And so we're in Aveendale. We're standing there, staring in amazment as our rides suddanly turn into creatures very, very much like the Beast people we know and love. Ann is about to faint dead away in sheer awe beside me as one of them adressed us, telling us it- he- knew why we'd come and that we had friends here, before they all let themselves back into their stalls and were horses again.

Then we had Company.

And we scattered like spooked barn cats.


We ducked into every shadow and avalible shadow, and then the old man entered and talked soothingly and knowingly to one of the horses, then calmly but firmly demanded we come out.

And some part of me trusted him.

So I stepped out quietly, hand resting on my dagger. He regarded me quietly a moment, then grunted.

“You alone?” He asked, or some variation on it, and to Ann's disgust I said 'no' after a long pause.
And he called around a bit more until Meyone and Ann stepped out. He greeted Meyone as a son of Jaradul, and and then lead us out into the night. He took us to an old shed and ushered us in, and for a moment or so it seemed like this was simply to be a place for us to spend the night.

Then I found something.

At this point, I had gotten pretty skittish of acting on my own- as I kept fucking shit up, after all- but I was pretty interested in the soft, perfectly round patch of wall I'd just found. And after Ann made sure it wasn't trapped, and I had given her time to investigate, I could wait no longer.

I poked it gently.

I poke things, it's what I do. Give me a fucking break.

I poked it and I broke it. I also break things.

Sand started pouring down like an hourglass, and Ann clamped her hands to her mouth, her expression nothing short of accusation.

Excuse-fucking-me, Miss I- Think-I'll-Slice-My-Hand-Open-With-The-Death-Knife/Run-Off-The-Path-Into-An-Ocean-Of-Goblins/Make-A-Deal-With-The-Giant-Talking-Arachnid-Person/Bring-Home-A-Goblin-That-Does-Not-Act-Like-Other-Goblins-With-Budding-Emotional-Ranges/I-Could-Go-On.

And all, of course, without saying a word to anyone. I have the right to do things my gut tells me to do, too, and this was far less rash then it appered to be. Well, as the sand fell away, what seemed to be a rock goblin of sorts that stood easily taller then this room and had to stoop over was revealed.

Frankly, what was going through my mind at this moment?

Not what you might expect. It was more along the lines of:

This is the most fucking incredible thing this is so awsome oh fuck oh fuck it's going to eat us I'll die happily oh fuck oh fuck pretty.

Because I really didn't have a lot of conviction that this was a dangerouse thing, this thing. And as it moved, we all became very aware of a distant, gentle brushing sensation, as if something was touching us, wrapping gently around us, we could not see. And it smelled like flowers. Like outdoors.

Anything that pretty, smelling like that, could not be bad. Right?

The thing opened wider, and wider, and eventually I heard a voice sigh in my head, like the sound a man makes when a great weight gets hauled off his shoulders. Pure relife. I recognized it, and it make me more curiouse then upset, as it didn't seem to be maliciouse in any way. If it was my shiney rock, and it had decided to start chattin' it up with me, I was comfortable with that. So long as it didn't play head games.

Amazing, what I was comfortable with.

So we stand there, me bouncing on the walls of my feet in curiouse excitment, Ann wary and watchful, and Meyon just downright hissing and spitting. A light began to glow, and the touch and smell grew stronger, and then suddanly we were looking at a beardless dwarf. Oh, don't laugh at me, that's what it looked like. I've not got much experiance with dwarves, but I've seen a few, and that's what he looked like, mostly.

And then I heard something along side of It's alright, it's safe, and that was that for me. So I stepped forward like a moth to flame-

-and Meyone's arm snapped out, rigid and halting. I had to smirk. He might not like me, but his do-good, knight-in-shining-armor brain just wouldn't let me wander into danger. I wondered distantly why he cared if I got hurt.

Why I cared if he did.

Strange realtionship we have, us two. Combine it with his loyalty to Ann and her strange tension-that I swear and will never stop swearing is pure attraction (ew)- it makes for an interesting dynamic within our little group.

I can't help but wonder what happens if and when we leave Fera; if and when we go home.

Home.

It's amazing how far away from it I feel right now, and how much I want to go back. Yes, okay, all this is my fault and it was my idea to begin with, and I mean to see it through to the end if I can, but that doesn't mean that I have never in my life wanted to see Befrengaurd Keep and the people in it I've grown fond of, or Shoulwater and it's keep so badly in my life. I want to make sure Talron is alright, that he knows we're alright. I want to meet my father, and see that sweet old shop keep again. I want to see King, and Ivy. I want to check on Simon, and be in the citadel I'm familer with and used to.

I am, when it comes right down to it, fucking homesick. Isn't that pathetic on way too many levels to count?

Off topic. Getting back to the point.

Meyone was gaurding Ann protecitvly and keeping me at bay, but the small man standing in the light reached out and gently touched our minds, a strange, pinging sensation, telling us to come with him and assuring us that it was fine. Without the words coming out of his mouth.

I thought Meyone's hackles could go up no higher. As for myself, I simply ducked under his broad arm, for I am short and can do that, and made my way up to this new person.

Ann and Meyone followed my lead. Abruptly, it seemed, I was sort of in charge. Which is new, because usually that's Ann. But they toddled along after me, and once that big creature had settled back in place and the door closed once more, the man brushed gently along our minds again, his mellow voice calm. He greeted each of us in turn, knowing Ann for an elf- in fact, he called her quite elegently 'Elf Maiden Anjha'- Meyone for being a man of Jaradule; and I couldn't help but throw up my hands and roll my eyes as he turned to me and said, calmly; "It's good to see you again, Semie."

Does everyone and their fucking cat know who I am?!

He introduced himself as Dagget, and I thought I saw Ann dip her head to hide her smile. Wisely. And then we were off in yet another series of questions, stories, explinations and concerns.

Let's sum this up by saying Dagget knew, oh, I don't know, everything about us and why we'd come. And what he didn't know, he got by gently feeling in our minds for it, a sensation hard to grow used to but not unpleasent. He explained that this was the only way he could speak with us, through this mental conversation. It was a mostly one sided discussion, and we found out more through him then anyone else.

He told us that 'the council' was finding a way for us to get in and out of Aveendale where our prize was being kept, but they hadn't come up with anything solid yet, nor a way for us to get back again. He told us he knew who we were looking for, too- Daniel- and why, and he also happened to know who had sent us here.

He also told me that his council just happened to be the ones who erased my memory.

Yeah, this people, in an underworld society beneath the city where the ones that erased my memory. Apperantly, Damien and I had been here before, too, been here a few times before. And I'd been here with my father.

This strange man knew my father, fairly well; and apperantly at least knew of Ann's, as well, though that didn't surprise me considering who her father is.

He also explained to us that the reason why my little rock might suddanly be chatty was because of the psy crisps around the area, giving it a little extra kick in the ass. We also found out a bit more about Danel- IE, he'd been trained by an 'entitity' and had been missing for a really, really fucking long time. He'd been the most powerful kind of person like him around, and if she'd grown up, if she'd been given the chance, that lttle dead girl in Fera could have rivaled him.

She had so much potential, cut short because of scared inane bitches in a tiny, scared town.

We also found out the beast with her was called a Nightmare, and they hunted people with inporperly or nuntrained use in the sort of abilities Cataline had, and her daughter. They'd been created and warped and were now evil, ugly beasts that should not, logically, befriend the people they were sent to hunt. It was a good thing, though, if this one had, because it prooved the hold that person who'd created them- which just happened to turn out to have quiet alot to do with the vampire monster those childern and we'd been fighting- was weakening, loosening.

By the time we got to the main area we were supposed to be, the main 'city', we'd gotten so much information denied, verified, contradicted or argued over that I almost couldn't take in the amazing sight in front of me.It was no Naubudel, but then, I'm a bit biased- but it was beautiful. Magnificent and grand and huge and elegent, I had trouble ever equating myself with a place like this.

But there is was, plan as the little hairless drawf under my face.

We made our way in, and were brought straight away to the council. I don't mind telling you I was plenty fucking afraid, here- I mean, this was the same council that had done- whatever they'd done- to me. But if they knew me they didn't show it, didn't even hesitate before they were 'pinging' us- all at the same time, a mix of thoughts and touches so loud and intrusive for a moment I thought I was going to scream.

And then it stopped.

The council's speech became more deliberate, more- communiable, as they actually spoke with and not a us. Now I could notice what they looked like- and some of them looked pretty fucking freaky, let me tell you. Huge, oversized heads that probably held huge, oversized brains, and way, way too many arms.

In the end, they decided they were going to send us into a place that was esentally a 'mirror world' of our own, a kind of another version of 'limbo', deeper even the our oh-so-lovely boneyard, to get Talia out. Because it was the safest way.

Seems that vampire-monster creature those kids and we were fighting was more then just a random whack job out for as much mayhem as he could cause. Oh, he was much more then that, and if he sensed us coming after Talia- well. It would be game over. This man hated those with power and he ahted wizards, and he wanted both sides dead.

So this was the only way to get in and back out without the man sensing us doing it. Dispite our reservations and fears, we agreed. What choice did we have?

Don't be heros, keep your heads down.

Since fucking when do we do any of that?

So we rested for the day. Meyone was dead-set agianst any of this and just about on the point of bursting something valuble, and I doubted there was anything anyone could say to calm him down. So we just waited.

That soft touch we'd felt before returned, and now it did things like make breakfast and help us with our armor. It was accompained by a soft, gentle voice and that scent, and it was always, always, totally invisible.

But it was sweet and dotting, and reminded me, strangly, of what a mother or a sister might be like. It made me smile, and few enough things do that anymore.

Meyone, of course,was just about frightened of her. Big baby.

The next day it was time for us to be off, and no one waisted anytime. We were given last minute advice, then the process began. Meyone clutched both of us like a child clutches a beloved toy and we clung to him in turn, none of us even a little ashamed of our close-pressed group huddle.

It didn't do any good anyway. About half-way through we were aware of voices rising in argument and fear as Something Started To Go Wrong.

Of course it did.

Of course it did.

Because nothing can ever be fucking easy. Ever!

As we're rotating, dizzily and sickeningly through blackness, suddanly Meyone was ripped away from us, violently flung one way while we were torn the other.

We landed safely- um, relitive term- on the other side. Neither of us knew what had become of Meyone. But when Ann took a step, the ground under her feet sent out one massive ripple, like a stone tossed and skipped across a pond.

Somehow I had the feeling that was a Bad Thing.

I didn't get much chance to muse on it, becuase before we could decied what to do next, we were plucked from the ground by a massive wind like two wayward leaves and dragged.

And then we were standing in an impressive entryway, staring at a man who we both knew instantly even though we'd never seen him before.

This man, who had plucked us so neatly from that other side and dragged us back here, right to his feet was the Lord.

We had options, here. It was either, we are so fucked, or wow, okay, so this is good.

Either way, the man had brought us here to protect us from our vampire friend, who he said he didn't belive was as banned from that other side as the council had thought he was. We found out morea about him, too; fond out that he was a weapon being used but a weapon that could also backfire at any moment. This man also said that he'd exected three of us; we expalined what happened to Meyone, and he could offer us nothing to make us feel any better. He could, though, give us what we were looking for.

He brought us straight to Talia. It was that fucking easy.

She stood before us, elven, blind, ever youthful and beautiful, with the longest hair I'd ever seen and pale skin, and a calm, gentle face. She rose when we entered, instantly sensing the pressance of strangers; Ann and I were trapped like foxes, unsure what to say or how to say it. Finally I croaked out a greeting- I think I simple said her name- and she turned to me, her blind eyes unnervingly on their mark. I told her we'd met before, and she knew me as the captian- or the one who'd been her captian for a while. I had to smile a little. Yes, here I was, in the flesh. And she turned to Ann then, knowing her as one of my- um, ghosts. Spirits, whatever.

We told her as much as we could remember, everything, from start to finish. She listened quietly, not looking overwhelemd or confused at all, which amazed the fuck out of me. I guess after as long as she's been alive, it's hard to confuse her.

So what's Ann's excuse?

That's another joke, people.

Anyway, her end answer was so simple, so obviouse, that it couldn't be al lthere was to things.

She suggested seperating the horse, the Nightmare, and little girl. Seperate them, she said, and maybe the spirit could rest in peice.

I highly doubt it'll be that easy, but it's the most we have to go on. And even after we left, it was still the most we had to go on. Talia could give us nothing else and it was the best idea we had to date, actually.

The Lord took us out to send us home, but he'd made a request of us before taking us to see Talia- that if and when we found Danel, that he should try and return the Lord to 'normal'- make him just your average, living, breathing person again. Because apperantly Danel could do that. He could have done that for the little girl, too, and I'll make a note for myself just in case not to forget to find out what was done with all her things, and maybe where her old house was.

There might be no point in my knowing, but I'd like to, all the same.

We told the man we'd pass on his message, and then he sent us back into the city under Aveendale- where, as I told her her probably would be, Meyone was waiting for us.

He was- differant- a little too differant. Too suddan;ly relaxed and at ease with the situation around us.

I put my hackles up and watched Ann do the same. He offered us an expliantion but it just didn't fly. But there was nothing to be done for it, so we rested one more day waiting for nightfall so we could leave Aveendale again.

While we rested and waited, we we enterained some more by our helpful little invisible lady, asked around about the clockwork mechinations that we saw everywhere here so like the ones we'd seen before, and found out that there people didn't use what the people i nthe citadel did- they used 'copies' of the real thing, which didn't last as long but were easier to control and wasn't, may I add, as sadistic as pretty much trapping a living beasts's essence into a clockwork body.

I also asked around timidly about Damien, but not as vivaciously as I may have in the past. I told you already where my head is on that one; I have my chain of events happening in the citadel in an attempt to get my answers, and what was I going to find out here that wasn't only going to frustrate and confuse me more? I did try and remember, to see if I did remember anything, and there were times, and places, that, sure as fuck, I could remember sitting with Damien, laughing with him, walking and talking, being with him and enjoying it.

I crammed it all in the back of my skull viciously and refused to think about it for the rest of the day.

I made my choice, damn it.

I did.

We were finally taken back out into Aveendale, pleased to see the world as it should be and wasn't on that mirror sidfe, and made our creeping, sneaky way back to the stables. The gaurdians in there agreed to give us a ride back home- again, we noticed the odd changes in Meyone, how he was no longer timid of these rides- and once again, it seemed like all was well.

Then?

The gnat showed up again. And he brought friends.