, either." Conrad said as they started walking back toward the car.

"Is this the X-File thing that you were talking about?"

"That or The Twilight Zone, but I can't detect any malicious intent behind it all. No one's getting hurt and everyone seems to be happy. Where's the harm in it?"

"It's a lie. This isn't reality. These people deserve a chance to..."

"...to what? To be exploited by a system that they didn't create? To be beaten down and have everything left to them by the generations before taken away in the name of modernity? What possible benefit would there be for them or for the outside world? Who would it serve?"

"What about that 'dark underbelly' you were talking about?"

"I still haven't found it. But if and when I do... I may have to reevaluate my stance on things."

"Yeah. Okay. I can respect that."

"Let's finish hauling this stuff in. We have homemade pie and ice cream waiting for us back in town."

"Is it really that good?"

"No. It's better."

* * * * *

As Shawn drove back to town in his own car, he had a few private moments to collect his thoughts.

Agent Fastbeck had been nothing but nice to him since the moment they had first met, and yet Shawn couldn't help but feel that he was hiding something.

Truth be told, Shawn himself was hiding something too. Every time they discussed 'X-Files' and he didn't reveal the surprising truths that he had uncovered, he was in essence lying.

Setting all that aside, there was something seriously wrong with the town where he had been stationed.

But he couldn't help but wonder if Agent Fastbeck were right. Whatever weird incomprehensible thing was happening in Waxell might be something precious that should be preserved and defended.

He might also be right about there being a dark underbelly. The strong and the weak. The rich and the poor. The Darksiders and the Shadesiders. The residents of Waxell and... that was the big question, wasn't it? And he wasn't alone in asking.

Given what little he knew about Agent Fastbeck's circumstances, he supposed that he might be behaving just as strangely if their positions were reversed.

As he followed Agent Fastbeck down the alley to park behind the FBI office, he came to the conclusion that he would do his best to follow Agent Fastbeck's lead and try to understand what they were facing.

* * * * *

"I didn't think to ask before, you don't mind walking from the office do you?"

"No. That's fine. I'll probably need to burn off some calories if the pie is as good as you say it is."

"You won't regret it."

"Conrad, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah. Ask whatever you want."

"Why us?"

"I once met a man who had the responsibility to protect and defend an entire village. ALL the decisions were his, as was ALL the responsibility. One wrong decision on his part could lead to their annihilation."

"Are you saying that we're going to be something like that?"

"No. What I'm suggesting is that it's possible that someone in a position such as that has arranged for us to be right here, right now."

"For what?"

"I don't know. I'm not at all certain that they know. We may just be contingency plans or safety valves if others of their plans don't end up working out as expected."

"So you think that someone in the chain of command is staffing this office with people who have a particular mindset, in hopes that we'll be motivated to react in a favorable way should a certain situation take place."

"I'm saying that it's possible. Why would they create a bizarrely misshapen district which intentionally leaves out metropolitan areas if not in an attempt to contain some specific information that we might run across?"

"But you have no idea what that is." Agent Roberts said in a leading tone.

"I don't know for sure that there is anything. It's all just a theory." Agent Fastbeck said as he started to cross the street.

"So you don't get the sense that we're being drawn toward a particular action?"

"No. If anything, I get the sense that we're being held in reserve."

"But you have no idea what for."

"None."

"What about your X-File cases? Could one of them have some bearing on this?"

"While that's always possible, so far I haven't come across anything that would connect any of that to what's going on in Waxell or beyond it. Until and unless I can find some sort of connection, I'd rather just leave that be."

Shawn thought about the people that he had recently encountered and came to the conclusion that as long as no harm was being done, that they should be left to live in peace.

* * * * *

"Agent Fastbeck! Agent Roberts! I'm so glad that you could make it." Arn said happily as they walked into the diner.

"Thank you." Agent Roberts muttered in surprise.

Agent Fastbeck guided Shawn into the diner and up to a particular woman.

"Agent Shawn Roberts, may I present Tracy Manson. She works as a waitress here. I know that these young men with her are her sons, but I have to admit that I can't remember their names." Agent Fastbeck finished with a timid smile.

"It's nice to meet you, Agent Roberts. Harry has been telling me about you." Tracy said pleasantly, then continued, "These are my boys, Otis and Harlow."

Agent Roberts thought that it would be inappropriate to mention that Tracy appeared to be far too young to have adult children. Besides that, he would prefer not to do anything that might prompt her to explain how that could be.

Nothing good would come of it.

"It's nice to meet you Agent Roberts, welcome to Waxell." Otis said pleasantly.

"Thank you." Agent Roberts said with surprise at the sincere and friendly welcome.

"Are you ready for some of the best pie and ice cream that you've ever tasted?" Agent Fastbeck asked with a smile.

"Have a seat and we'll start serving. We've just been waiting on you." Arn interjected.

"Why?" Agent Roberts asked confusedly.

"We decided to make this a welcome party for you. It's not every day we have someone new moving into Waxell." Arn explained.

"Well, thank you for that. I honestly never imagined that anyone would care one way or another."

"We're not going to put on a big to-do. But Ben Pickley, the mayor, and Sheriff Daniels should be stopping in before very long to welcome you to town."

"It's how they do things here." Agent Fastbeck quietly explained.

Agent Roberts wasn't having a problem with the concept, but it still seemed like a disproportionate reaction to his arrival.

Otis surreptitiously moved to Agent Roberts' side and quietly said, "I know that this place can seem a little weird. If you have any problems, I'll help you out if I can."

"So you can see it too?" Agent Roberts asked with surprise.

"I'm from here, so I probably don't see as much as you do. But when I was away at college I realized just how different it is here."

"But you came back. Weren't you tempted to make a life for yourself in the outside world?"

"Not really." Otis said simply, then explained, "To me, this is normal. The 'outside world' is crowded, noisy and moves too frantically. I'm not sorry that I visited, but I'd never want to live there. Everyone seems so mean and selfish... and sad."

"Yeah. I guess I can see that."

"Like I said, if you're having any problems understanding how things work around here, let me know."

"Thanks Otis. I'll do that."

* * * * *

Arn and Harry hurried to serve pie and ice cream for all those in attendance.

As the 'guest of honor' Agent Roberts was the first to receive his plate.

"You were right. I've never tasted anything that was even close to as good as this." Shawn reluctantly admitted.

"I didn't choose to stay just because of the food, but I'm not at all disappointed to know that I'll be able to enjoy desserts like this on a regular basis."

"Agent Fastbeck! Don't hog the guest of honor all to yourself. If he's going to be staying, he's going to need to circulate and get to know people." A woman said sternly as she approached.

Both Agents Fastbeck and Roberts stood to greet her.

"Agent Shawn Roberts, allow me to present Dorra Linda Rhodes. She's the principal at the local elementary school and she also teaches third through fifth grade classes along with her other duties." Agent Fastbeck said formally, then turned to Dorra Linda and asked, "Did I get that right?"

"Yes. I'm flattered that you remembered." Dorra Linda said honestly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Ma'am." Agent Roberts said respectfully.

"It's a pleasure for me as well. I never would have thought that the FBI would be staffed with such gallant gentlemen."

"The bureau does its best to see that we are prepared to function in a variety of situations." Agent Fastbeck said pleasantly.

"Perhaps one or both of you could stop by the school sometime to talk to the students about career opportunities in federal law enforcement. I think it would benefit the children to have actual examples, in the flesh, of what they might one day aspire to be." Dorra Linda said warmly.

"Of course. If you'll just let me know when you have time in your schedule, we'll arrange something." Agent Fastbeck said professionally.

"Agent Roberts." A voice said from nearby.

He turned at the sound of his name and saw Otis leading an older man.

"This is Ben Pickley. He was wanting to meet you." Otis said with a smile.

"Mayor Pickley?" Agent Roberts ventured.

"Oh? Has someone been talking about me?" Mayor Pickley asked with delight.

"Only to tell me that I might be meeting you." Agent Roberts explained, then continued, "I'm Agent Shawn Roberts from the FBI."

"I was surprised, to say the least, when Agent Fastbeck was stationed in our little town. I'm actually dumbfounded as to why there would be two federal agents located in Waxell." Mayor Pickley said honestly.

Agent Roberts didn't know how to respond, but fortunately, Agent Fastbeck stepped up and said, "As far as I know, we've been stationed here to oversee an entire geographic region. I'm not aware of it having anything to do with Waxell specifically. This just seemed to be a good place for a base of operations."

"Is the government finally going to do something about those little green bastards who've been pestering us?"

"Yes, Mayor. Along with our other duties, Agent Roberts and I are tasked with investigating every report of alien sightings and abductions within our jurisdiction." Agent Fastbeck assured him.

"Good. It's obviously been too much of a job for the sheriff's office." Mayor Pickley said sourly.

"We have enough of a job keeping the peace among our human residents." A man's deep voice said from nearby.

Agent Roberts turned to see that the person who had spoken was, indeed, wearing a sheriff's uniform.

"Sheriff Daniels, I'd like for you to meet Agent Roberts. He'll be working with me at the FBI office starting tomorrow." Agent Fastbeck said respectfully.

"I've been impressed with how Agent Fastbeck handles an investigation. It's good to see that he's going to have some help. I think we've got enough crackpots and lunatics to keep two people busy." Sheriff Daniels said with a look askance at Mayor Pickley.

"Just wait till those green bastards take you up in their ship and start probing you. Then you'll be singing a different tune." Mayor Pickley challenged.

"That wasn't aliens, Ben. That was too much whiskey and your brother Leroy." Sheriff Daniels said frankly.

"Agent Roberts?" A timid voice intruded.

Shawn turned and saw Harry holding out a dessert plate with pie and ice cream toward him.

"I thought you might like to try some of Dad's rhubarb pie." Harry said cautiously.

"Thank you Harry. I'd love to try it." Agent Roberts said as he traded his empty dessert plate for the one with pie and ice cream.

"Would you like some Sanka to go with that?"

"I don't think so. I'm trying a lot of new things today. I think it's probably best if I ease into it. Maybe next time."

"Did you end up getting the 'mother-in-law house'?" Harry asked curiously.

"Yes. I'd like to thank you and your dad for suggesting it." Agent Roberts said with a sincere smile.

"I'm glad you like it." Harry said happily, then quickly said, "I'll be right back. Mayor Pickley needs some more pie."

Agent Roberts watched with a smile as Harry hurried away.

* * * * *

The pie was simply amazing. Shawn didn't know what he was expecting, but it wasn't something so incredibly good.

"Before it gets too late, remember that you're going to need to stop by the store and get some food. Otherwise you won't have anything to eat at your house." Agent Fastbeck said quietly from his side.

"I didn't even think about that. Thank you." Agent Roberts said sincerely.

"If you're ready, I'll walk over to the market with you, in case you need help carrying your groceries back to the car."

"I can just drive over there... once I know where it is."

"You can if you want, but it'll probably end up being a lot more trouble than just walking there from here. It's right around the corner."

"Okay. I'll take your word for it." Agent Roberts finally relented, then walked to the lunch counter and asked, "Harry, how much do I owe you?"

"Nothing. This was a party to welcome you to town." Harry said with a smile.

"I never imagined being welcomed anywhere so warmly. Thank you, and be sure to thank your dad for me." Agent Roberts said sincerely, then thought to add, "The rhubarb pie was wonderful. Thank you for getting me to try it."

"I'm glad you liked it." Harry said with a beaming smile.

* * * * *

"So, you didn't have anything to do with that, did you?" Shawn asked cautiously as they left the diner.

"With what?"

"Organizing a 'welcome' party."

"Oh, no. They came up with that all on their own."

"I could see what you meant about them believing in aliens. Although the sheriff seems to have debunked the mayor's story fairly well."

"I wasn't here when that incident occurred, so I can't really comment specifically on the investigation. Although, from what little I know of it, I would be interested to see the results of a toxicology test on the mayor that night. Overindulging with alcohol doesn't typically produce such... vivid results unless you're in the advanced stages of chronic alcoholism."

Agent Roberts slowly nodded as he considered Agent Fastbeck's words.

"But as far as Leroy's involvement, it wouldn't surprise me a bit. I get the feeling that Leroy would bugger just about anything, given the chance."

"Good to know." Agent Roberts said uneasily.

"This is the M&K market. It's the only thing remotely resembling a grocery store in Waxell."

"It's a convenience store."

"Basically, yeah. If you need something more than what you can find here, you'll have to drive into Gooseneck."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"For dry goods, you might be able to find what you're looking for at the drugstore or over at the feed store, which doubles as a hardware."

"I think it may take me some time to get used to all of this."

"Once you get past the expectation of 'one stop shopping', it's not too hard." Agent Fastbeck said easily, then quickly added, "You'll also need to remember that they don't have a gas station here in town. Don't let yourself run too short."

"Why don't they have a gas station?"

"I suppose it's because they wouldn't have enough local business to support it. The gas station out on the interstate services several small communities like this one, so it has enough traffic to make it viable."

Conversation stopped as they walked into the little 'mom and pop' market.

* * * * *

Agent Roberts wasn't much of one for cooking.

He could manage a microwave dinner or cup-o-noodles in a pinch, but given the choice, he was much happier ordering delivery or driving through for take out.

Even so, he supposed that he could manage a simple meat and potatoes dinner for himself if he really needed to.

After he had gathered a few items into his handbasket, Agent Fastbeck put a cautious hand on his shoulder and quietly asked, "You don't have a clue of what you're doing, do you?"

"Does it show?"

"Yeah. I'm not saying that you couldn't do something with a slab of fatback and five pounds of rutabagas but... would you mind if I helped you?"

"I hate to ask after all the trouble you've already gone to, but I've never really had to cook for myself before. I'm completely lost."

"Put this stuff back and I'll help you pick out a few things that are a bit more flexible to work with."

"Thanks."

* * * * *

After picking up a few staple pantry items, along with the steak and potatoes that Agent Roberts thought he had been buying before, Agent Fastbeck thought to ask, "Did you happen to notice if there were any pots and pans in the kitchen?"

"No. I don't think we even went into the kitchen. I just saw that it was there as we passed by."

"I think we're going to need to stop by the feed store before it closes. I'd loan you something of mine, but I've only got the absolute basics at my house."

"If you can show me what the basics are, I'd really appreciate it."

"I think we've got what you'll need for a few meals. Let's check out. We don't have a lot of time."

* * * * *

After a trip to the feed store, Agent Fastbeck wished Shawn well and sent him on his way, back to his new house.

Although the temptation was great to invite him along, he knew within himself that he needed to take this step into the unknown on his own.

Arriving at his house, he stopped for a moment to appreciate the beauty of the place in the diminishing daylight.

Back in DC, he couldn't have dreamed of ever living in such an incredibly beautiful place.

When he was finally able to force himself to stop gawking and get to work, Shawn loaded the groceries and other purchases into the house.

It turned out that there were a few pots and pans left in the kitchen, but he didn't regret the purchases that he had made. Agent Fastbeck had assured him that the assortment that he bought would be suitable for the majority of his frying, stewing and baking needs.

After getting the food put away and the pots and pans squirreled away where he could find them when he needed them, Shawn went about the business of unpacking.

Since he hadn't brought much in the way of material possessions with him, the task wasn't too terribly daunting.

He found that there was a little nook off the dining room with a desk that seemed to be ideal for his computer. Although he immediately recognized the need for more outlets, and of course an internet connection, he was able to get his computer set up and operational in a reasonable amount of time.

As he was going through his suitcases, putting away his clothes, he heard a knock on the door.

Intrigued, he put down what he was doing and went to answer it.

* * * * *

"Hello?"

"Agent Roberts?"

"Yeah."

"My name is Gil Spencer. Nancy said that you rented the house from us today."

"Yes. That's right."

"Nancy said that you told her that you'd be starting work tomorrow and she was worried that you might have your hands full with unpacking and such, so she sent me over with a casserole for you."

"Thank you. Please come in." Shawn said as he stood aside.

"I won't be able to stay. I just wanted to drop this off and let you know that you're to call us if you have any problems at all."

"Everything seems fine so far. But if there's a problem, I'll let you know."

"Just be sure to call us before it becomes a big problem. I'd rather be told about a dripping faucet than a flooded basement." Gil said as he walked at a casual pace toward the kitchen.

"Is there a basement?" Shawn asked curiously.

"Yes. Go out the back door and the door's to the left, about ten yards or so. It's mostly just for storage. My wife's mother used to do a lot of canning, so if you come across any of her canned goods down there, you're welcome to them." Gil said as he set the casserole on the stove.

"Will they still be good after all this time?"

"That's the point of canning them." Gil said simply, then added, "If the seal hasn't been broken, they should be fine."

Shawn nodded that he understood.

"It's nice to meet you, Agent Roberts. If you run into any trouble, even if it isn't something to do with the house, you call us or come on up to our place. You hear?"

"Yes sir."

"I don't answer to sir. Name's Gil."

"If you say so, Gil. But if that's the case, then I expect you to call me Shawn."

"You got a deal, Shawn." Gil said with a grin, then added, "Welcome to Waxell."

Chapter 3

As Agent Roberts drove away from his cottage on the way to work, he reflected on the previous evening.

Although he had been ready to swear that he wasn't hungry after all the pie and ice cream that he had eaten, the enticing aroma of Nancy's casserole had eventually changed his mind.

The casserole was warm, flavorful and filling. It almost made him long for the childhood that he never had.

The childhood that he actually had was filled with a variety of activities, both school related and otherwise. Every minute of every day was scheduled for him. He was expected to be at full energy for every bit of it... and he was. But not without a price.

When he and his sister were at home, they were constantly being pushed and hounded to work harder, to learn more, to become their absolute best selves.

Although he couldn't be sure if his memory were playing tricks on him, Agent Roberts couldn't remember any point in his 'childhood' when he had been allowed to relax. He certainly couldn't remember being allowed to do anything so frivolous as to 'stop and enjoy' a meal, simply for the pleasure of it. Pleasure in any form was unfortunately off the menu. He and Michelle had never been encouraged to play. In fact, if they were ever caught playing, they would immediately be scolded and redirected to some other, more productive, activity.

Shawn looked upon his parents almost like prison guards. One of the guilt tactics his parents had used to motivate them was to go on and on about how much they had sacrificed and the misery they were enduring to provide Shawn and Michelle the most opportunities in life.

He had thought that when he joined the military that he would be out from under their control and his life could begin.

However, it turned out that his parents had done their jobs too well. Shawn carried their pushing and prodding with him and avoided forming any meaningful relationships. He worked himself to the point of exhaustion and then berated himself for not pushing further and being the absolute best at every single thing he attempted.

As a result, when Shawn was recruited to the FBI at the end of his tour of duty, he automatically took on the challenge, never even considering if it were something that he actually wanted to do.

He toughed it out through all the research and desk work. Not once did he ever consider if he should have joined up. It was just the next rung on the ladder, so he went for it with one hundred percent dedication and determination.

That was his life. It was history. No changing it. The canvas of his life thus far was a wash of one insipid color. There were no defining events. There were no notable achievements, because he always achieved everything that he had been set to do.

The only thing that kept all of it from being a complete waste was Michelle. He had no doubt that his care and concern for her were the only things that had kept him human. He had to survive. He had to excel. He had to forge a path... for her. If he were to give up, if he were to give in to his most secret thoughts and let the mad scramble to the top finally end, then she would be left alone with no one to depend on.

* * * * *

As Agent Roberts pulled into the parking area behind the FBI office, he saw that Agent Fastbeck's car was already there.

Although Agent Roberts was going through the motions of being the up-and-coming FBI agent, something within him had fundamentally changed. His brief encounter with the Shadeside had seeded ideas within him about humanity and morality that he'd never had to deal with before.

Finding that he had been assigned to work with Agent Fastbeck on the unofficially designated 'X-Files', had turned out to be less troubling for him than it might have been before. There was certainly a desire to investigate and understand what was really going on. But at the same time, Shawn had been deemed worthy of trust and allowed to remember secret things that very few other outsiders knew. With the forbidden knowledge that he carried, he had the opportunity to make a unique contribution. He could change lives. He could achieve something simply for the fact that he actually believed in it.

For the first time, the choices before him weren't black and white. In this endeavor, his beliefs and desires would have to be taken into account. Not only could he make a difference, but it was possible that the outcome could be determined by him. Due to his unique perspective, it was possible that he would be the only one with the objectivity to determine right from wrong in a given situation.

* * * * *

As he walked into the FBI office, he heard Agent Fastbeck call out, "I got you some coffee. It's on the desk."

Shawn was surprised by the friendly gesture.

When he had been shopping the previous evening, he hadn't thought about picking up coffee and felt the lack of it when he had been driving to work.

"Thank you." Shawn called back to him, then picked up the coffee, noticing that Agent Fastbeck had left him packets of creamer and sugar.

"How are you doing this morning?" Agent Fastbeck asked as he walked into the room. "I didn't know if you liked coffee or not, so I took a chance."

"This is great. I'm in the habit of driving through to get coffee on the way to work in the morning. If I'd thought of it, I would have picked some up yesterday when we were shopping." Agent Roberts said honestly before taking a sip.

"Just so you know, if you take your coffee cup by the Waxell Diner on the way into work, you can walk in and fill it up with no charge."

"How can they make any money if they keep giving things away like that?"

"That's just for us, law enforcement, I mean. Everyone else has to dig deep and come up with twenty-five cents a cup." Agent Fastbeck finished with a grin.

Agent Roberts couldn't think of a response to that and just shook his head slowly as he thought about the typical five dollar cup of coffee he would usually pick up on the way to work.

"Well, despite appearances, we actually do have things to do this morning, so we'd better get to it." Agent Fastbeck said seriously.

"Okay. I'm ready. Just tell me what we're doing."

"Well, what I'm doing is creating a timeline based on eyewitness testimony regarding an event out near Buckthorn last week. What I'd like for you to do is start working your way through the top drawer of the file cabinet. Those are the most recent and active investigations. I'd like for you to take some time to get familiar with them."

"Where do you want me to work?" Agent Roberts asked as he looked around, only spotting the one desk.

"Right here. This is technically the reception area. I'll be back in my office." Agent Fastbeck said as he indicated the door behind him.

"This cabinet?" Agent Roberts asked as he pointed beside his desk.

"That's the one. Feel free to ask any questions that you have. I wrote most of those reports, so if I didn't explain something clearly, I can probably fill in the blanks from memory.

* * * * *

As Agent Roberts made his way through the reports, he couldn't help but agree with Agent Fastbeck's assertion that the area seemed to get more than their fair share of 'X-Files' cases.

One particular case caught his attention and before he could think about what he was doing, he carried it with him as he knocked on Agent Fastbeck's door.

"What's up?" Agent Fastbeck asked as he looked up from his desk.

"As I was looking through the files, I came across this case from Grovers Station and had a few questions about it." Agent Roberts said seriously.

"I'm pretty sure everything I know is in the report. Three hikers went out into the mountains and two came back. Matthew Farmer is officially listed as missing, presumed dead."

"So his body was never recovered?"

"No. By all accounts the three of them were hiking and suddenly they noticed that Matt was missing. That's the whole story."

"Would you mind if I went there and poked around a little bit?"

"You want to drive out there right now?"

"Yes. If you wouldn't mind. This just bears some slight resemblance to another case that I've been on and I'd like to take what I learned on that one and apply it to this."

"Okay, but if you're going to do this, you'll need to take my car. There's a CB radio in there that you can use to stay in contact with the civilian authorities. Remember, we're all on the same side of things, don't be afraid to ask for their help."

"I'll do that." Agent Roberts assured him.

"You'll also need to take my sat phone with you so that you can contact me with any information requests that you might have. The office landline is programmed into the contacts."

"I don't want to leave you stranded here."

"Then leave me your car keys. I probably won't be called out, but that way if I am, I won't have to go knocking on doors for someone to drive me to the crime scene... things like that kind of chip away at our credibility."

Agent Roberts smiled as he fished his car keys out of his pocket.

"Are you okay with me going? I mean, is there something else that you'd rather I be doing right now?"

"I've done everything that I can think to do with the cases that you've been reviewing. If you have an idea of how to progress an investigation, then you have my full support."

"Thanks. I appreciate the amount of trust that you're placing in a person who's a virtual stranger to you."

"Don't forget that you've only officially been on the job for an hour and forty-five minutes." Agent Fastbeck said with a grin.

Agent Roberts collected the keys to Agent Fastbeck's car and the sat phone before leaving.

* * * * *

As Agent Roberts got onto the interstate, he decided that he'd try his cell phone.

He was happy to find that he was able to get a clear signal and immediately speed dialed.

"Shelly? Can you talk?"

"Shawn? Did you get there alright? Did you run into any trouble? Why didn't you call me when you arrived?"

"Hold on! Give me a chance to answer." Shawn chuckled, then continued, "It turns out that my assignment is in a dead zone. I can't get any cell phone signal at all. The only reason I'm able to call you now is because I'm on the road, going out to investigate a case."

"So you're alright?"

"Yes, Shell. I'm fine. You wouldn't believe the house that I've rented. It's like a dream."

"So everything's okay? All of a sudden you just seemed to drop out of sight."

"I'm an FBI agent, Shell, that's kinda what we do."

"I guess it's better than you being in some war-torn third world hellhole. But I still worry about you."

"How are things going with you? You've got to be close to graduating by now."

"I think I've got that in the bag. But just as soon as I've gotten my MD, I'm going to have to work on getting board certified. I'm a little more worried about that one."

"You'll do great. But if you need a break from the studying, think about coming to Waxell and spending a few weeks with me. It'll probably do you some good to get away from the pressure for a while."

"Ever since you started with the FBI, Mom and Dad have been focusing all their attention on me. If I even stop to take a breath, they're both right on top of me, forcing me back on task."

"Someday you're going to have to stand up to them and start living your own life."

"Both of them have devoted their lives to making sure that we're both successes. Since you've gone, I'm all that they've got left. What are they going to do If I bail out on them too?"

"You're letting their guilt trips get to you. This isn't healthy. They're adults. They need to develop their own interests and lives independent from us. You buying into their manipulation isn't helping them at all."

"That's easy for you to say. You just dropped out of their lives and abandoned them. You didn't even call them to wish them a happy anniversary."

"Shell, I'm sorry if you don't understand why I'm doing this. I promise that I'm not doing it to hurt you. But if I'm ever going to be my own person, I've got to break their stranglehold on me. If I stay in close contact with them, they'll suck me right back in and I might never escape."

After a few seconds of silence, Shelly quietly said, "The pressure is killing me."

"I know." Agent Roberts said sympathetically, then gently added, "Think about coming to visit me in Waxell. It will be a chance for you to get away from everything for a while."

"Okay. I'll think about it." Shelly finally responded.

"I've got to go. I have a few business calls to make."

"Thanks for calling me... and for not cutting me out of your life."

"I love you, Shell. Part of why I'm doing this is for you, to show you the way."

"I love you too. Bye."

* * * * *

"Hello?"

"Theresa Alsup?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"Agent Roberts from the FBI. I was wondering if you'd be available to talk with me for a few minutes?"

"Have you found Matt? Is he alright?"

"No. I'm sorry. There haven't been any new developments in the case, but in reading his case file I noticed a few similarities to another case, so I thought that I'd try to see if they might be related."

"I don't understand."

"If you're available to speak with me for a few minutes, I'd like to ask you some questions. I can't promise that this will do anything to find your friend, but at least you'll know that we haven't given up. We're still investigating."

"Yeah. Where and when do you want to meet?"

"I should be there in about ten minutes. If you can tell me where you'll be, I'll meet you there."

"I could meet you at the entrance to the library... do you want to talk to Doug, too?"

"Yes. I was going to call him next."

"He's here with me. We'll both meet you at the library when you arrive."

"I'll see you then."

* * * * *

"Theresa?" Agent Roberts asked as he approached.

"Call me Teri. This is Doug." She said anxiously as she indicated the young man next to her.

"Thank you for meeting with me. I'll try not to take up too much of your time."

"That's okay. If it'll help Matt, we'll do whatever we can." Teri assured him.

"Can you tell me about the area where you went hiking? Is it a popular hiking trail?"

"I wouldn't call it popular but most of the locals know about it. There isn't really a trail to speak of, but if you go due north, you'll end up at the lake. It's beautiful up there and it's not too bad of a hike." Teri explained.

"So the three of you decided to go up to the lake, just to enjoy the scenery and relax for a while?" Agent Roberts asked carefully.

"Yeah. It was a nice day and it was something to do." Teri said simply.

Agent Roberts looked at Teri for a long moment, then turned his gaze on Doug.

"Sometimes it's just nice to get away." Doug muttered somewhat defensively.

Agent Roberts slowly nodded as he kept his gaze fixed on the young man who was beginning to squirm under his scrutiny.

"It doesn't matter anyway. We never made it there." Teri suddenly interjected.

"What happened?" Agent Roberts asked in response, but kept his gaze steadfastly focused on Doug.

"I don't know. The three of us were hiking and then, all of a sudden, Matt just wasn't with us anymore. We called out to him, but he never answered." Teri said helplessly.

"Doug, would you mind stepping over here and talking with me privately for a moment?" Agent Roberts asked slowly.

"What? Why?"

"I just have something to ask you and I thought it might be more comfortable for you if I asked you about it privately."

Doug looked uncertain, but started to step away.

"This will just take a minute." Agent Roberts assured Teri, then guided Doug to walk down the sidewalk a little way, to stand with him under a tree.

* * * * *

"Before I ask you any questions, I just want for you to understand where I'm coming from. The only reason I'm here is to investigate the disappearance of your friend Matt. I'm not interested in whatever else you and your friends might have been up to, except for how it relates to my investigation. So if I were to discover that the three of you... let's say, had a grow hidden in the woods, I wouldn't care except inasmuch as it might give a motive for Matt's disappearance. Do you follow me?"

"What's a grow?"

"A secret pot growing operation."

"Oh. Um, okay." Doug said nervously.

"So, why don't you tell me the truth? What was really going on that day?"

"Matt wanted to try having sex with a girl." Doug said with a blush rising up his cheeks.

"Excuse me?"

"Matt's gay and we were talking and... well, Teri likes him and... we were going up to the lake and the three of us..."

"The three of you?"

"Yeah. Matt said that he probably wouldn't be able to get it up if it was just him and a girl and since he and I had done some stuff..."

"Hold on. That's actually more than enough. So why don't you tell me what happened that day? Where did it all go wrong?"

"It's just like Teri was telling you. We were hiking up to the lake and somewhere along the way, Matt must have fallen behind or gone in a different direction. All of a sudden, he just wasn't with us anymore."

"So you weren't having a fight or anything like that?"

"He was a little bit nervous, but I'm pretty sure that he wanted to go through with it. I mean, I said that if he'd try it with Teri that I'd be willing to try letting him... you know... do me... since I'd never..."

"Again, more than enough." Agent Roberts interrupted, then asked, "Do you recall any unusual sounds, like movement in the underbrush or animal sounds?"

"No. I mean, there might have been, but if there was, it wasn't anything that you wouldn't expect on a hike."

Agent Roberts slowly nodded, then carefully asked, "Did Matt say anything about someone stalking him or following him around at all?"

"No. He never mentioned anything like that... and he would have. We were that kind of friends."

"Can you think of anything that might indicate that there was a 'person' behind his disappearance?" Agent Roberts asked seriously.

"No. Do you think that someone took Matt?" Doug asked anxiously.

"The main reason that I'm asking is because of what happened in another case that I worked on. So far there's nothing to imply that the two cases are in any way related, but I just thought I would pursue this line of questioning on the off chance that it might produce some satisfactory results."

"Everyone who knew Matt liked him, but Teri and I are just about the only people who were close to him."

"Forgive me for asking you this, but I'd like to get your point of view. What do you think Teri's motivation was for engaging in... your plan?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"She liked Matt. I mean, she's been his friend for years, but she's always lusted after him. I knew that and when Matt said that he'd like to try it with a girl, I kind of arranged things."

"Would you mind staying right here for a few minutes while I talk to Teri privately?"

"You're going to tell her that I told you, aren't you?"

"I'm going to ask her to tell me the truth from her point of view. Since she's been watching us talk, that might be enough."

"Either way, she's probably going to be pissed off at me forever."

"Sorry about that. I'm not trying to make things difficult for you, I'm just trying to find your friend."

"Go ahead. Do anything you can think of to find him."

Agent Roberts nodded, then walked back to Teri, who had been watching their every move.

* * * * *

"Slow down." Doug said firmly.

Agent Roberts thought that he had been going slow, but applied the brake to bring his borrowed car to a crawl.

"It's up here on the right. It's really hard to see." Doug said as he pointed.

"Thanks for going up here with me. There's no way I would have found this on my own."

"That's probably why the locals are the only ones who go up to the lake. No one else can find it."

After following the dirt road a short way, Doug finally said, "That's about as far as you can go. From here we'll have to go on foot."

"How long of a walk is it?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"It's just about an hour from here to the place where Matt disappeared."

"And you just travel due north?"

"Yes. There aren't really any landmarks along the way. It's a straight shot north from right here."

"Are you up to a hike?"

"Are you going to hike in that suit?" Doug asked dubiously.

"Yeah. Actually, I'm getting more and more used to it."

Doug shrugged, then flipped up the face of his wristwatch to reveal the compass beneath.

As they began to walk, Agent Roberts decided that he should get something like that for himself. Considering that both cases that he had worked on in the field so far had involved hiking through wooded areas, it would seem that a compass watch would receive much use.

* * * * *

"Agent Roberts?"

"Yes?"

"Can you tell me your first name?"

"Shawn."

"Thanks."

* * * * *

"Shawn?"

"Yes?"

"Have you ever been with a guy?"

"No. And 'no', I'm not curious. And 'yes', I'm sure."

"Oh."

"Sorry if that disappoints you."

"That's okay. I'm supposed to be going steady with Teri right now... just every now and then I feel like doing something different."

"I'm not going to tell you how you should run your life, but if you're willing to have sex with some random guy that you just met, it's probably best that you're not telling Teri that you two have some type of commitment to each other."

"It's okay. She doesn't mind if I mess around with the guys sometimes. Just as long as she's the only woman in my life."

"You know what? If the two of you are happy, then who am I to judge?"

"What about you, Shawn? Are you sold on the whole 'monogamous, one man, one woman, forever and ever, amen' thing?"

"I'm not at a point in my life where there's any reason for me to even think about it."

"How does that work?"

"I just put it out of my mind and focus on more important things. When a time comes that I'm seeking companionship... or intimacy... then I'll take a good look at the situation that I'm in and the options available to me."

"That's just weird."

* * * * *

"It's around here somewhere." Doug said as he stopped.

"Is that where you noticed that Matt was missing or the last place that you remember seeing him?"

"This is where we noticed that he was missing. If you want to backtrack a little, I'll show you where we last saw him."

"Hold on. Be quiet for just a minute." Agent Roberts said as he closed his eyes.

As he slowly turned his head, he listened as carefully as he could.

"Do you hear that?" Agent Roberts quietly asked.

"What?"

"Something moving, maybe... it could be water... whatever it is, it's over that way." Agent Roberts said as he pointed behind them.

"I don't hear anything."

"Stay on the path. I'm going to go down this hill to see if I can track down that sound."

"Don't you want me to go with you?"

"No. I'm counting on you to keep us oriented so that we can find our way back."

* * * * *

After scooting down the hillside and forcing his way through heavy underbrush, Agent Roberts finally made his way to the source of the sound.

His hopes fell as he walked up to the pool of water being fed by a natural spring.

"Doug?! Can you hear me?!" Agent Roberts called upward, but received no response.

"Help..." A voice whispered from nearby.

Agent Roberts jumped, as if jolted with electricity at the sound.

"Hello? Is someone there?"

"Help me..." The voice said weakly, but this time Shawn could determine where the voice had come from.

As he tore at the gathered roots and moss, they parted to reveal that the small spring that he had discovered was, in fact, the mouth of a cave.

"Hello? Are you in there?" Agent Roberts asked as he tore at the covering more frantically.

"I'm stuck."

"Matt, is that you?"

"Yes. Do I know you?"

"No. Your friends Teri and Doug asked me to help look for you. Are you hurt?"

"I can't feel my legs anymore."

As Agent Roberts continued to dig and tear at the tenacious roots, he finally caught a glimpse of what they were hiding.

"Can you take my hand?" Agent Roberts asked as he stretched as far as he could.

"I don't know if I can hold on. My hands are kinda numb too... it's so cold."

"If you can just give me your hand, I'll do all the holding and pulling."

It took a moment, but finally a hand thrust out toward him.

"That's great. That's perfect. Just relax and let me do all the work. You're nearly out of there."

"Thank you..." Matt said quietly as Shawn continued to strain to pull the man out of his confinement.

* * * * *

"I don't see anything broken. I'm guessing that your legs just went numb from being submerged for so long." Shawn said as he carefully checked over the incoherent young man.

"How long?"

"Were you trapped? Just over a week. Although the hypothermia almost killed you, it also probably saved your life. Otherwise you would have starved to death by now."

"Thank you." Matt whispered as his eyes closed.

"Don't thank me yet. The only way I can think of to get you back to the car is a fireman's carry. That's probably not going to be too comfortable for you."

Matt slightly nodded with his eyes still closed.

Shawn took off his suit coat and did his best to wrap it around the chilled young man.

Suiting actions to words, Agent Roberts leaned down, then in one 'power move', hoisted Matt onto his shoulder.

It took a moment for him to get his balance, but he was soon underway, doing his best to force his way through the underbrush.

His next challenge was to try and climb the hillside wearing his black business shoes.

As soon as this mission was complete, he planned to discuss the dress code with Agent Fastbeck. He had an increasing conviction that his 'official uniform' should include hiking boots, if not a full outfit of hiking gear.

"Doug! Can you hear me?" Agent Roberts called out as he continued to climb.

"Agent Roberts? I was getting worried! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Just keep talking to me so that I can find you." Agent Roberts said with renewed determination.

"I found something while you were gone. There's a hole here, I think it's a cave. It's right here where we were walking, so Matt might have fallen into it. Do you think that there's some way we can get, like, a camera or something to lower down there to see if he fell in?"

"I have a feeling that won't be necessary." Agent Roberts called in return as he caught his first glimpse of Doug, standing amongst the trees.

"Why not..." Doug asked, then turned when he heard Shawn approaching.

"You found him! He's alive?" Doug asked in wonder.

"Yes. Very much so. He's kind of heavy. I'm going to need to rest for a minute before we hike back."

"Watch out! That's where the hole is." Doug said quickly.

"Would you take a minute to gather some rocks? Then form them into an arrow pointing at that hole. Once this is all done, I'll be sure that someone is sent out here to either cap it or put up a barrier so unsuspecting hikers won't fall into it again."

"That's a good idea. I'll take care of it." Doug said quickly.

"I'm alive?" Matt quietly asked.

"Yep."

"Who are you?"

"Agent Shawn Roberts from the FBI."

"FBI? And you rescued me?"

"Yeah. I guess I did."

"All my life I've been looking for my knight in shining armor... somehow, you're not what I expected." Matt said quietly, sounding to be half asleep or delirious.

"Are you disappointed?" Shawn asked with a smile, not at all offended by his words.

"No. The man of my dreams was a wimpy little fairy compared to you. You're better than my dreams."

"Let's see if you still feel the same way once you've recovered from the hypothermia and gotten a few good meals into you."

"How's that?" Doug asked as he indicated the stone arrow that he had put into place.

"Perfect. Anyone walking through here should at least have the presence of mind to investigate that rather than unknowingly falling in." Agent Roberts said as he worked the sat phone out of his pocket and turned it on.

"There aren't any cell phone towers out this far." Doug quietly informed him.

"This is a satellite phone, but I can't get a signal under this tree cover." Agent Roberts said seriously as he turned off the phone and got to his feet.

"Was that enough of a rest for you?" Doug asked with concern.

"Yeah. I just needed to catch my breath. I'll try the sat phone again when we're out in the open." Agent Roberts assured him, then added, "I'm going to be counting on you to lead the way. I'm going to have all my attention focused on caring for my passenger."

Doug flipped the face of his watch up, then pointed as he said, "This way."

* * * * *

"What the hell happened to you? Have you been digging in the dirt?" Agent Fastbeck asked in astonishment.

"Actually, yeah. I have." Agent Roberts said with a chuckle.

"What happened?"

"I found Matthew Farmer... alive."

"You did?"

"Yeah. Apparently he fell into a cave when they were hiking and got wedged into place right before it let out into a natural spring. We had an ambulance meet us at the road. There's no doubt that he's going to need some time to recover, but he should come out of it with quite a story to tell."

"That's one hell of a first day on the job. I can't wait to see what you're going to do next."

"Right now, I'm going to get cleaned up. Do you know where there's a good dry cleaner?"

"Gooseneck."

"Of course." Agent Roberts chuckled, then placed Agent Fastbeck's keys and sat phone on his desk as he said, "As soon as I'm cleaned up, I'll see what I can do about your upholstery."

"Yeah. Thanks. When you're done with that, you'll need to get to work on your report about the incident." Agent Fastbeck said frankly.

"Ungh! Reports!" Agent Roberts lamented, then quietly added, "I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth it."

"Just remember, that boy's alive right now thanks to you."

"Right." Agent Roberts said resignedly, then quietly added, "It's worth it."

Chapter 4

After getting himself mostly presentable, Agent Roberts came to the conclusion that his suit was probably a total loss. He'd give the dry cleaner a chance, but didn't hold out much hope.

While he was certain that there wouldn't be a replacement available anywhere in Waxell, it was at least possible that there would be a clothier of some sort in Gooseneck. He would ask Agent Fastbeck if he knew of any before he set off on his quest.

With the weekend approaching, he resolved himself to a road trip, not only to resupply his dwindling wardrobe, but also for some other various and sundry items that weren't available in Waxell. While attending to his other duties, Agent Roberts went about the task of composing a shopping list in his head.

As he walked back into the office, looking somewhat presentable, Agent Fastbeck said, "Shawn, this is Ethyl Turner, she's our local mail carrier."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ma'am. My name is Shawn Roberts."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Agent Roberts. Nancy told me that you're renting the Spencers' homestead. I'll start delivering your mail to the box at the bottom of your drive on Monday. Your mailing address will be Route 2."

"Will you leave me a change of address form in my box so I can fill it out?"

"I will if you like, but all I'm going to do is file it away and forget about it."

"What will I need to do to get my phone turned on?"

"I'll restore the connection as soon as I get back to the office. Your number will be 'Waxell 1132' and your ring will be two long and one short if I remember correctly. If it's anything else, I'll let you know."

"I don't know... what does that even mean?"

"Agent Roberts is going to need a dedicated 'private' line... for business."

"There's no way I can do that with the lines we have in place. The party line is his only option for the time being."

"Party line?"

"It's a phone line that's shared by a group of people. If an emergency call comes through for someone else while you're using it, you'll be asked to yield the line. Otherwise, you just work out your time usage with your neighbors." Agent Fastbeck explained.

"I guess that I'll have to make due with it until I get my sat phone."

"Yes. And if you decide to get satellite internet for your computer, you might consider a VOIP service. I'm not exactly sure how that works with the satellite lag. It may not be practical. Either way, the tech guys from Louisville should be able to answer any questions you have and explain your options during the installation." Agent Fastbeck said thoughtfully.

"I need to get back to the office now. I don't like to leave Nana on her own for too long. If you have any questions or need any help, just pick up a phone." Ethyl said before hurrying out of the room.

"She's the operator too?"

"Welcome to Waxell."

* * * * *

As Agent Roberts was diligently working on his update to the Matthew Farmer report, a movement caught his attention and he saw a young man standing in the doorway, staring at him wide-eyed.

"Can I help you?" Agent Roberts asked uncertainly.

There was a long pause, but the young man finally asked, "Is Conrad here?"

"He's in his office. Did you have some business to discuss with him?" Agent Roberts asked curiously. Something about the young man's reaction seemed to be off.

"I need to see him right now. It's an emergency."

Agent Roberts stood and motioned for the young man to follow him as he walked to Agent Fastbeck's doorway.

After a brief knock to announce his presence, Agent Roberts quietly said, "Agent Fastbeck, there's someone here to see you. He says that it's important."

"Rocky? What are you doing here?" Agent Fastbeck asked with a smile, then stood from behind his desk and hurried to the man to give him a hug.

Agent Roberts was surprised, to say the least, at Agent Fastbeck's enthusiastic greeting.

But in the few moments that the men were hugging, Agent Roberts easily came to the conclusion that the hug was one of affection, not passion. Agent Fastbeck was pleasantly surprised by the young man's visit.

"You've got to come with me right now!"

"What's wrong? Is Andrea alright?" Agent Fastbeck asked as he pulled out of the hug and looked at Rocky with concern.

"She's fine. Everyone's fine. But Andrea told me to tell you that Ima needs your help right away. It's an emergency."

"I have a job. I can't just drop everything and leave on a whim. I need to know what's going on."

"We need you. There's no one else." The young man said firmly.

Agent Fastbeck seemed to consider for a moment, then thought to say, "Rocky, this is Agent Roberts, he started working with me today."

"It's nice to meet you." Rocky said as he spared Agent Roberts a glance, then looked back to Agent Fastbeck and said, "You know how things are with us. If it could wait for your next visit, we would wait. But Ima said that you're needed now. Andrea told me to come into town and get you. You know that she wouldn't do that if it wasn't really important."

"Okay." Agent Fastbeck reluctantly agreed, then looked to Agent Roberts and said, "It's close enough to closing time that I doubt anyone will care. Why don't you get your things together and we'll close up shop."

"Is it something I can help with?" Agent Roberts asked with concern.

"Actually, I have no idea. I'm going to have to find out what's going on."

"If there's anything I can do, will you let me know?" Agent Roberts asked seriously.

"Yes. I will." Agent Fastbeck promised, then said, "Let's get everything closed up."

* * * * *

Since Agent Roberts had been mostly finished with his update to the Matthew Farmer report, it only took him a matter of minutes to close it out and put things away.

He was, of course, intrigued about what might be going on with Agent Fastbeck, but knew better than to intrude on what might turn out to be a personal matter. Just because someone said that something was an emergency didn't mean that it was his, or the FBI's business.

"Are you done? I need to lock up." Agent Fasbeck asked as he walked out of his office with Rocky following closely behind.

"Yeah. Will you be here tomorrow?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"I plan to be, but if something comes up, I'll stop by your place and let you know." Agent Fastbeck promised.

"I hope everything goes alright for you. Remember to let me know if there's anything I can do."

"I will." Agent Fastbeck said as he ushered Agent Roberts and Rocky out the door.

"It was nice to meet you Agent Roberts. I'm really sorry about having to do this." Rocky said repentantly.

Agent Roberts could tell that the young man did, indeed, feel bad for interrupting their work day and bringing it to an early end.

"It's okay. I missed having lunch today, so I'll just count this as my lunch hour." Agent Roberts said simply.

Rocky looked at him uncertainly for a moment, then seemed to accept his response.

* * * * *

Since he was out of work early, Agent Roberts decided to do a little shopping for his new house. Considering that he hadn't eaten the food that he had purchased the night before, he didn't feel the need to go to the market, but the feed store was another matter. There were a variety of things that had caught his attention while he had been buying cookware, and he appeared to have the time to be able to browse.

His stop at the Waxell Diner was strangely quiet and uneventful. Tracy was waitressing and provided exemplary service, but Agent Roberts missed Harry's unbridled enthusiasm and upbeat attitude. He couldn't be sure if it were his hunger from having missed lunch or if the food really was that good, but he could say without reservation that it was the best hamburger that he had ever tasted.

Although the bulk of the unpacking had been done the previous night, there was still quite a bit to do when he arrived back at his house.

By the time he had things placed where he wanted them, it was already past his intended bedtime.

* * * * *

Agent Roberts took a long slow drink of the coffee he had just gotten at the Waxell Diner. He was still puzzling over his conversation with Harry as he was filling his travel mug.

Somehow, and he wasn't quite sure how, he had promised to get a travel mug like his for Harry.

As he pulled into the lot behind the FBI office, Agent Roberts was relieved to see that Agent Fastbeck's car was present. Despite Agent Fastbeck's assurance, he had half expected for him not to show up at all.

As he walked into the office, Agent Fastbeck met him just inside the door. "I'm sorry to do this to you Shawn, but something's come up. I have something that I'm going to have to investigate on my own."

"Does this have something to do with Rocky and what he was telling you about yesterday?"

"Rocky was right. It was an emergency."

"An FBI type emergency?" Agent Roberts persisted.

"While I'm sure the bureau would be interested in this, I think this actually falls more into the category of something that they don't 'officially' need to be aware of." Agent Fastbeck said uneasily.

"Let me go with you."

"No. This could potentially come back to haunt you later on in your career."

"I've already made that choice... And I've paid that price." Agent Roberts said simply, then explained, "The report that got me sent here was about something that they 'officially' didn't need to know about."

"There's going to be quite a bit of hiking..."

"Just a minute." Agent Roberts said before hurrying out the door.

Agent Fastbeck went back to work, gathering selected maps as he wondered what Agent Roberts was up to.

* * * * *

"Considering that both of my last two field assignments involved hiking... and ruined my suits in the process, I decided that keeping a 'bug-out' bag of hiking gear with me might be a good idea." Agent Roberts said as he returned with a large backpack.

"It looks like you're better prepared for this than I am."

"So I can go with you?"

"If you go, it's going to have to be with the understanding that I won't be able to tell you everything."

"Yes. I understand that." Agent Roberts assured him, then asked, "What can you tell me?"

"There is a community hidden in the mountains. They've remained isolated from the outside world since they settled it... centuries ago."

"Something like Waxell?"

"No. I mean complete isolation. They haven't had contact of any kind with anyone or anything from the outside world in all that time."

"Without the influence of other cultures, I can't even imagine how a society would develop in a situation like that."

"Well, if you really want to know, get changed into your hiking clothes so that we can go. Last night I spoke to one of their people, who travelled here to ask for our help."

"If they've been so isolated, how would they know to come to you?"

After a long moment of consideration, Agent Fastbeck carefully said, "A leads to B which leads to C. I can't talk about B."

"Fair enough." Agent Roberts said simply.

"Go change. We need to leave right away."

* * * * *

"These directions you have make no sense." Agent Roberts said as he looked back to the map again.

"Imagine this. Two hundred years ago two colonies were established. While they were aware of each other's existence, they were at the same time completely independent from each other."

"Okay. I can imagine that." Agent Roberts said slowly.

"Skip ahead to now. You have to give directions to the colony that you haven't visited or had contact with in two hundred years."

"So there weren't any roads, or if there were, they might not exist anymore. Even rivers might have significantly changed their course over that period of time."

"Now, if you'll look at those directions again, you'll see that they refer to the most enduring geographical landmarks. Using those to orient us and the compass headings that they provided to keep us on course, we should be able to find the way to where the colony is supposed to be."

"The second colony, is that where Rocky's from?" Agent Roberts asked carefully.

"Change the subject."

"Okay. If someone from the colony went to get you, why isn't he coming back with us to show us the way?"

"He can't. He's in no condition. The trip nearly killed him."

"What happened to him?"

"He ran the entire way."

"Wait. He ran? On foot? That's over a hundred miles."

"Yes. I very nearly left early this morning after talking to him, but then I decided that it would be better if I got at least some sleep and started this trip during the daylight hours. I'm not so much of a woodsman that I want to start a mountain climbing adventure in the dark."

"If I'm deciphering this right with the topographical map, it looks like we're going to end up in the middle of some pretty treacherous mountains. I don't know if, between us, we have the skill necessary for this type of a hike."

"If you could have seen him, you'd know that we have to try."

"Okay. Why don't you tell me what's so dire that this person from a reclusive society would seek out help?"

"They've been discovered."

"By who?"

"By whom."

"Seriously? You're going to get all grammar nazi with me now?"

"They don't exactly know who is attacking them. They've never actually seen them. You see, the defense that they've always used to protect themselves is a double edged sword. It makes an impenetrable barrier surrounding their colony which also blocks anyone from seeing in."

"But at the same time, they can't see out." Agent Roberts guessed.

"Yes. At least, that's the way I understood it. It's possible that I might have misinterpreted some of what he told me. Their language is sort of... challenging." Agent Fastbeck finished slowly, obviously not entirely happy with his choice of words.

"What language is it?"

"I don't think there's actually a word for it."

"Question one..."

"Do you always number your questions?"

"No. Not always. Question one: This impenetrable place we're going to, do we have a way to get in?"

"Possibly."

"Care to explain?"

"Is that question two?"

"No, it's a follow up to question one."

"What was the question again?"

"How are we going to get into the impenetrable colony?"

"I was given a password. In theory, it should allow us to enter."

"In theory?"

Agent Fastbeck shrugged helplessly.

"Okay. I'll let that slide. Question two: Assuming that we do get in, then we're going to... do what? These people speak a language that we don't even have a word for. Are we going to play charades with them until we figure out what they expect us to do?"

"I can understand their language... sort of."

"Question two, part a: Is you telling me what the hell you're talking about going to put you, Rocky or me in danger?"

"Um, no."

"Then why won't you tell me?"

"Is this two b?"

"This is the follow up to two a."

"I won't tell you because you wouldn't believe it and I don't want you to think I'm crazy and freak out when you realize that you're trapped in a car with a complete lunatic."

"That was a more complete answer than I was expecting."

"I didn't have to stop and think about that one."

"Fair enough. But since I'm going with you, I'm going to witness whatever it is that you're not wanting to tell me, right? I mean, I'm still going to find out at some point. So wouldn't it be better to tell me now so that I have time to get used to... whatever it is?"

"Is this two b?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Um. Okay. What do you believe about things like ghosts, spirits, souls, gods, reincarnation and magic?"

Agent Roberts had to think about that for a moment to assess his feelings and give an accurate evaluation of them.

"If you had asked me before I entered the field, I probably would have told you that I didn't believe in any of that stuff. I believed that observable reality and science explained everything to a degree that there wasn't room for anything else."

"May I assume that you encountered something to change your mind about that?"

"I learned that my assumptions about reality were based on easy answers. If I didn't bother to look too closely, it all made perfect sense. Now... I'm open to at least considering alternative explanations."

"Good. I can work with that."

"What does this have to do with ghosts and all the rest of it?"

"Something happened since yesterday which allows me to understand their language. If I explain further, it will only divert us from more important topics."

"Okay. Question two, part c: Is whatever happened last night to teach you their language the reason that you, specifically, were asked to do this?"

"That's a surprisingly astute observation. To answer, I can only say that it was one of the reasons I was chosen. There may be others that I'm not aware of. But as far as I know, I'm the only one who could have received the ability to understand their language."

"Okay. Then it makes sense why they would send someone to come and get you, if you're the only one who could... wait. If you're the only one who can talk to them, does that mean that the person who ran all the way to Waxell couldn't tell them what was wrong when he finally got here?"

"Yes. That's correct."

"Then that explains the 'emergency' part."

"Is that all the questions?"

"No. Question three. The person who ran all the way to Waxell, is he human?"

"Define 'human'."

"I'll take that as a 'no'."

"Despite their appearance, they're not a danger to us."

"Can you just tell me what they are?"

"There isn't an accurate word in our language for them."

"Don't play games with me. What are we talking about? If all goes well, I'm going to be seeing them for myself in a few hours anyway."

"In the ancient tongue, they were called Wudewas."

"Okay. You got me on that one. I thought a name would at least give me a clue of what we're going to be facing."

"Physically, they're bigger than we are. But as people, they're innocent. They live in harmony with nature and with each other. They have no desire to have anything to do with us or our society. They just want to be left alone in peace."

"So they're... giants?" Agent Roberts guessed.

"Compared to us, I suppose they are. But I wouldn't label them as such."

"Turn left up here, there should be a dirt road." Agent Roberts said as he looked back at the map to confirm it.

"How long before we have to go on foot?"

"This road will take us up into the mountains, then will turn left to run parallel with the ridge. We'll need to get out and walk once we reach that turn. Depending on how this dirt road slows us down... half an hour, maybe."

"Shawn, it's very important that whatever you see in the next few hours, you not tell anyone. Some people who are very important to me could be hurt badly if the wrong person were to find out about them."

"Question four..."

"I think that I've had enough questions for a while."

"This one isn't like the others. There's just something that I want to confirm before we take off on foot."

"What's that?"

"Why did you give in and let me go with you? Is all of this some kind of a 'prophecy' or 'chosen one' thing or anything like that?"

"Not that I know of. A thing happened, another thing needed to happen to offset it. I'm the other thing. As far as your part... I never even considered bringing you along when I was planning all of this. But when you asked, I could see myself in a similar situation and I understood what you were feeling. I treated you like I would want for someone to treat me."

"Thanks. After landing in this backwoods time warp with the creepy happy people and ass raping aliens, the last thing I'd want is to find out that I have some grand destiny tied up in all of this."

"If you need a reason for being here, how about that it would be stupid for me to hike into the mountains in the middle of nowhere completely alone?"

"That's true."

"Besides, you're good company. This would have been one horribly long boring drive all on my own."

"Yeah. It probably would have been a dull day for me back at the office, too."

* * * * *

There wasn't much of an opportunity for conversation as they hiked into the mountains.

They stopped a few times to take out their maps and share Shawn's canteen as they made their way deeper and deeper into heavily forested mountains.

Just after noon, Agent Fastbeck spotted the rock formation that they had been looking for. The jagged peak was just as described and they proceeded with renewed dedication.

Once they reached the peak, they surveyed the expansive valley below and after some searching, they were finally able to find the misty hollow, hidden amongst the trees.

Relieved to have their destination in sight, the agents did their best to keep their wits about them as they forged a path to the sunken valley.

* * * * *

While it was possible to spot the location of the valley from the peak, it was impossible to determine how close they were to it on the ground.

Agent Roberts was becoming frustrated by the tangled vines, thorns and small trees that seemed to have grown in such a way as to create a barrier which would prevent them from getting any nearer to their destination.

"I think this is it." Agent Fastbeck said as he rested one hand on the tangle of weeds and vines.

"This is what? We can't even see the valley from here."

"That's just how it's supposed to be."

"I don't understand."

"I know. From here on out, I'm asking that you trust me."

"To do what?"

"In the bond of blood, in the bond of pain, in the bond of shared grief, in the name of Cernunnos who oversees and protects, accept the guardians of light into your sanctuary."

As his last words were spoken, the formerly impervious wall seemed to give way to Agent Fastbeck's slightest touch.

"Did you just cast a spell?" Agent Roberts asked as he followed, surprised by the much dimmer light inside the barrier.

"That was the password."

"It sounded like a spell to me."

"How many actual spells have you heard?"

"Okay. You got me on that one..." Shawn trailed off as they emerged from the dark tangle of vines and weeds into more of a clearing. Very little of the early afternoon sunlight found its way to their location in the forest.

A low mist surrounded them, making it impossible to see the ground that they were walking on.

"Tell me again, why are we here?" Shawn asked quietly.

"Because we're needed."

"For what?"

"I don't know. Okay? I'm hoping that being here will provide me some answers so I can figure that out. What I do know is that I can't explain what I don't understand. I'm going where I was told that I was needed."

A large person... or animal, well over seven feet tall appeared in the mist before them.

A deep bass growl sounded which literally sent a chill up Shawn's spine.

"Your elder expects us. Lead the way and we will follow."

The animal snarled, which trailed off into a slow rumbling growl.

"Your brother is well. He completed his mission last night and is recovering his energy after his long and arduous journey."

There was another growl, then Conrad motioned for Shawn to walk with him toward the enormous beast that was shrouded in fog and shadow.

"What is it?" Shawn whispered and wasn't able to keep the fear out of his voice.

"They were once known as 'the Wudewas'."

"But what are they?"

"Something else. Something not human. I don't know much more than that. Maybe they're what we used to be. Or maybe at some pivotal point in the evolutionary process, their ancestors turned left when ours turned right."

There was a snort, followed by a brief growl as the shadowy beast stopped in front of them.

"We're to wait here. Their leader is being summoned to meet with me."

"I'm guessing that it's not in your capacity as an FBI agent."

"No. That's a little harder to explain. Let's just say for now that I live on the edge of two worlds. That gives me a certain... perspective."

Shawn thought about that for a moment and likened it to his own situation. Knowing about Shadesiders gave him a unique perspective. He felt better qualified than most to make certain judgements and decisions since he was aware of a greater picture.

"I'm going to have to do something now, it's necessary to prove that we're here to help... try not to panic."

"Okay." Shawn said slowly.

"And, if you wouldn't mind too much, would you take care of my clothes?"

"Do what?" Shawn asked, then was astonished to see Agent Fastbeck shrink and disappear into the fog at their feet. Something was stirring in the fog, then Shawn took a step back as he saw a large black bird steadily growing and assuming a somewhat human form.

As Shawn was about to ask what was going on, he heard a movement and turned to see another enormous gray fur covered beast, shrouded in fog.

"At the founding, the cursed and the exiled swore to come to each others aid in times of dire need. I am here carrying the essence of Aengus MacOg to honor that oath." The bird-like creature said with Conrad's voice.

The beast snorted once, then released a slow growl that seemed to fill the entire clearing.

"I greet you, Wudewas elder. Your child delivered your message and I have come."

The growl that the creature emitted was not only deeper but impossibly louder than the one before. Shawn could feel the bass voice reverberate through him and could almost feel the vibration in his own breaths.

"Your child is well. He is recovering from his long journey. Once he has regained his strength, he will return to you."

The growling response was impossibly lower pitched and Shawn was ready to swear that he'd never heard a sound that deep before.

"Why have we been brought here? Your son only spoke of its importance, but not of what it was."

The large animal... creature... being, before them let out an unexpected hiss before turning to look away.

"I'm so sorry for your loss." Conrad said sincerely, then quietly continued, "But what can I do to help you?"

The beast snorted, then remarkably stood even taller, approaching ten feet in height as he chattered and hissed his response.

"You don't understand how things work on the outside. There really isn't any way I can stop these people. If I were to try to stop them by legal means, it would endanger your entire colony. And if I were to try and stop them by 'other' means... it would raise questions. It would draw interest."

"What's going on?"

"It sounds to me like a group of hunters must have found this place. It seems that even though the Wudewas can mask themselves from being seen, the hunters have technology to be able to target them with... I don't know, infra red, sonar, or something and use high power rifles to target them through the protective barrier. With the way this place is shaped like a basin, it is like shooting fish in a barrel. This is Ud-wra. Several of his people have been killed, including his wife and two of his children. Fortunately, the hunters haven't been able to gain entry to the valley and recover their trophies, otherwise there would be no hope of ever containing this."

"So these hunters don't know what they're hunting, do they?" Shawn asked cautiously.

"From the size and shape of their prey, they probably have an idea, but they have no proof."

"Have you heard any reports?"

"No. Nothing's reached me about it. They must be keeping it hush-hush until they can gather solid evidence."

"Then we need to make sure that they don't get any."

"It's not that easy. Conspiracy theories can spring out of nothing. Even if they only have blurry thermal scans, some people will believe them. If we make any move to try and stop them, they'll raise such hell that we'll never hear the end of it. If they were to meet with an unfortunate 'accident', I'm sure that they have some sort of contingency plan in place to spread their evidence far and wide before we can contain it... we can't take the chance that they don't."

"We can't let them keep on killing these people."

"No. Of course not. I'm just not sure what we can do."

Agent Roberts' look became distant as he thought about possibilities.

"Have you thought of something?"

"Yes. But if we end up doing this, you're going to have to keep a few secrets to protect people that I care about."

Ud-wra made an abrupt grunt, drawing both men's attention.

"He wants to know what we're going to do."

Shawn took a moment to be certain within himself that he was doing the right thing before committing himself to an action. Finally, he quietly said, "If everything goes right, we're going to find the hunters and make them forget that they ever found the Wudewas."

Chapter 5

Although the grunts and growls of the Wudewas elder were loud and abrupt, as Shawn got used to hearing them, he began to get the sense of how gentle the enormous beast was.

"We need to go and try to find a way to deal with your attackers." Conrad said earnestly.

Shawn felt another chill run up his spine as the Wudewas looked at him appraisingly.

"This is Shawn. He's here to help me." Conrad said when he noticed.

A snorted grunt was Ud-wra's response.

"No, he and I aren't members of the cursed. I come on their behalf, since I am capable of speaking with you. Shawn is here representing himself, following his personal quest to right wrongs and aid those in need."

The Wudewas elder looked at Shawn again, this time with a far more gentle look in his eyes.

"Time is not our friend. We must go if we are to resolve this before more of your people are injured or killed." Conrad said seriously.

Ud-wra let out a gruff whispered growl, then withdrew.

Shawn and Conrad stood quietly for a moment, looking where the Wudewas elder had disappeared into the mist. Finally, Conrad broke the silence by asking, "Do you have my clothes?"

"Um, no. I kind of got distracted." Shawn shyly admitted.

"Will you help me find them? I need to get dressed so that we can go."

"Yeah." Shawn muttered distractedly, then squatted down to try and find Conrad's clothes in the mist at their feet.

"What are you?" Shawn asked as he felt around on the ground.

"I'm a human, just like you." Conrad said simply.

Shawn stopped gathering clothing for a moment as he looked at the bird... man... monster, dubiously.

"I'm a human who was cursed. As a result, I can shapeshift." Conrad said simply.

"And because of that, you were somehow able to learn the Wudewas language?" Shawn guessed as he stood.

"Hold this." Conrad said as he handed Shawn the clothing he had gathered.

Shawn took the clothes from him and sorted them as he waited.

Before his eyes, the bird creature transformed into a naked man, standing before him.

"In ancient times there was a great man... or maybe a god. I guess it doesn't matter. His name was Aengus MacOg. He was said to be able to transform himself at will into a black swan."

"Like you just did."

"Exactly. Because I share his transformative ability... I'm not sure if it creates a bond or if it makes me a suitable vessel, but for whatever reason, the form that I can take makes it possible for me to carry a sliver of Aengus MacOg's essence, giving me the ability to speak to all living creatures."

"So you can speak to... dogs and cats? Squirrels?" Shawn asked cautiously, then held out the clothes that he was holding so that Conrad could dress himself.

"I suppose so, although I can't imagine that they would have much to say. I've only had the ability since early this morning, so I can't really tell you how it works."

"I get that you can't or won't talk about certain things, but you said that you're under a curse, right?"

"Yes."

"Is the person who did this to you, who made you able to speak to the Wudewas, the same person who originally cursed you?"

"Yes."

"But from all appearances, you're doing this of your own free will. Was there a reason that you were cursed?"

"I was in the right place at the right time to help people in need." Conrad said, then squatted down to put on his shoes.

"If I were to have contact with the person who did this to you, would I be cursed too?"

"Probably not. While I suppose that it would be possible for her to curse you, she wouldn't do it without a good reason." Conrad explained, then stood as he asked, "Are you ready to go?"

"Lead the way."

* * * * *

Shawn was aware of the huge gray beast that was following them, mostly out of their sight.

He supposed that he couldn't blame the Wudewas for being suspicious of strangers in their home.

As soon as he and Conrad reached the barrier, Conrad led the way through and they emerged into late afternoon daylight.

"Should we do a little reconnaissance before we head back to the car?" Shawn asked cautiously.

"No. There's too great a chance that we'd be spotted and be killed or taken captive. We need to get back to the car as soon as we can. I know of a few people who can help us with reconnaissance when we come back."

"As soon as we're out in the open, I'm going to need to make a call. I don't know how much preparation time my people will need... if they'll even agree to do it at all." Shawn said seriously.

"We should go back up to that peak so you won't be limited by the mountains on either side."

"Good plan. Are you going to need to call anyone?"

"My people don't have phones, I'll have to go and ask them in person."

"Okay. Then I guess as soon as we get back to the office, I can do some research and see if the bureau has anything useful to let us know who these people might be." Shawn said thoughtfully, then thought to ask, "When are we looking at leaving Waxell to come back out here?"

"Let's try for seven in the morning. Will that give your friends enough time to make the trip?"

"I'll be sure to ask them... But calling them my friends might actually be pushing it a bit."

"I can't be sure who of my friends will agree to come along. They have their own lives and own commitments to worry about."

"Your friends, they're from the other colony, right? The cursed ones?"

"Yes. But I'd rather not get into too much detail about them. Everything I tell you has the potential to compromise their safety."

"But if it's something that I've already figured out for myself, then you're not really telling me anything. It's to your benefit if you verify my assumptions so that you'll know that I'm not working with a faulty understanding of the situation that we're in."

"I suppose that's true."

"You said that you can change because of a curse, and you call the people of the other colony, 'The Cursed Ones'."

"Yes."

"But you've also said that you're human, but from the way you said it, I'm assuming that your friends are something else."

"Yes."

"Since they're cursed, does that mean that your friends shapeshift like you do?"

"Yes."

"Do they look human?"

"Yes. Except when they're transformed, of course."

"Of course." Shawn said with a smile.

"What about your friends? Do they look human?" Conrad asked curiously.

"Yes. Well, usually."

"Do they transform?"

"Yes. Although I suspect that I haven't seen all of what they can do."

"And they have some sort of ability to wipe out people's memories?"

"Yes. I've actually experienced that. It's very effective."

"If that's the case, why do you remember them now?"

"Because they allowed me to remember. Maybe they thought that it was worth the risk."

"So I guess that means that they trust you?"

"I think that they trust me to the same extent that you do."

"As much as is necessary to get the job done."

"Right. And I totally get that. It's just frustrating to know that there's information that might be important that's being withheld."

"We're all walking a tightrope. We'll both have to do our best to see that our friends don't regret trusting us."

"If the Wudewas didn't need our help, I would never have told you."

"Same here."

* * * * *

When they finally reached the jagged peak, Shawn found the number he needed in his cell phone, then dialed it on the sat phone.

"May I speak to Dr. Killian please?"

"Yes actually, it is. This is Agent Roberts from the FBI."

"Thank you. I'll hold."

"Dr. Killian, this is Agent Roberts from the FBI. I've run into a situation and I could really use your help."

"Sorry about that, I'm on a satellite phone, so there's some lag. Let me get right to the point. In the course of my duties, I've come across a group of people who live in seclusion, but are now in danger of being exposed to the outside world. We have yet to determine who has found them, but once we do, we're very limited in what we can do to stop them. I was hoping that you might ask Lane and Duran if maybe they could come down here to help me deal with this." Agent Roberts said in a burst to minimize the effect of the satellite lag.

Agent Roberts got a strange look, then looked to Agent Fastbeck and asked, "What's the name of their colony?"

"I don't know if it's the official name, but I've heard it referred to as the South Seid Colony."

"Southseid." Agent Roberts said into the phone.

He waited for a moment for a response, then smiled in relief.

"Yes. Thank you. We're planning to leave from the Waxell FBI field office at seven in the morning. Just let me know when they should be arriving and I'll arrange to meet them."

After a moment to wait for the lag and Dr. Killian's response, Agent Roberts finally said, "Yeah. I'll hold."

Agent Roberts then put his hand over the mouthpiece and said, "He's going to talk to the guys and make sure that they're willing to do it. If so, he'll find out for me when I can expect them to arrive."

"Did he know where you were talking about?"

"Who knows? He's as good as you are about not revealing what he really knows. He had me undress for him so that he could examine my naked body and I never even suspected... wait, never mind."

"Don't stop now. You've caught my interest."

"Maybe later."

"Do you think that your friends will be able to make it here in time?"

"No problem. The drive shouldn't take more than five or six hours..." Agent Roberts was saying, then abruptly stopped as he said into the phone, "Yeah. I'm still here."

After a moment of waiting for the lag, then listening, Agent Roberts finally responded, "That sounds fantastic. Just have them call me at the office... give me a second. I don't know the number."

"Waxell 1409." Agent Fastbeck automatically supplied.

"The number is Waxell 1409... I'm not sure how you're supposed to dial that."

There was another long pause, then Agent Roberts said, "Good to know. I'll be expecting their call when they arrive."

"Thanks for helping me. I knew that you'd be able to see the parallels between these people and yours and sympathize with their situation."

"Yeah. You too. Goodbye." Agent Roberts said before disconnecting the call.

"So they'll be driving in tonight?"

"Yes. They'll probably be on the road in the next hour or so."

"Then I suppose that we'd better hurry and get back to the office. We still have a lot of research to do, trying to determine the identities of our alleged hunters."

"I think you mean that I have a lot of research to do. As I recall, you're going to be going someplace with no phones to ask for volunteers to help us."

"That's true. But I shouldn't have to spend a lot of time convincing them. By the time I'm back, hopefully you'll have some leads for me to help you follow up on."

"I got a lot of experience doing research before I was finally allowed to go out into the field. I should be able to come up with something."

"Do you miss it?

"The desk job? Not at all. As Agent Simmons said when I first met him, 'No one goes through all the training to end up behind a desk'."

"That's true. This is the part of the job that everyone thinks of when they say 'FBI Agent'."

"Not exactly this. I mean, tromping through the forest on a quest to save a colony of..."

"It's best if we stay in the habit of calling them Wudewas. It's more accurate."

"Okay. But do you know if there are other... creatures... wait, that sounds so rude..."

"Remember how you talked about them on the phone? Just call them people."

"Do you think that there are other 'people' like the Wudewas out there?"

"This is the second secret colony that I've personally encountered, so it wouldn't surprise me to find out that there are others."

"Is the other colony called Northseid?"

"No."

"You know, when your friends and my friends get together, it might actually make conversation a lot easier if we have an agreed upon name for each group."

"I suppose that it might be better to describe people by where they're from, rather than by what they are."

"Trust me, I know what it's like to be completely defined by someone else's label for you. I wouldn't ever want to do that to anyone I call a friend."

"How has it been for you in Waxell so far? Has anyone treated you badly?"

"No. Not at all." Agent Roberts quickly assured him, then cautiously added, "But you have to understand that I have a lifetime of conditioning associated with this. I've been hurt enough times that I'm incapable of completely letting my guard down and opening myself to the possibility of letting it happen again."

"The town where my friends are from is called Brynnhollow. Their people are most commonly referred to as 'Brynns'."

"That's a lot less creepy than I was expecting."

"What about your friends?"

"Well, the friends that I called for help are from Columbus, Ohio. But the community that they're from is called 'Shadeside'. They call themselves Shadesiders."

"I'm not sure if that sounds creepy or not. It sounds to me like something that's trying to be creepy, but really isn't."

"Do you think that there'll be any problem getting the Shadesiders and the Brynns together?"

"Not knowing your friends, I can't say for sure. But if they're all decent people, there shouldn't be any problem."

"Lane's a decent person. Duran... tries... usually. When he slips up, most people excuse his behavior because of his age."

"How old is he?"

"That's hard to say. I'm still unclear on how Shadesider aging works. But he looks like he's about sixteen... sometimes he acts like it too."

"Well, you said that he tries. I think that as long as people recognize that, there shouldn't be too much of a problem."

"What about the Brynns?"

"I'm going to have to ask around and see who's available and willing to help. I really don't know who'll end up going with us."

Agent Roberts slowly nodded his understanding as they continued to walk.

"By the way, make sure that you don't ever mention the Brynns when you're in Waxell."

"Do they know about them there?"

"There are a few people, like Tracy, who know a few of the Brynns by sight. Most of the rest have just heard the stories about them."

"What stories?"

"It's mostly your typical fairy tale stuff. Haunted woods, mysterious creatures..."

"Like the swan-thing you turned into?"

"It's called an Oskmey, and... yes. It's likely that at some point someone stumbled across one of the Brynns when they were transformed and that's what started the legend."

"From what I've picked up, my Shadesider friends have some sort of instinctive need to go out into the woods and 'run wild' every so often. Could it be something like that?"

"Probably. The Brynns have to transform themselves at certain intervals. That's part of the curse that they're under."

"Maybe, when this is all done, your people and my people can 'run wild' together for a while."

"We'll have to wait and see how things go, but that might turn out to be something that they'd all enjoy."

"I don't know about you, but I think it's about time to break out the flashlights. Between the mountains and this tree cover, I can barely see a thing."

"Yeah."

* * * * *

Very little was said as they finished their trek back to the car.

The ride back to Waxell was conducted mostly in silence as both men thought about what they needed to accomplish in the coming hours.

"I'll be back just as soon as I've gotten things arranged with my people. Will you still be here?" Agent Fastbeck asked as he unlocked the door to the office.

"I should be. I've got to wait for the guys to arrive."

"I'd better get going then." Agent Fastbeck said before leaving.

Agent Roberts went to his desk and signed onto his computer to begin the monumental task of trying to do research on something for which he had essentially no search criteria.

* * * * *

"Hello?"

"Lane? I thought you were going to call when you got here."

"I thought that too, but I couldn't get a signal."

"Oh, right."

"We stopped at a restaurant to use their phone but the waitress knew who you were and told us where to find you."

"Well, I'm glad that you're here. You made good time."

"From the way Rafe talked, you've got some kind of an emergency. What's up?"

"Hang on." Agent Roberts said before hurrying through the doorway into the office.

When he returned, he had an office chair with him. He moved it around the reception desk and said, "Go ahead and sit down. This could take a minute."

Lane and Duran took their seats, then waited expectantly.

"What we've got is a secret society that's been hidden away from the world for a few hundred years. Someone's found them and has started shooting at them through their barrier. A few of them have been killed."

"Sounds bad."

"Yeah. Agent Fastbeck and I have been to the colony and all I can tell you is that they really need our help. While I believe that they're capable of finding and eliminating the people who attacked them, I'm afraid that if they did that, they'd probably end up being exposed because of it. I was hoping that, with your help, we might be able to make the people who found them forget what they'd found."

"Before we do that, just how important is it for this colony to remain hidden? I mean, can't they find a way to blend in and operate on the outskirts of society? Even though it's not ideal, it might allow them to keep up with the times and progress along with the modern world."

"They're not human... or, they don't look human. There's no way that they could ever live among regular people." Agent Roberts said carefully.

"Stop dancing around it. Just what is it that we're talking about, here?" Duran asked impatiently.

"Okay. In simple terms, what we're talking about is a colony of Bigfoots. They've lived in isolation and seclusion all this time and never hurt anyone. Now some hunters or something have found them and have started taking pot-shots at them."

"A colony of Bigfoots?" Duran asked dubiously.

"What did you think I was going to say? Vampires?" Agent Roberts asked with a grin.

"So you want for us to find who's doing this to the Bigfoots... Bigfeet...?" Lane stammered to a halt.

"We call them Wudewas. I've been told that it's a more accurate description of them."

"So we're supposed to find who's been shooting at the Wudewas and stop them?" Lane asked cautiously.

"No. Actually, Agent Fastbeck is out right now recruiting some help with the 'finding'. I'm going to trust in him and his friends to handle that part. As soon as they've found whoever's been doing this, it will be up to us to determine how much they know, how much evidence they have accumulated and where they've stored it, and then to make them forget that they ever encountered the Wudewas."

"You're not asking for much." Duran said with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm open to other suggestions." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"How about we just kill them all?" Duran asked simply.

"We're considering that 'Plan B'." Agent Roberts said uneasily.

"Are we still planning on leaving first thing in the morning?"

"Yes. You guys can stay at my place tonight, if you'd like. I've got a spare room that you're welcome to."

"We had talked about getting a hotel room, but we didn't see any on the way into town." Lane said frankly.

"This isn't much of a tourist destination. The closest thing we have to a hotel is Mrs. Shumlin's Boarding House."

"Should I know what that is?"

"She rents out rooms in her home to strangers. If you're there at dinner time, she'll invite you to have dinner with her. Think about it as being like visiting your grandma's house for the weekend."

"It sounds horrible." Duran said with a cringe.

"I think we'd like to accept your invitation to use your spare room." Lane said with a grin.

"Good. If you guys are hungry, you can take a few minutes to go back to the diner. The food is excellent and Agent Fastbeck should be back before too much longer."

"We drove straight through, so we're pretty hungry. A meal sounds good." Lane said honestly, then looked at Duran with question.

Duran nodded his wholehearted agreement.

"What about you? Have you eaten?" Lane asked with concern.

"I haven't had time, but I can't leave this. I'm trying to compose a list of likely candidates of who might have attacked the Southseid colony."

"If you can tell us what you want, we can bring you something back."

"I would love a cheeseburger." Agent Roberts said immediately as he stood and took out his wallet.

"Don't worry about it, we can get it." Lane said as he also stood, then added, "Consider it payback for letting us stay at your house."

"Okay. Thanks, guys." Agent Roberts said as he put his wallet away, then sat behind his desk again.

* * * * *

"Mission accomplished." Agent Fastbeck said as he walked into the office.

"You just missed the guys. Lane and Duran went over to the diner to get something to eat." Agent Roberts said as he looked up from his work.

"I didn't expect them to be here so quickly."

"They drove straight through."

"Well, I've arranged for three, possibly four, people to help us."

"Possibly four?"

"Pending parental permission."

"You want to bring a child with us?"

"He's a young teenager. It might end up being a good experience for him to use his natural... or supernatural talents for something important." Agent Fastbeck said frankly, then asked, "So what have you come up with here?"

"Nothing concrete. I've narrowed the list of 'possibles' down to under twenty. I don't know how much help it will be, but at least with this information we should be able to track any of them down that we need to."

After standing over his shoulder and reading for a few seconds, Agent Fastbeck quietly said, "This is some good solid work. Any of these people would be likely candidates. Make sure that you download all their files onto the laptop so that we'll have the information with us if we should need it."

"Right... Where do you keep the laptop? I haven't come across it yet." Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"In the bathroom cabinet, under the sink."

"Why do you have it in there?"

"That was the only outlet that I could find that wasn't already dedicated to another purpose."

"Right."

"Shawn? Why didn't you tell us..." A voice trailed off from the doorway.

"Lane and Duran, I'd like to introduce my new boss, Agent Conrad Fastbeck." Agent Roberts said formally.

"I prefer to think of us as coworkers." Agent Fastbeck said in response, then looked to their guests and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"What the hell is up with you?" Lane asked as he put an arm out protectively and guided Duran toward the door behind him.

"What's wrong?" Agent Roberts asked curiously.

"Every instinct I have is telling me that we don't want to be anywhere near him. He's dangerous." Lane said and seemed to be breathless in panic.

"I guess Shadesiders must be able to sense curses." Agent Roberts said cautiously.

"Since they didn't react negatively to you, that seems possible." Agent Fastbeck said speculatively, then carefully added, "I can download those files. Why don't you knock off for the night and get some sleep? We'll meet back here at seven in the morning."

"Yeah. Call me if you need anything before then."

Agent Fastbeck nodded as he noticed that Lane and Duran had already left.

* * * * *

"Are you guys alright?"

"I don't know what that was. I've never felt anything like that." Lane said frankly.

"If it affects you that strongly, then tomorrow might be interesting."

"What were you saying about a curse?" Duran asked cautiously.

"It's not important right now. That food smells great, let's go back to the house and eat."

"I'm not going anywhere until you've told us what you've gotten us into." Lane said firmly.

"That food smells really good." Duran said urgently.

"I'm parked behind the office. Follow me out and we'll talk over dinner."

Lane seemed reluctant, but at Duran's pleading expression, he finally agreed.

* * * * *

"You FBI guys must make some pretty good money." Duran said as they got out of their cars.

"As Agent Fastbeck has said, the economics are a little different here."

"Yeah. I couldn't believe it when our three meals cost less than five dollars." Lane said as he followed Agent Roberts up to the front door.

Agent Roberts smiled as he opened the door, then stood aside to usher his guests inside.

"This place is awesome." Lane gasped as he walked into the living room.

"Yeah. I think so too." Agent Roberts said with a smile.

"Guys? Remember the food?" Duran said urgently.

Shawn laughed, then said, "Why don't we have our dinner in the breakfast room? I think you'll appreciate the view."

"Breakfast room?" Lane asked dubiously.

Shawn smiled at him, then said, "This is just as amazing to me as it is to you. I'm glad that you're here so that I can share it with you."

"Less talk. More food." Duran said as he followed.

"We're almost there." Shawn assured him, then stood aside as he presented the little breakfast nook off the kitchen.

The room was surrounded on three sides with windows which afforded an eerie view of the untamed wilderness in the moonlight.

"Okay. Cool room." Lane said as he walked to the window and looked out.

"Yeah. Great." Duran said impatiently, then asked, "Food?"

Lane took the paper bag that he had been carrying to the small table and sat it down.

"Would you like for me to get you some plates?"

"I think we're okay. Come on. You've got to be hungry too." Lane said as he took his seat.

Agent Roberts was only too happy to comply.

* * * * *

"So, what can you tell me about your... friend, Agent Fastbeck?" Lane asked seriously.

"What I can tell you may not be the same as what I know. I just want to be upfront with you about that."

"Believe me, we know all about having to keep secrets." Lane said frankly.

Duran nodded his agreement, since his mouth was otherwise engaged.

"When I look at Agent Fastbeck, I don't get any kind of... vibe, or anything like that from him. I don't know what it is that you're feeling, but I don't feel it at all."

"I'm not imagining it." Lane said firmly.

"I wasn't implying that you were. I'm just saying that I don't feel it and you do. That seems to suggest that what you're sensing is something that's unique to Shadesiders." Agent Roberts said carefully.

"Okay. Yeah. That sounds reasonable."

"I don't know everything about Agent Fastbeck, but I've already asked him flat out and he's told me that he's human... I mean, like me. The only difference between us is that he's been cursed."

"Wait... hold up... cursed?" Lane asked dubiously.

"Don't ask me how or why it happened because he hasn't told me. And although I've witnessed at least one example of how the curse manifests, I think that out of respect for him, that he should be the one to decide who he shares that with."

"But you've seen enough to confirm his story?" Lane asked cautiously.

"I don't know if I'd go that far, but I've witnessed something that I can't explain and he's provided an explanation for it." Agent Roberts said seriously, then continued, "The point I'm trying to make is that as far as I know, it's his curse that you're sensing. Your instincts might see it as being something dangerous to you or something that you're not equipped to deal with."

"This has to be the best hamburger that I've ever tasted." Duran said blissfully.

Lane looked at him uncertainly, then took a bite of his own burger.

That prompted Shawn to also start his meal.

"Well?" Duran asked impatiently.

Lane considered carefully as he chewed, then quietly said, "I will forgive your blasphemy against White Castle and admit that this is the 'second' best burger that I've ever tasted."

Chapter 6

Shawn startled awake at the sound of his alarm. He couldn't be sure if it were due to the fact that he had house guests or if it were more about their impending excursion.

The previous night he had made the unfortunate mistake of asking how Devin was doing. After that he was told, in great detail, about every miniscule achievement that Devin had made, no matter how inane.

To sum it up, they had been able to 'paper train' Devin... mostly. And Devin had apparently discovered masturbation. The combination of those two factors seemed to have made caring for the young werewolf quite a bit easier. Clean-up was simplified and most of the time Devin would see to his own entertainment, therefore he didn't require their constant attention.

When Shawn walked into the kitchen, he was surprised to find Duran at the stove, preparing breakfast.

"I hope you don't mind." Duran said over his shoulder.

"Not at all. Thank you for cooking." Shawn said sincerely.

"Duran's a great cook." Lane said from the kitchen table.

"Actually, I suck. But Lane is absolutely helpless in the kitchen, so it works out."

"I can sympathize." Shawn said with a grin at Lane.

"I couldn't find any coffee. Did I just miss it?"

"No. I forgot to buy any. We can pick some up at the Waxell Diner on the way to the office. When I have some free time, I'll have to remember to buy some coffee... and a coffee maker... and cups..."

"It sounds like it'll be easier to just stop at the diner." Lane said frankly.

"Yeah. That's part of why I don't already own a coffee maker."

"Sit down. It's almost ready." Duran said from his place at the stove.

"Thanks for doing this. I really appreciate it."

"We should be thanking you for letting us stay in your house." Duran said as he carried plates to the table.

"Yeah. I doubt that we would have been able to relax in that boarding house place." Lane added.

"Speaking of relaxing, are you guys going to be able to handle being around Agent Fastbeck and his cursed friends?"

"Now that I'm expecting it, I should be fine. It was just getting slapped with it out of nowhere that threw me off."

"How about you, Duran?"

"What? Do you think that just because I'm younger that I won't be able to handle it? Is that your problem?"

"No. I was just asking you the exact same question for the exact same reason that I asked Lane, you overly sensitive little prick."

Duran looked at Shawn with surprise for a moment, then broke into a grin before saying, "I thought that if I pushed hard enough I'd get you to be real with me."

"Is this some kind of game to you?"

"No. But if I can get you to be real with me, then I'll know that I can be real with you."

"You're not going to start telling me stories about your fucked up childhood and expecting me to hold you while you cry about it and stuff like that, are you?"

"No. I just mean that now I've seen what's hiding out under the politeness and formality. When I pushed you, you didn't attack me personally... or physically. You just called me on my bullshit. I wanted to know what's cooking underneath before I go into a battle with you."

"So are you saying that you're not actually a bratty teenager?"

"Oh, I am. I wasn't play acting, I just wasn't bothering to hold myself back, either."

"Well, now that you've gotten whatever it was that you were looking for, I'd appreciate it if you would go ahead and put forth the effort. I don't have a lot of patience for the attitude."

"Okay. Yeah." Duran agreed, then thought to add, "And just so you know, my childhood wasn't fucked up. It was pretty good. And if I ever need a good cry, I've got Lane for that."

"That'll work."

The three enjoyed a few quiet minutes as they ate and each pondered their own thoughts.

The silence was finally broken by Shawn asking, "Do you guys mind that I called for your help?"

"You do what you've got to do. We understand that. I'd much rather help you do something than know that you stood back and did nothing when you could have helped someone who needed it." Lane said honestly.

"From what I understand, you guys help people all the time. It's what you do." Shawn said simply.

"The same goes for you, doesn't it? I mean, that's what your job is all about." Duran asked in return.

"That, and reports. Lots and lots of reports."

* * * * *

After a stop at the Waxell diner for coffee, Agent Roberts pulled around to his customary parking place behind the office.

"Where are your friends?" Agent Fastbeck asked as Agent Roberts walked into the office.

"Out in the car waiting for us to be ready. Where are yours?"

"They're going to meet up with us on the way out of town. They don't like to stop in Waxell any more than necessary."

"Is there anything that we need to discuss before we leave?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"I've been thinking about it and as much as I want to protect everyone's secrets, you and I are the organizers of this entire event. I think for us to make well thought out decisions, we need to know as many of the facts as possible."

"Makes sense." Agent Roberts agreed.

"My friends... they're witches... cursed witches." Agent Fastbeck quietly admitted.

"Mine are vampires." Agent Roberts said simply.

Agent Fastbeck nodded for a moment, then said, "I guess that we'd better be going. We wouldn't want to keep our friends waiting."

"Yeah." Agent Roberts said as he picked up the laptop and a stack of maps from the desk.

* * * * *

Agent Fastbeck mentioned that it might be a good idea for Agent Roberts to get a CB radio installed in his car.

While both agents had walkie-talkies, Agent Fastbeck felt that it would be best if they rode together so that they could discuss their ideas and make plans for what was to come.

"Is there anything I need to know about your vampires before we find ourselves in a confrontation?"

"They call themselves Shadesiders. They're stronger, faster and more agile than regular people, so don't worry about them if they go up against someone who looks bigger and stronger than they are. I've seen them in a full-out fight. They can handle it."

"So they're not vulnerable to sunlight, crosses or any of the other things in the legends?"

"They're a little sensitive to sunlight, but I don't know everything about them. The only thing like that you really have to watch out for is not to get bitten by them. That part of the legend is true."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"What about the witches? Anything I should know?"

"The curse that they're under prevents the Brynns from using magical abilities, except for the animal transformations, and those are augmented to the point that they can't go for very long without transforming. That's also what prevents them from being around regular people."

"So, their curse isn't like the Shadesiders. I mean, they can't accidentally curse you, can they?"

"I'm still not entirely clear on how all of that works. As I understand it, the curse is typically passed from one spouse to the other and from the parents to the children."

"From the way Lane and Duran reacted to you, I doubt that intimate relationships is going to be a problem."

"You should also know that there are two people who are capable of bestowing different versions of the curse with little more than a touch."

"What are the chances that those two will be joining us today?"

"Pretty good, actually. I'm one of them." Agent Fastbeck reluctantly admitted.

"But you said that you're a human..."

"I am. It just so happens that the curse that was put on me allows me to bestow a curse. But I have to admit that I have no idea what my curse would do to a regular human. It was designed to work on witches."

"What do you think it would do to a Shadesider?"

"I didn't even know that they existed until today, so your guess is as good as mine."

"I'm thinking that it would probably be best if we didn't find out."

"I just wanted you to be aware in case it came up for some reason."

"Thanks for telling me." Agent Roberts said sincerely, then cautiously asked, "Am I in any danger from you?"

"No. The only way I can curse someone is if I decide that it's the right thing to do. I can't be compelled to curse someone against my will. It invalidates the curse."

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I mean, you transforming, there's no way I'd believe a word of it."

"I'm still coming to grips with living as a cursed being."

"You said that there were two of you who could bestow a curse. Will the other one be coming with us?"

"No. When I asked for volunteers, I asked that they include people who could track a scent. Andrea's transformed state is another swan, like mine."

"If that's the case, couldn't she have done the 'ancient spirit essence' thing like you did?"

"No. From my understanding of things, she might have been able to do a similar thing with the spiritual essence of Caer Ibormeith. But I was told that she couldn't possibly host the essence of Aengus MacOg."

"Whatever you say." Agent Roberts said slowly, then continued, "Did you have a chance to look over the files that I assembled?"

"Yes. That was some expert work. Any or all of them could potentially be involved."

"From what I've been able to gather about them, they're not very trusting of each other. It's unlikely that more than any two or three of them would work collectively. They're just too greedy to take the chance of having to split their loot too many ways."

"You're reading more into this than I am, but you're probably right. My money's on Dr. Mickel. Not only does he have a background in archaeology, but he's also known to be less than ethical in his business practices."

"He was at the top of my list, too. If I had time to go more in-depth on my research, his would be one of the first files that I would investigate."

"Hold that thought. This is them up ahead. This is the meeting place that we agreed on." Agent Fastbeck said as he pulled the car onto the shoulder.

"Why are we stopping?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"I want to be sure that your Shadesiders will be able to work with my Brynns. If either group can't handle it for some reason, we need to know now."

"I'll go get Lane and Duran." Agent Roberts said before opening his door.

* * * * *

Agent Roberts motioned for Lane and Duran to get out of their car and join him.

"What's going on? Why did we stop?"

"After your reaction to Agent Fastbeck last night, we just wanted to be sure that you'll be able to work with the Brynns before we start depending on you too much."

"That's kind of rude..."

"It makes sense." Lane interrupted.

Duran looked at him curiously.

"They need to know what to expect. It's smart to test it out before we drive all the way there." Lane explained.

Agent Roberts led the way to where Agent Fastbeck was talking to another group of people.

* * * * *

"Lowell, Olive, Jazz and Cain, may I present Agent Roberts, Lane and Duran."

"They don't smell right." Olive said cautiously and seemed to be readying herself for a fight.

"That's not quite the 'Pleased to meet you' that I was expecting." Duran said frankly.

"They smell like Bacchae." Lowell said cautiously.

"What we need to know right now is if you can work together. If you can't, we'll have to come up with a work-around or something." Agent Fastbeck said firmly, trying to get everyone back on topic.

"They feel like danger, like something bad about to happen." Duran said frankly.

"But can you work with them?" Agent Roberts pressed.

"Yeah. We can do it." Duran said mostly confidently.

"What about you, Lowell? Do you think that you'll be able to work with the Shadesiders?"

"It smells to me like their meat's been tainted. As long as it doesn't involve me having to bite one of them, there shouldn't be a problem." Lowell said carefully, not turning his gaze away from the two Shadesiders for an instant.

"Yeah. We'd really rather that you didn't bite us, if it's all the same to you." Duran said frankly.

Lane then quickly added, "And we don't feel like biting you either."

Olive chuckled at the very idea.

Duran was somewhat offended by her dismissive attitude and let his fangs drop and his other more vampiric features become more prominent as he snarled at her.

"You are Bacchae! I knew it!" Lowell said with satisfaction.

"If we're all agreed that we can work together, let's continue on. We're going to need all of your help if we're going to resolve this situation." Agent Fastbeck said firmly, drawing all attention back to him.

Agent Roberts was the first to move, but soon everyone returned to their vehicles.

As Agent Fastbeck pulled back onto the road to lead the way, Agent Roberts quietly said, "I think that went well."

* * * * *

The drive was mostly quiet as Agent Roberts studied the files of the potential perpetrators.

He focused the majority of his attention on Dr. Edward Mickel, Professor of Archaeology. According to the publicly available records and social media accounts, Dr. Mickel had taken a semester off to do research in the field, and the entire project was shrouded in secrecy.

Looking into Dr. Mickel's history unveiled an incident in Argentina that very nearly resulted in his incarceration. Undoubtedly, a large sum of money must have changed hands to get him out of that situation.

"The more I look at this, the more I think that Mickel is the only one who could pull this off. None of the rest have the financial resources to take on a project of this scale."

"I got that impression, too." Agent Fastbeck said thoughtfully, then added, "Although it wouldn't surprise me to find out that Sylvia Richter or Corbin Spieth were working with him. They both have the academic background to be of use to him and neither appear to be otherwise engaged in anything at the moment. There are also accounts of both of them working with him before."

"So, what's the actual plan when we get there?"

"Travel to the Wudewas compound, then set the Brynns on the scent of whoever attacked them. Once they've located their base camp, bring the Shadesiders in to gather intelligence."

"What if they're not there?"

"Then we'll gather as much information as we can and discuss options for a stakeout or an ambush."

"If this is going to drag out for days, we're going to need supplies."

"Let's just see how things go before we worry too much about that. If we have to make a run for supplies, we will."

"Why do I have the feeling that I'm going to be the one stuck with that duty?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I'm the only normal human. I don't have any special ability to contribute to the search."

"You have FBI training and background information about who we're likely to be facing. Don't make the mistake of thinking that you don't have a place in this operation. Without you, we wouldn't have any option but to eliminate the people who have been attacking the Wudewas."

"Speaking of that, how is the Wudewas that went for help? Is he going to be ready to return soon?"

"I checked on him last night. Although he's anxious to return to his people, I think it will be a few days before he's physically able. When he's ready, we'll see to it that he's transported the majority of the way so that he can return without driving himself to exhaustion again."

"I hesitate to mention this, but have you noticed that our companions are all predators?"

"I hadn't thought about it in those terms, but I suppose that you're right."

"Does that mean that we're prey?"

"No. We're part of their pack. On the other hand, we could conceivably end up having to protect Dr. Mickel and his companions."

"I suppose we'll do what we have to."

* * * * *

"Well, I guess we won't have to worry about setting up a stakeout." Agent Roberts said as he looked at the vans parked at the bend in the road.

"Get their plate numbers. I'm going to pull further down the road. Once we've stopped, you can use the sat phone to establish a hot spot and run those plates."

"I'm on it. If you'll get the others ready, I should have some answers for you by the time you're finished." Agent Roberts said as he quickly snapped pictures as they slowly drove by.

Once Agent Fastbeck was sure that Agent Roberts had all the pictures that he needed, he continued on down the road until he found a reasonable layby that could accommodate all their vehicles.

***

As soon as they were stopped, Agent Roberts went to work on establishing computer contact with the bureau. The connection was tenuous at best, but he was able to run the plates and confirm that the vehicles were, in fact, registered to a company owned by Dr. Edward Mickel.

It didn't take much investigation to prove that the company was a false front, created for tax purposes and as a buffer so that Dr. Mickel would be one step removed from liability in the event of unfortunate returns on his investments.

"Was it Mickel?" Agent Fastbeck asked as Agent Roberts approached.

"Yes. And I was able to confirm that Corby Spieth is also involved." Agent Roberts said slowly, noticing that all the 'Brynns' seemed to be undressing.

"Good. Our tracking team are going to investigate the vehicles and see if they can pick up the scent." Agent Fastbeck said seriously, then asked, "Are you ready?"

"Yeah. The laptop's locked in the trunk. Here are your keys." Agent Roberts said slowly as he handed them over without looking.

"It's usually best if they undress before they transform." Agent Fastbeck explained.

Before Shawn could respond, the entire group of them transformed from their human appearances into those of various types of canines.

He could detect a dog and a wolf in the mix, but the other two weren't immediately identifiable to him.

"Be careful. We need information, not casualties." Agent Fastbeck said firmly.

The wolf yipped once, then the 'pack' turned as one and hurried up the road, to where Dr. Mickel's vehicles were parked.

"You guys don't need us for anything, do you?" Duran asked anxiously as he watched the animals go.

"No. All we're doing now is waiting to see what the Brynns come up with." Agent Fastbeck said simply.

"They're not the only ones who can track a scent." Duran said simply.

"If there's no point to us staying here, we'd really like to go too." Lane said honestly.

"Just remember what our objectives are. No killing." Agent Fastbeck said firmly.

"God! You sound just like my dad!" Duran huffed.

Lane grinned at his reaction, then said to Agent Fastbeck, "We won't do anything but what we came here to do. I promise."

"Thank you." Agent Fastbeck said sincerely.

Taking that as his approval, Lane and Duran took off running at something beyond a normal 'human' pace.

"We should probably hurry." Agent Roberts said as he started to walk in that direction.

"No. I think it's better if we follow along at a deliberate pace and do a thorough investigation. Remember that what we bring to the table is our training and experience. Let's be sure to put it to good use."

Although Shawn wanted to hurry along behind the others to see whatever excitement there might be, he couldn't disagree with Agent Fastbeck's assessment of their situation and their contribution to the overall project.

* * * * *

After what seemed to be an unreasonable amount of time inspecting and taking pictures of parked vehicles, Agents Fastbeck and Roberts finally started their trek into the wilderness.

"So, our objective isn't to catch up to the others, but to reach the Southseid colony, right?" Agent Roberts finally asked.

"Only inasmuch as we don't have a clue about where our companions have gone. It seems reasonable to assume that Dr. Mickel would set up his base camp somewhere near the colony. If we're in close proximity, I think we'll have a better chance of someone from our group finding us."

"Given their abilities, I doubt that any of them will have a problem finding us if they want to." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"True enough." Agent Fastbeck easily agreed, then smiled as he said, "Lowell was telling me that he wanted to bring Cain along so that they could track and hunt together. It's a chance for him to share this part of his life with his great-grandson."

"I didn't understand why you agreed to bring a child with you when it might be dangerous, but now I see. Not only is it a rare opportunity for them, but the danger is what makes it real and important."

"I have no doubt that Lowell will keep a careful eye on Cain to be sure that he doesn't take on more than he can handle. But I think most of what he's hoping to do is share what he's learned over his life and provide an opportunity for one of his great-grandsons to make him proud."

"Just as long as they're careful. We already know that Dr. Mickel is armed."

"Yes. And we also know that he has some method of seeing through the Wudewas barrier. Depending on what he's using, it's possible that the same technology could be turned on us to track us down and shoot us."

"Are you still thinking it's infrared?"

"That or some other form of night vision, maybe."

Both men stopped in their tracks when an odd looking stripey dog ran up to them.

Before either man could react, the dog-like creature began to transform.

"We found them. Grandpa told me to come back and get you and show you where they are." Cain said in his half-human, half-canine form.

"Is everyone alright? Did the people at the camp see you?"

"Everyone's fine. They didn't see us at all. But those guys that you brought with you showed up right after we did and they said that they're going to do something. Grandpa told me to go and get you before they did whatever it was." Cain quickly explained.

"Lead the way." Agent Fastbeck said simply.

Cain transformed back to his fully animal form, then started back in the direction he had come from.

* * * * *

The hurried walk through the forest wasn't like it had been before. This time they had someone leading the way, so there wasn't the same sense that every step might lead them into some dire situation.

"Please, be quiet and stay here." A voice said from ahead of them, before Lowell stepped out into the clearing.

The only adequate term that might apply to his form was 'werewolf'.

"The boys that you brought with us asked for us to keep you away for a bit while they work." Lowell said slowly, obviously not happy with the request.

"Is the enemy neutralized?" Agent Fastbeck asked cautiously.

"Those boys didn't do anything at first but stand and stare. But after a few minutes they started to glow, then everyone in the camp started sleepwalking toward them... damndest thing I've ever seen."

"How far away are we from their camp?" Agent Fastbeck asked cautiously.

"'Bout a quarter of a mile, at most. Not far."

"I don't know how long it will take for Lane and Duran to do their work, but there's no point in us standing around waiting for them."

"What should we do instead?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"Let's go let Ud-wra know that his people are safe."

"What about them?" Agent Roberts asked, glancing at the great-grandfather and great-grandson standing side-by-side, both half-transformed.

"The Wudewas know about the Cursed Ones and sent someone to ask them for help. I don't think they'll have a problem with actually getting to meet them in person." Agent Fastbeck said thoughtfully, then turned to Lowell and Cain and asked, "Is that okay with you guys?"

"I don't understand." Cain said honestly.

"It's something new for us to discover. We'll experience it together." Lowell assured him.

"It's over this way." Agent Fastbeck said as he started to lead the way.

Agent Roberts let Lowell and his great-grandson pass before taking up the rear and guarding their backs.

* * * * *

"Shawn, would you mind taking care of my clothes?" Agent Fastbeck asked as they stopped at the barrier of ivy and weeds.

"I don't mind, now that I know what you're asking me to do." Agent Roberts finished with a smile.

Agent Fastbeck began to undress, and as he did, he handed each article of clothing to Agent Roberts so that he could keep it all sorted for him.

"When we go in, just let me do all the talking. Ud-wra won't be able to understand what you're saying. I'm able to speak with him due to some magical thing that Ima did to me." Agent Fastbeck said toward Lowell and Cain.

"We'll just watch." Lowell assured Agent Fastbeck solemnly.

After taking off the last of his clothes, Agent Fastbeck began his transformation and became the black Oskmey.

"In the bond of blood, in the bond of pain, in the bond of shared grief, in the name of Cernunnos who oversees and protects, accept the guardians of light into your sanctuary."

As the vines and weeds seemed to part under Agent Fastbeck's touch, Agent Roberts motioned for Lowell and Cain to precede him through the barrier.

He noticed that the half-transformed great-grandfather and great-grandson joined clawed hands and walked into the unknown misty darkness together.

Agent Roberts followed as he made sure to keep careful hold of Agent Fastbeck's clothing for him.

* * * * *

Agent Fastbeck led their way through the misty darkness until an enormous form appeared before them.

"Please tell Ud-wra that we have found those who have caused your people harm." Agent Fastbeck said firmly.

The huge beastly figure growled once, then began to move away.

"He wants us to follow." Agent Fastbeck said quietly.

Agent Roberts was surprised. He had expected to be told to wait until Ud-wra was summoned.

The large creature seemed to disappear from before them, then Agent Roberts watched carefully as Agent Fastbeck turned to the left and stepped through a gap in the trees.

Lowell and Cain went through next as Agent Roberts followed closely behind.

* * * * *

It was difficult to walk down the gnarled roots and outcroppings of rock that served almost as stair steps or ladder rungs.

More than once, Agent Roberts nearly lost his balance, but thanks to the hiking gear that he had recently acquired, he was able to find reliable enough purchase to continue climbing down.

* * * * *

After descending a significant distance, they finally came to an archway of tangled ivy and branches that seemed to be filled with light.

Walking through the archway was like stepping into another world.

The mysterious gray furred creature took on new features in the bright light of day. He was still enormous and covered in fur, but his features now appeared to be decidedly more human.

Agent Roberts was finally able to tear his gaze away from their guide and look around the primitive village where they found themselves.

There were several Wudewas out and about, attending to their daily chores. All of them stopped whatever they were doing and stared disbelievingly as the Oskmey, Werewolf, Agdlak and one lone human followed their guide to the largest of the huts, in the center of the village.

* * * * *

The large Wudewas took one step into the doorway, then made an ominous growl, announcing his presence.

There was a growl from inside in response, then their guide motioned for his guests to proceed into the hut.

When Agent Roberts eyes adjusted to the dimmer light inside, he saw Ud-wra standing before them, staring back.

"Elder Ud-wra, I come with news. We have assembled a team of people to track down those who have hurt you. As we speak, my companions have your attackers in custody and are attempting to find out just how much they know about you."

Ud-wra snorted and growled a long response.

"We were told that they had been taken, but I haven't talked to them myself. As soon as I found out, I came to tell you that your people were no longer in danger."

Ud-wra growled again.

"If you would like, I can go now and return with that information."

There was another growl, and to Agent Roberts, it seemed to be a bit more impatient.

"As you wish. If you have nothing else that needs to be done first, we will go now."

Ud-wra growled once, then Agent Fastbeck turned to leave.

* * * * *

As soon as they were outside the hut, Agent Roberts quietly asked, "What's going on?"

"Ud-wra is going with us."

Chapter 7

"Ud-wra is going with us... outside? To the base camp?" Agent Roberts asked in astonishment.

"Well, he's going to follow in the shadows. It goes against his instincts to walk in the open with us." Agent Fastbeck explained.

"So he'll meet us there?"

"Yes. He wants to see the people who killed his family and understand how they were able to breach the barrier." Agent Fastbeck said as they followed their guide back across the village compound to the archway.

They walked in silence for a moment until Cain quietly asked, "They're not transformed, are they? Is this what they really are?"

"That's right. These are the Wudewas. This is what they are and how they live." Agent Fastbeck quietly explained.

"It's just like we're Brynns and those others are Bacchae and this young man traveling with us is a regular human, we all have our differences, but we also have things in common." Lowell quietly explained.

"Did you know about the Wudewas?" Agent Roberts asked Lowell curiously.

"I had heard stories, of course, but you never know how much of that is true and how much of it is from too much alcohol and too little companionship." Lowell finished with a chuckle.

Agent Roberts smiled and nodded since, not too long ago, he wouldn't have believed it either.

There was little opportunity for talk as they began the long climb upward, to the lip of the basin which contained The South Seid.

* * * * *

"Thanks for carrying my clothes, Shawn. I really appreciate it." Agent Fastbeck said as soon as they were outside the barrier.

"It was no problem. In fact, with everything we just saw, I kinda forgot that I was carrying them." Agent Roberts said honestly.

"We don't need to wait. Ud-wra will follow in his own way and reveal himself when he's ready." Agent Fastbeck said as he dressed.

"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to scout ahead while Cain shows you the way." Lowell said cautiously.

"Do you think there's a problem?" Agent Fastbeck asked cautiously.

"I think it would be shortsighted of us to assume that there isn't." Lowell said frankly.

"Good point. We'll see you when we get there."

Agent Roberts watched in fascination as Lowell transformed from his werewolf form into that of a complete wolf.

"Right, then. We should be on our way, too." Agent Fastbeck said as he finished dressing.

"It's this way." Cain said as he started walking in the direction that Lowell had gone.

Agent Roberts was curious about the half-transformed boy. He was interested to know how it was for him growing up, knowing that he was something other than human.

By all appearances, Cain seemed to be not only perfectly happy with his lot in life, but he also seemed to be thriving, doing his best to be worthy of the trust the adults in his life had placed in him.

* * * * *

After making their way through a heavily forested area, Agent Fastbeck cautiously asked, "How much farther?"

"A little bit. We're going the longer way but it should be a lot easier on you." Cain said frankly.

"You're a really good guide. Thank you for taking such good care of us." Agent Roberts said to the boy, wanting it to be known that his diligence was appreciated.

"I've got to take good care of Agent Fastbeck so that someday he'll finally get around to asking my mom to marry him." Cain said simply.

The shocked look on Agent Fastbeck's face made Shawn break into laughter.

Cain stopped and rolled his eyes, then said, "Come on, you're always making excuses to be at her house and do things with her... I mean, it's okay. Deimos and I like you and Dad says that you and Mom are good for each other."

"Really? Ares said that?" Agent Fastbeck asked uncertainly.

"Yeah. We're all just waiting for you two to figure it out." Cain said simply, then started walking again.

Agent Roberts smiled at Agent Fastbeck's disbelieving expression.

* * * * *

"How's it going?" Agent Fastbeck asked as he arrived in the clearing where Olive, Jazz and Lowell were waiting.

"They're talking." Jazz said simply.

"...and talking and talking..." Olive moaned.

"It is their job to gather intelligence for us." Agent Fastbeck said quietly.

"I'm going to go and check on them." Agent Roberts said decisively.

"They don't want us distracting them." Jazz warned him.

"I'm pretty sure that I'll be less of a distraction to them than the rest of you. I've seen them at work before so I know how to approach them when they're concentrating."

"Go ahead. We'll wait here." Agent Fastbeck said decisively.

Agent Roberts gave a single nod, then thought to ask, "Where are they?"

"Over that way, you can't miss them." Olive said as she pointed.

Shawn gave another nod, then quietly slipped away.

* * * * *

"How's it going, guys?" Agent Roberts asked quietly when he caught sight of Lane and Duran.

"Hold on." Lane said in a tightly controlled voice as he quickly typed on his phone with his thumbs.

Agent Roberts was still and silent as he waited for Lane to tell him that it was okay to speak.

When Lane finally looked up, he said, "I think I've got everything here that you're going to need. But you'll probably want to look it over before we let them loose."

"So, you're done?" Agent Roberts asked with surprise.

"Probably not. But you and Agent Fastbeck will need to look over what we've done so far and see what else you need."

"What about them? Is it okay to leave them like that for a while?"

"Read this, then ask me." Lane said as he handed his phone to Agent Roberts.

"Okay. I'm going to take this back to Agent Fastbeck and I'll come back as soon as we've read it."

"We'll keep these guys quiet until you've decided what we're going to do." Lane said simply.

* * * * *

As much as Agent Roberts wanted to read what Lane had written, he felt that it was best for him to let Agent Fastbeck see it first, since whatever was going to happen next would be his ultimate decision.

Shawn was once again grateful that he had invested in hiking gear as he made his way through the trees and underbrush.

"How's it going?" Agent Fastbeck asked professionally.

"They've finished with their first interview, they wanted for me to give you this so you can decide what we're doing next." Agent Roberts said as he handed the phone to Agent Fastbeck.

"What are they doing?" Olive asked irritably.

"Right now they're just waiting for us." Agent Roberts said simply.

"I mean, what are they doing to them? How did they make them talk?"

"I don't know how it all works, but they have the ability to command and control people."

"That's creepy. I wonder if that would work on us."

"I have no idea."

"Did you read this?" Agent Fastbeck asked as he continued to read.

"No. I thought that since you're making the decisions, that you should read it first."

"These people are monsters."

"What do you want us to do with them?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"Read this while I'm thinking about it." Agent Fastbeck said as he handed the phone back to Agent Roberts.

As Shawn started reading he was surprised by what was revealed. Dr. Mickel and his faithful assistants, Silkie and Corby had discovered ancient ruins in Peru and enslaved the indigenous population to unearth artifacts for them.

While it was happening, they lived like kings in luxury while their slave laborers were literally worked to death. Men, women and children were routinely beaten and killed to help 'motivate' the others to keep working.

When the last artifacts had been unearthed and nothing of value was left to steal, they gunned down the last of them, then set their village on fire. Dr. Mickel and his companions felt no remorse and would occasionally look back on it and laugh about 'the good old days'.

In regard to their current project, they didn't have any idea of who or what the Wudewas were. They thought that they had found yet another ancient site to loot and exploit. It was their plan to terrorize the indigenous population with the use of armed drones to locate and exterminate individuals from the air.

They had brought chainsaws and other equipment to help them breach the protective barrier so that they could move on to the next phase of their plan.

"Something's moving over there." Jazz said suddenly as he turned.

"That's probably Ud-wra." Agent Fastbeck told him, then turned to Agent Roberts and said, "Go back to the Shadesiders and prepare them. I'll explain what we've found and bring Ud-wra in a few minutes."

"Okay." Agent Roberts said distractedly as he finally tore his gaze away from the phone.

* * * * *

"What did he say?" Lane asked as Agent Roberts approached.

"He hasn't made a decision yet. He told me to come over here and prepare you. The leader of the Wudewas wants to see the people who attacked his village."

"So what you're really saying is that you don't want us to freak out when we see a Bigfoot, right?" Lane asked cautiously.

"Yes. Especially if that means that you'll lose your hold on our... archeologists." Agent Roberts said as he looked at the people with disgust.

"Yeah. Good call. We'll brace ourselves." Lane said seriously.

"Maybe we should just zonk them before he gets here." Duran quietly suggested.

"No. We need them awake in case someone wants to ask them a question." Lane said thoughtfully.

Agent Roberts nodded his agreement, then noticed that Lane and Duran turned in unison at a sound.

It took a few seconds before Agent Roberts could hear anyone approaching.

When Agent Fastbeck stepped into the clearing, he quietly said, "These two young men helped us collect the information. These five are the ones who attacked your people."

Ud-wra walked to the people who were sitting on the ground, staring vacantly.

After a long moment, Ud-wra let loose a low growl, then pointed at the two men seated farther back than the others.

"Are those two the hired help?" Agent Fastbeck asked Lane and Duran, who were staring dumbly at the Wudewas elder before them.

"Yeah." Lane finally said, then continued, "They're not blameless in all of this. They know enough about what Dr. Mickel is doing to know that it's wrong. But compared to the other three, they're mostly harmless. They're really just in it for a paycheck."

Agent Fastbeck turned to Ud-wra and said, "These men are followers, not leaders. The leader that they chose to follow is the one most responsible for hurting your people."

Ud-wra grunted, then motioned to the next two.

"These are others of his followers, but they knew exactly what they were doing. They were fully aware of the consequences of their actions and chose to continue so that they could reap the rewards."

There was a slow, lingering growl as Ud-wra focused on Dr. Mickel.

"Yes. Although each person here bears responsibility for their own actions, this is the man who made the plan, paid the money and gathered the people to come here to try to rob and enslave your people."

A snort of disgust was Ud-wra's reply to that and Agent Roberts decided that he agreed with the sentiment.

"Lane and Duran can make these people forget that they ever found your home. But I'm afraid that there's nothing we can do to give you justice or in any way undo what has been done."

Ud-wra quietly growled his response, then turned and walked away, virtually fading into the forest around them.

"What did he say?" Lane asked in a whisper.

"He asked that you do your best to see that they don't hurt anyone else." Agent Fastbeck said quietly.

"That's kind of a tall order. They don't believe that ordinary rules, laws and ethics apply to them. There is no right or wrong with them, all they see is what they want and how to get it." Lane said grimly.

"We can do a lot of amazing things, but we can't give a conscience to someone who doesn't have one to begin with." Duran added.

"From what I read, they've done more than enough things to get them arrested and sent away for the rest of their natural lives. Maybe rather than trying to make them feel guilty, we should just settle on fulfilling Ud-wra's wishes and do our best to keep them from hurting any more people." Agent Roberts suggested.

"Can you do that?" Agent Fastbeck asked Lane and Duran.

"Do what?" Duran asked cautiously.

"Can you make them forget everything about the Wudewas, destroy any collected evidence, and then confess about everything else that they've done?"

"Yeah. It might take a little detail work to be sure that they'll do what we expect, but we should be able to manage it."

"In your notes, you said that no one outside these five were aware of what they were doing. How sure are you about that?"

"I'm as sure as they are." Duran said simply.

Lane grinned in his direction, then explained, "It's impossible for them to lie to us while they're under the thrall. Everyone who knows anything about this expedition is present. They don't trust each other enough to allow anyone to stay behind who could sell them out."

"Good. What about the evidence? How sure are you that you've accounted for all of it."

"If they know about it, we know about it." Lane assured him.

"Yeah. And when you look at it, they really don't have much of anything. When Dr. Mickel spotted the secluded valley, he recognized it as being a good place for primitives to settle. When he couldn't find an easy way in on foot, he broke out the drones." Duran said frankly.

"As soon as they found signs that there were primitive people living there, the plan was hatched to relive 'the good old days' and strip this place of every natural and cultural resource before burning the whole thing down." Lane continued.

"Still, we need to be sure that every last bit of the evidence is destroyed... that should probably go for the equipment too... especially the drones."

"Already on it." Duran said simply.

Agent Fastbeck turned to Agent Roberts and quietly asked, "How can we really be sure that they're going to do everything that they're told to?"

"As far as I can tell, our only other choice would be to follow them home and keep them under constant surveillance."

Agent Fastbeck slowly nodded as he thought about what else they might be able to do.

"Just to recap, they're going to forget everything about finding this place and ever coming here, they'll destroy all the evidence, destroy their equipment, especially the drones, and then turn themselves in to the authorities and confess to every crime they've ever committed that's more serious than a parking violation. Did you want something more than that?" Lane asked seriously.

"Can you give them horrific nightmares about the things that they've done to haunt them for the rest of their lives?" Agent Roberts asked hopefully.

"Sorry, these guys feel no regret, guilt or shame for anything. Beauty, horror, it's all the same to them." Duran said simply.

"How about you guys? Do you need anything?" Agent Roberts asked Lane and Duran.

"Some peace and quiet might be nice." Lane cautiously ventured.

"You got it. Just let us know when you're done." Agent Roberts assured him.

"Give us about half an hour. I think we should be done with all the detail work by then." Lane said thoughtfully.

"Thanks guys." Agent Roberts said before walking away with Agent Fastbeck at his side.

* * * * *

After Agent Roberts finished relaying the events to the Brynns in the clearing, Olive quietly asked, "Is there any reason for us to stay here then?"

"Not a practical one, but I'd feel like we were being rude if we left before the job was finished." Agent Fastbeck said seriously.

"Take it from one who knows, you need to enjoy the quiet times when you can get them." Lowell said as he rested against a tree.

Cain was sitting against the same tree, exactly copying his great-grandfather's position.

"So, Agent Roberts, how did you get yourself tangled up with the Bacchae, anyway?" Lowell asked curiously.

"I can't really talk about that. But they turned out to be pretty good guys." Agent Roberts said carefully.

"From all that I've heard over the years, Bacchae should be avoided at all costs. It's been said that they have no dignity, honor or sympathy for others."

"I've heard that too. I guess the way it works is that when someone is bitten by them, if they aren't killed, they change. Sometimes they change to be like Lane and Duran, good guys. Other times they turn out to be like you said, murderous monsters who kill for the pleasure of it."

"Then I suppose it's best if we don't automatically assume that if someone is a Bacchae that they're going to be willing to work with us."

"Probably not. I really don't know a lot about how it all works. The only thing I can say for sure is that there are good vampires... or Shadesiders. The ones who turn out bad are called Darksiders."

"Do these Shadesiders keep themselves hidden away, like the Brynn do?" Lowell asked curiously.

"Yes, but not in the same way. Some have found ways to live among normal humans and hide their differences. But I get the feeling that most of them stay separate, living on the outskirts of the human communities."

"I suppose that we might be able to do that as well, if we were willing to go to all the bother. It just seems simpler to stay entirely to ourselves."

"I have a feeling that the Wudewas agree with you." Agent Roberts said with a smile.

"Speaking of that, we didn't get to see the woodwass or whatever when it was here. Are we going to get a chance to see one before we leave?" Olive asked hopefully.

"No. I'm afraid that won't be possible. Not only do the Wudewas want to remain secluded in their valley, but they're also grieving for the loss of some of their loved ones. There's no way I would want to take a group of tourists through their village, like we were visiting a zoo." Agent Fastbeck said frankly.

"It just seems a shame to come all this way for so little excitement."

"Excitement isn't all it's cracked up to be." Lowell said sagely, then continued, "We were asked to use our abilities to give aid when it was needed and we answered the call. We've kept the pact we made with the Wudewas centuries ago. Try to be content knowing that you behaved honorably and made your community proud."

"I was wondering, do you happen to know how the Wudewas and the Brynns ended up both settling here and making their pact?" Agent Fastbeck asked curiously.

"I don't think that there's a person alive today who knows the whole story. I've heard things over the years, but I don't know how true they are."

"What kinds of things?"

"Well, from what I made of it, I don't think that the Brynns and the Wudewas came here together so much as they were sent here, for their own protection. The pact that was made... I don't know if it was made by us. It's possible that once we were established and ready to stand on our own, that we were told to watch out for each other." Lowell said carefully.

"Who do you think did that?" Agent Fastbeck asked cautiously.

"I can think of a mutual acquaintance of ours who might be in a position to do such a thing, even today. I don't mean him, of course, but one of his predecessors might have made the arrangements for both communities." Lowell said carefully.

"You're talking in riddles." Agent Roberts interjected.

"There's no way of knowing how many other colonies might be out there, with how many different types of people." Agent Fastbeck said speculatively.

"Do you think the people who arranged all of this are the same people who got us assigned here?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"No. I think it's more likely that they pull the strings of the people who assigned us here."

"I'm not sure how I feel about that."

"I know. I don't want to believe that I'm being controlled, following someone else's plans for me, but look at where we are and what we're doing."

* * * * *

"We're done." Lane said as he and Duran walked into the clearing.

"Let's go." Olive said immediately.

"We smell bad to you, I get that." Duran said simply, then paused for a moment to reign in his frustration before continuing, "Your aura or energy or whatever is like a cheese grater on my last nerve. We're just as anxious to be done with this as you are."

"Kids! Play nice!" Lowell said with a mischievous grin.

Duran was able to hold himself back from responding disrespectfully, but instead turned to Agent Fastbeck and said, "We did what we came here to do. What now?"

"First, I'd like to thank you Duran. It's thanks to you and Lane that we didn't have to kill Dr. Mickel and his associates."

"Probably would have been a public service if we had." Duran muttered.

"Anyway. Now that our job is done, I just want for all of us to be perfectly clear about something. As far as the FBI will ever know, this incident did not happen. Agent Roberts and I are the only mundane humans present and we're sworn to secrecy. We're asking the rest of you to do the same. Just keep it quiet about what went on here and let the memory of it fade away naturally." Agent Fastbeck urged all those in attendance.

"Actually, if memories are a problem, Lane and I can do something about that." Duran said cautiously.

"No." Olive said firmly.

"Just sayin." Duran said as he held up his hands in a motion of surrender.

"I don't think there's any need for that, Duran, but thank you for the kind offer." Agent Fastbeck said politely, then more to the entire group he continued, "Just don't spread it around. Every person who knows about the Wudewas makes it that much more likely that they'll be discovered and probably wiped out."

"While we've got everyone here, I wanted to ask something." Agent Roberts said slowly.

"What was that?"

"Can anyone think of any way that we can improve the Wudewas defenses? I mean, Dr. Mickel was able to penetrate their defenses by using drones. Do we have anything that might be able to guard against that?"

"We don't have anything." Lane said simply.

"Yeah. If we could mind whammy drones, that might be something, but we don't really have anything that we could use to fight something like that." Duran confirmed.

"I can't think of anything we have, either." Jazz said honestly.

"What about the barrier that we used to protect Brynnhollow?" Lowell asked thoughtfully.

"They already have a barrier, don't they?" Agent Roberts asked slowly.

"Yes. But ours has been updated many times over the years. I really don't know who established the original Wudewas barrier or if they refresh it at certain intervals, but we might look into getting someone to take a look at it. Maybe it just needs a simple improvement." Lowell explained.

"It sounds like we might be getting in touch with our mutual acquaintance sooner rather than later." Agent Fastbeck said unenthusiastically.

"Is there anything that we still need to do before we go?" Lowell asked as he looked around.

"Not that I can think of. Anyone else?" Agent Fastbeck asked of the group.

After a long moment of silence, Agent Fastbeck continued, "Then I guess we can go. Thank you everyone for your help."

"Is there any reason that we should all hike out together?" Olive asked cautiously.

"No. In fact, it would probably be better if we all left separately, so there's less chance of anyone seeing us as a group." Agent Fastbeck said thoughtfully.

"Agent Roberts, I hope that Conrad will bring you to Brynnhollow to visit sometime soon. I know that everyone will enjoy meeting you. Conrad, be sure to stop by my place to visit next time you're in town. I'd like to be updated on how things are going."

"I'll be sure to do that, Lowell." Agent Fastbeck assured him.

"Make sure to stop and visit Mom, too. She's always happier when you visit." Cain added.

"I'll try to do that." Agent Fastbeck said shyly.

"Are we ready?" Olive asked hopefully.

"Yes. Let's go." Lowell said, then transformed fully into his wolf form.

As he did, Cain turned into the bizarre stripey dog-cat creature. Olive and Jazz turned into their fully canine forms.

Agents Fastbeck and Roberts looked toward Lane and Duran to see what they were going to do.

"We'll walk out with you, if you don't mind." Lane said simply.

"Besides, we left some stuff at your place, so we might as well stick with you." Duran added.

As a response, Agent Fastbeck started walking.

Agent Roberts, Lane and Duran automatically followed.

* * * * *

"Can you think of anything we need to know about what you did to Dr. Mickel and his associates?"

"Well, if you're some kind of insane control freak, then what we did isn't going to work for you. We're not puppet masters pulling their strings. We just embedded imperatives into their minds that they'll be forced to carry out. We'll have to wait and see how they end up following our instructions." Lane said thoughtfully.

"Yeah. There's no doubt that they'll do what we told them to do, but they might end up not doing everything exactly the way that we intended." Duran added.

"What are the chances that they're going to break your conditioning and remember everything?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"You don't have to worry about that. We're usually gentle about the way we implant imperatives, so that we won't cause damage to the overall psyche. We didn't have to worry about that so much with these guys. Everything we did is blunt and straightforward." Lane carefully explained.

"Yeah. That's basically because there's nothing to damage. They have no sympathy, empathy or even basic concern for others. When they want something, they just take it and damn everyone else's feelings. All we did is change what they wanted." Duran continued.

"I don't know. It still feels wrong to me." Agent Roberts said honestly.

"We did what needed to be done." Lane said simply.

Agent Roberts was surprised to find that he didn't have an argument for that.

* * * * *

After walking for a few more minutes, Lane moved to Agent Roberts' side and quietly asked, "So, Agent Roberts, how about it? Are you okay with what we did?"

"I'm not happy that you had to do it, but I'll admit that it's probably the best resolution that we could have come up with under the circumstances."

"You know, if all of this is too much for you to deal with, it's still possible for us to make you forget."

The End

Unsung

Chapter 1

"Dad! What are you doing all the way out here?" The young dragon-boy asked as he swooped down to gently deposit the small animal that he had been carrying.

"I've just been visiting your great grandfather. but I think the better question might be, why aren't you two in school and what the hell do you think you're doing flying around transformed in broad daylight?"

"It's okay. This is kind of a special occasion. Mom came and got us out of school so that we could help G and the others from the outside." The young dragon said as the tiger striped animal that he had been carrying began to grow and take on a more humanoid shape.

"What's going on that's got you so excited?"

"There's Mom. She'll want to tell you. Besides, I didn't understand all of it anyway." The young dog... cat... boy said as he stood on two feet.

As the white swan came to a graceful landing beside them, Ares quietly said, "Andrea, I'm surprised to see you here."

"You know how things are. Just as soon as we think that everything's settled, something new comes along to stir things up." Andrea said as her body transitioned to a new form.

"Never a dull moment, huh? Probably not at all how you assumed it would be when you decided to stay here."

"That's certainly true." Andrea chuckled at the understatement as she completely resolved into her Oskmey form of a half human, half swan.

"What's going on?" Ares asked with concern.

"I don't know how much you already know, but basically, the witches from outside are planning on taking down the Brynnhollow barrier and recasting the spell."

"Yes. I was already aware of that much, although I don't know any details."

"Thanks to the time we spent with Sophia, Corabeth and G, I think we know more details about it than we will ever need to know. But what's important right now is that it sounds like they're going to need our help."

"Okay. What can we do?"

"From the way I understand it, they're going to need people who can accept a deluge of magical energy from them and disperse it to their clan and kin."

"Wait! Who am I talking to?" Ares asked cautiously.

"What do you mean? What a strange question."

"Am I speaking to Andrea Brynner or Caer Ibormeith?" Ares persisted.

"I'm still me, Ares. Every now and then she just pops in to give us a little help."

"'Clan and kin' doesn't sound like something that Andrea would say." Ares said almost accusingly.

"Well, if Caer is bothering to speak through me, that must mean that it's something important. We should probably pay attention to it."

"What do we need to do?"

"Gather a few people to help disperse and diffuse the magical torrent that will soon be coming your way."

"Why don't you just go into town and ask Carn to get some people to help you? I'm sure it wouldn't take much more than a request from you."

"While it's true that we need warm bodies that can store and release a magical charge, that's not the only thing that we need. When the first bolt of magic hits you, you'll automatically reach out to those who are emotionally closest to you to help you shoulder the burden of channeling so much magic."

"Okay. I suppose I can see that. But why do you need me?"

"I can't do it. Despite the curses and the magic that's been used on me, at the core, I'm still a human. I can't hold enough of a magical charge. I have to wear my necklace to hold the tiniest charge at all."

"So, since you can't do it, you want for me to do it instead?"

"Well, Conrad can't store a charge either, so you were next on my list after him."

"I think I'm missing something here. I still don't see why you can't just ask Carn."

"Because the first person in the chain has to be someone known to us, who cares and is cared for. As the requirements were revealed to us, it became clear that you were our only real choice. I don't know anyone who would have a better chance of creating a long and involved enough chain to accept and store the accumulated magic of all of Brynnhollow until it's ready for use." Andrea fought to explain.

"Even though there's probably someone better than me to do it, I wouldn't know who that is. And with you coming all the way out here to find me instead of waiting for me at my house, I'm guessing that we must be dealing with limited time. So why don't I just go ahead and do it, at least until someone better comes along."

"Good. I'm glad you said that because I didn't have a backup plan." Andrea said appreciatively.

"How much time do we have?"

"From the way Conrad was talking, they could be ready to start casting it this afternoon."

"It's after noon now."

"Then we'd better gather the people closest to you so that you won't get totally obliterated when the magic hits you."

"Where do we start?"

"That depends on you. Who would you want to stand with you at a time like this?"

"Dark, of course. Then probably my grandfather. And Drake too, I think." Ares said thoughtfully.

"What about Jim and Tannis?" Cain quickly asked.

"Although I love them like my own children, I can't see myself calling out to them for help."

"No, but Drake might. They should probably be there to help him manage his overflow." Andrea said thoughtfully.

"We want to be there to do that for you, too, Dad." Deimos stated firmly.

"No. It's too dangerous."

"Ares, if the boys don't get the magical flow from you, they'll get it from Jim and Tan. It'll be best if they're with us where we can keep an eye on how things are going and explain to them how to manage it."

"If that's how it works, it sounds like this could spread like wildfire."

"Hopefully it will. Otherwise the pooled magic might end up being more than you can endure."

"What should we do first?"

"I think our best bet will be to split up. Let's go and get everyone and meet in Queen Marimba's garden. We'll walk to the vinculum chamber from there." Andrea said decisively, then thought to ask, "Can everyone find their way to the garden?"

"I haven't actually been there, but I've flown over the area a few times. I know where it is." Ares said seriously.

"We were just there with you this morning so we know how to get there. No problem." Deimos said confidently.

"Good." Andrea said with relief, then hurriedly continued by asking, "Cain, will you go and get your great grandfather and take him there?"

"Yeah. But I don't know how long it's going to take us. We might not be able to get there before dark."

"Just do your best. Get going." Andrea said firmly.

No sooner had she said the words than Cain shrank into his fully animal form. As Andrea watched him scamper away, she said to the others, "The rest of us can fly. Ares, go get Dark, Deimos, go get Tannis and Jim at their school. I'm going to get Drake."

"What happens if Conrad comes for us before we're all there?" Ares asked cautiously.

"We'll deal with that when the time comes. Too many things are up in the air and outside our control to be committing to much of anything right now." Andrea said firmly.

"Speaking of 'up in the air', that's where we should probably be." Ares suggested.

"Right." Andrea said before shrinking into the form of a swan.

"I'm going to have to hurry too. Jim and Tan can't fly." Deimos said before transforming back into his full Wyvern form.

Ares stared after him for a moment, then reminded himself that he wasn't dealing with unlimited time.

* * * * *

"Dark? Are you out here?" Ares called uncertainly as he peeked inside the mask and curio shop door.

"Ares? You're transformed. What's wrong?" Dark asked as he looked up from the mask that he was working on.

"Andrea and the boys caught me on the way back from my grandfather's and told me that we're going to be needed so I flew right over to get you."

"We're needed? For what?"

"I already told you about the witches who were visiting. Well, it seems like they're going to take down the protective barrier that surrounds Brynnhollow and replace it with one that can stand up to modern technology."

"That sounds like something that has the potential to go horribly wrong." Dark said frankly.

"Yeah, probably. And what's more is that they need for us to play a key part in their plan."

"What can we do?"

"Well, even though we're blocked from performing magic, we're still witches. From the way I understand it, they need for us to accept and store the magic that they will be using to recreate the barrier."

"How dangerous do you think that is?"

"Worst case?"

"Yeah."

"We could probably be completely disintegrated by it."

"Oh... what's the best case?"

"The barrier will be remade and everyone we love will be safe and happy for the rest of their lives because of it."

"But since Andrea asked you, you're automatically going to do it?"

"Since Andrea asked me, I'll automatically consider doing it, but before I committed to anything I wanted to come here to talk to you about it."

"What if I say no?"

"Then I'll say 'no' too. I'm not doing this without you."

"Really?"

"Yes. Really." Ares slowly responded, then explained, "I know that we haven't really talked too much about our relationship... I mean, in the longer term. But in my heart, I envision us growing old together and being in love with each other every step of the way."

"I kinda thought you might feel that way." Dark quietly admitted.

"Whatever happens, I want for it to happen to both of us. Whether it's the honor of helping to save the entire community or the disgrace of walking away from it, we'll go through it together." Ares said as he firmly held Dark's gaze.

"When you put it that way there really isn't much of a choice, is there?"

"Can you think of another way to put it?"

"No. I guess not."

"What do you say? Do you want to be a hero?"

"You mean like with cheering crowds and parades?"

"No. The other kind, where you know what you did, even if everyone else doesn't."

"Okay, yeah."

"You'll do it?"

"Yeah. I never really liked cheering crowds anyway. Too noisy."

"That's what I figured."

"So, if we're going to do this, what do we need to do first?"

"We're going to have to meet Andrea and the boys in Brynnhaven."

"Are you holding something back from me?"

"It's nothing too terrible..."

"Then why won't you tell me?"

"Because I know that you're not going to like it."

"What is it?"

"The only way we're going to get there in time is to transform."

"That's going to mean that we'll either have to stay transformed the whole time that we're there or we'll have to find clothes in Brynnhaven... a community of women." Dark said carefully.

"Yeah. That's the part that I thought you weren't going to like."

"But leaving that aside, there's no way that I'm going to be able to slither all the way to Brynnhaven before nightfall."

"I know. I thought of that too. It looks like I'm going to have to carry you."

"How is that going to work?"

"I was thinking that if you'll transform all the way down, as tightly as you can, then I'll transform between human and raven, small enough so that I can fly, but also large enough to be able to carry you."

"Do you think that you can really do that?"

"I couldn't do it in my Karasu Tengu form, I know that much. But I think that I might be able to manage if I stop my transformation about halfway between Karasu Tengu and raven."

"Ares, tell me honestly, just how important is this?"

"I've lived on the outside. I have some idea of what tools they have at their disposal. Frankly, I'm surprised that they haven't discovered Brynnhollow already. If we're going to have any hope for the future, if we're going to pass anything on to Cain and Deimos, we've got to do whatever we can to make sure Brynnhollow remains hidden."

"Do we have time for a kiss?" Dark asked shyly.

"Yes. But we don't have time for what naturally follows. I'm going to have to give you a raincheck for that bit." Ares said warmly.

"I guess that gives me an extra incentive to survive, doesn't it?"

Ares let his Karasu Tengu form slip away so that he could give Dark a very naked, very enthusiastic kiss.

* * * * *

The sight of a large black bird carrying a snake through the air was a bit unusual.

When the primitive looking, oddly misshapen raven finally landed, it was something decidedly less than graceful.

The snake immediately freed itself from the clutching talons and began to transform.

"Ares! Are you alright?" Dark asked in panic as he assumed his 'Nāga' form.

"I didn't think it would be that difficult." Ares gasped as his Karasu Tengu form automatically filled out and lengthened his body.

"Are you okay?"

"I won't be able to hold that form again. It takes everything I've got."

"Ares. I don't know where we are. Before you go passing out on me, you need to tell me where we're going."

"I took you as far as I could. We're almost at the Brynnhaven drawbridge. Just follow this road. Andrea said that she'd meet us in Queen Marimba's garden."

"I don't know where that is. Are you going to be able to walk?"

"No. Not yet. I'm going to need a few minutes to catch my breath. That took everything that I had to give."

"If you'll transform down, I can carry you for a while."

"Thanks Dark. Just as soon as I've caught my breath, I'll walk on my own."

"Take as much time as you need. Hop on and enjoy the ride." Dark said warmly.

Rather than respond verbally, Ares forced himself into his full transformation.

Once he had stabilized in his raven form, Ares hopped onto Dark's shoulder and did his best not to dig his nails in as he fought to balance himself.

After a moment to be sure that Ares was settled in place, Dark started slithering at his best speed up the road.

* * * * *

Since Dark didn't have to maintain eye contact with anyone at a 'human' level, he was free to travel in a more comfortable position in his half-snake form, with his chest low to the ground.

Once he was past the drawbridge, Dark was able to dart down the back streets and alleyways of Brynnhaven without notice.

There weren't many people out and about in Brynnhaven so Dark decided to keep things simple by staying out of sight as much as possible.

Dark finally came to rest in a little park area and considered asking Ares to transform and give him directions.

Just as he was about to ask, a shadow crossed overhead and he looked up to see a small dragon flying by.

Dark didn't so much as utter a word as he took off at his best possible speed to follow the familiar young Wyvern.

* * * * *

Just when Dark thought that he had lost the trail, the Wyvern would appear again, showing him the way.

The sound of hoofbeats nearby suddenly made him realize that Deimos must be leading someone else, probably Jim, to their meeting place.

A moment later, Dark saw Jim, in his centaur form being ridden by Tannis who had transformed into a faun.

"I see that you guys got called in too." Dark called as he fought to keep up with Jim's pace.

"Yeah. Deimos said that they needed us." Jim answered as he slowed a little and allowed Dark to fall into place beside him.

"Ares came and got me." Dark said simply.

"I thought he'd be flying ahead, showing you the way, like Deimos is doing for us."

"Actually, the only reason we made it this far is because Ares carried me most of the way. It didn't end up working out as well as we would have liked, so he's resting up from it now."

"I guess sometimes you don't know how things are gonna work until you try them." Jim said simply as he looked toward the sky to see where Deimos was leading them.

"Something's wrong." Jim said as he suddenly slowed his pace.

"What?" Dark asked anxiously as he looked toward the sky for any indication of a problem.

What he saw was Deimos flying toward them at top speed.

"You guys need to wait here for a minute!" Deimos called out as he transformed to his half-form in mid-air.

"What's wrong!?" Jim called in return.

Deimos came in to land beside them as he said in a normal voice, "I just saw Cain and Grandpa Lowell. They're almost here. We need to give them a couple minutes to catch up to us."

"Did they run here all the way from your grandfather's house?" Dark asked with surprise.

"Yeah. As far as I know." Deimos said honestly.

"Wow! That must have been a tough run." Tannis said in wonder at their achievement.

Before anyone could respond, a wolf and a tiger striped dog-creature came into view, running up the street.

"Guys! Let's go the rest of the way together!" Jim called out in their direction.

The stripey dog stopped before them as he began to grow.

"How'd you get here so fast?" Deimos asked in his half-dragon saurial form.

"We ran. Do you have any water?" Cain panted.

"No. But do you remember the fountains in Queen Marimba's garden?"

"Yeah. That's right! Let's go! Grandpa Lowell and I need some water in the worst way." Cain said urgently.

"Are we ready to go?" Dark asked as he looked over their group.

"We're not helping anyone by sitting here." Deimos said before taking to the air to lead the way.

"Who put him in charge?" Dark asked, mostly rhetorically.

"He did, I think." Jim slowly answered, then asked, "Is he wrong? Do we need to wait here for something?"

"Nope. Let's go." Dark said, then glanced at Ares on his shoulder before slithering away at top speed.

* * * * *

Dark was one of the slower members of the group but at no point was he in danger of being left behind.

When Dark finally arrived in Queen Marimba's garden, it was to the sight of everyone else in their animal transformations, slaking their thirsts at the fountain.

"Ready for a drink Ares?"

Ares response of a squawk not only was undoubtedly in the affirmative, but also proved that Ares must be feeling at least a little better.

As Dark slithered up to the edge of the fountain, Ares hopped off his shoulder to stand on the fountain's edge where he could help himself to the water.

Dark cupped his hands and took a slow, cool drink.

Ares, on the other hand, dunked his head, then raised it up and shook it vigorously.

Dark couldn't help but smile at the playful, frolicking mood that Ares seemed to have adopted.

He was actually tempted to go into his full snake transformation, but reasoned that, given their situation, one of them should stay in a fully communicative state to speak for them, if needed.

"Mom and Drake should be here any minute." Deimos announced to those gathered at the fountain.

Dark was surprised when Ares hopped away from the fountain, then began to grow.

"Is there anything else we need to know before we go?" Ares asked cautiously.

"No. I'm pretty sure that all we're going to have to do is show up." Deimos said honestly.

"Yeah. It sounded to me like all we're going to do is stand around like a bunch of buckets, waiting to be filled up and emptied out." Cain added.

"What do you think the chances are that we're going to be enough to hold all the extra magic that they're going to have?" Dark asked cautiously.

Before anyone could answer, a white swan landed in their midsts and began to transform.

"We're just the beginning." Andrea said as she was coming into her white oskmey form, then continued, "We're going to pass the magic on and share it with everyone else in Brynnhollow. But the most important thing is that we're going to be the ones who control the flow. We're going to be opening and closing the floodgates so that we can protect the people further down the line."

"Were you able to get Uncle Drake?" Cain asked his mother with concern.

"He's arranging for someone to watch after Ollie and Viv. He'll be along as soon as that's taken care of." Andrea assured him, then thought to ask, "How did you get here so quickly?"

"We ran. It's what we do." Cain said simply.

"An old dog is still a dog." Lowell stated with a weary growling chuckle.

"I wouldn't want for you to take the chance of hurting yourself by pushing too hard, but I'm glad you made it." Andrea said honestly.

"Do you need to rest for a while before we go on?" Ares asked his grandfather with concern.

"Werewolves are more durable than you imagine. Do what you need to do and I promise you that I'll be there when I'm needed." Lowell said confidently.

As Ares was about to respond, the movement of a shadow across the grass drew his eye upward.

He smiled at the majestic sight of Drake, in his Baphomet half-form, gliding through the air on large leathery bat wings.

"It looks like that's everyone. Unless anyone has something else, we can go now." Andrea announced to the group.

When no one immediately responded, Andrea transformed fully into a swan before taking to the air.

"As much as I'd like to ride the rest of the way on your shoulder, it's probably best if I lead our way from the air. That way no one else will have to wait on us." Ares said frankly.

"I've been keeping up fairly well, but it's a good plan, just in case." Dark said seriously.

"Just don't worry if you lose sight of the others. I'll make sure you don't get lost." Ares said before completing his transformation into a raven.

Dark decided to go fully into his snake form so that he would be able to follow along at maximum speed.

* * * * *

Dark was so distracted by the sudden overwhelming sense of disquiet that he inadvertently crossed under Jim's legs and was nearly stepped on.

When he realized what he was doing, Dark quickly shifted to his half-form and said, "Sorry Jim."

"Are you feeling that?" Jim asked anxiously.

"Yes. It's like every nerve in my body is being irritated at once." Dark said honestly.

"I couldn't think of how to describe it, but that's what I'm feeling too." Jim said irritably.

"Listen! Everyone! We're near the vinculum. Just keep going and it'll get easier once we're inside." Andrea called out.

"Is there going to be room for all of us inside of it?" Dark asked worriedly.

"I don't know... I haven't been there yet. Conrad just told me where it is." Andrea admitted.

"If it gets too bad, we can go back to Queen Marimba's garden and Conrad can meet with us there." Dark said reasonably.

"Conrad mentioned the bad feeling, but I didn't know it was going to be quite this bad." Andrea admitted.

"If he's not there when we get there, I'm going to turn back. I can't stand this feeling for any length of time." Ares said frankly.

"From what Conrad told me, this next courtyard should be it."

"Can you fly back and get us when he shows up? Me and Grandpa Lowell can't stay here like this." Cain announced.

"Lowell? Are you okay?" Andrea asked as she forced herself to press forward.

"I can do this if I have to, but I won't stay for no good reason." Lowell said firmly.

"He isn't here." Andrea said anxiously as she looked around the open courtyard.

"Where's that chamber you were talking about?" Ares asked as he looked around.

"Over there, I think." Andrea said, making no move toward the ornately carved stone structure.

Although the feeling deep within him told him that he would rather do just about anything besides walking up to that door, throughout his life, Ares had forced himself to do many painful and unpleasant things, simply because they needed to be done.

That being the case, Ares resigned himself to the task and slowly stepped forward in his Karasu Tengu form.

As Ares approached the blank archway, it suddenly changed, revealing a large room with a table and benches inside.

"Ares! I didn't expect you so soon." Conrad said as he stepped through the doorway.

"Yeah. We're all here, but I don't know for how long. Every single one of us wants to run as far away from this place as we can get."

"I humbly call upon Cernunnos, horned god of the animals who protects us, in the name of Angus MacOg, his devoted follower, to suspend the warning during the assembly of the Magi. I use the power granted by gods, I am the Guardian." Conrad called toward the sky.

Ares and Dark shared a disbelieving look as the eerie creepy feeling evaporated into nothingness.

"Thank you, Agent Fastbeck." Ares said appreciatively.

"You can call me Conrad. We're practically family."

"You're dating my ex-wife. I'm not sure that qualifies."

"I don't know why it wouldn't. We both care deeply for the same people. Isn't that what families do?"

"Well, maybe. But aren't the two of us supposed to hate each other or something?"

"If you had mistreated Andrea or the boys in any way, it would be very easy for me to hate you for it. But the way things turned out, you're an important person in the lives of the people I love... can we do this later? I mean, like when everyone isn't watching?"

"No need. I think we're good."

"Yeah." Conrad agreed.

"So what do we need to do next?"

"I'm going to introduce you to your Magi and the spellcasters who you will be working with. It may be a few minutes before everyone's ready to talk to you, so I suggest that you kick back and relax while you have the chance." Conrad said before stepping back into the vinculum chamber.

* * * * *

"Are you alright?" Dark asked Ares quietly.

"I just feel like there's something wrong with me for not being mad at Conrad. I feel like I should hate him... or at least resent him or something."

"Just feel what you feel and don't worry about what you think other people expect."

"Easier said than done."

"I guess so." Dark said noncommittally, then quietly asked, "Does it bother you that he's in charge of things?"

"No. He's from the FBI. Even if he didn't have leadership training, he has the authority and experience to do the job.

"I don't mean logically. I'm asking if you resent the fact that he's the one who's going to save your friends and family."

Ares thought for a moment, then quietly said, "I really don't think so. I mean, sure, I'd like to be the one who makes everything all better for everyone, but realistically, I'm not the guy who can do that. I think that maybe Conrad is. Either way, I'll help him to make this work however I can."

"Good. I just wanted to be sure where your head was before we were called upon to do anything important."

"How about you? How committed are you to this?"

"The man I love asked me to face death at his side. Let's just say that I'm 'all in'."

"Love?"

"Yeah." Dark confirmed, then let out an involuntary laugh and said, "Anyone else would be freaking out on the word 'death'."

"I guess that means that I'm not just anyone."

"No. I think it's safe to say that you're someone special."

* * * * *

"Everyone! Just so you know, yours is the first group to assemble. If all goes to plan, before long we'll be having gatherings like this one in the other two barriers." Conrad called to the group of mostly half animal beings.

"We all rushed to be here, so what do you need for us to do?" Ares called in return.

"For those of you who haven't been introduced, this is Paul." Conrad said, indicating the fifteen year old boy at his side.

"Hi." Paul said uncomfortably, although, to his credit, he didn't fidget or try to hide behind Conrad.

"Paul will be summoning the natural magic of the world and using it to release the stored magic of the three barriers."

Before Ares could formulate a question, Conrad motioned for someone to step out of the vinculum chamber.

"For those of you who haven't met him, this gentleman's name is D, he's Paul's father. He will be one of those commanding the stored magic that Paul will be releasing."

"It's good to see you again, Ares. What do you think about if next time, maybe you and the boys could come over to our place to visit?""

"Yeah, but if you could arrange it so that it isn't a life-threatening emergency, that'd be great." Ares said frankly.

"No promises." D said with a slight grin.

"So are you going to be recasting our barrier?"

"I'm going to be playing a part in it, but I won't be the one leading the effort. I'll be happy to leave that honor to Miss Oaken, mostly in deference to her familiarity with the existing barrier."

"Is there anything that we need to know about our part in all of this?" Ares asked anxiously.

"Yes. We're fortunate that things have unfolded as they have. You've been asked to take the lead among the people from Brynnhollow. When asked, I had to admit that you were the person that I got to know the best and had come to trust the most. That type of rapport is necessary for the spell that we will be using." D explained.

"Okay. That actually makes sense to me." Ares said seriously.

"Good. The only other thing that you need to know is that you're going to have an insane flood of magic coming from me to you. When it hits, you're going to need to feed it out to your closest friends and loved ones. They, in turn, will pass it on to others. Once all those connections have been completed, then you can release the 'tamed' magic to friends and acquaintances within the community."

"Tamed magic?" Ares asked cautiously.

"Magic, at its root, isn't good or evil. It's simply is. But it can be given intent, turned to a purpose. If a community were suddenly flooded with raw, 'untamed' magic, it's likely that the magic they receive would be twisted and perverted a hundred different ways, based on each person's desire."

"So you think having me get hold of the magic first will do... something?"

"I expect that the magic will carry your desire for the survival of your family and your community. That intent will then be passed on to everyone downstream from you and when the magic is retrieved, it will be possible to turn it to benevolent use."

"So that's how it is... Okay. I understand now."

Chapter 2

"For those of you who haven't met him yet, this is my coworker from the FBI, Agent Shawn Roberts." Conrad announced to the gathering.

Ares watched and waited, not sure what fresh new surprises Conrad had in store for them.

"For whatever reason, it turns out that Shawn will be working to help the people of Brynnhollow."

"How is that going to work as far as our mutual respect and taming the magic?" Ares asked before he could think better of it.

"Not a problem. What really matters is what's between you and D. I just stopped in to make introductions and answer what questions I could. The Wudewas should just about be gathered by now so I need to go do the same thing with them." Conrad said frankly.

"What do we have to do next?" Ares asked quickly, before Agent Fastbeck could leave.

"Think about your friends and acquaintances in Brynnhollow so that when the time comes to share the magical flow, you won't have to cast around in a panic." Conrad said simply, then turned and stepped through the archway.

"I'll do as much as I can to keep you from being too overwhelmed." D promised.

"Just speak up if it's too much. I can help too." Paul quickly added.

Ares looked at the father and son for a moment, then said in realization, "I think it's going to be okay."

* * * * *

"Are you doing what he said? Thinking of people?" Dark asked quietly from Ares side.

"Yes. Even though I don't know everyone in Brynnhollow, there are people like Carn and Mason who do. I know that if I direct a significant flow toward them that they'll be able to spread the magic far and wide."

Ares noticed that Paul had gone to talk with Cain, Deimos, Jim and Tannis. It filled him with contentment to see the boys from such different backgrounds getting along so well.

"Part of me just wants to protect them." Dark said distantly as he followed Ares' gaze.

"I know. No matter how old they get, they'll always be my little boys."

"Another part of me is convinced that they're the ones who are going to protect us."

"I think that's the point of all of this. We're all going to have to care for each other. That's the only way it's going to work."

"You guys hang on for just a minute. Don't go anywhere, I'll be right back." Agent Roberts said quickly before dashing away.

"Actually, I have quite a lot to prepare before it gets too late. Please make my apologies to Shawn if he notices. We'll speak again later." D said as he quietly followed Agent Roberts into the vinculum chamber.

"What do you suppose that's all about?" Dark asked as he watched D go through the archway.

"I don't know, but from his expression I'd say that it's probably not something too urgent. I wouldn't worry too much about it." Ares said speculatively.

"Dad! Paul said that I did my fire spell just right and he's even gonna show me how to do it with demon magic!" Deimos said excitedly.

"That's only if you say it's okay." Paul interjected, letting it be known to all that Ares had the final say in the matter.

After a moment to consider, Ares finally said, "Yes. But only after the barrier spells are done."

"But Daa-ad!" Deimos whined.

"Work first, then play." Ares said firmly.

"He's right, Demi. We need to stay focused on what we're doing to be sure that it's done right." Paul said seriously.

"Okay. Just remember, you promised." Deimos said sternly.

"I'll remember." Paul swore, then looked back at the archway with surprise.

"Ares! There's someone that I want you to meet." Agent Roberts said quickly.

Ares and Dark stared wide-eyed at the ten-foot tall beastly monster following Agent Roberts.

Time seemed to stand still as Ares and Dark stared disbelievingly at the Bigfoot monster before them. Rhuru-wra appeared no less shocked by the Karasu Tengu and Nāga looking back at him.

"This is Rhuru-wra. He's another bridge, like you. He's going to take on the magic and share it with his people." Agent Roberts said pleasantly.

"It's nice to meet you..." Ares said uncertainly as he looked up into the gentle beast's eyes.

"Rhuru-wra can't understand our language, but he wanted to meet you anyway."

"If he can't speak our language, how do you know what he wants?"

"Agent Fastbeck can speak his language... well supposedly, Agent Fastbeck can speak and understand all languages, but we haven't had a chance to test that out yet." Agent Roberts explained.

As Ares looked deeply into Rhuru-wra's soft brown eyes, he caught, just for an instant, what Rhuru-wra was feeling.

"Whether you call us bridges or heroes, we're just the ones who care enough to risk ourselves to help our people." Ares carefully explained.

Rhuru-wra rumbled a soft, inquisitive growl that made Ares freeze in thought.

"I can get Agent Fastbeck to translate for us if you want." Agent Roberts reluctantly offered.

"No. I understood... well, not the words, but I got the sentiment."

"I do that too, sometimes." Agent Roberts admitted.

"Rhuru-wra wanted to know if I'd be willing to put myself at the same risk if I were helping his people instead of my own."

"That's a tough question." Agent Roberts said thoughtfully.

"Yeah. Would I risk my life to save people I don't know? At what point is my life more valuable to me than the lives of people that I don't know or at least don't know very well?"

Rhuru-wra growled long and slow as he looked Ares in the eyes.

"Thanks." Ares responded with relief, then told Agent Roberts, "Rhuru-wra let me off the hook and told me I didn't have to answer."

"It's still a good question. It seems like one of those things that could help you later on if you take the time to think about it now."

"That might be the case if you were capable of turning off your emotions and accepting whatever you came up with as 'decided'. But I'm pretty sure that a thinking feeling person caught in that moment would still have to wrestle with the decision, regardless of how much he had considered it beforehand."

"Still, I think it best to have already sorted out what you believe in such a circumstance. Otherwise you'll be more likely to react emotionally since you don't have any logical arguments already made upon which to base a justification."

Rhuru-wra growled and yipped a contribution to their conversation.

"He wants to know..." Ares started, but was interrupted.

"...about the third bridge. Yes. I'm beginning to understand him." Agent Roberts said seriously.

"Do you know if they've decided who it's going to be?" Ares prompted.

"I don't know if that's been decided yet." Agent Roberts slowly responded.

"Before we go any further, we need to talk to whoever it's going to be." Ares said firmly, then turned to find Rhuru-wra nodding in agreement.

"What's the rush all of a sudden?" Agent Roberts asked curiously.

Before Ares could answer, Rhuru-wra forcefully growled a response.

"Yeah! What he said!" Ares said determinedly.

After a moment to consider, Agent Roberts finally said, "Okay. I guess that I can't argue with logic like that. Stay right here for a minute and I'll see what I can find out for you."

"Hold on! Whoever it turns out to be, we don't just need to know who he is, we need to talk to him. I don't know everything about all the other spells you're going to be doing, but the three of us, the 'bridges', need to work it out so that we'll all know what each other are doing. What we're trying to achieve." Ares fought to explain.

"Got it. I'll be right back." Agent Roberts said before dashing away.

Ares watched as Agent Roberts entered the vinculum chamber, then turned to Rhuru-wra and said, "I don't know where that came from. I really don't know anything about magic."

Rhuru-wra growled, even though Ares could guess what he was going to say.

"Yeah. I know. But I still don't like feeling like I'm not in control of my own actions." Ares said irritably.

Rhuru-wra gave a low growl followed by a sound that could almost be described as a chirp.

Ares carefully considered for a moment, then slowly said, "I guess you're right. We've been given a chance. Even if we have to jump through some hoops, if it helps the people we love..."

"Guys, we've got a call out to the other bridge. It turns out that he's one of the Archdruid's brothers." Agent Roberts said as he hurried to rejoin them.

"Good. That should be all that we'll need to prepare. As soon as the three of us are sure that we're all on the same page, we should be ready for business."

"Just what is it that the three of you are going to be doing?"

"We're going to 'tune' the magic so that it will be ready to use when it's needed."

"I thought you didn't know anything about magic." Agent Roberts said slowly.

"I don't. That's just what Rhuru-wra told me."

"But he doesn't know anything about magic either."

"True." Ares easily agreed, then added, "What's more, I don't even know what we're going to say to this person who's going to be working with us."

Rhuru-wra let loose with a quick growl ending in something of a whimper.

"He doesn't know either." Ares added.

"Yeah. I heard him." Agent Roberts said to Ares, then turned to Rhuru-wra and said, "I'm not sure if Conrad, Jarvis and I all got the same gift of translation or if you're just very expressive and relatable, but I can understand most of what you're saying. I get the feeling that you can understand us too."

Rhuru-wra growled a quiet response.

"Well, yeah. I think the general idea is the most any of us could hope for in a situation like this." Ares responded.

"Friend-Shawn, a team has been dispatched to retrieve the one you seek. He whom you seek should join us shortly."

Ares eyes went wide at the literal monster that had stepped through the doorway. To Ares eyes, the being before him seemed to be a grotesque monstrosity that had been assembled from moldy, half-decomposed bits and pieces of several different bodies resulting in a freakishly tall being with multiple arms, fanned out almost like wings.

"Reaper? Did you mean to stop casting your illusion?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"The time will soon be upon us when other concerns will take precedence. Rather than expect others to adapt to my appearance under those conditions, it is better that I present my true self now."

A loud growl from Rhuru-wra drew all attention.

"Well, of course you'd agree with him." Ares responded playfully.

"Whilst I am here I must retrieve Balthasar so that we may return to our preparations." Reaper said seriously, then looked to Rhuru-wra and continued, "It pleases me to know that we will be able to do this for you and your people."

Rhuru-wra growled seriously in response.

"Yes. Regardless of species, we are all brothers of a kind." Reaper said wistfully.

"I'm ready if you are." Paul said as he walked to Reaper's side.

"I believe that I would enjoy visiting for a while longer, but regrettably, we have obligations." Reaper regretfully explained.

"Do you think it would be better if I changed too?" Paul asked uncertainly.

"Consider your appearance whilst using the height of your powers. If that is likely to cause distraction for those in close proximity to you, attempting to perform spellcasting, then consider allowing them the courtesy of time to adjust."

"Yeah. When you put it like that I probably should, just to be safe." Paul said in a conflicted tone.

"Anyone who knows you won't be bothered by it either way." Ares quietly assured him.

Paul slowly began to morph into his demonic visage, horns and all.

"When the magic hits us, what's going to happen to the rest of us? Are we all going to transform into our full animal forms all of a sudden?" Ares thought to ask.

Reaper and Paul shared a concerned look before Reaper finally explained, "That which happens when you experience the most stress and lose control is the most likely outcome."

"We're going to have to be sure that anyone with an aquatic animal form is close to someplace safe for them." Ares said anxiously.

"Without phones or radios, that could take a lot more time than we have." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"Deimos? Can you come over here for a minute?" Ares asked loudly.

"Yeah. What's going on, Dad?" Deimos asked as he broke away from the group of boys.

"Will you fly into Brynnhollow and let Carn know that here in a little while that it's possible that people will suddenly start changing into their animal forms, maybe without warning. Tell him to be sure that people with aquatic forms are near water for the next few hours." Ares explained as the boys slowly gathered around.

"They're probably going to ask me all kinds of questions about what's going on." Deimos said cautiously.

"Tell them what you can, then get back here. I want you close by when the magic starts flowing." Ares said firmly.

"Is there anything I can do?" Cain asked as he stepped to his twin brother's side.

Ares was about to say that there wasn't, but suddenly changed his mind.

"Go find Queen Marimba and tell her all about what's going on."

"Doesn't she already know? She can see the future, can't she?."

"Yes. In fact, according to your mom, she can see more than one possible future. So the best thing we can do right now is let her know which future is playing out so that she can react properly to it."

"Can someone go with me? I mean, she's kinda creepy." Cain asked uncomfortably.

"Good idea. Jim and Tannis can go with you if you want. Just be sure to come back as quickly as possible. I want you here when the ceremony starts."

"We're almost in her back yard. It won't take us long." Cain assured his father.

"Good. Then go." Ares said to his sons, then watched as they both hurried away.

* * * * *

As Ares, Dark, Reaper and Paul walked toward the Vinculum archway, a man's voice tentatively asked, "Shawn? Are you out here"

"Yeah. Sorry Otis, I didn't mean to be gone so long. Come on over here and meet Ares, the bridge for Brynnhollow. It's actually good that you're here. When things get crazy, I may need for you to take a message to him." Agent Roberts said as he motioned for the man to join him.

"Um... I don't..." Otis stammered.

Agent Roberts followed his frozen stare that was fixed on Reaper.

"Oh, yeah. You met Reaper earlier, but this is how he really looks. What you were seeing before was just an illusion to make us comfortable with him." Agent Roberts explained.

"Sorry. I didn't mean..."

"Don't worry about it. We're all making adjustments to lots of new things." Ares assured him.

Otis glanced in Ares direction, then gave him a small grateful smile.

As Otis walked to Agent Roberts' side, Paul and Reaper walked past him and through the archway.

* * * * *

Between Ares and Agent Roberts, they were able to fill in quite a few of the blanks for Otis as to who and what the people were that he had encountered thus far.

"Did someone out here need me?" A man asked as he poked his head through the doorway, interrupting their conversation.

"That depends. Who are you?" Ares asked uncertainly.

"This is Den Markura, he's one of Archdruid Highley's brothers." Agent Roberts explained, then to Den he said, "I think you're going to be one of the bridges that's being used to distribute magic amongst the people of the protectorate."

"But I'm not a... Um... I mean, I'm just a human." Den stammered.

"You're also a practicing druid who has been empowered to bestow blessings." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"Well, yeah. For what good that does."

"As I understand it, over time a priest can develop the capacity to manipulate true magic in the form of blessings and curses. I believe that we're working under the assumption that you'll be able to channel magic in the form of blessings and that when it's needed, those whom you have blessed will be able to store and release those blessings back into the world, in the form of benevolent 'tamed' magic." Agent Roberts fought to explain.

"I don't have the first clue what you're talking about."

"If you'll agree to it, we would like for you to act as a bridge between the magic users and the people of the protectorate, both the Nephilim and the blessed congregation." Agent Roberts said more simply.

"Isn't this the kind of thing you keep Jarvis around for?" Den reluctantly asked.

"He's going to be needed elsewhere. Do you think you'll be able to manage it?"

"I don't know."

"Den, a lot of people are going to be counting on you. Not just the Nephilim, but also the Brynns, the Wudewas and the people of Waxell."

"No pressure." Otis interjected.

Den glanced at him uncertainly, then broke into a reluctant grin.

"I thought so. As much as you pretend to be oblivious or not to give a damn, at the core you're actually a do-gooder like the rest of us." Agent Roberts laughed.

"Yeah. Yeah. Just don't spread it around. The people back home count on me to be the level headed voice of reason. If they found out that I was acting like some big boyscout, they'd probably never trust me with anything serious again."

"I don't know how much sense that makes, but I'm buying it." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"So where do we need to be and what do we need to be doing right now?" Otis asked curiously.

"Now that we've got all the bridges together, I think they probably have a lot to discuss. As far as I know, everyone else is meeting with their groups right now, making plans or crafting spells. I need to talk to Conrad and Jarvis for a minute. You can hang out here if you want. I shouldn't be too long."

"Do you need for me to do anything?"

"Just wait here. If there's something for you to do, I'm pretty sure that it'll find you." Agent Roberts said confidently, then walked to the arch.

* * * * *

When Ares noticed Den's uncomfortable expression, he quietly asked, "How are you doing?"

"If you guys are going to expect me to do something, you're going to need to fill me in on what it is. Telling me that I need to be a bridge doesn't really tell me a whole lot."

"I know. I wish I could fill you in on all of what's going on, but I don't know much more about it than you do."

"Tell me what you do know."

"The witches of Brynnhollow have been cursed to prevent them from accessing their magic... for the most part, anyway. But even if we can't perform magic like uncursed witches, we can act as storage containers for magic. We're designed to contain and process that power, so we're ideal for storing the magical deluge that they're planning on releasing to us." Ares carefully explained.

"Okay... I think I got that." Den said slowly.

"Good. My part in all of this is that they're going to direct a large magical flow at me and I'm going to share it with the people who I trust, love and respect. The magic will flow through me to them and on to the people that each of them love and trust."

"And that's what you want me to do? I'm not a witch. If you turn a flood of magic toward me, I'll probably just be blown away by it." Den said frankly.

"All I can figure is that you must have a really good support network. As far as I know, my primary qualification for doing this is my relationship of trust and respect with one of the people who will be directing the magic when it's released."

"The only people involved in this that I've said more than two words to are Jarvis and Shawn. As far as I know, neither of them will be releasing or directing magic."

"No." Agent Roberts said simply.

None in attendance had noticed him stepping through and didn't know how long he had been standing there

"Your Magi will be Reaper and your spellcasters will be Dag Hansen and Jarrell Couleigh. I don't know what the qualifications are for someone to be a bridge, but maybe they do. I just know that they wouldn't have chosen you if you weren't the exact right person for the job." Agent Roberts explained.

"But what am I supposed to do?" Den asked imploringly.

"Rhuru-wra and I are bridges just like you and we don't know any more of what's expected of us than you do." Ares said frankly.

Rhuru-wra let out a long slow bleating growl to confirm what Ares was saying.

"So he's a bigfoot and he's going to spread magic to other bigfoots." Den said slowly.

"That's the plan." Ares said frankly.

"And you're a witch who will spread the magic given to you amongst the other witches." Den said as he looked seriously at Ares.

"Yeah." Ares cautiously agreed.

"So why don't you have one of the nephilim doing this instead of me?" Den asked curiously.

"Mainly because we couldn't trust them to work with us. Once they had unfettered access to the magic, they would most likely turn it to their own use." Agent Roberts said grimly.

"But you trust me?" Den asked incredulously.

"Well, to be honest, after evaluating all the choices before us, we came to the conclusion that you're the guy. If we're going to move forward with this, we're going to need your help." Agent Roberts finished firmly.

"But I'm not a witch. I can't manipulate magic like you do." Den reminded him.

"From the way it was explained to me, over time religious people naturally... or maybe supernaturally, gain the capacity to process and store magic. Those who function as religious leaders have the ability that much more so."

"Okay. I'll grant you that, but why me?" Den insisted.

"Jarvis would have been our first choice, but the Magi are going to need him with them when the ceremony starts. The Nephilim are disqualified, due to their inherent natures. The congregants are disqualified due to their inability to do the job. That leaves you and your brothers as the only people able to process the magic of the protectorate." Agent Roberts said seriously.

"Then why don't you choose Jud?"

"A bridge has to have a certain personality type. From everything that I've heard, you have it. Jud doesn't."

"Wait. Are you saying that Den and Rhuru-wra have the same personality type that I do?" Ares asked cautiously.

"Yes. That's what I'm saying. Den, will you do it? Yes or no?" Agent Roberts asked firmly.

"Um... yeah? I guess..." Den slowly responded.

"Good. You guys work it out. I need to get back to the Magi."

"Problem?"

"I don't think so, but it turns out that I'm seeing to the coordination of a lot of different things. Right now I think that everything is going okay, but I wouldn't count on it staying that way."

"Before you go, isn't there someone better that you can ask to be the Nevermore bridge?"

"No. There isn't." Agent Roberts said before stepping through the archway.

"So, if I'm understanding what they're saying, I'm not needed here for anything." Dark said simply.

"First of all, they don't know everything. It looks to me like they're making up most of this as they go along. Second, I need you. I won't do this alone so don't even think about trying to back out on me."

"But they don't need me here."

"If they need me, they need you. They might not know it yet, but they do." Ares said firmly.

"Okay. Got it. I won't duck out on you in the middle of all this. I promise."

"I'd appreciate that."

"Well, it sounds like you've got a plan, but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do." Den said frankly.

"Think about the people that you'll share magic with when you're hit by the sudden rush." Ares said seriously.

"I grew up here. I know the members of the church. So my first impulse would be to share with my brothers, then the congregation. I suppose after all that, I'll share with the Nephilim, even though I don't really know any of them."

"Make sure you tell Agent Roberts about that. It might be as simple as having one of the nephilim with you when you're dishing out the magic." Ares said firmly.

After a moment to consider, Den quietly said, "Actually, that could work."

A growl from Rhuru-wra drew both their attention.

"Good point." Ares agreed, then looked to Den and said, "There's no reason for us to stay in Brynnhollow. If it'll help you connect with your people, we can go to your realm."

"That place is as foreign to me as this one is. I just don't think that I'm the right person for the job."

"Maybe that's one of the qualifications." Otis quietly suggested.

"Actually, it could be." Ares reluctantly admitted.

"I think I remember them saying that you needed to talk to me about something. What was that all about?" Den cautiously asked.

"We were just wanting to make sure that all three of us are doing the same thing when we... process the magic. It's going to be important that all the magic be usable when we're done with it." Ares said frankly.

Rhuru-wra let loose a long chattering barking growl that was very expressive.

"He makes a good point." Ares said thoughtfully.

"What point was that? I missed it." Dark asked cautiously.

"If we were all supposed to do exactly the same thing in the same way, there wouldn't be any reason for three of us to do this." Ares said as he looked around at his companions.

"From the sound of it, it would be too dangerous for one person." Otis offered.

"If that were the case then they'd have one of us leading a group to manage a coordinated effort. This is something else."

"A ritual." Den hesitantly offered.

Rhuru-wra growled a quick response.

When no one translated, Dark cautiously asked, "What?"

"He said that all of this is a ritual." Ares said thoughtfully, then looked at Dark and added, "He's right. Everything we're doing right now needs to be done. Figuring this out is actually a step in the overall project."

"So, are you saying that we're already performing the ritual, even though we're not aware of it?" Otis asked uncertainly.

"Yeah. And what's more, it looks like we're each going to be accomplishing the same thing in different ways. That's why we had to get together to compare notes, so we could realize that. If the rest of us tried to process magic the same way that Den's going to do it, it wouldn't be useable when it's needed."

"Wait! I still don't know what it is that I'm doing!" Den objected.

"Tell me, when the surge of magic hits you, what do you think you're going to do with it?" Ares persisted.

"I don't know! The only thing I know how to do with magic is to use it for a blessing. I don't know what good it would do if I did that, but I really don't have any other magical abilities." Den finished anxiously.

"You don't need any. You've got exactly what you need. That's why you're here." Ares said with a smile of accomplishment.

Rhuru-wra gave a quick supportive growl of affirmation.

"But what good does that do anyone?" Den asked in puzzlement.

"By 'taming' the magic and turning it into blessings, you make it possible for regular 'blessed' humans to store the excess magic." Ares said simply.

"I guess it could work that way." Den reluctantly agreed.

"You mentioned your brothers earlier. Can they bestow blessings too?" Dark asked quietly.

"Yes. Our father trained all of us the same way."

"Then it sounds like you'll have everything you need to perform your part of the spell." Ares finished with a smile.

"What about you guys?"

"I'm a witch, so I was born with the capacity to process and store magic. From what I've been told, I'll be expected to 'tame' the magic by 'flavoring' it with benevolence and good wishes, but the hardest part is already done for me. The entire population of Brynnhollow is already hard-wired to do exactly what we're planning to do."

"What about Rhuru-wra?" Otis asked hesitantly as he looked at the Bigfoot.

After a long growled and chittered response, Ares translated, "From the sound of it, his people have a low-level psychic ability. They aren't exactly telepathic, but they all share a 'group awareness', almost on a subconscious level. Rhuru-wra believes that he'll be able to channel the magic into that and share it evenly amongst his people. He won't tame it as much as his whole colony will flavor the magic with their collective intent."

"So do we just have to wait for them to be ready for us to do our part?" Den asked cautiously.

"I think that we need to make ourselves ready. I need to get all my support people together with me and spend some time with them. When the time comes for me to share magic with them, I need for our bond to be as strong as possible."

Rhuru-wra slowly growled in a low rumbling tone.

"He wants to gather a few of his people together and tell them what's going on. He wants to prepare them for what's to come." Ares translated.

"I guess I should probably do that too." Den said in a wavering tone.

"You've got two different groups to help, don't you?" Ares asked cautiously.

"Yeah. The part with my brothers and the congregation doesn't bother me. Having to work with the Nephilim... the only contact I've ever had with them was through my father. They're so...alien... I can't see myself linking with them or 'trusting' them. They're monsters."

Rhuru-wra immediately spoke up, obviously in offense.

"No. Of course not. I've gotten to know you and I'd never think of you that way."

Rhuru-wra let loose a slight growl, but even Dark and Otis caught the meaning of it.

"Yeah. I'll go talk to them and try to get to know them. Hopefully it'll be enough to get the job done." Den said anxiously.

"Actually, I have a feeling that it's probably the only way to get this job done." Ares said frankly.

"If the Nephilim have really been kept hidden, then there's probably no other way that it could work, is there?" Dark asked curiously.

"I don't really know much about it, but it sounds that way." Ares said, then looked at Den inquisitively.

"Jarvis is the only one who talks to the Nephilim regularly. He might know of something else we could do, but as far as I know, you're right. This is the only way that the Nephilim and the congregation could have both been utilized." Den said thoughtfully.

"Go find Jarvis and talk to him, see what insights he can provide. Maybe he can even recommend one of the Nephilim for you to talk to and get to know." Ares slowly suggested.

"Yeah. That sounds like a good idea." Den admitted, then quietly added, "At least it's a place to start."

"I can go with you if you want." Otis volunteered.

Den looked at the relative stranger with surprise at the offer.

"Ares has someone here to help him and bounce ideas off of. Maybe it'd help you to have the same thing." Otis explained, then added, "Besides that, I don't really have anything else to do. Maybe if I tag along with you there'll be something that I can do to help."

"Yeah. Sure. Thanks." Den said choppily, then turned to the others and said, "I'm going to go back to the protectorate now and see what I can arrange. Send someone to get me if you make any discoveries or need anything."

"Count on it." Ares said with a smile.

After a glance at Otis to see that he was ready, Den led the way to the archway.

Chapter 3

"Are you guys done already?" Archdruid Highley asked with concern as Den and Otis stepped through the archway.

"I think we're done with the part that we needed to be together for." Den responded, then thought to ask, "Do you know who of the Nephilim I should talk to about sharing magic with their people?"

"Reaper would know about that better than I would. Although I speak with the Nephilim on occasion, that's mostly just formal inquiries, not anything of substance or real consequence." Archdruid Highley said frankly.

"There are only three Nephilim I know of who would be able to speak with you in your own language. Of course I am one, the second is currently dead and the third... would likely be less than receptive to the idea of working with a human." Reaper said slowly.

"When you were talking with Rhuru-wra you seemed to be getting most of what he was saying." Otis hesitantly offered.

"That's true." Den agreed.

"Well, if that's the case, would you have any objection to talking with Linnaeus?" Archdruid Highley asked curiously.

"Who's that?" Den asked hesitantly.

"The Nephilim who carried you here when I came to get you." Archdruid Highley said slowly.

"Oh, yeah. He seemed nice. I just didn't catch his name." Den said uncertainly.

"Linnaeus is my demi-brother." Reaper interjected. "I would expect him to be in close proximity to the Vinculum Chamber, just in the event that he might be needed. He's conscientious that way. Were you to go through that archway, I am certain that he would be attentive and willing to help you in any way that he is able."

"Can we come back here if that doesn't work out?" Den asked to be certain.

"Of course. Just go talk to Linnaeus and see if you can get the answers that you're looking for." Archdruid Highley said simply.

"Do you still want to go with me?" Den asked Otis hesitantly.

"Sure. This looks like one of those things that you probably shouldn't do all on your own." Otis confirmed with a smile.

"No matter how you look at it, there only seems to be one way to go, so we might as well get to it." Den said resignedly as he took a step toward the Protectorate archway.

"Right behind you." Otis said as he literally followed a step behind.

"I humbly ask that you grant entry to one who serves. I am the keeper." Archdruid Highley said firmly.

All present watched as Den and Otis stepped through the archway.

* * * * *

"Is that how things are supposed to be working out?" Milo asked his companions sitting at the table.

"I think maybe they're on the right track." Paul responded.

"According to the knowledge, they are behaving correctly." Reaper added.

"Well, I'm glad that someone is. I still don't know what we're supposed to be doing." Milo said frankly.

"Do you really want to know? Because I can tell you. I just don't think you'll really want to hear it." Paul asked irritably.

Most of those around the room ignored Paul's raised voice. However, D, Professor Everstone and Archdruid Highley looked up from their quiet conversation to see what was going on.

"Yeah. I really want to know." Milo finally responded.

"Reaper and I are waiting for you to stop play acting that you're some weak powerless 'almost human' and let loose with your real magic." Paul said impatiently as he noticed Agents Roberts and Fastbeck entering the room from the Southseid archway.

"According to the arcane knowledge, Gaspar is the Magi of Volition. Such turmoil and misgivings are a fundamental part of his nature. Were it otherwise, he would not qualify as a Magi." Reaper stated firmly.

"Okay. I get that." Paul said to Reaper, then turned to Milo and continued, "Listen, I'm not mad and I don't hate you or anything like that. I can just see that you're holding yourself back and you're making it so much harder than it has to be."

After a long moment of looking around at all the expectant faces, most notably that of Archdruid Highley, Milo finally quietly asked, "Do you really want to see what I've been hiding?"

"Look at us!" Paul demanded. "We're letting it all hang out. To do this right, you're going to need to let loose too. From the fight you're putting up, what you're hiding must be something really horrible."

"I can't..." Milo began to explain.

"Bullshit! I'm here, all horns and hooves, taking the chance that you guys are going to turn against me just because my people really suck at PR." Paul shouted.

"The magic will not flow as it should if you are hiding yourself in a mundane human form. You must have the will for it to be so." Reaper said frankly.

"Fine! I'll do it!" Milo announced.

After a long silent moment, Paul finally asked, "Well?"

"Well what?" Milo asked obliviously.

"If your 'full-power' form is that horrible, go ahead and let 'er rip so everyone has a chance to get used to it before all of us need to be concentrating on other things."

Milo looked around the Vinculum Chamber at everyone waiting expectantly.

"I can't do it with everyone watching." Milo muttered uncomfortably.

Paul rolled his eyes and shook his head with exasperation.

"Does this mean that you have another form that I haven't seen before?" Archdruid Highley asked into the silence that followed.

"Even though you've always known that I'm not completely human, you've never seen me as anything else. For most of my life I've looked up to you like a big brother. How you see me really matters to me." Milo quietly explained.

"People's opinions of each other change all the time, every day. We're in a constant state of getting to know each other. That's what keeps things interesting." Archdruid Highley explained.

"Go ahead. We're not going to judge you." Paul gently encouraged.

"I can't make myself do it." Milo quietly admitted.

"Is there a difficult spell that you can do right now? Usually when I'm doing a really tough spell, it's all I can do not to change." Paul said frankly.

"Yeah. But I don't want for you to think..." Milo trailed off as he looked around at the people filling the room.

"You're going to have to do something really 'out there' to even raise an eyebrow with this bunch." Paul said matter-of-factly.

"Such a statement could be looked upon as a challenge. I would not wish for Friend-Milo to be goaded into behaviour that is not in his best interest." Reaper warned.

"No. He's right. I need to show you my secret self and this is the only way to do it right now." Milo regretfully explained.

"Then do it." Paul challenged.

"I can't do it here." Milo said simply.

"Where can you do it?" Paul hesitantly asked.

"I have to be outside the barriers, fully in the real world."

"Like in Waxell?" Paul asked to confirm.

"Yes. I could do it there."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

"Jarvis? Would you open the door for us?" Milo asked reluctantly.

"Yes, of course." Archdruid Highley said before launching into his recitation of the familiar words.

"Jarvis, you can go with them if you want. We'll stay here in case anyone else needs a door opened." Agent Roberts volunteered, revealing that he had been paying attention to their conversation.

"Agent Roberts, would it be possible for your shadow to come with us? I'd kind of like to have his support for what I'm about to do." Milo asked cautiously.

"I guess so. I'm sure that he'll be happy to help you. Just make sure to give him back when you're done with him." Agent Roberts said firmly.

Milo made a quick series of gestures while muttering a chant.

Within a matter of seconds, Agent Roberts' shadow was standing beside him, looking fully three dimensional.

"Go only where you're invited. Take only what you're freely offered. Come back to me once you've had your fun." Agent Roberts said firmly.

The shadow engulfed Agent Roberts in his insubstantial arms and gave what could only be described as a joyful and enthusiastic hug.

After a moment of hugging, Agent Roberts quietly told his shadow, "Go on. I'll be right here when you get back."

"You can go with us if you like." Milo cautiously offered.

"No. It's best if I stay in the vinculum chamber to watch after the doorways. When one opens, the others close." Agent Roberts said frankly, then added, "Besides, Conrad and I need to compare notes on a few things while we've got the chance."

"This shouldn't take too long." Milo said before leading the way through the Waxell archway.

* * * * *

"Did you need something?" Kirwin asked as he ran up to Milo as he exited the gazebo.

"One thing. I need for you to take hold of my hand for a minute." Milo said as he motioned toward the archway behind him for whoever was following to stay back.

As Kirwin slowed his approach, Milo offered his hand to the young teenager.

"Is this what you wanted?" Kirwin asked hesitantly as he placed his hand in Milo's.

"I just want to make sure that you're not afraid. You might see a few things that will frighten you in the next few minutes, but none of them will hurt you. I promise." Milo said firmly.

Before Kirwin could ask what was happening, he saw a humanoid shadow approaching them from the archway.

"This is a shadow being. And although he's quite powerful, he won't hurt you. He's actually a friend of mine." Milo quietly explained.

"What's his name?" Kirwin asked cautiously.

"I don't know. I don't think I ever thought to ask him." Milo said as he looked at the shadow curiously.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Kirwin." The teenager said softly to the shadow creature, obviously taking Milo's assurance to heart.

"What was that?" Milo asked as he looked at the shadow uncertainly.

"What was what?" Kirwin asked confusedly.

"I think he's trying to introduce himself to you." Milo said with the beginning of a smile.

After a long moment of listening, Kirwin quietly said, "I can't hear what he's saying."

"Be thankful for that. The gift of being able to hear shadows is more of a curse." Milo said seriously, then added more gently, "He says that his name is Obby and that he's pleased to meet you, Kirwin."

"Yeah. It's nice to meet you too." Kirwin said to Obby enthusiastically.

Milo motioned with his free hand toward the gazebo for the people waiting there to come out.

"Even though you've already met these guys, they look a little different than they did at the picnic. Please don't be afraid. They're no more dangerous now than they were before." Milo said in a low, even voice.

Kirwin reluctantly turned his attention away from Obby and froze in amazement at the demon and giant animated corpse emerging from the gazebo.

"Kirwin, in case you didn't get introduced before, this is Paul and Reaper." Milo said as he indicated each in turn with his free hand.

"I remember seeing you both when you were here before. Is that what you really look like or is this?" Kirwin asked curiously.

"This is Reaper's true form, the other is an illusion. This is what I look like when I do magic, but my 'human' form is what I look like when I wake up each morning." Paul helpfully explained.

"Do you mind if I watch?" A comparatively plain looking man asked as he stepped out of the gazebo.

"That'll be fine." Milo quietly responded.

"Kirwin, this is my dad. His name is D." Paul said proudly.

"It's nice to meet you." Kirwin said with a shy smile at him.

"So Milo, can you do it here or do we need to go nearer to the house?" Archdruid Highley asked seriously as he approached.

"Oh, um, yeah. I can do it here just fine." Milo said distractedly as he looked around.

"We're ready when you are." Paul encouraged.

"Kirwin, how are you doing? Are you alright with everything so far?" Milo asked cautiously.

"Yeah. I was only scared for a second. What are we doing?" Kirwin asked excitedly.

"You know that we have powers, right?" Milo asked gently.

"Yeah. I wish I had powers too." Kirwin said honestly.

"Watch out what you wish for." Milo cautioned him, then continued, "One of my powers is called shadowmancy. I'm about to do a very powerful spell. Whatever happens, I don't want you to be afraid. I won't let anything hurt you. Okay?"

"Even if I get scared, I'm not afraid of you. I'm here to help you and I know that you wouldn't hurt me." Kirwin said seriously.

"Good. That's exactly right. Even though some scary things may happen, you won't be in any danger. As long as you know that, it'll be alright." Milo assured him.

"What are you going to do?" Paul asked curiously, sounding to be slightly concerned.

Milo gave Kirwin's hand a final reassuring squeeze before letting it go.

After taking a few steps away from the gazebo, toward the house, Milo raised his arms toward the sky and began to quietly chant.

"Whoah." Paul gasped and seemed to be a bit unsteady on his hooves for a moment.

"What is it?" Kirwin asked curiously.

"I don't know what Milo's doing, but he's whipping up some major magics." Paul said quietly.

"It is curious. Among the children of angels, at the height of their battles, there is not this level of power." Reaper said slowly.

"Precise control." D said under his breath.

"What was that?" Archdruid Highley asked curiously.

"The beacon, the summons... whatever it is that he's calling, he's not wasting any magic on it. He's channeling every last bit of it into his spell. In all my years I've never met anyone who achieved this level of proficiency with shadowmancy." D said as he carefully watched and evaluated Milo's every move.

"From everything I know, he's never had any formal training." Archdruid Highley said honestly.

"How can that be..." D began to say when he noticed the beginning of Milo's physical transformation.

The air suddenly became still and silent.

The tumultuous clouds overhead appeared to have stopped their roiling just to see what Milo had metamorphosed into.

"What are you?" Archdruid Highley whispered as he looked at Milo in astonishment.

"This is the purest expression of who and what I am." Milo responded in a crisp, clear voice that was gentle to the ears.

"As far as I know, there haven't been any elves in this realm for over a hundred years." D said slowly.

"My father, when he was young, would sneak into this realm. He said that back then he was thirsty for adventure. He couldn't help himself." The being that Milo had become said with a tranquil smile.

"I guess that there are some things that are universal, regardless of species." D said with an affectionate glance at Paul.

"When he met my mother... well, you can guess what happened. Unfortunately, faeries can't exist in this realm for any length of time."

"But if your father could come here before, he can visit now, can't he?" D asked curiously.

"Yes. He keeps in touch and stops in to visit every now and then."

"If your father is powerful enough to breach our dimension, then he must at least be a baron." D said speculatively.

"He's mentioned that his equivalent title in our world would be 'Archduke' but I'm not sure how accurate that is. Our societies are so different, I don't know if it's possible to make direct comparisons."

"What's that?" Paul asked as he pointed to a dark patch in the distant sky that seemed to be getting larger.

"That's what I summoned." Milo said simply.

Paul looked at him and was once again surprised by his drastically different appearance. The mousey plain looking young man had been replaced with an exotically handsome man with longish straight blue-black hair, piercing blue eyes and distinctively elven ears.

"It looks like they're wearing cloaks but I can't see who they are." Archdruid Highley said as he struggled to get a good look at what was approaching.

"I summoned my 'sculptures' from the church." Milo said frankly.

"How could you... I thought those were tributes that you made to remember special members of the congregation who had passed." Archdruid Highley said cautiously.

"They were... in a way." Milo slowly answered, then held one hand out as one of the shrouded figures approached.

"This is Mrs. Cadameyer, or at least, it's her shadow." Milo carefully explained.

"You captured her soul?" Archdruid Highley asked in horror.

"No. Not really. I just liberated her shadow so that it could continue on for a bit longer and possibly bring closure to a few unresolved things for her." Milo said slowly.

"So when someone feels like it's too soon to go and that they're not ready, you give them a little more time to work things out?" D asked cautiously.

"Yes. Something like that. If their shadow can resolve things for them, it can bring peace and resolution to the soul in the 'after' when they're reunited."

"Why are they here?" Archdruid Highley asked as he looked at over a dozen shrouded figures surrounding them.

"When I separated them from their host bodies, they connected to me. Because of that, If I use any high level magic, they're going to sense it. If I don't prepare them, they might have misunderstood what was happening and attacked you, believing that they're defending me." Milo said seriously.

"Is that why you have Obby here?" Kirwin asked curiously.

"Sort of." Milo said with a smile at him, then explained, "The enchantment that created Obby isn't the same as that of my 'choir', but I wanted him to know what was going on in case he sensed my use of magic. In some sense of the word, they're 'related' through their relationship to me."

"Now that they're here, what are you going to do with them?" Paul asked cautiously.

"I thought that I'd take them through the Vinculum Chamber to the Southseid barrier, where I'll be working. If I need anything while I'm in the middle of spellcasting, I can ask one of them to get it for me." Milo said simply.

"You know, that's actually not a bad idea. Do you think it would cause any trouble if I summoned a couple demons to help me when I get to Brynnhollow?" Paul asked curiously.

"Although I would be the last to encourage the summoning of demons, I can see the potential usefulness of having extra hands that you can call upon. Should I have need, I may likewise petition the celestial realm to allow some of the lesser cherubim to attend me until the barriers have been remade." Reaper said thoughtfully.

"Can you really do that?" Paul asked curiously.

"Should I call upon my father, I believe he might grant my request." Reaper said slowly.

"So is that it? I mean, is that all you needed to do out here, in the real world?" Archdruid Highley absently asked as he continued to stare in wonder at the shrouded figures surrounding them.

"Yes. I just didn't want to take the chance of summoning them from inside one... or all of the barriers. I'm not sure what would have happened, but they might have hurt someone, or themselves in their attempt to get to me." Milo quietly explained.

"I don't know why you were worried about showing me your true self. You look amazing." Archdruid Highley finished with a smile.

"That's why." Milo said regretfully, then explained, "The other me, the one you're used to seeing, that's the real me. That's who I am. This is faerie magic. If you expect me to be 'this' you'll be disappointed."

"Can you be 'this' for as long as it takes to get the job done?" Paul asked intently.

"Yeah. The other me, that's who I am. This is what I'm capable of." Milo said firmly.

"That's good enough for me." Paul said simply, then looked to Archdruid Highley and said, "He already told you that he doesn't want to disappoint you. Don't screw this up."

"I'll do my best." Archdruid Highley said weakly.

"Milo. I'm not old enough to be a big brother to you, but I think that I can be a little brother if you need me to be. If Jarvis ends up being a dick, come and talk to me. Between us, I bet we'll be able to sort things out." Paul said confidently.

"I'm not going to screw it up." Archdruid Highley immediately defended.

"Not intentionally." Paul easily agreed, then turned to Milo and whispered, "Get with me if he pisses you off."

Milo smiled gratefully and nodded his acceptance of Paul's offer.

"I'm opening the doorway. Anyone who wants to can follow me." Archdruid Highley said as he walked back toward the gazebo.

"Will you be alright out here?" Milo asked Kirwin, who had been watching the whole thing.

"You're really amazing." Kirwin said with a smile.

"I think you're amazing too." Milo said warmly, then asked, "Are you and your grandfather going to be alright out here?"

"Yeah. We'll be fine. And if we get too tired or anything, we can always go in the house. That's where grandpa is right now. I told him I'd watch out while he took a nap."

"That's really good of you, Kirwin." Milo said with a smile, then added, "I've got work to do, but I'll stop back out here later and see how you're doing."

"Okay. But remember to let me know if you need anything. I'll be here waiting for you." Kirwin reminded him.

"If one of these shrouded figures comes for you, follow it. It will mean that I need your help but that I can't get away to ask for it. Will you do that?"

"Yeah! I'll keep a lookout for it." Kirwin said excitedly.

"Good. I'll see you later then." Milo said as he turned and walked through the archway into the gazebo.

Following Milo were nearly twenty vague shrouded shadow figures.

The one shadow figure that wasn't draped in a shroud walked up to Kirwin and offered his semi-transparent hand.

"It was nice to meet you Obby. Just like Milo, if you ever need my help, just come and get me." Kirwin said as he shook the dark hand.

When the handshake was over, Obby didn't let go. Instead, he pulled Kirwin's hand to his chest and wrapped his other arm around the boy.

Kirwin was surprised by the action, but didn't object as the shadow figure gave him a firm hug full of tenderness and caring.

"You know how Milo told you to watch out what you wish for?" Paul asked as he approached.

"Yeah." Kirwin answered as Obby released him from the hug.

"Don't listen to him. Dream big. You don't fail when your dream doesn't come true, you fail when you stop dreaming." Paul said seriously as he watched Obby walk through the archway.

"Such decadent ideas. I would expect no less from a devil." Reaper said haughtily.

"Are you saying that you think I'm wrong?" Paul asked his companion curiously.

"No. Only that the concept is decadent." Reaper said as a grin crossed his corpse-like face.

"I can live with that." Paul said with a wink in Kirwin's direction before leading the way through the archway, into the gazebo.

* * * * *

"Do I even want to know?" Agent Roberts asked as he stared at the ghostly shadow figures crowding into the Vinculum Chamber.

"If you'll open the doorway to Nevermore, you won't have to worry about it." Milo responded.

Without prelude, Agent Roberts began to recite the short version of the 'password'.

"I'll get rid of this table to give us more room." Paul said into the chaos.

In the next few minutes, no one spoke as Milo led the procession through the archway.

When Milo returned a moment later, he quietly asked, "What now?"

"What happened to you?" Miss Oaken asked in amazement at his drastic transformation.

"Paul gets horns. I get this." Milo said uncomfortably.

"Looks like you won that lottery." Corabeth said with an admiring smile.

"What do we still need to get together before we can start the spellcasting?" Paul asked, trying to steer the conversation in the most productive direction.

"We should have most, if not all, of what we need. Let's gather everyone who will be directly participating and take stock. To start with, the relic holders need to gather each behind their Magi." Professor Everstone instructed.

"The spellcasters should probably do that too." D interjected, loudly enough for all the other spellcasters to hear.

"Did you leave Rhuru-wra in Brynnhollow?" Agent Fastbeck asked Agent Roberts seriously.

"Yeah. I'll go get him and Ares and be right back."

"I'll go get Den and Otis. Where are you going to want them?" Agent Fastbeck asked, directing his last question primarily toward Professor Everstone.

"At present I'm assuming that the Archdruid's brother will be placed by the Nevermore doorway. As for the other young man... if I'm understanding his situation correctly, he will be stationed at the Waxell door, possibly alone." Professor Everstone said slowly.

"But since just about everything we plan gets turned on its head anyway, we might as well just refer to it as our 'starting placement'." Mr. Hansen said frankly.

"Yes. That might be best." Professor Everstone slowly agreed.

"Where will the ceremony be conducted?" Paul asked as he looked around the room at all the people present.

"In some sense, the ceremony has already begun. But as far as the contribution of the Magi, I believe that each of you are going to conduct your part of the spell in front of the doorway that aligns with your nature." Professor Everstone said slowly.

"So everyone doing the Brynnhollow barrier spell should probably go with me." Paul said uncertainly.

"We're here. Where do you need us?" Ares asked as he and Dark preceded Rhuru-wra and Agent Roberts into the Vinculum Chamber.

At the same time, Agent Fastbeck ushered Den, Otis and Linnaeus in through the Nevermore archway.

"Otis, would you stand over there by the Waxell doorway?" Professor Everstone asked professionally as he pointed.

"Sure." Otis answered as he broke away from his companions.

"Everyone else, group in front of the door to the barrier you will be recasting." Professor Everstone said more loudly to assure that everyone heard him.

"Do you have anyone else casting with us?" Mr. Hansen asked anxiously.

"Not as yet. Hopefully you and Mr. Couleigh will be up to the task, but I will be on the lookout for additional help for you as we proceed." Professor Everstone promised.

"That would be appreciated. Once I've unfolded space, there's not much more that I can do until I've had a chance to recover."

"When D asked me about doing this, I didn't have any idea that I might be casting a barrier spell all on my own."

"You won't be alone. I don't know how much help I'll be, but I promise that I'll be there with you every step of the way." Mr. Hansen assured him.

"I appreciate that." Mr. Couleigh said sincerely.

* * * * *

"Relic holders? Are you clear on what you're going to be doing?" Professor Everstone asked as he looked at each of them in turn.

"We're just pulling up elemental magic through the relics and feeding it to the Magi, right?" Zanner asked cautiously.

"Yes. Boiled down to its most basic elements, that is exactly what you will be doing." Professor Everstone confirmed.

"Then you don't have to worry about us. We got this." Zanner said confidently.

Dex was standing at his side and seemed to be every bit as confident.

* * * * *

"Den and Linnaeus, would you move over by the doorway?"

"We can try. Linnaeus is kind of big. Is there any way that we're going to be able to do our part outside?" Den asked hopefully.

"Yes. When the time comes, I think all the bridges are going to need to be in their own realm to properly relay the magic." Professor Everstone said thoughtfully.

Rhuru-wra let out a low growl in response.

"You said it!" Ares said with a grin at him as they each moved to stand before their own doorways.

"What else do we need?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously as he looked at the three separate groups of people, perched in readiness.

"I'm not sure..." Professor Everstone began to say when Reaper interrupted.

"According to the arcane knowledge, each of the gatekeepers should proceed to the door of the realm they have been entrusted to defend and place their hand upon the doorway." Reaper said slowly.

Agent Roberts, Agent Fastbeck and Archdruid Highley each walked to their respective doorways and did as they were instructed.

"Now what?" Agent Roberts prompted.

"I... do not know. The knowledge fails me." Reaper said in a bewildered voice.

Otis looked to the other three archways, then to the one he was standing in front of all by himself.

"Paul, do you have insights into the matter?" Reaper asked hopefully.

"Only that we have everything that we need." Paul said in a lost tone as he looked around uncertainly.

On impulse, Otis reached out to touch the invisible doorway beside him.

He turned back at the sudden silence to discover that he was standing alone in the weather worn gazebo, able to see through all the archways into the backyard of the Old Tennyson Place.

Chapter 4

"What happened to everyone?" Archdruid Highley asked as he looked around in panic.

"They are, no doubt, exactly where they were a moment ago." Reaper said slowly.

"The better question might be, what happened to us?" Den asked rhetorically.

"Okay. What happened to us?" Dex asked into the silence that followed.

"Look at where we are. What can you tell me about this room?" Mr. Hansen asked slowly.

"It's the same..." Zanner began to say, then really looked at the room they were in.

"We're in the Vinculum Chamber in the Protectorate, aren't we?" Dex asked cautiously.

"That's right. This is the Roman style ruin, not the gazebo that we were in before." Mr. Hansen confirmed.

"Which is also evident from the landscape that we can see through all the archways." Mr. Couleigh observed. As the others looked out, they noticed the arid 'too bright' scenery indicative of the protectorate.

The wheezing growl from Linnaeus drew everyone's attention.

"Do you think we need help?" Den asked in response.

"Who? What kind of help? What are you talking about?" Zanner asked in confusion.

"My demi-brother suggested that I might call upon the aid of my father in this endeavor." Reaper explained.

"Your dad's an angel, right?" Dex slowly asked.

"Yes. That is correct."

"Do you think that calling him would help us... I mean, like... at all?" Zanner asked haltingly.

"Truthfully, no." Reaper regretfully informed them, then explained, "My father has many virtues and is quite powerful, but he can also be somewhat...  controlling. Were he here, he would no doubt attempt to resolve the entire situation himself, thus destroying all that we have achieved."

"Um, yeah. Let's not do that." Zanner said uncomfortably.

"With the Vinculum not allowing us to travel to the other barriers, do we have any way of communicating with the other spellcasting groups?" Mr. Couleigh asked Mr. Hansen quietly.

"No. None that I can think of." Mr. Hansen confirmed.

"Then does that mean that everything that we've done so far is lost?" Zanner asked uncertainly.

"Quite the opposite." Reaper immediately answered.

"I don't see how that can be. Without communication with the others, there's no practical way for us to coordinate our efforts to release the stored magic or recreate the barriers." Mr. Hansen said reasonably.

"We can't be sure that the others are even alive. We're just assuming that they are." Mr. Couleigh said seriously.

"Considering that before the separation we had gathered everything and everyone that would be needed, it seems that our best course of action might be to proceed under the assumption that the others are in place and also proceeding as though nothing had changed." Mr. Hansen said reasonably.

"How long do we do that? I mean, if they're all dead... how long do we wait for them? How long are we going to stay here and pretend?" Zanner asked anxiously and appeared to be fighting for emotional control.

"I could hike to the edge of the barrier and ask Jengelica to drive to Brynnhollow... that could take a few hours." Archdruid Highley finished unenthusiastically.

"No. The others are depending on us to do our part. We do not want to lose this chance." Reaper said decisively.

Linnaeus let out a sudden barking growl that seemed rather urgent.

Archdruid Highley, Den and Reaper obviously understood whatever Linnaeus had said and were considering it carefully.

Zanner, Dex, Mr. Hansen and Mr. Couleigh just as obviously did not understand and looked at each other stupidly, waiting for someone to tell them what was going on.

"Father, hear my prayer." Reaper said as he turned his face upward and fanned out his multiple arms, almost like wings.

"Should it please you to do so, would you aid me, your beloved child of flesh, to reinforce the sanctuary you created for us?" Reaper slowly implored.

Unwillingly, Zanner and Dex followed Reaper's hopeful gaze toward the ceiling, although they intellectually knew that they weren't going to see anything there.

"Father, I seek only the aid of a few of the less powerful celestial beings to do those things that the limits of my earthly flesh prevent me from doing for myself." Reaper said hopefully.

"I thank you for your attention, Father. You have my love and admiration always." Reaper finished as he closed his eyes and bowed his head reverently.

"Wow. I never even thought of talking to my dad like that." Zanner said frankly.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure that he doesn't expect you to." Mr. Couleigh said with a grin.

"You're Nazzy's dad, aren't you?" Dex asked curiously.

"Yes. That's right. Nazareth is my son. We met at the picnic by the lake at D's house." Mr. Couleigh said with such pride that nothing else needed to be said on the subject.

"What did you just do? What's going to happen?" Mr. Hansen asked Reaper cautiously.

"I have no ability to predict the future, so I can only speculate on that. But in regard to what I just did, I called for help to do things that I am unable to do with the personnel and supplies at hand." Reaper said carefully.

"He doesn't know." Den said simply, then explained, "He said all that stuff without really saying anything. So either he doesn't know or he won't tell us. Since there's no real reason for him not to tell us, I'm guessing that he just doesn't have a clue."

"There are many possibilities. I just have no way of knowing which, if any, my Father will choose." Reaper tried to explain.

"No clue." Den summarized with a grin.

Zanner and Dex shared a smile with him.

* * * * *

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" Zanner screamed as he skittered back, further into the stone structure, to be nearer his teammates.

"Just stand back. It doesn't look like it's trying to attack us." Mr. Hansen said cautiously.

Mr. Couleigh reached around Mr. Hansen and grabbed both Zanner and Dex and pulled them to stand behind him.

As Mr. Hansen started weaving the signs of a rather complicated defensive spell, Reaper said, "These appear to be help from my father."

Everyone froze in place as they watched a second bizarre creature slowly walk into the room.

"What are they?" Mr. Couleigh asked hesitantly, still shielding the boys with his own body.

"Cherubim." Reaper said simply.

Zanner and Dex finally emerged from behind Mr. Couleigh to get a better look at what the creatures were.

In the simplest terms, they had the bodies of large birds, six wings and the faces of children. In short, they were horrific.

As the first one came to a standing position, its lower wings crossed to cover its legs. The middle set of wings were spread behind it while the upper set of wings crossed to mostly cover its face.

The voice of the thing when it spoke was like a combination of nails down a chalkboard and bubbling stew.

"In the company of humans I speak their common language, as is courtesy." Reaper carefully instructed.

"Child of Sword. Your father sends greetings and salutations. I am Zarall, my other is Jael. We are at your service." The cherub said in a voice that was not entirely human-like, but nowhere near as grating and uncomfortable as its natural voice. It could almost be considered 'child-like'.

"This barrier we are in is joined with two others, forming a triangle. I need to know that the people at the center of the other two barriers have survived and that they are working toward our common goal."

Zarall closed its eyes for a moment, then quietly said, "There is trace to follow if we go now."

"Go then. We will be working under the assumption that the other two groups are doing the same." Reaper said firmly.

The two celestial beings crouched into what was obviously a more comfortable posture for them, then hurried out of the room.

"Dex and Zanner, are you ready for this?" Mr. Hansen asked cautiously.

"We're fine, but what about you? Do you think you're going to be able to unfold space then remake the barrier?" Zanner asked anxiously.

"After seeing the lengths that everyone's going to... I'm confident that we'll find a way."

Zanner smiled at Mr. Hansen's decision, then said, "Okay. Let's do this."

* * * * *

"What just happened?" Milo asked as he looked around anxiously.

Rhuru-wra let loose a pitious growl that left no doubt that he was not pleased with whatever was going on around them.

"It appears that when the proper groups were gathered, all within the vinculum chamber, that the chamber separated into its component pieces. The room that existed several places at once is now separate rooms." Professor Everstone said speculatively.

"What is this place?" Dr. Williams asked as he looked out the archways at the lush thick foliage.

"It appears that we're within the Southseid barrier." Professor Everstone answered slowly, then added, "For us to complete the job that we came here to do, this is the group that we need to be with and this is where we need to be."

"Do you think that Paul's okay?" Filipe interjected anxiously.

"I'm sure that he's fine. He's probably at the Brynnhollow version of the vinculum chamber." Agent Fastbeck quietly assured the young teenager.

"Yes. And I have no doubt that right this minute, he's deducing that we need to proceed with our original plans." Professor Everstone added confidently.

Rhuru-wra bleated a whine that drew everyone's attention.

Milo considered for a moment, then told him, "It won't hurt to have them here. Go ahead and gather anyone you want to support you and have them standing by. If G is up to it, I'd like to go ahead and get started as soon as possible."

Without further adieu, Rhuru-wra dashed out through the 'stonehenge' archway and into the thick, humid forest.

"I'll try, but I don't know how much good I'll be if I'm trying to concentrate on doing magic while I'm worried about Paul and my dad." G said honestly.

"I'm not clear on where Brynnhollow is located. But if you can give me an idea of where we are in relation to where they are, I can try sending a couple of my shadows to check on them." Milo said quietly.

Before G could answer, a shadow seemed to separate itself from the wall and become its own independent being.

"I'm sorry Obby, but there's no way that you can go out to find him on your own. You would only be able to travel about as fast as a normal human and it wouldn't be safe for you. Stay here with me and I'll keep you safe until we're back with Agent Roberts." Milo finished gently.

Obby looked around at the others who were staring at him, then walked to stand before Milo, where he was promptly gathered into Milo's arms.

"He's fine. I promise. You'll be back with him before you know it." Milo crooned as he held the shadow in his arms as though it were something precious.

"Um..." G awkwardly interrupted, "What?"

"This is Agent Roberts' shadow. His name is Obby. Please try to be kind to him, he's in a fragile state at the moment." Milo implored him to understand.

"Um, yeah. Just let me know if there's anything I can do." G said uncertainly.

Rather than answer verbally, Milo, still in his Elven form, made a graceful series of hand gestures, obviously casting a spell.

A moment later, two shrouded figures crossed through the archway and stopped before him, hovering slightly above the floor.

"Who can tell me where we are in relation to the other colonies?" Milo asked seriously.

"I can help you with that." Agent Fastbeck said immediately as he stepped forward.

"If you can give me an idea what direction and how far, I can give my shadows enough to go on to start searching." Milo said frankly.

"I don't really have a sense of where North is, so I don't know about directionality, but I can give you a decent idea of distance."

"I can conjure a compass." Dr. Williams volunteered.

"Then that should be all that we'll need." Milo said with a slight smile.

* * * * *

Given the information that Agent Fastbeck had been able to provide, Milo ended up sending shadows to both the Nevermore and Brynnhollow barriers. He explained that he wouldn't be able to send more than the most rudimentary messages, but he would be able to determine without question if the other two groups were doing well.

"While we're waiting for the shadows to return and give us their report, the best thing that we can do is begin the Assembly of the Magi to release the stored magic." Professor Everstone said seriously.

"The Assembly of the Magi started the moment the three of us met. Everything that's happened since then has been to bring us to where we are right now." Milo said with certainty, then he turned to G and asked, "Are you ready to begin?"

Rather than give a verbal answer, G held out the baton that he had been mindlessly carrying for most of the past few days and called upon it to extend itself into its true form.

With no outward triggering movement, the spear came into being.

"I'm not exactly sure what you need for me to do, but I'm ready to do it." G said simply.

"Empower me." Milo said simply, then explained, "I will take your magical power and guide it to release the great lake of magic stored within the vinculum."

"We could have done that anytime." G said cautiously, sure that he was missing something.

"No. It's not going to work until all three of us, the Magi, are performing their spells at the same time. Right now, the most I can do is perform my part of the spell and wait for the other two to do theirs." Milo explained.

"And I'm going to have to keep the spear's magic flowing until everyone else has their spells done?" G asked to verify his understanding.

"Yes. You'll need to keep up the magical flow until the barrier has been dismantled and recast. Once that's done, I will sever the flow of the stored magic from the vinculum. Only then will you be able to stem the magical flow from the spear. Do you think that you're up to it?"

"Now you ask..." G muttered under his breath.

"Once we start, we're committed to it. The only way to back out is for everyone, everywhere, to stop their spells." Professor Everstone explained.

"How long is this going to take?" G asked anxiously.

"Hours, maybe. Although it could conceivably stretch on for days." Professor Everstone said frankly.

"I can't cast a spell for days!" G protested.

"You misunderstand. You won't get a choice. If you begin this, you will not be able to withdraw. Even if something goes horribly wrong with the spell, there is no failsafe, there's no escape clause built into it. At the end, there is a remote possibility that there will only be a withered husk left occupying the space where you once were." Professor Everstone said gravely.

"You've got some kind of sales pitch there." G said snarkily, obviously trying to hide his nervousness with humor.

"G... Gwayne, the chances of that happening are remote, but there is a chance. I believe that you have the level of power and the skill to do this successfully. If we give up this chance to help the Wudewas, there likely won't be another." Professor Everstone said seriously, then finished by saying, "The choice is yours."

"No pressure." G said somewhat hysterically as he looked around the gathering.

"G, if you can't do it, I can try. You don't have to." Filipe said as he stood confidently at Dr. Williams' side.

G smiled at Filipe despite himself, then quietly said, "I think these guys are going to need your help doing the spellcasting. Don't worry about me. I got this."

"Are you sure?" Agent Fastbeck asked quietly.

"Yeah. I wasn't really thinking about backing out. I guess I just wanted to get a sense of how dangerous it really was. Besides, what kind of a brother would I be if I didn't do my part to give Paul everything that he needs to show off and be amazing?" G finished with his trademark cocky grin.

"So what do we still need to do?" Agent Fastbeck asked as he looked around.

"At this point in time, we need for G to use the Mikael Spear to direct a pure elemental magical flow to Milo." Professor Everstone said slowly.

"And the rest of us will need to be prepared. Just as soon as Milo is able to release the stored magic of the Southseid barrier, we will need to direct it to Rhuru-wra and his people."

"I'll go let Rhuru-wra know that we're about to start." Agent Fastbeck said as he took a step toward the archway.

Obby quickly moved to Agent Fastbeck's side and put a hand on his arm to hold him back.

"What?" Agent Fastbeck asked as he looked down at the transparent hand.

"What are you doing, Obby?" Milo asked cautiously.

After a moment of listening, Milo smiled and said, "He knows that you're Agent Roberts' coworker and friend. He wants to help you if he can."

"Never let it be said that I turned down help when it was offered." Agent Fastbeck said with a smile at the shadow at his side.

Obby released Agent Fastbeck's arm and followed along as he stepped through the archway.

"You ready?" G asked as he hefted the spear.

"Would you like to wait for the report from my shadows before you start?" Milo asked cautiously.

"Nah. If I know Paul, he's probably already got the magic up and running and is just waiting on everyone else to catch up to him." G said with an amused smile.

"You make having a brother sound like an incredible experience." Milo said gently.

"Depends on the brother." G said simply, then held the spear forward.

Milo took in a deep breath to help him clear his mind.

As he did, he noticed G's skin becoming 'painted' and the most serious and determined clown expression he had ever seen come into being on G's face.

* * * * *

"What... the... fuck just happened?" Paul asked in bewilderment as he looked at the small group gathered around him.

"Paul..." D said in a warning tone.

Paul looked at D challengingly, almost daring his father to chastise him.

After a moment to consider, D finally said, "Never mind. Besides, criticizing a demon for swearing does seem kind of pointless."

"Where did everyone else go?" Corabeth timidly asked.

"I'm guessing that everyone went to where they're needed to cast their part of the spell." D said speculatively.

"Yeah. It was like when we got the last puzzle piece in its right place, everything all of a sudden just activated or something." Paul reasoned.

"We sort of came to the conclusion that we were already part of the spell ritual, even when we were setting up for it." Ares interjected seriously, conspicuous in his Karasu Tengu form.

"I got that feeling too. But I never expected for something like this to happen." Agent Roberts said honestly as he looked around with concern.

"I know that you guys are busy figuring this out, but would you mind if Dark and I left for a minute to be sure that our family is okay?" Ares asked anxiously.

"Yes. Of course. But we're going to need you back here soon so that we can start recasting the barrier." D easily responded.

"They should be within a few minute's walk from here. I just have to see for myself that they're alright before I can focus on anything else." Ares said as he looked anxiously through the Brynnhollow archway that he had entered through.

"Go." Paul said firmly.

D looked at his son, somewhat surprised at his audacity, but didn't countermand him.

After a moment to be sure that no one was going to object, Ares and Dark turned as one and hurried away. As soon as they were through the archway, they changed fully into their animal forms and continued on at their best possible speed, flying and slithering away, respectively.

"Do you think G is at the Southseid barrier?" Paul asked his father anxiously.

"I think that he's probably in that barrier's version of the Vinculum chamber. Given who we have with us, it seems reasonable to assume that they're in a nearly identical situation." D said assuringly.

"Okay. I can understand why you'd think that, but I can't just stand back and trust that everything will eventually work out. I need to prove to myself that G and the others are okay." Paul said as he made a vague motion toward the ground in front of him.

Just as he did, a blur of darkness deposited two furry little bundles at his feet.

"Something happened to separate us and I need to be sure that G is okay. I want you two to find G and see how he's doing. Help him if he needs it, then I'd like for Mah Zah to stay with G and for Ginh Zah to report back to me. Got it?"

A serious bark and meow were the immediate response.

"I left a trace portal at the Southseid base camp. That should save you some time. There shouldn't be any humans around, so you can go in your natural forms. That way you can bypass the Southseid barrier completely and go in from the air." Paul said seriously.

The puppy and kitten immediately transformed into red and black winged lizards.

"Mah Zah. You're still my familiar, that's not going to change. But I want for you to let G understand your language so that you can tell him that we're fine and find out if he needs anything."

A quick hiss was Mah Zah's immediate response.

Paul made a quick gesture and a complex spell diagram appeared on the floor.

"Go." Paul said simply.

Mah Zah and Ginh Zah immediately flew through the dark blur that had formed in the center of the spell diagram.

"Why did you leave a trace portal at the base camp?" Corabeth asked curiously.

"Just because it's so far away. It took so much time and work to get there, I thought that it might be good to have it in place sometime later."

"You turned out to be right about that." Corabeth said frankly.

"Actually, I was thinking that I could have it there in case I forgot my gloves at the base camp or something like that. I didn't have the first clue that I'd be using it for something like this." Paul admitted.

"However it worked out, it looks like it's going to save some time." D said honestly.

"Did you get a chance to call Nicholas and Amelia after I talked to you last night?"

"Yes. Both agreed, although Amelia told me to remind you that you can't talk directly to Nomia." D said seriously.

"That's not entirely true. Until Amelia enters into a contract and officially makes Nomia her familiar, she has no say in who Nomia bestows her gifts upon. She can talk to me if she decides that she wants to." Paul said firmly.

"You know, to those outside the wizardry discipline, you sound a little tyrannical." D cautiously informed him.

"That's part of what it means to be a summoner. You have to either dominate or submit. That doesn't only mean in your dealings with demons." Paul said seriously.

"Be that as it may, our primary concern now should have to do with completing our mission and remaking the Brynnhollow barrier."

"Once I get started spellcasting, I'm probably going to be immobilized for the duration. I refuse to be helpless." Paul stated firmly.

"I'm not asking you to be." D said simply.

Three spell diagrams appeared on the stone floor in front of Paul. People automatically backed away so as not to be caught in one of them.

Paul was undoubtedly pushing his limits as he seemed to have lost touch with the world around him and became consumed with casting the three complex summoning spells simultaneously .

No one spoke in deference to the great power and skill that were being displayed.

In his low demonic voice, Paul slowly began to incant, "In the land held by Circe, where the disgraced have been exiled, I call upon the Yan-gant-y-tan to bring one forth to do my bidding. I call upon Xaphan. Come without odor and be bound by my word. I hereby summon! I hereby command! Come forth!"

A gray blur appeared just above the spell diagram.

Paul watched intently as a mostly humanoid demonic being took shape from the gray blur that had appeared above the largest of the spell diagrams.

The demon had the classic horns and pointy ears that one might expect. It's furry body seemed to be somewhat misshapen, with the limbs appearing to be spindly in comparison to the barrel shaped torso. Also notable was the fact that the demon's hands and feet seemed to be disproportionately large.

"I'm going to summon Nomia and Frederick now. I can't communicate with either of them directly, so I'm going to ask you to translate for them. Ginh Zah will be back soon. She's going to be working with me, helping me with my spellcasting. I'm going to be counting on you three to watch after things while I'm busy with that."

Xaphan growled briefly and held Paul's gaze as he slowly raised one of his too-large hands.

Paul slightly smiled, then responded, "I'm not afraid of what you are. That's why I summoned you. Guard my back so that I won't have to keep track of what's going on while I'm focused on other things."

The tips of Xaphan's long spindly fingers ignited into five separate flames.

"Good. I'm going to be counting on you." Paul said In a deadly serious tone then turned his attention to the next smaller spell diagram.

A moment later, a demon imp appeared in the center of the diagram.

"Hello Frederick. I'm going to be needing your help today." Paul said with a smile.

It took a moment for Frederick to assess his situation, but as soon as he had determined where he was, he immediately launched himself at Paul's hoof and enthusiastically hugged his lower leg.

Paul laughed at the action, then reached down and plucked the demon imp from his leg to relocate him on his chest.

"Believe me, I'm as glad as you are that we're going to get to work together." Paul assured the imp as he gently petted him.

After a few seconds of that, he glanced toward the last spell diagram for a moment and watched as a blur in reality deposited a tiny nearly humanoid figure who appeared to be composed of leaves, twigs and general debris.

"How's my favorite Demon Sprite doing today?" Paul asked gently.

The little demon chittered an enthusiastic response.

There was a moment of silence, then Paul looked at Xaphan inquiringly.

Somewhat grudgingly, Xaphan growled, "Other say that you will to summon. Give warning."

Paul smiled, then said, "I should have known that Amelia would let you know what was going on. Anyway, all that I'm going to need for you to do is stay alert and watch after things while I'm tied up with some complicated spellcasting. Are you up to that?"

No translation was needed. Paul was easily able to deduce the answer from the enthusiastic and animated response.

Paul looked around the gathering and said, "For anyone who didn't catch it, I've just summoned some demon helpers who can help us out if anything comes up while we're spellcasting. I don't have any reason to believe that we're going to be attacked, but face it. If someone were planning to attack us, you couldn't ask for a better opportunity for them."

"I thought you were just being paranoid." D said with a tender smile at his son.

"Yeah. I'm paranoid the same way that you are when you prepare for contingencies before an important meeting." Paul said with a grin back at his father, not entirely dispelling the seriousness of his response.

"Paul. I'm worried about Dag. Do you happen to have another portal placed at the Protectorate?" Miss Oaken quietly asked.

"No. I was only there for our initial evaluation and never entered the actual Protectorate. From what I heard, with the blessing they bestowed on the land, it would probably be lethal for me or anyone demonic if we tried to go there." Paul said honestly.

"So there's no way you can get in touch with them to see if they're alright?" Miss Oaken asked to confirm.

"Not that I can think of. Even if I could target my Oculus Demonus in this dimension, it wouldn't matter because it won't work where there's holy ground." Paul said regretfully.

"If we're going to have any contact with them, it's probably going to have to come from them contacting us." D said frankly.

"You guys aren't waiting on us, are you?" Ares asked as he and Dark approached the archway, again conspicuous in their Karasa Tengu and Nāga forms.

"No. We were taking care of some other things. Is your family alright?" D asked cautiously.

"They're all fine. Although they could 'sense' when the vinculum chamber broke apart." Ares said frankly.

"Regardless of whether we think we're ready or not, we have everyone here that we're supposed to and time is ticking away from us. Does anyone have any reason that we shouldn't proceed?" D asked as he looked around the room.

"We don't have any way of coordinating with the other groups. Shouldn't we try to arrange something for that?" Mr. Bentley Brown asked seriously.

"And just what would you suggest?" D asked flatly, letting his disdain for the man be clearly heard by all.

"Actually, that's a good question." Paul quickly said in Mr. Bentley Brown's defense. "But if you think about it, even though the Magi are going to be releasing the magic all at once, each group is going to be casting the spell for their own barrier. I can't see any reason why you'd have to coordinate that."

"Even so, without a way to coordinate, the Magi won't be able to release their magic simultaneously." D said slowly.

"That's not really a big deal because we were never going to do that anyway. We're all part of the same cooperative spell, but it doesn't trigger until we've each accessed the power of the relics and done our own versions of the spell. When all three of us are ready, the release will happen, but until the third one of us completes his spell, the others will just have to wait and be ready." Paul explained with some difficulty.

"So what does that mean? What do you have to do right now?" Corabeth asked Paul curiously.

"I have to go ahead and start my casting of the spell to access the magic stored within the Brynnhollow portion of the vinculum. Once I've done that, then I just have to wait until Milo and Reaper have released their magic. As soon as that's done, then everyone can get to work taking down and recasting the barriers." Paul said thoughtfully.

"It sounds to me like you have a better idea than anyone else of what needs to be done next." D said cautiously.

"I know about what the Magi have to do. Once the magic has been released, I'll have to regulate the flow. At that point I'm out of it. I'm just going to have to trust that you and Miss Oaken and Corabeth will take care of the rest. There won't be anything else that I'll be able to do for you at that point." Paul said frankly.

D looked at Miss Oaken and Corabeth before quietly saying, "We'll make it work."

Chapter 5

"How about you? Are you ready for this?" Zanner asked Reaper cautiously.

"I believe that I am as ready as one could be when preparing for an Assembly of the Magi." Reaper said frankly.

"I get that it's a big deal, but I'm probably better off not knowing just how big it really is." Zanner said frankly.

"Perhaps. Although I would recommend that you investigate the significance of the ceremony at a later date. I believe that knowing the scale of what you accomplished will be helpful in establishing your confidence in your future endeavors... assuming that we survive, of course." Reaper hesitantly finished.

"Yeah. I won't bother investigating it if we don't." Zanner said with a grin.

"How can you joke at a time like this?" Dex asked with exasperation.

"It's what I do." Zanner said simply, then thought to add, "If you ever see me not joking around, you should probably worry about me."

"We should begin. The others might have already started." Reaper said seriously.

"No. They haven't. If Paul were using elemental magic, I'd be able to feel it." Dex said with certainty.

"Didn't Paul say something about being able to sense you too?" Zanner asked cautiously.

"Yes. We never really talked about it too much, but he mentioned that he could feel it when I joined with the earth." Dex quietly confirmed.

"Then maybe you could send him a message and let him know when you're ready." Zanner hesitantly suggested.

"Maybe. I can't do it right now though. Paul won't be able to sense me until he joins with the water. But just as soon as I sense him there, I can send him a pulse to let him know that I'm ready. I can't promise that he'll understand what it means, but this is Paul we're talking about. I'm not too worried about it."

"Am I to understand that you will know when Paul begins his casting of the spell?" Reaper asked cautiously.

"I'll know when he's joined with the water and is actively using magic. I won't have any way of knowing what he's using the magic for." Dex said carefully.

"What about Milo? Will you be able to sense when he joins with the air?"

"Maybe... I really can't be sure. Since Paul and I can sense each other, it's possible that we might be able to sense Milo too." Dex said slowly.

"What about when G accesses the air? Can you sense that?" Zanner asked curiously.

"I can sense when someone is active somewhere, but the only person I can identify is Paul." Dex carefully explained, doing his best to keep the explanation simple and brief.

"Then I guess we're just going to have to make the most out of that." Zanner muttered thoughtfully.

"Don't forget that everyone else isn't just sitting around waiting for us to fix everything. They're going to be doing stuff too. If we can figure out what they might do, there might be stuff that we can do to help them." Dex carefully reasoned.

"We also need to keep in mind that the Cherubim might somehow be able to help us." Zanner added.

"I can't see how." Dex said honestly.

"Are you ready to go?" Mr. Hansen asked with Mr. Couleigh at his side.

"Go where?" Zanner reluctantly asked.

"We have to hike to the edge of the barrier to go outside so that I can unfold space." Mr. Hansen said simply.

"Do you really have to be outside to do that?" Zanner asked reluctantly.

"While I suppose that it might be possible to set up or collapse a tent from the inside, I wouldn't advise it... and this is a lot more complex than a tent." Mr. Hansen said frankly.

"The knowledge tells me that the oriad, the earth mage and I will need to remain. Go and perform your duties outside, then return. Linnaeus can request the aid of others to help transport you to the edge of the barrier most quickly." Reaper said seriously.

"Do I need to stay here or go?" Den asked uncertainly.

Before anyone else could answer, Linnaeus spoke out in his incomprehensible language.

"While there isn't a need for you to go, Linnaeus is needed and I get the sense that he would appreciate your company." Archdruid Highley interjected.

"Yes. It is important that you develop your teamwork and sense of unity." Reaper agreed.

"Let's head out. We can gather helpers and gain speed along the way." Mr. Hansen said decisively.

"How sure are you that you need for me to go along?" Mr. Couleigh cautiously asked.

"While building our rapport would be a worthy enough reason to include you, the fact of the matter is that I may need some assistance to safely unfold this pocket of space that we're in."

"You'll have it." Mr. Couleigh promised.

* * * * *

"What do we need to be doing while they're gone?" Zanner asked cautiously.

"The knowledge tells me that it might benefit us if we were to practice the release spell. In the past, those that have put forth the extra effort have been rewarded with more stable and powerful assemblies." Reaper carefully explained.

"Then let's do it! Dex and I just have to draw up the elemental earth magic. That's a normal day at work for us." Zanner said with a grin.

"Then please proceed so that I may put your skills to good use." Reaper said frankly.

"Ready?" Zanner asked Dex to be sure.

Dex nodded once with confidence and determination.

Accepting Dex at his word, Zanner began to cast the spell to draw up the elemental energy of the earth.

Reaper watched and listened. It reassured him to see how confidently Zanner and Dex worked together and commanded the earth element, which tended to be somewhat temperamental in less competent and confident hands.

At the sensation of rising elemental magic, Reaper began casting.

As the powers and magics began to build on each other, Reaper came to the realization that as difficult and advanced as the current spell was, when the Magi combined their power and skill, it would result in something on an entirely different level.

"Hey! Isn't that one of the shadows that Milo took through the vinculum?" Zanner asked cautiously.

"Yeah. Do you think it got away from him?" Dex asked as he carefully divided his attention.

"It is more likely a way for Milo to convey the message that he is alive and well." Reaper said reasonably.

"It's kind of hard to know what it means when it can't talk to us." Zanner said frankly.

"Perhaps not." Reaper said thoughtfully, then continued, "But think about what we did with the Cherubim. I asked that they check on the conditions of the others and report their status back to us."

"So it would make sense if Milo was doing the same thing." Dex slowly reasoned.

"If we're wrong, I don't see it being a problem. But if we're right, we can use this shadow to relay a message to Milo."

"Reaper, back off your spell so that I can interrupt my link to the earth." Zanner said seriously.

"Yes. Of course." Reaper immediately responded.

After a moment to get his magical linkages worked out, Zanner finally asked, "So how do we send a message with this thing?"

"I know little of shadowmancy, mostly general concepts. But as I understand it, since the shadow was once human, it knows human concepts and human words. However, unlike ghosts, the existence of a shadow is like a perpetual dream. It has little in the way of waking consciousness."

"So does that mean that we can get it to carry a message for us or not?" Zanner slowly asked.

"Yes. But the longer the message, the more likely it will be to be forgotten or misremembered."

"Okay. We can do that." Zanner said thoughtfully.

"I know what message we should send." Dex said with a smile.

* * * * *

"Essence of air, hear me. I summon your might. Lend me your power!" G clearly intoned as he hefted his spear.

"In service of nature. Earth into water. Water into air. Air into earth. I summon the magic stored within to right that which has gone wrong." Milo said slowly and reverently.

"Are you certain about that spell? It sounds like something that's going to be impossible for you to balance." Professor Everstone asked slowly.

"No. I don't know very much about magic formation and utilization in groups. I'm just going on what Reaper and Paul told me. From what they said, the three of us will achieve the balance together, each of us taking on as much as we can of our specialties and then as much as we can endure of the others." Milo carefully explained.

"Does this mean that the other two spellcasters are performing their spells right now?" Dr. Williams asked curiously.

"No. If they were, I wouldn't be able to talk to you. I'd be caught up in achieving that balance, then maintaining the flow." Milo explained.

"Then what are you doing?" Filipe asked curiously.

"This is the only way I have to find out if Paul and Reaper are ready."

"Isn't there something more that we can be doing?" Dr. Williams asked uncomfortably.

"I think the best thing that we could do right now is to prepare for when Milo is able to access the full power of his spell."

A movement drew their attention.

"Rhuru-wra came back with me. Obby's going with Ud-wra and Rur-wra to explain things to a few more people before they come back here." Agent Fastbeck said as he walked into the stone structure from the humid forest.

"Does anyone know of anything more that we can do to prepare ourselves for what's about to happen?" Dr. Williams asked firmly.

"We can review the spells that we will be using, if you like. Otherwise, remaining aware and alert seems to be our most prudent course of action." Professor Everstone said frankly.

"When Mr. Darroch called and asked the school for help, I was volunteered due to my wealth of 'real world' experience. I get the feeling, looking at what we're doing, that it might have been better for him to have focused a little more on the power levels and casting skills of those he would be recruiting." Dr. Williams said thoughtfully.

"I'm afraid that's partly my fault. You see, when I called Mr. Darroch, it was on a party line and I had to be very careful about what I said. One can only obfuscate the meaning so much before it is lost. I did my best to let him know of our needs without revealing too much of who we are and what we're doing to anyone who might have been listening."

"Well then, I suppose that does explain a few things. If that's how it happened, it appears that you managed to convey enough of your message, because you seem to have gotten the necessary people to get the job done."

"We could have done with one more spellcaster based in the earth element, but I suppose what we have will have to suffice."

"If you think about it, most spelling endeavours end up falling short on the earth element. There aren't a lot of practitioners and they usually end up having to do more than their share of the work."

"You know, now that you mention it, they do seem to have been underrepresented in the mass spelling efforts that I've participated in."

"Yes. They tend to be underpaid and under appreciated for the important work that they do."

"But those who choose to take up the profession despite that tend to be the most powerful and dedicated. They do it for a love of the craft, and their passion shows through."

"I believe that Mr. Hansen demonstrates those qualities and whether he's conscious of it or not, he seems to have been instillIng them in Zanner."

"I'm quite impressed with how the children seem to be rising to the occasion. Although I see children at school every day, I seldom see them at their best. Such is the nature of my profession, I suppose." Dr. Williams said quietly.

"I believe that seeing them en masse might also contribute to that impression. The more brilliant students are hidden from view by the sheer number of average students." Professor Everstone added.

"And the... significantly less than brilliant students not only draw more attention, but usually require it." Dr. Williams said thoughtfully.

"Are we still going to use the spell that Paul and I came up with?" Filipe asked into the silence that followed.

"Yes. For the most part. Certain tasks will need to be divided to be done by separate people, since not all of us can cast multiple spells simultaneously."

"I've never drawn magic from anyone but Paul. Is there anything I need to know before I try?" Filipe asked curiously.

"Yes. You may need to move a bit more slowly than you're used to and be more aware of the individual steps since we'll have to perform the spells in their proper sequence." Professor Everstone told him carefully.

"Yeah. I thought about that. Working with Paul, everything just flows so smoothly and naturally. It's almost like not doing a spell at all. Once you know what he's trying to do and the steps he's taking to get there, you kind of just climb aboard and go along for the ride."

"One person can't make a cooperative spell work, but one person can certainly spoil the spell. What I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't put Paul on too high a pedestal. While his ability to cast multiple spells simultaneously is quite impressive, his cooperative spelling couldn't succeed without someone who could perform at his level. We're going to be counting on you to give your best performance in the upcoming spelling." Professor Everstone said somberly.

"I don't know if you know this, but Paul and I have another thing in common. Neither one of us knew anything about magic before last year. Because of that, both of us have had to learn a lot of stuff really fast. Not only that, but we also haven't learned all of what we can't do. So because of that, please don't tell me how hard it is, just tell me what I have to do and I'll do it."

Before Professor Everstone or Dr. Williams could respond, a fluttering movement drew all their attention.

"What is that? Kill it! Kill it!" Filipe screamed as he scampered behind Dr. Williams to hide.

G took up his spear and held it at the ready, waiting for a reason to attack. An icy cold wind began to swell as G focused on his target.

"This is a visitor from another realm. It is unlikely that it means us any harm." Dr. Williams calmly stated.

"What is it?" Filipe asked as he peeked at their strange visitor, still mostly hidden behind Dr. Williams.

Before anyone could answer, a fluttering movement from their other side drew everyone's attention.

"Mah Zah?" G asked with surprise.

The yaggoral demon flew directly to G and landed on his shoulder, as though it were her rightful place and always had been.

A moment later another, nearly identical demon proudly took its place on his other shoulder.

Mah Zah loosed a short growl, but was interrupted by G's shushing motion with his free hand.

"Child of Sword sends greeting and salutations. I am Jael. Here to inquire of well-being." The strange bird/child/thing before them said with difficulty in a poor facsimile of a child's voice.

"We're fine. We've just been deciding what we need to do next." Professor Everstone answered carefully.

"Child of Sword proceeds toward common goal. Will you respond likewise?"

"Yes. That's what I was talking about. We're continuing on just like before we were separated."

"Is good. I will relay to Child of Sword."

Without further adieu, the strange six-winged child/bird monster flung itself out the nearest doorway and took flight with a loud fluttering of wings.

There was a long moment of silence as everyone stared after where Jael had gone.

"Mah Zah says that was a lesser Cherub, a celestial being." G finally announced into the silence.

"What's Mah Zah and Ginh Zah doing here?" Filipe asked curiously.

"Probably the same thing as the angel. I mean, Paul..."

G was interrupted by Mah Zah's growls and hisses.

After a moment of listening, G relayed, "Paul sent Mah Zah and Ginh Zah to check on us and Ginh Zah is going to report back and tell him how we're doing."

"Am I to understand that this demon of yours can carry a message back to Paul for us?" Professor Everstone asked cautiously.

"Mah Zah and Ginh Zah can do a whole lot more than that. They're not just demons, they're demonic wizards." G said firmly.

"No disrespect intended." Professor Everstone immediately defended.

"That's okay. I just didn't want you to think that we were dealing with 'pets'. They're people just like us, just of a different species." G said frankly.

"Understood." Dr. Williams said quietly, indirectly indicating that his initial opinion of the yaggoral had been somewhat less than flattering.

Ginh Zah growled and hissed something, then waited for Mah Zah to relay the message to G.

"She wants to know if she should give Paul the same message that we sent with the cherub." G announced.

"So what's she going to tell Paul? That we're proceeding as planned? Is there anything else that he needs to know?" Filipe asked anxiously.

"I'm going to keep trying to unleash the stored magic. Paul and Reaper can join me when they're ready. I'm realizing that this is what it means to be the Magi of Volition. It's not just me wanting it to be, but also my willingness to make it be." Milo said determinedly.

One of the winged reptiles suddenly screeched, then flew away. The other remained on G's shoulder.

"Ginh Zah is going to report back to Paul now. Mah Zah is going to stay here to help us, but she can carry a message to Paul from us, if we need her to." G explained.

"It sounds like we're all on the same page. I guess it's time to get this started."

"Essence of air, hear me. I summon your might. Lend me your power!" G clearly intoned as he hefted his spear.

"In service of nature. Earth into water. Water into air. Air into earth. I summon the magic stored within to right that which has gone wrong." Milo said slowly and reverently.

* * * * *

"The water within calls the water without. Like summons like and will calls to will." Mr. Bentley Brown formally pronounced.

Paul waited a beat before calling out, "Essence of water, leave excess behind and join with air. Essence of air, renew and restore and purify through the earth. Essence of earth, release the precious water. I beseech."

"Where do you need us?" A man's voice loudly interrupted from outside.

At the sound, Ares immediately motioned for Dark to go outside with him.

Paul was obviously jarred out of his contemplative state. He blinked a few times, then looked around uncertainly.

"Are you okay?" D quietly asked his son.

"Yeah. I wasn't in too deep. It's okay. Milo and Reaper aren't casting yet so..." Paul was saying when he suddenly stopped and looked anxiously toward the archway.

The barrel-chested demon, Xaphan, moved directly in front of Paul and seemed to ignite. Flames were licking and leaping from his fingertips and the tips of his horns.

Frederick stood in a crouched posture, as was normal for him. He stood beside Paul's left hoof with his fangs and claws bared. The low growls emanating from the demon imp left little doubt that he was primed and ready for battle.

The scent of ozone suddenly filled the air as blue electrical sparks arced and sizzled around Nomia. Anyone with the ability to sense magic at all was immediately aware of the dangerous level of magic the tiny demon sprite was emmassing.

There was a long silent moment before an insane cacophony of snarling and barking erupted directly outside the Brynnhollow version of the vinculum chamber.

Paul, flanked by his demons and his father, hurried to the archway while Miss Oaken, Corabeth and Agent Roberts approached more cautiously.

Mr. Bentley Brown remained in place, not betraying if he had even noticed the din.

* * * * *

"What the hell is that?" Paul asked when he saw the multi-winged creature that was being cornered by a bevy of fierce animals, all of them straining against their last vestiges of self-control to keep from tearing the intruder apart.

"Heaven, actually." D said to his son, then called more loudly, "Please don't hurt him! He's an angel! He's probably carrying a message to us from Reaper."

"Okay everyone! You heard the man! Back off!" Agent Roberts called in a clear commanding voice.

One by one, the animals backed away and some of them began to transform into more humanoid forms.

"Please understand, we weren't expecting anyone. You surprised us. You're not hurt are you?" D asked cautiously.

"No harm. I am Zarall, sent by Child of Sword to ask after you and let you know of intention to continue on as planned."  The winged creature said in something vaguely resembling a child's voice.

"Don't believe a thing it says! It lies! It's a monster!" Paul ground out past clenched teeth.

"I wonder if anyone's ever said that about you." D said to his son with an icy glare askance at him.

"That's different..." Paul fought to say.

"Is it? You should know better than anyone that you shouldn't judge a person by their species." D told his son in a firm clear voice.

"Usually I'd agree with you about that, but right this minute I can hear the blood in my veins screaming and crying out for the destruction of the celestials. Their existence is an insult to reality." Paul fought to explain.

"Do you feel that way toward Reaper?" D asked in a much softer tone.

"No. It's not the same. Being a celestial isn't what Reaper is, it's what was done to him." Paul explained as he began to calm.

"Like what was done to you?" D hesitantly asked.

"Yeah... I don't know... Maybe. Can we not talk about this right now?" Paul asked frustratedly.

"It's important to me to know that you won't allow yourself to fall victim to your emotions." D carefully explained.

"I can't turn my feelings on and off like that. I'm not built that way." Paul fought to explain.

"Regardless of your feelings, it's important that you be able to maintain a certain level of civility and decorum. I need to know how far I'll be able to trust you when we're approaching a given situation." D said frankly.

Paul looked at his father with exasperation for a moment, then turned to face Zarall and slowly said, "Hail and well met, Zarall of the Cherubim. I am Paul Darroch. Be welcome and assured that you are safe here amongst us."

Paul looked around the gathering as he continued, "Be it known to all that any move made against this being is a move against me and mine."

Silence fell over those gathered as everyone waited for what was going to happen next.

"I accept this courtesy, and will not abuse. Firstly, Child of Sword has asked me to assess him of your condition." Zarall said seriously.

"We are all well. Thank you for asking." Paul carefully responded.

"Secondly, Child of Sword expressed intention to continue with plan to complete common goal and inquired if it is your intention to do same."

"It is." Paul said simply.

"Then I take leave. Relay message." Zarall said while slowly backing away.

"Have a safe and pleasant journey, Zarall." Paul said with icy formality.

In a flurry of activity, the six-winged creature leapt into flight, nearly from a standstill.

After a moment for the angel to be well away from their group, Paul turned to his father and said, "See? I can do it if I have to."

D couldn't help but smile proudly at his son's accomplishment.

"Sorry. We didn't know it was a friend of yours. It just showed up out of nowhere and... we thought we were helping." A man said timidly.

"Thank you for protecting our backs. We appreciate you looking out for us." D said gratefully, then cautiously asked, "By the way, who are you?"

"This is Jazz and his companion Olive... I think you already know everyone else." Agent Roberts said uncertainly.

"Well, thank you again for thinking of us. We weren't expecting anyone, but it's good to know that if someone were going to try to attack us, that they wouldn't be able to do so unanswered." D said diplomatically.

"As far as I know, all any of us are going to have to do is hang around out here and wait for what's going to happen next. There's no reason that we can't stand guard while we're doing that." Ares said frankly.

"I wouldn't ask you to, but if you have nothing better to do, I can't see how it would hurt anything." D said honestly.

"Wait... What's that?" Dark asked as he pointed.

All in attendance turned their attention to where Dark indicated.

"What?..." Cain began to ask, but then saw the dark figure becoming more substantial in front of them.

"That's one of the shadows that Milo called up, isn't it?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"Yes. And while there's a chance that this one is just misplaced due to the separation of the vinculum, I think it's more likely that Milo's using these shadow beings in much the same way that Reaper is using the Cherubim." D said speculatively.

"And like we've used Paul's demons." Corabeth quietly added.

"Well, if that's the case, then it means that all three groups are at basically the same point and are just waiting for everyone to pull it all together." Paul said thoughtfully.

"So what do we have to do next?" Miss Oaken prompted.

"It looks to me like you guys had better get all your stuff taken care of and get comfortable, because what we're about to get into could take a really long time." Paul said seriously.

"Are you ready to begin?" D asked to confirm.

"Yeah." Paul said decisively, then turn to the shadow creature and simply said, "We're ready."

The shadow creature bowed reverently, then seemed to be swept away by a nonexistent breeze.

"Is there anything you need for us to do?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"Even though you do a lot of things for us, the thing that you do that no one else can is control the door. So I think that no matter what else you do, you probably need to stay really close to the archway." Paul said frankly.

D slowly and silently nodded his agreement to his son's reasoning.

"Come on, guys." Paul said as he herded his demons back into the vinculum chamber, which in Brynnhollow, looked like a mausoleum.

* * * * *

"The water within calls the water without. Like summons like and will calls to will." Mr. Bentley Brown formally called out as the others around the room carefully and quietly found their places.

Paul waited a beat before calling out, "Essence of water, leave excess behind and join with air. Essence of air, renew and restore and purify through the earth. Essence of earth, release the precious water. I beseech."

D, Miss Oaken and Corabeth were seated in a row and were braced for the onslaught of magic that could assault them at any moment.

In his low demonic voice, in nearly a whisper, Paul calmly began to say, "That which is closed, I now open..."

Chapter 6

"We're ready." Dex said simply, then added more urgently, "Go tell Milo."

The shadow before them whooshed away as if carried on a strong breeze, even though there wasn't any wind to speak of.

"Are you sure that's enough of a message?" Zanner asked uncertainly.

"Well, if we're right about why that shadow was here, then yeah. If we're wrong, then I guess it doesn't matter because we don't know what the question was anyway." Dex reasoned.

"That makes no sense. You know that, right?" Zanner asked him cautiously.

"Would you have sent a different message?" Dex asked curiously.

"I don't know. Maybe. I just know that I'd rather not give an answer until I'm more sure of what they're asking." Zanner said frankly.

"I can see what you're saying. But I don't want for everyone at all three sites to have to wait on us to make up our minds. If it turns out that I'm wrong, I'll say that I'm sorry... but I'm pretty sure that I'm right."

"Since when are you so sure of yourself? Aren't you the one who's all timid and barely able to speak?" Zanner asked suspiciously.

"I guess since I got to know you and Paul and G." Dex said thoughtfully, then continued, "I'm still uncomfortable and awkward around people that I don't know and trust. But that doesn't include you... at least not anymore."

"Oh, um. Thanks." Zanner stammered, then hurried to add, "Me too. I mean, you. I got comfortable with you, too."

Dex laughed delightedly before saying, "That sounded about as uncomfortable as it's possible to get."

"I'm not used to having friends, okay? This is probably as weird for me as it is for you."

"How can you not have lots of friends? You're always so happy and upbeat all the time. I'd think that anyone would want to hang around with you."

"Not so much." Zanner said weakly, then explained, "I guess people like me at first, but then they seem to get tired of me. I'll think that I've made a new friend, then one day they'll suddenly not be there anymore and it'll turn out that they ditched me."

"Well, that sucks." Dex said frankly.

"Perhaps we should attempt to begin the Assembly of the Magi." Reaper cautiously suggested.

"Paul was casting for a few seconds, but then he backed out." Dex said carefully.

"Do you think something might be wrong?"

"I have no way of knowing that. Nothing worried me about what I sensed going on, but I guess that doesn't really mean a whole lot." Dex said honestly.

"Maybe he's waiting for us to start." Zanner suggested.

"And maybe he isn't." Dex countered.

"Are you saying that you don't want to start it yet?"

"No. I'm saying that I don't want for us to do something this big and magical and important for the wrong reasons. I'm not scared of calling up the magic. But I am afraid of the magic being misused once we've called it up." Zanner said frankly.

"I don't know what I can do but promise not to misuse the power." Reaper said frankly.

"It's not you, Reaper. I promise, it's nothing like that at all. My problem is with us making guesses and plans without knowing for sure what we're doing. This is too important to be done wrong."

"Would you feel better if we waited for the spellcasters to return?" Reaper slowly asked.

"No. I'm pretty sure that we're alright on the spellcasting... I mean, for the barriers and stuff. What I'm talking about is stomping in, like we own the place, and throwing magic around like nothing matters except for the stuff that we care about." Dex fought to explain.

"So are you saying that you think that we shouldn't do it, or that we need to be careful, or what?" Zanner asked cautiously.

"I guess I'm just saying that we're guests here. We need to..." Dex trailed off, obviously searching for the words.

"What?" Zanner whispered.

"...show respect." Dex finally continued.

"We're here trying to save these people's homes. What more do you want?" Zanner asked frankly.

"Friend-Dex is correct." Reaper quietly provided.

"So what are we supposed to do? Or not do? I'm totally lost here." Zanner asked irritably.

"A long time ago, beings of tremendous power established three colonies to protect their most vulnerable children. It was well within their power to relocate them to other realms or to completely isolate them in this one. However, they wanted their children to at least have a chance of emerging from their isolation and becoming equal participants in the greater world." Reaper carefully explained.

"I guess that didn't work out too well for them." Zanner said frankly.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. In the fullness of time, any or all of the colonies may be able to join the greater society. You see, we're not here to witness the end of the story. This event is just one stepping stone along their journey."

"But couldn't the Brynnhollow witches live with humans right now, I mean, if they could just get their transformations worked out? It's really not that big a deal, is it?"

"The arcane knowledge doesn't refer to this instance. It nonetheless tells me that a colony of witches would not have been included when the colonies were established. Other arrangements would have been made for them. By what the knowledge tells me, it would seem most likely that another colony had been established, but then failed. The witches would have come along later."

"But if there was a different colony to begin with, how do they make the magic work? They're so interdependent." Zanner asked with difficulty.

"What we're looking at is one plan among many. One part of one plan. A speck on a speck. And yet, from another viewpoint, if we make a wrong decision or take a wrong action, there might be no more Wudewas... anywhere... ever." Dex said passionately.

"Whoa! Where'd that come from?" Zanner asked cautiously.

"That's what I've been trying to get you to understand. That's what I was trying to put into words. Before we begin, I need you to know how big and how small what we're doing really is, all at the same time."

"I get it... at least I'm starting to." Zanner said earnestly.

"Does that mean that we may begin?" Reaper asked hopefully.

"Don't we have to wait on Mr. Hansen and them to get back before we call up the magic?"

"It will take time for us to complete the Assembly of the Magi and release the magic for their use. I believe it would be better for us to have the magic ready and waiting for them to take up and use upon their arrival rather than for us to wait for them to return before we begin." Reaper carefully explained.

"Oh, okay." Zanner said with mild surprise at the explanation, then abruptly added, "Yeah. Let's do this."

* * * * *

"Are you having any luck?" Dr. Williams cautiously asked.

"Not yet, but give it a minute. I'm pretty sure it's going to start anytime now." Milo said with determination.

"Um, Mister... um,.Milo. I think you have a visitor." Filipe said hesitantly.

Milo followed his gaze and smiled at the vague shrouded shadow figure that was becoming more solid as it approached him.

"Thank you for helping me Mr. Nail. How is the other team doing? Did they give you any messages for me?" Milo asked gently as he maintained the majority of his focus on his spellcasting.

Milo smiled, then announced to the group, "Reaper's team is doing fine and they say that they're ready."

"Well, Mah Zah says that Paul and them are okay, so I guess that means that there's no reason for us to hold back." G said frankly.

"Have you been holding back?" Milo asked with surprise.

"No! I just didn't give it one hundred percent because I wasn't sure if everyone was alright or not." G fought to explain.

"I'm pretty sure that's what holding back means." Filipe said frankly.

"You've been hanging around Paul too much." G playfully groused.

"Maybe I have. Paul is someone who puts it all on the line and gives it his all. I'm going to do my best to be just like him. Do you plan on doing less?" Filipe challenged.

"I've just been saving my best for when it was needed. I don't want to wear myself out too early." G explained self-assuredly.

Before he could respond, Filipe was distracted by a movement out of the corner of his eye.

"Milo, here's another one." Filipe said, once he had realized what he was seeing.

A gentle smile preceded Milo saying, "Thank you Timothy. I've already received a message from the Brynnhallow camp, but I appreciate you checking on them, just the same."

"Okay. Then are we ready to do this?" Filipe asked anxiously.

"Agent Fastbeck, will you and Rhuru-wra be able to keep an eye on how things are going with the Wudewas? Once this gets started, I can't be sure if I'll be able to keep track of all that's happening." Milo asked hopefully.

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure that's what we're doing here. You can count on us." Conrad assured him.

"Spellcasters? Are you ready?" Milo asked cautiously.

"Yes. Proceed as you will." Professor Everstone said calmly.

"What about you, G? You ready?" Milo asked with concern.

"Yeah. One hundred percent." G assured him.

Milo slowly raised his hands and seemed to be concentrating.

One by one, those around the room realized that Milo was spellcasting. No one knew what he intended to do, but they remained silent to allow him to concentrate on his work.

A movement from one of the archways caused one after another of those present to turn and look at those approaching.

"Although I probably won't be needing the services of my choir, I'd feel better if they were here to support me, just the same." Milo said introspectively.

"That's fine. Do whatever you have to do, just get on with it." Agent Fastbeck said irritably.

Milo looked at him with surprise.

"We're all here to do just one thing. The rest of us can't do our part until you've started yours." Agent Fastbeck explained.

"I just wanted to be sure that everyone was ready..." Milo began.

"We're ready. Do it!"

"Okay, okay. I will. But I think there's one thing that you're forgetting."

"What's that?"

"Unless I have the will for it to be so, it's not going to happen. No matter how much you push or nag me, we're not going to start one second before I'm ready." Milo said frankly.

"But what's the point of waiting?" Filipe asked anxiously.

"There's no point. I'm not holding us back intentionally. I'm just saying that, for whatever reason, I'm not ready."

"'For whatever reason?' What's that supposed to mean?" Agent Fastbeck challenged.

"That means that there's nothing you can do to change this. It's out of your hands."

"Why are you holding us back?" Filipe quietly asked.

"Please trust me. I'll start when I'm supposed to, and not before."

"Okay. How long do you think it's going to be?"

"I can't be sure, but what I can tell you is that it won't hurt a thing for us to practice and work on our synchronization." Milo said seriously.

"I guess it's better than not doing anything at all." Filipe aggrievedly muttered under his breath.

"He's definitely been spending time with Paul." Agent Fastbeck said with a barely restrained grin at the boy.

"G, go ahead and start whenever you're ready and I'll jump in when my part comes." Milo instructed.

"Is this for practice or for real?" G asked cautiously.

"It could end up going either way. If you approach it as though it were real, then you won't be caught unprepared if things suddenly fall into place." Milo said carefully.

"Alright then. Hang on. I'm going to give it all I've got." G said firmly.

Milo smiled with satisfaction and gave a slight nod to indicate that he was ready.

* * * * *

"How's it going, Paul?" D quietly asked, not wanting to be unnecessarily jarring.

"From the feel of this, you might want to get everyone settled into their places. We could be ready to start at any moment." Paul said carefully.

"Can you tell if the others have started casting yet?"

"They haven't, but I can feel the ripples of them preparing."

A quick squawk and hiss preceded the arrival of the red and black winged lizard.

"How's G?" Paul immediately asked.

D waited anxiously for Paul to translate what Ginh Zah was telling him.

"He's fine, just worried about us." Paul told his father with a quick tender smile.

Ginh Zah hissed again and drew Paul's attention.

"Yeah. We're going to be starting any minute." Paul told her seriously, then explained, "I'm probably going to be immobilized while I'm spellcasting. Xaphan is going to see to our defense, but if someone needs some kind of magical help, I'd like for you to take care of it for them."

Ginh Zah growled inquisitively.

"No. If you want to communicate with someone, tell Xaphan what you want to say and he can translate for you." Paul said firmly.

Ginh Zah hissed once and Paul nodded his confirmation before looking around the group and continuing, "If anyone needs some magical help while we're out of action, Ginh Zah will be able to help you."

"Like with what?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"Like if it gets dark and all the magic users are incapacitated, you can ask Ginh Zah to make some light for you. While it's possible that I might need her help for something, most likely she'll be available to help you if you need it." Paul carefully explained.

After a long quiet moment, Agent Roberts hesitantly asked, "Did she happen to see if my shadow was there and if he's alright?"

Paul listened to Ginh Zah's response before relaying, "Sorry. She didn't hear or see anything about him."

"I'm sure he's probably okay. I just had to ask." Agent Roberts timidly explained.

"Everyone! Get ready! I think this is it." Paul said loudly.

"Are you ready for me to start again?" Mr. Bentley Brown cautiously asked.

"Yes. Get the chalice powered up. We need to jump on before this thing takes off without us." Paul said urgently.

"They can't do it without us. Worst case scenario... they have to stop and start the whole thing over again." Corabeth said frankly.

Demon form or no, the withering look that Paul sent her way was quite impressive.

"I believe that Paul would take it personally if the others had to slow down or stop due to our group's inability to keep up with them." D told the group honestly.

"When you put it that way, Paul's not the only one here who'd have a problem with that." Corabeth said with renewed vigor.

"Paul?" Mr. Bentley Brown asked in a low voice.

"Yeah." Paul responded.

"Let's do it."

* * * * *

"What the... Reaper! Your friends are back." Zanner said with a bit of disgust carried under his words.

"Yes, thank you." Reaper said calmly, then cautiously asked, "What do you have to report of the conditions of the others?"

"All are well." Zarall said simply.

"Did they give you any messages for me?" Reaper asked more slowly.

"The demon said he would proceed according to plan." Zarall said with more than a little disgust at even saying the word 'demon'.

"The verminous animal creatures claim likewise." Jael announced.

"We are currently in the process of unfolding this pocket of space and recasting the barrier that protects the Nephilim. Are the two of you capable of assisting with the spellcasting in such an endeavour?" Reaper asked curiously.

"We are capable..." Zarall reluctantly admitted.

"Then I will invoke the name of my father and entreat you to lend your aid until this matter is resolved." Reaper said firmly.

"We were summoned only to relay messages for you." Jael interjected.

"That is a lie." Reaper said flatly, then waited a dramatic beat before continuing, "You were sent here to assist me as needed. You will be released from my father's command when your assistance is no longer required."

"The intent..." Zarall began to say when he was harshly interrupted.

Reaper spoke loudly in a language that Zanner and Dex couldn't identify.

The fan of arms from Reaper's back began to flex and thrash in irritation as his words became louder.

Both Zanner and Dex reflexively backed away as Reaper seemed to grow bigger and move nearer the winged cherubs, looming over them.

Abruptly, Reaper stopped his tirade and silence seemed to hang in the air.

"I trust that we understand each other." Reaper said dispassionately.

After a long moment, Zarall finally turned to Dex and Zanner and quietly said, "Apologies. We seldom visit this realm. Unaccustomed to speaking with monkeys... Apologies again. I have heard that your people are sensitive. Don't like to be reminded..."

"It's fine. Some of us are more sensitive than others." Zanner assured him.

Zarall seemed to accept him at his word, then looked to Reaper for further instructions.

"Zanner, whenever you're ready, we may begin." Reaper said serenely.

"For real this time?" Zanner asked cautiously.

"Yes. Proceed as you will."

"Are you ready for this?" Zanner asked Dex cautiously.

"I'm an Oriad. This is what I exist for." Dex said simply.

"That may be part of what you are, but it isn't all of it." Zanner said firmly.

"I wasn't saying it like it's a bad thing. I like having a reason for being." Dex said honestly.

"I'd kinda like it if you had more than one... I mean, it'd be cool if after this was all over we could hang out and stuff." Zanner said awkwardly.

"I guess that gives us another reason to survive." Dex said with a grin.

"Since when do you joke around when things are serious?" Zanner asked with exaggerated surprise.

"Since I learned it from a friend." Dex responded timidly.

"Were you going to perform the assembly spell or engage in courting rituals?" Reaper asked facetiously.

"Well... I guess, since we're here... we might as well." Zanner said with an increasing grin.

"I'm solidly connected to the earth. Whenever you're ready." Dex said confidently.

"I summon the magic of the earth to rise up and do my bidding. Bend to my will..."

* * * * *

"You're trying to stir up the magic of wind, not the actual wind." Milo said firmly.

"Bitch, bitch, bitch. Just let me do my job and be ready to pop the top off this thing when the time comes." G said sourly.

"Yes. But before I do that, do you think you can call up the magic without making it quite so windy?" Milo asked hopefully.

"I'll see what I can do." G reluctantly granted.

A loud growl from the doorway drew a sliver of G's attention and he glanced that way.

"Okay. I'm sorry, Rhuru-wra. I didn't mean to mess up your hair." G said as he fought to keep his increasing magical output completely under his control.

"How are you doing G? Is it too much for you?" Milo asked with concern.

"This is barely the beginning. If you're worried at this stage of things, you're going to be a wreck before we cross the finish line."

"I'm just asking because of your apparent lack of control." Milo said seriously.

"Um, yeah. Why don't you try to control the wind and see how much luck you have." G suggested.

"So you don't have any control over it?" Milo asked anxiously.

"Now you ask..." G muttered, then slowly explained, "I have complete and absolute control over the wind that is part of my spell. What I don't have control over is the magical essence of the Mikael Spear. It does whatever it wants to do. If I try to exert too much control over it, the thing will just get constipated or something like that and refuse to channel any magic at all."

"Well, we can't have that..." Milo began to say.

"Not if we're still planning on accessing the mega magic stored in the vinculum." G immediately added.

After a moment to examine G's serious expression, Milo quietly said, "Now I understand. I won't assume that any stray breezes are evidence of your lack of control."

"Good..." G began to say when Mah Zah loosed a growley little hiss.

G seemed to consider for a moment, then said, "Yeah. Go ahead."

Everyone watched as the dragon-lizard demon launched herself off G's shoulder and into the air.

"Rhuru-wra, Mah Zah said that she's going to cast a spell around you to obstruct the wind. She's not putting the spell 'on' you, but it will follow you around and keep your hair from blowing like crazy for the next few hours." G carefully explained.

Rhuru-wra let loose a lusty growl, and although G couldn't directly translate the meaning, he couldn't miss the passion behind it.

"He says 'thanks' and that he really appreciates it." Agent Fastbeck translated.

"Are we ready to kick this thing into gear?" G asked as he kept the majority of his concentration on building his magic.

"I believe so. Ud-wra and Rur-wra are back. Did you need for them to come inside for anything?" Agent Fastbeck asked cautiously.

"No, but if Obby is with them, I'd like for him to come in here to stand with me." Milo said slowly as he kept the majority of his attention on G's progress.

"Obby? Milo wants you. He's inside." Agent Fastbeck called through the archway.

A moment later, the three dimensional humanoid shadow hurried into the room, directly to Milo.

"Did you have a good time visiting the Wudewas village?" Milo asked warmly.

Obby seemed to be animatedly explaining something, although no one could hear anything but the wind rushing through the mossy stone pillars of the Southseid incarnation of the vinculum chamber.

Milo smiled and slightly chuckled before saying, "I'm glad that you had the chance to make some new friends."

Obby slowly, but very deliberately, moved in and gave Milo a firm hug.

"I'm going to be tied up with a fairly complex spellcasting for the next few hours. I was wondering if you'd like to help me while I'm doing that." Milo asked cautiously.

Obby pulled out of the hug and seemed, by his posture, to be surprised.

"I'm probably going to be mentally tied into what's going on and unable to do much to care for myself. I was just wondering if you would watch after my body if I seem to lose the ability to do so." Milo asked carefully.

Obby moved in and hugged Milo again, this time more assertively.

Milo laughed with delight, then said, "I'll take that as a 'yes'."

Obby stood back and appeared to be awaiting his instructions.

"I can't tell you exactly what I'm going to need you to do, because I don't know. If I did know, I could just instruct my choir in advance."

Obby gave a visible nod to indicate his understanding.

"Basically, just watch after me. Make sure that if I'm sitting or lying, that I'm in a comfortable position... things like that." Milo said frankly.

Obby reached one of his semi-transparent hands up to cup Milo's cheek for a moment, simply to demonstrate his affection.

"Thank you, Obby. I'm glad you're here." Milo said as he placed his hand over Obby's for a brief moment.

"Um, guys... I'm about to hit the next level here. You might want to be prepared." G called out over a rushing wind.

"Don't worry. We're ready." Milo assured him confidently.

* * * * *

"Do you need for us to do anything?"

The sound drew Paul's attention and he turned to see Ares, Dark, Olive and Jazz, standing in the archway, wanting nothing more than to help in some way.

"Just make sure that your people are prepared. If everyone works together, you'll be holding the magic that we'll be using to keep your people safe for years to come." Paul said carefully.

"Yeah. I kinda knew that. But what I was really asking was if there's anything 'real' that we can do 'right now' that will help or make any kind of difference. We can be as patient as we need to be, but that's only after we've done all that needs doing." Ares fought to explain.

"Okay. I guess there is one more thing that you could do." Paul said thoughtfully.

Those at the archway were standing in a row and waiting with anticipation for his next words.

"Magic is magic. There's not really 'good' or 'evil' per se, although it can be derived from celestial or infernal sources... that doesn't matter for what we're doing. What I'm trying to say is that it's possible to 'flavor' the magic with venomous hatred or good intentions. The more uniform the 'flavor' the more easily the magic can be used."

Paul could tell that the witches in the archway were about to lose patience with his explanation.

"It might help if you went out and 'coached' some of the people who will be holding the magic for us. Try to keep them united in their vision of concern for their community and loved ones." Paul explained.

"And this will help?" Olive asked cautiously.

"It won't hurt." Paul said automatically, then explained, "I can't promise that it'll make a big difference, but there is a chance that it might."

"If it's a question of doing something or doing nothing, I think I know what I'd rather do." Jazz announced from Olive's side.

"But don't you need us here to serve as a retention pond?" Dark cautiously asked.

"I'm going to need Ares here to serve as a focal point. And the more that I think of it, having a few of you here to stand guard sounds like a good idea. But as long as the rest of you remain within the confines of Brynnhollow, you should be able to serve your purpose just as well as if you were physically here." Paul carefully explained.

"But you want for us to make sure that people are happy... right?" Jazz asked uncertainly.

"They don't have to be happy. But it'd be nice if they were proud of doing the right things to help their friends, families and neighbors. If nothing else, they can hold onto the fact that by participating in what we're doing here today, they will be helping to insure that there will be future generations."

"Paul. A moment of your time, if you please." Mr. Bentley Brown hesitantly interrupted.

"Yeah. What's up?" Paul asked as he reoriented his awareness.

Mr. Bentley Brown looked at him impassively for a moment, allowing him to get his bearings.

"Dex is up and running." Paul said slowly, then quickly added, "Looks like G is kicking up some dust!"

"Then does that mean that you're about ready to release the stored magic?" D asked cautiously.

"We're one step closer. Right this minute, everything is hanging on Mr. Bentley Brown." Paul said simply, then added, "I held the Third Grail. I have an idea of how much skill and force of will it takes to wield that power. Mr. Bentley Brown is the right person to do this job."

"Thank you Paul, but you don't have to say that." Mr. Bentley Brown said humbly.

"You're a member of this team. The rest of the team needs to know that you're doing a real job and playing a real part in the spell. They need to know that the job you're doing is hard and needs a powerful and skilled witch to do it. You're not just some bozo who got recruited because you happened to be there."

"The water within calls the water without. Like summons like and will calls to will." Mr. Bentley Brown said very precisely.

"You're probably right." Paul said with a smile at his response, or lack thereof, then continued, "There's a time to talk about it and a time to do it."

Paul took a moment to assess his situation and that of those around him before calmly intoning, "Essence of water, leave salts and sediments behind and join with air. Essence of air, renew and restore through the filter of earth. Essence of earth, yield that which has been purified, the precious water. I beseech."

* * * * *

"Um... is this supposed to happen?" Zanner asked uncertainly.

"I don't know. I've never heard of it happening before." Dex whispered in response.

"Wait. Can you feel that? We're not really here. This is some kind of a magical construct." Zanner said slowly, then asked, "G? Are you doing this?"

"No. It's not me. But you're right. We're not really here. I can taste the sorcery at work. Whatever this is, it's old magic. This spell was originally cast aeons ago." G carefully explained.

"The spell resides within the chalice." Mr. Bentley Brown said as he materialized in their dream-space.

"Are you doing this to us?" Zanner asked with a tinge of fear running through his essence.

"No. The chalice is doing this all on its own. This feature of the chalice gives us the ability to synchronize our efforts more effectively." Mr. Bentley Brown carefully explained.

"So, if I'm getting this right, we're still each back where we were before, but our consciousness is here... how does that help us?" G asked cautiously.

"Time moves differently here. This place exists at the speed of thought. While we're here, we can plot and plan. We can consider alternatives and work collectively to come to the best decisions for us all. When we return, only a fraction of a second will have passed."

"So time crawls just like in augury class." Zanner muttered.

"I can see why Paul likes you." G said with a grin at Zanner, then turned to Mr. Bentley Brown and asked, "So how do we use it?"

"At the beginning of each stage, we will be drawn back here to compare our experiences and plan for what we're going to do next." Mr. Bentley Brown carefully explained.

"But what about the sorcery spell? How did that happen? I've never heard anything about a spell like this being on an ancient relic." G asked cautiously.

"Yes. About that." Mr. Bentley Brown said reluctantly, "This feature of the chalice isn't commonly known. In fact, if I hadn't been asked to take up the chalice, you likely never would have found out about it. I very nearly told Paul and his team about the spell, but fortunately I was able to resist the urge."

"So this isn't something that always happens in an Assembly of the Magi?" Zanner asked cautiously.

"No. This feature of the chalice was included to aid the holders of artifacts and wielders of pure elemental magics. I would appreciate it very much if you wouldn't announce the existence of it. The Third Grail might be neutralized or otherwise destroyed in an effort to excise the sorcery from the artifact."

"Yeah. I can see people wanting to have access to a real-life chatroom." G said honestly.

"So what do we need to do now?" Zanner asked curiously.

"Unless I am mistaken, all of us are currently working to empower our Magi. We're pulling up the elemental essence to give them enough power to unlock the magic stored in the vinculum." Mr. Bentley Brown said carefully.

"Yeah. But do you have any idea of what's going to happen after that? I don't think anyone's said." Zanner asked cautiously.

"What happens next isn't of interest to anyone but us." Mr. Bentley Brown said seriously.

"What's that?" G cautiously prompted.

"Once we've reached peak magic and given our respective Magi the ability to release the magic stored in the vinculum, then we have to maintain the flow of elemental magic to keep the channel open for them. From that point on, our Magi will be doing all the noticeable work, but all of us will have to fight to maintain the level of elemental magic to support them. If any of us fail..." Mr. Bentley Brown trailed off, to highlight the severity of the sentiment.

"...we all do." Zanner dutifully supplied.

Chapter 7

"What are you doing?" Reaper asked cautiously.

"You wanted earth magic, you're going to get it. Brace yourself. Here it comes."

"Seriously. You'd better get ready. It'll be coming your way any second." Dex added in a warning tone.

The low rumbling sound was deep and distant at first, but rose up and permeated each of them, deep in their bones.

"Must leave to safety!" Zarall screeched.

"Stay where you are! Things are moving faster than planned and I may need for you to be here to accept the released magic of the vinculum." Reaper said sternly.

"Too much! Too much!" Zarall and Jael both chirped.

"Shut up! You'll do it because you have no other choice! I will release the magic to you. Whether you make use of it or are washed away by it will be up to you!" Reaper barked.

"The magma rises. The mantle... splits..." Zanner said past clenched teeth.

"Guys! You'd better do whatever you're going to do. He's about to hit the next level... You might want to hold on to something!" Dex suddenly exclaimed.

Reaper flexed all his arms and seemed to grow another foot taller. His corpse-like face took on a less 'dead' appearance, but he somehow seemed even more frightening.

"Mountains rise. Mountains fall, churning, growing, ever changing..." Zanner said distantly, somewhere between spellcasting and a bizarre stream of consciousness.

"Watch out! He's going deep. You'd better hang on!" Dex screamed as he crouched in place to maintain his balance.

The entire room was shaking and rumbling from the sounds of destruction all around them.

"Not safe! Must leave!" Zarall demanded.

"You're immortal! If you get hurt, you'll heal. Don't be such a baby!" Reaper scowled at them, then suddenly fell silent.

Reaper's eyes went wide as an abrupt wave of magical energy impacted him.

The force of it was so great that it was almost visible to the naked eye.

"We should go before he recovers." Jael whispered as it began to back away.

"No. Child of Sword is correct. We stay. We do this." Zarall said firmly.

"That's it." Zanner said in a strangely calm voice.

"That's what?" Dex asked cautiously as he looked around uncertainly.

"That's the level of power that Reaper's going to need me to keep up for him. I just have to hold it here." Zanner said carefully.

"For how long?" Dex asked anxiously, already knowing the answer.

"For as long as it takes." Zanner said simply, just to confirm that they both understood the situation.

"Administering the magic of the earth, I summon that which is stored herein to restore the sanctuary of the Nephilim." Reaper muttered in a nearly trance-like voice. "Father, guide my hand, may it be steady and true as I cast. Father, guide my heart, may my motive be pure and benevolent toward those I affect. Father, guide my thought, lead me to see truth of what my actions cause to be. Father, give me strength, that I may complete my task. I ask not only as your child, but also as Melchior, the Magi of Arcane Knowledge. I entreat you to let it be so."

Dex noticed the cherubim fearfully watching the spectacle.

"Nothing's probably going to happen for a while. The magic won't really take hold until the other two Magi have cast their spells." Dex told them quietly.

"Yes. Is good. We prepare. Much to do." Zarall said determinedly.

Dex smiled at the response, then turned his concerned gaze on Zanner, who was struggling to keep his magical flow constant.

* * * * *

"I can't breathe!" Filipe suddenly gasped.

"Don't panic. The feeling will soon pass. This is simply a manifestation of G assuming control of his natural element." Professor Everstone calmly explained.

"Does that mean that G could take control of our air and suffocate us whenever he wants?" Filipe asked slowly, as he caught his breath.

"Yes. He could do so on a whim at any time, with only the slightest thought." Professor Everstone confirmed.

"One should always show respect for their fellow witches, but that much more for witches who have mastered the pure elements." Dr. Williams quietly added.

"The power he's whipping up is massive." Filipe said in a small voice.

"It has to be for the job that he's been called upon to do." Professor Everstone said simply.

"Milo. You ready for this?" G asked with strain in his voice.

"Yes. I'll be ready whenever you are." Milo said calmly.

"Well, you asked for it!" G called out with almost maniacal delight as he released the magic of the air element.

"Brace yourselves!" Professor Everstone automatically warned.

There was a moment of stillness and silence.

Just as suddenly as the wind had stopped, it began again, only this time in reverse.

Although the blowing of the wind had been uncomfortable before, the vacuuming sensation of being pulled toward the Mikael Spear inspired an entirely different range of emotions.

"Yes. That's enough! Hold it right there!" Milo abruptly called out.

"You got it! This isn't too bad. Do what you need to do and I'll keep it going." G said confidently.

"That's a LOT of magic. Do you need for me to do something to help?" Filipe asked cautiously.

"Just be as prepared as you can for when you have to cast the barrier. What G is giving me is a drop in the bucket compared to what I will soon be releasing." Milo said carefully.

"Do you have any estimate of when you will be ready to release the stored magic?" Professor Everstone asked cautiously.

"I know what the next step is, but there's no way to estimate a timetable. Each stage will naturally occur as a result of what happens before it. When all three Magi have cast their spells, the next stage will begin, but I have no way of knowing when that will be or how long that next stage will take." Milo explained.

"I'm not familiar with this part of the process. What needs to be done next?" Professor Everstone asked cautiously.

"When I feel it is right to do so, I will cast the spell to break the seal on the vinculum." Milo said, even more slowly.

"Do you have any idea of how long it will be before you're ready to do that?" Professor Everstone asked in a leading tone.

"Yes. The time is now." Milo said simply.

There was a long moment that would have been silence except for the sound of the wind stirring and rushing around them.

"Administering the magic of the air and the aether, I summon that which is stored herein to restore the sanctuary of the Wudewas." Milo said in a strong clear voice. "Father, perfect my aim, let me change only that which will benefit. Father, guide my spirit, let it soar with rapturous freedom. Father, guide my wisdom that I may remember lessons learned. Father, lend me power enough to protect my chosen charges. I ask not only as your child, but also as Gaspar, the Magi of Volition. I entreat you, let it be so."

"Is this like when you call on Cernunnos? Or are you calling on your actual father?" Filipe asked cautiously.

"It's better that you don't interrupt him at this stage of things." Dr. Williams said quietly.

"But nothing's happening." Filipe cautiously responded, trying to identify what he was missing about the situation.

"There may be nothing happening right this moment, but when the third Magi completes his spell... we need to be prepared." Dr. Williams said anxiously.

"How bad is it going to be?" Filipe asked cautiously.

"There's no possibility that we would survive if we were hit with the full force of the magical tsunami that will be turned loose. With the way we're planning on spreading the magic over a great number of people... I won't lie. It's going to be tough. But I agree with Professor Everstone. We should be able to manage it." Dr. Williams said frankly.

"And if we can't." Filipe asked cautiously.

"Then, most likely, some people will die."

"Like the Wudewas?" Filipe asked anxiously.

"The Wudewas, the Nephilim, the Brynns, maybe even some of the people of Waxell. It's all so interdependent, if one were to fail, the others might come tumbling down like dominos all in a row. In theory, the chain reaction could destroy everyone within the area."

"How can we keep that from happening?" Filipe asked quietly.

"Be prepared. When the time comes, stand up and cast your spell, knowing that by using our combined powers, we'll be able to remake the Wudewas barrier to protect them for generations to come." Dr. Williams said firmly.

"How do I prepare?" Filipe asked cautiously.

"Come. The three of us will go through the entire barrier spell again. We must get to the point where we will all be able to cast it, no matter how overwhelmed we are by the magic."

"How are you doing, G?" Milo asked as he maintained his concentration on his spell.

"Holding steady. Just waiting on you." G said frankly.

"My part is done. Now we're waiting on the others."

* * * * *

"This is good." D muttered as he watched his son's spellcasting.

"That's the weaving of the spells together, isn't it?" Corabeth slowly asked.

"Yes. Since the spells are based in three elements, that's the best way to combine them." Miss Oaken said instructively.

"So now Paul has to cast his 'water' version of the release spell... right?" Corabeth asked cautiously.

"Yes. At least, that's my understanding of it. To be honest, I've never really had a reason to study about things like this, so I mostly just know the theory behind it all." Miss Oaken said frankly.

There was a long moment of silence, until Corabeth quietly asked, "Is he welling the magic building up to a release?"

"No. The release requires a steady flow... I don't know what he's waiting for." Miss Oaken reluctantly admitted.

"I'm trying to figure out the next spell." Paul said in response to her statement.

"I wasn't trying to rush you. Take all the time that you need." Miss Oaken said hurriedly.

"It's nothing like that." Paul said distractedly, then explained, "As a demon, I have a natural... or supernatural... knowledge of certain spells. So I know what the next spell's supposed to be. The problem is, I can't cast that spell the way that it's written. It would go against what I believe is good and right. But if I change the spell so that I can cast it with a clear conscience, I can't be sure that it's going to work with the other Magi spells."

"Spells will come and go, but no matter what, you have to live with yourself." D told his son solemnly.

"Thanks Dad. That's all I needed to hear." Paul said with a loving grin at his father.

"Administering the magic of water, I summon that which is stored herein to restore the sanctuary of the cursed bloodline. Father of my heart, guide my hand, may it be flawless in precision. Father of my blood, guide my heart, that I may have the will to overcome. Father of my heart, guide my mind to be clear and focused. Father of my blood, give me strength to meet the need. I ask not only as your child, but also as Balthasar, the Magi of Composition. I entreat you to let it be so." Paul called to the distant heavens, with his true emotion carrying through his words.

The words lingered in the air for a moment, somewhere between an echo and a magical chime.

"I don't get what you just did, but I can believe that it wasn't the way it was originally written." Corabeth finally said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah. Once I got started, the words kinda just came out on their own."

"Did it do something or did you kill the spell?"

"I think something happened, I'm just not sure if it's something good." Paul said hesitantly.

"What do you mean?" Corabeth asked cautiously.

"Look outside."

* * * * *

"What just happened?" Dex suddenly asked.

"What do you mean?" Zanner asked slowly.

"My connection to the earth, it's changed." Dex said seriously.

"Um, I think there's a really good reason for that." Zanner said hesitantly.

"What's that?" Dex asked as he fought to strengthen his bond with the earth.

"Dorothy, we're not in Kansas anymore." Zanner said weakly as he pointed at the view through the stone archway.

After a long moment of staring, Dex whispered, "We're not in Kansas, we're not even on earth anymore."

"Where is this place?" Zanner asked as he looked in wonder at the bizarrely colored abstract landscape.

"In some sense, you could say that this isn't anyplace. It doesn't entirely exist. But from what I've been told, some of your people have referred to it as Bifrost, the rainbow bridge." Reaper said informatively.

"But where are we?" Zanner demanded to know.

"It appears that rather than calling additional power into my spell, I somehow transported us to the place where I can ask for the power in person." Reaper said slowly.

"We should not be here. We were not summoned." Zarall said firmly.

"What are you saying? Does that mean that we're about to meet your dad?" Zanner asked cautiously.

"Yes. That is, if he chooses to answer the summons I inadvertently made, that is exactly what it means."

"Is it okay if we meet your dad? I mean, are you going to be ashamed of us or anything like that?"

"No. Of course not. The thing is, angels have a strict social hierarchy and are ranked into choirs by their level of celestial power. Humans and witches don't even exist in their ranking system, so I can't predict how he will react to you... if at all." Reaper said carefully.

"If they don't think of humans as people, then how did the Nephilim even happen?"

"That was a long time ago. A group of angels was sent to a foreign realm to 'civilize' the natives, you know, to get their civilization going in the right direction. Apparently, things didn't end up going as planned and the angels ended up staying longer than expected. Over time, they took lovers and wives from among the mortal women."

"Yeah. I kinda knew that, but I guess what I wanted to know is that if angels look at humans and witches as being lesser creatures... I mean, was it like they fell in love or was it just..." Zanner trailed off uncomfortably.

"...a booty call." Dex timidly added to clarify.

"I wasn't there, so I can only speculate. And even so, it's not my place to judge the motives of angels. We have different lives and follow different rules."

"I don't know. I mean, big strong angel, stupid weak human... it sounds kinda rapey to me." Zanner said frankly.

"It might be best if you weren't to say such things in front of my father." Reaper cautioned.

"Yeah. If you're the 'Child of Sword', that'd make your dad 'Sword'. Just from the name, I don't think I want to piss him off." Zanner said honestly.

* * * * *

"What did you just do?" Filipe asked as he looked around in panic.

"It wasn't me!" G immediately defended.

"I don't think it was any of us." Milo said uncertainly.

"This place, it isn't a place at all." Dr. Williams said cautiously as he looked out the archway at a waist deep dense fog which seemed to go on forever. The white fog was clearly visible, although there was no source of illumination in evidence. Beyond that, there was deep, all-consuming, infinite blackness.

"This is the netherland between the human world and the faerie kingdoms." Milo confirmed.

"How did we imbalance the spell to the degree to bring us here?" Professor Everstone slowly puzzled aloud.

"This room, this vinculum that we're in, was designed to exist outside normal space, so it probably wouldn't be all that difficult to dislodge it... I mean, compared to dislodging any other location from normal time/space." Dr. Williams said speculatively.

"I don't think we did this. I think it was either Reaper or Paul." Milo said slowly.

"Why do you believe that, if I may ask?" Professor Everstone asked cautiously.

"G and I did our parts of the spell flawlessly. There wasn't the slightest fluctuation. Whatever happened here doesn't have anything to do with what we were doing. I'm certain of it." Milo stated emphatically.

"He's right. This isn't us." G confirmed.

"That being the case, there is likely little that we can do to remedy this situation." Professor Everstone said thoughtfully.

"Yeah. In fact, unless you know of something that we can do that might help Paul or Reaper fix it, we should probably do our best to keep our hands off of things. Pretty much anything we do could make it harder for them to sort this out." G said thoughtfully.

"Yes. We will refrain from taking any action unless we can be assured that it will not adversely impact the efforts of others to restore us to our own realm." Professor Everstone agreed.

"What's a matter, Obby?" Filipe asked, noticing the shadow's stooped posture.

"He's missing Shawn." Milo said simply.

"Is being apart from Agent Roberts for so long hurting him?" Filipe asked with concern.

"Only emotionally. Obby's his own independent being now. He doesn't ever have to go back to Shawn if he doesn't want to. But they've been together ever since the first time light fell on Shawn and cast a shadow. Obby left on an adventure for a while, but now he's feeling the absence of what's familiar to him." Milo explained.

"Rhuru-wra wants to know how long it's going to take to get us back to his father and brother." Agent Fastbeck asked professionally.

"At this point, it's out of our hands. As soon as we can do something to help rectify the situation, we will." Professor Everstone said helplessly.

The attention of those around the room were drawn to Mah Zah's growling.

When G noticed everyone looking at them curiously, he said, "Mah Zah just wanted me to know that she has a lot of knowledge and experience when it comes to establishing interdimensional gates. If you end up having to do any kind of magic to get us out of here, she'll be willing to help."

"My own knowledge of the subject isn't quite what it should be, so the inclusion of someone with more recent experience will be a welcomed addition." Professor Everstone said seriously.

G smiled at the words, then told Mah Zah, "If we have to try and fix this ourselves, he'll consult you."

* * * * *

"Paul, we've never really talked about the whole demon thing before..." Corabeth said as she kept the majority of her attention focused outside the archway, "...but now that you've sent us to HELL, I think maybe it's time that we discussed some boundaries."

"I didn't mean... I don't know how I did this." Paul stammered.

"I think the most logical place to look would be at the last spell that you cast. I think that it has the most potential to be the cause of our current situation." D said reasonably.

"Um, yeah. But all I did is change the call to the father. The way the spell was written before, I was calling through my blood to my ancestors, for magic and control to aid my spell. I just thought that rather than do that, I could split the call between you and my biological father. I just wanted for you to be included... I didn't think it would cause something like this." Paul scrambled to explain.

"I think I see the problem. You basically summoned your father with your blood and me with your words. By splitting the call the way that you did, you sort of 'lassoed' us both and pulled us toward you. In doing so, you brought me toward him and him toward me. As a result, the spell reacted with the dimensionally unstable vinculum chamber and threw us out of our own time/space to a place where we are nearest your father." D carefully explained.

"So how can we undo it?" Paul asked cautiously.

"I can think of two ways. The first is rather complicated and time consuming. I don't know if you've covered how to 'dismantle' a spell in your classes yet."

"Yeah. We've done it in basic magic, but not that much. Even undoing a little spell can take hours." Paul said reluctantly.

"That's right. We would have to unweave the spell, bit by bit, strand by strand, until the magic was completely undone." D agreed.

"What's the other way?" Paul asked cautiously.

"Complete the execution of the initial spell. Once your magical goal has been achieved, the spell will be concluded and we might even go back to our own time/space without having to do anything extra." D finished with an expectant smile.

"Maybe I'm just being stupid, but what does that mean? How do I complete the execution of the spell?" Paul asked slowly.

"What was the spell supposed to do?" D slowly prompted.

"Request power from my ancestors to aid in my spell." Paul cautiously responded.

"Complete the request and the spell should be ended." D said simply.

"Complete my request? How? I already asked. What more is there for me to do?" Paul asked anxiously.

"Receive your answer." D answered simply.

"How?"

"Ginh Zah? Can you get a message to Paul's father from here?" D asked seriously.

The little demon gave a quick sharp hiss in response.

"Would you please tell him that Paul's here and would like to ask for his help with a project?" D asked calmly and seriously.

Ginh Zah gave another quick hiss, then looked at Paul inquiringly.

"Go ahead." Paul said anxiously.

Without further bidding, Ginh Zah took flight and flew out the archway toward the nightmarish hellscape on the horizon.

"It's going to be okay." D said as he collected his son into a hug.

"Do you need for me to keep the magical flow going?" Mr. Bentley Brown asked from nearby, then quickly added, "I'm not complaining. I just don't want to keep going if it's pointless."

"From my understanding of what's going on, just as soon as Paul receives an answer from his biological father, all three of the spells to open the vinculum storage are going to open at once. All the elemental magic users will need to be at full power when that happens." D carefully explained.

"Thank you. I understand. I'll keep going." Mr. Bentley Brown said simply.

"I'm sorry if I wasn't very welcoming when you arrived. You're being a great help and we all appreciate it." D said quietly.

"I was due for a vacation and already had my plane tickets and everything when this came up. I might have been a tad bitter about being unexpectedly called in on this job." Mr. Bentley Brown timidly admitted.

"Well, hopefully you'll get to have an even better vacation after going through all of this." D said with a smile.

"The funny thing is, I was going to go to Hawaii to, among other things, go sightseeing at the volcanoes. I have a feeling that the whole thing would be an empty experience after seeing this." Mr. Bentley Brown said as he looked out the archway at the expansive hellscape before them.

"I can't disagree with you there." D said with a smile, then turned suddenly when he noticed a movement in the distance.

* * * * *

"What do we do now?" Dex asked uncertainly.

"Yeah. Are you going to go and see your dad or what?" Zanner asked cautiously.

"Father will do as he will. I would not be so presumptuous as to arrive at his home without invitation."

"Then, are you going to invite him to come here?" Dex asked curiously.

"It would be improper. It is not my place to establish contact with him." Reaper said slowly.

"How do you people get anything done? It's a wonder that you were ever born if you can't visit and can't ask him to visit... how did your parents ever even get together?" Zanner asked belligerently.

"My mother was a bit... unorthodox. She was one who would pursue her desire despite propriety or the lack thereof."

"Do you think that your dad liked that about her?" Dex asked curiously.

"I believe he did. It was one of her more endearing qualities." Reaper said with a slight smile.

"Then maybe your dad wouldn't be too mad if you were like your mom that way."

"Perhaps. Even so, he would be required to respond to the breach of protocol despite his own feelings in the matter." Reaper said regretfully.

"Your family is really fucked up." Zanner said sourly.

Dex looked at him with surprise at the obscenity.

"Well, it is." Zanner said in his defense.

* * * * *

"Something's coming." Filipe said in a warning tone.

"What was that?" Professor Everstone asked cautiously.

"Out there, I can see the magic. It's glowing... well, not literally, but in the same way that I can see inside of spells." Filipe explained with difficulty.

"What do you think it is?" Agent Fastbeck asked as he moved nearer to where Professor Everstone, Dr. Williams and Filipe had gathered to work on the Southseid barrier spell.

"So far as I know, nothing lives in the netherworld between realms." Dr. Williams said thoughtfully.

"That might suggest that whatever or whoever that is might be here as a result of our presence." Professor Everstone said cautiously.

Rhuru-wra bleated a warbling whine in the tone of a question.

"He wants to know what he should do if we have to fight." Agent Fastbeck translated.

"Hold on! You're not going to have to do that." Milo assured them, then quietly added, "I recognize the magic that's approaching. It's my father."

"Oh... Okay. Um, so he's coming here... because you're here?" Filipe asked cautiously.

"Yes. Just the same way that I can sense him, he can sense me here." Milo said quietly.

"Is there anything we should do... or not do around your dad?" G asked somewhat distantly, obviously keeping the majority of his focus on the magic of the spear.

"No. Dad's great. I know he'll love all of you. In fact, if I were going to guess, I'd bet that he's probably going to want one or two of you to go back with him when we have to leave. He just loves meeting new people." Milo said with a tender smile at the thought of his father.

"I guess that's good because he's here."

* * * * *

Paul turned suddenly to look outside as Xaphan, Frederick and Nomia went on alert.

"What is it?" D asked when he noticed their simultaneous reactions.

"Everyone... I don't know if you can feel it, but there's a really REALLY big concentration of infernal magic headed straight for us. If you have any kind of defenses you'd like to throw up, now would be a really good time to get them up and running." Paul said warily.

As D quickly worked a shielding spell for himself, he noticed that Paul's demons had arranged themselves in a row to protect him as well as Paul.

A booming laugh rattled the foundation of the stone pillar room as a sudden ball of flame erupted out of nothing.

Just as suddenly as it had appeared, it was gone, leaving an incredibly handsome young man in its wake.

Before anyone could react, Ginh Zah flew into the room through the archway and came to rest on Paul's shoulder.

"Ginh Zah said that you needed my help... but before we get to that, come over here. Let me have a look at you." The man said warmly.

"Are you my father?" Paul asked uncertainly.

"From what Ginh Zah told me, there isn't any doubt. I hear that you take after me quite a bit."

"I... um, I'm doing a spell right now. I have to keep it going or it's going to cause problems." Paul stammered.

Paul's father laughed with delight, then said, "I know. I can see your magic at work. If you lose concentration you'll dislodge three pockets of space/time. Ginh Zah said that you were powerful, but juggling three space/time pockets would be a bit much, even for me."

"It's not just me, I'm taking part in the Assembly of the Magi..."

"Are you Balthasar?"

"Yes. How did you know?" Paul asked curiously.

"That's my boy! The Magi of Creation and Destruction, that's what any demon worth his salt should strive to be."

Paul was surprised to find that the praises from the man who claimed to be his father actually did mean something to him.

"Come here, I need to tell you something." The man said warmly.

"Yeah, um, before I do that, you should know that I have the ability to see spells like you do, and thanks to my brother, I've become accustomed to seeing through sorcery and illusions. I know what you're showing me isn't real.

"I can understand why you wouldn't want to, but before we go too far, I'd like to see what you really look like at least once, so I can better understand who you really are and where I come from."

"I understand. But before I do this, it's important for you to know that your mother never saw my true form. She only ever saw me this way."

"I doubt that I would have thought about that, but I'll keep it in mind."

"I hope you're not too disappointed." Paul's father said as he looked into his son's eyes for a long moment.

Paul gave a slight nod of assurance, then watched as his biological father began to slowly shrink.

It wasn't a dramatic change, but the difference was notable. The man was now about a head shorter than he had been. His cheeks seem to have become a bit fuller and his eyes appeared to be a bit larger.

All in all, the man now looked like a relatively normal twelve or thirteen year old boy. He did look a bit paler than was normal, his lips were a bit redder, his hair seemed to be slightly slicked down, but none of that was so dramatic that it looked in any way 'inhuman' or 'demonic', perhaps just a tiny bit odd.

"This is your 'true' form?" Paul asked cautiously.

"This is my waking form. I have a more traditional demonic form when I'm angry or performing strong magic."

"I guess I get that from you." Paul said as he gave the internal push to go back to his 'human' appearance.

"Come here." The boyish version of his father said as he opened his arms.

Paul moved forward and was pulled into an enthusiastic hug.

As they were hugging, Paul's father quietly said something into his ear very slowly and clearly.

"What's that?" Paul asked cautiously.

"My true name. I'm sure you understand how powerful it is to know that about me."

"Yeah. I'll be sure not to abuse it." Paul promised.

"I can feel the magic slipping away, and we still have to complete the job that you called me here for. Tell me about you. Tell me something about your life, before we lose the chance."

"If we only have a little time, I'll tell you about what's most important. Father, I'd like for you to meet my dad. His name is D."

"Is this some sort of honorary title, or was Beth able to move on with her life?" Paul's father asked curiously.

"Beth and I were married last year. We have a daughter together." D announced.

"Good for her. Our relationship put her in an unfortunate position. I'm glad to hear that she's doing well."

"For some reason I thought that a demon would be more bitter and resentful in a situation like this." D said frankly.

"I suppose it all depends on how you look at things. I mean, while I don't like the way that things turned out with Beth and all that I'm sure she had to go through, Paul is the result so I can't say that I regret the relationship."

D smiled at Paul, then said, "Yes. That makes perfect sense to me."

"Well then, since we seem to be 'of a mind' about things. What do you say we get to work getting everyone back to their proper realm?"

Paul looked from his father to his dad and couldn't help but smile at the feeling of utter contentment.

Chapter 8

"Um... I don't know if you've thought about this, but what is Mr. Hansen going to find when he gets back to the Vinculum chamber?" Filipe cautiously asked.

"Have you ever heard tales of an entire village that fell asleep following some catastrophic magical event?" Reaper asked slowly.

"Yeah. I've heard a few stories like that." Dex reluctantly admitted.

"Are you saying that Mr. Hansen and Mr. Couleigh are asleep?" Zanner asked anxiously.

"Frozen might be more accurate. Frozen in time that is." Reaper said slowly.

"Why?" Zanner asked seriously, willing to accept Reaper's assessment of the situation.

"When there's an unintentional breach of dimensions, the area typically freezes and remains frozen until someone can repair the dimensional instability that caused it."

"And you think that's what just happened?" Dex asked cautiously.

"To my knowledge, no one was intending to perform any extradimensional manipulations. A general summons for additional magic shouldn't have done anything like that."

"Does that mean that everyone could be frozen, waiting for a hundred years?" Zanner slowly asked.

"Waiting for true love's kiss?" Reaper suggested with an amused smile, then explained, "No. Probably not. Most likely either Milo or Paul is going to need to find a way to alter their spell in a way to allow it to complete, or dismantle the spell to the point that time unfreezes."

"But dismantling a spell this big and powerful could take... I don't even know how long. Months?" Zanner guessed.

"To dismantle it completely, yes. But to tear it down just enough to stop the freeze should be possible in a matter of weeks." Reaper said speculatively.

"Well, I guess if time's frozen, that'll only be a problem for us." Zanner reasoned.

"You misunderstand. Only those impacted by the spell who are inside the spell diagram will be frozen. The rest of the world will carry on, oblivious to our plight." Reaper said as he glanced at the psychedelic landscape outside the archway.

"So what can we do to help Milo and Paul fix this mess?" Dex asked cautiously.

Zanner smiled at his question and looked to Reaper expectantly.

"All that I can do is reiterate my request for my father's aid. Once he responds, that will be all that any of us can do until the spell on us is completed or broken." Reaper calmly explained.

"When you ask your dad, do you think he'll really come here?" Zanner asked cautiously.

"No. If he were so inclined, I am certain he would have arrived before now. He would have sensed it as soon as my magic entered his realm." Reaper said regretfully.

"Maybe he's busy and has to do stuff before he can go." Dex quietly offered.

"Yeah. Maybe you caught him when he was on the toilet or something like that."

There was a commotion as the cherubs scrambled back in fear.

"Such a suggestion might be considered blasphemy." Reaper slowly explained.

"Hey! I'm on your side here! I'm trying to make excuses for your dad so you don't have to automatically think the worst of him." Zanner said assertively.

"Oh!?... Is that what you were doing? Thank you... I think." Reaper said uncertainly.

Zanner laughed, then asked, "Do you think you're the only one who was ever disappointed in their dad and had to make excuses for him?"

"Is your father also... distant?" Reaper asked cautiously.

"Naw. As far as the luck of the draw goes, I came out with a pretty good one. I'm just sayin that it happens. If you can just kind of accept that and use it to appreciate the times when he isn't being a jerk... well, it seemed to let them have better relationships."

"Every century or so he will have cause to seek me out. When next I encounter him, I will try to keep what you have said in mind." Reaper said slowly.

"So you really don't think he's coming, do you?" Zanner asked quietly.

"Had he decided that it was a worthwhile endeavor, he would have arrived by now."

"Yeah. So what do you think we should do next?" Zanner carefully asked.

"Maintain our spells and be as prepared as possible for when the assembly is fulfilled."

"When will we know if your dad is going to share the family magic with you."

"I just now received his answer. I can draw upon his power when the time comes."

Zanner cautiously walked to Reaper and gently put an arm around him.

Reaper lowered one of his many arms around Zanner's shoulders and returned his hug.

Dex sadly smiled as he watched his friends silently comforting each other.

* * * * *

"Milo? Where's my boy!?" A surprisingly joyful elven man asked as he stepped through the archway.

"Hi Dad. It's good to see you." Milo said timidly.

"So what's with this summons for magical support? You've always been determined to do things on your own. Even as a small child, you were so stubborn. You'd always insist on doing everything yourself." The elf asked as he pulled his son into a firm hug.

"Thanks for coming. The magical support call was part of the Assembly of the Magi spell. It wasn't really meant to summon you in person, it was just supposed to request whatever magic you or our family can provide to support me through this important casting that I'm going to be doing." Milo explained.

"You've been chosen for an Assembly of the Magi? That's so great! Assemblies only occur once every few generations. What an incredible honor! I'm so proud of you!" The elf exclaimed, then pulled Milo into another hug.

"No wonder Milo's so quiet." Filipe muttered to Dr. Williams at his side.

"Who is this we have here?" Milo's father suddenly asked as he released his son. "Why don't you introduce me to all your friends?"

Milo looked supremely uncomfortable, but dutifully carried on and said, "Everyone, this is my father, Jhaartael. Dad, I would like for you to meet Professor Everstone, Dr. Williams and Filipe. They will be making use of the magic that I will be releasing."

"A pleasure to meet you. Thank you for helping my son." Jhaartael said as he shook their hands.

"The boy with the spear is named G, he's going to be providing the raw elemental magic to fuel the spell." Milo said, in an obvious effort to keep things moving along.

"I'd never expect one as young as you to be able to hold an artifact of pure elemental power. What a wondrous world, so full of potential." Jhaartael said joyfully.

"Over here we have Rhuru-wra, a novice magic user of the Wudewas people and Agent Fastbeck from the FBI." Milo said timidly.

"I bet there's some kind of crazy story behind that." Jhaartael said with a laugh, then shook their hands as he said more formally, "It's wonderful to meet you both! It's so good to see Milo opening up to being around a more varied circle of friends. While I appreciate all that the druids have done for him, I've worried that he's been hiding himself away from the world."

"Dad!" Milo said in a scandalized voice.

"It doesn't even occur to him that I've already lived a lifetime and that in all that time I might have learned one or two things about how the world works. No. He wants to tread back over that same ground and make the same mistakes that I did, rather than listen to me and carry on from this point forward." Jhaartael said frankly.

"I can't learn from your mistakes. You lived your life and faced the consequences. Now it's time for me to do the same with mine." Milo said firmly.

"Of course! Live your life as you see fit. I'm just saying that I've been worried about some of your choices and that I approve of the new direction that you're taking."

Milo seemed to be frozen for a moment, then he quietly said, "I'm glad that you approve."

Jhaartael smiled, then looked curiously as a shadow moved to Milo's side and cautiously put a hand on his arm.

"Dad, this is Obby, another friend of mine." Milo said hesitantly, watching carefully for his father's reaction.

"When I told you that you needed to make new friends, I didn't mean..."

"Obby's not a shade. He's a fully formed shadow demon. If he's my friend it's because he wants to be, not because I commanded him."

"It was a joke. I wasn't accusing you of anything." Jhaartael said slowly, with a look of concern at his son's drastic reaction.

Milo unwillingly glanced back at his 'choir', who were dutifully standing aside, waiting to be called upon.

"Oh. It's like that, is it?" Jhaartael quietly asked.

"It gets lonely. I did what I had to do to get by." Milo said in his defense.

After a moment to consider, Jhaartael finally said, "That's good enough for me. If it got you here, to the point in your life where you've been found worthy of being chosen as a Magi, then you've made the decisions that are right for you."

"Okay, Dad. Thanks." Milo said timidly.

A hiss drew attention away from the father and son.

"This is Mah Zah. She wants you to know that she's an accomplished wizard in her own right and that she's available to help if she's needed." G said in a somewhat distant voice, obviously trying to maintain his consistent output of magic.

"Well, isn't that something!? We'll be sure to count you among the resources to draw upon." Jhaartael said to her warmly.

"Do we need to be doing something right now?" Filipe cautiously asked.

"Right you are." Jhaartael said firmly, then turned to Milo and said, "Son? You know better than I do about how all of this works. Take the lead and I will follow."

* * * * *

"Before we get too deeply entrenched in that, I was wondering if you might have a moment to help me with something..." D cautiously began.

"What might that be?"

"...you see, last year, at my wedding..." D reluctantly continued.

Paul audibly groaned at the memory.

D spared his son a sympathetic smile before continuing, "...the way it worked out, my ex-wife showed up and things became a bit... tempestuous."

"Emaline's your ex-wife?" The child-like demon asked with delight.

"Yes. Do you know what happened to her?" D asked hopefully.

"No. Not specifically. When Paul called for my help, of course I wanted to answer his call, but I couldn't, due to the banishment cast against me. So instead, I sent one of my most trusted associates to help out however he could. I was surprised, to say the least, when he returned with that raving harpy... wait. No. Harpies aren't really that bad... comparatively... You were really married to her?"

"She wasn't like that when we got married..." D began to say.

"Oh? So you're saying that you made her that way?"

"No! Not at all!" D quickly defended, then noticed that his son's biological father was half-convulsed with laughter.

D glared at him impatiently.

"Sorry. But you've got to realize that I'm a demon. It's in my nature to wind people up every so often."

"I suppose so." D reluctantly conceded.

"As to Emaline, it turned out that she had a spell or ward or something that made it possible for her to endure the demon realm or adapt to it somehow. For whatever reason, being in the demon realm didn't harm her so she decided to stay. Now she appears to be in a long-term relationship with a Chirago demon from Wrest-Skor, over by the border... Has him cowering like a whipped puppy from the way I hear it."

"What should I tell G about his mom?" Paul asked both men with concern.

"Nothing. If he mentions being worried about her, you could let him know that you have it on good authority that she's still alive. Beyond that, use your own judgement, but I wouldn't go out of my way to bring the subject up." D said thoughtfully.

"I'm just curious. Do you suppose that everyone at all three sites are waiting on us to make the next move to resolve this?" Miss Oaken asked the group uncertainly.

"Probably. Yeah." Paul immediately answered.

"Being that we're inhabiting a multidimensional space, it would be possible to tune this share of the space to continue to be part of the Meayithan Realm. That would allow me to continue to remain in this space with you without running afoul of Beth's banishment." Paul's father cautiously suggested.

"Would that be okay?" Paul asked D anxiously.

"No disrespect to your father, but I don't think that it's our place to invite an archdemon to join us." D told his son regretfully.

"Why not? With all the druids and bigfoots that we've already got helping us, why not invite Paul's father, too? Who knows? He might end up being the one who tips the balance in our favor." Corabeth said frankly.

D looked around the group and cautiously asked, "Does anyone have a problem with inviting.... I didn't catch your name."

"I didn't throw it." The seemingly pubescent demon responded simply.

"People who don't work with demons a lot probably don't know about the power in a name. He's not being rude, he's just protecting himself." Paul quickly explained.

"Paul. Don't lose your concentration on the spell you're casting." Miss Oaken sternly warned.

"Don't worry, I got it." Paul assured his teacher, then continued toward D, "Since we can't use his real name, why don't you just call him 'V'?"

D smiled warmly at his son, then said, "We could certainly do that. I guess this means that you intend for him to be regarded as part of our family."

"He's my biological father. How much more a part of our family could he possibly be?" Paul asked assertively.

"Does anyone have a problem with V helping us? I need to hear about it now if you do." D asked sternly as he looked around the gathering, stopping on Agent Roberts.

"I don't recall any mention of literal demons in my FBI training so I don't think there's any 'professional' reason for me to object." Agent Roberts said simply, then with a smile he added, "On a personal level, V seems to be a lot more pleasant to be around than quite a few humans that I could name. I have no objection."

"Thank you, Agent..." V asked in such a way as to inquire his name.

"Agent Roberts, but I think I'd like it if you'd call me Shawn."

"Yes, of course. That's very kind of you." V said appreciatively.

"Anyone else?" D asked of the group.

"Going once...

"Going twice...

"Sold!

"We WILL be inviting V to stay and help us." D announced to the gathering.

"So what do we need to do to adjust the vinculum chamber to allow a demon to exist in our realm without being harmed by the nature energy?" Miss Oaken asked cautiously.

"If no one cares, I can fix the vinculum spell. It's just a simple adjustment to the multi-locational locus. Easy-peasy."

"You know, everytime he says that it ends up being a high level wizardry that I can't begin to comprehend." D quietly explained to the others around him.

"That's my boy." V said proudly.

"That's our boy." D said firmly.

"Yes. I suppose he is...I never even considered sharing him with anyone. Isn't that odd?"

"You DO realize that I'm STILL channeling water magic, don't you?" Mr. Bentley Brown demanded to know.

"Just as soon as Paul's ready to adjust the properties of this space, we'll be ready to get back to that." D assured him.

"I'm ready. I just need to make sure that everyone knows that when we snap back into our own dimension, the magic might kick in without warning." Paul said cautiously.

"What are we going to be doing?" V asked cautiously.

"Taking down a magical barrier and recasting it with improvements to make it more enduring." D said simply.

"You'll have to show me what to do, but I'll be willing to help however I can." V quietly offered.

"Thank you, V. That's very kind of you." D said gratefully.

"Yeah. Just don't spread it around. You could spoil my reputation."

"It's a deal."

* * * * *

"Do you want to... maybe send the cherubs to go and see what's going on?" Zanner asked quietly.

"No. Should the flow of magic suddenly start, I believe it would be better to have them here with us. It might have been a mistake to allow all the other witches to leave. I won't compound that mistake by sending the Cherubim away as well." Reaper slowly explained.

"What can we do until our time/space gets fixed?" Zanner asked cautiously from Reaper's side.

"I think the most productive thing might be to explain to the cherubim as much as you know about Mr. Hansen's plans for deconstructing and recreating the protectorate barrier." Reaper carefully explained.

"Is it going to cause a problem if the magic starts flowing and Den isn't here for you to target?" Dex asked thoughtfully.

"No. That is, not as long as I keep my head. Assuming that Linnaeus and Den stay together, I should be able to follow my bond to my demi-brother. Using him by proxy should allow me to target Den with little difficulty."

"Did you plan it that way before they left?" Zanner asked curiously.

"I considered the possibility that the magical flow might begin before they had the chance to return and decided that it would not be an insurmountable problem if that were to happen."

"So you didn't plan it, but you were prepared for it?" Zanner asked to confirm.

"Yes. That's a reasonable way of looking at it."

"And right now, just so that we can be prepared, you want for us to tell these guys as much as we know about what Mr. Hansen and Mr. Couleigh were planning to do?" Zanner asked to confirm.

"We don't know everything, but we'll do as much as we can." Dex promised for both of them.

* * * * *

"Actually, there isn't much we can do until all three Magi have completed their spells and released the stored magic of the Vinculum. I've done as much as I can.

"The next thing we have to do is be ready if the magic is suddenly released. The Magi will have to immediately direct the flow of magic toward the bridges, in my case, that would be Rhuru-wra.

"Once that's done, then the witches and wizards will need to access the magic that the Wudewas are holding and put it to use, disassembling and recreating the barrier that protects the Southseid colony." Milo carefully explained.

"It's good to see you so passionate about something." Jhaartael said warmly.

"Dad! Pay attention! I need for you to be serious for once!" Milo said anxiously.

"I am serious. I'm just not stressing myself out about it. Keep in mind that I am the overseer of five separate dukedoms of faeries..."

"I thought it was four." Milo interrupted.

"Celeste decided that she wanted to take some time off and enjoy her twilight years. She didn't think that any of her children were worthy, so she asked me to take over the administration of the Mirrible Fae." Jhaartael explained.

"I'm surprised that Luna and Trance haven't tried to be named as the rightful heirs of succession." Milo said thoughtfully.

"I know. That just seems to prove Celeste's point. If they don't care enough about their land to fight for it, they don't deserve it." Jhaartael said seriously.

"We've gotten off track. If you can lend me the power of the five dukedoms long enough for me to access the magic stored in the vinculum chamber, then I can release it."

"Once that magic is released, what will you need for me to be doing?" Jhaartael asked professionally.

"I'm not sure." Milo began to say, then noticed his father's expression of pride seem to fall a bit.

"What I meant to say is that I can't predict where we're going to fall short of either power or control. I think it would be of most help to me if you could kind of monitor the status of how everyone is doing and jump in if you see that we're needing something." Milo quickly explained.

"Yes. I am of sufficient ability and power to be one of the more versatile members of the party. You're making good use of your assets." Jhaartael said thoughtfully.

Milo looked at his dad for a long moment, then quietly said, "I didn't mean to sound like I was scolding you. I'm just not used to being in charge of... anything. You're right. I'm stressing myself out, I just don't have your experience at keeping calm and knowing what to do."

"You're doing fine." Jhaartael said with a smile, then added, "And try to keep in mind that you aren't working without a net. If you need some help along the way, I'll see that you get it."

"Thanks, Dad." Milo said gratefully.

"But from the look of what I've seen so far, there's a very good chance that you won't need me." Jhaartael said frankly.

"Whether I need you or not, I'm glad that I'm going to be able to share this experience with you." Milo said with a smile.

"By the way, how is Klara doing these days?" Jhaartael asked casually.

"I don't know. I haven't heard from her in about four years." Milo said honestly.

"You know how your mom is, that probably means that she's fine." Jhaartael said simply.

"Or dead." Milo added seriously.

"Or dead." Jhaartael easily conceded with an unconcerned nod.

* * * * *

"Agent Roberts, would you go over and place your hand into the Brynnhollow door?"

"In some sense, they're ALL the Brynnhollow door, aren't they? Of course, by another way of thinking, none of them are now." Agent Roberts explained cautiously.

"I need for you to select one door for us to change the properties of. I just thought that the one that used to open to Brynnhollow would be the least likely to impact the other vinculum chambers." Paul patiently explained.

"Okay. I'll trust you to know what you're doing." Agent Roberts said as he walked to the archway and put his hand through.

"Hold it there for just another second... that's got it!" Paul finished with accomplishment.

A moment later, the scenery outside all but one of the archways changed from the nightmarish hellscape to the formal garden of Brynnhaven.

"How's that? Do you still have enough of a link to the infernal power of the Meayithan Realm?" Paul asked his father hopefully.

"Yes. That's fine." V said with a contented smile.

"So what do we have to do next?" Corabeth cautiously asked.

"You'd better get ready. I think shifting the vinculum back started a cascade. Here in a minute or two, everything might fall into place." Paul warned.

"What if it doesn't?" Corabeth asked cautiously.

"Then we'll give it a little kick." Paul answered simply.

D noticed the smile of pride that crossed V's face.

"Is there any reason to think that the other groups are having any difficulty with what just happened?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

After a moment to consider all that he was sensing, Paul carefully said, "Nothing feels out of place. That's all I can tell you."

"What's happening now?" Miss Oaken asked hesitantly.

"The different incarnations of the vinculum chamber are floating back to their point of origin. As near as I can tell, once they fall back into place, the magic of the vinculum should release." Paul said slowly.

"Everyone, brace yourselves." D said firmly.

"Hold on, there's a magical force starting up. Does anyone else feel that?" Paul asked as he looked around.

"Yes. It feels like... danger... like the field outside the vinculum." Corabeth fought to explain.

"Right! See if you can tell where it's coming from, or maybe where it's absent." Paul said quickly.

"What do you think this is?" D asked cautiously.

"A warning. We just have to figure out if it's warning us to go near something or away from it." Paul reasoned.

"It's not as bad over here." Ares said from beside the doorway that Agent Roberts had just put his hand through.

"That makes sense. Everyone, go over by the door. I think the vinculum is about to recombine itself so that it can release its magic." Paul said as he, too, rushed across the room.

"Then why did it break apart in the first place?" Corabeth asked snapishly.

"Because the elements needed to be brought forth separately, but once the elemental flow has been established, the four different vinculum chambers become one so that the united magic can be released." Paul fought to explain.

"So that would mean that you could use the specialty of any magic." V said thoughtfully.

"Any except fire. There's no source for fire in the spell." Paul said simply.

"Why not? Why would they go through all of this and leave fire out?" Corabeth asked curiously.

"I think Agent Roberts said it best. Fire is the element of growth, movement and change. The people who set up these colonies didn't want them to grow or change. They wanted them to stay safe and protected... they still do. That's what we're doing here." Paul said seriously.

"What's that? Did you feel that?" V asked as he looked around for the source of the sensation.

"I think that's the Protectorate, another one of the barriers. It's fallen into place, or is in the process of it." Paul said slowly, then reminded everyone, "Be ready for the onslaught of magic. It could come crashing down on us any second now."

"What you did to the doorway, is that going to keep me from getting back to my family?" Ares asked anxiously.

"No. Agent Roberts should be able to toggle the destination when he opens the doorway for you. Just make sure you let him know if you want to go to Brynnhollow or to hell." Paul finished with a grin.

Ares flashed Paul an eyeroll as he tried to restrain a smile.

"I see that I don't have anything to teach you in that regard." V said with appreciation at his son.

"Don't worry about Paul. He's a master of sarcasm." D said warmly.

"It's in his blood." V said frankly.

"Hang on! Hang on! Here it comes!" Paul said in an increasing voice.

* * * * *

Between one moment and the next, the world seemed to completely change all around them.

Something about the room seemed to be wrong. It was like, just for a moment, all sense of direction had been lost.

The physical structure of the room had changed, although the dimensions remained the same. What had been stone columns or mossy pillars a moment before were now the wooden posts of the gazebo behind the Old Tennyson Place.

"What the hell..." Dr. Williams began to ask when he was suddenly overcome by the deluge of magic.

"Bridges! Remember your bridges!" Paul screamed at the top of his lungs as he tried to retain control.

"I don't know what needs to be done." V said as he looked around helplessly.

"Access the pool of magic through Ares and Dark, then help us to manage it." D ground out.

"Who?" V asked as he looked around at the thirty or so people who now filled the gazebo.

"The raven and the snake. They're holding the Brynnhollow reservoir of magic." D fought to explain.

"Simple enough." V said slowly, then his eyes went wide as he felt the drowning sensation of being overwhelmed with magic.

V's automatic reaction was to transform to his 'battle' form. He increased not only in height but his body weight also more than tripled.

His new appearance was certainly more in line of what someone would think of as a demon.

He appeared to be a few years older and had lost a certain amount of his 'cuteness'. When he looked over at Paul, he slightly smiled, seeing that he had also reverted to his more demonic form.

Both of them had hooves and horns. While Paul's skin appeared to be that of a human, V's skin was a bit rougher and redder, more in line with traditional demon physiology.

"Cast it out! Not welcome here!" A voice screeched.

"Make it leave!" Another called after it.

"I see that you've noticed the new addition to our group." Agent Roberts said cautiously.

Receiving no response, he continued, "Everyone, this is V, he's Paul's biological father. V, this is everyone."

"Give me a minute." V said gruffly with his much lower demonic voice.

"Sure. Take your time." Agent Roberts said as he watched carefully for what the Cherubim were doing.

"It cannot be here. This is sanctioned by 'The Sword'." One of the cherubs announced.

"The sword's not here and V is. That's all the argument that I have for you. If you don't like it, you can leave." Agent Roberts said firmly.

"No. They cannot." Reaper said firmly, then explained, "They have been commanded to attend me and are not free to leave until I release them."

Agent Roberts looked down at the obviously distressed cherubim and said, "Sucks to be you."

A sudden movement drew V's attention and he smiled as he saw Mah Zah and Ginh Zah reunite.

"Thanks for taking good care of G, Mah Zah." Paul was able to say.

"I'm glad they're being of help to you." V said sincerely as he kept the majority of his focus on influencing the flood of magic.

"Obby? How are you doing?" Agent Roberts asked as he noticed his shadow standing before him.

The shadow took one step forward, then wrapped him in a firm hug.

Agent Roberts smiled at the warm greeting, then realized that as they hugged, Obby had become insubstantial and reattached to him.

"It's good to have you back." Agent Roberts said warmly.

"Did you guys start without us?" Mr. Hansen asked as he led a group toward the gazebo.

"In the days of tribute, in the months of seeing, in the years of trial, in the centuries of pain, we persevere. I humbly ask that you grant entry to one who serves. I am the keeper." Archdruid Highley called out as his group approached.

"We couldn't help ourselves. But we saved the best part for you. Are you guys ready?" Agent Fastbeck asked with concern.

"Den and Linnaeus could have done with a bit of warning, but I think we're doing as well as we can be under the circumstances." Archdruid Highley answered as he looked at his group with concern.

"Let's get them inside. I have a feeling that just as soon as all of them have acclimated to the level of magic that they'll be ready to get started.

Mr. Hansen, Mr. Couleigh, Den and Linnaeus were all more or less moving like zombies, going wherever the three gatekeepers steered them.

"Who's the new guy?" Archdruid Highley asked when the last of his charges were settled into place.

"Demon. Paul's father. Goes by V." Agent Roberts said simply.

"Any idea of what we need to do now?" Agent Fastbeck asked as he looked around at all the silent people struggling to gain control of the invisible power surrounding them.

"No. Not really. I guess we're just waiting on whatever's going to happen next." Agent Roberts answered honestly.

"You guys came back. I was worried that you weren't going to." Otis said as he stepped into the gazebo through the 'Waxell' archway.

"He doesn't have to say the words to open it." Agent Roberts said absently.

Agent Fastbeck shrugged, then said to Otis, "Everything's been building up to... something. I think it's about to happen."

"Do I have time to go get Kirwin? He went into the house to check on his grandfather. I know he wouldn't want to miss anything." Otis asked hopefully.

"Sure. But things are likely to get crazy around here. We're going to be trusting you to keep Kirwin and his grandfather safe. If things start getting dangerous, get them out of here."

"I will. I promise."

"Go on, then. It could start any second."

Chapter 9

"How badly do we actually need their help?" V asked as he glared disapprovingly at the cherubim.

"Due to the shortage of earth mages, they are actually very important to the job that we will be doing." Reaper stated firmly.

"You've got an entire realm to choose from, I don't see why you have to scrape the bottom of this particular barrel." V finished with disgust.

"Be nice. We're all here to do a job. Part of that means working with people that we normally wouldn't get along with." Paul told his father firmly, yet respectfully.

"Demon spawn speaks truth..." One of the cherubs began to say, but was silenced at Paul's quelling glance.

"I suggest you keep your comments to yourselves or the rest of us are going to have to put up with the distracting scent of fried chicken."

For a moment it seemed as though the cherubs were going to respond, but in the end, they appeared not to be ready to press their luck.

"That's my boy." V said proudly.

"Mine too." D said with a grin askance at him.

* * * * *

"I can feel them." Ares suddenly said.

"What? Who?" Dark asked as he seemed to wake from a dream.

"Cain, Deimos, Jazz, Olive... Carn... Mason... Rocky... it's like I can see their souls. It's so beautiful. It's incredible!"

"All I can see is you." Dark said quietly.

"I can see you too. You're almost there. You're so close. Just push past me, just a little bit and you'll be able to see everyone else."

"Okay. I see it now. Whoa! It's so much, all at once." Dark said as his breathing became heavier.

"I know. It's a lot to take in." Ares said calmly, "Just let it wash over you and through you. In a way, it's like it fades away and becomes nothing. At the same time, it's like it becomes everything, including you. Once you've entered it, you're part of everything... I don't know if that makes any sense."

"Yes. I'm getting it. And you're right, I can't describe it any better than that. Everything and nothing, all at once. That's exactly what I'm seeing... Go ahead, I'm ready. I'm with you." Dark finished confidently.

"Did you get what he was saying? That's what I'm feeling too." Den muttered to Linnaeus as he fought to focus on the congregation.

Linnaeus gave a barely audible grunt and a nod as he appeared to be in the same distant state as Den.

Rhuru-wra let out a triumphant roar which those present took to mean that he, too, had established contact with his people.

"Did we miss anything?" Otis asked as he entered the gazebo, gently carrying the frail elderly form of Steven Tennyson in his arms.

Right behind him was Kirwin, carrying Steven's walker.

"Nothing worth mentioning." Agent Roberts assured him.

"The real fun is just about to start." Agent Fastbeck added.

"You guys stay over by the Waxell door and you should be alright." Paul said distractedly from behind the row of demons, keeping vigilant watch for him.

"Steven, Kirwin and Otis, allow me to introduce Paul's father, his name is V." D said somewhat formally.

"Is he a demon?" Steven slowly asked.

Agent Fastbeck was impressed not only by Steven's assumption based only on the visual cues at hand, but also by the man's temerity to ask such a question directly.

"Yes. But please don't assume that you know what he's like because of that." D asked Steven urgently.

"Thank you, D. I appreciate that you don't automatically accept generalizations about demons as being true. When I last visited your realm, most people weren't quite so enlightened." V said appreciatively.

"Well, it just so happens that one of the people I love most in the world is part demon. That compels me to bypass lazy prejudices and judge the person for who he really is."

"Excuse me." Paul said firmly in his low demonic voice.

"Sorry Paul, I wasn't trying to embarrass you. I was just trying to explain..."

"That's fine. It's not that. The first stage of the magic has been released, the test stage." Paul said simply.

"The bridges have started structuring their support networks and the spellcasters have found their access points." Reaper said in a matching tone of voice.

"What you're being given has accumulated over a period of centuries. It represents generations of magic being harvested and stored as an inheritance. From now, you will be receiving the real magic. Put it to good use. Make it count." Milo said firmly.

"You have been warned." Paul said seriously.

"Here it comes." Reaper said in more of a cautioning tone.

Otis, Steven and Kirwin watched their new friends to see what was going to happen.

In unison, Zanner, Mr. Bentley Brown and G sat in their completely different sections of the gazebo. Dex obviously wasn't expecting the move, but slowly sat directly in front of Zanner, mirroring his position.

"Now." Paul said before tilting his head back and spreading his arms wide.

Just a moment behind Paul were Reaper and Milo, doing basically the same thing, except in Reaper's case, spreading his arms was a bit more of a production.

"Yessss." Ares said a moment later.

"I'm supposed to be the one hissing." Dark quietly muttered as a smile filled his expression.

"This feels so right.. for the first time in my life, I feel... complete." Ares fought to explain.

"I wonder if this is what it feels like to not be cursed?" Dark asked speculatively.

"I doubt it. No one can ever feel this good all the time. But whatever this is, I love it. I'm going to enjoy it for as long as I can." Ares said peacefully.

"I'm just glad that we're both here." Dark said as he moved slightly so that he could loosely drape his arms around Ares' shoulders. "If we can't have this feeling forever, at least we can hold on to the memory of sharing this experience."

Rhuru-wra let loose a joyous howl that confirmed that the witches weren't the only ones enjoying the new sensations.

Linnaeus quietly said something that most present couldn't understand.

"He said that he is happy to know, once in his life, what it feels like not to be an abomination. He feels important... necessary... He feels blessed." Agent Fastbeck fought to translate.

"The rest of us are honored to be able to join you as you experience this." Den told Linnaeus sincerely as he reached up and took firm hold of Linnaeus' hand.

"Magic users, spellcasters, witches, wizards, sorcerers, devils and angels. It is time to dispel the old barriers and remake them. I would like for each of you to state clearly for all to hear if there are any special conditions that need to be observed in regard to the barrier you will be working on. Say it now so that if we have the need to cross over into each other's spellcasting, we won't unintentionally destroy something important due to our ignorance." Professor Everstone announced to the gathering.

"The Brynnhollow barrier contains an embedded illusion. Unless you know something about illusions, you don't need to be messing with that part of the spell. We're going to leave it in place since we're going to need it for the new barrier." Miss Oaken said frankly.

"I know enough of how it works to help a little if you need me to." G offered.

"It looks like you're going to have your hands full, but if it comes to it, we're going to consider you 'Plan B'." Miss Oaken said firmly.

"Please be aware that I have enacted 'The Seven Spires of Earth' to access the pocket dimension where the Protectorate resides. Any spelling that negates the seven spires spell could theoretically dislodge the pocket dimension or destroy it completely." Mr. Hansen warned.

"Yeah. Let's not do that." Filipe said cautiously.

"Agreed." Professor Everstone said with an affectionate grin in the boy's direction.

"You should also keep in mind that the construction of the Protectorate is not only to keep beings out, but also to keep them 'in'. If you're going to be deconstructing or reconstructing, you'll need to keep that in mind." Agent Roberts said informatively.

"Yes. Friend-Shawn makes a necessary point." Reaper reluctantly agreed.

"What about the interconnection of the barriers? Are we going to have to do anything special because of that?" Filipe slowly asked.

"The interconnection aspects of all three colonies are included in the magic that is beyond the ability of witches to cast or control. It is a built in feature that we will have no choice but to accommodate." Professor Everstone firmly stated, then added more gently, "Please do keep that in mind."

"I'm not sure if this is something that you were expecting to happen, but if you'll excuse me, it appears that I have to change... right now." Agent Fastbeck barely finished saying before disappearing into his clothes.

"Yeah. Um, guys?! Is this right?" Agent Roberts asked as Obby stood beside him, looking like a darker, yet fully solid, version of Agent Roberts. It was as though Shawn's identical twin brother was standing beside him in particularly poor lighting.

A little hissing screech sounded from near Paul.

"Mah Zah thinks that the humans are getting magical overflow from anyone receiving magic from the bridges that cares for them." Paul said haltingly, obviously having the majority of his concentration focused elsewhere.

"How do we stop it?" Agent Roberts reluctantly asked.

"Why not just enjoy the moment and accept what 'is'?" Mr. Couleigh asked, sounding to be sincerely curious about it.

"That's... not really in my nature." Agent Roberts said slowly.

"Yeah. It's kind of an FBI thing." Agent Fastbeck agreed as he stood in his Oskmey form beside his clothing pooled on the floor.

"Does your explanation about humans and overflowing magic cover this?" Archdruid Highley asked in a trembling voice.

One by one, people turned to see what had befallen their comrades.

"Jarvis? Is there something you want to tell us?" Den asked his brother cautiously.

"I don't know how or why this happened." Archdruid Highley swore to his companions.

The white wings were nothing less than exactly what you would expect to see on an actual angel.

"I guess when you consider the magic held by the congregation and what's being held by the Nephilim, this almost makes sense." Den said slowly.

"If you think about it, something like this was bound to happen to him sooner or later. Humans who become involved with the supernatural seem to eventually get drawn into it until they finally reach a point where they can't be considered fully human any longer." Dr. Williams said sagely with what seemed to be a little extra touch of Jamaican thrown into his accent.

"Kirwin, think carefully about what you're seeing here right now. You're still at the point where you can walk away from all of this." Agent Roberts said sincerely.

"Do you regret what you are?" Steven asked on his grandson's behalf.

"No. Not for a minute." Agent Roberts said without hesitation, then added more slowly, "But what works for me may not be right for Kirwin. He's got his whole future ahead of him. I wouldn't want for him to make a decision now that might radically change the direction of his life."

"That's not something you have to worry about. Ask Grandpa, we're already part of this. We were born to be right here, right now." Kirwin said confidently.

"I don't know how many of you were destined to be here, but we were." Steven emphatically confirmed.

"The same goes for you, Otis. You've got a chance to walk away before this becomes too big a part of your life." Agent Roberts said gently.

"I grew up in Waxell. Now that I've gotten a peek behind the curtain, there's no way that I could walk away from it, knowing what I know. I was born to this just as much as Steven and Kirwin." Otis said resignedly.

"Fair enough. I just have a feeling that this might be your last chance to walk..." Agent Roberts was saying when he was interrupted.

"I... like... you." Obby carefully said from Agent Roberts side.

"Oh! Um, I... like you too." Otis stammered with surprise.

Obby smiled broadly, then stepped forward to pull Otis into a firm, but gentle, kiss.

"Obby. I don't know if right now is the best time to be doing that." Agent Roberts said urgently, fairly certain that his shadow wasn't hearing him.

After a long moment of watching the men kissing, Steven quietly said, "He seems to be of a differing opinion."

"Obby! Let go of Otis!" Agent Roberts demanded.

A moment later, Obby slowly stopped the kiss, then looked over at Agent Roberts with a smile of lazy contentment and joy.

"Typically, people get to know each other and work up to the point where they have strong feelings that they want to eventually express physically." Agent Roberts tried to explain.

"Shawn, don't worry about it. He's fine." Otis said quietly, then looked into Obby's eyes as he started to smile.

"Fair enough." Agent Roberts said as he threw up his hands in a quiet surrender.

This time Otis initiated the kiss, but it was every bit as gentle and sweet as the one that Obby had started.

Agent Roberts watched them for a moment, then shook his head as he turned to walk away.

"Are you okay?" Agent Fastbeck asked as he moved to walk at Agent Roberts' side.

"Great. Except that I'm barely human anymore and my shadow's getting more action than I am." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"It'll be okay." Agent Fastbeck said simply.

Agent Roberts turned to ask him how he could be so sure, but then realized that Agent Fastbeck was still in his black Oskmey form. Not only was he fully aware of what Shawn was feeling, but he could also be reasonably sure that things would turn out for the best, considering what he had personally witnessed of magic.

"Okay. I hear you." Agent Roberts assured him.

"Agent Roberts, could you open the Brynnhollow doorway? I think Ares and Dark will be able to take their connections to the next level if they can interact with their loved ones." Paul asked hopefully.

"That won't cause any problems for V, will it?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously as he moved back to his doorway.

"No. The vinculum chamber itself is partially attuned to the Meayithan Realm, so there shouldn't be any issue with that. But if you need to reopen the doorway for some reason, you can do so at any time." Paul easily explained.

"Rhuru-wra, we're going to begin taking down the Southseid barrier in just a moment. You can go and let your people know, if you would like." Professor Everstone said carefully.

"If your people need any help while the barrier is down, just let us know. The Brynns would be happy to help your people defend their homes." Ares offered sincerely.

Linnaeus let loose a screech that was punctuated by the fierce look in his eyes.

"He said that the Nephilim would love... absolutely LOVE to fight to defend your people." Den translated as he fought down a laugh.

"I bet they would." Agent Fastbeck said with a grin.

"I call upon the powers-that-be to grant me entry to the sanctuary of the Brynns, I use the power granted by devils. I am the harbinger." Agent Roberts said with his hand hovering at the boundary of the archway.

The hellscape of the Meayithan Realm faded away and was immediately replaced by the elegant stonework and formal garden of Brynnhaven.

"Thanks Agent Roberts. We just need a minute to check on everyone and make sure that no one's having a problem." Ares said quickly.

"We're fine. Go do what you need to do. If I end up having to open the door to the Meayithan Realm for some reason, just give me a minute and I'll change it right back." Agent Roberts assured him.

"Thanks. I appreciate that." Ares said as he hurried through the archway.

"We'll be right back." Dark said reassuringly as he slithered closely behind.

* * * * *

The moments that followed were mostly silent, occasionally interrupted by one or another of those present quietly offering advice or support to those in close proximity to them.

"If anyone is having a problem, let us know so that we can get you help." Jhaartael said as he approached one of the groups of people.

"I think we've been able to balance the magic and establish the proper linkages" D said seriously, then asked more cautiously, "Have we met?"

"I don't believe so. My name is Jhaartael. I'm Miklos' father. I don't really have a specific duty to perform, so I'm going around to the different groups to see if anyone needs any help."

"I'm glad that someone thought to do that. My name is D and my sons are the demon over there and the one with the spear."

"Oh, I had naturally assumed that the demon child was the son of the adult demon." Jhaartel said cautiously.

"He is. It's a long story. V is Paul's father and I'm his step-father..." D said seriously.

"As far as I know, that's the whole story. It's not really all that long." V said with a grin as he joined them.

"I suppose it isn't." D said with a good-natured smile, then continued, "Jhaartael, may I present V. Hopefully you won't be too offended, but I think that Miss Oaken and Corabeth are at a point where they're going to need me to join them in casting the barrier spell." D said frankly.

"Yeah. I helped to manage the initial tsunami of magic with your air team, but now they need their specialists to do the actual spellcasting." V confided to the men.

"Yes. That's the same point that we've reached." D said simply.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" V asked quickly, before he could leave.

"Yes. Go with Jhaartael. I'm confident that he'll find someone in need of a little extra help." D said with certainty.

"Of course." V said as he watched D fall into his spellcasting with Miss Oaken and Corabeth, then turned to Jhaartael and said, "Although I'm quite powerful in my magic, my primary element is fire. I don't know how much use I'll be to you."

"My own magical specialty is aether, so it may turn out that we'll be keeping each other company while the others do all the work." Jhaartael said frankly.

"Well, I suppose that as long as our objectives are achieved we should be content." V said with a smile.

"Although my primary ability may not be of immediate use, I believe that I still have something to contribute both by way of 'natural' and 'basic' magical assistance."

"Well, if you need any help with lightning, I have an affinity for that too... although I can't see how that could be of any use in this situation." V said frankly.

"I arrived just before you did. It doesn't seem that there's any need at the moment, but I only have the most superficial understanding of what they're trying to accomplish." Jhaartael said honestly.

V looked around at all the different groups concentrating on all their different magics, then said, "Why don't we circulate and ask them what they need? It could turn out that our seemingly random and obscure talents might be of use to them."

"I suppose it's that much more likely that they'll find a use for us if we make the offer." Jhaartael agreed.

"But if the angels need anything, you should probably take care of it yourself... we don't get along." V quietly confided.

"Imagine that." Jhaartael chuckled.

V affected an expression of innocence that was worthy of any angel.

* * * * *

"The Brynnhollow barrier is down. Let Ares know when he gets back." Paul said distantly as he fought to keep his concentration on the magical flow.

"They're already back. They heard you." Agent Roberts assured him.

"Yeah. And I pity anyone who visits Brynnhollow uninvited today." Ares said with a laugh.

"The Protectorate barrier is down. Everything is going according to plan." Mr. Hansen announced.

"Expertly done. That was some elegant work." Mr. Couleigh said appreciatively.

"Thank you. I only hope that we can do the recasting as smoothly."

"I am confident that between us we have the skill and sufficient motivation." Mr. Couleigh said calmly.

"If that doesn't work out, I've got an ass-load of demonic magic that I can throw at it." V said as he stopped beside Mr. Hansen.

"I agree with Jerrell, I think we've got this. But thank you for the thought." Mr. Hansen said with a quick smile over his shoulder.

"Psychotic though it may be." Mr. Couleigh added with a grin.

"What is seen as psychotic in your realm is seen as normal in mine." V informed him simply.

"To be honest, it's kind of normal here too, depending on the company you keep." Mr. Couleigh admitted.

"V? Can you come over here for a minute?" D called from beside the Brynnhollow archway.

"Duty calls." V said with a grin before hurrying away.

"What does it say about me when I'm more trusting and comfortable with a literal demon than most of the people that I encounter in my daily life?" Mr. Hansen asked cautiously.

"Demons like V are not only the most powerful that you're likely to encounter, but also the most dangerous. They are fully capable of enthralling legions of people who would willingly... eagerly die at their command. I don't even know how much of it is magic and how much is their natural charisma." Mr. Couleigh quietly explained.

"Do you think we're safe?" Mr. Hansen asked cautiously.

"Yes. But only because we're allies of his son's. I honestly believe that if not for that, we wouldn't have even the slightest chance of standing against someone like him."

"Do you really think he's that powerful?"

"I sincerely hope that we never have cause to find out."

* * * * *

"That's it. The Southseid barrier is down." Professor Everstone said with accomplishment.

"How is everyone doing? Does anyone need help?" Jhaartael asked as he looked around at the different groups.

"Brynnhollow is doing fine. Of course, things might change when it's time to recast the barrier, but for now I think we're alright." D immediately answered.

"With the help of the Cherubim, work on the Protectorate is proceeding normally." Mr. Hanson announced.

"Have there been any problems with the dimensional pocket?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"Not so far. We're keeping close watch on it." Mr. Couleigh assured him.

"Good. I don't know a lot about magic, but that sounds like something that could go really wrong, really fast." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"Do you need me?" Obby quietly asked from his place with Otis, beside the Waxell door.

"No. You're fine where you are. I'll let you know if anything comes up." Agent Roberts assured him, then noticed the sudden strange look on both Obby and Otis' faces.

It took him a moment to realize what they were thinking.

"I'm not talking about boners. Just... relax. Okay?"

"Are you sure that you don't need us to be doing something to help? Otis asked cautiously.

"Yeah. I'm sure."

* * * * *

"We're ready to start recasting the Brynnhollow barrier." Corabeth announced into the mostly silent gazebo.

"The Protectorate will be ready in about two minutes." Mr. Hansen said seriously.

"Yes. Two minutes would be about right for Southseid as well." Professor Everstone said thoughtfully.

"Is there anything that we need to do before the major spellcasting begins?" Agent Fastbeck asked seriously.

"I have one thing." G said, then made a gesture toward the Brynnhollow doorway.

In a flash, a duplicate of G appeared beside his father.

"I didn't take into account my expanded abilities while channeling this much magic. This way, if you run into any problems with the illusion part of the spell, Lex might be able to help you." G explained by way of Lex. His actual body seemed to be lost in concentration.

"Hopefully we won't have any issues in that regard, but I'm glad that you were able to develop a contingency plan that makes sense. Good work." D said to his son.

"Thanks, Dad." Lex and G responded simultaneously.

"What say the Protectorate team? Are there any last minute preparations that need to be made?" Agent Fastbeck asked as he looked in that direction.

"I would like to take this opportunity to engage in a prayer..." Archdruid Highley began to say.

"Knock yourself out." Agent Fastbeck forcefully interrupted, then turned to Professor Everstone and asked, "Any last minute preparations?"

"No. I believe that we have all that we will need in regard to planning as well as personnel."

"Otis, Steven and Kirwin, if things get too intense, just step through the doorway and you should be safe. You won't be helping anyone if you're injured and we might even have to stop our spellcasting to help you." Agent Fastbeck said firmly.

"We understand the risk." Steven said for the group.

"Does ANYONE have ANYTHING to cover before we dig into the nitty-gritty spellcasting?" Professor Everstone cautiously asked.

"Is there anything special that the gatekeepers need to be doing?" Agent Roberts cautiously asked.

"Stand by and wait to be called upon. Although there is no specific reference as to your participation in the spells, there is no doubt that your presence is required." Professor Everstone said firmly.

"Okay. That's pretty much what I thought but I wanted to be sure that I wasn't missing something." Agent Roberts explained.

"If there isn't anything else, let us begin." Professor Everstone announced.to the group.

* * * * *

There was a long silent moment as everyone waited to see if there were going to be something more, then everyone seemed to spring into action, all at once.

The 'Protectorate' group seemed to take the most decisive action as they started planning all the steps and stages involved in recasting the barrier. While there was no doubt that Mr. Hansen was leading the effort, Mr. Couleigh and the cherubs were keeping up with him, step by step, contributing their ideas and encouragement to the group effort and moving it in a productive direction.

The 'Southseid' group seemed to take a different approach. Professor Everstone very articulately and professionally presented the bullet points of their plan, then went back and expounded on each point in turn, encouraging the others to ask questions or ask for clarifications as needed.

"The 'Brynnhollow' group took an extra moment to see what the others were doing before resolutely going to work. Miss Oaken, Corabeth and D had discussed and planned their actions to the point that they almost seemed to be 'of a mind' as they started casting the spell. They didn't have to interrupt their spellcasting with stage directions, only the slightest glance was necessary to prompt each of them into performing their next step in the spellcasting.

"I don't think they're going to need us." V told Jhaartael frankly.

"Of course they don't, not at this early stage of things. Wait until they get into their second or third hour, that's when the strong begin to show their true worth."

"I suppose that's true. I normally don't have the patience for such things, but I could stand here all day and watch my son achieving everything that I could have hoped for him." V said warmly.

Jhaartael laughed sympathetically, then said, "It's exactly the same for me. Although I've never once explicitly said that I was disappointed in Milo, seeing as he's never achieved anything, well... it's always been there, hanging in the air between us."

"I'm glad he's had the chance to make you proud. I've never played any role in my son's life... I should restate that. I provided for certain... contingencies. I put things in place in the event that they might someday be of use to him. But it wasn't until my son's presence and power penetrated my realm of influence and called upon my help that I could be sure that he had even inherited anything from me. He could have been a witch like his mother or even completely powerless." V explained.

"If he had been powerless, would you love him any less?" Jhaartael asked curiously.

V considered for a moment, then slowly said, "If he were the person that he is now, I don't think so. He has a clear mind and strong will... I like to think he inherited some of that from me. As long as he made good use of whatever skills he had and challenged his limitations, I think that I would love him and be just as proud of him."

"Yes. I think that's what frustrated me so much with Milo, the waste of potential. I knew that he had it within him to be great, but he was hiding himself away, acting like a mundane human, pretending to believe in their convoluted mythologies." Jhaartael said with frustration.

"But now he's here, one of the three Magi, casting a spell more complex and powerful than most magical beings will witness in a lifetime." V reminded him.

"Yes. I suppose that he and I are going to have to come up with a new relationship dynamic. Me being superior and looking down on him won't be realistic after he's done this." Jhaartael said thoughtfully.

"Paul and I don't have a dynamic. We're strangers." V said distantly, then slowly added, "I love him, and I believe that he loves me. But we literally know nothing about each other."

"I wonder which of us is worse off in that regard." Jhaartael said speculatively.

V looked at him inquisitively.

"Are you better off having to get to know him with no preconceived notions or am I better off, having the history with my son, but also having to adapt to suddenly having to... show him respect." Jhaartael said uncomfortably.

"I think it's safe to say that each of us has our own minefield to walk. I suppose it's just good that we'll each have a sympathetic ear nearby in case things don't end up working out as well as we had hoped." V said frankly.

"Yes. It might also be of benefit to have someone in a similar situation should we need to 'brainstorm' about an unexpected development."

"I am excellent at brainstorming. Rest assured that you can count on me." V promised.

"For some reason, and I'm not quite sure what it is, I was certain that I could."

Chapter 10

"How is everyone doing?" G asked as he looked around the dreamscape.

"Did you call us, Mr. Bentley Brown? Can we just call you by your first name? If there was an emergency, everything would be all exploded before we were finished calling your name."

"My first name is Charles."

"Charles... Charlie? Brown?" Zanner slowly puzzled.

"Bentley Brown, if you don't mind too terribly."

"Your parents must have been real sadists to do that to a kid." Zanner said frankly.

"To the contrary, my parents were quite joyful and thought the whole thing was tremendous fun." Mr. Bentley Brown said with the ultimate flat affectation in his voice.

"Well, I guess as long as you're not bitter about it..." G said hesitantly.

"If we may continue." Mr. Bentley Brown said firmly.

Zanner glanced at G, obviously fighting the urge to say something inappropriate.

G couldn't help but smile in response, then dutifully returned his attention to Mr. Bentley Brown.

"Why did you bring us here? What do we need to do next?" Dex asked seriously.

"I did not call this meeting. The chalice did that of its own accord." Mr. Bentley Brown patiently explained.

"So, what are we doing here?" G asked cautiously.

"The way you explained it before, I thought this place is where we can compare notes and make plans. Maybe we're here to do that." Dex reluctantly suggested.

"As far as I know, we're all doing fine... aren't we?" Zanner asked as he looked from one person to the next.

"It would seem so. As far as I know, we are all proceeding without issue. I am not aware of anything that we need to discuss." Mr. Bentley Brown cautiously stated.

"So this is where you guys are hiding." Paul's voice said, heralding his arrival.

"Paul? How did you get in here?" G asked hesitantly as Paul materialized before them.

"What? Aren't you happy to see me?" Paul asked in a mock-wounded tone.

"Yeah. Happy. Love you always." G rattled off casually, then urgently asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I didn't choose to be here. I was kinda brought." Paul said simply.

"Mr. Bentley Brown? Do you have any idea why Paul is here?" Zanner asked hopefully.

"I can't be sure, but it is possible that since Paul previously held the chalice, that he is seen as a worthy holder of it. If the chalice can sense his physical presence and still sees him as being worthy, it might have reached out to include him in the meeting." Mr. Bentley Brown said speculatively.

"Is this a dreamspace?" Paul asked curiously as he looked around.

"Yes. And we're also outside of time... well, mostly. We can be in here for hours and it's a few seconds outside." G explained.

"Does sorcery not work here?" Paul asked cautiously.

"I don't know, I haven't tried. Why?"

"No reason. I just thought that a dreamspace would be a playground for a sorcerer like you." Paul said frankly.

"We've been more focused on accessing the power for the Magi." G said frankly.

"We're giving everything we've got and I'm not sure it's going to be enough." Zanner admitted.

"Don't worry. As one of the Magi, I can promise you that no matter what happens, we won't take more than you have to give."

"From the way things have been... unfolding so far, I can't help but think that there's got to be a reason you were brought here..." G fought to explain.

"Plenty of things happen without a reason, but for right now, let's look at what we've got to work with and decide what we're going to do with it." Paul said confidently.

"Isn't it obvious?" Zanner asked the group impatiently.

After a moment, G finally said, "Apparently not, because you seem to be the only one to figure whatever it is out."

"You and Paul combine your magic. That's the obvious thing about him being here. There must be something that you can accomplish together that no one else can do on their own." Zanner said frankly.

"Cooperative spells take a lot of hard work and preparation..." G began to explain.

"Except for with me. Since I can do multiple spells at once, it gives me a special talent for weaving spells together." Paul said thoughtfully.

"So what cooperative spells do you guys have that could help us out?" Zanner asked curiously.

"The pillar and the ice house are about all that we've got." G reluctantly admitted.

"Yeah. When we're alone together, we usually have other things on our minds." Paul said with a suggestive grin at G.

"Right. Um, then what does that leave us with?" Dex asked cautiously.

"Not much." G admitted frankly.

"What if..." Paul began to say, but drifted off in thought.

"What if what?" G cautiously asked.

"Give me a second to work this out... I think I've got something but it may be too big for me to do by myself." Paul muttered distantly.

"Which could be why the chalice brought you here." Zanner said frankly.

"What have you got? Maybe we can help you reason it out." G quietly offered.

"I don't know if we can find a way to do it, but what if we weave the spells of all three barriers together somehow? The woven spells could exponentially increase their strength and durability. Not only would you have triple layered spells, but then you'd have the stress dispersion dynamic from the weave." Paul said slowly.

"That sounds great except that there's no way to do it. Getting all the spellcasters to coordinate that many spells would be straight up impossible." G said honestly.

"That's true, but look at who we've got here. It's none of the regular spellcasters. What if that means that there's something that we can do." Paul patiently explained.

"We're the people summoning magic and directing it to do what we need it to." Zanner said frankly.

"So, what if the direction that we choose is some kind of a 'weave'?" Dex cautiously suggested, then looked around nervously to see if anyone were going to call him stupid.

"So are you saying that instead of erecting one barrier at each colony, we'd be erecting three?" Zanner asked slowly.

"In a way, but it's more like we'd be interlacing the temporal/spatial loci of the three barriers... it's actually kinda multidimensional..." Paul muttered thoughtfully.

"The Vinculum!" Dex interrupted.

"What about it?" Paul asked cautiously.

"It's a multidimensional space that exists at the center of all three colonies. If we were to anchor our spelling to the Vinculum and project it outward from there, then we could place and 'weave' the spells one time and have it done for everyone." Dex said speculatively, appearing to be fairly certain of his deduction.

"What about Waxell? Isn't doing it that way going to draw it into the spell?" Zanner asked anxiously.

"It could." Mr. Bentley Brown said simply, then added, "A balancing force needs to be generated to negate the barrier generation at the Tennyson property."

"But wouldn't the 'balancing force' have to be huge to stand against all the other spellcasters at once?"

"No..." Mr. Bentley Brown began to say just as Paul said, "Not really. Much like water, magic will follow the path of least resistance. If the three of you can clear the way for the other elements, my father can protect the human realm."

"Your father?" Zanner asked suspiciously.

"Yeah. He's got the fire element and he's powerful enough to manage it on his own." Paul said simply.

"How likely is it that this is some sort of plan dreamed up by your father to cause you to set him loose in the earthly realm?" Mr. Bentley Brown asked seriously.

G and Zanner both bristled at the suggestion, but Paul immediately said, "That's a fair question."

After a moment to allow that to sink in, Paul continued, "But if we're going to use the triple barriers, we're going to need his help. There's no debate on that point, we don't have anyone with fire abilities who could even come close to being strong enough. We need to decide if that's a deal-breaker before we can do much of anything else."

"I think how you feel about it is going to matter a whole lot more than whatever the rest of us think." G quietly admitted.

"Don't worry about me. I'll deal. Just do what's right. Help the most people you can." Paul said frankly.

"Is it worth the risk?" Dex cautiously asked.

"I think the better question might be 'can we really think about passing this up?'" Zanner asked assertively.

"What do you mean?" Paul asked curiously.

"We're being given access to epic amounts of magic to help three colonies of defenseless people with a shielding spell that's so big and powerful that not only has it never been cast before, but will probably never be cast again. If we fail, we're really no worse off than if we'd done nothing. But if we succeed..." Zanner trailed off expectantly.

"But what if it's a trap?" G asked simply.

"If we make a mess, we'll clean it up." Paul responded in kind.

"Does anyone have a problem with this arrangement? We need to be clear on this before we commit to an action." Mr. Bentley Brown asked seriously.

"I think we're all fine." Zanner quickly assured him, then quickly asked, "What about you?"

"Disregarding any feelings on the matter, I think this is a logical way to proceed." Mr. Bentley Brown said very precisely.

"What if you didn't disregard feelings?" G pressed.

"My illogical flawed feelings tell me to trust V. I get the sense that if your father believes that our goals are worthy, that he will fight passionately... even righteously, to achieve them."

"I know that's supposed to be good... Why does it sound like it's a bad thing?" Paul cautiously asked.

"Perhaps because the greatest atrocities in history started out with someone like your father." Mr. Bentley Brown said soberly.

"What do you think we should do?" Paul hesitantly asked.

"Make a choice and commit to it. We don't have time to waffle on the issue."

"Actually, we do. You know, dreamspace... outside of time... remember that?" Zanner asked impishly.

"Yes. I remember." Mr. Bentley Brown assured him, then explained, "But I doubt that a month of discussion will allay all of our concerns. We need to decide what we, as a group, believe is right or wrong, then make our decisions accordingly."

"Does anyone want to give up this chance because Paul's father is a demon?" Dex asked as he looked around their small gathering.

"There's a lot more to it than that..." Paul began to say.

"No. I really don't think that there is." Mr. Bentley Brown interrupted. "If anyone here believes that including V and doing the 'weave' are too dangerous or in any way the wrong thing to do, then you need to make it known right now. This will only work if we're all committed to the project."

"I think it goes without saying that I'm on board." Paul said simply.

"Would you hate me if I didn't trust your father enough to go through with this?" G asked cautiously.

"I won't hate you, I'll be proud of you for speaking up. I only ever want for you to do what you believe is right." Paul reassured him.

"Okay. Then I have no objection to trusting V." G said simply.

"Oh... Good... Um, how does that work?" Paul asked cautiously.

"I think that if this were some kind of plot, then you'd be trying to convince me to go along with you. Since you're encouraging me to make up my own mind, I think you're right. We've got one chance to do something amazing. Let's take it."

"Does anyone else have anything?" Paul asked cautiously.

"I have no idea of what we're actually going to do, but I'm with you in wanting to do it." Zanner said frankly.

"We're just going to redirect the spells that everyone was already going to cast." Paul said dismissively.

"Just as simple as that? Huh?" G asked with a smile.

"Easy peasey." Paul said with a grin.

G couldn't restrain a laugh.

"Once you work the new destination into your base spell, it will allow the barriers to be redirected and woven together." Paul continued.

"Who's going to be doing the weaving?" Zanner asked cautiously.

"The Magi. It's like each group of spellcasters is creating their own unique 'strand'. The Magi are going to weave those strands together."

"Then why aren't the Magi here, figuring this out?" Zanner asked curiously.

"Probably because the hard part of this is deciding what to do. Once that part is settled, then all that's left is to go ahead and do it."

"Okay. I'll take your word for that. But now that we've decided, what is there for us to do?" G asked carefully.

"Oh, I thought you already figured that part out. The relic holders are going to be fueling all of the weaving while the magic users are using the stored magic to create the barriers. Having the uniquely sourced magics is part of what's going to make all of this possible."

"I don't know about anyone else, but I'm already putting out one hundred percent. I don't think it's possible for me to do more." Zanner said frankly.

"All we're going to need is a path to follow, just the slightest thread. Once we've got that, we can manipulate the flow so that you won't have to worry about us overwhelming you or taking too much."

"But you're going to be using the magic from the relics to do the weaving?"

"Yes. That's what's going to allow us to do our own unique spellings while the spellcasters are still doing theirs. Otherwise our spells might become muddled." Paul said confidently.

"Okay. So what do we still need to do before we go back to normal space/time?" Zanner asked cautiously.

"Just back me up when the time comes. I'm not sure that Reaper and Milo are going to be too enthusiastic about switching tactics at this point in the project." Paul said frankly.

"You can count on us." G warmly assured him.

"Thanks. I appreciate that." Paul said with a smile, then looked around uncertainly.

"Are we supposed to do something to make it stop?" Dex quietly asked.

"So far as I know, the chalice should release us once everything has been resolved." Mr. Bentley Brown said honestly.

"Maybe it's still evaluating what we just did and needs a minute to catch up." Zanner suggested helpfully.

Paul nodded, then smiled as he looked to G and said, "It was really cool the way Dad reacted to Lex."

"Yeah. I know that I don't do as many amazing things as you do, but I think it makes it that much more awesome when Dad notices something that I did." G said with a wistful smile.

"I think it also helps that Dad doesn't go around praising us for every little thing. When he says that he's impressed by something, you know that he means it." Paul said frankly.

"Everyone, I just felt a magical pulse from the chalice which I believe is the signal that we will be returning to the physical plane any moment. Brace yourselves and don't be jarred by the sensation of rushing power. Your bodies have been channeling the elemental magic the whole time we've been here." Mr. Bentley Brown explained.

"I love you." Paul said with a quick smile.

"I love you too." G responded before the world went white.

* * * * *

"Reaper. Milo. I need you for a second." Paul said as the world seemed to reform from the white nothingness.

"Everything is in readiness. We cannot delay." Reaper said in a warning tone.

"Look over here." Paul said simply as he pointed to the floor in the center of the gazebo.

As soon as he said the words, a large stone pillar began to form and rise up.

When the pillar reached the level of a table, it stopped growing and the surface began to glow with an intricate spell diagram.

"What are you doing?" Milo asked as he cautiously approached.

"Like Reaper said, we cannot delay." Paul said as the last of the details of the diagram filled themselves in.

"This... You propose casting a spell using active spells, as they are being cast, as components?" Reaper asked in astonishment.

"Sounds kinda ballsy when you put it that way." Paul said frankly, then continued, "But if you guys are up to it, the three of us can weave the barrier spells together. The spellcasters won't have to do anything but give the Magi control of the locus."

"What about Waxell?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"Oh yeah. If my father is up to it, he could use his fire as an opposing force to keep a barrier from forming there." Paul said as he glanced at V hopefully.

"Of course I'll be glad to help however I can." V immediately stated.

"If you'll just hang out with Otis and Kirwin over by the Waxell door, you shouldn't have to do much more than repel the flow of magic in your direction..." Paul was saying when a strange look crossed his expression.

He paused for a moment, then turned half around and cautiously asked, "Ares?"

"Yes?" Ares immediately responded.

"Do you know if Deimos and Jim are nearby?"

"Yes. As far as I know, they're in the clearing just about thirty feet from here." Ares cautiously answered.

"Would you ask them to come here?" Paul asked absently, as he seemed to be working through about a hundred different scenarios at once.

"This isn't going to be dangerous, is it?" Ares cautiously asked.

"They shouldn't be in any more danger in here than out there." Paul said frankly.

"That doesn't make me feel much better." Ares said with a slight grimace.

"I get the feeling that making you feel better is his job." Paul said with a grin in Dark's direction.

Dark laughed and nodded at the statement.

"I'll just go... get them." Ares said as he shyly ducked out of the room.

Paul smiled, then turned to his right and said, "Xaphan, I'd like for you to stand with my father and lend him aid with your fire. Will you do that?"

Xaphan growled once in response, then walked immediately to V's side.

"What did you need us for?" Deimos, in his half-dragon form, asked as he hurried into the Vinculum chamber, preceding the centaur, Jim, by only a step.

"I was hoping that you guys could help us out with a spell that we're doing." Paul explained.

"We don't know how to do anything but fireballs." Deimos explained.

"I'm not expecting you to do anything more than that. The important thing is that there are fire users present to resist the formation of a barrier around Waxell." Paul said seriously.

"I understand what he's saying. I'll help you." V offered.

The half-dragon and centaur stared up at the literal demon with surprise.

"This is my father, we call him V." Paul finished with a smile up at his father.

"We're going to get to work with a real demon?" Deimos asked excitedly.

Jim was dancing with his front hooves slightly with excitement at the prospect.

"I get the feeling that they're not going to have a problem with it." V said with an amused smile at his son.

"Bad." Jael said disapprovingly.

"Is bad." Zarall agreed.

"The celestial is countered by the infernal, such is the natural order." Reaper said mostly patiently.

"So you want for us to follow this spell diagram while reforming the barriers?" Milo asked thoughtfully, apparently oblivious to all that was going on around him.

"Yeah. If the spellcasters will yield the locus to the Magi, that should be the only difference on their parts. As far as our part, just follow the pattern that I've made here." Paul said seriously.

"This design... is it Celtic in origin?" Milo asked uncertainly.

"I don't know. I guess so." Paul said haltingly, then broke into a smile and added, "I'm part Scottish, on D's side of the family."

"You do realize that we're still channeling the elements, don't you?" Mr. Bentley Brown quietly interjected.

"Sorry Charlie... erm, Mr. Bentley Brown." G finished with a smile.

"We'll get on with it right now." Paul gently added, then said more loudly, "Magic users, in case you weren't able to keep track, there's been a slight change in plans. When it comes time to define the locus of your spell, call upon your Magi to state it. That's the only change you'll have to take into account."

"Do you need me over here?" V asked his son cautiously as he indicated the Waxell door.

"Yes. Just resist the formation of a barrier around your vinculum point. That should be all you'll have to do." Paul assured him.

"Maybe you could show us some fire tricks... I mean, if you have time." Deimos cautiously suggested.

"Are you saying that you have natural born fire magic and you don't know any spells?" V asked curiously.

"Paul taught us fireballs, but that's all the fire we know." Deimos answered.

"Come over here and I'll see if I can't find a few more spells for you." V said warmly, then glanced back at Xaphan and said, "You too. Maybe you know of a spell that the boys haven't learned yet."

* * * * *

"Do you want for me to upgrade the illusion?" Lex asked cautiously.

Corabeth and Miss Oaken looked from Lex toward G, trying to understand who was talking to them.

"With the magic that we have access to, it would be possible to upgrade the Brynnhollow illusion a little." Lex elaborated.

"Like how?" Corabeth cautiously asked.

"I can just adapt the existing spell to have an outer layer showing the person what they expect to see. That way, someone could enter the Brynnhollow woodlands and not even realize that they were ever near a magical barrier. They would have to push past the misdirection before running into the disorienting creepy part of the spell." Lex explained.

"Can you really do that? I mean... you're not a real person..." Miss Oaken uneasily reminded him.

"I'm an illusion cast by a sorcerer who has tapped directly into one of the primary elements. I probably have more magic available to me than the average witch." Lex said frankly.

"Are you G or are you someone else?" Corabeth asked uncertainly.

"I'm me... G calls me Lex." He answered.

"Will you still exist when this spell is over?" Miss Oaken gently asked.

"I hope so." Lex answered simply, then timidly smiled at Corabeth as he continued, "There are some people that I'd really like to get to know better."

Corabeth blushed and timidly smiled at the statement.

"But right now G is depending on me to do what he isn't able to. Would you like for me to upgrade the sorcery on the Brynnhollow barrier?"

"How is that going to affect the other barriers, I mean, with the way they're talking about weaving them together?"

"Unless I'm missing something, all the changes should be for the better. It will take what's already there and give it a fresh veneer of 'nothing to see here, move along'." Lex said seriously.

"Do you need for us to do anything?" Miss Oaken asked uncertainly.

"Just kinda hang back for a minute while I do my stuff." Lex said simply.

"You're not real. How can you cast a spell?" Miss Oaken asked suspiciously.

"A puppet master like you should know better than anyone. Remote possession, casting by proxy... the only difference is that instead of using a doll or a possessed person, G is using an illusion of himself." Lex carefully explained.

"What do you know about me?" Miss Oaken asked uneasily.

"Just what G knows. It's nothing bad. The students are all interested in what abilities the teachers have. He heard about your remote possession ability from Paul when you took Carla to the office that time." Lex said frankly.

"I've learned not to tell people about my ability. Not many understand what it actually is and some are afraid that I might somehow control them." Miss Oaken said quietly.

"You don't have to worry about that with G. His dad has a similar ability, so he's been around that kind of magic all his life." Lex finished with a smile.

"If D is 'his dad', what is he to you?" Corabeth asked with concern.

"I don't know. He's sort of like my dad too, but in another way he's not, since he doesn't see me as his son. I guess I'll have to think about that... if I continue to exist, that is." Lex finished uneasily.

"Okay. If you're going to modify the illusion spell, now is the time to do it." Miss Oaken reluctantly interrupted.

"This won't take too long." Lex assured her, then turned to Corabeth and quietly said, "If I continue to exist after this, maybe we could go out and... do something. I mean, if you want to."

Corabeth was obviously stunned by the suggestion, but finally answered, "Yeah. I think I'd like that."

Lex broke into a grand smile, then happily went to work on crafting his illusion.

* * * * *

"Does anyone need any help?" Jhaartael asked as he walked from group to group.

"Celestial beings capable. Not need help." Zarall snapped irritably.

"I would advise you to never visit the faerie realms, I believe that you would not do well there." Jhaartael responded.

"No desire to commune with vermin." Jael said simply.

"Charming." Jhaartael said with a look askance, then added under his breath, "Whatever you do, don't ever fall asleep in my presence. You have been warned."

* * * * *

"Dad! Look at this!" Deimos called toward his father.

"What is it?" Ares asked curiously as he approached.

V looked curiously from the half-dragon to the Karasu Tengu and couldn't help but smile at the unlikely and wondrous world that he found himself in.

"Look at what V taught us to do." Deimos said before beginning to work through an awkward series of hand gestures.

"Thanks for teaching them. They don't get many opportunities to learn." Ares told V quietly.

"I don't get many opportunities to teach, so that works out well." V responded as he watched Deimos' moves carefully.

Ares watched and waited a moment longer, then noticed that a transparent film of flame seemed to envelope Deimos.

"See? I don't have to transform when I flame up now. And not only will it burn someone if they try to hurt me, but it also makes it so that I can walk through fire. I don't even have to do my clothes changing spell." Deimos excitedly explained.

"Well, if we have any bonfire malfunctions, I'll know who I can call upon to fix them." Ares said with a grin.

"While it may not have much application in day-to-day life, it's still a handy thing to have in one's repertoire." V said simply.

"I suppose so." Ares easily agreed, then added, "Since I don't have access to my own powers, I'm glad when the boys are able to learn any magic."

"Why is that?" V asked curiously.

"The descendents of the Brynn bloodline are all cursed with unwanted animal transformations and prevented from using the rest of our magic." Ares said as he kept the majority of his attention on his son.

"That must be a potent curse to follow a bloodline for generations." V said thoughtfully.

"Although I've heard the history, I don't know much about the magical side of things. Since my people haven't had access to their magic since anyone can remember, the knowledge of how to use magic hasn't been passed down." Ares said distantly.

"Your sons don't seem to be having any trouble accessing their magic right now." V said honestly.

"Jim isn't my son, although he's the next best thing. My other son is named Cain. He's still discovering what he can do with his magic. So far he's only been able to conjure up some stinky smoke." Ares said simply.

"What does it smell like?" V asked curiously.

"Like something died, then spoiled... in a sweaty sock." Ares said thoughtfully.

"It sounds like your son may have a quasi-elemental talent. If that's the case, it can be an incredibly useful talent to have." V said seriously.

"His brother has been teasing him, saying that his ability is to summon farts. So far we haven't thought of a circumstance when his ability would be useful." Ares said honestly.

"Well, the foul smelling smoke may not be that useful, but the talent for smoke exists between the talents for fire and air. Once the conjuration of smoke has been mastered, both air and fire may become accessible to him." V said sagely.

"That's good to know. Maybe when this is all over, I could get with D and find out if they have anyone who could teach him." Ares said thoughtfully.

"Yes. That sounds like a very good idea. I would offer to help except that I will have to return home when this adventure of ours is concluded." V said regretfully.

"Things have a way of going around and coming around. It wouldn't surprise me if our paths were to cross again." Ares said frankly.

"You know, I've noticed the same thing. It wouldn't bother me a bit if it turned out to be so." V said with a smile.

"Well, as long as you're not here possessing someone that I love. In that case, I probably wouldn't be as happy to see you here." Ares thought to add.

V laughed with delight, then admitted, "There are many different types of devils and demons. I don't have that ability, so I couldn't possess a person, even if I wanted to. That's not to say that I couldn't cause someone to be possessed by calling upon a demon who does have that ability. But there is absolutely no way that I could possess them myself." V explained.

"That's not quite as comforting as I might have liked." Ares slowly admitted.

"I don't have that ability either, that being, telling you what you want to hear." V said with a slight grin.

"Okay. That made me feel better." Ares said with a smile.

"Ares? Things are starting to wobble. I think you need to focus on the magical flow." Dark called from the Brynnhollow doorway.

"I've got to get back to work. You guys are doing great. Be sure to show me all the new things that you've learned when we finish." Ares said before hurrying away.

"What else can you teach us?" Deimos asked hopefully.

"Xaphan? Do you have any special fire tricks that you'd like to teach the boys?" V asked curiously.

The Yan-gant-y-tan demon raised one of his oversized hands as his fingertips burst into flame.

Chapter 11

"What are you looking for?" Corabeth asked cautiously.

After another long moment of searching, Lex quietly responded, "I still exist."

"What?"

"I'm finished casting my illusion. I've done what I was created to do. I wasn't sure if when I finished, if I'd just stop existing." Lex awkwardly explained.

"We still need to cast the barrier spell. Do you want to help us with that?" Corabeth asked with a demure hopeful smile.

Lex responded with a full-fledged smile of his own as he answered, "I'd love to."

* * * * *

"How's it going?" Agent Roberts quietly asked.

"I have no idea." Agent Fastbeck answered honestly.

"I'm glad it's not just me." Agent Roberts said with nervous laughter.

"I suppose we'd better stay close to our doors in case we're needed."

"It might not be a bad idea to stick close to Rhuru-wra in case he needs you to translate for him."

"He's so blissed out on the magical flow right now that I doubt that he wants to talk to anyone." Agent Fastbeck said honestly, then added more quietly, "Filipe, on the other hand, looks like he might benefit from some words of encouragement."

Agent Roberts glanced in Filipe's direction before saying, "With all the magic zinging around here, it's easy to forget that emotionally supporting the kids has become part of our job."

"If that's the case, then we might want to keep a close eye on Corabeth. I'm not entirely sure what's going on there, but I suspect that we have all the ingredients for a fairly potent heartbreak." Agent Fastbeck said frankly.

"Because of the charm that I wear, all I see when I look at G's illusion is a smudge in reality. I guess that makes it difficult for me to imagine someone forming an emotional attachment to it." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"Just watch Corabeth when she's talking to him if you have any doubt about how seriously she's taking it." Agent Fastbeck suggested.

Agent Roberts watched for a moment, then winced when he saw Corabeth delightedly giggle at something that Lex had just said.

He glanced at Agent Fastbeck who was awaiting his reaction and quietly said, "Yeah. This is gonna hurt."

"It might be better if you're the one to talk to Filipe. I get the feeling that he has a lot of respect for you." Agent Fastbeck said frankly.

"Yeah. The feeling's mutual. I'll leave Corabeth to you. Just let me know if there's anything I can do to make it easier on her."

"Just be available to help pick up the pieces. I think that's as much as any of us can do right now."

* * * * *

"Is this a good time to talk?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously as he approached.

"What? Oh, yeah. Sure." Filipe said distractedly.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I just never channeled that much magic before. I didn't think it'd scare me so much." Filipe quietly admitted.

"What are you afraid of?" Agent Roberts asked gently.

"I don't know." Filipe muttered.

"Are you afraid of disappointing people or are you more afraid of being hurt?" Agent Roberts pressed.

"Well, I don't want to disappoint anyone, but that's not what's scaring me. There's so much magic and everything's going so fast. I just don't know if I'm strong enough to keep up with it." Filipe reluctantly admitted.

"I don't have enough experience with magic to tell you that you don't need to worry. The most I can do is remind you that the teachers 'do' have the experience to be able to judge if something is safe or not." Agent Roberts said carefully.

"I knew that. I guess that I'm just worried about nothing." Filipe quietly muttered.

Agent Roberts pulled Filipe into a hug as he said, "You're worried about something that's very real and very dangerous. There's nothing at all unreasonable about what you're feeling. As long as you're honest and tell your teachers if you're having any problems, then I trust that they won't allow you to do anything that's too dangerous."

"Yeah. I've been able to sense Professor Everstone's presence within the spell. He's been keeping track of what I'm doing the whole time that I'm spellcasting." Filipe admitted.

Agent Roberts released him, then looked him in the eyes before saying, "Remember that if you need another hug, I'll have one ready and waiting for you."

"Thanks Agent Roberts. I think maybe that's what I was needing. I feel a lot better now." Filipe said with an honest smile.

Agent Roberts stood and watched as Filipe turned and rejoined Professor Everstone and Dr. Williams in the spellcasting.

* * * * *

"How are you doing, Dad?" Paul asked very carefully.

"It's a little strange for me. Most of the time when I'm called upon to do something magical, it's because it's something that needs to be done with great delicacy and precision. This time I'm just being asked to help out with the heavy lifting."

"Are you sorry that you volunteered to help us?"

"Not at all. It's just a different perspective for me. It's actually kind of nice to stand back and watch things happen from more of a distance. While I don't feel 'helpless', since I know that any concern I had would be seriously addressed, I also don't feel 'responsible' for managing the project, so I can stand back and observe."

"There's a chance that this may end up being the biggest, most important thing that I ever do. I'm glad that you're here to share it with me... with us. G's glad that you're here too." Paul quickly added.

"I appear to be the least of his worries at the moment." D said frankly.

Paul followed his gaze, then broke into an understanding smile as he said, "That's not G, he's beside Milo. That's Lex."

"It's not surprising that they look the same, but their mannerisms... How can they behave so much alike?" D asked curiously as he glanced toward Milo to verify that G was there.

"G already had Lex crafted and rigged, thanks to his sorcery classes. I'm guessing that when he was suddenly flooded with more magic than he's ever had before, it must've awakened some kind of ability that he inherited from you or Grandpa J." Paul said speculatively.

"Do you really think so?" D asked as he looked at Lex and Corabeth more intently.

"Yeah. It looks to me like he was able to animate his illusion in a way that he doesn't have to pay attention to it while it's running."

"Well, good. If that's how it is, then I'm not quite as worried about him chatting up that girl."

"Dad, this may not be what you first thought it was, but it could go wrong sooo many ways, I can't even tell you."

"No one looks like they're trying to intentionally hurt or use anyone and I suppose that there's always a chance that it will work out..." The dubious look from Paul prompted him to amend, "...and if that happens we'll make sure to buy V some ice skates for his trip home."

Paul couldn't help but smile as he nodded his agreement, then he hesitantly asked, "So, what do you think we should do?"

"Sometimes there's nothing you can do but stand back and watch the dumpster fire burn itself out."

* * * * *

After a particularly long and difficult passage of spellcasting, Corabeth quietly asked, "Is Lex short for Alexander?"

"No, Lexington."

"Like, the city?"

"Like the gargoyle." Lex said with a smile, then explained, "I guess when I was first created I wasn't very nice to look at. Paul wanted to give me a name instead of calling me 'it' or 'the illusion', so he suggested calling me Lex after a cartoon gargoyle."

"You're certainly not a gargoyle now. Would you rather have another name?" Corabeth asked curiously.

"No. I don't think so." Lex said thoughtfully, then explained, "Even though I was named after something ugly, there was more to it. G could tell that the Lex character was one that Paul enjoyed and admired. If anything, I'd like to be able to live up to the name that Paul gave me and become someone respectable and decent no matter what my physical appearance is like... well, depending on whether or not I'll get the chance. I could still just stop existing at any moment."

"If you think about it, considering what we're doing and the amount of magic involved, any of us could stop existing at any moment." Corabeth said frankly.

"I'll do whatever I can to see that that doesn't happen." Lex said sincerely as he looked deeply into her eyes.

"Break's over you two." Miss Oaken said before going back to casting the barrier spell.

After a shy smile shared between them, Corabeth and Lex returned to casting their spells.

* * * * *

"Is this a good time?" Agent Roberts cautiously asked as he approached.

"Actually, yes. I've established a steady rhythm in the base weave, so while I have to keep careful watch on my magical flow, I can split my concentration enough to hold a conversation." Paul said carefully.

"I saw you talking to your dad for a few minutes, so I thought it might be okay." Agent Roberts admitted.

"Was there something in particular that you wanted to discuss, or were you just lonely?"

"So, I see that you get snarky when you're under pressure."

"Not really. I just have the feeling that you're here for a reason so I was giving you an easy way to bypass the chit-chat."

"Oh? Well, thanks. I wanted to get your insights on G's clone. I need to assess him as a potential threat and thought that you might be a good resource to draw upon."

"I can probably tell you whatever you want to know about Lex's abilities or limitations, but I'm not going to be able to help you when it comes down to his state of mind or what kind of a person he is. He was a blank slate when I knew him, a puppet with his strings cut."

"I guess I'll have to work on that part next, but... how bad is it? How powerful is he?" Agent Roberts hesitantly asked.

"Honestly, at this point in time, he could probably stand toe-to-toe with any witch here. Where he's most disadvantaged is in training. He doesn't know any spells, any strategy and he doesn't have any instincts to fall back on."

"But he isn't even real. How can he be that powerful?"

"That's just because he's being fueled directly by the magic of the air element. If it weren't for that, he'd be sharing G's natural magic. He probably wouldn't be able to maintain sentience with that low of a magical flow."

"So, theoretically speaking, what would one have to do to interrupt the connection between Lex and his power source?"

"That's hard to say... if it were me, I can think of a few things that I could try that might have a chance of working. If we're talking about you... let's just say that this is one of those circumstances where being a mundane human is a real disadvantage."

"I know you don't want to hear this, but I need to know, will it help my situation if G is distracted or somehow incapacitated?"

"No. Lex is acting completely independently. G is already distracted enough with drawing up the air element that if it mattered, you'd be seeing the strain on G and faltering in Lex." Paul said seriously, then added in a lower voice, "And if you do anything to hurt G, you'll have me to deal with..."

"Save your nightmare fuel, I'm not going to hurt him. I just needed to understand the connection between him and Lex in case Lex starts misbehaving." Agent Roberts said frankly.

Paul looked at him appraisingly for a moment, then quietly said, "Most people, even witches, are afraid of demons, especially when they're upset. Sometimes it bothers me when I see their automatic reactions to me. I'm still not sure how I feel about you not being afraid of me."

Agent Roberts smiled at the statement, then said, "Please take it as a sign of my admiration and respect. I trust you enough to know that you wouldn't attack me or anyone without good cause."

"Okay." Paul acknowledged, then continued, "Even though G may not be showing it right now, Lex is more than just a spell to him. He's put a lot of time and care into crafting him and making him look as life-like as possible. Having him essentially 'come to life' like this... it's almost like Pinocchio."

"You don't have to explain that part to me. I think I have a sense of how he feels." Agent Roberts said simply.

"Do you really think so?" Paul asked curiously.

"Have you met my shadow?" Agent Roberts asked with a smile.

"Oh, yeah. I guess you might be able to sympathize with what G is feeling." Paul admitted, then thought to ask, "Where is your shadow, anyway?"

"Dry humping Otis, over by the Waxell door." Agent Roberts said with a pained expression.

"Is that okay?" Paul cautiously asked as he followed his gaze.

"Otis doesn't seem to mind, and they really haven't done anything 'Hard-R', so..."

"... just let them have their fun?" Paul ventured.

"As Conrad said, 'Sometimes there's nothing you can do but stand back and watch the dumpster fire burn itself out.'" Agent Roberts said simply.

Just then, Otis glanced in Paul and Agent Roberts' direction and broke into a feverish blush.

As Paul and Agent Roberts watched, Otis whispered something, then Obby also turned to face them.

"Just keep in mind that there are children present." Agent Roberts called in their general direction.

Otis blushed even harder, but Obby seemed to take Shawn's words to heart and nodded his confirmation.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to get back to my multi-dimensional knitting." Paul said frankly.

"Of course, I wouldn't want to be responsible for you dropping a stitch."

Paul's smile faded into a look of concentration as he raised his hands and started doing a series of the most intricate spellcasting gestures that Agent Roberts had seen to date.

* * * * *

"Do you have a minute?"

"I don't really have an assigned task, so I have more minutes than I know what to do with." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"Although I have an assigned task, it's what one would describe as the 'grunt work' of the spell. That being the case, there isn't much for me to do while the parameters are being defined." D explained.

"What can I do for you?" Agent Roberts asked curiously.

"It was just a thought, really. I heard somewhere that you can see through spells and illusions, is that right?" D asked curiously.

"Yes. Thanks to a pendant that the kids made for me, I'm able to see through most illusions and spells." Agent Roberts confirmed.

"I was just curious to know how you perceive this room that we're in." D said simply.

"How do you mean?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"How big was this room when you first walked in here?"

"I don't know, about ten or twelve feet square, I guess."

"And how many people do we have in here?"

Agent Roberts looked around, then quietly said, "I see what you mean. The inside of the Vinculum chamber seems to expand to accommodate the number of people inside. It never feels 'cramped', but it also never feels 'spacious'."

"I just wondered what you saw when you looked at it." D reiterated.

"I don't think I actually focused on it before, I just accepted the reality of what I expected to see." Agent Roberts said slowly as he looked around.

"And now that you 'are' focusing on it?" D prompted.

"Let's just say that I would have been a lot more comfortable not taking a closer look."

"Why? What do you see?" D asked curiously.

"From my point of view, we're standing on nothing, floating in a void. It's endless in all directions. The only interruptions in the nothingness are the doorways. Everything else is just a faded dream." Agent Roberts said quietly.

"Sorry I asked. I just thought that it would be interesting to hear your insights on what the Vinculum Chamber really is." D quietly explained.

"As far as I can tell, it's a room that exists several places at once." Agent Roberts said simply, then explained, "The areas of space where you'd expect to find the different iterations of the chamber are being used to store the pooled magic from the different barriers. This room that we're in is stretched to exist in the places where those other rooms are expected to be. The only reason any of this works is because of the stretching and skewing of the gazebo behind the Old Tennyson Place."

"Yes. That's a good way of putting it." D said with a smile, then remorsefully added, "Sorry about dispelling your illusion. I was just interested to know how you rationalized what you were witnessing here."

"No problem. Whether it's comfortable or not, I'd much rather deal with reality." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"I suspect that that is one of the reasons that you're where you are today." D said simply.

"Just how much do you have to do with 'where I am today'?" Agent Roberts asked curiously.

"Very little. While I had some input in the decision to place Conrad here, I was only vaguely aware of your recruitment." D said simply.

"So you didn't have anything to do with me getting assigned to Waxell?" Agent Roberts cautiously asked.

"No. I was consulted about the situation at the South Seid barrier. All I knew about you before meeting you in person was in relation to that." D said frankly.

"I don't know why, but I had the feeling that your involvement was a little deeper than what I was seeing." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"Yeah. I give off that vibe. I think it's sort of a defense mechanism." D quietly admitted.

"Don't change a thing. Stick with what works." Agent Roberts chuckled.

"It sounds like Miss Oaken is going to need me to reinforce her barrier structure. If this keeps me tied up for too long, would you help keep an eye on the boys for me?"

"Does that include Lex?"

"I'll leave that to your discretion."

Agent Roberts nodded once, then watched as D joined Miss Oaken, Corabeth and Lex in their spellcasting.

* * * * *

"Are you mad at me?"

Agent Roberts didn't immediately recognize the voice and turned quickly.

"I didn't know if maybe I should be doing something to help you or your friends." Obby asked worriedly.

"As far as I know, everyone is already doing what needs to be done." Agent Roberts said honestly.

"Otis and I got to talking and he said that he didn't know if maybe since I'm not... you know... a person like you and him, that maybe there's something that I should be doing to help out." Obby said anxiously.

"The only one I can think of who might be able to use your help is Milo. He's the one with shadow magic, so it's possible that he could channel your magic or use your support in some way."

"I think that if he needed me for something, he'd ask me. I've tried to be nice to him and I don't think he's afraid of me now... as much. Do you think he's scared of me?" Obby asked worriedly.

"Maybe he was at first, but I don't get the feeling that he's afraid of you now. I'm pretty sure that if there were something you could do to help him that he'd ask you."

"But you're not mad at me?" Obby asked to confirm.

"No. I'm not mad at you at all." Agent Roberts assured him, then thought to add, "I'm glad that you're able to talk now."

"I can't always understand what you're saying when I'm flat, but I can always hear and understand you when you talk to me in the mirror. If I stop being able to talk, you can ask me yes and no questions in the mirror whenever you want."

"What about you and Otis? Is there anything I need to know about that?"

"Otis is nice and I like him. He actually wanted me to come over here and make sure that you're okay. He says that all he has to do is stay by the door and that I can keep him company while he does that."

"That sounds like a really good idea. You two just remember that there are kids around. Don't do anything too enthusiastic in front of them." Agent Roberts finished with a smile.

"We're probably just going to talk and maybe hold each other. Otis is nice to talk to. He's funny." Obby said warmly.

"I'm glad that you've found someone that you like to spend time with. That's much better than standing around, waiting for something to do."

"You can come over and talk with us! Otis won't mind. I think he likes you too." Obby said quickly.

"It's best if I stay by my own door." Agent Roberts said quietly, then added, "Besides, at this stage of things, I should probably keep my distance. If you and Otis end up seeing a lot of each other, then maybe I can hang out with you two later."

"Thank you... can I call you Shawn?"

"Sure. That's my name." Agent Roberts said with a grin, then thought to ask, "Is it okay if I keep calling you Obby?"

"You can call me anything you want. So far, I've been calling myself Obby, but I was thinking... I mean, if you wouldn't mind, I thought that maybe Obby could be short for Obbert."

"That sounds reasonable. Where did you come up with that?"

"I thought that Obbert sounded enough like 'Roberts' so that people would get that we're kind of related, but different enough to say that we're not related the same way that most people are."

"I can't argue with that."

"I'm glad you're not mad. I like my name. I like being me."

"All I want for you is to be happy." Agent Roberts said with a smile, then continued, "You'd better get back to Otis now. You wouldn't want for him to feel unloved."

"I don't want for anyone to feel unloved. That sounds horrible. I mean, like, the worst thing ever." Obby said grimly.

Agent Roberts pulled Obby into a hug and whispered, "Don't worry. It's just a figure of speech. Go take care of Otis."

"Okay." Obby said as he returned the hug.

* * * * *

"How are things going with the spellcasting?" Agent Fastbeck asked as he approached.

"I always expect it to be more exciting than it is." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"Sometimes it is..." Agent Fastbeck weakly defended.

"And then there's now." Agent Roberts said as he looked around at all the people muttering and struggling to manipulate unseen forces all around them.

While the whole scene was intense and dramatic at first, that seemed to wear off after a while until only the mind-numbing sameness of it remained.

"We could check in on V and the boys. I mean, leaving young teenagers in the company of literal demons might be looked upon as being irresponsible." Agent Roberts said simply.

"Ares is here. We don't have to be responsible for the boys at all. If V... I don't know... corrupts them or something, as the parent and guardian Ares will be held to account. Any decision regarding what is appropriate for the boys to be involved in is his to make. The most we can do is verify that he knows about everything that's going on and approves of it." Agent Fastbeck said frankly.

Agent Roberts slowly nodded, then cautiously said, "I suppose that it's only natural for us to try and find a purpose for being here since our original purpose was served once we conducted them to the Southseid site."

"We're representing the interests of the FBI by making sure that these people are doing what they claim to be doing. Even though we've chosen to help them, it's always been within the framework of what's allowable. If at any point, any of these people had posed a legitimate threat to the United States government or her people, we would have reacted to mitigate the situation." Agent Fastbeck said seriously.

"Right. I'm glad that it hasn't come to that. I really like these people." Agent Roberts quietly admitted.

"I know." Agent Fastbeck assured him, "If there had been an incident I would have been conflicted, to say the least."

"Where is Andrea right now?" Agent Roberts asked knowingly.

"She's busy overseeing things in Brynnhollow." Agent Fastbeck said with a slight smile at the thought of her.

"What was that?"

"What?"

"Over there, through the Waxell doorway."

"Someone's out there."

"Kirwin! Otis! Do you want to help me with something?" Agent Roberts asked as he started walking toward the Waxell doorway.

Agent Fastbeck took a step to follow, but then decided that it would be better if he remained behind to keep an eye on things.

"Is there a problem?" V asked Agent Fastbeck as he approached.

"It's too early to be sure. Someone's snooping around outside the Waxell doorway. Just make sure you stay out of sight until we can assess the situation."

Within a heartbeat, V was basically the same size as Deimos and was significantly smaller than Jim.

"You don't have to worry about me, I can blend in." V assured him, then added, "And you don't have to worry about me stepping outside. I couldn't step through that doorway if I wanted to."

"I wasn't worried." Agent Fastbeck said simply.

"Maybe not now, but you might have been at some point. But you can save your worry for other things. Me and my helpers are content to balance the forces of fire against the forces trying to create a barrier where it isn't needed." V said frankly.

"Good. That's just what we need for you to be doing." Agent Fastbeck assured him.

* * * * *

"Dad?" Kirwin asked as he, Agent Roberts and Otis stepped out of the gazebo. Agent Roberts noticed that just as Otis had joined him, that Obby had 'attached' to him and become like a normal shadow.

"Kirwin? I was getting worried. How are you? Is your grandfather alright?" Warren asked anxiously.

"We're both fine." Kirwin immediately informed him.

"They're really okay." Otis interjected.

"Otis? What are you doing out here?" Warren asked confusedly.

"I asked him to come along, just in case he was needed for our investigation." Agent Roberts quickly said as he noticed that the dusk had nearly given away to night.

"I got the impression that you would just be stopping by for a few minutes to check on something." Warren said slowly.

"Yeah. It turns out that we found what we were looking for..."

"Don't tell me you found bodies buried out here." Warren interrupted.

"No. Not at all." Agent Roberts said with surprise at the suggestion.

"With the creepy feeling that's always surrounded this place I just knew that there was probably a mass grave or something out here. I bet the walls of that house are stuffed with dead hobos or something..." Warren nervously muttered.

"I need to check on something. I'll be right back." Kirwin said firmly, then turned back toward the gazebo and started walking before anyone could object or question what he was doing.

"I hate this place. It should have been burned to the ground a hundred years ago." Warren growled.

"This is your heritage, your family history. Be thankful for what you have. I would love to have a physical representation of the generational history of my family. What I've got instead is half-remembered tales of people that might not have actually existed. I can't even imagine how much family history is lost to me because no one bothered to preserve it." Agent Roberts explained.

"You wouldn't feel that way if your family history surrounded a cancerous monument to fear like this." Warren challenged.

"I believe that having something is better than having nothing, but I think that we may have to agree to disagree on that point." Agent Roberts finished with a weary smile.

"Warren, come here." Steven's voice called.

Agent Roberts turned and saw Steven, being supported by his walker, framed in the archway of the gazebo.

"Dad? What are you doing?" Warren asked as Kirwin hurried past his grandfather and back to his father's side.

"Just come here so I can explain." Steven said firmly.

"Are you sure about this?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"Yes. This is not only the right thing for our situation, but also for Warren himself." Steven said confidently.

"What's going on?" Warren asked anxiously.

"C'mon, Dad!" Kirwin said as he took Warren's hand and began to urge him toward the gazebo.

"I think that if you just go along, you'll have all your questions answered." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"But I didn't ask. I never wanted to know. I don't want to have anything to do with this place." Warren protested.

"Has he always been like this?" Agent Roberts asked Steven as he fought the urge to throw the stubborn man over his shoulder and carry him to the gazebo.

"He's his mother's son." Steven said wearily.

"It appears that our options are very limited right now. If you expose him to something that he can't handle we could conceivably be forced to take a drastic action, no matter how much we might not want to." Agent Roberts said with dark urgency under his words.

"This may be our only chance to unite as a family, our last chance. I understand what you're saying and I'll accept responsibility for whatever happens." Steven said solemnly.

"Then I hope that something good comes from doing this." Agent Roberts said honestly.

There was a momentary pause, then light rain started falling.

"Warren, you're a grown man. We can't make you do anything against your will. Right now I'm asking, as your father, if you will come with us and share in this very important part of our lives." Steven asked hopefully.

"All three of us should be part of this." Kirwin interjected.

"That's right. If you refuse, this chance will be lost forever." Steven added.

"I'm not agreeing to anything, but what exactly do you want me to do?" Warren cautiously asked.

"Go inside the gazebo and meet some new friends of ours. If you'll do that much and just listen for a few minutes, I don't think either of us will ask anything more of you. However things end up going, we'll consider it settled." Steven said seriously.

"Your friends are inside the gazebo?"

"Yes. You can't see them from out there." Steven said encouragingly.

Warren looked down at his son and quietly asked, "You really want me to do this, don't you?"

"All three of us can be part of something really important and we can help people in ways that nobody else can."

"Is this the thing you and your grandfather keep whispering about?"

"Yeah. Grandpa said that he already asked you and you said that you didn't want to help." Kirwin said frankly.

"I don't remember ever being asked." Warren said honestly.

"I couldn't just come out and ask you. I had to suss out your opinion on things by talking with you in parables and the like."

"You mean those weird bedtime stories that you used to tell me?"

"Yes, that's right. Those bedtime stories were to expose you to ideas and possibilities that you might never consider otherwise." Steven said frankly.

"I still remember the story that you used to tell me about making friends with the angels. That always made me feel so happy." Warren said distantly.

"It turns out that angels are better as a concept..." Steven began to say.

"C'mon Dad. Do this with us and we can talk about things as much as you want later." Kirwin urged.

Warren glanced at Agent Roberts and Otis uncertainly before finally saying, "Okay. I'll go see what you're talking about. But remember that you said that I don't have to stay and participate in whatever this is if I don't want to."

"Give it five minutes. If you decide that you don't want to be a part of it in that time, we won't push for you to stay." Steven assured him.

Agent Roberts glanced at Steven uncertainly.

Steven gave a slight shake of his head, then motioned for his son to step forward to the gazebo archway.

Chapter 12

Stepping into the gazebo was like stepping into another world.

While the others were more used to the sight, seeing Warren's awe made the wonder of it feel new.

"Warren, I'd like for you to meet V, Xaphan, Deimos and Jim." Agent Roberts cautiously introduced.

"What is that?" Warren whispered with a tremble of fear in his voice.

Agent Roberts followed Warren's terrified gaze to verify which of many disturbing things to which he was referring.

"That's Xaphan, he's a demon. He was summoned here to help us. Don't worry, he's on our side." Agent Roberts assured him.

"Are those boys going to be safe with it?" Warren asked anxiously.

Agent Roberts fought down his urge to laugh at the question and quietly assured Warren, "The boys will be fine."

"Would you mind showing Warren around? I'd feel better if I could stay by the door." Otis quietly asked.

"I know what you mean. I should probably be doing that too." Agent Roberts chuckled, then said to Warren, "If you'll come over here to the table in the middle of the room, I'll introduce you to the people running this whole thing."

Warren took one step, then froze in his tracks as he focused on Rhuru-wra on the other side of the room.

"Is that a bigfoot?" Warren asked in amazement.

"Yes. But that's not all he is. Rhuru-wra is also an aspiring Wizard and a brave adventurer. Among his people he is known as 'The Wanderer'."

"It's... like a person?" Warren asked in confusion.

"Yes. In fact, everyone you're going to meet here are different varieties of people... well, almost everyone, there are one or two that I'm not completely sure about yet." Agent Roberts fought to clarify.

"Just one or two?" Warren muttered as he slowly looked around the room uncomprehendingly.

"Yeah. And before we go too far, you need to know that the majority of these people are involved in a project to help protect some vulnerable communities. They may not be able to break away from their tasks to talk to you. If they're concentrating on something else, please don't interrupt them." Agent Roberts said seriously.

"It's hard for me to believe that I'm here talking to them at all. Is that an elf?" Warren suddenly asked hopefully.

"Yes. His name is Jhaartael. Would you like to meet him?" Agent Roberts asked with a smile.

"If he's not too busy, I'd really like to."

"As far as I know, Jhaartael has been searching for some way to help out." Agent Roberts said honestly as he led the group into a neighboring 'quadrant' of the gazebo.

"Is that a demon?" Warren asked as he struggled to see everyone they were walking past.

"Yes. His name is Paul. He's very busy right now. If you hang around here for a while I'm sure that you'll get a chance to talk to him. He's a very friendly person."

"A demon... named Paul?" Warren asked uncertainly.

"Yes. You can ask him about it later." Agent Roberts said simply, then said more formally, "Warren Tennyson, I am honored to present Jhaartael. I don't know his formal title, but there's no doubt that he does have one."

"I am the Duke Jhaartael, sovereign lord of five of the nine realms of Anthea." Jhaartael proudly announced.

"That sounds really impressive, but I don't know what that means." Kirwin reluctantly said from his father's side.

"It means that if a child goes to bed hungry, that I have failed in my duties. If two neighbors can't work out a dispute to their mutual satisfaction, then it falls to me to mediate a compromise that neither will believe is equitable. Whatever bounty rains down upon the realm is surely the benevolence of the gods. But any ill that befalls us is due to my greed, short sightedness or sheer stupidity."

"That sounds awful." Kirwin quietly admitted.

"Those who are strong enough, both magically and intellectually, rise to positions of power. We serve those who are less capable and we are hated for it. Such is the nature of things."

"Are you really an elf?" Warren asked with boyish delight.

"Yes. Although I prefer to be counted as one of the Faerie Folk. Elves are but one of the different types of faeries and I do my best to represent all of them equally." Jhaartael explained.

"Do you see the half-elf over there at the table? That's Jhaartael's son, Milo." Agent Roberts said as he gestured in that direction.

"I see the half-elf and a demon, but what is that other thing?" Warren quietly asked.

"That's Reaper, called by his or her people, 'The Child of the Sword'." Agent Roberts carefully explained.

"His or her?" Warren cautiously asked.

"Sometimes Reaper's appearance fluctuates between being more male or female in general aesthetic. But most of the time Reaper is gender neutral." Agent Roberts explained.

"But what is he... she... it, I mean, what species?" Warren struggled to ask.

"A Nephilim, the offspring of an angel and a human."

"An angel? Like a real live angel?" Warren asked in wonder.

"Um. Yeah." Agent Roberts said slowly, then glanced at Steven before saying, "There are a couple of angels over here, if you'd like to meet them."

"Could I?"

"Yeah. Just... don't get your hopes up. Okay?"

Warren enthusiastically nodded.

Agent Roberts dutifully led the way past Reaper into the quadrant of the room where Mr. Hansen, Mr. Couleigh, Zarall and Jael were muttering and seemed to be concentrating.

"They seem to be busy right now. We probably shouldn't interrupt them." Agent Roberts whispered as they approached.

"Are they really angels?" Warren asked with tears of joy welling in his eyes.

"Yes. They're cherubim, from one of the many choirs of angels." Jhaartael quietly answered.

"They're so beautiful." Warren whispered in awe.

"Do you really think so?" Agent Roberts asked incredulously.

"It's like a dream come true." Warren quietly admitted.

"One person's dream is another person's nightmare, I suppose." Jhaartael said sagely.

"Yeah. Given the choice, I'd rather spend time with Milo's choir than with those angels." Agent Roberts admitted.

"Just how much do you know about that?" Jhaartael cautiously asked.

"I saw them in their statue forms at the ruined church and then I saw them here when Milo summoned them. Milo mentioned that they would automatically defend him... I think that's about it." Agent Roberts finished thoughtfully.

"The skill that he has employed, it has such potential for being misused." Jhaartael said gravely.

"I can't say that I know Milo well enough to tell you not to worry about it, but he doesn't strike me as the type of person who would intentionally hurt people."

"He's an oddling, without a doubt. I think I worry so much because I don't understand him. I can't tell myself that he's going to be alright because, for the life of me, I can't follow his reasoning."

"In the short time that I've known Milo, I've seen him switch his objectives several times. I think that if I tried to analyze and predict his actions that I would probably end up as frustrated as you are. I have the feeling that he desperately wants to believe in something bigger than himself and be a part of it, but he doesn't have any real 'plan', so to speak."

"Yes. That does sound like him." Jhaartael admitted.

"When he finds a cause, he throws himself into it, devoting all his passion. Then later, when his cause turns out to be less worthy than he had anticipated, he withdraws, feeling to some degree that the failure was his, for not working hard enough." Agent Roberts said speculatively.

"You say that you don't know my son well, but to me it seems that you know him better than he knows himself." Jhaartael said frankly.

"It's the FBI training. It forces you to identify people's motives to aid in predicting their behavior."

"What can you predict about my son?" Jhaartael asked cautiously.

"Look at him. He's a hero. What I predict for him is a long and happy future of being able to look back on a monumental accomplishment and possibly even serve as a mentor to inspire the next generation."

"What's that?" Warren asked suddenly.

"That's another demon. I think I remember her being introduced as Nomia. She's here helping Paul. That's really all that I know about her." Agent Roberts said honestly.

"But she's so different from the other one... Xaphan." Warren said thoughtfully.

"Just like there are many different types of faeries and angels, so are there many different types of demons." Jhaartael said informatively.

"Holy shit!" Paul suddenly gasped.

Everyone, all around the gazebo, turned their full attention toward Paul to see what had spooked him so badly.

After a long moment, Paul gravely said, "Guys. We've got a problem."

"What's wrong?" Agent Roberts immediately asked.

"We are so screwed. I just felt the entire barrier shifting, all at once. With everything else that we've been doing, nobody thought about anchoring the stupid thing. It's MOVING!" Paul finished in a rush.

"Isn't the barrier anchored to the Vinculum Chamber?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously into the silence that followed.

"Yes, in a way, but not really. Not in the way that you're thinking, anyway. When you're dealing with multidimensional spatial coordinates, you need to use an anchor that's based on the framework of the universe, not on one of the instances of it." Paul fought to explain.

"I should have thought of that. I even checked to see that Mars was in retrograde to gauge the influences on our spelling today. It never occurred to me to verify if the Vinculum itself was anchored." Mr. Hansen said anxiously.

"What can we do to fix it?" Agent Roberts quickly asked, always willing to skip directly to a solution when possible.

"We'd have to do a spell based in astrology to serve as an anchor. While I understand the mechanics of what we'd have to do, I don't know how to do it. I don't know any astrology spells." Paul finished gravely.

"That won't be an issue. I have more than enough familiarity with several traditional ceremonies that utilize astrological superstructures." Professor Everstone assured the increasing group who were gathering around the table where the Magi were still weaving their spells.

"I can't do more than what I'm already doing." Paul warned him without any trace of shame behind the words.

"I too am at my limit." Professor Everstone admitted, then continued, "However, that is why I spoke of ceremonies rather than spells. The only difficulty I foresee might be in adjusting our current efforts to allow Filipe and Mr. Hansen the freedom to conduct the ceremony."

"I'm barely keeping up with what I'm doing now. I can't do more." Filipe immediately warned him.

"Worry not. I am certain that Dr. Williams and I will be able to compensate for your absence from the spellcasting for a short time." Professor Everstone said confidently.

"While I appreciate your confidence and optimism, allow me to state so that there will be no doubt, we will need Filipe's help to complete this project." Dr. Williams said firmly.

"Yes, yes. I'm not so deluded that I can't recognize our limitations. But if we are to bring this matter to resolution in the current time with the people we have available, I can see no other way to proceed."

"Since I don't know what you have in mind, I suppose that I will have to take your word for that." Dr. Williams said frankly.

"Quite simply, what I propose is to assemble a group of people to represent the Houses of the Zodiac and lead them through a simple ceremony which, in theory, will result in the Vinculum chamber associating itself with the superstructure of the multiverse. I believe that Mr. Hansen is familiar enough with astrology to organize the spell and Filipe has developed his thaumaturgical ability to the point where he will be able to magically establish the bond between the ceremony participants and their astrological counterparts."

"Wait. Wait. Are you saying that in the middle of everything else that's going on, you want to put on some kind of a play?" Agent Roberts asked slowly.

"Our other choice would be to stop what we're doing and begin again several days from now, when we can get everyone together and back up to full power." Professor Everstone said seriously.

"No. We've already decided that this is our one and only chance to do this." Agent Roberts reluctantly admitted.

"Dr. Williams and I are going to be a bit overburdened compensating for Filipe's absence from our spelling endeavor. Would you help Mr. Hansen with the organization of the ceremony?" Professor Everstone asked hopefully.

"Of course. I'll do whatever I can to help." Agent Roberts immediately assured him.

"Can you guys handle this?" Mr. Hansen asked cautiously as he backed away from his spellcasting group.

"We are not guys. We are angels." Zarall said sternly.

"Go and do what you need to do. I've got this." Mr. Couleigh assured him.

"Are you sure?" Mr. Hansen asked, as he spared a distasteful look at the cherubs.

Mr. Couleigh followed his gaze as he said with a slight growl in his voice, "Leave it to me."

"It will just take me a minute to disengage." Mr. Hansen responded, then began performing a different series of casting hand signs, different from those he had been doing rhythmically before.

Agent Roberts glanced over to see that Filipe was doing basically the same thing.

Without understanding the meanings of the hand signs, Agent Roberts couldn't be sure of anything except that intense magic was being performed.

"What do we need to do first?" Agent Roberts asked aloud, not at all sure of who he was even asking.

"We need to choose people to represent the astrological Houses. Once the people are chosen, we will have Filipe link them into the ceremonial spell." Mr. Hansen slowly explained.

"I don't know what qualities you're looking for, so I don't know who to recommend."

"Before we begin, know that a valid selection can be made with someone who seems not to match any of the criteria." Mr. Hansen said as he seemed to suddenly become calm.

"I don't understand." Agent Roberts said honestly.

"For example, to represent the astrological House of Aries, I suggest that we use Ares. I don't know if he has any qualifications besides his name, but in the absence of other considerations, I'm inclined to go with it."

"So qualifications don't matter?" Agent Roberts cautiously asked.

"They matter, but they don't mean everything." Mr. Hansen said frankly.

"I still don't know what you're asking me to do." Agent Roberts said urgently.

"Of the people here, who would you say is dependable, strong... maybe a little stubborn." Mr. Hansen asked in a leading tone.

"I don't really know anyone here that well. But based strictly on first impressions I would guess that you're talking about V." Agent Roberts said seriously.

"I wasn't talking about anyone, I was listing the more common personality traits of a Taurus." Mr. Hansen carefully explained.

"But we need V where he is to keep an unwanted barrier from forming." Agent Roberts warned.

"This shouldn't interfere with that. While the Magi and spellcasters couldn't break away to participate in this, most of the rest will be able to join in if they wish."

"So they have to agree to do it?"

"Yes. The ceremony won't work correctly with the unwilling. But if you think about it, everyone is here by choice for the express purpose of helping those in need."

"Except for the cherubim." Agent Roberts said simply.

"Fuck them." Mr. Hansen let slip, then caught himself and amended, "Excuse me. What I meant to say was that their assistance won't be necessary for what we're planning to do."

"Whatever you say... so does this mean that we ready to start with Ares and V?"

"Yes. Filipe, are you ready?" Mr. Hansen asked hopefully.

"Yeah. I think so." Filipe answered as he approached.

"What I'm going to show you is a very simple spell. All you're going to be doing is using the principles of thaumaturgy to magically associate two things as being 'like'." Mr. Hansen carefully explained.

"We do stuff like that all the time in my Thaumaturgy class, so I should be okay with it." Filipe said seriously.

"Let me show you the hand gestures first. Since you're taking Thaumaturgy class, I'm sure that all of these will be familiar to you." Mr. Hansen said professionally.

After a moment of watching, Warren quietly asked, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Leo." Agent Roberts answered without turning his gaze from Filipe and Mr. Hansen.

"Excuse me?" Warren asked cautiously, not entirely sure that Agent Roberts' response had actually been directed at him.

"Dag, Warren asked if he can help." Agent Roberts said more loudly.

Mr. Hansen glanced away from Filipe toward Warren for a moment, then said, "Yes. He can help. He can be Leo."

"See?" Agent Roberts asked with a smile at Mr. Hansen's declaration.

"What do you want me to do?" Warren asked cautiously.

"Hey, Dag, if Warren agrees to be Leo, what's he going to have to do?" Agent Roberts asked curiously.

After a moment more of talking quietly to Filipe, Mr. Hansen looked up and said, "He would have to allow Filipe to cast a spell on him, then he would have to agree to follow the stage directions of a basic astrological ceremony."

"How bad do you think that will be for an average human?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"As I said, as long as the participants are there by their own choice, most of the rest tends to work itself out. It's one of those cases when doing your best is usually good enough."

"So, you're saying that he has to try?" Agent Roberts asked uncertainly.

"Yes. Honestly and sincerely. If he'll do that much, it should work out just fine."

"What do you think, Warren? Can you do that?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"I don't know." Warren said slowly, then turned to Mr. Hansen and quietly said, "You never mentioned anything about 'belief'."

"Some of the more religious types of magic require belief, especially from humans. But astrology is one of those disciplines that tend to work more scientifically. You do a thing and another thing happens as a result." Mr. Hansen explained.

"I think I'm ready. What do you need for me to do next?" Filipe quietly asked.

"If Warren agrees to it, you could try your incantation on him." Mr. Hansen suggested.

"Tell me again, why do you need Filipe to do this? Why aren't you doing it yourself?" Agent Roberts slowly asked.

"I'm reasonably well versed in Astrology, but I have little natural talent for Thaumaturgy. If I were to try and create the links to the astrological framework, chances are that most, if not all of the linkages would fail."

"Will you let me put the spell on you?" Filipe asked Warren hopefully.

"I don't know if I even believe in any of this!" Warren said with evident frustration.

"Dad, this is what Grandpa and I are doing here. If there's a way that we can help these people, we're going to do it." Kirwin said frankly.

"If you really mean that, we could use your help." Mr. Hansen said simply.

"What can I do?" Kirwin asked hopefully.

"Filipe, will you set Kirwin up as Aquarius?"

"Is it okay? Do you want to do this?" Filipe asked Kirwin cautiously.

"It's not going to hurt, is it?" Kirwin hesitantly asked.

"Nope. Not even a little bit. I'll put the spell on you, then all you'll have to do is move where we tell you and maybe say some words. I don't know much about that part. Mr. Hansen is doing the ceremony."

"But no pain? You promise?" Kirwin asked to be sure.

"Yeah. I swear it." Filipe said firmly.

"Okay. What do I have to do?" Kirwin asked nervously.

"Just stand there for a second while I 'make you' Aquarius. You shouldn't feel anything at all." Filipe explained as he began to perform the descriptive spellcasting gestures.

"What are you doing to him?" Warren asked anxiously as he watched.

"Kirwin is a person, he's a male, he's a teen..." Mr. Hansen said as he watched what Filipe was doing, "...in doing this, Filipe is making it so that Kirwin is Aquarius."

"You know, when you're playing a board game and you use a piece on the board to represent you? It's like that, except you're the piece and you're representing Aquarius." Filipe explained as he stopped his gestures.

"Well done, Filipe. That was perfect." Mr. Hansen said appreciatively.

"How do you feel?" Warren asked his son anxiously.

"I don't feel any different." Kirwin said honestly.

"Do you think I should do it?" Warren asked uncertainly.

"If you don't, then why are you here? What difference does it make if you show up and don't help out?" Kirwin asked frankly.

"He makes a good point. Observing from a distance contributes nothing. The only way to become a part of all of this is to step up and participate." Steven told his son.

"Is that what you and Kirwin have been doing all this time?" Warren asked curiously.

"No. We've been waiting until the day that we were needed." Steven said simply, then added with a smile, "This is what we've been waiting for. It's not too late. You can join in."

"Do you want to help us? Because I've got a role for you if you're interested." Mr. Hansen cautiously offered.

"Yes. I'd love to help, if I may." Steven said with a grand smile.

"Filipe, would you imbue Steven with the essence of Virgo?" Mr. Hansen asked with a slight smile.

"The virgin?" Steven asked with a chuckle.

"No. Virgo is dependable and patient, although sometimes critical and judgemental."

"Dad, it sounds made for you. Go ahead and do it and I'll go next." Warren assured him.

"Are you ready, Steven?"

"More than you can possibly know."

"Filipe?"

"Yeah. Let's do this."

* * * * *

"Who's next?" Filipe asked as he looked around the gathering.

"Why don't we go ahead and take care of Ares and V, then we can start looking for the other participants?"

As Filipe and Mr. Hansen started toward the Waxell door, where V was located, they were intercepted by Archdruid Highley.

"Are you looking for the players for the astrological spell that you're going to be doing?"

"Yes. And while I appreciate your enthusiasm, the probability of needing to traverse the gates makes the gatekeepers ineligible..."

"I sometimes have premonitions. I had one earlier that told me that you would need Linnaeus and Den to make your astrology spell work properly."

"But they are already acting as bridges." Mr. Hansen said slowly.

"All I know is that according to my vision, Linnaeus and Den will participate. If you fight against what is fated to be, you can cause untold damage to your cause." Archdruid Highley somberly warned.

"You're already planning to use Ares, and he's a bridge." Filipe interjected.

"Yes. That is true." Mr. Hansen reluctantly agreed.

"With his multiple legs and the way he arches his torso when walking, Linnaeus seems like a natural choice for 'Scorpio'." Archdruid Highley cautiously offered.

"Or a supernatural choice." Agent Roberts interjected with a grin.

Filipe and Archdruid Highley rolled their eyes as Mr. Hansen shook his head and groaned.

"Sorry." Agent Roberts said quietly, valiantly trying to suppress his laughter.

"As we were saying... Linnaeus would do well in the part of Scorpio. For the matter of Den, I saw him representing Libra. I can't speak to his qualifications, I just know what I saw."

"Dag, is there any reason at all for us not to just go with it?" Agent Roberts asked seriously

"That's not how I typically operate. However, in this instance it does seem the appropriate way to go."

"Who do you want for me to do next?" Filipe asked curiously.

"Let's take advantage of Jarvis while we have him with us." Agent Roberts said with a smile in his direction.

At Filipe's uncomprehending stare, Agent Roberts explained, "Linnaeus doesn't speak our language. Archdruid Highley can translate for us. It's best for us to make our move while we have everything we need close at hand."

"So I'm doing those guys next?" Filipe asked to be sure.

"Yes." Agent Roberts said as he guided Filipe to walk with him, then asked Jarvis over his shoulder, "You coming?"

Archdruid Highley and Mr. Hansen shared a look, then moved in unison to join Agent Roberts and Filipe.

* * * * *

"Guys? Would you like to help us out with something?" Agent Roberts asked as he approached Linnaeus and Den, standing side-by-side at the Nevermore doorway.

"The feeling of all this magic flowing through me is so trippy that you could kill me right now and I wouldn't even care." Den said blissfully.

"Is he going to be okay for the ceremony?" Agent Roberts asked uncertainly.

"He should be fine. All he has to do is stand where we tell him and possibly recite a passage of text, if that even turns out to be necessary at all." Mr. Hansen said slowly.

"Are you okay, Den?" Agent Roberts asked with concern.

"I'm better than I've ever been in my life." Den said happily, then glanced at Linnaeus at his side and continued, "Even if none of the rest of this happened it would all be worth it just to get to know Linny."

"Do you want me to go ahead and do it?" Filipe asked uncertainly.

"Linnaeus? Would you be willing to accept a spell cast upon you to make you the living representation of Scorpio?" Mr. Hansen asked carefully.

Archdruid Highley followed up with a brief statement in another language.

Linnaeus expression broke into a delighted smile and even though most present couldn't understand his screeching language, none had any doubt of what his answer was.

"Seven signs I grant you, yourself being the eighth. Holding close to Libra, close as brothers, continue forward, this I bestow, in this world be now the living representation of Scorpio." Filipe said as he performed seven very precise and distinct hand signs.

Agent Roberts watched curiously, since the spelling seemed unlike the others that he had witnessed.

"Why did you choose that spell?" Mr. Hansen asked curiously.

"Because of what Den just said. They need to do this together and if I weave that into the spell, their unity will only make it stronger." Filipe carefully explained.

"I need to confer with Mrs. Tabbert about what she's teaching you in Astrology. Not only is that a very useful adaptation, but it's also a bit higher level than I would have anticipated for someone your age." Mr. Hansen said honestly.

"I didn't learn that in class. I learned it because of Paul. He's always changing spells and making them do things that they weren't intended to do. Now I'm kind of in the habit of looking at spells as being things that can be bent and twisted to do exactly what I need them to do instead of just being 'close enough'." Filipe explained.

"Perhaps it's a consequence of growing up and having to pay a penalty for every failed spell. It makes one reluctant to 'color outside the lines' so to speak." Mr. Hansen said consideringly.

"Yeah. Paul and I both learned about magic about a year ago, so we never learned not to try new things." Filipe said thoughtfully.

"Are you okay, Linny?" Den asked his companion with concern.

Linnaeus gleefully screeched his response.

Den smiled at the reaction, then turned to Filipe and said, "You can do me next."

"Be the shield. Be the armor. Be the sword. Be not the wielder but the wielded. In this is your strength. In this you are Libra." Filipe said professionally.

"Whoa. That one just sent a chill straight up my spine." Agent Roberts chuckled.

"Thanks, kid. What was your name again?"

"Filipe."

"Thanks Fil. If you ever need anything, come and see me..." Den said sincerely, then was interrupted by Linnaeus' wheezy screech.

"Us, come and see us." Den finished with a smile.

"I will." Filipe promised, then was guided by Agent Roberts to start across the room, back toward the Waxell doorway.

"Who are we doing next?" Filipe asked as they walked.

"V?" Agent Roberts asked as he turned to look at Mr. Hansen inquisitively.

"Yes. V first, then Ares." Mr. Hansen confirmed.

"If Ares is anything like Linnaeus and Den, then maybe we should plan on doing Dark as well." Agent Roberts cautiously suggested.

"Ares only qualifies due to his name. Dark doesn't even have that much going for him." Mr. Hansen said frankly.

"Does a person have to have the right name or right animal transformation to make them right for a particular sign?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"No." Mr. Hansen admitted, "There are any number of qualifications. Some have to do with personality and some seeming to be completely random, like their choice of clothing or jewelry that day."

"What would Dark need to do to get picked as one of the star signs?" Filipe asked curiously.

"I suppose the easiest way would be to assess his personality and see if his natural traits are the notable traits associated with one of the astrological Houses." Mr. Hansen said thoughtfully.

"He's loyal. By everything that I've seen, he seems to be absolutely devoted to Ares and the boys." Agent Roberts said seriously, then asked, "Does that sound like any of the Houses to you?"

"Cancer, almost verbatim." Mr. Hansen said frankly.

When no more was said on the subject, all present took it as a sign that the matter had been resolved.

* * * * *

"V, would you be available to help us out with something?" Agent Roberts asked hopefully.

"Certainly. What can I do for you?" V asked pleasantly.

"Dag will have to explain it. I'm having a little trouble wrapping my head around the whole thing." Agent Roberts shyly admitted.

"You're doing fine with it." Mr. Hansen assured him, then said to V, "We need to anchor the Vinculum chamber so that the barriers that we're creating won't unseat due to the drift of the multiverse."

"That sounds like a reasonable step to take. How can I help you?" V asked pleasantly.

"We were thinking that you could represent one of the astrological Houses to form the anchor." Mr. Hansen said seriously.

"As much as I would like to help you with that, I'm afraid that my infernal influence on your spell might do more harm than good. I'm assuming that you didn't want to anchor your Vinculum to a hell dimension."

"No. That wouldn't be my first choice." Mr. Hansen admitted.

"I'm an archdemon. Although I don't go around shooting off my magic in every direction, that doesn't mean that I am powerless. If you were to include me as an anchor, my power could conceivably override that of all the other participants. It might very well cause your Vinculum chamber to permanently anchor to the Meayithan Realm." V said seriously.

"Yeah. Let's not do that." Agent Roberts quietly suggested.

"Thank you for thinking this through. I suppose that when I was looking at the qualifications for the Houses, you were such a perfect fit for Taurus that I just considered it settled." Mr. Hansen shyly admitted.

"What are the qualifications for Taurus?" Agent Roberts asked curiously.

"Dependable... strong... really strong willed." Filipe slowly recalled.

"Rhuru-wra." Agent Roberts said simply.

"What was that?" Mr. Hansen asked as he turned his attention back toward Agent Roberts.

"It sounds like Rhuru-wra would be an excellent candidate for Taurus." Agent Roberts said frankly.

After a moment to consider, Mr. Hansen admitted, "He does seem to have the requisite personality traits."

"Let's go talk to him. I can't wait to see his reaction." Agent Roberts said with a grin as he led the way.

Chapter 13

"Conrad, have you got a minute?" Agent Roberts asked hopefully.

"I have several. What can I do for you?" Agent Fastbeck responded easily.

"We have a question to ask Rhuru-wra and I was hoping that you could translate for us."

"I thought you could speak to him without a translator." Agent Fastbeck said cautiously.

"I can usually get his meaning and I think he mostly understands what I'm trying to say to him, but this is one of those cases where I think it's probably better to have a more accurate translation. I just don't want to take the chance of getting Rhuru-wra to agree to something and then find out that he didn't understand what I was asking."

"Is this about what Paul was talking about, us not being anchored?" Agent Fastbeck asked curiously.

"Yes. Dag and Filipe have a fix for that, but they're going to need a few people to help them."

"There's not much for them to do but agree to it. The ceremony is actually quite simple." Mr. Hansen quickly interjected.

"I think that I can safely speak on Rhuru-wra's behalf when I say that he will be happy to help you however he can." Agent Fastbeck said as he motioned for the others to walk with him toward the doorway where Rhuru-wra was standing.

"Roo, these guys wanted to know if you'd like to help them with something." Agent Fastbeck said gently to the large beast.

Rhuru-wra loosed a low tranquil growl that revealed just how relaxed he was at that moment.

"The Vinculum Chamber and the barriers are drifting, thanks to the movement of the multiverse. We just wanted to know if you'd like to help us anchor it." Agent Roberts explained as succinctly as he was able.

A shorter, sharper growl was his response.

"He wants to know what he has to do." Agent Fastbeck translated.

"If he will agree to allow us to put a spell on him to make him the embodiment of Taurus, then the most we might do is ask him to move to another part of the chamber and possibly say a few words of a spell." Mr. Hansen explained.

Agent Fastbeck relayed what Mr. Hansen said, then listened for a moment as Rhuru-wra responded.

"He says that he'll be happy to help however he can and that he wants you to ask him if you need anything at all."

"Yes. We'll be happy to do that." Mr. Hansen immediately agreed.

"One above many. One of many. One alone. Strength of hand, strength of will and strength of word. Such is Taurus." Filipe said reverently as he performed the gestures.

Once the spell was complete, Rhuru-wra scooped Filipe up into a gentle hug.

Filipe laughed and did his best to hug Rhuru-wra in return, although his size made it nearly impossible.

"Who's next?" Agent Roberts asked with a smile as he waited for Filipe to join them.

"Ares and Dark." Mr. Hansen said simply.

"How many do we have left after that?"

"Four."

"Do you already know who they're going to be?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"Not exactly." Mr. Hansen admitted.

"How does that work?" Agent Fastbeck asked curiously from Agent Roberts' side.

"I don't know their names, but I saw people who would fit by virtue of their animal transformations." Mr. Hansen said slowly.

"That's no problem. Just tell me who you've got and I'll round them up for you." Agent Fastbeck said simply.

"I was thinking that the young centaur would serve well as Sagittarius."

"Jim." Agent Fastbeck said with a nod.

"And I thought that I saw a goat faun earlier..."

"Tannis, he's Jim's younger brother."

"That works out well. The next one wasn't a transformation, but I noticed a set of identical twins..." Mr. Hansen said slowly, hoping to see a spark of recognition in Agent Fastbeck's eyes.

"Cain and Deimos. Cain transforms into a dog... sort of. Deimos turns into a half-dragon. Which one do you want?"

"How close are they? I mean, some twins seem to be almost psychically connected." Mr. Hansen asked cautiously.

"I've been around them quite a bit and they seem to be close, just like you'd expect. They're not 'freakishly' close, but they sometimes finish each other's' sentences and they're usually fairly considerate of each other." Agent Fastbeck said cautiously.

Noticing that Filipe had joined them, Agent Roberts asked, "Are we ready?"

"Are you going to need me for anything right now?"

"No. Not that I can think of. We're just going to be talking to Ares and Dark for a few minutes."

"Good. Then I'll go get Tannis and Cain while you're doing that." Agent Fastbeck said decisively.

* * * * *

"How are you doing, Ares?" Agent Roberts asked gently as he approached.

"One perfect day..." Ares said peacefully.

"What was that?" Agent Roberts asked curiously.

"That's what it feels like to have all this magic flowing through me. It feels like one perfect day when there aren't any worries and nothing can go wrong."

"That sounds really nice." Agent Roberts said honestly.

"It is." Ares said with a smile, then asked, "What did you want?"

"Oh. We were just wondering if you'd like to help us with anchoring the Vinculum Chamber and the barriers so that they won't drift over time." Agent Roberts carefully explained.

"I don't know how much help I'll be, but if there's something I can do, I'll be happy to do it." Ares said honestly.

"From the way I understand it, we just need for you to represent one of the Houses of the Zodiac so that the anchor can be made through you. As far as I know, you won't actually have to do much of anything except maybe stand in a certain place or say a few words."

"Is there any danger involved in this? I have quite a few people who depend on me." Ares quietly explained.

"No. No danger." Mr. Hansen assured him.

After a glance at Dark and receiving a nod, Ares quietly asked, "What do I have to do?"

"Just let Filipe put a spell on you to make you one with the astrological sign of Aries."

"Okay. Whenever you're ready." Ares said simply.

"I can see the path behind, filled with memories and great rewards. I can see the path ahead, filled with new adventures and exploration. What has been and what will be are united in this invisible point, this incalculable time and place. This nothing, this everything, is Aries." Filipe said as he made a rapid series of complicated gestures.

"Wow. You're getting kind of deep there, Filipe." Agent Roberts said cautiously.

"Yeah. Aries is like that." Filipe said simply, then turned to Dark and asked, "Do you want to be Cancer?"

"Um, sure."

"As was, so is. Now and forever. Cancer." Filipe said as he formed four hand signs in succession.

"That's it?" Agent Roberts asked confusedly.

"Uh huh. Each House is their own thing." Filipe explained, then looked to Dark and asked, "Is that okay?"

Dark laughed a full deep belly-laugh, then said, "That's perfect! I love it!"

Although Filipe was certain that there was something that he was missing in the interaction, he had no clue of what it was. Just as happy to let it go, he turned his attention back to his companions.

"You are performing beyond my expectations. I didn't realize that you had such an in depth understanding of astrology." Mr. Hansen said frankly.

"I don't really." Filipe hesitantly admitted, then explained, "When I was taking regular classes in a regular school, I had to learn times tables. When I was doing it, I didn't have to understand how or why they worked, I just had to memorize them."

"While I admit that I don't closely follow the academic practices of the mundane world, I thought that they had moved away from teaching by rote and were presenting beginning math in a more algebraic form."

"I guess it depends on the school. The one I went to was... poor. I don't mean in quality as much as I mean the people who go there don't have much money. I think my teachers were great. They did as much as they could with what they had to work with. But sometimes we had to share books or use copied charts and graphs from books that we couldn't afford to get for everyone." Filipe quietly explained.

"It sounds to me like Filipe learned how to memorize things that he didn't understand at the time. Maybe that's a good skill to have, since it's turned out to be so useful." Agent Roberts suggested.

"Yes. While memorization by rote doesn't necessarily help with understanding, it can be a benefit in and of itself." Mr. Hansen agreed.

"Who's next?" Filipe asked curiously.

"Deimos or Jim. Whichever you'd like to do first." Mr. Hansen said frankly.

"Um, neither." Filipe reluctantly responded.

"How's that?" Mr. Hansen asked curiously.

"They each have an 'other' who needs to be included in their spelling. Doing either of them without their 'other' would make their spelling incomplete." Filipe fought to explain.

"So you're looking at the assignment of astrological roles to the people present as being part of a bigger spell rather than individual spells being cast?" Mr. Hansen cautiously asked.

"If you think about it, this is part of casting the barrier spell. We've been casting this spell ever since the first barrier came down. When we didn't automatically do what was supposed to happen next, it was revealed to us... well, to Paul. Him and his father are probably the only ones here who can sense the movement of the Vinculum in relation to the rest of the multiverse." Filipe said thoughtfully.

"Then why didn't V notice it first? I assume that he's more powerful than Paul by at least an order of magnitude." Agent Roberts quietly asked.

"Probably because V isn't actively casting the spell. He's helping out here and there, but he's not up to his neck in the casting of it like some of the rest of us." Filipe said thoughtfully.

"I think he's right. This spell that we're performing... it was written long ago, by beings that might no longer exist..."

"Or they might exist outside our time and space." Filipe suggested.

"Yes. This could have been orchestrated by a being outside our ability to perceive or conceive. All of this which is so grand and complex to us might be no more consequential than a comma in the course of a sentence that they were writing in an epic that we will never know of." Mr. Hansen said distantly.

"You're getting kind of poetic there, Dag. Want to pull it back? Conrad's back with the boys, so we can get this done." Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"Yes. Of course." Mr. Hansen chuckled, then turned to Filipe and asked, "Do you want to ask them?"

"Yeah." Filipe immediately agreed, then turned toward the nearer of the twins and asked, "You're Deimos, right?"

"Yes." Deimos responded warily.

"If you guys are up to it, we could use your help." Filipe said seriously.

Deimos looked around and noticed that Tannis and Cain had joined them.

"All of us?" Deimos asked cautiously.

"Yes. If you wanted, you and your brother could represent the astrological sign of Gemini."

"Both of us?" Cain asked to be sure.

"Yes. Just like your dad was chosen to represent Aries because his name is Ares, you two are chosen to represent Gemini because you're twins."

"Will it hurt?" Cain asked cautiously.

"Nope. I'll cast a spell on you and then you might have to stand in a certain place and speak a few lines if we end up doing a full ceremony." Filipe said frankly.

The twins looked at each other in unison, then seemed to reach simultaneous agreement as they both looked at Filipe and nodded.

"Into the world, eyes wide open. Into the world, ears uncovered. Into the world, tongues unleashed. Into the world, Gemini." Filipe said as he formed symbols before each of the twins in turn.

"That's it?" Cain asked uncertainly.

"Yeah. That's it." Filipe confirmed.

"I don't feel anything." Deimos said frankly.

"I could kick you or something, if you wanted." Filipe weakly offered.

"No. That's alright." Deimos chuckled.

"Who wants to go next?" Filipe asked as he looked at the older and younger brother, side by side.

"Do you want to?" The older brother asked quietly.

"Yeah." The younger one answered with a smile.

"Could you do your transforming thing, where you turn into a faun? It'll make this easier." Filipe asked hopefully.

"Yeah. Just give me a second. I'm not as good as everyone else at this." Tannis said as he started weaving hand signs.

"That's fine. I didn't know you could do any magic besides your transformation." Filipe said honestly.

"I've been practicing forever and this is all I can do." Tannis admitted, then as soon as he was finished, he began to transform.

Tannis' clothes faded away and seemed to be absorbed into his body as his more animal features came to the fore.

Filipe smiled at the boy's little buds of horns, then started his incantation.

"Virtue exists in completion. History favors those who follow through. Thus Capricorn."

"You okay?" Jim asked his brother quietly.

"Yeah. That was fun." Tannis giggled.

"Are you ready?" Filipe asked the next boy in line, then quickly added, "It will only take a second."

After transforming into a centaur, Jim answered, "Yeah. Go ahead."

"That which is the center. Joyous and fun-loving. In opposition and in harmony, your existence is sacred. Sagittarius." Filipe said as he made three simple bold symbols before Jim's chest.

"That's it. We've got them all now." Agent Roberts said happily.

"No. There's still one more." Filipe said cautiously.

"We've done twelve people haven't we?"

"Yes. But Cain and Deimos were both imbued with the identity of Gemini." Mr. Hansen confirmed.

"Oh. Right. Then who do we have left?"

"Pisces." Filipe immediately answered.

"That's the fish, isn't it? What does Pisces do?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"You see, that's the problem. I don't think the description applies to anyone here, and it's such that if it did, I wouldn't have any way of knowing. I don't know any of these people in those terms." Mr. Hansen said uncomfortably.

"How bad is it? Lay it on me." Agent Roberts demanded.

"Pisces are... romantic. They're highly imaginative and sometimes it's said that they're more style than substance because they tend to cloak themselves in illusions."

"Does it have to be a flesh and blood person? I mean, can Obby do it?" Agent Roberts cautiously asked.

"I... I don't know. Let me think it through." Mr. Hansen said uncertainly.

"Do you think what Mr. Hansen said sounds like it's Obby?" Filipe asked curiously.

"Well, yeah. Romantic, imaginative and cloaked in illusion... all that's missing is a picture of him." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"He is able to walk away from you by his own free will, isn't he?" Mr. Hansen slowly asked.

"Yes. At least, right now he can. We can't be sure what capabilities he's going to have when the barrier spells are complete." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"Actually, that shouldn't matter. If it did, all the participants would have to be immortal for the anchor spell to be maintained." Mr. Hansen said thoughtfully.

"So, can he do it?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"I believe so. If Filipe can imbue him with the identity of Pisces, then I don't foresee any problems with the anchoring ceremony." Mr. Hansen said more confidently.

"What do you say Obby? Do you want to help us out?" Agent Roberts asked as he looked toward the floor.

The blackness of his shadow began to thicken before welling and rising up at his side. As everyone watched, the vaguely humanoid fluidic black goo transformed itself into an exact, albeit darker, replica of Agent Roberts.

"I wasn't paying too close of attention. What did you need for me to do?" Obby asked curiously.

"We're going to be doing a ceremony to anchor the room that we're in and the barriers in place, so that they won't drift over time. To do that, we have to get a group of people to take on the identities of the different astrological signs. If you'll agree to it, we'll put a spell on you to make you an avatar of Pisces. You become a representation of Pisces and it becomes part of who you are." Agent Roberts carefully explained.

"Is that what you were talking to all those people for?" Obby asked curiously.

"Yes. If you agree, you'll be the thirteenth person that we sign up for it."

"So I'll be doing something just like twelve real people?"

"I guess so. If you want to look at it that way. You weren't chosen because you're a shadow, you were chosen because you have the personality traits of a Pisces."

"Thank you, Shawn. I can't even tell you how much it means to me to know that you look at me as someone who can contribute. Yes. I'd like to do it." Obby said shyly.

"Filipe, are you ready to do one more?" Agent Roberts asked optimistically.

"I'm ready to try." Filipe said with a smile, then turned slightly to face Obby.

With grim certainty, Obby met his gaze.

"This I state: Personification of love, personification of life, eldritch horror beyond the reach of what is known. This I request: Imbue within this being the essence of what it is to be Pisces. This I give: My power and my will for it to be so. Make it be." Filipe said firmly, then finished his incantation with one long-held hand symbol.

"Was that a heavy-duty spell or what?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"I didn't want for there to be any doubt. If it sticks, we're good. If it didn't, then we don't need to try it again. That was the absolute best that I could have done it." Filipe said frankly.

"Oh. Okay. Good job." Agent Roberts said, not seeing any reason not to take the boy at his word.

"What do I need to do now?" Obby asked excitedly.

"Just be ready to help us when you're called upon. From the way I understand it, the ceremony that we'll be doing is kind of a free-form thing and we can't really be sure of how it's going to end up. It might take some time, so stay available." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"Actually, there's no reason to delay and several very good reasons to make haste." Mr. Hansen said firmly.

"Okay. Just let us know what we need to do." Agent Roberts said immediately.

"Let me join with the earth for a moment to clear my vision and identify all the anchors, then I'll know what steps need to be taken next." Mr. Hansen said seriously.

"I'll watch out for you while you're doing that." Agent Roberts said firmly.

"Within the purity of the element, my vision becomes clear. I see the pillars that serve as a foundation. Further I see the origin and formation. In so doing, I see the points where what has been created can be made secure, withstanding the torrents and tides, stresses and streams of the multiverse." Mr. Hansen slowly muttered to himself.

Agent Roberts watched and waited for something to happen.

"I see...." Mr. Hansen said more loudly.

Agent Roberts was sorely tempted to ask him just what it was that he was seeing, but knew better than to interrupt.

"I see..." Mr. Hansen said again, then began walking.

Agent Roberts, Obby and Filipe followed along, not knowing just what it was that they were supposed to be doing.

Finally, Mr. Hansen stopped and seemed to be looking at Warren without seeing him.

"Thus the avatar be enjoined. Pay heed and follow the entreaties of Leo."

"Um, what?" Warren asked, then looked at Agent Roberts inquiringly.

"I think Dag's saying that if you feel like going over there and standing by the door, you should do it. Don't fight it." Agent Roberts quietly explained.

"I made you part of Leo. Mr. Hansen brought you into the spell. The rest of it should happen on its own as long as you don't fight against it too much." Filipe said seriously.

"Hi. I'm Obby. I'm going to be helping people just like you are!" Obby said proudly.

"What are you?" Warren asked as he stared at the solid black figure before him.

"Milo said that I'm a shadow demon, even though I'm not a demon at all, not even a little bit. I promise." Obby explained.

"It's just a name, Obby. No one judges you by it." Agent Roberts assured him, then added, "And besides that, so far all the demons that I've met have been pretty cool."

"But what are you?" Warren persisted.

"He's a shadow... my shadow, to be precise. And thanks to Milo and a little magical overflow from the barrier project, Obby is here with us, solid and able to speak." Agent Roberts finished with a smile.

"Your shadow came alive?" Warren asked dubiously.

"Yeah. We've got to follow Dag around right now, but catch us later and Obby might do some shadow tricks for you." Agent Roberts said before hurrying to follow where Mr. Hansen had gone.

* * * * *

"Did Dag just cast a spell on you two?" Agent Roberts asked quickly as he approached.

"I don't know. He said something about joining avatars and entrails and stuff." Kirwin said confusedly.

"That young man seems to be a bit..." Steven faltered.

"Out of his freaking mind?" Agent Roberts suggested.

"Yes." Steven reluctantly agreed, then added, "Although I'm sure he has only the best intentions."

"Dag's a good guy. He's just a little... enthusiastic at the moment."

"Are you going to be part of helping everyone too?" Obby asked excitedly.

"Yeah. Does that mean that you're going to be part of the spell?" Kirwin asked curiously.

"Yes. Obby has been made Pisces, so he's going to stand alongside both of you."

"For some reason I thought this was something just for the regular people." Kirwin said frankly.

"From the way that I understood it, the only people who are disqualified are the Magi and the ones who are actively casting the spells... well, there's V too, but that's just because he's so powerful that he might hijack the whole spell without meaning to." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"Shouldn't we be following Mr. Hansen?" Filipe cautiously asked.

"He's right there, talking to Linnaeus and Den. From the look on their faces, I'm guessing that he's speaking to them in a language that neither of them comprehend." Agent Roberts said speculatively.

"Shouldn't we go and help him?"

"If he needed or wanted our help, he could ask us. And while I don't actually have a problem chasing after him doing damage control, I really don't see the point. If someone can't figure it out, I'm sure they'll ask someone more knowledgeable." Agent Roberts explained.

"But what Mr. Hansen is doing right now is part of the anchor spell. Aren't we supposed to be helping him?" Filipe asked anxiously.

"According to who... whom... whatever. I'll help when I know what I'm supposed to do, but right now, standing here with all of you is just about as productive as anything else that I can think of at the moment." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"If I'm done with my part, I should probably get back to casting the Southseid barrier." Filipe said honestly.

"Do you want to take a break for a couple minutes before you get back to the grind?" Agent Roberts asked gently.

"No. It's not fair to leave Dr. Williams and Professor Everstone with all the spellcasting. I'd rather do my part." Filipe said solidly.

"That's a good attitude to have. It will serve you well in life." Agent Roberts said as he impulsively pulled Filipe into a quick hug.

"What you think about me is important to me. Thanks for saying it." Filipe said as he returned the hug.

"We'll talk more later. Go on." Agent Roberts said as he released Filipe.

Filipe smiled at him, then hurried away.

* * * * *

"What do we need to do now?" Kirwin asked cautiously.

Agent Roberts turned his attention back to Kirwin, then said, "I think it's best if you listen to your instincts and impulses for the next little bit. I'm not sure how all of it works, but the whole astrological thing seems to kind of work by itself as long as you don't try to overthink it."

"I don't notice feeling any particular urges at the moment." Steven said frankly as he noticed Warren joining them.

"I'm not sure how or when it's going to happen. In fact, I can't be sure if it's going to happen. I was just told that you should be ready for it and not fight it." Agent Roberts told the group.

"That boy, G, is trying to get your attention." Obby quietly interrupted.

Agent Roberts noticed where Obby was looking and said, "That's not G, that's Lex, he's an illusion that G made."

"So he's a not-real person like me?" Obby asked cautiously.

"I don't know. I suppose that he is in some ways, but since he came to be in a completely different way, there are some ways that he isn't." Agent Roberts tried to explain.

"I think he wants to talk to you about something."

Agent Roberts thought for a moment, then quietly asked, "Would you go over there and talk to him for me?"

"What do you want me to say to him?" Obby asked cautiously.

"Just talk to him and find out what he needs. If it's something that I can help with, then you can come and get me." Agent Roberts said seriously.

"I'll do it, but I don't understand why." Obby said honestly.

"To be honest, I don't understand why either. Maybe it has something to do with the two of you having things in common, or maybe you have an answer for him that I don't."

"Okay. I'll talk to him." Obby said slowly before walking away.

"Your shadow is its own person." Steven stated more than asked.

"More and more every day." Agent Roberts confirmed.

* * * * *

"You were motioning to Shawn. He sent me over here to see what you needed. My name is Obby."

"Hi. I'm Lex. They just got to a part of the spell where they don't need my help. I've got a question about something and since it's about G's dad and since Paul's busy with his own stuff, I thought that maybe Agent Roberts could help me decide what to do." Lex said anxiously.

"If you really want for me to go get Shawn, I'll do it right now. But he sent me over here to see if maybe I could help you. I think he thinks that since we're the same in some ways that maybe I'll be able to help you somehow that he can't."

"Like how?" Lex asked curiously.

"I don't know. Maybe because I can understand what you're feeling when you talk about being 'made' instead of 'born'." Obby said frankly.

"Actually, that does have something to do with it." Lex said quietly.

"Well, I'm here if you want to talk about it. Believe it or not, shadows are really good at listening." Obby finished with a smile.

Lex smiled at that, then responded, "I was just thinking about what I'm going to do if I keep existing after the barrier spell and all of that is over."

"What do you want to do?" Obby asked curiously.

"That's what I wanted to talk to Agent Roberts about. I couldn't really talk to G's dad because it'd be like me asking him to adopt me or take me in or something."

"Would it be bad if he wanted to adopt you?" Obby asked curiously.

"No! It'd be wonderful! It'd be the best thing ever. But I wouldn't want him to do it because he felt like he had to and didn't have a choice. The only way it would be right is if it was because he wanted me to be his son."

"So what did you want for Shawn to do?"

"I thought that maybe he could come up with some other ideas about what I can do when the barrier spell is over. I mean, where can I go? How can I live? Will I even want to keep existing?" Lex finished quietly.

"I've thought about some stuff like that, but not exactly the same."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lex cautiously asked.

"No. But I will. Maybe it will help." Obby said simply, then continued, "I don't have to worry about not existing when everything is all over. If all the magic suddenly stopped, I'd just go back to being Shawn's shadow. I don't know if I'd still be me... I mean, if I'd know that I was me. But there's not anything I can do about it either way, so I'm not too worried about it."

"But what are you going to do? How are you going to live if you keep on being like you are now?"

"I don't know. I hadn't really thought about it. I always thought that I'd go back to being a flat shadow when I wasn't doing things. If I had to be 'real' all the time... I could probably live with Shawn. He has a big house and lives there all by himself. We get along great. I think he'd probably like to have someone else around."

"But what if G's dad doesn't want me there? What could I do then?"

"Hold on." Obby said, then turned to walk away.

"But I'm not done!" Lex called after him.

"I'll be right back. Just hold on." Obby said again, then hurried back across the room.

Chapter 14

"Was it something important?" Agent Roberts asked when he saw Obby approaching.

"Yeah. He's trying to figure out what he's going to do if he keeps on existing when the barrier spells are over." Obby explained.

"What did you tell him?"

"Nothing yet. I don't even know if I'm going to still exist. I don't want to make a promise that I can't keep." Obby said honestly.

"Good. I'm glad that you're being level headed in all this." Agent Roberts said seriously, then fell silent.

Obby waited anxiously for Shawn to come up with some brilliant idea to make everything all better.

"It sounds to me like there are several things that we're not sure of at this point. We don't know how D and Beth are going to react. For that matter, we can't even be sure of what G and Paul are going to do."

Obby slowly nodded his agreement to the assessment.

"How about this? Why don't we just tell Lex that no matter how anyone else feels, he can stay with us at our house?"

"Our house?" Obby asked to confirm.

"Yeah. I just naturally assumed that you'd be staying with me... at least until Otis steals you away." Agent Roberts finished with a tender teasing grin.

"I might visit Otis on our days off sometimes, but I plan on staying with you for as long as you want me around." Obby said frankly.

"Our days off? Do you plan on working with me?" Agent Roberts asked curiously.

"Yeah. I think we'll be a great team. Besides that, you know that if I'm around I've always got your back."

"I guess that's true." Agent Roberts chuckled, then became more serious as he said, "Go tell Lex that he will have a place with us. If he ends up staying with D and Beth, we'll be happy for him, but if things end up not working out, he won't ever have to worry about being left all on his own."

"Thanks Shawn! I love you!" Obby said as he hugged Agent Roberts enthusiastically.

"I love you, too." Agent Roberts quietly admitted as he gently returned the hug.

At some point Obby must have decided that the hug was over because he enthusiastically bounded away, back toward Lex.

"You're a good person, Obby. Don't ever change." Agent Roberts said as he watched with a distant smile.

* * * * *

"Shawn said that you can live with us!" Obby happily announced.

"Oh, uh... thank you." Lex said reluctantly.

"Don't you want to? It'll be great! I bet we'll have all kinds of fun together!" Obby urged him to understand.

After a moment of examining Obby's hopeful expression, Lex finally responded, "We probably will have fun together. But I was just hoping that Agent Roberts would talk to G's dad about letting me stay with them."

"No. Shawn wouldn't do that to you." Obby said seriously, then continued, "If what G's dad says is going to mean anything at all, you're going to have to be the one to ask him about it. Shawn or Paul or G or even me asking him wouldn't be the same. Just remember that no matter what he says, you'll have a place to stay and people who will want you."

"I don't know when I'll get a chance to talk to him about it..." Lex began to say, but was interrupted.

"Lex! We're about to start the next push!" Corabeth called out.

"Okay. I'll be right there." Lex automatically called back.

Obby watched with concern as Lex hurried away.

* * * * *

"Mr. Hansen? Are you about ready with that? Because we're not too far from tying this thing off." Paul called out from the table where the Magi were working.

"Hold on for just another minute if you can. I need to see where everyone is in relation to where they need to be." Mr. Hansen responded.

"All you Zodiac people, if you feel any urge to move to another part of the room, now would be the best time to do it." Agent Roberts announced.

A few questioning looks flashed amongst the group but the only ones to move were Kirwin, closer to his grandfather's side and Cain, to take a step closer to his brother.

"Unbeknownst to the actors, the words unsaid and the songs unsung, the play has been enacted. Thus the universe maintains what is and what should be. Tis done." Mr. Hansen called in a booming voice.

"What? Seriously? That's it?" Agent Roberts asked toward Agent Fastbeck.

"Did you ever wonder why mundane people don't believe that there really are witches?" Agent Fastbeck responded.

"Yeah. But all that buildup and production for a two second speech? How does that work?" Agent Roberts asked aloud, to whomever was listening.

"The ceremony was the point. The buildup and production were component parts of the actual spell. The two second speech was just the little bow on top to pull it all together." Mr. Hansen explained.

"So, it's done? There's no big fireworks or complicated spells or anything left to do?" Agent Roberts asked to be sure.

"You've seen all that there is to see." Mr. Hansen assured him, then quickly added, "I need to get back to Jarrell. I don't want to leave him on his own with the cherubs for too long."

"That sounds like a good idea. I'll keep an eye on things around here while you're doing that. Go ahead." Agent Roberts assured him.

He watched as Mr. Hansen joined Mr. Couleigh and the cherubs in their spellcasting.

"So, does that mean that we don't have to do anything else to help?" Obby asked as he approached.

"You don't have to do anything else to anchor the barriers, but you might be able to help in other ways." Agent Roberts said thoughtfully.

"I thought I was going to get to do something important to help people." Obby said in an obviously disappointed voice.

"Even though you didn't get to do anything big and flashy, you still helped. And I don't know if you've thought of this, but thanks to the spell that Filipe cast on you, he slightly altered who and what you are."

"I don't understand." Obby said honestly.

"When you look at who and what you are, you wear several different labels. Most of those you didn't get a choice in. Some you did. What Filipe did was give you a whole new label which you can wear proudly."

"I'm Pisces, an avatar of the astrological house." Obby said thoughtfully.

"Right. And it's completely up to you if you want to wear that label proudly and do something with it or just ignore it like it never happened."

"I don't really know what it means to 'be Pisces'." Obby reluctantly admitted.

"To be honest, neither do I." Agent Roberts told him with a smile, then continued, "But I think that we've made a few really good friends recently who might be able to help you find out about that."

"Yeah. If I can find out what it means, then I can try to be the best Pisces that there ever was."

"As long as you're willing to put in the work, I'll be right behind you to support you, however you need me."

"Thanks Shawn. I don't know much about it, but I think that maybe I'm the luckiest shadow in the world."

"I don't know either. You may be."

* * * * *

"The weave is done! All the barriers have been intertwined." Paul announced triumphantly.

"So that's it? You're finished?" Agent Roberts asked uncertainly.

"No. The Magi are still releasing the stored magic for the barrier creation, but we've finished weaving together the loci." Milo patiently explained.

"But that's easy compared to the weaving. We don't have to do much more than let it happen." Paul helpfully added.

"We are also responsible for the regulation of flow so as not to overwhelm the spellcasters." Reaper reminded his companions.

"Pfft." Paul responded with a slight roll of his eyes.

"One cannot refute a well reasoned argument such as that." Reaper said with an affectionate grin at Paul.

"Didn't you used to have trouble with our language?" Agent Roberts asked Reaper curiously.

"I gain language skills the longer I am exposed to a person or group of people." Reaper calmly explained.

"I just remember talking to you and getting more understanding from your nonverbal cues than from your words." Agent Roberts said with a fond smile at the memory.

"It was during that time that we found understanding between us. We didn't have words getting in the way of what we were trying to say to each other."

"You know, when all of this is done, I'm still going to be stationed in Waxell. I'll be able to stop by the Protectorate and visit every now and then."

"I believe we would all like that."

"Good. Then it sounds like we have a plan."

"I hope you're planning to keep in touch with us too." Paul interjected.

"From the way things are looking, I might not need to. I think we're going to end up with shared custody of Lex, which means that we'll be seeing each other all the time."

"What about Lex?" Paul asked cautiously.

"I get the feeling that he's uncertain about what's going to happen to him when the barrier spells are all finished."

"Since he was conjured to cast the Brynnhollow barrier spell, I would guess that he will automatically terminate when the spell does." Paul said slowly.

"When the 'casting' ends, or when the 'barrier' ends?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"Oh..." Paul quietly responded.

"How likely is it that you just made an immortal creature who is capable of spellcasting?"

"Me? I didn't do it! This was completely G!" Paul was quick to point out.

"I was using 'you' in the plural sense to include both you and your brother."

"Oh, okay." Paul said quietly, then cautiously asked, "Have you ever heard of a Sylph?"

"No. I can't say that I have." Agent Roberts slowly answered.

"It's an air spirit, sometimes called a sprite."

"Okay." Agent Roberts slowly responded

"Despite how it manifested, I think that might actually be what G created."

"Okay." Agent Roberts responded again.

"Sylphs are pure elemental spirits and they're usually not too friendly toward people."

"Are Sylphs always created by accident, being the leftover byproduct of someone else's pet project?"

"I don't know... maybe. I haven't read too much about them." Paul reluctantly admitted.

"Well, if that's the case, I can see why they might not want to play nice with you. If I were them, I wouldn't want to be a party to you condemning someone else to the same fate, either."

"You have no proof that that's what happened."

"True. But I don't know if you're seeing the severity of what your reactions will mean to Lex." Agent Roberts said frankly, then explained, "No matter how your family looks at him, it's how he looks at himself that has the potential to be the most devastating. To find out that he's unwanted or a mistake might be too much for him to bear."

"But there's still a chance that he'll stop existing when the spellcasting of the barrier ends." Paul quickly interjected.

"I'm not arguing that. What I'm saying is that it's horrible and wrong that anyone would wish for that outcome for him. Maybe it's just me being a silly human... I admit that I don't know as much as you do about the secret realities of the world."

"I don't know about that. But I think I understand what you're saying about Lex... or at least I'm beginning to."

"Good. Then I'll let you get back to the business of saving the world and all of that." Agent Roberts said with a teasing smile.

"Not the whole world, just a few special parts of it." Paul responded with enough of a smile to let Agent Roberts know that they were good.

* * * * *

"Agent Fastbeck? Can you open the Southseid door for us? I believe that we're going to need every advantage toward harmonization that we can muster for this next part." Professor Everstone asked suddenly.

"Yes. Of course." Agent Fastbeck said quickly as he rushed toward the Southseid archway and called out, "In the name of Cernunnos who oversees and protects, accept the guardians of light into your sanctuary."

"Agent Roberts, it looks like we're going to need that too." Miss Oaken hurriedly called.

Before even taking a step, Agent Roberts began saying, "In the name of the horned god of the animals, I humbly ask that we be granted entry to this, your sanctuary. We are the harbingers of the next age."

Without asking or being told, Archdruid Highley began walking toward the Nevermore doorway as he calmly said, "In the days of tribute, in the months of seeing, in the years of trial, in the centuries of pain, we persevere. I humbly ask that you grant entry to one who serves. I am the keeper."

"Do you want for me to tell Otis to open the Waxell door too?" Obby quietly asked.

"It might be better to ask V. I'm not sure if opening the door would make things better or worse for what he's trying to do." Agent Roberts responded with a smile.

Obby seemed to 'go flat' into a pool at Agent Roberts' feet, then stretched across the room, as though Shawn had been cast in a spotlight.

Once the shadow reached V, it separated from Agent Roberts and began to form into a three-dimensional being. Agent Roberts had to admit that not only was it a visually interesting method of travel, but it also seemed to be quite a bit faster than walking.

"The magic, it's slowing down. Is that what's supposed to be happening?" Ares asked with concern.

"I have no idea. I'll have to ask." Agent Roberts responded, then turned toward the group of spellcasters and asked, "Is the magic supposed to be drying up?"

"Yes and no. We're at the end of the barrier and finishing things up, but it's not us who are reducing the magical flow. Talk to the Magi." D said quickly before turning his full concentration back to the barrier spell.

"Paul? Is your magic faltering or are you intentionally bringing it down?" Agent Roberts asked, having to fight himself not to step away from the doorway.

"Some of both. Mr. Bentley Brown seems to be slipping, but everyone feels like they're just about done anyway. It looks like it might be a race to the finish." Paul said with difficulty as he was obviously struggling to maintain the magical flow.

"Mr. Bentley Brown? Is there anything I can do to help you? Is there anything you need?" Agent Roberts asked anxiously.

"Yes. As much as I hate to admit it, I need someone to physically support me. If you can find someone who can just help me to hold the chalice, I believe that I will be able to finish doing what has been asked of me." Mr. Bentley Brown carefully said.

"Does it have to be a witch?" Agent Roberts asked sharply.

"No. Anyone will do." Mr. Bentley Brown assured him.

"Obby! I've got a job for you!" Agent Roberts called loudly.

"I'm right here! Do you need me for something?" Obby asked from Otis' side.

"Yes. I need for you to help Mr. Bentley Brown. Help him to keep the magic flowing until the barrier spells are complete." Agent Roberts called loudly across the room to him.

"If you've got someone to spare, I could use some help too." G reluctantly admitted.

"Lex? You got this?" Agent Roberts called immediately.

"They need my help casting the spell." Lex responded uncertainly.

"We can compensate. Go help G." D said decisively.

"How's everyone doing? Zanner? Do you need any help?" Agent Roberts thought to ask.

"Naw. I could do this all day." Zanner said contentedly.

"Anyone else?" Agent Roberts called more loudly.

"We're just about to pull this thing into the station, making sure to tie up the last little bits and bobs. We wouldn't want for those who follow behind us to have reason to criticize our professionalism." Professor Everstone announced.

"The seal!" Milo suddenly gasped.

"Oh fuck! Why didn't anyone warn us about that?!" Paul whined.

"Such an event should have been foreseen when it was discovered that the magic of the gods had been employed." Reaper said regretfully.

"What is it? What's going on?" Agent Roberts cautiously asked.

"The seal to end the spell and tie everything together, it's a life price." Paul said gravely.

"Someone has to die to finish the spell?" Agent Roberts asked with astonishment.

"It would seem so. Without the sacrifice, the spell will not be ended and the barriers could be amended at any time by anyone with the slightest magical ability." Reaper quietly explained.

"What can we do?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously, dreading the answer.

"Abandon the project, forsaking everything we've done to date, or give it the sacrifice that it demands. Those are our options." Professor Everstone said simply.

"What are you going to do?"

"What are you going to allow me to do? Considering the situation that we're in, I won't do anything without the FBI's sanction."

"I know what my knee-jerk reaction is, but at the same time, I don't want to lose everything that we've worked so hard to achieve."

"Maybe this is what I was really created for." Lex said as he released G's hands holding the Mikael Spear and took a step toward the table of the Magi.

"What?" G asked in surprise.

"I know that you didn't create me to be sacrificed, but still, maybe this is why I'm here. This could be my entire purpose for being." Lex carefully explained.

"No." Obby said firmly as he moved forward to stand eye-to-eye with the teenage looking illusion.

Lex found himself speechless in astonishment as he stared at the shadow before him.

"I won't stand by and let anyone else sacrifice themselves. I couldn't live with myself if I did." Obby said firmly.

"Neither one of you are going to sacrifice yourself. You can't. You're not alive." Professor Everstone said firmly to stop the back and forth.

Obby and Lex both looked at the Professor with matching wounded expressions.

"What I mean to say is that you aren't alive in a way that can be used to satisfy the conditions of the spell." Professor Everstone hurried to explain.

"Then I suppose it falls to us." Agent Fastbeck said simply, accepting the Professor's announcement at face value.

Agent Roberts nodded his agreement without hesitation.

"Part of our job is to protect the civilians who pay our salary, sometimes that goes so far as paying the ultimate price." Agent Fastbeck explained, mostly toward Otis and the Tennyson family, to let it be known that they would not be asked to sacrifice themselves.

"Hold on Conrad. You've got Andrea and the boys to watch out for. They need you." Agent Roberts said quietly, doing his best to sound emotionless and detached.

"No. I'm your supervisor. There's no way..." Agent Fastbeck began to say, but was interrupted.

"None of you will have to sacrifice yourselves!" Milo fought to say loudly enough to be heard.

"Don't even think about it Milo. Even though there are times that you're a colossal pain in the ass, there's no way we're going to let you kill yourself so just get that thought right out of your head." Agent Roberts said firmly.

"Actually, I wasn't planning on it. My choir of shades is a collection of disembodied human souls. When they were alive, they were completely devoted to the archdruid and to Nevermore. Upon their deaths, I preserved a shred of each of them in hopes that they could resolve their past issues and find the redemption that they were unable to achieve in life. I know that they would be honored to give this last little bit of themselves up in order to protect the children of angels as well as all of you." Milo explained.

"Will they know what's happening to them?" Obby asked into the silence that followed as he looked at the collection of shadows with concern.

"I doubt it, but I will do everything that I can to convey that what they're doing is going to be for a good cause." Milo fought to impart calmly.

"They're your friends, aren't they? Your family." Jhaartael asked quietly.

"During my darkest hours, they filled a void. It's only right that I now release them so that they can find their peace. In a way, this will be me keeping my promise to them." Milo explained to his father.

"So, what do we still have to do to finish this off?" V asked seriously.

"I believe that if everyone will join me in making a final push to complete the various spells that we have outstanding, that Milo will be able to make his sacrifice and bring the whole thing to conclusion." Professor Everstone said calmly and rationally.

"No one has to die?" Obby asked in confusion.

"No. Everyone gets to have a long happy life." Agent Roberts assured him as he pulled Obby into a hug.

"Do you think G's dad saw what Lex did?" Obby quickly asked.

"I'm sure that he did." Agent Roberts assured him, then added more quietly, "We've let Lex know that we support him and that he won't be left on his own. Now the rest is up to him."

"But shouldn't we do something to let G's dad know what Lex is worried about?" Obby asked with concern.

"We've done as much as we can do. Lex will have to take care of the rest of it himself." Agent Roberts quietly explained.

"I don't know if I can just do nothing while Lex is so worried and scared." Obby said as he pulled out of the hug.

"Why don't you go over and see how Otis and the Tennysons are doing? I need to stay by the Brynnhollow door."

"Do you want me to tell them anything from you?"

"No. Just find out how they're doing and let me know if there's anything I can do to help them."

"Okay. I love you Shawn." Obby said happily before scurrying away.

"I love you too." Agent Roberts said quietly after him with a slight affectionate smile.

* * * * *

"Mister Ingram, are you able to determine for yourself when the sacrifice will need to be made?" Professor Everstone asked seriously.

"My name is Miklos Szabla and as long as I'm attuned to the Magi, I am capable of tracking the progress of all the other spells." Milo said confidently.

"Does that include the anchor spell that Mr. Hansen did?" Professor Everstone asked cautiously.

"Yes. Not only did I see what he was doing, but I also verified that he did it correctly. There is no doubt, the Vinculum is securely anchored and when the barriers are complete, they will be also." Milo confirmed.

"I am sure that Dr. Williams and Filipe will be as glad to have this over with as I will be. The Southseid barrier team is ready to seal their barrier spell. We're waiting on notice of the other teams being likewise prepared."

"The Nevermore team is ready. The Protectorate barrier has been remade and is awaiting confirmation before proceeding with completion." Mr. Hansen said soberly alongside Mr. Couleigh and the cherubs.

"Lex, if G can do without you for a minute, we could really use your help to finish this off." D said from between Miss Oaken and Corabeth.

"Are you okay?" Lex asked G to be sure.

"Yeah. You'll help me out most by ending this." G said as he struggled to maintain his grip on the Mikael Spear.

As soon as Lex was physically at D's side, between him and Corabeth, Miss Oaken called aloud, "This barrier, this illusion, this inheritance from ages past, become the home and hearth, succor and solace of our precious loved ones in the future, passed unto the descendants of the Brynn!"

There was a long silent moment as her words hung in the air, then as they were beginning to fade, Professor Everstone loudly said, "The protected society, the isolated community becoming a world unto itself, a civilization apart, perhaps one day discovering the secrets that have eluded their neighbors. In this, we offer protection from those who would cause you harm. My kindred fellows, the Wudewas, with all that we are and all that we have, we wish you well."

Again, there was a moment for the words to sink in. Finally, Mr. Hansen said in a clear firm voice, "In defense of history, in defense of myth, in defense of truths which best remain unknown for the time being, We reinstall the barrier that not only protects but also limits. In this we show our love, our respect and confirm that these people have value to the world."

When the invocation was complete, Reaper quietly whispered, "Thank you."

"So it is done. The barriers have been made. What were three have now become one. Each being stronger and having more features to protect our precious ones." Paul said to the group.

"We have used the magic left for us, expressly for this purpose. It is our hope that we will be judged to have used it wisely." Reaper said, using Paul's same tone and inflection.

"All that is left is to make the seal so that no one can undo what we have done. To that end and with this spell I call upon the powers that be, the forces that guide the universe and most specifically upon Cernunnos, the Horned God of Animals, to witness this spell and offer their wishes that it be so." Milo said in an increasing voice.

"Do it." Jhaartael whispered to his son anxiously.

"So I form the seal and let the magics be done." Milo said in a voice of finality.

"Let what has been created here be allowed to remain." Reaper said next.

"By the will of witches, demons, faeries and angels, let it be so." Paul intoned with finality.

Agent Roberts' eyes tracked to a movement and he saw the members of Milo's choir stirring, as though they were being thrashed by a wind that only they could feel.

Within seconds, the shadows began flowing, one by one, toward the table where the Magi had been working.

As each arrived, Milo would look at them sadly and silently mouth a word or two before releasing them to experience the next expression of their death.

After the last of the shadows had been dispatched, Agent Roberts broke the silence by quietly asking, "Is that it? Are we done?"

"For the most part, yes." Professor Everstone wearily answered.

"I still have to go back to the Protectorate and fold it out of our space." Mr. Hansen said unenthusiastically.

"Don't worry. Filipe and I will go along to help you." Mr. Couleigh promised.

"If you'll show me a little of what you do, maybe I could do some of it myself." Filipe quickly suggested.

"Are you sure that you're up to it?" Mr. Hansen asked with a tender smile.

"I'm up to trying. I just want to be some help, if I can." Filipe explained sincerely.

Mr. Hansen turned his attention mainly toward Professor Everstone and asked, "Is there anything else that you need us here for?"

After a moment to consider, Professor Everstone finally answered, "No I believe that all has been resolved."

"What about them?" Mr. Couleigh asked as he tilted his head in the direction of the cherubs.

"I have no use for them. Reaper?" Professor Everstone finally asked.

"Summoned, you came and fulfilled your vow of loyalty to my father and his word. I declare before all that you have completed your task to my satisfaction. Go in peace." Reaper said slowly and formally.

"Filthy animals!" One of the cherubs spat before hurling itself through the Nevermore archway. The other soon followed.

"Good riddance." Mr. Couleigh said after them.

"They did what they were called upon to do. What more would you ask?" Reaper asked curiously.

"Some civility would be nice." Mr. Couleigh immediately responded.

"Yes. Wouldn't it though." Reaper said wistfully, then smiled at Mr. Couleigh with his corpse-like face.

Agent Roberts' attention was drawn by Miss Oaken and Corabeth speaking rather urgently with Warren and his family.

"Is there a problem?" Agent Roberts asked as he approached the gathering.

"No. We were just asking if they had functioning 'facilities' in the house." Miss Oaken asked uncomfortably.

"Oh." Agent Roberts said with surprise, then turned to Warren and asked, "Do you?"

"Yes. Kirwin is saying goodbye to his new friends, then he's going to conduct them to the house. When he's ready, I'll help my dad back to his car." Warren explained.

"Are you sorry that we drew you into all this?" Agent Roberts asked curiously.

"I can see now, whether knowingly or not, that I've been dodging this all of my life. Now that I'm in on the big secret... I can see why my ancestors made the pact. This is something that our family can be proud of."

"So you don't mind that Kirwin's a part of it?"

"No. Absolutely not. He's doing something important. Although I probably won't ever take much of an active role in all of this, I won't have any problem with cheering for my father or my son from the sidelines."

"Come on!" Kirwin quickly said as he passed by on his way from the group surrounding V.

Miss Oaken and Corabeth immediately followed without comment.

Agent Roberts took that opportunity to excuse himself and move to where V and the Brynnhollow boys were gathered.

"So, is there anything else that you need to do while you're here?" Agent Roberts asked V as he approached.

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" V asked playfully, his tone of voice revealing that he didn't believe it to be so.

"No. I was just curious to know if you had something else that you wanted to accomplish while you're here."

"When things settle a bit more, I'd like to have a few minutes to talk with my son. No matter how much time we end up having, I doubt that it will ever feel like it's enough. Even so, there are one or two things that I feel must be said." V said frankly.

"He has a good family that loves him. Just don't get in the way of that." Agent Roberts cautioned.

"Just because I'm a demon doesn't mean that I would intentionally undermine my own son's happiness." V said firmly.

"This has nothing to do with you being a demon. I'm just making sure that you're aware of something that could hurt your son. In trying to make up for lost time, don't do things to diminish what he already has."

"It's good that my son has people who will watch after his best interests. It's better than I would have dreamed for him."

"Do you want to see what we learned how to do?" The youngest of the boys asked suddenly.

Agent Roberts couldn't help but smile, since it was obvious that Tannis had held back his question until he simply couldn't contain it any longer.

"What have you learned?" Agent Roberts asked indulgently.

"Remember that you're inside. Don't make it too big." V cautioned.

Agent Roberts was surprised to note that Xaphan moved to V's side, as if to take part in the judging of the boys' performances.

"Look." Tannis said happily, then did a series of abrupt hand gestures.

Although Agent Roberts wasn't a witch and had no training in witchcraft whatsoever, he had seen enough to know that the hand gestures needed to be performed with more precision and grace.

Apparently, what Tannis did turned out to be good enough because the result was what appeared to be a little knot of weeds growing into a ball in his open palm.

"Tannis doesn't have a fire ability, so I did my best to teach him some of the earth lore, insofar as I am familiar with it."

"Agent Roberts, put your hand up." Tannis said quickly.

Although reluctant to do so, Agent Roberts finally acceded to the boy's demand.

In the space of a heartbeat, a small thin vine shot out of the ball in Tannis' hand and wrapped itself around Agent Roberts' wrist.

"That's really something." Agent Roberts said as he automatically fought to disentangle himself.

"V says that it won't let loose of you until I tell it to." Tannis said happily.

"Would you get it to let loose of me now?" Agent Roberts asked hopefully.

"Yeah." Tannis said, and as he did, the vine fell away.

"Jim and Deimos? Do you want to show Agent Roberts what you've learned before he has to move on to something else?" V asked warmly.

"Xaphan taught us this." Deimos said as he held up one hand and his fingertips seemed to spew forth flames.

"That's a Yan-gant-y-tan fire spell that even I didn't know. And while it might not look like all that much on the surface, it's an incredibly versatile spell. I'm sure that they'll have many occasions to use it." V said frankly.

"I can't show you my spell. It's kinda gross." Cain said regretfully.

"Yes. But once you've been able to refine your gift with practice, you may well end up with a more versatile gift than your brother or your friends. It will be up to you to make it happen." V said sagely.

"Deimos doesn't have to work for it." Cain grumbled.

"Yes. And that makes it all the more likely that he will not progress much beyond the point where he finds himself right now."

"It looks like Paul is breaking away from the Magi. This might be a good chance for you to get to talk to him."

"Thank you, Agent Roberts. I appreciate all your help." V said quickly before hurrying to his son's side.

* * * * *

"Have you got a minute?" Lex asked nervously.

"Yeah. I'm finished here. What can I do for you?" D asked curiously.

"The spell is over and I'm still here." Lex said simply.

"Do you want me to ask G to end it?" D guessed.

"No! I want to keep on living... I just... what do I do now?" Lex finished in a small lost tone.

"It looks like Paul and V are having a little heart-to-heart talk right now. How about when they're done, we get G and Paul together and discuss what we want to do next?"

"Agent Roberts and Obby already said that I can live with them if you don't want me at your house." Lex hurried to explain.

"Just hold on and we'll talk about it."

* * * * *

"Are you going to tell me that you're going to have to leave?" Paul asked reluctantly.

"You know that I can't stay." V regretfully responded.

"Yeah. I know."

"I'm proud of you Paul. I wish that I could have been a part of your life up to now, but things weren't fated to be that way."

"I understand... well, most of it. I know about what happened and that Mom had to make some decisions while she still could. I don't know if she was right or wrong for doing it, but either way, I get that she was trying to do the right thing as she understood it."

"Mah Zah and Ginh Zah can get messages to me if you ever need to get ahold of me that way." V quietly told him.

"I might do that if I need something important. But I don't think I'll be sending regular messages with them."

"Oh. I see."

"I'm going to wait until I can make a fully traversable portal for myself, then I'll go and visit you and tell you all that stuff in person."

"You have your mother's talent for portals?"

"I have some of it. I'm not sure what hers is really like. She hasn't used it around me very much. But either way, as soon as I've learned a little more and have gotten a little stronger with my magic, I should be able to go and visit you whenever I want."

"I'll look forward to that time." V said peacefully.

"I'm really glad that I got to meet you. I wish we could visit longer, but it looks like everyone is getting ready to go."

"We've said what needs to be said for now. I'll look forward to your visit. When that day comes, we'll have a feast and we can tell each other long stories." V finished with a chuckle.

"I probably won't be able to eat your food. We'll have to wait and see how that works out. But as for the rest of it, I can't wait." Paul finished with a smile.

V pulled Paul into a firm hug which he held for a long loving minute before finally letting go.

As Paul watched, V walked to Agent Roberts and after a brief incantation, the Brynnhollow door transformed into a breathtaking hellscape view of the Meayithan Realm.

* * * * *

After seeing V off, Agent Roberts decided to walk around and take stock of how everyone else was doing.

"Are you going to be alright to get back to your cars on your own? Are you going to need a guide?" Agent Roberts asked with concern.

"I feel confident that we will be able to make it back to your home safely." Professor Everstone said warmly.

"If you're sure. I wouldn't want to take the chance of anyone getting lost at this stage of things."

"We will be fine." Professor Everstone said confidently.

* * * * *

"Agent Roberts?"

"Yes?"

"You're going to be staying in Waxell, aren't you?" Ares asked cautiously.

"Yes. As far as I know."

"Good. Once things have settled down, I'd like it very much if you'd come to visit. After everything that we've been through, I wouldn't want for us to lose the bonds that we've formed... and the kids really look up to you. I think it'd be great if you were around for that, too."

"You want for me to be an example for your kids?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"Yeah. I just think it's good for them to have a role model from outside Brynnhollow to give them a sense of perspective about the whole thing." Ares said simply.

"Isn't Conrad already doing that?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"I can't really say. I just know that the kids want to learn new things and do their best to impress you. I'd like to encourage that." Ares said frankly.

"That's good enough for me. Just let me know when and I'll be there." Agent Roberts happily agreed.

* * * * *

"Did you need me for something?" Paul asked as he approached.

"Yes. In just a second. You're brother just had one last thing to say to Mr. Bentley Brown before he leaves."

"How's it going, Lex? Are you getting along okay?" Paul asked curiously.

"Yes. I think so. I'm just not sure about what to do next." Lex said quietly.

"Eat, drink, sleep, relax, do whatever else you need to do to make up for all the stress of today." Paul said frankly.

"What did you need me for?" G asked as he bounded over to his father and brother.

"Lex was just wondering what's going to happen to him now that the spell is over." D said simply.

"Okay." G said hesitantly.

"You're the one who created him, so he's your responsibility. I'll help you with the decisions that you'll be making, but you'll have to be the one to make them." D said seriously.

"Are you saying that I just made you a grandfather?" G asked his father uncertainly.

"I've got a newborn at home, I'm not quite ready for that." D chuckled, then continued, "But it's important for us to decide right now where Lex stands as part of our family."

"I don't know what you're asking me. Do you want for me to move out and get a job so that I can support him?" G asked uncertainly, obviously not believing it to be so.

"Is Lex my son, my grandson, is he a he or an it? Does he get his own room or share yours? When we get back to the house, does he get his own car, or does he borrow one of yours?" D asked seriously.

"Yeah. You said that you were getting us cars for our birthdays, didn't you?" Paul said happily.

"So, guys, tell me honestly, where does Lex stand in our family?"

"I can go live with Agent Roberts and Obby if it's going to be too much trouble for you." Lex quickly interjected.

"No way." Paul immediately responded.

D smiled at his son's reaction, then said, "Lex, we all want for you to be part of our family. We're just trying to figure out which part."

"If G doesn't want you to stay in his room, you can stay in mine... well, except that I'm usually over at G's anyway." Paul said thoughtfully.

"Or you can come over to my room and hang out with me and Paul. We wouldn't mind you being there." G offered.

"Would that be okay?" Lex asked Paul uncertainly.

"Yeah. It'll be great. Especially if you'll side with me when we vote about which anime to watch next. Some of those things are really awful."

"Paul, would you have any problem with losing the view of the back yard from your bedroom window?"

"I have a view?"

"I'll take that as a no."

"Are you saying that you're going to adopt me?" Lex asked cautiously.

"Yes. In some sense of the word. Although I don't plan on going before a judge again anytime soon if I don't absolutely have to."

"But are you sure that you want me living with your family?" Lex asked uncertainly.

"Of course." D answered dismissively, then asked, "What's your full name?"

"Lexington." Lex cautiously answered.

"That's it?" D asked to be sure.

"Yes. Paul said..." Lex began to say, but was interrupted.

"Okay. So Lexington is a fine first name. I have no problem with that." D said thoughtfully.

"Okay." Lex haltingly agreed.

"Of course your last name is going to be Darroch, so that way there's no doubt that you're part of our family."

Lex's eyes began to fill with tears as a smile spread across his face.

"And as your father-to-be, I'm going to exercise my prerogative to choose your middle name." D continued.

Lex was speechless and could only nod his agreement.

"Tamhas, after my uncle. Lexington Tamhas Darroch. What do you think about that?" D asked with a smile of accomplishment.

"I love it! It's great!" Lex said as his tears freely fell.

"Good. Then let's get things wrapped up so that we can get out of here. I'm hungry and I need some sleep."

"Do you have your car?"

"I have a rental."

"Which door did you come through to get here?" Paul asked curiously.

"That one, the one that goes to the haunted house." D said as he pointed.

"If you've got room for all of us, we can go whenever you want. G and I know the way to Agent Roberts' house, so there's nothing holding us back." Paul said frankly.

"Let's just make sure that no one needs us for anything else, and then we can go."

* * * * *

"Agent Roberts?" D asked as he approached, followed by G, Lex, Paul and a variety of lesser demons.

"Yes?"

"If you don't have anything else for us to do, we're about to be on our way." D said frankly.

"I think we're all good here." Agent Roberts said honestly, then looked past D and quietly asked, "How did things work out for you, Lex?"

"D said that I could be like his son and live with him." Lex said shyly.

"Lex, you call me 'Dad'." D said firmly to his newest son, then added more gently, "And you aren't going to be 'like' my son. You 'are' my son."

"Okay... Dad." Lex said past the mile-wide grin that he couldn't suppress.

"If you're going back to the house, I'll see you there in a little while. Obby and I are probably going to be hanging around here until everyone has found their way to wherever they're going. Since I can open all the doorways, it makes sense if I'm the last one to leave."

"So you don't mind us being at your house?" D asked to verify.

"No. I don't mind at all. But you should be aware that I don't have any food. If you're hungry, you might want to get some food along the way."

"Do you think that diner in Waxell is still open?" D asked cautiously.

"No. And I doubt that the market is either. You'll probably need to go into Gooseneck or Grover's Station." Agent Roberts said regretfully.

"I suppose that we'll do what we have to do." D said unenthusiastically.

"I can get Warren or Otis to go with you if you like. They know the area better than I do." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"I know it well enough from my previous visit. Don't worry, we'll see you back at the house. If anyone else asks, we'll be bringing food enough for everyone, so they won't have to worry about it." D finished with a smile.

"Good thinking. I'll be sure to let them know."

* * * * *

"How are you doing, Milo?" Agent Roberts asked quietly.

"I did okay, didn't I?" Milo asked cautiously.

"Yes. Absolutely. You did great!" Agent Roberts assured him, then quietly added, "I just wanted to be sure that you're going to be okay."

"Yeah. I should be." Milo cautiously responded, then added, "I'm about to take my dad back to my place so that we can visit for a while."

"That sounds great. I'll leave you guys to it." Agent Roberts said with a smile, then made sure to add, "You can get in touch with me at the Waxell FBI field office if you ever need me for anything at all."

"That's good to know. Thanks." Milo said appreciatively, then quickly added, "You know where to find me if you ever need me."

"That's right. And don't be surprised if I come to visit through the Vinculum Chamber, too."

"Oh yeah. I didn't think about you using that after the barrier spells are over." Milo said honestly.

"I think that Agent Fastbeck and I will probably be keeping tabs on how things are going at all three colonies. That would seem to be the fastest and easiest way for us to visit all of them."

"Yes. That makes sense." Milo easily agreed.

"Besides all of that, I'm pretty sure that Obby is going to want to stop by for visits."

"Both of you will always be welcome." Milo assured him.

"Good. Then I'll leave you to your dad. I hope you have a good visit." Agent Roberts finished pleasantly.

"Thank you."

* * * * *

Linnaeus and Den made a point of saying goodbye to everyone in the chamber before finally exiting with Reaper through the Nevermore doorway.

"Are you about ready to pack it in?" Agent Fastbeck asked as he approached.

"Yes. As soon as you and Rhuru-wra have finished, all that will be left is to close the doors of the Vinculum. Do you want to stop by my house for a debrief with everyone after you're done here?"

"Not unless you really need me for something. I'd rather spend some time with Andrea and the people of Brynnhollow so I can answer whatever questions they might have."

"That's probably for the best. If anything of concern to you comes up at the debriefing, I'll pass it on to you when I see you at work."

"So, are you sorry yet that you accepted the transfer to the Waxell office?"

"Dealing with all the strangeness can be a little challenging, but getting to know all the different people from completely different societies makes it more than worth it. I honestly think that we have some of the best jobs in the world."

* * * * *

As Agent Roberts walked up to his car, a voice asked, "Do you feel like talking?"

Looking where the voice had come from, Agent Roberts could barely begin to make out the shape of a man.

"I can leave you alone if you need time to think." Obby quickly offered.

"No. That's fine. I might need some quiet time later, but I think I'd rather have some company right now."

"I can still talk." Obby said happily.

"I noticed. I'm not sure why that is, but I'm not unhappy about it." Agent Roberts said before climbing into the driver's side of his car.

He unlocked the passenger door from the control panel on his own door, then got comfortable while Obby got into the passenger seat.

"I thought you'd be with Otis."

"He left with Warren. I wanted to go with you." Obby said casually.

Agent Roberts nodded that he had heard.

Once Agent Roberts had started the car, Obby quietly asked, "Are you okay with me and Otis?"

"Of course." Agent Roberts said without hesitation.

"You don't think Milo's mad at me about it, do you?" Obby asked anxiously.

"I seriously doubt it. If he had any desire to have an exclusive relationship with you, I'm sure that he would have said something about it before this."

"Good. I didn't think he was, but I can't always tell how people are feeling just by looking at them."

"It takes practice." Agent Roberts assured him.

"You're still a lot better at it than I am. Thanks for letting me ask you about it." Obby said gratefully.

"What about you and Lex? What's going on there?" Agent Roberts asked curiously.

"We're friends... I think you meant for that to happen, from the way you asked me to talk to him." Obby finished speculatively.

"I thought that since you two had things in common that you might get along." Agent Roberts admitted.

"But Lex is interested in that girl... Corabeth. And he looks like he's a lot younger than me. I couldn't ever think of him like I think about Otis. That would be creepy." Obby said thoughtfully.

"You're probably right." Agent Roberts easily agreed.

* * * * *

"Shawn?" Obby asked into the silence that had fallen over the car.

"Hmm?" Agent Roberts responded.

"Now that the barriers are fixed and everyone's going back home, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know. But considering the way things have gone so far, it wouldn't surprise me if another adventure turned up fairly soon."

Cascade

Chapter 1

"Hello. Excuse me. I'm looking for the FBI office. Am I in the right place?" The bearded young man timidly asked as he cautiously peeked in the door from the hallway.

"Yes. I'm Agent Roberts, how can I help you?" The man behind the desk asked professionally.

"Agent Shawn Roberts?" The young man asked as he walked more fully into the room.

"Yes."

"I'm supposed to tell you that I'm the teacher that Mr. Darroch sent. They said that you wouldn't be expecting me, but that you'll know what I'm talking about." The young man said, still seeming to be somewhat uncertain if he was in the right place.

"Aren't you kind of young to be a teacher?"

"I graduated college last year and I've been working at a high school as a teaching assistant since then. When this opportunity came available, I was asked if I was interested."

"What's your name?" Agent Roberts asked curiously, focusing for a moment on the formidable 'man-bun' the young man was sporting.

"Michael Bazien." The young man stated simply.

"How much have you been told about the Brynns?" Agent Roberts asked curiously.

"I was told that the place I would be going was isolated and not to expect to be able to contact friends and family for extended periods of time." Michael said cautiously.

"That much is true enough. But what did they tell you about the job that you'll be doing?"

"Only that with the village being so remote, that I'd probably be teaching more than just magic to my students."

"Did they give you any hints as to what that 'more' might be?"

"No. From the way they spoke of the isolation, I got the impression that I would be explaining some details about how the outside world works. But they didn't specifically tell me what I'd be teaching."

"They probably didn't want to limit you with unrealistic expectations or unnecessary boundaries. But it's going to be important for you to understand that not only are these people ignorant of most of the happenings in the outside world, but they've also been sheltered from most of the ugliness of humanity. It's worrying to see them, the kids especially, all wide-eyed and breathless when they hear stories about the outside. I don't want them to lose that sense of wonder. It's something rare and worth protecting."

"What are you telling me?" Michael asked cautiously.

"I'm telling you to take care to assess the situation and think carefully about the consequences of interfering with what's always been." Agent Roberts said seriously.

"I was also told not to stop in town and talk to anyone. Is there anything that I need to know about that?"

"There have been stories about monsters living in the woods northwest of town. Along with that, the townspeople also tell stories about the Brynner family who are said to live in the haunted woods and cause misery and heartache for anyone who has the misfortune of becoming entangled with them." Agent Roberts said gravely.

"How much of that, if any, is true?" Michael asked cautiously.

"All of it, to varying degrees. The residents of Brynnhollow are cursed to endure repeated animal transformations. Anyone who claimed to see a monster of some sort in the woods most likely did."

"A curse that covers an entire town? I've heard stories about things like that in my history classes, but I always thought they had to be exaggerations. The amount of magic it would take to do something like that... scary big." Michael finished anxiously.

"The way I understood it, the entire community is directly descended from the Brynn family. The curse is on their entire bloodline."

"A community descended from one family? Leaving the magical aspect aside, that alone sounds creepy beyond belief." Michael said frankly.

"From everything that I've seen so far, it looks like the curse may be weakening, at least insofar as it limits their ability to use magic. Of course, it might just be that no one was inspired to try using their magic before." Agent Roberts quietly reasoned.

"How is that?" Michael asked curiously.

"The group of teenagers who've learned to use their basic magical skills didn't seem to have to struggle to overcome their curses. They simply tried, and with a little dedicated practice, they succeeded. From my own 'outside' perspective, it didn't appear that there was any type of resistance, magical or otherwise, that they were having to fight." Agent Roberts said thoughtfully.

"What about the other part? The thing with the Brynner family. Did something happen there?" Michael asked curiously.

"Long story. Let's just say that one of the Brynns tried to live in Waxell and it ended up not working out too well."

"That doesn't tell me a whole lot."

"Five dead... at least among the Waxell residents."

"Oh. I can see how something like that might taint a family name."

"Yeah. That's why it's probably not a good idea to talk to the people of Waxell about any of the Brynns. Just let them keep believing that it's a superstition that their parents and grandparents came up with. Hopefully that way it will fade away over time." Agent Roberts said thoughtfully.

After an uncomfortable moment, Michael finally asked, "How do you think they'll react to my appearance?"

Agent Roberts looked at the 'hipster' dark hair and beard on the otherwise unremarkable skinny young man for a moment, then finally said, "Why don't we find out?"

"All they told me was to go to the FBI office in Waxell. They didn't tell me what I'd be doing after that." Michael said frankly.

"Well, that's probably because either they didn't know or they didn't think you'd believe it if they told you. Either way, sitting here isn't accomplishing anything. When they were telling you about Waxell, did they happen to mention Agent Fastbeck?"

"Yes. They said that if I met either one of you I was supposed to tell you who I was. If there was anyone else here, I was supposed to ask to speak privately to one of the two of you." Michael quietly explained.

"C'mon. There's a lot to do." Agent Roberts said as he stood and walked past Michael.

Michael hurried to follow and saw that Agent Roberts had walked to the other end of the hallway.

"Hyatt, I'm going out on a call. Will you keep an eye on things for a little while?" Michael heard Agent Roberts ask through the doorway.

After apparently receiving a favorable response, Agent Roberts walked back toward Michael and said, "C'mon. We've got a lot of ground to cover."

Michael was surprised when Agent Roberts walked out the front door without hesitation and kept on going.

As soon as Michael realized what was happening he started to follow and called out, "I'm parked over here."

"Your car will be fine there for a while. The fact of the matter is that even though you might have been sent here, it doesn't mean that you will automatically be accepted and well received by everyone. It's better that I introduce you around and that you be invited to stay before you show up on their doorstep with your luggage." Agent Roberts said seriously.

"Where are we going?" Michael asked as they crossed the street.

"To the drugstore." Agent Roberts said as he pointed at the quaint little shop ahead of them.

"Do I need to know why?" Michael asked cautiously.

"No." Agent Roberts said as he opened the door and it caused a little bell to ring.

* * * * *

"Hi Otis. I'd like for you to meet Michael." Agent Roberts said happily.

"Hello. I'm Otis. It's nice to meet you. What brings you to Waxell?" Otis asked curiously.

"I... um..." Michael stammered.

"He's a teacher. We're going to look into getting him a job locally... more or less." Agent Roberts finished with a sly smile.

"Sent by D?" Otis asked curiously.

"Yeah. I thought it'd be good to introduce you so that if Michael runs into trouble, he'll know who in Waxell he can turn to." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"I don't know how much help I'll be, but if you ever need me, I'll do what I can for you." Otis promised.

"Thanks, Otis." Agent Roberts said appreciatively, then thought to ask, "Did Mr. Tomlin leave you on your own here?"

"No chance of that. He's in the back, taking a nap. If anyone were to come in needing his services, I would wake him up." Otis said frankly.

"Otis is a fully licensed pharmacist, but he wants to learn the old way of doing things and train under an actual apothecary." Agent Roberts explained.

"That sounds... amazing." Michael said with a smile at Otis.

"So far, it is." Otis admitted.

"Anyway, Michael and I have places to go and people to meet so I'd better get to the other reason I stopped by. Obby? Do you want to come with us or stay here with Otis this afternoon?" Agent Roberts asked seriously.

Michael was intrigued because while Agent Roberts obviously wasn't talking to Otis or himself, he seemed to be talking to someone in the room with them.

The movement of a shadow on the wall caught Michael's attention and he automatically looked toward the light to try to determine what was casting the unlikely shadow.

"It's okay Obby. It won't hurt if Michael sees you. I just wanted to stop by to see if you wanted to go to Brynnhollow with us."

"Yeah. I'd like that. Thank you for thinking of me." The shadow said appreciatively. Michael watched, wide-eyed, as the shadow stepped away from the wall and became darker and more solid.

"What the hell is that?" Michael couldn't help but ask.

"It's funny you should mention hell. That is a shadow demon. His name is Obby." Agent Roberts explained.

Michael looked at Obby with surprise, verging on horror.

"Shadow Demon is just a name, it doesn't mean anything. I don't really have anything to do with demons or hell. I was actually created with fairy magic." Obby said informatively.

"We need to be going. Obby, go flat and we'll get out of here. You can go solid again in the car once we're on the road, if you want to." Agent Roberts said seriously.

"It was nice to meet you Michael. I'll see you again in the car." Obby said before shrinking and going flat, looking like any other everyday shadow.

"If I'm still here when you get back, stop in and I'll make cherry phosphates for you. Shawn loves those." Otis said with an amused glance at Agent Roberts.

"We might just do that. We'll see you later, Otis." Agent Roberts said happily before leading the way out of the drugstore.

* * * * *

Michael followed along without comment as Agent Roberts led the way back toward the FBI office. After crossing the street, Agent Roberts led them behind the building to a small parking lot.

At the sound of the passenger door unlocking, Michael opened the door and began to get into the car.

As he took his seat, he quietly asked, "Why do I feel like I'm making a huge mistake?"

"You'd better get used to it. You're probably going to feel that way over and over again about every person you meet and every commitment that you make." Agent Roberts said as he started the car.

"Am I making a mistake?" Michael cautiously asked.

"As far as I know, there's only one way to find out." Agent Roberts chuckled as the car pulled out onto the main street that ran through town.

* * * * *

"Michael, do you happen to have a nickname?" Obby asked curiously as he became solid in the backseat.

"Mike... Mikey when I was a kid, but I always hated that." Michael cautiously answered.

"People in Brynnhollow usually avoid biblical names. It might be better if you introduced yourself with a nickname. I don't think that they would care that your name is really Michael, but they probably wouldn't want to have to call you that." Obby carefully explained.

"Is that right?" Michael asked Agent Roberts cautiously.

"It's the first I'm hearing of it, but I trust Obby to know what he's talking about." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"Cain and Deimos were telling me about how they got their names. They used to be named Christopher and David before they moved to Brynnhollow." Obby said seriously.

"I remember Andrea saying something about the curse making it so that they couldn't call upon the blessings of other gods. If they were to do so, they would be stricken with a flurry of bad luck. Maybe it has something to do with that." Agent Roberts said gravely.

"It sounds like some of the superstitions from the nineteenth century." Michael said honestly.

"Funny you should mention that..." Agent Roberts said with a weary chuckle under his words.

"You need a nickname before we get there." Obby reminded them.

Agent Roberts glanced into the backseat with momentary irritation, then reluctantly admitted, "Obby's right. You're going to have to go in there being comfortable with your name."

"Back when I was in high school there were a lot of guys named Mike in my year, so for a while people just automatically started calling me by my last name." Michael carefully explained.

"What's your last name?" Obby asked curiously.

"Bazien... it's French."

"That's okay. I think it sounds cool anyway." Obby said enthusiastically.

"If Obby likes it, then it should be universally accepted. I've noticed that he has his finger on the pulse of what's cool at any given time." Agent Roberts said with a proud smile at his shadow.

Michael began to smile, but then the smile fell away as he noticed where they were going.

"Please tell me that we're not going to be visiting the graveyard." Michael said cautiously.

"No. I hadn't planned on it. We're going to an abandoned house not too far from here, kinda in the middle of nowhere." Agent Roberts explained.

"Well, that doesn't sound much better than the graveyard, but why are we going to an abandoned house?"

"It's a shortcut to get to Brynnhollow." Agent Roberts said simply.

Michael waited for a moment, then finally said, "That's it? Somehow I expected something a little more spooky."

"I don't know if you think that we're playing games with you, but Obby and I are going out of our way to help you. We're not trying to be spooky. We're just trying to get the job done the best way that we know how."

"Sorry. It's just that sometimes people take the whole 'witch' thing a little too far with all the theatrics and stuff. I'm kind of used to calling it out." Michael said timidly.

"Okay. I get that. I've noticed the same thing. But I promise that we're not doing things to try to impress you. We're just doing what we think is best to get you set up in Brynnhollow. As soon as we can see that you're standing on your own two feet, we'll leave you on your own to take care of business." Agent Roberts assured him.

As Michael was about to respond, he saw another graveyard, this one being older and spookier than the one before.

"By the way, there's something I need to warn you about before we get there." Agent Roberts told him reluctantly.

"What's that?" Michael asked as he unconsciously hugged himself. The neglected weathered monuments to forgotten people were flashing past his window in a sickening procession.

"There's a spell on the place that we're going. It's there to warn people away." Agent Roberts said simply.

"You mean the graveyards aren't enough..." Michael began to say as they approached yet another graveyard, this one being by far the most chilling and decrepit.

"I know, right?" Agent Roberts chuckled, then noticed the state of distress of his passenger.

"Just hang in there for another minute or two, then we'll be close enough for me to dispel the enchantment." Agent Roberts assured him.

"I work at a school for witches. I encounter magic every day. But I never expected to encounter this level of magic out in the open in the outside world." Michael said frankly.

"Then maybe that's a good reason for you to visit the outside world, so that you'll experience how magical things behave in a mundane setting as opposed to being cloistered within an academic institution." Agent Roberts said thoughtfully.

Michael seemed to be in distress, fighting against his instinctive need to flee from what they were approaching.

Recognizing his plight, Agent Roberts enunciated in a slow firm voice, "I call upon the powers-that-be to grant me entry to the sanctuary of your most vulnerable children, I use the power granted by devils. I am the harbinger."

Michael sucked in a sudden breath in surprise, then realized that all the anxiety that he had been feeling had suddenly left him, almost like a soap bubble bursting.

"That... I've never felt anything like that before." Michael was finally able to say past his exaggerated breaths.

Agent Roberts chuckled, then said, "For as big a deal as it seems right now, I'm betting that you won't even remember it by this time tomorrow."

Michael glanced at Agent Roberts dubiously as the car pulled to a stop in front of a dreary and weather-worn abandoned house.

* * * * *

"When I dispelled the enchantment it also opened the doorway to the vinculum, so we won't have to mess with that. It can get kind of tiresome, saying it over and over." Agent Roberts said as he led the way around the house to the overgrown backyard.

"Vinculum?" Michael cautiously asked as he realized that his loafers were completely inappropriate for walking in the more rustic setting that they were in.

"Yeah. It's the shortcut that I was telling you about. Brynnhollow is about a four hour drive from Waxell." Agent Roberts said as he indicated the gazebo that they were approaching.

"Hold on. You mean to tell me that you've actually managed to create a stable traversable portal and maintain it in the human realm?" Michael asked cautiously.

"No. It's nothing like that." Agent Roberts said dismissively as he climbed the steps up into the gazebo.

Michael cautiously followed, not knowing what to expect.

"Actually, this is a point of multi-location that exists in four different places simultaneously. You enter here and you can exit into any of them." Agent Roberts explained as he made a sweeping gesture to indicate the doorways, each looking out on their own distinct landscape.

"No. Hold on. This can't be. Nothing like this is supposed to exist in this world." Michael muttered as he looked around disbelievingly.

"Yeah. Well, I'm guessing that the people who came up with that rule are probably the same ones who set all of this up." Agent Roberts said, then pointed across the room toward one of the doorways.

"We're going through there?" Michael asked anxiously.

"Well, we just wasted a lot of time driving here if we don't." Agent Roberts said curtly.

"Oh, yeah. I guess you're right." Michael said as he finally stepped to Agent Roberts' side.

"I need to tell you one thing before we go through." Agent Roberts said, then waited for Michael to meet his eyes.

"What's that?" Michael cautiously asked.

"No matter what happens, don't get into a relationship with anyone from Brynnhollow. They're cursed. If you fall in love with one of them, you'll be cursed too." Agent Roberts said firmly.

"The same curse that's been following the bloodline for generations?" Michael asked to verify his understanding.

"Yes. I suppose that's how it lures fresh stock into the genepool. If you give into it, even once, you'll be lost forever." Agent Roberts told him firmly.

"This sounds like something from a fairy tale." Michael muttered disbelievingly.

"More like, places like this are where fairy tales are from." Agent Roberts told him frankly.

Before Michael could question what they were about to do, Agent Roberts held his open palm toward the doorway they were standing in front of and said, "I call upon the powers-that-be to grant me entry to the sanctuary of the cursed, I use the power granted by devils. I am the harbinger."

Michael felt a slight breeze blow through the doorway as Agent Roberts stepped through.

"Beyond this point, there be witches." Agent Roberts said with a grin as he watched Michael step through the doorway.

"You're trying to be spooky now, aren't you?" Michael asked cautiously.

"Yes and no. I was being playful, but what I said is true. Everyone you'll be meeting from this point on will be witches." Agent Roberts said more seriously.

"Are they all as powerful as you?" Michael asked curiously.

Agent Roberts looked at him strangely for a moment, then cautiously said, "I'm not a witch."

"What are you then?"

"A human."

"You can't be. So far I've seen you use complex shadowmancy and manipulate multidimensional space with the skill of a master." Michael said seriously.

"I don't know what to tell you. I'm just a fairly average human... well, except that I was named as 'The Harbinger' during an Assembly of the Magi." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"You actually witnessed an Assembly of the Magi?"

"Witnessed... Participated in... I suppose it's all relative." Agent Roberts said, then gestured for Michael to start walking with him through the ornate garden.

"I've heard that being part of a spelling that big will change you. That after something like that, you can never be the same." Michael said anxiously.

"Well, as far as I can tell, everything it did for me was good. Obby is able to have a life of his own and I'm able to continue to have contact with all the new friends that I made during the assembly. I'm perfectly content with where I am in my life." Agent Roberts said frankly.

"Where is Obby now?"

"He went flat for a while. I can call him if I need him, or he might go solid later on and join in our conversation, if he feels like it."

Michael seemed to take notice that they were walking through a formal garden, approaching a castle and cautiously asked, "Where are we going now?"

"Since we're here, it's only right that I introduce you to the queen of Brynnhaven, Queen Marimba. Once we've done that, I'll be taking you into Brynnhollow so that you can meet the village elders and make arrangements for where you'll be living and how you're going to accomplish your job." Agent Roberts said thoughtfully.

"From the way you said that, it sounds like there's going to be more to it than just teaching classes." Michael said cautiously.

"I really know very little about that side of things. I'm going to take you to the people who know more about it and trust that they will be able to guide you in the right direction so that you can do your job effectively." Agent Roberts explained.

"There you are!" An elderly woman wearing a ceramic mask called out as she hurried toward the men.

"You've got to be kidding." Michael said under his breath.

"Be nice." Agent Roberts cautioned him.

"Agent Roberts, it's so wonderful to see you again. How is your lovely sister doing?" The faded monarch asked pleasantly.

"She's fine. Queen Marimba, I'd like to present Michael Bazien. He's going to be..." Agent Roberts began to say, but was interrupted.

"Now Shawn, you already know that many of the people in Brynnhollow won't be able to accept him with that name. If you're serious about wanting to help these people, you'll need to put forth a little effort... at least until they get to know you." Queen Marimba said in a slightly scolding tone.

"Do you know what name he should be called?" Agent Roberts asked cautiously.

"While calling him 'Bazien' might be functional, in time the formality of it will begin to be a hindrance. I've foreseen a few possibilities. I suppose that now that the time is upon us, there's no putting it off. We're going to have to choose one." Queen Marimba said determinedly.

Michael was understandably creeped out by the woman in the ceramic mask. It took everything he had to keep it together enough to follow along with what she was suggesting.

"It would seem like I was being dishonest if I just suddenly started going by another name." Michael fought to explain, then continued, "If people found out that I was pretending to be someone that I wasn't, it could destroy any semblance of trust that might have developed between us."

"Worry not. That's already been taken into account. Come along now. There's no need to dawdle." Queen Marimba said before turning with a swish of her long flowing gown and hurrying out of the garden.

* * * * *

Agent Roberts and Michael shared a look as they followed the elderly woman in her ceramic mask and faded royal finery.

"Certain functions require a particular setting." Queen Marimba said as she paused to shoulder open an enormous door.

The dim light in the cavernous room caused both men to slow to allow their eyes to adjust.

"Please excuse the mess. The boys must have been playing in here. Little scamps." Queen Marimba muttered fondly from ahead of them, not slowing her pace a bit.

The neglect and decay were thick in the air in the dimly lit room. Neither Agent Roberts nor Michael were able to find their voices as they followed Queen Marimba past clumps and piles of rot and debris.

Michael was surprised to realize what he was seeing as Queen Marimba finally came to a stop.

It was nothing less than an actual throne.

Looking around, Michael could see how the rotting extravagance surrounding them might have once been the royal finery of an actual throne room.

"I toyed with the idea of convening court and having a more formal affair, but the two of you wouldn't have time to enjoy it. If you'll stand over here, before the throne, for just a moment, then you can be on your way to begin this new adventure of yours." Queen Marimba said as she seemed to be looking for something in the chests surrounding the throne.

Agent Roberts and Michael shared a silent look, then in unison, they did as they were told.

"Here it is. I knew that I left it in here... probably for this very thing. Regardless, Michael..." Queen Marimba began to say as she turned with a sword in her hand to find that Michael and Agent Roberts were standing where they had been instructed.

"A thing such as this I do not take lightly. I have few blessings and gifts to bestow and therefore am very frugal with them. Be that as it may, you stand before me now, young Michael Bazien, child of Clairice and Jean-Claude, descended from the nobles of the eastern continent, histories shrouded in secrecy, yet revealed in the fullness of time through your very actions." Queen Marimba muttered in a trance-like voice.

Michael looked at Agent Roberts with question only to receive a shrug in response.

Sounding to be a bit more coherent, she continued, "In the fullness of time you have come to stand before me in the kingdom where I am sovereign. Therefore, as Queen of Brynnhaven I declare that henceforth, the man before me, formerly known as Michael Bazien, shall be known as Bastyan, the Queen's Scholar. As such you shall be granted every courtesy and kindness I and my court have to offer."

Agent Roberts had to fight not to react as the queen raised her sword. Every instinct and every bit of training he had were standing by, waiting for the slightest indication that he or Michael were in danger from her.

A strange movement caught Michael's attention and he could see a faint shadow traveling up Queen Marimba's arm, subtly engulfing it.

As Michael, Agent Roberts and presumably Obby all watched, the Queen lowered her arm and gently touched the point of her sword to each of Michael's shoulders.

"It is done. You are my scholar now. Go in my name and with my blessing, and impart knowledge to the young of Brynnhaven and Brynnhollow." Queen Marimba said as she lowered the sword to her side.

"Thank you... I think." Michael said uncertainly.

"Oh, look at that. This makes it all that much more official. We have witnesses." Queen Marimba said with delight as she let the sword clatter to the ground and hurried across the room to where three grotesque baby dolls seemed to be propped up in a row, just inside the door.

"Those weren't there before, were they?" Michael cautiously asked.

"Let's get out of here while she's distracted." Agent Roberts said quickly, then led the way toward a door to the right of the throne.

"Won't she be upset that we left without saying goodbye?" Michael asked cautiously.

"Possibly, but it's equally likely that in five minutes she won't remember that we were here at all, or she might decide that she just dreamed it and that it was one of the futures that she foresaw that didn't actually happen." Agent Roberts explained as he guided them through a maze of dimly lit stone hallways.

"I was afraid that she was going to hurt you." Obby said, seeming to step, fully formed, out of the darkness surrounding them and continued on with them.

"I saw you wrapped around her arm. Thank you for protecting me." Michael said appreciatively.

"Through here." Agent Roberts said as he led the group toward a doorway filled with bright sunlight.

"I'm glad we came here anyway. I think things will go a lot better for you since you've got your new name." Obby said frankly.

"You don't really take her seriously, do you?" Michael asked with astonishment.

"Queen Marimba is tolerated by the men of Brynnhollow. They don't put much stock in her claims of being the sovereign queen of their people but they also don't bother disputing it. But many of the women of Brynnhaven have actually accepted her as their queen and are devoted to her. What that means for you is that no matter what people believe, Queen Marimba's blessing and bestowal of a name and a title work in your favor." Agent Roberts said frankly as they walked through the doorway into a beautiful courtyard.

"Agent Roberts, Queen Marimba sent word to Mason that you would be needing a ride into Brynnhollow today. You didn't have to wait too long, did you?" A young man asked pleasantly from a horse-drawn carriage as it slowed to a stop in front of them.

"No. Not at all. You're right on time." Agent Roberts said with surprise, then thought to add, "Rocky, I'd like for you to meet Michael..."

"Call me Bastyan."

Chapter 2

After a few minutes of travel down what might generously be counted as a path, Bastyan finally asked, "Where did Obby go?"

"He's around here somewhere. He just goes flat when he doesn't have anything to contribute. I think it's more comfortable for him." Shawn said casually.

"And you say that you're a mundane human." Bastyan stated more than asked, to avoid any possibility of a misunderstanding.

"I've had a few magical adventures, but yes, at the root of it all, I'm just a regular guy." Shawn explained.

"I didn't mean for it to sound like you weren't. You just seem to have more of a magical existence than most witches I know." Bastyan said frankly.

"I promise you, my home life is very simple and unremarkable."

"I'm not disputing that. I was just thinking that for all the magic that witches have access to, they really seem to do very little with it."

"I know some people who... I guess, at a certain point, they had everything that they wanted and didn't need magic as part of their daily lives anymore. All the spells were cast, all the dreams fulfilled." Shawn said thoughtfully.

"Having your dreams come true sounds like a good thing, but I guess it really isn't if you don't get new dreams to replace them."

"As far as anyone knew, they had collectively lost their magic." Shawn said frankly.

"I never even considered that being possible."

"Luckily, they have someone among their people who they call 'The Wanderer'. He dared to dream. Not only that, he also had the strength of will to go on adventures when everyone around him was content in their complacency. More recently, he proved to his people that magic wasn't lost to them. It's there waiting, whenever they're ready to take it up again." Shawn said with a smile at the memory.

"He's also Taurus." Obby said as he formed into a three-dimensional shadow.

"I never really put much stock in the astrology thing. I mean, I know it's useful in certain fields of magic, but I really don't see the use of it in my day-to-day life." Bastyan said frankly.

"Yeah. That sounds like something a Sagittarius would say." Obby said in a playful disparaging tone.

"I am a Sagittarius." Bastyan cautiously responded.

"Of course you are." Obby chuckled.

"Obby is the embodiment of Pisces." Shawn explained.

"I don't know what that means." Bastyan reluctantly admitted.

"I would say that it doesn't matter, but since you're going to have the embodiments of several astrological signs as students, you should probably go into it knowing what you're dealing with." Shawn said frankly.

There was a long moment of silence as they crossed the enormous drawbridge, exiting Brynnhaven and entering the expansive land that surrounded Brynnhollow.

"Okay. So what does all that mean?" Bastyan cautiously asked.

"I'm not a witch and I haven't been educated about these things. I'm just going with my limited understanding as an outside observer." Shawn warned.

"Understood." Bastyan promised.

"Life changes. The world changes. Everything changes." Shawn said slowly.

"I'm with you so far." Bastyan prompted.

"This doesn't."

"What doesn't?"

"The embodiment. Obby is Pisces. If a blood vortex opens off the coast of Oregon and starts raining doorknobs on the population, Obby will still be Pisces."

"You're losing me."

"This instance of this universe is in motion. Obby isn't." Shawn said simply.

"Well, that just sent a chill right up my spine." Bastyan said frankly.

"Good. I think that's the appropriate reaction when encountering an avatar of the zodiac. You don't have to do anything to show reverence to them, but I think it's important that you recognize that in this world of endless possibilities they stand out as something special and stable and true." Shawn said frankly.

"These people who travel by horse and buggy just happen to have multiple avatars of the zodiac living among them?" Bastyan asked cautiously.

"That actually has to do with the Assembly of the Magi ceremony. Since that was done here, the kids were included."

"The Assembly of the Magi was here, in Brynnhollow?"

"Back at the vinculum, actually, but the people of Brynnhollow were involved."

"I couldn't help but overhear you." Rocky timidly said from his position as the driver of the buggy.

"Did you have something to add?" Shawn asked curiously.

"Yeah. You were talking about us traveling by horse and buggy. I'm doing this as a favor to Mason to help welcome someone new. Normally, you'd be walking." Rocky said frankly.

"He's right." Shawn agreed, then explained, "I think this is the first time that I've ever ridden into Brynnhollow."

"You'd better start looking at landmarks and getting your bearings, because it won't be too much longer before you'll be out here on your own, expected to be able to find your way around." Rocky said seriously.

"You are a teacher, after all. They're going to expect you to be able to learn at least the basics of how to live here." Shawn added.

"No. That's not right." Obby objected.

"He's going to have to learn." Shawn persisted.

"Yes. But you can't expect an outsider to know how to live like this. Even the most basic tasks are probably going to be beyond his knowledge and skill at this point." Obby said honestly.

"Rocky? What do you think? Does Bastyan have any chance of learning what he needs to know to get by here?" Shawn asked curiously.

"I don't know. I think it'd be easier for me to try to live in the outside world than it would be for him to try and live here. The things they do to make their lives easier are the things we've chosen not to take up. Because of that, there's a whole set of skills that Bastyan's never been exposed to, much less had the chance to master." Rocky said thoughtfully.

"Well, I've got a job back in Waxell. There's no way that I'm going to be able to guide you around the countryside, even if I did know where you were supposed to go." Shawn said frankly.

"You should probably ask the elders about it, they may already have someone in mind to show you around. But if not, you can stop by Mason's shop and ask him about it. He has enough people working for him that he'd know who would be available." Rocky said seriously.

"I haven't been told anything about what I'm going to be doing. I mean, I know that I'll be teaching, but I don't know who, or where, or how many." Bastyan said anxiously.

"I don't know any of the details, but I can tell you that, from what I've observed, you're going to be teaching some really good kids. If you're willing to do right by them, you'll have my full support as well as that of everyone in the Brynnhollow and Brynnhaven communities." Shawn said confidently.

"No pressure." Bastyan said weakly.

"These people are very self-sufficient. You've been invited here to do something that they can't do for themselves." Shawn said seriously.

"Teach them magic?" Bastyan asked, just to confirm his understanding.

"Help them rediscover their magic." Shawn gently corrected, then explained, "Considering that you're dealing with curses and a population who have been both physically and genetically isolated from the outer world for centuries, it's possible that standard procedures may not be entirely effective. Some degree of adaptation on your part may be called for." Shawn said seriously.

"While I have been trained to teach dangerously powerful students and older children who've just come into their magic, I don't think a scenario like this was ever covered in any of my classes." Bastyan said frankly.

"If you can't think outside the box, it's best if you go home now. You'll be saving a lot of people a lot of trouble." Shawn said seriously.

"This goes beyond thinking outside the box. This is nowhere near the box. You should really have a team of senior professors here to perform evaluations so that they can determine the best training to provide the students every opportunity to attain their best lives." Bastyan said urgently.

"These people are cursed. They can't leave here. If you try to teach them the standard lessons, how much of what you teach them will never be used, even once? You want to prepare them for their best lives, but you need to think about what that really means in their situation." Shawn implored him to understand.

"I don't know. I don't even have the vaguest notion of what goes on in their daily lives. There's no way that I can prepare them when I have no clue about what they're likely to be facing."

"Then, from the sound of it, step one might be to get a clue." Shawn said seriously.

"It makes sense. If you're going to meet them on their terms, you might need to get a feel for what their terms are." Obby said frankly.

"I'd offer to help, but I've got the opposite problem. I know what life is like here, but I have no idea what you have in your bag of tricks to try and help them." Rocky said honestly.

* * * * *

As the horse-drawn carriage ambled along at a comfortable pace, a sudden squawk from above them drew their attention.

"Rocky, hold on. That's Conrad." Shawn said with concern.

Bastyan looked up with surprise at the large bird flying toward them.

"Something must have happened. He doesn't usually transform unless there's an emergency." Rocky said anxiously.

"I don't know about an emergency, but he doesn't do it without a good reason." Shawn said soberly.

"Conrad? Like the FBI agent?" Bastyan asked cautiously.

"Yes, as in Agent Fastbeck." Shawn said absently while devoting most of his attention to the black swan landing in front of them.

"That's an FBI agent?" Bastyan asked with surprise.

"When a person is touched by magic, it leaves a mark." Shawn said simply.

As they watched, the swan began to grow and transform.

"When Hyatt said that you'd left, I was afraid that I was too late... I'm glad I caught you." Conrad hurried to say as soon as he achieved his Oskmey form.

"What's going on?" Shawn asked with concern at Conrad's serious tone.

"Before we get into that, is this the teacher that D said that he was going to send us?"

"Yes. This is Bastyan, the Queen's Scholar. Bastyan, may I introduce Agent Fastbeck."

"Conrad. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Yeah. Me too." Bastyan said uncertainly.

"So what's the rush? Why did you need to catch us?"

"I was talking to the boys last night about someone coming to teach them magic and they came up with an idea of something else we can do that sounds like it could work. I talked to a few more people about it this morning and, if we can pull this off, we could end up helping a lot of people." Conrad said excitedly.

"Like how?" Shawn asked cautiously.

"Well, Bastyan, first of all, we think we've worked out a way to get you someone to help you manage so many children at so many different levels spread out over such a large geographical area." Conrad said seriously.

"That sounds great. From what Shawn and Rocky were just telling me, it looks like I'm going to need help from someone local." Bastyan said eagerly.

"Well, it's not for certain just yet. There are a few potential issues that we're going to have to address before we'll be ready to approach the elders with the idea. That's why I wanted to catch you before you got to Brynnhollow and set things into motion. I had a feeling that D would be sending someone right away and when Shawn was gone, I automatically assumed that the teacher had arrived."

"Is there some reason that you're being vague about things and not just telling us what you're talking about?" Shawn asked curiously.

"Actually, yes. I'm just laying the groundwork so that you'll recognize the benefits and grasp the scale of the overall objective before being distracted by the potential obstacles."

"The objective being...?" Shawn prompted.

"To teach the children of Brynnhollow as much magic as they are capable of learning." Agent Fastbeck said seriously, then thought to add, "Of course other objectives may be revealed as we go along."

"Okay. I think we've got that." Shawn said hesitantly, obviously waiting for more of an answer.

"Rocky, if you'll turn the buggy around and head for Ima's, I can fill everyone in on other things while we're traveling." Conrad said encouragingly.

"Before we do that, I have a feeling that you already have someone in mind to be Bastyan's assistant. Can you tell us who it is?" Shawn asked cautiously.

"Okay. But before I tell you, just keep in mind that we're already aware that this might take a little work to iron everything out. We think that it will be worth the effort."

"Just tell us." Shawn said impatiently.

"Roo." Conrad reluctantly responded.

After a long moment of stunned silence, Shawn admitted, "Okay, yeah.... that could pose some challenges."

"Why? What's wrong? Is this 'Roo' some sort of kangaroo person, the way that you're a swan person?" Bastyan cautiously guessed.

"No. Believe it or not, that would probably make all of this a lot easier." Shawn said diplomatically.

"Now you're the one being cryptic. What is it? What's wrong?" Bastyan asked anxiously.

"Rhuru-wra is a Wudewas." Shawn reluctantly answered.

"A Wudewas? Like a bigfoot?" Bastyan asked uncertainly.

"Yes. But he's more than that, a lot more. He's 'The Wanderer' that I was telling you about. He was able to summon a whirlwind using ancient Wudewas magical techniques." Shawn said with obvious admiration.

"And he's Taurus." Obby injected into their conversation.

"You said that before. Do you mean that the bigfoot witch you're telling me about is also an avatar of the zodiac?" Bastyan asked cautiously.

"Yes. If you'll turn the carriage around, I can tell you what we're planning." Conrad said seriously.

"Hang on. This could get bumpy." Rocky said as he guided the horse to circle around a small stand of trees.

* * * * *

"I didn't think we were on a road until you did that. I guess it could be bumpier." Shawn said honestly.

"You can walk if you like." Conrad said from beside the carriage.

"No. I'm not complaining. I guess I'm just used to riding in a car. I honestly didn't know that we were on a road until I felt what it was like to go off-road for a minute." Shawn explained.

"Scoot in so I can tell you what we're planning." Conrad said with a chuckle under his words.

* * * * *

As soon as Conrad had settled into place, Rocky urged the horse back into motion.

"So, here's what we've got to work with." Conrad said in prelude, "Shawn and I are both mundane men with the ability to open magical barriers. Andrea and I are mundane people who have been given the ability to bestow curses. Of course Obby and Roo are both avatars of the zodiac." Conrad said carefully.

"I don't see how you can do anything with that odd collection of abilities." Bastyan said frankly.

"I'm not sure that we can, but we certainly won't accomplish anything if we don't try." Conrad said simply.

"Don't forget that we can call on the Nephilim, Milo, or maybe even Paul, if we really need to." Shawn cautiously added.

"Yes. Actually, I was thinking about inviting Archdruid Highley and Reaper to this first meeting, but thought that we should see what Ima has to say about it, first." Conrad said honestly.

"I'm afraid to ask, but who is this Ima that we're going to see?" Bastyan asked cautiously.

"She and her sisters somehow managed to bypass the Brynn curse to practice a form of magic that, I imagine, is quite different from what you're used to. For conversation's sake, let's just call it 'Brynnhollow Magic'." Conrad said seriously.

"I think I see where you're going with this." Shawn said speculatively, then explained, "Since Ima and her sisters are used to circumventing the curse and improvising, they'll be more likely to be able to take this strange collection of talents to find a way to make it so that Roo and Bastyan can communicate."

"Well, yes. But just think about the abilities that you and I have. We can both communicate with Roo and we can also both open doorways..." Conrad said in a leading tone.

"But didn't we decide that a witch can't hold that power? That it has to be a mundane person?" Shawn asked cautiously.

"Right. But she's the one who crafted the very first version of the spell that allowed me to speak other languages so I could communicate with Roo. As far as I can tell, it will come down to the magic requiring the absence of a thing or the presence of it to work properly. One way, Ima could probably make a charm, the other... might be more challenging."

Shawn nodded as he continued the thought, "So if we just go ahead and assume that we can make a charm with the absence of inherent magic, then we can tinker with what we have available to come up with a working solution to both the doorway and communication problems."

"That's not really how magic works." Bastyan said regretfully, then explained, "When you need to do something, you find the spell that does that thing and you cast it."

"It sounds to me like you need to spend some time with Paul." Shawn said frankly.

Bastyan looked at Shawn curiously for a moment, then hesitantly asked, "You mentioned him before. You don't mean Paul Darroch, do you?"

"Yeah. That's him. From what I've seen of him, he's not limited to how a spell is written." Shawn said frankly.

"I know Paul... that is to say, I've met him." Bastyan admitted, then continued, "Paul came into his magic late and seems to have a natural talent for combining spells and casting them simultaneously. I've heard that it's rather impressive."

"I know that I was impressed." Agent Roberts said honestly.

"Do you think we're going to need him to come back here to perform the enchantment?" Bastyan cautiously asked.

"We'll keep it in mind as a fall-back plan if we can't find a way to make it work out with what we've got here." Conrad said thoughtfully.

"Would you guys like to climb up? It might save you a few minutes instead of taking the long way around." Rocky asked as they approached a familiar footbridge.

Conrad looked around and was surprised to realize where they were. After a moment to process, he cautiously asked, "How much of a hurry are we in?"

"One of us should probably get back to the office before too long. But besides that, I'm not aware of anything needing our immediate attention." Shawn said frankly.

"I agree." Conrad said, then turned to Rocky and continued, "I think that this once we'll take the easy way."

"Glad to hear it. Crossing that bridge is one of the scariest things I've ever done." Rocky said with a chuckle at the memory.

"The slippery rocks were actually the worst part for me, but that had mostly to do with my hard-soled shoes." Conrad admitted.

"Is there anything else we need to sort out before we get there?" Shawn asked curiously.

"I think we just need to be sure to keep our objectives in mind. We need for either Bastyan or Roo to be able to open the doorways, both if possible. We also need for them to be able to communicate with each other. If they were able to communicate with others, it would be even better." Conrad said seriously.

"And since you and I can do both of those things, we should be able to find a way to make it possible for Bastyan and Roo to do them too." Shawn said thoughtfully.

"Bastyan, do you have an animal transformation ability?" Rocky asked curiously.

"Yes. I tested positive for it in school, so I took a course to master it and learned the necessary control techniques." Bastyan said simply.

"Everyone in Brynnhollow and Brynnhaven has an animal transformation ability which, due to the curse, they aren't always able to control. While I can't predict when or how you'll be needing it, I feel safe in saying that you're going to need that mastery." Shawn said frankly.

"Also be aware that your animal transformation may come into play in granting you a new ability." Conrad added seriously, then glanced to Shawn to ask, "Do you think Roo has a transformation ability?"

"It never occurred to me that he might. That's something that we'll probably need to look into." Shawn said speculatively.

"Actually, we need to let Ima handle it. We don't need to be involved in this project on a long-term basis. We're just helping to get it launched." Conrad said seriously.

"Yes. But we won't be completely out of it, either. We'll be available if there's any kind of help we can provide from the outside with our FBI connections." Shawn said seriously, then added with a grin, "Besides, if Bastyan and Roo end up having bird forms, you might get to give them flying lessons."

"Granted. If a situation crops up that we're uniquely qualified to deal with, then of course we'll step up. But we should keep in mind that we're helping. We're not in control." Conrad said firmly and with a sense of finality.

* * * * *

"Rocky, are you sure about this road? It seems a little steep." Shawn asked anxiously.

"I haven't taken a buggy up here before, if that's what you're asking, but I know that this is the right road." Rocky responded seriously.

"Still not complaining... just asking." Shawn said as he looked nervously at the sheer drop off, seemingly inches from the buggy's wheel.

* * * * *

"Agent Fastbeck and Rocky! What a wonderful surprise! Who have you brought with you today?" Ima asked as she opened the iron gate.

"Ima, I'd like to introduce Agent Shawn Roberts, he works with me at the FBI, and Bastyan... The Queen's Scholar? Is that right? I only heard it once." Agent Fastbeck asked uncertainly.

"Yes. That's right." Bastyan timidly confirmed.

"Oh, Shawn, Andrea's told us all about you. She's had nothing but wonderful things to say. It's an absolute pleasure to finally meet you. And Bastyan... I can't say that I've ever heard a single thing about you. But it's a pleasure to meet you anyway." Ima said as she motioned for the group of men to walk with her into the castle.

"I just arrived in Waxell a few hours ago." Bastyan said timidly, then explained, "My real name is Michael Bazien, but I was renamed Bastyan by Queen Marimba and appointed to be her Royal Scholar."

"That's wonderful, but what brings you here to me?" Ima asked curiously as they walked.

Before anyone else could answer, Conrad calmly said, "Last night I was visiting with Andrea and the boys and we came up with an idea. It's one of those things that sounds like it could be really great, but when you stop and think it over, you realize it might not be all that easy to pull off."

"If it's brought the four of you all the way up here, it must have some promise." Ima said speculatively.

"Yes. Well, I realize that I'm making quite a few assumptions in all of this, but if we can make it work, it could help so many people that I think that it will end up being worth it." Conrad explained.

"Would you like to sit for a moment, or do you think we'll be needing to go straight to the dungeon?" Ima asked as they walked into a well-appointed parlor.

"I don't know how much work it will take, or if it can even be done." Conrad said anxiously.

"Alright then, please, everyone, sit down and make yourselves comfortable." Ima said as she gestured at the low cushioned furniture, then turned to Conrad and said, "Go on. Tell me about it."

"Shawn and I have the ability to open the doorway to the vinculum chamber in Brynnhaven... do you know about that?" Conrad thought to ask.

"Yes. Andrea filled me in on the highlights." Ima confirmed.

"Good. Of course you already know about the Southseid colony..."

Ima nodded for him to continue.

"You remember Rhuru-wra, the Wanderer? It turns out that he was able to use ancient Wudewas tablets and perform a spell, proving that the Wudewas people haven't lost their capacity to perform magic." Conrad said seriously.

"What an amazing development. Wudewas witches..." Ima trailed off with a smile.

"As far as I know, they don't have separate witches like humans do. They all have the capacity to perform witchcraft. However they, as a people, have lost the ambition to learn the art." Conrad said frankly.

Ima nodded as she considered his analysis.

"Bastyan was sent here by D to help teach magic to the children of Brynnhollow and Brynnhaven." Conrad continued.

"D really is exceptional, isn't he? Not so much in the action he takes as in the fact that he takes action. He sees a problem and immediately takes steps to resolve it. You've got to admire that." Ima said sincerely.

"Yes. And even though it's just been a few days, Bastyan is here and ready to start teaching." Conrad said seriously.

"I suspect that you're nearly to the part where I can be of service to you." Ima said speculatively.

"Yes, well, last night Cain and Deimos and I were discussing it, and they were asking if it would be possible for the teacher that D was sending to also teach the children of the Wudewas." Conrad said more slowly.

"If I recall correctly, the Wudewas are physically incapable of speaking our language and theirs is so contextual and fluid that it's virtually impossible for us to learn." Ima said from a place of distant memory.

"Yes. As far as I know, that's all true. Although Shawn and I can both communicate with the Wudewas, it's entirely by magical means." Conrad said simply.

"And since I was instrumental in bestowing that ability on you, I'm guessing that you would like for me to find a way to transfer that ability to Bastyan, here?" Ima asked hesitantly.

"Yes. That and if possible, also give him the ability to open the vinculum doorways. I don't know what all is involved in it, but I thought that since Shawn and I both have the abilities, that you might be able to find a way to recreate them or transplant them or something."

"Is it just you two who have these abilities?" Ima asked curiously.

"Archdruid Highley has them too, he had them before I did." Conrad said seriously.

"So does Otis." Shawn added.

"Are all four of you mundane humans?" Ima asked slowly.

"Yes. That's right." Conrad confirmed.

"Bastyan, you are a witch, aren't you?" Ima cautiously asked.

"Yes, ma'am."

"And you've already said that Rhuru-wra has inherent magical ability."

"Yes. That's been proven." Conrad reluctantly agreed, seeing the direction that her questioning was going.

"If it were the other way around, I wouldn't automatically assume that a magical person was required for a certain spell to work. But when four out of four people with the spell on them are mundane humans, I feel safe in assuming that it is a requirement of the spell." Ima said speculatively.

"So, do you know a way around it?" Conrad asked hopefully.

"It's all guesswork at this stage of things. Is there anything else that you can tell me about the abilities or those who have it? Any commonality might help." Ima asked in a leading tone.

"I don't know. I mean, when called upon, we stood with the people of all kinds and worked as gatekeepers to regulate access to the doorways." Conrad said carefully.

"We each received our abilities in different ways, but got them exactly when they were needed. We didn't have to go searching for them, it's like they were waiting there for us and we were being guided to discover them." Shawn added.

"Do you know who it was who might have been guiding you and bestowing these powers?" Ima asked in a leading tone.

After a moment for other suggestions to be brought forward, Shawn reluctantly said, "The only name we've come across in all of this is Aengus MacOg."

"Yes. That would most likely be due to the splinter of Aengus MacOg anchored within the black Oskmey form in Agent Fastbeck." Ima said frankly as she looked at Conrad, transformed into said form.

"I got my power through a pendant that Paul and his friends enchanted for me. When I needed to open the gate, I was given the ability and the pendant provided the magic to make it work. I've never called on Angus MacOg and my power isn't godly, like Conrad's. It's distinctly demonic, the same way that Archdruid Highley's is definitely angelic." Shawn explained.

"And this all came together in relation to the Assembly of the Magi?" Ima asked to verify.

"Yes." Shawn quickly answered.

"The gods rarely move so obviously. If they had directly participated, few would have lived to tell the tale. No, I think what we encountered is probably something left behind, baked into the system, which has been waiting for people like us to discover it." Ima carefully explained.

"Does that hurt us or help us in what we're trying to do?" Shawn asked curiously.

"It helps us, I think." Ima said slowly, then added, "If we can reason out the dynamics of the spells, we might be able to find a technicality or loophole that we can exploit to help with our current situation."

"You didn't say anything about Otis having magic or a pendant." Obby said as he grew from Shawn's shadow to stand before him.

"That's because he doesn't have one, at least, as far as I know." Shawn said uncertainly.

"Who is this we have here?" Ima asked curiously.

"Oh, excuse me, this is Obby... Who he is might take a while to explain. For now, let's just say that he's my shadow."

"As you like. A pleasure to meet you, Obby. I can't wait to learn more about you." Ima said sincerely, then turned to Conrad and asked, "You were saying?"

"As I recall, Otis acted as more of a placeholder than a gatekeeper. While we were together, I don't recall him using any of the gatekeeper abilities. According to what Shawn was saying at the time, he didn't have to do anything, he just needed to be present." Conrad said thoughtfully.

"I've spent time with Otis and I haven't noticed a pendant or seen him do anything magical." Obby said honestly, then thought to add, "Of course, Shawn doesn't use his gatekeeper abilities either, unless he has a good reason to."

"This is sounding more and more like just what we're looking for." Ima said consideringly.

"How's that?" Shawn asked curiously.

"The others of you have used the abilities given to you to perform important tasks. It seems this Otis person may have been prepared to do the same, but was never 'activated', so to speak. That being the case, it may allow us to transfer the dormant abilities in part or in whole to Bastyan and Roo." Ima said seriously.

"This reminds me of a recent case that I had. Before we're too far in, can you give us an educated guess of which people or magical supplies you might be needing to gather to accomplish this? We could get those things on the way before we work too much on the details." Shawn asked seriously.

"Details like 'how'?" Conrad ventured to ask.

"Yeah. Little stuff like that." Shawn said with a grin at his boss.

"It would stand to reason that we'll be needing Otis, if he's going to provide the dormant spell or spells that we will be transplanting." Ima said thoughtfully.

"That makes sense. I thought you might need him." Shawn admitted.

"It's impossible to predict whether we'll end up needing both Bastyan and Roo, but it might be good to have both present while we're sorting it all out." Ima said frankly.

"The way these things seem to go, I could easily see them being here making the difference between us getting what we want and settling for what we can have." Conrad said gravely.

"Yes. It would be prudent to take such precautions early on. If I'm reading the situation correctly, then we may only get this one chance to make things right." Ima grimly explained.

"Can you think of any supplies that we might need?"

"Most of what I will need, I already have downstairs in the dungeon. The only other things I might possibly need would come from Jimson and Dark."

Chapter 3

"We're not going to fall off the mountain." Rocky assured his passengers.

"I know." Bastyan breathed as he maintained his white-knuckled grip on the carriage seat.

"Do you think that you'll be able to find your way back up here on your own?" Shawn asked Bastyan while clinging to his own seat no less tenaciously.

"This mountain peak seems to be an identifiable landmark no matter which direction you approach it from, so I can probably manage it if I have to." Bastyan said uncertainly while keeping the majority of his attention on the edge of the 'road' that they were perilously close to.

"No. The terrain is too dangerous for a newcomer." Rocky said firmly, then continued more reasonably, "If it comes down to it, I'll come back and wait for you. There's no way I'm going to let someone from the outside stumble around here blindly on his own and take a chance of being seriously hurt if I can prevent it."

"Conrad had to fly so that he could get to Roo in time. We need for you to round up Dark and Jimson for the same reason. We can't get to them as quickly and efficiently as you can. If it comes down to it, I'll walk Bastyan back to Ima's myself. The FBI office can go unmanned for a while longer if need be." Shawn said firmly.

"Actually, if you can get us through the vinculum doorway, I can guide Bastyan and Otis from there." Obby said confidently.

"How is that any different from leaving them on their own?" Shawn asked curiously.

"How is it any different from you coming back?" Obby countered, then explained, "All that military training, FBI training, and all those times you were out hiking as part of your job... I was right there with you. I might not have been trying to learn those skills for myself, but I did, at least to some degree... enough to do this, anyway."

"Do you guys want me to show you the shortcut? We'll be coming up on it in a few minutes and since you'll be on foot, it'll shave a good amount of time off your hike." Rocky asked seriously.

"Is this the thing you were saying that was so scary for you?" Obby asked hesitantly.

"Yeah. Even though I know that the bridge is safe and that it's been maintained, I'm still afraid of it." Rocky said honestly.

"Wasn't Conrad saying something about slippery rocks?" Shawn asked cautiously.

"There's a narrow rocky ledge and the sheer drop-off doesn't give you a lot to hold onto. It's... terrifying, to be honest. But it's also the fastest way to get up the mountain." Rocky added as a justification.

"Unless you can fly, like Conrad." Shawn mentioned off-handedly.

"Which none of us can." Rocky said reasonably, then continued, "But if you decide to go, just cross the footbridge and you'll see a path branching off in two directions. Take the path to the left. Even if the path seems to disappear at some points, just keep going and you'll pick it up again right away. The path will take you right up to Ima's gate." Rocky said seriously.

"So Rocky, are you okay with Obby leading Bastyan and Otis up to Ima's?" Shawn asked carefully.

"If he's willing to try, I'm willing to let him." Rocky cautiously answered.

"Obby, are you sure you want to try it?" Shawn asked firmly.

"Are you going to let me lead the group?" Obby asked curiously.

"Bastyan doesn't know anything about survival in a forest setting and I have no reason to believe that Otis does either. If you've really picked up some of my survival training, I need to know if you honestly believe that it will be enough to guide your party safely from the vinculum to Ima's castle." Shawn said seriously.

"I think so, but I'll tell you right here and now, if it looks like it's going to be too dangerous, I'm not too proud to turn around and take the long way up." Obby said as he looked Shawn in the eyes.

"It's your call to make. The safety of your team is paramount." Shawn easily agreed.

"The footbridge is up ahead. Navigating your way through Brynnhaven isn't hard. If you can make your way from the drawbridge to this footbridge, then you can follow the path from there." Rocky said informatively.

"What do you say, Bast? Do you think you could navigate the bridge-to-bridge part of our journey?" Obby asked curiously.

"I... I thought you said that you were going to lead us." Bastyan stammered with surprise.

"What kind of leader would I be if I did everything for you and encouraged you to depend on me?" Obby asked reasonably, then explained, "If you will commit to leading us during that section of our journey, I'll follow along silently and observe... you know, like shadows are sometimes known to do. Once we're at the footbridge, I'll take over. How does that sound?"

Shawn smiled at Obby with approval, feeling inordinately pleased with his chosen method of leadership.

"Yeah. Okay. It's just hiking through the forest. Right? I'm sure I can do that." Bastyan said with a reasonable amount of certainty.

* * * * *

"Here it is. You can see the footbridge from here." Rocky said suddenly.

All three of his passengers looked around carefully, making sure to memorize the landmarks surrounding them.

"Can we get back to the drawbridge by backtracking the way we came?" Shawn asked curiously.

"Mostly, yes. At first we were going toward the Brynnhollow valley, so we had to double back after Conrad stopped us. But I can't imagine you having any problem picking up the trail where we diverted." Rocky said honestly.

"Yeah. That shouldn't be a problem." Shawn said with a reasonable degree of certainty.

"I agree. We should be able to manage it." Obby confirmed.

"Do you want me to let you off once we're off this rise?" Rocky asked curiously.

"Yes. I think that might be best. You've got two people to track down who may not be anywhere near each other. We're just going after Otis, and we already know right where he's supposed to be." Shawn said honestly.

"Before we go our separate ways I had a question. You don't need me to go back to Ima's, do you? I mean, if you want me to, I will, but as far as I can see, I don't have anything more to contribute to what you're working on." Rocky said frankly.

"Since I've come into contact with the Brynns I've learned some lessons about listening to my instincts. I feel like you do, that my part in this is nearly done. So my first advice to you is to follow your heart and go where you believe that you can do the most good." Shawn said sagely.

"I don't know if my heart is telling me anything. I just thought that if I'm not part of this plan, then I shouldn't go back. I would probably just be in the way."

"You might. If you don't feel a part of it, if you're not devoted to it, then now would be the best time for you to step away." Shawn said seriously.

"I think I will." Rocky said consideringly, then hurried to add, "But if you can think of a way that I can help you, all you have to do is ask."

"With Conrad there, I doubt that Ima will need me to contribute anything, but I'll be waiting at the FBI office, just in case either of them need something from me."

ï¿½ ***

As soon as Rocky had guided the carriage down off the rise to what might generously be considered a road, he let his passengers off, then began his own quest, in search of Dark and Jimson.

Shawn, Obby, and Bastyan started walking the opposite direction, and seemed to be of a mind about which was the right way to go.

The trio was quiet most of the way, but all three of them were happy when they rounded a bend and saw the drawbridge before them.

"What do you think, Bast? Could you get us back to the footbridge from here?" Obby asked curiously.

"Yeah. Right now, in the daylight, in calm weather, I think I could probably do it." Bastyan said with reasonable confidence.

"Good, because if you can do that, then the next thing we'll work on is finding other places that you'll be able to go on your own. Before long, you'll probably be able to navigate this whole place like a native." Obby finished happily.

"I think I'll work on successfully navigating from bridge to bridge before I worry too much about learning more." Bastyan chuckled.

"Do you think you can navigate from here to the vinculum chamber?" Shawn asked curiously as they began to cross the drawbridge which spanned an incredibly deep chasm.

"It's in the palace garden, isn't it?" Bastyan asked cautiously as he pointed ahead of them in that general direction.

"Yes. I was just confirming that you had an idea of where it was before you found yourself out here on your own for some reason." Shawn said simply.

"Thanks for checking." Bastyan said sincerely, then added, "I'm usually pretty good at navigating my way around new places. I've just never had to find my way somewhere where there weren't any cross-streets to give me a framework to orient myself."

"That makes sense to me. I'd probably be the same way if it weren't for my military training." Shawn easily admitted.

"If it wasn't for all of Shawn's training, I probably wouldn't volunteer to help you either. But I remember what he went through and I'm pretty sure that it will be enough to get us back to Ima's safely." Obby said seriously as the group walked into Brynnhaven proper.

"I hadn't thought to ask before, but you haven't mentioned anything to do with the use of magic." Bastyan said cautiously, then asked, "Do you think I should behave like I would around non-magical people at the school back home or do you think I should openly use magic here to encourage others to do the same?"

After careful consideration, Shawn slowly answered, "From what little I know of it, the Brynns treat their animal transformations like something personal which should only be revealed in the appropriate time and place. I imagine that they would handle the use of other magic in much the same way. It's not a secret, like it is on the outside, but it still might be a good idea to restrain yourself in particular company."

"I suppose that if we're going to have a large number of new magic users all trying to learn the craft at the same time that it might be good to have the appropriate time and place established from the outset." Bastyan said speculatively.

"I bet that if you set up the rules, the leaders in both Brynnhollow and Brynnhaven will back you up on them." Shawn said seriously.

"Yeah. Do the kids a favor and let them know from the beginning when it's time to work and when it's time to play. Give them some freedoms that they can enjoy, but also give them restrictions for not only their protection, but also for the protection of their communities." Obby said thoughtfully.

"I agree, except that we should probably include the Wudewas community in our plans too, at least until we have a better idea of how things are going to work out in regard to them." Bastyan said thoughtfully.

"Their community is called Southseid and you're right, we should include them in our plans. We wouldn't ever want for them to feel left out or less important than anyone else." Shawn said seriously.

"From the sound of it, there's no way of knowing if we're even going to be able to make it happen. But I guess until we know otherwise, we should make our plans to include them." Bastyan said speculatively.

"Yeah. It'll probably be a lot easier to change our plans to remove people than to try to add them in later, after everything's already been settled." Obby said thoughtfully.

"It's to the left up here, isn't it?" Bastyan asked as they approached the entry to the queen's palace gardens.

"Yeah. Left three, then straight back." Obby confirmed.

"I didn't realize that you were paying attention." Shawn said with a teasing grin.

"I didn't used to, I just automatically picked up certain things... mostly from repetition, I think. Now I do my best to stay aware of where I am and where things are around me." Obby said frankly.

"How did your shadow become independent, if you don't mind me asking?" Bastyan asked curiously.

"A fairy stole my shadow and held it hostage. When I got Obby back, he was like this, self-aware." Shawn said simply.

"Again, it amazes me that a non-magical person can have so many adventures while my magical existence is so... boring." Bastyan said honestly.

"Uh oh, now you've done it." Shawn said under his breath.

"Yeah. The universe doesn't put up with that." Obby added warily.

"With what?" Bastyan cautiously asked.

"Disrespecting what you've been given." Shawn immediately answered, as Obby said more slowly, "You saying that you're ready to be tested."

"Is it too late to take it back?" Bastyan cautiously asked.

"I think you already know the answer." Shawn said honestly.

"Interesting times are ahead." Obby added with an apologetic smile.

* * * * *

"I'm beginning to feel it, that creepy feeling." Bastyan warned.

"Well, if everything goes right, soon you'll have the ability to turn it on and off whenever you want." Shawn said frankly.

"If I'm remembering right, the vinculum doorway should be in the next courtyard." Obby said seriously.

"Yes. As soon as we're in the courtyard I'll be close enough to deactivate the beacon." Shawn confirmed.

"And you say that Brynnhollow is actually a four-hour drive from Waxell?" Bastyan asked curiously.

"Something like that. But if we can get you access to the vinculum gate then it'll only be half an hour from Waxell to the Old Tennyson Place." Shawn said simply.

"Or you could get a place in Brynnhollow and not have to commute at all." Obby helpfully suggested.

"I don't know. I've kind of gotten used to luxuries like electricity and running water. I'm rather fond of public sanitation as well."

"Kids these days, want everything handed to them." Shawn commiserated with his shadow in a poorly feigned tone of long suffering.

"On a silver platter." Obby added playfully.

Bastyan couldn't help but smile at the antics of the pair.

* * * * *

"I call upon the powers that be to grant me entry to the sanctuary, I use the power granted by devils. I am the harbinger." Shawn said as the group slowly walked into the final courtyard.

Immediately, all of them felt the creepy unsettling feeling subside.

"Have you looked into ways of turning it off permanently?" Bastyan asked curiously.

"Actually, yes. During the Assembly of the Magi we suspended it while we were performing the ceremony. Since then we've learned how to turn it on and off at each location, as needed." Shawn easily explained.

"But even if we know how to turn it off, we should probably leave it on anyway, right?" Bastyan cautiously asked.

"It's an effective way to regulate the gates and to keep people from looking too closely at them." Shawn said seriously.

"But if you're going to be using the gate anyway, there's no reason for you to keep the beacon on and be uncomfortable. That doesn't help anyone." Obby helpfully reasoned.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see if we can work it out so that I can be able to open the gates before I worry too much about it." Bastyan said frankly.

"Right." Shawn agreed as he led the way through the vinculum doorway.

* * * * *

"Nobody's going to have a problem with us walking through their backyard, are they?" Bastyan asked as the trio walked around the side of the house, away from the gazebo.

"No. I remember Steven saying something about keeping the place maintained, but from the sound of it, no one's lived here in many years." Shawn said casually.

"Steven?" Bastyan asked cautiously.

"Steven Tennyson. Apparently his family settled this area centuries ago and one of them made a pact with whoever established the vinculum gates. The responsibility has been passed down from generation to generation and now Steven and his grandson Kirwin tend the Waxell gate." Shawn explained before getting into his car.

Once everyone was in, Shawn continued, "When I first arrived here, Conrad mentioned that Steven's son, Warren might allow Conrad to move into the house, rent free, in exchange for taking care of it."

"Why didn't he?" Bastyan asked curiously.

"This was long before we knew anything about the vinculum gates or any of that. All he knew is that it was supposed to be haunted and that was enough to warn him away from it." Shawn said frankly.

"Do you need to turn the beacon thing back on when we leave?" Bastyan suddenly asked as he looked back toward the house.

"No. The beacon will turn back on as soon as we pass out of its range of effect." Shawn explained.

"Do you think that Steven or Warren would be open to the idea of me living in their house?" Bastyan asked curiously.

"Let's make sure that you'll be able to open the gate and turn off the beacon before we start making too many plans about where you'll be living." Shawn said frankly.

"Right." Bastyan absently agreed, then slowly said, "It just seems like the perfect solution, a way that I could literally live between two worlds, possibly having the best of both."

"Don't be fooled by feelings. Sometimes they're a trap to quell your enthusiasm or to divert you from a more worthy pursuit." Shawn warned.

"And there are other times when you feel what you feel for a very good reason and you should pay attention to it." Obby countered, mirroring Shawn's expression.

"You two sure are good at presenting both sides of an argument." Bastyan said honestly.

"Gee. I wonder why that is." Shawn playfully chuckled.

"Moving out here is a good idea, but let's see what Ima can do for you and if Roo is even interested before you commit to any long-term plans." Obby said seriously.

Bastyan looked at Obby with surprise at the incredibly practical suggestion.

"Not bad for a shadow demon, huh?" Shawn asked with a smile.

"Power granted by devils?" Obby retorted with a mirror opposite expression.

"Hey! The devils I've met haven't been so bad. They just have a little public relations problem." Shawn playfully defended.

"Actually, I think that may be part of what makes them so dangerous." Obby countered.

"Does this mean that you, a non-magical person, have experience in commanding demons?" Bastyan asked cautiously.

"No, no. Not at all." Shawn hurried to assure him.

"He wasn't just a demon, he was an arch demon, and his son was a cambion. They stood with us at the Assembly of the Magi. And we didn't command them, we befriended them." Obby said frankly.

"You befriended a demon?" Bastyan asked disbelievingly.

"That actually may be the most dangerous part of all of this. The arch demon's charisma was off the charts. It was such that I couldn't imagine him doing anything selfish, mean, or even marginally wrong. I trusted him implicitly." Shawn said frankly.

"We both did. If V had wanted to cause us trouble... I can't imagine any of us surviving. Even the angels were powerless in his presence." Obby said in distant remembrance.

"You know angels too?" Bastyan asked with surprise.

"They were there when we were there. That's about as close as we got to them." Shawn admitted.

"Yeah. To me it looked like the demons got ALL the charisma." Obby said frankly.

"You don't even have to compare them. Given a choice between spending time around the angels or a lump of coal, the lump of coal would win every single time." Shawn confirmed.

"But I've always heard that the angels are supposed to be awe inspiring to mundane people." Bastyan said frankly.

"If they are, then it must be some kind of spell that I'm immune to because I couldn't stand to be around the creepy little things." Shawn said seriously.

"Your pendant probably has enough demonic magic in it to keep passive angelic magic off of you." Obby said speculatively.

"Yet another thing I have to thank Paul for." Shawn said off-handedly.

"You really do admire him, don't you?" Bastyan observed.

"Yes. I suppose I do." Shawn easily admitted, then explained, "He made me a pendant that allows me to see through illusions. If he hadn't been worried about me and gone to the trouble of trying to protect me, things would have turned out very differently for a lot of people and we probably wouldn't be here right now."

* * * * *

After a long silence between them, Bastyan quietly asked, "Before I get my car, can you think of anything else that I'm going to need to do before we go back to Brynnhollow?"

"We should probably stop in at the Waxell diner and get a bite to eat. Even if Ima decides to feed you while you're up there, you've still got to count the time it takes to walk down and back up, as well as the extra calorie expenditure." Shawn said reasonably.

"Are you sure that it will be okay for me to go to the diner? I was told to avoid contact with the townspeople." Bastyan said nervously.

"If you're planning on living outside of Brynnhollow, it might be a good idea to introduce you to some of the townspeople so that they can get used to seeing you around." Shawn said consideringly.

"If we're going to be stopping in to see Otis anyway, maybe we could get him to say that you're a friend of his from college." Obby quickly suggested.

"If that's the story we're going with, then why is he visiting with me instead of Otis?" Shawn asked challengingly.

"Maybe because it would be wrong for him to bother Otis at work." Obby suggested, then thought to ask, "What is it that you actually do at the FBI office? Maybe he could be talking to you about business."

After a moment to consider, Shawn cautiously said, "Actually, that could work. If he were coming to see me on business, it could be a request for information regarding the Old Tennyson Place. My office has been known to investigate things which might loosely be classified as 'paranormal' so it's not too far outside the realm of possibility."

"I'm sure that Warren would go along with it if you asked him to." Obby said supportively.

"And we could still use the college friend angle for Otis." Bastyan added.

"Right. That could be how you found out about the Old Tennyson Place." Obby said happily.

"And if it comes down to it, we could go through the motions of conducting an actual investigation of the place. It wouldn't take much to set up and it might end up being fun." Bastyan said with increasing interest in the idea.

"You would probably know better than I would, but what are the chances of you actually contacting Steven's ancestors while you're investigating?" Shawn cautiously asked.

"I have no talent for or training in such things. If the location is spiritually active, I probably have the same chance of making contact as any mundane person." Bastyan said seriously.

"But are there witches who can do that? Talk to ghosts for real?" Obby asked curiously.

"Sure. There's a whole branch of wizardry devoted to summoning. I can't say that I know much about it, but I know it's a thing." Bastyan confirmed.

"What are the chances that some of your students will have that ability?" Obby asked curiously.

"The Brynnhollow students? I hadn't considered that. I suppose it's as likely as not. Each individual case is a flip of the coin as to what talents they end up with." Bastyan said simply.

"I don't know about that. With them all branched off from the same family tree, I would guess that they would be more likely to have some abilities than others." Shawn said slowly.

"I suppose that's true to a point. There are traits that do run in family lines, but magic has a way of presenting variations and aberrations without warning or reason."

"I suppose that's necessary, otherwise in a few hundred generations all witches everywhere would have exactly the same power set." Shawn said thoughtfully.

"But what will you do if you end up with a student who can talk to ghosts?" Obby asked curiously.

"Starting out, there will be things that I'll be able to do to help them. But as time goes on, I'll either need to ask for someone more specialized from the school to help them or I'll need to study up on whatever their talent is and do my best to train them in something that I can't do myself." Bastyan said frankly.

"Well, I don't know from personal experience, you know, being a shadow and all, but isn't this what being a teacher is all about? You get a group of kids and help them to grow and develop as much as you can. Then they take what you've taught them and use it to do things beyond your ability or even beyond your imagination. That's your payoff. That's why you're a teacher." Obby cautiously explained.

"Or... It could just be for a steady paycheck and summers off." Shawn said frankly.

Before Bastyan could refute the statement, Obby quickly responded, "Just look at him. He's not in it for the money. He would pay you for the opportunity to help the kids, and he hasn't even met them yet."

"I wasn't suggesting that Bastyan was only in it for the money, I was just saying that there are teachers who treat the profession as a low-effort way to game the system." Shawn explained.

"I'm a teacher because I want to do what's best for the kids." Bastyan said simply, then added, "If I think that my teaching can help them, then I'll teach them. If I can't help the kids, then there's no reason for me to be here."

"Good. The kids deserve nothing less." Shawn said approvingly.

Before Bastyan could react, Obby quickly said, "We're almost there. I'm going to go flat now. I'll see you again when we know that no one but Otis is around."

"We'll see you in a little while." Shawn said fondly.

Bastyan watched as Obby appeared to melt away into nothing.

"Here all this time I thought that living as a witch, among witches, was the epitome of living a magical life. The hardships had been overcome, the enemies had been driven out, and all the spells that we would ever need had been discovered and were available for our use whenever we needed them." Bastyan said distantly.

"It sounds like you were safely hidden away in your own little world there." Shawn said simply.

Bastyan cautiously nodded his agreement.

* * * * *

After pulling in behind the FBI office, Shawn went inside and stopped by the bait shop long enough to confirm that no one had been seeking the services of an FBI agent.

Bastyan continued to feel out of place walking across the street and down the block. He was accustomed to driving wherever he wanted to go. Walking was reserved for getting from public transportation to his destination.

As Shawn opened the door, the little bell rang, heralding their presence.

"Shawn? It's good to see you. I know you said that you'd be by later, but I really didn't expect to see you again today." Otis said happily.

"That's fair. My schedule tends to be a bit more flexible than I sometimes might like." Shawn timidly admitted.

"Michael, I'm guessing that Shawn's been keeping you on the run since you arrived. I bet that you're about ready to stop for a few minutes and catch your breath." Otis said cheerily.

"Introductions?" A man asked from behind the drugstore counter.

"Excuse me." Otis rushed to say, then continued more formally, "Mr. Tomlin, you already know Agent Roberts, I'd like to introduce Michael. I didn't catch his last name."

"Bazien." Bastyan supplied uncomfortably.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bazien." Mr. Tomlin said sincerely.

"It's nice to meet you, too, Mr. Tomlin. Please, call me Michael." Bastyan hurried to say.

"As you like." Mr. Tomlin said graciously, then added, "I'm reasonably certain that Agent Roberts would enjoy a cherry phosphate right about now. What can I get for you, young man?"

After a long confused moment, Bastyan cautiously answered, "I don't know what the choices are."

"Here's a list of flavors." Otis said as he handed Bastyan a menu printed on thick sturdy paper.

"Do you have cherry lime?" Bastyan asked cautiously.

"Is it on the list?" Otis asked with a teasing smile.

"You have cherry and lime, I was just wondering if I could get them together." Bastyan explained.

"We can try, but you'll have to let us know how close it is to what you were expecting." Otis said frankly as he started toward the service counter.

"You've already done your work for the day, Otis. Let me get you a drink so that you can visit with your friends." Mr. Tomlin said calmly as his hands seemed to go through the motions of making three phosphates, without him being consciously aware of what they were doing.

"Thank you Mr. Tomlin." Otis said gratefully, then stepped up to the lunch counter and motioned for Shawn and Bastyan to join him.

"We won't be able to stay long" Shawn said reluctantly as he took one of the offered seats and was presented with a tall fizzy drink.

"We were wondering if you'd be available to help us with something this afternoon." Bastyan said as he followed Shawn's lead and was likewise presented with his order.

Otis glanced at Mr. Tomlin before cautiously responding, "Sounds like fun. I'm finished with work and I don't have any other plans today."

"We were thinking about stopping at the Waxell diner for a bite to eat before we attend to other things, if you'd be up to that, we'd love to have you join us." Shawn quickly offered before taking a sip of his cherry phosphate.

"Sure. I guess so. I mean, my mom might be there. I don't know how that's going to work into your plan, but if you're okay with it, so am I." Otis said frankly.

"That might not be the ideal situation." Shawn reluctantly admitted.

Bastyan nodded before taking a sip from his drink.

The sudden expression of surprise on Bastyan's face drew all their attention.

After a long moment of trying to interpret his expression Otis cautiously asked, "Does that mean you like it or not?"

"I've always liked cherry lime, it's one of my favorite flavors..."

"Two." Shawn automatically interrupted before he could catch himself.

Otis smiled at Shawn as Bastyan rolled his eyes.

"Sorry." Shawn muttered, then added, "You were saying?"

"It's flavorful, sweet, thirst quenching, delicious... It's the most perfect cherry lime that I've ever tasted." Bastyan said honestly.

"I suppose that makes sense." Shawn said simply, then explained, "Everything here seems to be enhanced. The days here are brighter, the nights here are darker, the silence here is deeper and consequences here tend to be a bit more... consequential."